Tag Archives: christianity

Bill C-9 titled Act to Amend the Canada Elections Act with Parliament building in background

Is Bill C-9 a Threat to Biblical Teachings in Canada?

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In the last few days I have noticed a good number of people posting on Facebook that Canada has criminalized the Bible. I have tried to find validation for these claims, and have now found several interesting articles relating to Bill C-9 which has been introduced to their house of commons. Every article I found states the same thing: Bill C-9 does not criminalize the Bible, but, in my estimation, it does present an extremely slippery slope headed in the wrong direction. For the sake of clarity, let me share a statement from an article entitled, “What Bill C-9 Actually Does.”

Bill C-9 aims to strengthen Canada’s response to hate-related incidents, including antisemitism. The amendment in question removes a specific defense in the Criminal Code for statements made in good faith based on religious texts, but it does not make quoting Scripture a crime. Religious discussion, debate, and sharing of biblical passages remain legal, unless they willfully promote hatred against an identifiable group.

The reason I believe this to be a slippery slope headed to destructive ends is because of the underlying intent that could be read into this statement. Look again at the last sentence in the statement quoted above. Read it carefully. Make special note of the word, “unless.” There is the slippery slope. There is the possible destructive end to which this bill could lead.

Let’s think of a hypothetical end result of this bill. Suppose on a given Sunday morning, in a typical, conservative, Bible-believing church, the pastor preaches a message on human sexuality. He isn’t targeting the subject. He is preaching expositionally through the Bible, and the text of the week is as follows:

“Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever, Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due.” Romans 1:24-27

In this text, Paul mentions only two sexes – male and female. He also mentions the “natural” as opposed to that which is “against nature.” And what specifically does he single out, for illustration of his premise that they “exchanged the truth of God for the lie”? Unnatural sexual behavior. This would include much of today’s emphasis of the 2SLGBTQI+ acronym, which identifies “sexual orientations.” Notice the “+” at the end. Just in case your personal sexual orientation is not covered with the other letter significations, you can add yours here!

Now, suppose that as the preacher delivers his message, there happens to be in the congregation someone who identifies as bisexual. He is offended at the words the pastor is using, steps outside, calls the police, reports the pastor for “hate speech”, to which police are dispatched and then make their way to the church. They enter the church, making their way up the aisle toward the pastor, who continues with his message. They step up on the platform, one of either side of the pastor, where one of them says, “You are spewing hate speech, which could incite riotous action. We must ask that you stop immediately, or you will be arrested for attempting to instigate a riot.”

Now, please remember that this is all hypothetical. But would you not agree that the trajectory for something like this is not a baseless interpretation of a possible scenario taking place? Those who have voted on this bill may think that they are doing a great service to the civility of their citizens, but they are really opening a Pandora’s box of terrible end results of their decision.

Paul stated in the fourth chapter of his first letter to Timothy the following:

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Note particularly that Paul is speaking of those who have departed from the faith, having been deceived. In the previous passage quoted above he said that they had exchanged the truth of God for the lie. I believe that this suggest Bill C-9 is much more dangerous than the outright criminalization of the Bible. I believe (maybe in absolute naivete) that if a bill to make the Bible illegal were introduced it would be immediately derailed. But this is a more subtle, seemingly innocuous, bill for everyone’s protection. Well, not necessarily for everyone. Christianity will suffer the ultimate blow from such a bill.

Could I suggest that prayer be lifted for the citizens of Canada? It would be fitting for us to lift their national leaders in their decision-making process to weigh carefully the far-reaching ramifications of this bill. And could we add our own nation to that prayer list, if it is not already there? Our nation is following in the tracks of many other nations before us. Nations that were once bastions of the Christian faith, and now, sadly their countrysides are dotted with empty buildings which were at one time thriving houses of worship. Pray that this will not be the epitaph written across the gravestone of a dead nation. Oh, God, have mercy!

Understanding Life’s Unfairness: Balancing Good and Bad

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Bad things happen to good people. Good things happen to bad people. Bad things happen to bad people. Good things happen to good people. We, as members of the human race, are prone to experience both good and bad, regardless of whether we are good or bad. Life experiences are the common lot of life.

