Left Behind Bible Studies | Video Commentaries: Session One – Are You Ready?
Recently I had the chance to write the adult bible study curriculum to compliment what compliments the “Left Behind” movie.
How cool is that?
Having seen the rough footage, I’m confident this is going to get some people thinking about the Reality of Scripture. For some, it will be an occasion to beef up their defenses, for others it will be a chance to revisit the fact that one day the Rapture is going to happen.
Just like that, we’re going to see Him face to face and that’s good news.
One question that you hear a lot is “How could a loving God send a person to hell?” On the surface, that seems like a reasonable question. But it’s the wrong question. The real question is “How could a rational thinking person say ‘No’ to God?” And you know what? It’s not just a matter of your eternal security. We say “No” to God quite a bit when it comes to being on top of our spiritual game in general.
We’ve got this amazing invitation sitting in front of us every day to grab on to some serious Truth and look at ourselves and the world around us from a perspective steeped in Purpose, Peace and Power.
I get stoked anytime I’ve given the chance to challenge folks with questions like “If you had to create a billboard that promoted a relationship with Christ and you couldn’t say anything about missing hell and going to Heaven, nor could you say anything about how God helps you with your problems, what would your billboard say?” In John 17, Jesus defined eternal life as “knowing God.” Salvation was never engineered to be something that comes to bear only in the context of a Divine emergency procedure or a funeral parlor.
The six sessions you see below are designed to get you thinking and get you fired up about life in general. You weren’t put here to make an appearance, you were put here to make a difference. And that difference is accomplished by you and I taking the time to catch a clear vision of Who God is, hearing His Voice and enjoying the benefits that go along with obedience.
Buckle up!
Session One: Are You Ready?
Do you believe in God? Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave? You do? That’s awesome. But if you’re thinking that’s enough to get you into Heaven, think again. The demons believe all that and they’re not spending eternity with God. No sir. This session looks at what it means to believe in your heart and how it’s God’s Spirit in you that defines you as someone who truly “believes.”
Session Two: Your Guide to a Spiritual Six Pack
1 Timothy 4:7 says to train yourself to be godly. I love that word picture. So often we marginalize spiritual disciplines as things that you do when you’re feeling either especially noble or extremely desperate. Nuts to that! You train so you can better implement and enjoy the Resources Christ brings to the table:
- passionate approach to the mundane
- confident perspective on the impossible
- steady response to the difficult
- gracious reaction to victory
- unshaken resolve when confronted with the unexpected
That’s a life worth living right there! And that’s the result of a toned spiritual six pack!
Session Three: Location, Location, Location
While it’s not uncommon to be more preoccupied with the words that we say, we have to be attentive to the life that we display and be able to use that as a way to earn the right to be heard. Location, location, location. “Where are you at?” Where are you at in terms of your personal life, your vocation, the relationships you have with your friends and family? Do those dynamics reveal the Power of Christ in a way that makes people curious? Does the way you live your life earn you the right to be heard?
Session Four: Apples of Gold on a Tray of Silver
You’ve earned the right to be heard, now it’s time to say something. You know what you want to say, but have you given much thought to the way it needs to be said. It’s one thing for someone to hear you, but it’s another when you’re able to speak in a way where they’re truly listening. That’s the example Christ sets when you look at the way He interacted with the woman at the well in John 4. “A word aptly spoken…” That’s what we need to be shooting for.
Session Five: How to Handle Angry Customers
Not everybody is open to the Truth. Some are downright antagonistic. What do you do? This session looks at three things to keep in mind: Don’t take it personally, find common ground, and try to see it from their perspective. Not everybody who’s “difficult” is skeptical. Some are carrying around some hurt that never healed. Should God determine to use you to influence the way they think, you want to be real intentional making sure your words are not compromised by your emotions.
Session Six: Lose the Frogs
Pharaoh had an option of either ridding himself of the frogs immediately, or he could choose to let them linger for one more night. You’ve got to wonder what he was thinking. Why in the world would you put off the relief that’s staring you right in the face? Yet, as outrageous as that may seem, we do the same thing. God calls, He offers, He invites, He commands and we…put Him off. Like Pharaoh, we would prefer one more night with the frogs. Lose the frogs! If any of these session resonate with you, be sure to head out leftbehindthemovie.com and click on “Minsitry Resources.” They’re offering free samples as well as other materials for your entire church. Great stuff! Go get ’em!
