Christ and Common Sense

Thoughts from a Central Valley Pastor

Category: Common Sense (Page 3 of 6)

“Don’t Call Conspiracy What Others Call Conspiracy…”

April 29, 2022 /

The Bible is full of examples of the wickedness and deceit of humanity. The Christian is called to be wise and discerning so he will not fall into the traps of the evil one. Jesus said, “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” (Matthew 10:16 ESV) 

The reference to serpents harkens back to the original conspiracy that Satan introduced to Adam and Eve. Satan took the form of a serpent and tricked the first human couple into thinking they would not die if they ate from the forbidden fruit. He said, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” They bought into Satan’s lie and plunged humanity into a world of sin and sorrow that we are still enduring to this day. 

The enemies of God have been using the same strategy of deceit and half-truths ever since the Fall. When Joshua brought God’s people into Canaan, they were met by a group of people called the Gibeonites, who lived close by. They sent men dressed in old clothes and dried out supplies to trick Joshua into thinking they were from a distant land. Joshua did not seek advice from the Lord and as a result he made a peace agreement with the Gibeonites, even though God had specifically forbidden alliances with local groups. 

The strategy of deceiving God’s people continued on throughout the time of the Judges and the Kings. Instead of only being deceived by external enemies, God’s people had to deal with their own kings being deceived and propagating lies and conspiracies against the Lord. 

When Isaiah was a prophet, he called the people to place their hope in God and not the political might of the kings around them. The king of Assyria was powerful and many people in Judah, including King Ahaz, were tempted to make an alliance with Assyria. They wanted to believe in the conspiracy theory that Judah would be destroyed if they didn’t cry out to Assyria for help. 

The prophet Isaiah responded with a classic solution to the lies and deceit of the world. He said, “For the LORD spoke thus to me with his strong hand upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ‘Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the LORD of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.’” (Isaiah 8:11-13) 

Isaiah’s words put the conspiracies of the people in perspective. The people did not need to be afraid of invading armies. They needed to put their trust in God. The prophet Isaiah went to King Ahaz and told him to ask for a sign to prove that God would protect his people. King Ahaz refused, likely because he was already planning on making an alliance with the king of Assyria (2 Kings 16:7-9). When Ahaz refused to ask for a sign, the Lord decided to give his own sign and what a glorious sign it was! Isaiah 7:14 says, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” 

The solution that Isaiah introduced to King Ahaz was exponentially greater than the finite solution that Ahaz had in mind. Isaiah was talking about the Messiah! He was predicting the advent of Jesus Christ, who would not only solve the problems of those living in Judah. He would solve the problems of those living in the entire world! Just a few chapters later Isaiah wrote, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) 

Imagine if King Ahaz had trusted in the Lord! Imagine if he had given up on the conspiracies and the doubt of the world around him! Imagine if he had the eyes to see and the ears to hear the goodness of God! 

The conspiracies of this world are constant. People are constantly churning them out to try to make people live in fear. As Christians, we can’t give in to the temptation to fear man. We must follow Isaiah’s command to fear the Lord! If we have a healthy fear of God and His word, then we will be discerning people. We will know when we are being told the lies of the world. We will  be able to recognize the will of the Lord and that will give us great joy that can never be removed. 

Is Biblical Fellowship Possible Over the Internet? 

April 22, 2022 /

One of the strongest arguments for believers to fellowship together in-person is found in Hebrews 10:24-25, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” 

The word that is translated as “meet together” is derived from the Greek word “synagogue,” which means a “place of assembly.” The author of Hebrews wanted to let believers know they need to prioritize face-to-face interaction with other believers. The early church was established in a hostile environment that would have made it easy for people to not want to gather together. Christians were kicked out of the Jewish synagogue if they aligned themselves with Christ (John 9:22). They were marginalized by the Jewish majority, and we know from the book of Acts that they were actively hunted down and persecuted (Acts 9:1-2). 

This makes Hebrews 10:24-25 all the more profound because the believers continued to physically gather together, even though some of them were risking their lives to do so. 

The reason the author of Hebrews called for believers to gather together is because fellowship with other believers is a necessary extension of the fellowship that exists between God and each believer. Christ’s death on the cross made it possible for believers to “enter the holy places” and to draw near to God (Hebrews 10:19-22). Once a believer is born again he or she will be compelled by the Holy Spirit to seek fellowship with other believers. 