Granted, it seems that some experience more than their fair share of bad, while others seem to experience an overabundance of good. Some seem to have been born for adversity, while others seem to have been born with the proverbial golden spoon in their mouth. Why? That is the age-old question, right? Why does like seem to be so out of balance?

We’ve probably all known some who were prone to experience only bad. It’s like that song from the “Hee Haw” variety show from long ago. The lyrics would be funny if there was not so much truth in them. Do you remember? The chorus sticks in my memory banks even though I haven’t heard it in many, many years:

Gloom, despair, and agony on me

Deep, dark depression, excessive misery

If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all

Gloom, despair, and agony on me.

Have you known someone whose picture could be posted beside these lyrics? Perhaps you even view yourself in such terms. Perhaps you are one of those who is always looking at others, with their well filled “bags”, wondering why they have all the “good luck” when your bag is, like Charlie Brown’s, always filled with rocks. Maybe you live each day wondering when your ship is going to come in. And yet, every day, day-after-day, your ship never appears on the horizon.

If someone asked you to explain what “life isn’t fair” means, how would you respond? As you think about your own life, right now, whatever season of life you happen to be in, would you describe it as one who has been the recipient of more good than bad; more bad than good; better than you deserve; worse than you deserve? Where would you fall on the line representing the spectrum between good and bad?

Person walking a dirt path split by lighted lines into a green, sunny side labeled GOOD and a dark, rocky side labeled BAD

For the sake of clarification, let’s perform a little experiment. Take a pencil and sheet of paper, dividing the sheet of paper into two columns. Now, think about your life up to this point. Would you say that you have experienced more good than bad? Then on the left side, begin making a list of the good things that have happened in your life. Think of big things and little things – as many as you can in five minutes.

Once you have completed that list, then begin a second list. This list should consist of the bad things that have happened to you. Make these two lists as extensive as possible.

Now, once both lists are completed, and you feel that you have made a pretty comprehensive list of both, then take a few more minutes to compare the two lists. Not so much this time in trying to go back through every entry individually, but look at the list as a whole. How long is the good list? How long is the bad list?

You see, the point of this exercise is not to look at the items one by one, but to see that your life, just like everyone else’s, is an ongoing saga of episodes of good and bad. Granted, some will have more on one side than the other, but there will be entries on both, if we have been totally honest.

So, what’s the point? The point is simply that we should live every day, each day, one day at a time. We often worry about tomorrow’s “bad”, while at the same time trying to live “In” yesterday’s “good.” Life just doesn’t work that way. God’s grace for today is sufficient for today. He will supply sufficient grace for tomorrow, tomorrow. So don’t try to deal with what might happen tomorrow before tomorrow gets here. We may find that we have carried the weight of what we thought would happen tomorrow, but it never materializes. Just rest assured that His grace is sufficient for what we are facing at any given time, but not for what “may happen” sometime in the future.

The Apostle Paul had some problem that he described as a “thorn in the flesh.” He did not elaborate on what that thorn was, but he said that he prayed three times, asking God to remove it. God’s response to Paul was that He was not going to remove the thorn, but that His grace would be sufficient to carry it. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you have some “thorn”, and you have been asking God to remove it. Yet, you are still suffering the weight of that thorn. Rest assured: God’s grace is sufficient for you to bear it, and if, at some point in the future, God decides to remove it, you will find that He has used that thorn in ways to minister to others in ways He could not have had He removed the thorn at any previous time.

God always knows best; God always does best! And, yes, His grace is more than enough,

Elderly couple holding hands walking in hallway of care facility with nurse and residents in background

The Impact of Alzheimer’s: Love and Loss

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One of the many wonderful attributes God placed in His human creation is the ability to remember. Can you imagine how horrible it would be if we did not have this remarkable God-given trait? It’s really impossible to even begin to understand the gravity of not being able to remember.

There have been movies that have tried to depict how tragic this would be. Just think how it would be to awaken every morning with no recollection of who you are, of the names of loved ones, of where you are, of what you do. It would be tragic, to say the least.

Sadly, there are multitudes who experience just such a reality. We all probably know of someone, or have heard of someone, who is struggling with Alzheimer’s or dementia. In serving as pastor for over forty years, I have known several, all of whom have left an indelible impression on me. It is with the utmost of compassion and love that I share some of their stories.

