Tag Archives: Revelation

The relevance of the Bible in today’s world

Posted on November 9, 2015 by | Comments Off on The relevance of the Bible in today’s world

holy-bibleSince our society has now entered into what the definition of marriage should be, there has been a question posed by the American mainstream media and stars from the entertainment industry. It is nearly impossible to visit the society section of Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, or any other major media website where the author of the commentary is addressing the need to either abandon traditional Biblical teachings or to abandon Christianity altogether in favor of new societal norms. There are articles all across the web that were authored by sociologists and psychologists claiming that freewill and self-determination are illusions, homophobia and being in opposition to homosexuality is a mental disorder, and even religion and the belief in God itself is a mental disorder. Some even press the notion that those driven by obedience to their faith in God to do good works are actually self-centered. With the increasing anti-Christian rhetoric and critics driven by what has become regarded as science, it is easy to understand why so many people – and Christians – question the relevance of the Bible today.

Since the days of the apostles, Christians have been told by the lost that we should not share our faith because it might offend or cause others discomfort. We’ve been told that our faith teaches intolerance, hate, racism, and any other derogatory thing they can decide that Christianity seems to promote. At the heart of the lost world’s rejection of Christianity is the faulty belief that man does not need God and a rejection of Jesus as the sole means of salvation. Christians today must stand strong on the authority and the basic teachings of the Bible because it is the foundation of our faith. Within its pages are life’s lessons, comfort during times of need, and guidance in all of life’s difficult situations. 

The Bible’s relevance: An unchanging God

The apostle Paul understood the eternalness and the changeless nature of God and explained it as he wrote, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8).The Bible is relevant because within its pages it contains a chronicle of the unchanging nature of God. It takes faith to believe the Bible is the word of God; it should be recognized it also takes faith to claim the world view that it is not the word of God. The Holy Spirit led Malachi to write, For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed (Malachi 3:6) as a testimony and promise of God’s unchanging nature. The unchanging nature of God is essential within the Judeo-Christian world; it is especially important to the Christian concepts of atonement and the sacrificial work of the Lord Christ Jesus. The disciple John understood this very concept and wrote, These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13).

John also testified in other writings of the unchanging nature of God and the timelessness of God’s plan for mankind’s salvation when he wrote, And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8). We often approach God and matters of faith from our own particular perspective so it is hard for us to even begin to understand God’s plan for the redemption of man being the same from the very earliest days of creation. We are accustomed to living in a society where everything is fluid. We also approach God and matters of faith through our own sense of fairness, justice, and understanding, which is why God reminds us through scriptures, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9) and Yet saith the house of Israel, The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your ways unequal? (Ezekiel 18:29). The scriptures contained in the Bible have testified not only about the timelessness of God’s values but about the differences between our understanding and that of the Lord. We need this testimony of God’s unchanging nature, more specifically of His unchanging grace towards mankind. It is reassuring to the believer that the same salvation offered freely to the disciples, to the patriarchs of Israel, and to those who heard the sermons of Jesus as He walked the shores of Galilee.

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God’s scale of justice – perfect and just

Posted on March 9, 2015 by | Comments Off on God’s scale of justice – perfect and just

scale of justiceLady Justice, a sculpture that has come to represent the American justice system, has a sword, a blindfold, and the scale of justice. For generations, we have prided ourselves in creating a just nation where the laws are equally applied to all, regardless of race, gender, and a handful of other criteria. Yet with all that has happened, with all the changes in society, and with changes in what is considered as proper behavior, we still have an imperfect system. At times, it seems that justice is simply another commodity where wealth and fame seem to influence. There are also times when the laws that have been passed with the noblest of intentions have a greater negative impact than the original problem. Yet, with these problems, most Americans still have faith in the laws of our land.

The scale of justice and Jesus’ blood

A while back on the USA television network, there was a commercial that featured the actors and actresses involved with the various shows on the network. On this particular commercial, the featured stars would share some of their life philosophy as a part of the “USA Characters” promotional to draw interest to the programming. One actress shared her views on God, “I believe all paths lead to God…” We live in a multi-cultural society and have been taught since the early 1970s that all things are equal. We’ve been taught not to judge the faith of others by our faith, but to be understanding, to be tolerant, and to be receptive and respective of their faith. Being a product of public education and having parents that did not raise me in church, for most of my life I believed that it was acceptable and right to have this kind of attitude – to live and let live. There are several problems with this kind of mindset; the end results are that there are going to be people who will spend and eternity in the Lake of Fire and for the believer, shame as they try to explain their “tolerance” to the Lord.

As a Christian, I have a moral and ethical responsibility to warn others of the dangers of living a life that is not acceptable in the eyes of the Lord. Keeping the Old Testament Laws does not save one’s soul, nor does doing good deeds, living a good life, or treating others with kindness. The only thing that makes a life acceptable to the Lord is this: 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 (John 3:16). Jesus further clarified this in two other verses: 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 3:36) and Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life (John 6:47). Luke, the author of the book of Acts, so eloquently wrote, Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). Our salvation depends on our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ – nothing else will make our life acceptable to the Lord. To assure that we understand the seriousness of this judgment: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).