This is exactly what the early church did. Acts 2:42 says, “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” This type of fellowship required physical interaction between believers. The Greek word used for fellowship is “koinonia” and it refers to “close association involving mutual interests and sharing” (BDAG). When believers have fellowship with each other they are sharing their lives with each other. They are not only hearing preaching and praying and singings hymns together. They are doing so as people who are connected by the supernatural fellowship of God. 

When John wrote his first epistle, he made it clear that this fellowship came from God and was extended to believers. He wrote, “that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:3) If you read the context, you will see that this is a physical fellowship that is tied to the physical incarnation of Jesus Christ, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life—the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you.” (1 John 1:1-2) 

This type of fellowship is impossible to experience unless you are in the physical presence of other believers. This is why going to a church service in person is always so much better than worshipping online. Believers were created to have fellowship with God in the presence of other believers. That was the expectation of the early church and that should be the expectation for every generation of believers. 

This is important to grasp because it gives believers the justification to never settle for virtual fellowship. There may be a time or a season when someone needs to use technology to hear God’s word preached or to be encouraged over the phone by other believers, but those experiences should always create a longing in the heart of the believer for physical, biblical fellowship with other Christians. That is why the author of Hebrews gave such clarity when he called believers to “stir up one another to love and good works.” A believer can encourage someone with the use of technology, but he cannot have full, biblical, incarnation fellowship with believers unless it is done face-to-face, the way God intended. 

The Reason for the Resurrection

April 15, 2022 /

The casual observer of our American Easter traditions might think the holiday is more about Easter egg hunts and fluffy white bunnies than the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. There is a reason for this. The candy industry has been pushing the sale of chocolate and sugar-coated confections for decades. In 2016, the overall sale of candy during Easter beat out the sale of candy during Halloween! Over $823 million dollars was spent on 146 million pounds of candy. As one article noted, “That’s nearly half a pound of candy for every man, woman, and child in the country.” (“Easter Wins Candy Battle” by Mark Fahey) https://www.cnbc.com/2016/03/24/easter-wins-the-candy-battle.html With such an emphasis on candy, it is easy to become distracted from the main reason we celebrate Easter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

As Christians, we celebrate the resurrection because it proves that the power of God is greater than the power of sin! There is no more profound symbol of God’s sovereign power than the empty tomb. It proves that the creator of life is able to overcome death. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Jesus Christ is the great victor over death and sin. His resurrection from the grave proved that his death on the cross was effective as a payment for our sin. Our faith in Christ has meaning because He rose from the dead.

I am always amazed that the power of Christ dying on the cross to pay for our sins can be extended to anyone who is willing to confess their sin and trust in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God rose him from the dead, you will be saved.” Why is it so important to believe that God rose Jesus from the grave? It is important because belief in the resurrection is necessary for salvation. 

We can get a better grasp of the significance of the resurrection by looking at how the entire Bible, particularly Old Testament prophecies, pointsto Jesus’s death and resurrection from the dead. 

Genesis 1 is the first reference given for God creating life on the earth. Genesis 3 introduces the stark reality of death as a consequence for sin. The same passage also reveals the first reference to the death and resurrection of Christ when it says, “he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”(Genesis 3:15) Τhe reference to Christ’s heel being bruised is a prophecy that points towards Christ’s death. The description of Jesus bruising the head of the serpent is partially fulfilled with the resurrection because when Christ conquers death he also showed his power over death and Satan’s temptation. 

Psalm 16 is a fascinating study in connection with the resurrection because the Psalmist writes about eternal life. “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption” (Ps 16:10) The reference to “holy one” is pointing forward to Jesus Christ who will be the fulfillment of the David covenant from 1 Samuel 16:12-13, “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”

Psalm 22 is a masterful description of suffering, death, salvation, and life after death. Jesus Christ was intimately aware of this Psalm and quoted from it repeatedly during the Passover week. His faith in God the Father was firmly rooted in God’s word. Jesus suffered more than any other human ever has or will, but his faith never wavered. He knew God would allow him to die and he would raise him from the dead! 