The first was a long-time follower of Jesus Christ. She, by the testimony of her life as well as her voice, was a vibrant witness for the Lord she loved so dearly. As she began to show signs of the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s, it was obvious that she was rapidly moving into that state of mental loss. At first she began to forget things. She couldn’t remember recipes of dishes she had prepared probably hundreds of times. Then, she began to forget names. At first it was just the names of acquaintances, but soon it included the names of close family members. She soon forgot the names of all her children.

Strangely enough, she never forgot the words to the hymns she had loved and sang for many years. A cassette player was kept by her bedside that played those old hymns constantly -all day and all night. She sang along with every one, usually with a huge smile on her face. The strangest thing to me was that, even though she could not remember who her children were, she never forgot me. Every time I would go visit, as soon as I walked in the door, she would have the biggest smile, and immediately say, “Preacher!” Why? I have no clue. I, for some unknown reason, was a memory lodged deeply in the recesses of her mind. Her family stood by her side faithfully, caring for her, tending to her every need, until the day the Lord called her home to be with Him – the One she had long awaited.

Another example was a couple in a church I served as pastor in Texas. Soon after I began my tenure there, one of the members asked me if I would like to meet his wife. I had noticed that he came to church alone, and wondered if he were married, and if so why his wife did not attend with him. I told him that I would be honored to meet her, so he made arrangements to pick me up one day the following week.

He had not told me anything about his wife, until I got into his truck and headed down the road. He then shared with me that she was in a nursing facility, where she had been for several years. He began to relate to me, with tears flowing down his cheeks, about seeing the first signs of what he came to realize was the onset of Alzheimer’s. It was small things at first, things that were easily dismissed as simple forgetfulness. But it soon became obvious that something much more serious was happening.

He cared for her in the home until it became painfully obvious that her needs were much more than he could handle. Reluctantly, he came to the conclusion that in order for her to be cared for in the most loving way, he would have to find a facility in which she could get the professional help necessary.

This couple was the greatest example of marital love I have ever seen. Three times every day he would go to the nursing facility – eight o’clock every morning, at noon, and again at five o’clock every evening. He would take her by the hand, walk her through the hallways, feed her each meal, all the while reassuring her of his deep and abiding love for her. She never responded, not even the slightest nod of the head or a squeeze of the hand. But relentlessly, come what may, he was there, telling her how beautiful she was and how much she was loved.

I wonder sometimes why God chooses to leave someone here, in this life, when it appears to us that they would be far better if He would call them to be with Him. And, the fact of the matter is, we usually don’t know. But we do know that God has His reasons, and that His ways are always right.

I think oftentimes about my own mother. She was showing the early signs of Alzheimer’s, and I knew that the day would come that I would walk into her room, and she would not know me. I prayed that day would never come, but it did. And as much effort as I had put into trying to prepare myself for that day, I was still so very ill-prepared. As I walked into her room and saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, I looked into her eyes and knew – I knew. It was a blank stare looking back at me. Her eyes were pools of darkness. She looked, she stared, and I knew in my mind that she was trying so very hard to remember.

I walked over and sat in a chair directly in front of her. I simply said, “Do you remember me?” “No. I don’t think so,” was the earth-shattering answer. I sat in stunned silence for a few seconds – an eternity. I tried to jog her memory by asking simple questions about family. “Have you ever been married.” “Do you have any children?” “Do you know where you are?” “No.” “No.” “No.” was her response to each.

It was one of the worst days of my life. Thankfully she did not stay in that mental state, but would have days of mental clarity which we all cherished. But we knew that her mind would never be like it had been. From that day until the day of her death, I cherished the moments I had with her so much more, putting forth every effort to help her maintain her dignity of life, but also to just let her be her, and take in every moment.

Life – a precious gift from God. Life- a brief span of time we spend on earth. Life – to be cherished and enjoyed. Life – deserving of the dignity God intended, because every life is a person created in His image.

Death – the inevitable path we all must follow. Death – the passage from this physical life into eternal life. Death – for the believer, the ultimate realization of the very presence of God. Death – not to be feared, because it has been swallowed up in victory.

