Our basement is drying out and there is no longer a small lake in our front yard. Monday June 16th 2014 was definitely an eventful- as well as discouraging- day as water ran into buildings and blocked or washed out roads. Twenty two years earlier when I lived in Murray county in southwest Minnesota, that same day was also discouraging. Many farms as well as the towns of Chandler and Lake Wilson were hit by numerous tornados on June 16th, 1992. Therefore, as I look back a couple of weeks and a couple of decades on the date of June 16th, I cannot help but think of disaster.
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During times of disaster it is easy to complain. Why didn’t the people who built our houses put more tile and larger sump pumps in the basement? Why don’t the stores stock an extra 10,000 sump pumps? Why can’t the county workers fix the road I want to drive on even though there are many other roads that are washed out as well, and the road I want to go on is still 3 feet under water?
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Instead of complaining we should actually be thankful. Our area experienced terrible flooding, but people in Nebraska had their homes leveled by powerful tornados. In other words, it could be worse.
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What about those county and city workers who did not seem to care about my road or the water in my neighborhood? Did we remember to thank them for the long hours that they were putting as they fought a losing battle to keep ahead of the water? The evidence is clear that they lost that battle, but it was a battle that no one could have won. We had some terrible flooding here in Worthing, but I was amazed how much better things looked the next day after the rain had stopped and I am thankful for the city workers and firemen who quickly pumped water away so things could dry up and get back to normal.
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I once heard that thankful people tend to be much more successful than complainers. Though thankfulness can help with success, there is an even more important reason to be thankful- God told us to. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV says, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” It is hard to give thanks when your home is flooded or destroyed by a tornado. That is why it is important to let the peace of God rule in our hearts, realizing we can trust Him even when we do not understand why these things are happening. “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:15-17 NKJV)
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Regardless of our circumstances and regardless of what we are doing, we should be thankful toward God and we should be encouraging each other with our examples of thankfulness. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Ephesians 5:20 NKJV).
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The next time you are tempted to complain, be thankful instead. Remember to pray and thank God and then remember to thank those around for what they have done.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Friday, June 13, 2014
Are Christians Hypocrites?
Are Christians a bunch of hypocrites? When Jesus was on earth, He accused the Pharisees of being hypocrites. These religious individual claimed to have high standards, yet their lives were actually characterized by sin and Jesus rebuked them for that. Would He do the same to many Christians today?
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We know that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We also know that our sin is forgiven when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV)
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I Corinthians 6 speaks of some sins that Christians had been involved in and then in verse 11 it says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” So does that mean that once we are Christians, that the actions that we do are no longer sinful because they have been forgiven? Some would suggest that since Christians have been sanctified by trusting Christ, that then we no longer have to worry about sinful actions since everything is now under the blood. This is a very dangerous error. The Apostle Paul warned, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1 NKJV)
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I John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The parallel passage from the Old Testament is Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Sin is forgiven when it is confessed, but it should also be forsaken.
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Often professing Christians are looked at as hypocrites because they don’t even seem to be concerned about the sin in their own lives. It is true that we are saved by the grace of God without works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but as Christians we are created to do what is good and right (Ephesians 2:10).
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Though we are not saved by our works, there are still a number of passages that command us to do what is right as Christians, so we must be careful not to emphasize grace to such an extreme that we are not concerned with how we behave and live our lives.
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Some false teachers have suggested that since Christians are forgiven that they are automatically blameless before God no matter what we do and thus we do not have to worry about our actions. Hebrews 10:10 makes it clear that we are sanctified through Christ’s offering on the cross. That offering is what allows us to have eternal life with God in spite of our sins and purifies us before God, but that does not mean that every action we do is now blameless. Hebrews 12:4-11 speaks of God disciplining Christians for sinful behavior. If we were so blameless that our actions no longer mattered, why would God discipline the Christian?
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Consider II Peter 3:14, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” The scripture actually challenges us to put effort into living in a way that we ought to live so we are blameless in our behavior. Consider: Colossians 1:10 and 2:6; I Thessalonians 2:12 and 4:1; Philippians 1:27; and Ephesians 4:1. If we consistently obeyed these scriptures, we would not have be accused of being hypocrites because we would be living the way God expected us to live.
