What the Western Media Didn’t Bother Reporting

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Heart Problems and a Syllogism

In today’s relativistic culture, people do not like us declaring that the only way to be saved is through Jesus Christ. Neither do they like God declaring Himself to be the only God. They like to portray Him as being self-serving and greedy because He wants to be the only one to get our praise and service.

I believe that these people have chosen in their hearts that they do not want to worship God and therefore use this as an excuse to make Him look bad so they can reject Him. These people are rarely helped by logical arguments because hearts are rarely or never changed by logic. Nonetheless, I want to propose a logical syllogism.

If the President of the United States declares himself the only President of the United States, we do not question him or say that he is being greedy. He is simply making a true statement about who he is.

I think it is only fair that we allow God to declare Himself. When He does He is simply making a true statement about who He is.

Therefore, if God is God, by definition He has the right to declare exclusivity in His description.

A Statement by Early Christian Bishop Cyprian: Violence in an evil world

“He suggests that Donatus (the friend to whom he is writing) transport himself in imagination to a high mountain and look down with compassion upon the evil world. ‘Consider the roads blocked by robbers, the seas beset with pirates, and wars scattered all over the earth. The whole world is wet with mutual blood; and murder, which is a crime if done by an individual, is called a virtue when it is committed in war! Freedom from punishment is claimed for the wicked deeds of war, not on the plea that they are guiltless, but because the cruelty is carried out on a grand scale.’” Quoted from The Way of Peace by J.C. Wenger

A Question

So, when were the disciples baptized?

The Spirit is Willing, but the Flesh is Weak

How do I reconcile the fact that I have knowledge and desire to do good, yet I still do not do it? What is it that allows my spirit to be willing and my flesh to be weak? It is like an automatic garage door with a rusty track. It tries to move. It strains in the right direction, but the wheels are just not willing to roll in the tracks. Why do I find it so difficult to act on my good desires and so easy to act on my bad desires?

Paul knew about this and said that he has to beat himself into good behavior.

It would seem like God should sanctify my spirit quickly and all at once, like bleach on a pair of jeans; but this is not how it is. This world is fallen and entropy has caused things to break down. My body, mind, and spirit has become disconnected. As Christ moves in me, sanctifying me, I become united again. As I learn the places I have not yielded and give them over, He unites them with His will.

They Fell to the Ground (Jn. 18:6)

The soldiers and Judas received a shock as they approached Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. When they said they were seeking Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus replied, “I am He (note the capital ‘H’).” This declaration of Lordship was so powerful that the soldiers, and I assume, Judas as well, drew back and fell to the ground. Maybe this was what made him begin to realize that the man he had betrayed was actually the Son of God. He finally felt the personal impact of the power of Jesus on his body.

All or Nothing

I have recently been looking at Jesus statements and parables in the last part of Luke 14. Verse 26 is the shocking “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.” This verse sets the stage for the illustration Jesus gives a little later. Some people have done strange things with the “hate” verse. My Bible has a helpful note from the translators stating that the word “hate” is to be taken as a comparison to how much we love Jesus. We are to love Jesus so much that the love we have for our families and spouses looks like hate in comparison.

Jesus goes on to say that, just like you had better make sure that you have enough money to build a building before you start so that you don’t run out part way through, we need to consider the costs of discipleship. Just like people lose respect for an irresponsible contractor who does not arrange the funds necessary to complete a project, we need to make sure that we will not become a laughingstock because we began the journey of discipleship, but then are not willing to pay the price of complete surrender. Jesus tells us to count the costs. Are we willing spend what it costs to be his disciple? Are we willing to pay everything that we have. Are we willing to die.

A major problem with American Christianity is that people are not willing to pay the price to be true disciples. Because of this the church has become something to push aside. It is considered to be full of hypocrites with nothing of worth or substance to offer to the real world. It is a crutch for weaklings. It is like a sappy love song that touches the heart of an inebriated drunk. Christians have not shown that they are dedicated enough to pay the price of discipleship and because of this the world has assumes they are not strong enough to address real problems.

Because people like you and me were not willing to give all, Christianity is being scorned. If you and I pay the price of discipleship, we will begin to turn the poor conception of the church around, starting with those we know. The love of God that flows through us will feel stronger than any love they have ever felt, even if it looks like hate in comparison to our love for God.