“O death, where is your sting? O hades, where is your victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” First Corinthians 15:55-58

Let’s treat every person we meet with the dignity they deserve. Let’s never allow strength or weakness, health or sickness, wealth or poverty, or any other man-made distinction to cause us to think more of one and less of another. Let’s love, and love, and love, and keep on loving. One day, if we live long enough, we will outlive many that we love. Let’s let our love for them be as Jesus’ love for His disciples:

“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1

Stone church with crumbling steeple and broken statue near sign about faith erosion and disbanded congregation

The Impact of Erosion on America’s Religious Identity

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Erosion. Slow. Inconspicuous. Imperceptible to the human eye. Things appear to be changeless, but in reality, they are in a constant state of change – steady, methodical, relentless. Given enough time, erosion has the power to change the landscape. Boulders that once stood dauntless, seemingly in a state of permanence, giving the appearance of being unchangeable, are reduced to small, insignificant rocks, that can easily be picked up by a human hand, thrown across the surface of a tranquil lake, making several skips over the surface before finally sinking to the bottom, where it will continue undergoing more erosion as the movement of the water continues to perform the work of erosion.

There is not only the reality of the work of erosion in the natural world, but also in the cultural, political, societal, and religious beliefs and practices of any given nation. The imperceptible work of cultural erosion changes with the passing of time, and before we realize what is happening, we are living in a nation with cultural practices that were foreign to us just a few years earlier. The same is true in the political, societal, and religious elements that give a nation its distinctive character. It only takes nothing more than a cursory look at our past to see how the work of erosion has changed the landscape of life in the United States.

When our nation was founded, those who had the vision of leaving the religious oppression of England had the dream of beginning fresh, with the idea of religious freedom as one of the major driving forces behind their audacious and outlandish actions. It was in 1620 that the Mayflower landed in what became known as Plymouth Colony. From that very meager beginning came one of the most powerful nations that has ever existed in the history of the world.

Early in our nation’s history, it was clearly evident that those who came across the ocean in the Mayflower, as well as those who followed in their footsteps, were intent on establishing a nation which would be guided by Biblical principles. Many statements by early national leaders made it abundantly clear that the new nation would be a Christian nation. This certainly did not mean that every individual person in the nation at that time, or any time subsequent, would embrace the Christian faith. But regardless of an individual’s choice of religious belief, the nation would be established and guided by Biblical principles.

For a while, the fact that our founding fathers identified the nation as a Christian nation was evident. Classrooms across the land used the Bible as a major source of the education process. Colleges were established for the training of those who sought to be preachers and teachers. Hospitals were built, oftentimes funded entirely by Christian philanthropists. Every aspect of life in the new country was directly affected by Christian principle.

Religious erosion then began its subtle, slow, methodical, relentless work of changing the religious landscape of the newly founded nation. It was inconspicuous at first, but over time it began to show. It has continued its assault on the religious landscape of the United States and has now achieved its destructive end. This was assertively and adamantly stated by a previous president. Barack Obama, in a statement made during a press conference in Turkey, the former president said, “The United States is not a Christian nation, but rather a nation of citizens who are bound by shared ideals and values.”

“The United States is not a Christian nation, but rather a nation of citizens who are bound by shared ideals and values.”. Barack Obama

Again, I state the obvious: being a Christian nation does not necessitate that every individual citizen of that nation embraces the Christian faith, but that they recognize and accept the fact that the overriding fabric of the nation is guided by Christian principles. That is the way it was, but it is no longer the way it is. There are so many now who call the United States home, who have no respect for our Christian heritage. Instead of coming to our nation with the desire and the willingness to assimilate into our established way of life, they now come expecting citizens of our nation to bow to their religious beliefs, their cultural traditions, their laws. They would have us become like them, embracing their manner of life.

So how far are we to go in welcoming them? Should we simply acquiesce to their beliefs and behaviors? Do we lose our identity in order to make them feel welcome? I strongly suggest that would be – actually, already has been – the erosive work of religious and cultural persuasion. Our country is losing its identity. So much so, in fact, that former president Obama makes that assertive statement quoted above.