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We know that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We also know that our sin is forgiven when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior. “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJV)
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I Corinthians 6 speaks of some sins that Christians had been involved in and then in verse 11 it says, “And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” So does that mean that once we are Christians, that the actions that we do are no longer sinful because they have been forgiven? Some would suggest that since Christians have been sanctified by trusting Christ, that then we no longer have to worry about sinful actions since everything is now under the blood. This is a very dangerous error. The Apostle Paul warned, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Romans 6:1 NKJV)
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I John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” The parallel passage from the Old Testament is Proverbs 28:13, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Sin is forgiven when it is confessed, but it should also be forsaken.
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Often professing Christians are looked at as hypocrites because they don’t even seem to be concerned about the sin in their own lives. It is true that we are saved by the grace of God without works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but as Christians we are created to do what is good and right (Ephesians 2:10).
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Though we are not saved by our works, there are still a number of passages that command us to do what is right as Christians, so we must be careful not to emphasize grace to such an extreme that we are not concerned with how we behave and live our lives.
-
Some false teachers have suggested that since Christians are forgiven that they are automatically blameless before God no matter what we do and thus we do not have to worry about our actions. Hebrews 10:10 makes it clear that we are sanctified through Christ’s offering on the cross. That offering is what allows us to have eternal life with God in spite of our sins and purifies us before God, but that does not mean that every action we do is now blameless. Hebrews 12:4-11 speaks of God disciplining Christians for sinful behavior. If we were so blameless that our actions no longer mattered, why would God discipline the Christian?
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Consider II Peter 3:14, “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” The scripture actually challenges us to put effort into living in a way that we ought to live so we are blameless in our behavior. Consider: Colossians 1:10 and 2:6; I Thessalonians 2:12 and 4:1; Philippians 1:27; and Ephesians 4:1. If we consistently obeyed these scriptures, we would not have be accused of being hypocrites because we would be living the way God expected us to live.
Friday, May 30, 2014
What if You Died Today?
My wife’s sister recently got married and our little boys had questions about her honeymoon. Our six year old was quick to share his opinion that a honeymoon should only last one day. His mother told him that his wife would probably like to have it last a little longer. He was not convinced, so she told him that when he got married she would help him plan his honeymoon.
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Our little six year old, then proceeded to tell his mom that she would not be able to help him with his plans because she would probably be dead by then. As if a ‘one day honeymoon’ were not enough to show his lack of understanding of the female gender, he then told her that she would probably be dead because she was getting old. To make matters worse, he then proceeded to tell her that he would have daddy help him. Of course I thought it was hilarious since I am quite a bit older than she is.
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Fortunately my wife saw the humor in it as well. Even though she is still quite young and statistically speaking, she should be able to expect to be alive when her sons get married, we really do not know how long any of us will live.
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This week we received some very sad news. A friend of ours was killed in a head on collision on I-35 south of Albert Lea. He was only 28 years old and engaged to be married next month. As tragic as that event was, it does have a happy ending. Our friend James was a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and had trusted Him as his Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 says, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight-- we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (NASB)
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James death is sad for those of us who love and miss him, but we realize that he is home with the Lord. That is the happy ending.
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We take comfort in eternal life with the Lord, but let me make this discussion a bit more personal. If you were to be the one who died in a head on collision, do you know for sure where you would go when this life ended?
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The only way to know for sure is to trust Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior. He told us in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He also told us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
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These verses make it clear that our hope for the next life is based on our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Still, the question remains, can we really know for sure? First of all, let me remind you that Jesus Christ is God and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). If He promises us eternal life through believing in Him, then we can trust that promise. Further let us not forget another promise that He made in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (NASB) He gives a warning as well, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 6:36)
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As a Christian I desire to stay on this earth as long as God wants me here so that I can serve Him, but I also realize that when my life is over and my time here is done, that I get to be with Him because I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
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Our little six year old, then proceeded to tell his mom that she would not be able to help him with his plans because she would probably be dead by then. As if a ‘one day honeymoon’ were not enough to show his lack of understanding of the female gender, he then told her that she would probably be dead because she was getting old. To make matters worse, he then proceeded to tell her that he would have daddy help him. Of course I thought it was hilarious since I am quite a bit older than she is.
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Fortunately my wife saw the humor in it as well. Even though she is still quite young and statistically speaking, she should be able to expect to be alive when her sons get married, we really do not know how long any of us will live.