There are those that believe that when the day comes and they stand before the Lord, He will use his scale of justice and will weigh their good works against the evil or bad deeds they have done. The scriptures are clear that this is not how the Lord will judge; the apostle John wrote: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works…  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12 & 15). Even the Old Testament teaches that it is not by any good deeds we can earn our way to Heaven: The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Psalms 14:1b-3) and But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6). The apostle Paul wrote on this very subject: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8). It is only through the shed blood of Jesus Christ that we can be delivered from our sins and are reconciled to God.

The responsibility of the child of God

I’ve never been to a seminary or Bible college; I approach my faith through a common sense approach much like the way I approach daily life. As a college instructor, I have a responsibility to warn students when their attendance and/or the work they submit is not to the standards that are defined for the course. When we go to our family doctor, he or she has a moral obligation to warn us if our sodium, cholesterol, or even weight is now what it is supposed to be. We have no problems following the recommendations of the mechanic who tells us what needs to be repaired on our car to keep up peak performance. Yet, when it comes to spiritual matters, many will not hesitate to ignore the Bible as a collection of fables and God as a myth. Even Christians have become dismissive of the more “radical” teachings of the Bible, claiming that somehow modern society is much different from the times of the Old Testament or the days when Jesus walked the Earth. In reality, while our technology may be different and various concepts of equality, morality, and justice may have also changed, human nature has not.

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Posted in Chrisitian Philosophy, Christian Responsibility, Our relationship with God, Personal Evangelism

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White as snow since the blood of Christ

Posted on February 16, 2015 by | Comments Off on White as snow since the blood of Christ

white as snowSince about last Wednesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast snowfall for the tri-state area where I live. To be completely honest, I love snow – I love watching the flakes as they fall to the ground and the look of the fluffy and thick white blanket that hides the ground’s imperfections. This morning I was surprised to actually see about four inches of snow on the ground, but just as I am with every snowfall, my heart turns to my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. There are several things that snow can teach us about the grace that God gives all who will seek genuine forgiveness.

Behind my apartment, in my back yard, so to speak, there are dips and depressions that fill the ground. There are also old cigarette butts from previous occupants and neighbors that still rise to the surface. There are weeds, crab grass, and a few dead leaves – all unsightly things that makes the yard difficult to enjoy. If we are completely honest with ourselves, it is a good analogy to how we must appear to God without the blood of Christ. The prophet Isaiah wrote under the leading of the Holy Spirit, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away (Isaiah 64:6). Everyone has things in their life – sins – that are unsightly in the eyes of God. The apostle Paul wrote, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23) and As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one (Romans 3:10). Without the grace of God, we appear just as a neglected yard before a snowstorm. We are filled with imperfections, with flaws, and other unsightly things.

Snow covers imperfections

This morning, by the time I woke up, there was nearly five inches of snow on the ground. No longer visible were the imperfections and unsightly clutter in the yard, but a thick, white blanket of snow. Again, the prophet Isaiah wrote as was led by the Holy Spirit, Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18). The Lord himself invites people to come and reason with the promise that we’ll be made pure from our sins – white as snow! David similarly wrote, Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities (Psalms 51:7-9).

Just as the snowfall hides the blemishes of the yard from our eyesight, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ cleanses and blots out our sins. The “reasoning together” the Lord invites everyone to take part in is simply the same question He asked of Israel during the exodus from Egypt: I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live (Deuteronomy 30:19). The apostle Paul shows the importance of this reasoning with the Lord: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9). By choosing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we choose eternal life and he have our sins forgiven; even the Lord Jesus Christ taught, For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28).

Jesus’ blood covers our sins

The apostle John wrote, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood (Revelation 1:5) – when we accept Jesus we have become white as snow because of the shed blood of Jesus! There is no other way we can become white as snow without the blood of Christ; Paul wrote to the early Christians living in Jerusalem: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (Hebrews 9:22). Even Jesus taught this very idea during his earthly ministry that all paths do not lead to God; there is only one way that man will ever be justified in the eyes of God: Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).

But this is where the similarity between the blood of Christ and snow ends. The blood of Christ remains pure and able to continue to cleanse us from our sins. After a few days, the snow will begin to melt, it will get dirty, and it will begin to show what is underneath it. David wrote, For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:11-12). Once we have been forgiven of our sins, the blood and love of Christ forever separates them from us once we have repented. And when we do sin again, all we have to do is to confess our sins, as John wrote: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Paul wrote that when we genuinely seek forgiveness of our sins God will not remember them from the point we seek His forgiveness any more: For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more… And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12 & Hebrews 10:17).

As I watch the snow continue to fall I am amazed at God’s grace towards me. There’s nothing special about me that God should show me such unmerited favor in His sight. He has blessed me beyond all measure and explanation. He can and will do the same for you if you will simply call upon the name of Jesus and believe that God raised Him from the dead and that He has made atonement for your sins. You, too, can have a life that appears white as snow to the Lord!

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