Jesus taught His disciples that the world would hate them because of their identification with Him. Christians are being maligned and mistreated, simply because they adhere to Jesus’ teachings, and strive to live for Him. He taught us to go into the world, sharing with others His immense love and grace, showing the way to escape spiritual darkness by coming into His light. However, as we look at the direction of many mainline protestant denominations, we see clearly the effects of the erosive work of religious adaptation. We no longer stand on the Bibie as our final authority. We allow other factors to take precedence over the teachings of our Lord.

We are warned in the Bible to be very careful as to whom we listen, and where we turn to get our convictions and make our commitments. The apostle John warns about spiritual warfare in which we engage when we stand for Biblical truth. He said that we must test the spirits to see if they are from God, or from some other source. However, it seems to me that many are not only not testing the spirits but are actually welcoming them into our local churches as well as into our denominational beliefs and practices.

I believe it is time – past time – to take a stand against the onslaught of religious erosion. It is time for us to stand up against the spirits of those who oppose clear teachings of Scripture and stand up for Biblical truth. It is, after all, our only source of absolute truth. It could be costly, but our Lord deserves nothing less than our total commitment to Him.

Comparing 21st Century Church to Early Believers

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How does the church in America in the 21st century compare to the church of the first century? When we read of the exploits of the early believers and compare their level of commitment to followers of Jesus Christ today, how do we compare? In Acts 17:6 there is a thought-provoking statement made by the enemies of the early believers that is truly amazing. They say, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.”

These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.

What a truly astounding accusation. What prompted them to make such an unbelievable assertion? What had those early believers been doing to gain such a powerful testimony in a relatively short period of time? What had they done, and what were they doing, that warranted this kind of attention?

If you’ll remember, back in the first chapter of the Book of Acts, we have Jesus telling His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they received the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. They obediently followed His instruction, and ten days later the Holy Spirit came in a display of miraculous power. The room where they were meeting was all of a sudden filled with the sound a mighty rushing wind, tongues of fire appeared in the room and began to settle on each of the disciples gathered there, and they were all given the ability to speak in language they had never been taught.

These believers were so emboldened by the power of the Holy Spirit that they went out into the streets of Jerusalem, fearlessly proclaiming the message of the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ being raised from the dead. The people gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost were overwhelmed by the intensity of the believer’s witness, and as they heard the Gospel being presented in all the different languages of people from all over the world they were brought under conviction by the work of the Holy Spirit. The result? On that one day about 3000 were saved and added to the fellowship of believers.

And that was but the beginning. Just a little later the number had grown to 5000 men, plus women and children. The testimony of the Acts record is that the Lord was adding to the church daily those who were being saved. It wasn’t long until believers were no longer being added, but multiplied. Churches were being added, as the number of those being converted to the Christian faith kept growing exponentially.

This growth was taking place in the face of much adversity and tribulation against the church. The Jewish authorities tried everything within their power to silence the voice of these early believers. Arrests were made. Incarceration was the experience of many. Many others were executed for being followers of Jesus Christ. It seemed that the more the church was dealt waves of persecution, the bolder they became in their proclamation of the Gospel.

Compare that to the state of the church in America. I don’t mean to come across as judge and jury, but by my personal experiences and observations it seems to me that the church in America today has become somewhat complacent, some even apathetic. The Acts record tells us that the early believers were gathering daily, going from house to house worshiping together, sharing all things in common, giving up their personal belongings to assist others who were in need. It shows clearly that the early believers were totally committed to their Lord, and it showed in every aspect of their lives.

I believe that the church of today pales in comparison. Let me make a few personal observations. As I think about churches I have served as pastor for over 40 years, I have seen a lot of Sunday morning “worshipers” who are conspicuously invisible Monday-Saturday. I’ve served as pastor of churches in which a very small percentage of the members did an enormous percentage of work/ministry. I’ve served churches where some were totally burned out from carrying more than their share because too many were carrying none.

I’m reminded of something Vance Havner said: “In every church there are pillars, and there are caterpillars. The pillars make up about 10% of the congregation, yet they do 90% of the work; the caterpillars make up about 90% of the congregation, yet they only do 10% of the work.” Sadly, from my personal experience, there is a lot of truth in Havner’s assessment.