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This week we received some very sad news. A friend of ours was killed in a head on collision on I-35 south of Albert Lea. He was only 28 years old and engaged to be married next month. As tragic as that event was, it does have a happy ending. Our friend James was a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ and had trusted Him as his Lord and Savior. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 says, “Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- for we walk by faith, not by sight-- we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” (NASB)
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James death is sad for those of us who love and miss him, but we realize that he is home with the Lord. That is the happy ending.
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We take comfort in eternal life with the Lord, but let me make this discussion a bit more personal. If you were to be the one who died in a head on collision, do you know for sure where you would go when this life ended?
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The only way to know for sure is to trust Jesus Christ alone as your Lord and Savior. He told us in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” He also told us, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).
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These verses make it clear that our hope for the next life is based on our belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Still, the question remains, can we really know for sure? First of all, let me remind you that Jesus Christ is God and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). If He promises us eternal life through believing in Him, then we can trust that promise. Further let us not forget another promise that He made in John 6:37, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.” (NASB) He gives a warning as well, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 6:36)
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As a Christian I desire to stay on this earth as long as God wants me here so that I can serve Him, but I also realize that when my life is over and my time here is done, that I get to be with Him because I have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
Friday, May 16, 2014
I’m Struggling With Pride
We have small children so that means that they have a fairly small vocabulary. Before having our family Bible study, I realized that we were going to be reading a passage that dealt with pride and humility. One of the statements said, "God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble." (James 4:6b NKJV). I realized that my sons did not know what pride and humility actually were . I explained to them how when we are proud we think we are more important than others, but when we are humble we care about what others want instead of always thinking we have to have our own way.
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That conversation reminded me of how easy it is to be proud- to think that I am the most important person in the world. I remember a friend who used to say that he looked out for himself because no one else would. I found that strange because I really did care about him and was even willing to get the shorter end of the stick to help him. Sadly he ended up alienating a number of people by living out his attitude of pride.
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It is a lot easier for me to see pride in my friend than it is to see it in myself. Why? Because my own pride blinds my assessment of myself. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds me, “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
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It is bad enough that someone might think that they are more important than their fellow human being, but what happens when we end up thinking we are more important than God? Even though I know that God is more important than I am, I have caught myself living as if I believed the opposite.
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For example I have taken pride in living as a Christian ought to live. Why should I be proud of doing what is my duty to do? (Luke 17:10) Yes, we should obey God, but we must remember that even when we do all the right things, we still fall far short of His glory, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) As Christians we are supposed to be like Christ, but when I take pride in being like Christ I become more like the devil who said, “I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)
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The same pride that gets me in trouble for thinking I am more holy than I really am, can also get me into trouble by convincing me that I am important enough to do whatever I want to do. Let’s face it, sin can be fun for a short time. When I start to think that I am so important that my pleasures are a greater priority than obeying God, then my pride has again pushed me farther from God. I cannot help but quote Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
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The answer is Jesus Christ. His payment on the cross has once and for all atoned for our sins. That payment is applied to us when we believe on Him. At that time we must humble ourselves before Him realizing He will draw near to us. I realize that when I take my eyes off Christ and put them on myself I end up either being proud of my spirituality or I end up thinking I am important enough that my obedience doesn’t matter, but when I remember that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the most important one, then I realize that I must obey Him without taking pride in doing what I am supposed to do.
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That conversation reminded me of how easy it is to be proud- to think that I am the most important person in the world. I remember a friend who used to say that he looked out for himself because no one else would. I found that strange because I really did care about him and was even willing to get the shorter end of the stick to help him. Sadly he ended up alienating a number of people by living out his attitude of pride.
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It is a lot easier for me to see pride in my friend than it is to see it in myself. Why? Because my own pride blinds my assessment of myself. Jeremiah 17:9 reminds me, “ The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
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It is bad enough that someone might think that they are more important than their fellow human being, but what happens when we end up thinking we are more important than God? Even though I know that God is more important than I am, I have caught myself living as if I believed the opposite.
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For example I have taken pride in living as a Christian ought to live. Why should I be proud of doing what is my duty to do? (Luke 17:10) Yes, we should obey God, but we must remember that even when we do all the right things, we still fall far short of His glory, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) As Christians we are supposed to be like Christ, but when I take pride in being like Christ I become more like the devil who said, “I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:14)
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The same pride that gets me in trouble for thinking I am more holy than I really am, can also get me into trouble by convincing me that I am important enough to do whatever I want to do. Let’s face it, sin can be fun for a short time. When I start to think that I am so important that my pleasures are a greater priority than obeying God, then my pride has again pushed me farther from God. I cannot help but quote Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”
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The answer is Jesus Christ. His payment on the cross has once and for all atoned for our sins. That payment is applied to us when we believe on Him. At that time we must humble ourselves before Him realizing He will draw near to us. I realize that when I take my eyes off Christ and put them on myself I end up either being proud of my spirituality or I end up thinking I am important enough that my obedience doesn’t matter, but when I remember that Jesus Christ is God and that He is the most important one, then I realize that I must obey Him without taking pride in doing what I am supposed to do.