Isaiah 53 has to be mentioned in relation to the resurrection because it refers to both the death of the “Suffering servant” and his resurrection. Verse 9 says, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.” The next verse says, “he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” As Herald Gandi wrote in his excellent article on the subject, “How can he “see” his offspring if he is executed unless he is resurrected?” (“The Resurrection: According to the Scriptures?” https://blog.tms.edu/resurrection-according-to-scriptures

Just spending a few minutes in these passages brings a deep sense of sobriety to the Passover week leading up to Easter. It is a joyful time, but there must be a time of grieving in order to celebrate what God has accomplished through Christ on the cross. The resurrection has no meaning or significance if we do not first take time to grieve the death and burial of Christ. That is why the Easter bunny is such a sad distraction from the reality of Christ. Praise God we have freedom in Christ to celebrate Easter in many different ways. My request is that however long you spend encouraging your children to hunt for candy, give at least the same amount of time explaining to them the glorious reality of what Jesus Christ did when he died on the cross and rose from the grave. He is risen! He is risen indeed! 

Train Up A Child

April 1, 2022 /

One of the most quoted verses about parenting is found in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it” (English Standard Version). The reason it is so well known is because the proverb is often misunderstood as a promise that guarantees a good outcome for children who are raised in the church. 

That is how I understood the verse for most of my life. I grew up thinking there was a special blessing guaranteed to families who were faithful to read the Bible and go to church. It wasn’t until I took a class taught by Dr. John Street at the Master’s Seminary that I realized I had misunderstood the passage. 

The original language of the verse is Hebrew and it contains an idiom that is difficult to translate into English. The verse literally says, “Dedicate a child in the way of his mouth and when he is old he will not turn aside from it.” Hebrew speakers liked to use human illustrations to describe action and emotion. We have all heard how God brought the Hebrew people out of Egypt “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” (Deuteronomy 4:34) Job cried out against his oppressors by saying, “My bones stick to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.” (19:20) That last saying was brought directly into our English translations of the Bible and since it is such a vivid illustration we still use it today! 

The same cannot be said about Proverbs 22:6. We do not talk about raising up a child “in the way of his mouth.” That is a foreign idea to us, but if we take the time to understand what it means we can gain a better grasp of Scripture and have clearer expectations about raising children according to God’s word. 

The phrase “way of his mouth” is used throughout the Old Testament. It usually refers to what someone has said, but in Leviticus 24:12 it is translated as “the will of the Lord.” This is helpful for understanding Proverbs 22:6 because the emphasis is on the will of the child. The author is saying “Train up a child according to his own will and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Understanding Proverbs 22:6 in its original context reveals that it is a warning, not a promise. It is a warning to parents that if they allow their children to have their own way, they will not depart from that foolishness when they are older. As professor Edward Wilde has written, “When we look at the surrounding proverbs (which may give a hint) we have warnings of what NOT to do:  V. 5: keep away or suffer the consequence. V. 7: Don’t borrow, or suffer the consequence. V. 8, don’t be unjust, or suffer the consequence.” Professor Wilde offers his own translation, “Dedicate your child to his desire and he’ll be happy to go there – and stay there.” 

Proverbs 22:6 should not be understood as a promise that Christian children will make good decisions their entire life. No, it should be understood as a warning. If parents don’t discipline their children in a wise way, then their kids are going to make foolish choices and continue to do so when they grow up. The discerning parent is aware of this and carefully considers how to guide the child to become self-aware and self-controlled so that he will learn to make wise decisions in his youth and continue to do so the rest of his life. 

Fighting Through the Fog: Reclaiming Biblical Missiology for the Modern Church

March 9, 2022 /

That was the theme of the Missions conference Bud Haskell and I attended yesterday in Santa Clarita, CA. The symposium was hosted by The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) at Grace Baptist Church and included missionaries, pastors, and elders from all over the world. We were joined by a group of CVF pastors from Grace Bible in Visalia, including Will Costello, Dale Payne, and Josiah Busenitz. 

The TMAI missions conference is unique because it is focused on challenging seasoned pastors and active missionaries to think correctly about the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). This is quite different from other conferences that are geared towards recruiting college students to do mission work.

This year’s TMAI conference started with a message by Mark Tatlock, the acting director of TMAI. He gave a call for discernment in the spiritual battle of missions. This discernment is needed by missionaries overseas and by the leaders of churches that are supporting them. It was thought provoking to hear him talk about missions as a war that can be clouded by imprecise thinking regarding theology, soteriology, and ecclesiology. He warned against the popular trend on the mission field of replacing precise theology with pragmatic methodology. He gave a compelling comparison between the dangers of integrationist psychology and integrationist missiology. 