On the Outside Looking In
“Are you a Christian?” There are a lot of people who will answer “Yes” to that question. But if you ask them to elaborate you get stuff like “I believe in God” and “I believe that Jesus died on the cross.” These are elements of a believer’s creed, certainly, but imagine an interview where you’ve got two people being asked the same questions and consider their answers in light of what the Bible says.
Question #1: Do you believe in God? Believer: Yes, I do. Demon: Absolutely.
You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. (Jas 2:19)
Question #2: Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son?
Believer: Sure.
Demon: I certainly do.
When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me! (Matt 8:28 [response of the demon(s) to Jesus when they saw Him approaching])
Question #3: Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave?
Believer: I do.
Demon: Yes.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. (Col 2:15 [Satan and his subordinates are very aware of the Ultimate Defeat that was dealt to them as a result of the cross])
So, consider where this positions the believer and the demon at this point in the interview. Both of them subscribe to the exact same facts, yet the demon isn’t going to Heaven (Rev 20:10). So what is it, then, that distinguishes the believer from the demon? What is it about their belief system that’s unique when compared to what a demon believes?
Question #4: Is the Spirit of Christ living in you?
Believer: Yes, He is.
Demon: (awkward silence…)
“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Rom. 8:9).
That’s either the deal-maker or the deal-breaker. Does the Spirit of God live in you? It’s not a trick question, it’s not some lofty theological “spin.” The Presence of God’s Spirit is what defines you either as someone who’s born again or someone who’s on the outside looking in.
Salvation is you going from a spiritual corpse to having a spiritual pulse (Eph 2:1,4-5). It’s not a stained glass band-aid, it’s an entirely new paradigm and it changes everything (2 Cor 5:17).
To get that in place, you simply ask God to make it happen. All He requires is what’s referenced in Romans 10:9-10. The first part is “confessing with your mouth,” which is easy. The second part, for some, is more challenging in that He’s looking at your core and He wants to see something that goes beyond an academic tolerance for the idea of a Savior. It’s the difference between believing in your mind that diet and exercise is good for you, yet not acting on it. Whereas believing in your “heart” that fitness is a priority – that will manifest itself in your actions. In other words, “ideas” remain in your mind, “convictions” reside in your heart and that’s where God looks for a saving belief as opposed to an intellectual approval.
So, where are you at? You good, or are you on the outside looking in?
What Does It Mean to be Saved?
Being “saved” sometimes resonates as something illusive. You hear terms like “evangelical,” “born again,” “redeemed…” But what does it mean and how does one make it happen?
First of all, let’s look at a couple of questions and scenarios that will help rule out some things that can be distracting otherwise.
You and Your Typical Demon
Imagine two individuals—one is a demon the other is a believer. Try to determine which one is which based on the way they might answer the following questions:
Question #1: Do you believe in God?
James 2:19 says: “ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.” Based on that passage, what do you think the demon would say?
Question #2: Do you believe that Jesus is God’s son?
In Matthew 8:29, several demons see Jesus coming and they say: “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”
Obviously the believer would answer yes, but how do you think the demon will reply based on the verse we just read?
Last question: Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave?
Again, the believer is going to answer yes. What’s the demon’s answer going to be?
Colossians 2:15 says: “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them (Satan and demons), triumphing over them by the cross.”
Based on that verse, how do you think the demons would answer?
What do you think? Is there a difference in the way our two individuals answered the questions?
Let’s take a minute and review what was asked:
- Do you believe in God?
- Do you believe that Jesus is God’s Son?
- Do you believe that Jesus rose from the grave?
There’s no difference between these two individuals based on the questions that were asked. Both answered in exactly the same way. James 2:19 indicates that demons believe in God. Matthew 8:29 quotes a demon as accurately referring to Jesus as God’s Son, and it’s evident from the other Scriptures we looked at that the devil and those who serve him are very aware of the defeat that was dealt them when Jesus rose from the grave.
Do you smell that?
That’s the aroma of reality.
The fact is, demons “believe” that Jesus is God’s Son and that He rose from the grave. So, there’s got to be something else besides just a willingness to acknowledge Jesus as a historical figure with some theological substance attached to Him.
But what?