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Are There Donkeys in Heaven?
As we were driving to church, I listened to our little boys having a conversation. Our 6 year old said that Jesus knew about donkeys because He rode on one. I reminded him that Jesus knew about donkeys because He created them. John 1:3 tells us, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Once I mentioned about Jesus making everything, our little boy replied, “I knew that dad.”
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Actually what had led to this conversation was our boys discussing whether or not there were donkeys in heaven. Soon our 5 year old said, “Yes, there are! I know it.” When his answer did not seem to satisfy everyone he then said, “I know it because the Bible says so.” I raised my eyebrows because he had just turned 5 a few months ago and cannot even read yet.
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I was tempted to chuckle; however, I realized that this was a serious matter that needed to be addressed. I told him that there was actually not a specific statement in the Bible about donkeys in heaven and that we should not say something is in the Bible if it is not there.
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Sadly both Christians and non-Christians alike end up believing that the Bible teaches things that it does not teach simply because they have heard wrong information. That is why it is so important to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)
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It is understandable that a 5 year old might make a mistake about what is actually in the Bible, but sadly some adult religious leaders make mistakes or intentionally deceive others about what is in the Bible. Sometimes they even say something is not in the Bible when it is actually there.
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The average Christian sometimes struggles to know what the Bible really teaches. For example some may wonder if the phrase, “a penny saved is a penny earned” is in the Bible. Help for such answers can be found by looking up words in Strong’s Concordance, which is a large book that lists all the words in the Bible and where they are found. A simpler option would be to do a computer search by visiting a site like Blueletterbible.org.
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Though such tools are helpful they do have their limits. Consider the golden rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Though that exact phrase is not in the Bible, the idea is. Matthew 7:12 says, "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (NASB)
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Such examples remind us why it is so important to read and study the Bible. They also show why it is important to find a church where the Bible is read and studied. Though our 5 year old cannot read yet, we do read the Bible to him. His confusion should remind all of us to pay attention when the Bible is read or preached so that we not get confused. It is also a good idea to take your Bible along with you to church so you can read along as it is being taught.
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I do not know if there will be donkeys in heaven. I tend to think they will be there, but I want to make sure that I not claim that something is in the Bible when it is not.
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Actually what had led to this conversation was our boys discussing whether or not there were donkeys in heaven. Soon our 5 year old said, “Yes, there are! I know it.” When his answer did not seem to satisfy everyone he then said, “I know it because the Bible says so.” I raised my eyebrows because he had just turned 5 a few months ago and cannot even read yet.
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I was tempted to chuckle; however, I realized that this was a serious matter that needed to be addressed. I told him that there was actually not a specific statement in the Bible about donkeys in heaven and that we should not say something is in the Bible if it is not there.
-
Sadly both Christians and non-Christians alike end up believing that the Bible teaches things that it does not teach simply because they have heard wrong information. That is why it is so important to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV)
-
It is understandable that a 5 year old might make a mistake about what is actually in the Bible, but sadly some adult religious leaders make mistakes or intentionally deceive others about what is in the Bible. Sometimes they even say something is not in the Bible when it is actually there.
-
The average Christian sometimes struggles to know what the Bible really teaches. For example some may wonder if the phrase, “a penny saved is a penny earned” is in the Bible. Help for such answers can be found by looking up words in Strong’s Concordance, which is a large book that lists all the words in the Bible and where they are found. A simpler option would be to do a computer search by visiting a site like Blueletterbible.org.
-
Though such tools are helpful they do have their limits. Consider the golden rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Though that exact phrase is not in the Bible, the idea is. Matthew 7:12 says, "Therefore, however you want people to treat you, so treat them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (NASB)
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Such examples remind us why it is so important to read and study the Bible. They also show why it is important to find a church where the Bible is read and studied. Though our 5 year old cannot read yet, we do read the Bible to him. His confusion should remind all of us to pay attention when the Bible is read or preached so that we not get confused. It is also a good idea to take your Bible along with you to church so you can read along as it is being taught.