Having spent five years doing church planting work in a Muslim-majority country I can agree with his cause for concern. I met missionaries who wanted to change the wording of Scripture so it would be easier for Muslims to accept. I saw confusion on leadership teams and churches in how to boldly proclaim the word of God. Thankfully, there were some local pastors who were preaching the truth, but by and large the missionary community was much more open to adopting an integrationist and pragmatic methodology than they should have been. 

The next messages we heard were from E. D. Burns, Scott Callahan, and Brooks Buser. E. D. Burns is a missionary who directs the MA in Global Leadership at Western Seminary. He has written several books including The Missionary-Theologian, which he told us has caused him to lose many friends. This is a sad result of standing by the belief that missionaries need to stand on theological convictions. Unfortunately, many missionaries today are encouraged to replace biblical conviction with cutting-edge theories like Church Planting Movements (CPM). 

Scott Callahan’s talk was surprising because he spent the entire hour preaching about baptism. The title of his talk was “Jesus Commands You to Immerse” and he gave a strong case for all missionaries to teach the need for disciple’s baptism. I thought this was a helpful distinction from “believer’s baptism” because “disciple’s baptism” implies the need for converts to be tested before being baptized. 

My experience on the mission field proved that missionaries are often tempted to weaken the Bible’s command for baptism by immersion. Many missionaries working with Muslims are tempted to postpone baptism or adapt it to a hidden event out of fear for the life of the Muslim convert. Instead of being afraid missionaries need to be confident of the need for believers to publicly declare their allegiance to Christ. One of the most profound experiences I had was when I witnessed several Kosovar Christians get baptized in a pool outside of Prishtina, Kosovo. They were not cowering in fear of what might happen to them. They were courageous in their allegiance to Christ and everyone who witnessed the baptism was encouraged by their rejection of the fear of man. 

Brooks Buser’s talk was informative because of his teaching on “Biblical Missiology and the Primacy of the Local Church.” It was exciting to hear him describe working with a unreached tribe in Papau New Guinea. They made it clear that they were not watering down the message to make it easier for the people to digest. They started teaching in Genesis and taught through the entire Old Testament before introducing people to Jesus. Thousands of people heard the messages, but only 40 or so people responded and came to Christ. That was enough for Brooks and his team. They started a church and told the people they would not be staying indefinitely. They would be training up the men to be pastors and elders because that is the Biblical model. 

Brooks returned to the states after thirteen years working there and now he is the director of a mission agency called Radius that trains pastors who are going to unreached linguistic groups. All of their training centers are outside of the U.S. and they are seeing an increase in churches that want to send their missionaries to be trained there. If you have time you can check out their website at https://www.radiusinternational.org. 

Five Questions to Ask at Outdoor Revivals

February 25, 2022 /

Mario Murillo recently hosted his “Living Proof” revival campaign at a vacant lot on the 198 highway here in Kings County. Many people were curious about what was happening underneath the big tent. I did some research and decided to write an article about how to be discerning at revivals like this one.

Outdoor revivals are a unique part of American church history. They were a common practice during the Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th centuries when pastors, like Jonathan Edwards, would preach for many hours and see people impacted in powerful ways. In his work Thoughts on the Revival of Religion in New England Edwards made it clear that his guiding principle was “to take the Scriptures as our guide.” This means always testing what takes place during a revival with what is described in God’s word. 

Some people don’t like to ask questions about revivals. They think questions will “quench the spirit” and put a damper on what is taking place. This mentality goes against the Bible’s emphasis on biblical discernment. 1 John 4:1 says this, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (English Standard Version) 

People are often offended by the thought of their favorite Bible teacher being questioned. Instead of being ignored, these types of questions should be encouraged. All Christians should seek to be like the believers in the ancient city of Berea. Acts 17:11 describes them like this, “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” They were examining the teaching of the apostle Paul! If it is appropriate to examine Paul’s teaching, then surely Christians should be ready to examine the teaching of modern day teachers, especially those who come from out of town and set up a tent where they promise to display the miraculous work of God. 

Below you will find a list of questions and Bible passages that will help you be discerning: 

1) Is the speaker willing to submit to the leadership of a local church? Hebrews 13:7 says, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” If the person is the autonomous leader of their own church or para-church organization, then it is difficult to know who they are accountable to. 