There are pillars and caterpillars in every church.

The Bible teaches that God has equipped each believer with at least one spiritual gift which enables each one to serve God by developing and using our individual gifts in service to the church. As each member of a local body of believers uses his/her gift, the work of ministry is done, the workload is shared, and God is glorified. No one person, or small group of persons, becomes exhausted because they are having to do their share and someone else’s as well.

Howard Hendricks made this observation: The church is like a football game – 22 people on the field in desperate need of rest, and 40000 people in the stands, in desperate need of exercise. Where are you in this game of life? Are you in the game – or are you resting comfortably in the stands? Let’s take a few minutes for a time of reflection and self-evaluation. Am I doing my part? Or am I causing someone else to carry my share of the load? I feel certain that each of us already knows the answer to that question. If your answer is that you are allowing others to carry your weight, then why not make a change – now. God would definitely be pleased with that decision.

Unleavened bread and barley still life painting

Easter vs Passover: Clarifying Biblical Terms

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Where would we be without Easter? Before I address that question, let me take a moment to address the issue of the word itself. Is Easter found in the Bible? Well, yes, and no. The word is found in the King James Version of the Bible. Found in Acts 12:4, the verse reads: “And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.” This is in reference to Peter being arrested, and kept in his cell until after Pascha (Hebrew for Passover). Thus, it is a clear reference to the Jewish feast of Passover rather than to a day referred to as Easter.

Is this really important? I think that we will reach the solid conclusion that it is crucially important when we understand the significance of the word. Easter has no place in the original languages of the Bible. There are varying explanations as to how the word “Easter” came to be in English translations of the Bible, but the one that seems to have the most consensus is that when the King James Version (KJV) was translated in 1611, the word Easter was commonly used in reference to the Passover, and would have had that understanding to those in that era who read that particular translation. However, with the changing of the definition of words through the years, it is now a matter of confusion. Thus, it is far better to understand Acts 12:4 as Passover, not Easter.

Now let’s consider the ramifications of not using the word “Passover”. Passover is one of three Jewish feasts that take place within an eight-day period. It begins on Sunday, and concludes on Sunday. The first Sunday begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread, during which all leaven must be removed from Jewish homes for the duration of those eight days. It then concludes on the following Sunday, which is the Jewish Feast of Firstfruits. Between these two Feasts is the Feast of Passover, which is celebrated on Thursday.

The reason we should be careful to use the right terminology relative to each of these Feasts is because Jesus is the fulfillment of all three. Let’s consider carefully this extremely important part of those Feasts of Israel, and how each is related to Jesus.

To begin with, these are not to be thought of as being types of Christ found in the Old Testament. Think of a type of Christ as being a symbol, or picture, or foreshadowing, of the coming Christ. There are many of these types of Christ found throughout the Old Testament. However, we must be careful that we do not think of Firstfruits, Passover, and Unleavened Bread as being symbols, or types of Christ. Why? Because the New Testament makes it clear that Passover is not a type of Christ, but rather that Christ IS Passover. Firstfruits is not a type of Christ, but Christ IS Firstfruits. Unleavened Bread is not a type of Christ, but Christ is the Unleavened Bread.

Read the following verses carefully:

“And Jesus said to them, ‘I AM the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.'” John 6:35

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.” 1 Corinthians 5:7

Jesus Christ IS the Bread of life, Firstfruits, and the Passover Lamb. This should make it abundantly clear that those Feasts of Israel are all fulfilled in our Lord, Jesus. We must not allow the world’s practice of changing the meaning of words to adversely affect these three terms that are so profound as we think about the season we refer to as Easter. We must maintain a commitment to the clear teachings of Scripture, especially those that teach us these phenomenal truths about Jesus.

So, what exactly should we call the day we have come to know as Easter? Simple: according to God’s plan as laid out in the Old Testament, we celebrate Unleavened Bread (we normally refer to it as Palm Sunday), Passover (Thursday after Unleavened Bread), and Firstfruits (we call it Easter). To understand the meaning of these terms, and the significance of the Old Testament feasts that were all fulfilled in, by, and through Jesus Christ, will shed so much light and provide so much clarity in why these Christian celebrations are rooted in Old Testament worship.