Believing With Your Heart
When you believe something in your mind, it changes the way you think. But when you believe something in your heart, it changes the way you live. You see that idea expressed in Proverbs 4:23:
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov. 4:23)
It’s significant that Scripture references the heart as what constitutes the source of who you are rather than the mind. Some maintain that if you can change a person’s mind, you can change who they are, but who someone is as a person is determined by more than mere facts. Two people can be confronted with the exact same scenario and be presented with the exact same set of information yet process it differently because who you are determines the way you think. With that in mind, take a look at Romans 10:9-10:
“That is you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Rom. 10:9-10).
“It’s with your heart that you believe.” It’s comparable to that situation where someone agrees that diet and exercise are healthy habits. But it’s the one who actually engages those habits that demonstrates a belief that resides in his heart. So, Jesus isn’t just “the” Messiah, He’s “my” Messiah. He’s not just King of kings, He’s “my” King. He’s my Creator, He’s my Redeemer, He is my Lord.
A Complete Transformation
Your belief doesn’t merely qualify you as morally perfect before God – which is what happens when you accept God’s gift of grace.1 It also facilitates a complete transformation of who you are.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! (2 Cor 5:17)
When you make the Reality of Christ your reality – when you’re recognizing that what He did on the cross was for you in the most direct and personal way possible – at that point, you’re no longer respecting a Nativity scene or a crucifix, you’re now sitting down with the Son of God as your Savior and not just a lifeless idea.2 In that moment, you go from being a spiritual corpse to having a spiritual pulse.3 Your membership into the Kingdom of God is now guaranteed,4, but you’re also operating according to an entirely new internal paradigm in that God’s Spirit is living in you.
“And you also were included in Christ when you heard that word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit” (Eph. 1:13). [See also Jn. 14:17; Gal. 4:7.]
It’s His Spirit that’s now providing a Voice that, up to now, wasn’t even available (see Eph 2:1). This Voice is now guiding you and giving you a new kind of desire for doing the right thing at the right time in the right way for all the right reasons.5
Conclusion
Let’s go back to the Q/A session with two individuals we were envisioning at the beginning of our discussion. Let’s imagine that they have to answer one more question, and here it is:
Does the Spirit of Christ live in you?
Romans 8:9 says: “ You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”
What would the demon say, what would the believer say? What would you say?
According to Romans 8:9, that is the determining factor. That is what distinguishes the believer from the demon in our scenario.
There are many who go through life having convinced themselves that they’re believers—thinking that a mental acknowledgment of Christ’s reality equates to the saving belief referenced in Scripture. It’s not an uncommon fallacy, but it is nevertheless a departure from God’s Word that is both tragic and lethal.
On the other hand, the belief that comes from the heart that manifests itself as a personal conviction and not just a mental acknowledgement opens the door to a relationship with the One Who put the stars in their place and gives you, not only a guarantee of an eternity spent with Him, but a life that’s truly worth living as long as you’re walking this earth.
That’s what it means to be saved!
The Billy Graham Association has a great piece that will walk you through the verses and the subsequent steps you need to take to make Christ your personal Savior and not just a mental picture. Click here to read more.
1. 1 Corinthians 15:22; Titus 3:5; Hebrew 10:15-18
2. Revelation 3:20
3. Ephesians 2:1; 2:3-5
4. John 1:12; 14:3
5. Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:12; ; Philippians 2:13; Colossians 1:29; 1 Peter 1:15-16
Christianity: It Cannot be Believed by a Thinking Person
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, (1 Pet 3:15)I) Intro
There are a number of very vocal and very articulate people out there who sneer at Christianity, as though it were a preposterous notion to subscribe to something so ridiculous. Christopher Hitchens is one of those people. In this installment of MC, we’re going to take a look at some of what he says and offer a rebuttal that reveals his platform as flawed, limited and nonsensical. Let’s take a look…
II) Christopher Hitchens
Hitchens was born in 1939 and recently passed away in 2011. He was an English writer who spent a great deal of time in the US and eventually became a citizen. A gifted speaker, he was a forceful orator, especially when it came to the issue of religion. At one point, he said that a person “could be an atheist and wish that belief in god were correct”, but that “an antitheist, a term I’m trying to get into circulation, is someone who is relieved that there’s no evidence for such an assertion”.1 Richard Dawkins, a British evolutionary biologist and an avowed atheist, said of Hitchens, “I think he was one of the greatest orators of all time. He was a polymath, a wit, immensely knowledgeable, and a valiant fighter against all tyrants, including imaginary supernatural ones.”2 Today we’re looking at one example of Hitchens’ commentaries on Christianity which you can find on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbOUBUVLvKw.