2) Does the speaker take the word of God out of context? A classic example of this is when someone makes the claim that the spirit of God is present in a special way at the revival by quoting from Matthew 18, “where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” The diligent student of Scripture knows that Matthew 18 is referring to church discipline, not revival meetings. Church discipline is very difficult and involves removing someone from a local church. Jesus promised he would be present in a special way because church discipline is a uniquely holy and delicate matter. 

3) Does the speaker use any manipulation to bring people to the front of the revival meeting? 2 Corinthians 4:2 says, “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.” 

Open air revivals often recruit hundreds of volunteers from out of state to come to the meetings so it will look like there is a miraculous movement of God in a community. This encourages those genuinely seeking God to be impressed with the number of people present and they are more willing to come to the front of the tent because it is packed with people. 

Revival speakers often ask for involvement from the crowd to stimulate interest. Beware of raising your hand because the speaker may then ask you to stand up. Once you are standing he may ask you to come to the front and before you know it you may be asked to recite a prayer of repentance. He will be bound to have photographers at the front who will take pictures and later claim that hundreds of people came to Christ, when in fact they originally raised their hand outside the tent because they “wanted to see God at work in a special way.” 

4) Does the speaker encourage the crowd to give an interpretation of what they are saying when someone speaks in tongues? 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 says, “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.” This passage is often ignored at revival meetings, but it needs to be given as a warning to everyone present. The Bible makes it clear that the worship of God needs to be done “decently and in order.” (1 Cor. 14:40) There is no disclaimer that says this can be ignored at open air meetings. 

5) Does the speaker follow the apostle Paul’s example of “presenting the gospel free of charge?” In 1 Corinthians 9 Paul wrote that it is fine for teachers of God’s word to be supported by their work, but he was careful to not ask for money because he wanted to make sure no one could accuse him of impure motives. He wrote, “That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.” (1 Cor. 9:18). 

Many of the ministries that accept money from revival meetings do not disclose their finances to the public. This is a cause for concern because unlike churches, these groups do not give annual reports to their followers and thus people never know how much the speaker and his organization makes. This leads to many questions. If the speaker has pure motives then he should be open about the finances of the organization and be willing to disclose the information when asked. 

This list of questions is not an exhaustive list. There are many questions that discerning Christians need to ask of any teaching they hear. This type of questioning should be a common practice for believers because we are called to constantly compare what is taught with what the Bible teaches. My prayer is that we would be discerning and honor God in our desire to “rightly handle the word of God.” (2 Timothy 2:15) 

The War on Guilt

February 18, 2022 /

There is a war going on in our society against the Biblical understanding of guilt. Many of the most prominent voices in our culture teach that guilt is an emotion that needs to be managed with careful analysis and psychological remedies. This mindset rebels against the idea of guilt as a healthy warning mechanism that lets people know when they are not living the way God intended.

Dr. John Street, a Professor of Biblical counseling at The Master’s University, in Santa Clarita, CA recently told a disturbing story about this unbiblical mindset in a podcast titled “The War on Guilt.” Dr. Street’s relative was working as a nurse at a hospital where she was required to accompany a young woman to a counseling session. The young woman had become pregnant out of wedlock and had decided to keep the baby. Her doctor required her to attend counseling sessions to deal with her guilt and Dr. Street’s relative was assigned to accompany the woman to the counseling sessions. 

During the second session, the psychologist told the young woman that her problem was guilt. His advice was for her to go out and have as many illicit relationships as needed until she didn’t feel guilty about it anymore. 

The idea behind that advice comes from a behaviorist approach to psychology. The idea is that emotions come from behavior and one way to change the emotion is by modifying the behavior. If someone is experiencing excessive guilt then one way to address it is for the person to believe they don’t need to feel guilty about the action. There is a risk involved in giving that advice.The risk is that the person will damage their conscience to the extent that they don’t feel guilt even though they are taking part in self-destructive behavior. 

The Bible addresses guilt very differently. The Bible speaks of guilt as a burden that only God can alleviate. Psalm 32:2 gives a description of the feelings that can come when someone sins against their conscience, “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.” The guilt that David described was not something to be ignored. It was a natural warning telling David he needed to confess his sin and seek forgiveness from God. 

Once David confessed his sin to God, his guilt was removed by God. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” 

This remarkable cure for guilt can only be found in God because he is the one who defines right and wrong and he is the one who will judge humanity. By the grace of God, he has provided a means by which every human being can have their sin forgiven and their guilt removed. This was made possible by the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross he paid for the sin of all those who confess their sin, believe in the saving work of Christ, and commit their lives to live for God and his glory. 