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I do not know if there will be donkeys in heaven. I tend to think they will be there, but I want to make sure that I not claim that something is in the Bible when it is not.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
What if They Don’t Forgive?
Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sin affects our relationship with God, but it also affects our relationships with one another. Fortunately God’s word tells us what to do when sin messes up our relationships. For example, Matthew 18:15-17 explains: "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. "But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' "And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (NKJV)
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If a brother sins against you and they realize they are wrong and ask for forgiveness, then the relationship can be restored. We see in Matthew 18:17 that if they do not listen then the relationship is not restored, but at least the attempt was made. But what happens if a person is confronted and realizes they have sinned, but the one they have sinned against refuses to accept their apology? Later in Matthew 18, Peter askes, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” (Verse 21). In verse 22, Jesus answers, “ I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” In other words, instead of keeping track of how often you have forgiven your brother, just forgive him.
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But what happens when you realize that you have sinned against someone else and you ask for forgiveness but they are not willing to forgive you? Jesus was very firm in His answer concerning this when He said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The context of this passage as well as the parallel passage in Mark is prayer. Though unforgiveness does not cause us to lose our salvation, it does keep us from close fellowship with God.
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We must also realize that when someone else refuses to forgive us, that cannot keep us out of heaven nor can it keep us from having the right relationship with God. It does however, keep us from being close to them. If we have confessed our sin to them and asked for forgiveness and they refuse to give it, then they are the ones in the wrong, not us. I know it hurts when someone refuses to forgive, but we must understand that even if a person refuses to forgive us, God will not withhold forgiveness. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Even if the people around us refuse to forgive, God still forgives when we humble ourselves before Him and admit our sin. Let us remember that He is the one that really matters when it comes to forgiveness of sin.
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We still must humble ourselves before our fellow man and ask forgiveness when we have sinned, but realize that some people are too sinful themselves to forgive us. As sad as that is, we must take comfort in the realization that even if people will not forgive us, God will. I am so thankful that even though we have a just God who must punish sin, He is also a loving merciful God who will forgive sin. In fact, He sent His son to die on the cross to make the payment that we could not pay so that our sin could be paid for once for all. As we remember Christ’s resurrection, let us also remember God’s forgiveness if we believe on Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
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If a brother sins against you and they realize they are wrong and ask for forgiveness, then the relationship can be restored. We see in Matthew 18:17 that if they do not listen then the relationship is not restored, but at least the attempt was made. But what happens if a person is confronted and realizes they have sinned, but the one they have sinned against refuses to accept their apology? Later in Matthew 18, Peter askes, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?” (Verse 21). In verse 22, Jesus answers, “ I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” In other words, instead of keeping track of how often you have forgiven your brother, just forgive him.
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But what happens when you realize that you have sinned against someone else and you ask for forgiveness but they are not willing to forgive you? Jesus was very firm in His answer concerning this when He said in Matthew 6:14-15, “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” The context of this passage as well as the parallel passage in Mark is prayer. Though unforgiveness does not cause us to lose our salvation, it does keep us from close fellowship with God.
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We must also realize that when someone else refuses to forgive us, that cannot keep us out of heaven nor can it keep us from having the right relationship with God. It does however, keep us from being close to them. If we have confessed our sin to them and asked for forgiveness and they refuse to give it, then they are the ones in the wrong, not us. I know it hurts when someone refuses to forgive, but we must understand that even if a person refuses to forgive us, God will not withhold forgiveness. I John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Even if the people around us refuse to forgive, God still forgives when we humble ourselves before Him and admit our sin. Let us remember that He is the one that really matters when it comes to forgiveness of sin.
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We still must humble ourselves before our fellow man and ask forgiveness when we have sinned, but realize that some people are too sinful themselves to forgive us. As sad as that is, we must take comfort in the realization that even if people will not forgive us, God will. I am so thankful that even though we have a just God who must punish sin, He is also a loving merciful God who will forgive sin. In fact, He sent His son to die on the cross to make the payment that we could not pay so that our sin could be paid for once for all. As we remember Christ’s resurrection, let us also remember God’s forgiveness if we believe on Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
Friday, April 4, 2014
Faith & The Science Method
What is science? When I was in school we were taught the scientific method. It was essentially a 4 step process of coming up with an idea and then doing experiments to either lend support to the idea or to suggest that the idea was wrong. It would break down something like this: 1) Make observations 2) Come up with a hypothesis (theory) 3) Test the hypothesis by doing an experiment 3)Analyze your data and come to a conclusion.