Here’s a brief summary of some of what he had to say:
III) Privacy
Privacy, in this instance, is an issue only if you’re interested in hiding something from God. And the only reason you would be interested in hiding something is if you had something you were hesitant to divulge before Him. In other words, you, like Cain, are trying to slip by unnoticed in order to preserve the illusion that you are blameless (Gen 4:9; Ps 51:5).
No one is.
But that is not an occasion to resent God’s Omniscience, rather it’s something to celebrate as far as being completely known and yet completely loved.
Moses makes mention of this very thing in Psalm 139. He observes how God is completely aware of every nuance of his heart and mind. He revels in the freedom he has before God to be utterly transparent and, at the same time supremely confident that he is accepted by a Holy God.
What’s the difference between Moses and Christopher?
The difference is that Christopher superimposes the flaws of humanity upon God’s holiness because the idea of Divine Perfection reside beyond the borders of his definition of what’s reasonable. Hence, God’s ability to know someone completely is processed as surveillance rather than omniscience. And in the same way, he processes omnipotence as arrogance.
IV) Indifferent and Distant
He goes on to say that for the better part of 98,000 years God did nothing as man struggled and suffered.
The Old Testament makes it obvious that God was very involved in the lives of His people, so to say that He was doing nothing is a gross understatement. Consider the Exodus, the enumerable military campaigns of the Israeli army, the time of the judges, as well as the way in which all of the Major and Minor Prophets describe God as being intimately aware of His people’s condition and completely committed to their welfare.
No doubt, Christopher questions God’s activity with the other people groups that aren’t mentioned in Scripture. What of those that didn’t have access to Christ? What of those who never heard of the Ten Commandments?
In Rev 5:9 that there will be people from every nation throughout history in Heaven. While the Bible doesn’t go into any kind of detail as to how that works, one can rest assured that the Message of God’s grace will have been communicated and his judgement will be fair (Acts 10:34-35; Rom 1:20; Jas 2:25). Click here for more reading on that subject.
V) In the Desert
Christopher’s also critical of God’s decision to announce His Solution to sin to a people “in the desert” who are not nearly as literate or as advanced as the Chinese.
At the time of Christ, the Roman Empire was under the authority of Caesar Augustus. Never before had so many human beings acknowledged the authority of a single leader. His subjects formed more than one third of the entire global population.3
When you couple that with Rome’s educational system, which was heavily influenced by the Greeks, along with Rome’s engineering and technology, Hitchens comment is revealed as being less than credible. Rome was very well positioned to serve as a starting point for the gospel message (see Acts 25:12; 28:30).
VI) Christianity is Immoral
Hitchens then goes on to say that he regards the Christian message to be immoral. His conclusion is derived from a limited perspective on the consequences of any kind of wrongdoing.
While it is both appropriate and biblical to take responsibility for the wrongful act that you’ve committed (Matt 5:23-26), the spiritual ramifications of sin are both eternal and lethal and cannot be offset by any kind of human effort (2 Sam 12:13 [see also http://www.reformation21.org/articles/a-godcentered-understanding-of-sin.php]). In other words, being ethical may address the material debt incurred by your actions and it may even ease the tension felt as a result of your wrongdoing, but it accomplishes nothing as far as paying the debt that is owed to God.
That’s what makes grace so amazing.
It’s not a question of the lengths you go to in order to compensate for your actions – that’s an expected response from a moral perspective. But neither you nor I can atone for our sin on our own (Heb 10:4). It requires a Divine Solution. And when you consider the price that God was willing to pay for said solution, to regard it as immoral is nonsensical. Rather, it’s a kind of love that is nothing short of outrageous in that it is entirely undeserved, yet freely given (1 Jn 3:1).
VII) No Win Scenario
Finally, Hitchens concludes that God has created a no win scenario by imposing expectations that are impossible to live up to.
Coupled with the fact that He’s aware of, not only your outward behavior, but also the agendas within the hidden recesses of your mind, you are lost and condemned from the very start. Paul refers to the same “no win” scenario that Hitchens observes in Romans 7. This is a man that was blameless, as far as keeping the law (Phil 3:6). But however pristine he may have looked on the outside, he knew that before God, all his righteous acts were like filthy rags and he was a slave to sin (Is 64:6; Rom 7:14). And it’s not that God has orchestrated this situation, rather it goes back to the fact that man chose this dynamic back in the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:15-17; 3 :16-19).