The saving work of God is the best solution to alleviating guilt because it is dependent on the work of God and not the behavior modification of a human being. Romans 10:9-10 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” The emphasis is not on the work of man. It is on the saving work of God. Those who discover this truth are able to be set free from the depression of guilt. They are able to recognize that their hope is not found in themselves, but in God. 

Of Masks and Mandates

February 11, 2022 /

The pandemic has been a trial that has lasted for the last two years. There has been a temptation to put our trust in masks and mandates, but the Bible always calls us to put our trust in God. 

Next week, on February 15th, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) will lift the mask mandates that have been in place since December 15, 2021. Governor Newsom has promised to update the state’s strategy of dealing with Covid-19 from a “pandemic” approach, which seeks to eliminate the virus, to an “endemic” approach, which seeks to treat Covid-19 like any other virus. 

This update comes just two weeks after the governor and the mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, were seen maskless at the Rams-49ers playoff game. The mayor gave the following explanation for why he wasn’t wearing a mask, “When people ask for a photograph, I hold my breath.” This is a far cry from Garcetti’s words in July of last year, “Wearing a mask is critical to helping us stop the spread of this virus, safely reopen our city and save lives.” If wearing a mask can make the difference between life and death, then Garcetti is playing a dangerous game by removing it at a public event.

Fans at the 49ers-Rams game

It is also interesting to note that the guidelines on large events will be changing soon. Indoor events can have up to 1,000 in attendance, while outdoor attendance can be up to 10,000. SoFi stadium, where the governor and mayor were recently seen holding their breath, had 74,447 people in attendance. That is seven times higher than what the state mandates, but no one from the CDPH was there trying to stop them. After all, Sofi stadium is technically an outdoor venue so the thousands of unmasked fans didn’t have to worry about holding their breath.

Christians gathering in churches across California will not see much of a change from the February 15th rule change. The mandate on indoor church attendance has been the same since April 12, 2021, when the capacity limit was completely lifted, due to “recent judicial rulings.” Technically speaking, the CDPH mandates were downgraded to “recommendations” for churches. This was applied to singing restrictions, mask guidelines, social distancing, and indoor capacity. 

It has been interesting to visit churches during the last six months. Wherever I have entered the doors of churches it has felt like I am entering a pre-pandemic sanctuary, where people are not living in fear of government mandates. They have been wise and reasonable about the virus and by the grace of God they have seen God sustain them through the pandemic. 

This does not mean that churches have been unaffected by the pandemic. Of course people have become sick and some have been called home to be with our Heavenly Father. This is never easy, but God’s word gives us the right perspective to deal with the trial. James 1:2 says, “Consider it all joy my brothers when you encounter trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result, so you can be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.” (English Standard Version) 

The churches who saw the pandemic as a trial were able to keep the right mindset during the last two years. They did not give in to the temptation to put their trust in man or masks, mandates or medicine. No, the Christian puts his trust in God. Psalm 20:7 says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” (ESV) 

Look to the Mountains

February 6, 2022 /

One of the greatest things about going up to the mountains is that it brings perspective to the troubles we face in the valley. When you are looking down at Yosemite valley or looking up at the giant redwoods in Kings canyon you immediately get a sense of perspective. You begin to wonder, “‘Why was I so worried about the price of gas this week?’ ‘Do I really need to be anxious about the problems of the day?’” Just last weekend I was looking over the beautiful vista of Shaver Lake and I had a deep sense of peace,  “Why worry? I know God is in control.” 

It certainly helps to go up to the mountains to get perspective on life, but I have found the more I study the Bible the less I need to go somewhere to find peace and renewal for my soul. Psalm 121 says, “I lift my eyes up to the hills, from where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber… The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forever more.” (English Standard Version) 

What a powerful principle! If you know how to study God’s word you can save some gas money and renew your mind from the comfort of your own home. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The difficult part of discerning the will of God is comparing your thoughts and feelings to what God’s word says. You may be tempted to worry about what will happen tomorrow. But the Bible repeatedly tells us, “Don’t worry. Trust God.” 

Jesus said, “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Mt. 6:34) It is that simple. Christians do not need to be consumed with worry about anything that is happening tomorrow because God has everything under control. 

