December 11, 2011

To Throw, or Not to Throw, Your Vote Away

When we consider who to vote for in an election, we always seem to face the same questions. Who is running, do they inspire me, or am I uninspired by the entire slate of candidates?

We ask ourselves other questions too:

1. Do we strictly vote our conscience, even if our candidate polls less than one percent?
2. Do we support the candidate who roughly lines up with our views, but who also has a chance at winning?
3. Do we simply refrain from voting until we get a candidate who lines up perfectly with our particular grid?

To be sure, these are familiar questions, ones we face all the time, and not only in politics. We sometimes ask, "What is the best church to join?" Should we join a church that seems to line up with all our views, or join one that may not line up 100% but seems to have life and the presence of God? Again, these are not always easy to answer. Sometimes we fail to consider other factors, such as the spiritual health of the church, or whether the leaders set good examples. I have found that it isn't always the doctrinal statement that decides such questions (though doctrine, as this website often argues, always plays an important role in everything).

Getting back to politics, another question to decide is which candidate seems to be presidential material, and could bear up well under a crisis. I have known many people who have strong political opinions but aren't mature enough to be president. It seems these aren't simple questions at all.

Such dilemmas should not depress us, but drive us to prayer and a serious study of Scripture. We should not expect God to "zap" us with the answer, but add His blessing to our search for truth, whatever the endeavor.

August 22, 2011

Reflections on the Intermediate State

This past month we bid good-by to my mother-in-law who went to be with the Lord at age 89 (three weeks shy of her 90th birthday). Many people have mistaken notions on what happens to believers upon death. Here we offer some brief reflections (for a more elaborate treatment of this subject, click here and see section the Intermediate State). Here is a brief summary:

• They are living, comforted, and rejoicing (see 2 Cor. 5:8, Rev. 14:13).
• They are currently without a body until the resurrection (2 Cor. 5:1-8).
This point may not sit well with mourners who envision departed loved ones dancing in the streets of heaven with new bodies. The Scriptures, however, do not teach that.
• They are much better off than this life (Phil. 1:21, 23).

Departed loved ones in Christ are in a far better place than this sin-worn world, and fellowship directly with God with none of limitations of this life. Yet they do look forward to the resurrection when their souls will reunite with a glorified body, completely free of any effects of a fallen world. Indeed, it will be a body like Christ's own glorious body (Phil. 1:21).

My memories of mom are fond and pleasant. She was a loving saint of God who loved people and her family. During the last years of her life she grew so very close to God. She now rejoices with Him and with a heavenly host, awaiting our own translation into that place of no sunset.

February 27, 2011

Human Restlessness Cured by God's Peace

Do we lack reasons to worry? It all depends on your viewpoint. If we look at the events of this world, we need not look far to find things to fear. A glance at the daily news can strike fear in the most stout-hearted people. People fear what they see:

"And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken" (Luke 21:25-26).

Though scholars differ when these things will take place, they will take place, and we see many "fainting" today. Here's the cure from God's Word:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil. 4:4-8).

As believers, we need only fear God, not man or things. Fearing God, however, is not slavish nor harsh, but liberating and glorious. As stressful times increase, keep your eyes focused on things that cannot change (Heb. 12:27); things that make for peace and joy in the heart. Don't wallow in fears that make war with the soul (1 Pet. 2:11). God will keep him/her in peace, whose mind is stayed on Him.

December 31, 2010

Year End Parallels to Life's End

We thought we would sneak in an entry just before year's end (literally it's 3 1/2 hours before the new year, PST). Since this is the time for resolutions, let's take a contrarian approach and work backwards. In fact, working (not "looking") backwards can set a victorious pace for life.

By working backwards we mean considering the end of your life. Imagine you're at the end, preparing to stand before God. How did you live your life before God? We all promise ourselves that which we cannot deliver: more time. God alone determines our life's span, so now is the time to get our house in order.

The Apostle Peter encouraged us to view time as fleeting (1 Pet. 1:24), and even considered that "the end of all things is at hand" (1 Pet. 4:7). Our hope rests "fully" on the grace to be brought at the revelation ("revealing") of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:13). We should not be conformed to the passions that characterized the times of our "ignorance" (1 Pet. 1:14), but should strive for holiness (1 Pet. 1:15-16). We are always making progress and moving forward, since God labels us "sojourners and exiles," not at home in this world.

Now is the time for us to make the necessary changes and to take positive steps to grow in the Christian life. We should all have a set time to meet with God each day, and we should all stretch ourselves spiritually. It cannot be business as usual for the simple reason that none of us knows when we will meet God.

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen."
1 Pet. 5:10-11.

November 17, 2010

Four Downgrades Facing the Church

A downgrade is a significant "downward" trend that seems irreversible. Throughout church history, the church has faced such temptations since it is ever the object of Satan's unremitting attack. The role of theology is to extract truth from the Bible and bring it to bear on church life. Theology can then serve as a "cleansing agent," as it were, or a tool of God to summon the church back to greener pastures. Here are some significant downgrade temptations facing the church today:

1. The Abandonment of a Lordship Theology
   If we are to believe statistics, the gulf between the ethics of the church and that of the world is quickly disappearing. This needs to be reversed not by the false props of legalism or the adoption of rigid moral codes, but by a return to the Lordship of Christ. Such a return also means a return to a close adherence to the Word of God in all of life.
2. Erosion of Biblical Fundamentals
   By fundamentals we mean the clear instruction of the Word of God, and a new love for this book. Then the body of Christ needs to live out the implications of knowing God.
3. A Growing Disdain for Doctrinal Truth
   I understand the hazards of making such a statement since it seems so self-serving coming from a webmaster of a website devoted to theology. Nevertheless, the Bible abounds in protracted discourses in doctrine (witness the entire Book of Romans), such as the prayers of the Apostle Paul, rich in theological truth (cf. Eph. 1:15-23; 3:14-21). God's people need to renew their hearts and ask for a new love for theology, the study of God.
4. Lack of Repentance
   We should repent of our worldliness and aversion to biblical truth. The ethical slide we witness on such a grand scale indicates the need for wide scale repentance. We even need repentance for our intellectual laziness. With the eruption of video as the primary means of communication for many, if not most, we need to exercise our brains more than we do. Any walk with God that bears fruit includes and involves a close and intelligent interaction with the Word of God, and not just selected (i.e., favorite) passages of Scripture.

That said, may God once again revive His people that they might rejoice in Him.