But while man chose to live in the context of this sitting, God provided a Remedy that Paul builds up to in Romans 7:24-25 where he says, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
VIII) Conclusion
The fundamental flaw in Hitchens’ reasoning is that his philosophical starting point positions himself in the center of the universe as opposed to God. Woodrow Wilson once said, “If you make yourself the center of the universe, all your perspective is skewed. There is only one moral center of the universe, and that is God. If you get into right relation with Him, then you have your right perspective and your right relation and your right size.”4
Hitchens has determined that God cannot exist outside the parameters of his intellectual preferences. His limited knowledge of Scripture coupled with a resolve to process the whole of life and creation according to a personal paradigm that reduces the enormity of the cosmos and the intricacies of the human experience to something that fits within an academic shoebox, results in something that appears controlled and calculated, but is revealed as being pathetically inept when confronted with the world as it truly is.
But here’s the thing:
Hitchens isn’t going to be swayed by mere reason alone. For him, this kind of debate is more along the lines of chess where people position their arguments like they would move their bishops and pawns on a chessboard. That isn’t to say that you don’t engage people like Christopher. Paul never shied away from debating the logic of the gospel. You see that in Acts 17 when he was in Athens and engaged the philosophers and the great thinkers in that city.
But for people like Christopher, you want to challenge their logic with not only your rebuttal but with your life. It’s there where the Power of God is most compelling. Ideas are one thing, but the ideals that guide and empower the life that is worth imitating – that’s what makes the difference, that’s what silences the critics and that’s what points people to Christ.
1. “Christopher Hitchens”, https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Christopher_Hitchens, accessed June 19, 2015
2. Ibid
3. Bible Hub, “The Roman Empire at the Time of the Birth of Christ. Upwards of a Quarter of a Century Before the Birth of Christ”, William Dool Killen, http://biblehub.com/library/killen/the_ancient_church/chapter_i_the_roman_empire.htm, accessed June 19, 2015
4. “Wilson”, A. Scott Berg, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, N.Y., 2013, p37
There Are Only Two Religions
While it might not be an original phrase, I heard “There are only two religions in the world” for the first time in a talk given by author Frank Peretti.
I though it was a very succinct and profound way of summarizing the various religions in the world and how they compare to the gospel. Basically, it boils down to one of two options: Either God is God or man is god.
In his book, “The God Delusion,” Richard Dawkins summarizes his atheistic disposition by stating that, “I am attacking God, all gods, anything and everything supernatural, wherever and whenever they have been or will be invented.”1
While Atheists want to be perceived as having an impartial approach to the various faiths represented by the American population by insisting on a “religion-less” perspective on morality, there is no such thing as a “religion-less” approach to anything, let alone morality. From a purely philosophical standpoint, “religion” is the way in which you answer four basic questions:
- Origin – how did the universe come to be?
- Destiny – what happens when you die?
- Morality – how are you supposed to behave while you’re here?
- Purpose – what’s the point of your existence?
These are not lofty, theological issues or advanced, philosophical themes that only academic types bother to engage. The way you process yourself and the world around you on a daily basis is based on the way you answer these questions and from that standpoint, you are a “religious” person regardless of how often you go to church, if you go at all. And from that standpoint, there’s no such thing as an atheist. You’re simply your own god – you’ve established yourself as your own religion.
So, when you hear critics of Christianity or social activists insist that they represent a more judicious approach to moral issues and social tensions by removing the Bible from the conversation, they’re not leveling the playing field as much as they’re giving priority to that “religious” school of thought that establishes the individual as his own deity.
If religion, at the bare minimum, is the paradigm upon which one bases his perspective on himself and the world around him, then atheism “fits” in the illustration Peretti proposes in that atheism is the belief that all things can be, and should be, assessed and determined by an intellect that is entirely human. So, rather than appealing to the God of the Bible, atheists instead appeal to the “god” of human reason and humanistic thinking. However they may balk at the notion of anything that even sounds remotely supernatural is attached to their philosophical infrastructure, it is nevertheless an apt way of comparing the two schools of thought. And with that comparison comes a more direct way of identifying the fundamental difference between Christianity and other supernatural thought processes, while simultaneously defining the one aspect of Christianity that, once proven, reduces all of what would otherwise be argument against the gospel to ash.