Even when bad things happen the Christian can be at ease. Romans 8:28 reminds us that the Christian’s sense of peace is undergirded by the sovereignty of God, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Those who deny God can never experience this kind of peace until they submit their lives to God. If you are the “god” of your own life then you will never find lasting peace because you can never guarantee that bad things will turn out good for you. The God of the Bible is able to guarantee a positive outcome. He is able to turn even the worst situation (the death of Christ) into the best situation (the glory of God and the salvation of sinners). 

The perspective of the Bible goes even further than turning a negative situation to a neutral situation. The Bible actually makes it possible for the Christian to have joy in the midst of difficulties. That is why James 1:3 says, “Consider it all joy my brothers when you encounter trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and endurance when it has it’s full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” God is able to use the most difficult problems in life help believers to grow in Godliness. 

Where else can you go to have your perspective genuinely changed from negative to positive? I have found that it can only be done with the supernatural help of God’s word. That is the only place we can learn that our sins are paid for. It is the only place we can have “the peace that surpasses understanding that will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7) The deeper we dig into the goldmine of God’s word, the more richly we will strengthen ourselves with the supernatural perspective of our creator God. 

No Need for Confusion

January 29, 2022 /

Recently there has been a desire by some to change the pronouns that are used to describe the gender of individuals. The idea is that someone’s preferred pronouns can be different than their biological gender. This has caused some confusion in certain English speaking countries as certain institutions have tried to legislate the use of pronouns in professional and academic settings. 

To get a sense of how confusing this gender gerrymandering can be just consider this partial list of first person singular pronouns: he, she, ve, xe, ze/zie, ae, fae, per, they, and e/ey. As you might imagine, this can cause considerable confusion because an individual can request to be called by any of these terms and the person can change their preference at will. One day a coworker may ask to be called “xe.” The next day the pronoun preference may be “fae.”

Thankfully, the Christian has no need to be confused by this trend. The Bible makes it clear that Christians do not need to wonder about this issue because God’s word gives two options for the gender of a human being, male or female. All the pronouns in the Bible work around this understanding because they have been revealed to humanity by God himself. The very first chapter of the Bible makes this abundantly clear, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 –  English Standard Version) 

There are 31,102 verses in the sixty-six books of the English Bible. Of those verses, there are 7,220 references to a biological male using the word “he” and “737” references to a woman using the word “she.” The amount of gender specific references to male and female words increases dramatically as soon as the search turns from English to the original languages of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. 

The original languages of the Bible are gendered languages. This means that the subject, object, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, and prepositions are either masculine, feminine, or neuter. This means that every sentence repeatedly clarifies that the people mentioned are masculine or feminine. Trying to read a genderless Bible would be incredibly confusing because the original meaning is tied to the concept of two genders. 

The gender clarity of the Bible is so helpful for the Christian because he knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that his gender is the same as his biological sex. There is no confusion about the gender of the historical figures mentioned in the Bible. There is no confusion about how the Bible instructs men to interact with women, “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” (Eph. 5:25) Christian men know they are to treat older men as fathers and younger men as brothers, “older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, in all purity.” (1 Tim. 5:2) This creates a strong foundation for Christian men, women, boys and girls because they know their gender and they know how God wants them to live and function as a result. Instead of being restrictive, this is actually incredibly freeing to know who you are as a child of God. Instead of being confused about gender the Christian is confident and is able to seek to live in the way God intended him to live. 

As a side note, I have been curious to see how the trend for pronoun preference has impacted modern gendered languages like Spanish. I found one article that describes “Lenguaje Inclusivo” and it describes how Spanish can be changed from using the gendered endings of “o” and “a” and replacing them with “e”. For instance, “mis hijos son lindos” would need to become “mis hijes son lindes.” Can you imagine how confusing this would be for the Spanish speaker? The reason it would be difficult is because a non-gendered version of Spanish is actually a completely different language that would have to be written, read, and spoken differently than modern Spanish. 

One study found that 38% of the 4,000 languages studied are gendered languages. If this desire to change pronoun preference were to take place world-wide it would mean that hundreds of languages would have to die out in order to become non-gendered languages! 

It is no surprise to me that the movement towards non-gendered language has come from English speakers. If people would read the Bible in the original languages they would quickly see the folly of their attempt to change language as we know it! Personally, I am glad I have the rock-solid foundation of God’s word undergirding my worldview. The Christian has no need for gender confusion. We know we were created in God’s image and that gives us the wonderful simplicity of a world with biological men and women who can discover God and live in a way that is pleasing to him. 

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