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We were taught that as we did experiments, we had to be very careful to have a proper control group because we could easily come to the wrong conclusions. For example, if we left a piece of bread lay in the refrigerator and watched it turn moldy we might conclude that refrigerators caused mold. A better experiment would be to have 2 refrigerators side by side with the exact same humidity in each one but with different temperatures. Then have another experiment with the exact same temperatures but different levels of humidity. Soon you would realize that there are other factors involved in mold growth on bread. Mold growth was not caused by the refrigerator.
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In our bread mold/refrigerator example we quickly see that although the scientific method is helpful and important, there are many factors that can easily be missed by the person doing the experiment. That should sound a loud warning that we must be careful about putting too much security in the conclusions one draws from the experiment. At the same time we must also realize that valuable data is being gathered.
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So what happens when data is gathered and conclusions are too hastily presented as facts? Fortunately the scientific community is not publishing articles telling us to get rid of refrigerators because they cause mold, but some in the scientific community are suggesting that we reject the Bible because of the conclusions that they have come to based on their observations. Others have looked at the same data and suggested that it actually supports the Bible just as some would look at the bread experiment and suggest that it actually shows us how important refrigerators really are.
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The field of science is made up of people- and people have biases. I know I do. With all the data available to us, we still have not settled the old debate about what is better, Ford or Chevy. Sure, you may have settled it in your mind, but your neighbor still has his bias.
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Imagine if this were 80 years ago and you sold ice. Your bias against refrigerators may have tainted your conclusions. At the same time imagine if you sold refrigerators. Your bias may cause you to overlook some conclusions.
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As a Christian, I understand that I have a bias in favor of the Bible. The reason I have such a bias is not because of greed to be able to sell a refrigerator, but rather because of my faith in my God. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
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In every experiment there are things going on that we cannot see. Even if we watched the mold grow with a microscope, there are still things going on with our bread experiment that we could not observe. Because I have trusted Christ, I realize that my faith is a part of my evidence. But I also realize that those who do not believe the Bible bring their bias into the experiment; therefore, it is not valid for them to reject my conclusions simply because of my faith.
-
We were taught that as we did experiments, we had to be very careful to have a proper control group because we could easily come to the wrong conclusions. For example, if we left a piece of bread lay in the refrigerator and watched it turn moldy we might conclude that refrigerators caused mold. A better experiment would be to have 2 refrigerators side by side with the exact same humidity in each one but with different temperatures. Then have another experiment with the exact same temperatures but different levels of humidity. Soon you would realize that there are other factors involved in mold growth on bread. Mold growth was not caused by the refrigerator.
-
In our bread mold/refrigerator example we quickly see that although the scientific method is helpful and important, there are many factors that can easily be missed by the person doing the experiment. That should sound a loud warning that we must be careful about putting too much security in the conclusions one draws from the experiment. At the same time we must also realize that valuable data is being gathered.
-
So what happens when data is gathered and conclusions are too hastily presented as facts? Fortunately the scientific community is not publishing articles telling us to get rid of refrigerators because they cause mold, but some in the scientific community are suggesting that we reject the Bible because of the conclusions that they have come to based on their observations. Others have looked at the same data and suggested that it actually supports the Bible just as some would look at the bread experiment and suggest that it actually shows us how important refrigerators really are.
-
The field of science is made up of people- and people have biases. I know I do. With all the data available to us, we still have not settled the old debate about what is better, Ford or Chevy. Sure, you may have settled it in your mind, but your neighbor still has his bias.
-
Imagine if this were 80 years ago and you sold ice. Your bias against refrigerators may have tainted your conclusions. At the same time imagine if you sold refrigerators. Your bias may cause you to overlook some conclusions.
-
As a Christian, I understand that I have a bias in favor of the Bible. The reason I have such a bias is not because of greed to be able to sell a refrigerator, but rather because of my faith in my God. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
-
In every experiment there are things going on that we cannot see. Even if we watched the mold grow with a microscope, there are still things going on with our bread experiment that we could not observe. Because I have trusted Christ, I realize that my faith is a part of my evidence. But I also realize that those who do not believe the Bible bring their bias into the experiment; therefore, it is not valid for them to reject my conclusions simply because of my faith.
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