The empty tomb. H.P. Liddon put it very well when he said:
Faith in the resurrection is the very keystone of the arch of Christian faith, and, when it is removed, all must invariably crumble into ruin. 2
1. “The God Delusion”, Richard Dawkins, Bantam Press, Great Britain, 2006, p57 2. “Therefore Stand: Christian Apologetics”, Wilbur M. smith, Baker book House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1965, p577
Who Makes the Rules?
So, here’s what happened: The “Gay Pride” Club at Independence High School built a float that was featured as part of the Homecoming parade that drove around the High School, down 31 and then made a lap around Heritage Elementary and Heritage Middle School.
It’s a big tradition and the Kindergarteners along with the Grade Schoolers are allowed to sit outside and watch what amounts to a big parade coming close enough to where those who are on the floats can throw candy and wave hello. But at one point, two of the individuals on the “Gay Pride” float kissed…
Some saw that and felt an overwhelming sense of disgust and threw a fit. Others saw it as a sign of the times and, while they don’t agree with the homosexual lifestyle, accept it as a hill that’s not worth dying on because, after all, everyone has the, “…right to be happy.”
You can watch the clip and read the article by clicking here. It’s a volatile discussion, but there’s a key element that often gets overlooked that’s worth considering because in the end, there’s a lot more at stake than a person’s right to be happy. The real question is: Who Makes the Rules?
I) It’s a Strategy
First of all, the manner in which the Homosexual Agenda is advanced is done according to a strategy that’s characteristic of someone who has something to hide more than they have something to say. The moment you hear elements of that strategy being deployed, you can rest assured that what you’re hearing is not meant to champion the truth as much as it’s intended to distract from it.
Typically the Homosexual Activist positions themselves as a victim of a cruel and intolerant society that’s determined to prevent them from being able to exercise their right to be happy. However that may or may not be the case, the fact that you can’t be critical of someone who’s in pain without immediately being labeled as insensitive and inappropriate is a handy tool in the hands of someone who needs to avoid those questions that have the potential to reveal their argument as being weak apart from a controlled collection of polls, pictures and personalities.
In this case, the issue isn’t whether or not the Homosexual has the right to be happy as much as they have the authority to redefine Moral Absolutes. That’s the question on the table. And that’s why it’s necessary to frame the entire conversation around the “victim,” because otherwise it becomes too obvious that there’s a resolve to either manipulate or dismiss the Bible in a way that’s neither accurate let alone appropriate. That’s why characterizing those who have a problem with Homosexuality as being guilty of “fear and hate” can be so effective because now you can divert attention away from what the real issue is: Who Makes the Rules?
click II) Who Makes the Rules
You’ve got one of two options: Man or God. Granted, for some, there’s a lot to unpack there. But the point is this: It’s not about a person’s “right to be happy.” You can conceivably assert that as a way to justify almost whatever you want to do. The question is, “Who Makes the Rules?” And while that’s not a question people want to entertain in the context of a Homecoming Parade, that’s the other piece of this that makes this whole campaign so diabolical. By positioning their agenda in the context of something that is traditionally processed as healthy, patriotic or philanthropic, they compel those who would otherwise object to be silent because of the way any criticism will come across as inappropriate given the obvious noble nature of the event. But if the issue isn’t so much about one’s rights as much as it’s about what’s True… …then regardless of the event or the situation, we’re now looking at a completely different issue. Who Makes the Rules?
However passionate or dogmatic a person may be in insisting that God has no place in a civilized conversation pertaining to morality, it’s not about what you don’t believe… …it’s what you do believe. There is a “god” in this equation – there is someone who’s calling the shots and defining the standard that you deem acceptable. And it’s one of two people. It’s either the God Who created the heavens and the earth and validated His Identity by dying and coming back to life, or… …the person who’s staring back at you in the mirror every morning when you wake up.
Atheists want to be perceived as having an impartial approach to the various faiths represented by the American population by insisting on a “religion-less” perspective on morality. But there is no such thing as a “religion-less” approach to anything, let alone morality. From a purely philosophical standpoint, “religion” is the way in which you answer four basic questions:
- Origin – how did the universe come to be?
- Destiny – what happens when you die?
- Morality – how are you supposed to behave while you’re here?
- Purpose – what’s the point of your existence?
These are not lofty, theological issues or advanced, philosophical themes that only academic types bother to engage. The way you process yourself and the world around you on a daily basis is based on the way you answer these questions and from that standpoint, you are a “religious” person regardless of how often you go to church, if you go at all. And from that standpoint, there’s no such thing as an atheist. You’re simply your own god – you’ve established yourself as your own religion. So, when you hear critics of Christianity or social activists insist that they represent a more judicious approach to moral issues and social tensions by removing the Bible from the conversation, they’re not leveling the playing field as much as they’re giving priority to that “religious” school of thought that establishes the individual as his own deity.
And before you allow yourself to think that there is more than one “god” to choose from, bear in mind that Christianity is the only faith where man cannot facilitate his own salvation let alone merit the favor of his chosen deity. Every other religion, be it Islam where you’ve got the option of Jihad, or as a Buddhist you have the pursuit of Nirvana or as a Hindu, you have Moksha – every other doctrine, save what’s represented by the gospel, positions the individual as the one who can achieve their own redemption. In other words, you don’t need a god to achieve the highest good or obtain a perfect existence. You can rise above the limitations of humanity simply by being, “better.” Christ, on the other hand, says there’s no amount of noble activity or disciplined sacrifice that can alter the fact that your capacity to sin translates to a perpetual willingness to rebel against the One Who created you to begin with. Solomon says as much in Ecclesiastes 7:20:
Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins. (Ecc 7:20)
And Paul reiterates the same thing in Romans 3:10-18:
10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” 14 “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 ruin and misery mark their ways, 17 and the way of peace they do not know.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” (Rom 3:10-18)
In short, you are a spiritual corpse (Eph 2:1-7) and it’s God and God alone that makes you alive. The only thing you contribute to your salvation is the sin that made it necessary (Jn 6:65).
So, no, not every religion is the same and although a person can sound articulate and even compelling as they elaborate on what it is that they don’t believe, it’s when they start elaborating on what they do believe in that the temporary and relative dynamics they they subscribe to are revealed as the veiled attempt to make mathematical absurdities, philosophical train wrecks and moral disasters sound fulfilling. Not only is not fulfilling, it isn’t even logical.
But you can’t expect anything more from a spiritual paradigm based on the limited and corrupt perspective that defines the human condition. On one hand, I have the option of believing I’m a lucky accident desperately trying to explain and validate my existence before my expiration date…
or…
I’ve been created with a purpose by an all-Powerful God Who loved me enough to sacrifice Himself in order to ensure a life that’s worth living.
There is no comparison.
I’ll take the option that defines me as an intentional creation that doesn’t depend on a human mechanism to grant me meaning, value and love.
III) Breakdown and Conclusion
So, while on the surface this issue appears to be whether or not a certain people group has the right to be happy, the real issue is whether or not they have the Authority to redefine Moral Absolutes.
Initially, that response doesn’t work because Moral Absolutes do not exist in the minds of those who maintain themselves as their own bottom line and to try and convince them otherwise is virtually impossible because of the way they frame their argument in the context of a victim. You can’t be critical of someone who’s in pain, let alone the person who’s trying to help without immediately be labeled as cruel and intolerant which gives the Homosexual Activist the ability to champion their platform without ever having to substantiate it.
But in order for your argument to resonate as compelling, you have to be able to base your reasoning on something other than personal preferences because if you don’t believe in God and the Moral Absolutes that He has established, then you’ve replaced every bottom line you would use to validate your perspective with a temporary and transient commodity that has no credibility apart from whatever substance you assign to it.
That may sound reasonable, but if everything is relative, than you yourself are relative and everything is therefore inconclusive. In short, you don’t have an argument, only a preferred alternative rooted in a self absorbed mindset that has no chance of being validated because of the way it attempts to make itself it’s own philosophical foundation. And not only is it an epic fail from a logical standpoint, the end result of a resolve to establish one’s self as their own god is an empty and altogether pointless existence compared to the Compassion and Intentional Design represented by the Message of the Gospel and the Power of God.
The Homosexual Platform is not a demand for equal rights or an innocent desire to simply be happy as much as it’s an instance of an individual going up to God as He’s sitting on His Throne and telling Him to get out of their chair. They’re basically asserting themselves as the answer to the question, “Who makes the rules?” And when they do that, they’re ignoring what God has said, Who God is and who we are in relation to Him.