For over 3500 years orthodox Jews have participated in Communion every time they celebrate Passover

And now for the reason for this blog. Did you realize that for over 3500 years orthodox Jews have participated in Communion every time they celebrate Passover? And secondly, did you also realize that for over 2000 years the church has celebrated a part of Passover every time they have observed the Lord’s Supper?

For over 2000 years the church has celebrated a part of Passover every time they have observed the Lord’s Supper

It was during the observance of Passover that Jesus took a specific piece of unleavened bread, broke it, and said, “This is my body given for you.” Then, He took the third cup of wine served during the meal, and said, “This is my blood, shed for you.” That is astounding! Jesus IS the Passover. He is the ultimate Passover lamb whose life was given for others.

It is remarkable how God actually provided these graphic portraits of His Son approximately 1500 years before His birth. What a mighty God we serve – Amen!

Blessings!

Three wooden crosses silhouetted on a rocky hill against a vibrant sunrise sky.

The Passion of Christ

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Last night, Teresa and I watched the movie, “The Passion of the Christ.” This was only the second time we have watched this particular theatrical presentation of the crucifixion of our Lord. The first time was in 2004, shortly after the movie was released and was being shown in theaters across the country. Teresa and I went to see it with a group from our church. We traveled the 25 miles to the theater in our church van, laughing, talking, enjoying one another’s company as we made the trip. Upon our arrival we went into the theater, made ourselves comfortable in the nice, cushioned seats, and readied ourselves for the movie to begin.

At least I thought we were “ready”. Physically present? Yes. Chattering as the pre-showing ads ran on the screen? Yes. Still enjoying each other’s company? Yes. All was well as we enjoyed the comfort of the modern theater, and the company of our friends.

The movie began, and we watched as scene after scene was depicted on the large movie screen before us. As the movie progressed, I felt as if the screen was somehow getting larger and larger, and beginning to press in on me. I felt overwhelmed by the graphic depiction of the savagery of the soldiers as they hit and punched Jesus after arresting Him in the garden. I felt anger well up in me as the religious leaders were shown to be cold, callused, calculating, in their appeal for Jesus to be executed. I had to literally close my eyes to shut out the horrific scourging He was given. I actually felt nauseated as the scene of Him being nailed to the cross was shown, again in grotesque detail. I was in a state of stunned silence. I felt as if I needed to scream, but could not.

The movie finally ended. Not a sound was heard in the theater. No one spoke. The only sound I heard was that of crying, even after the movie had ended, and the credits had run. Silence, except for the crying.

We made our way back to the church van without a word. We all were seated, doors were closed, engine was started, van was moving. Silence. Twenty-five miles back to the church. We all sat in stunned silence. Not a single, solitary word was spoken. We arrived back at the church. No cordial “Good-byes” or “See you later.” We all made our way back to our vehicles and drove away. I later told Teresa that I would never watch it again. And I did not – until last night.

So why did I watch it again after saying that I would not? To be honest and completely transparent, it was only because Teresa wanted to see it again. Twenty-two years after watching it the first time, we sat and watched it again. And again – silence. No words were spoken between us. Once again I had to close my eyes several times to shut it out. It was too much to bear.

And yet, Jesus bore it all. He went through every moment of it, because it had to be done. And He was the only One who could do it. I have been preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ for over 45 years, I have preached many, many sermons on the crucifixion. I have tried, in many of those sermons, to give a verbal description of what His crucifixion might have “looked like.” But to see it displayed in such horrible, graphic detail on a huge screen right in front of me – well, that gave it a whole new meaning.

So, now I’ve watched it a second time. And once again I said to Teresa, “I will never watch that again.” I think I really mean it this time. I thought I meant it the first time, and yet, here I am, the day after watching, and saying it once again.

But, let me close by saying it does put things in a different perspective. It does cause us to think seriously about all He did for us. And it does make us so much more appreciative for Jesus’ willingness to go through all He did to secure our salvation. So this morning, I sit here typing these words with the scenes of the movie still playing in my head, and with every different scene, I have to say, “Thank you Jesus, for loving me so!”

Blessings!

Finding Clarity: Knowing God’s Will

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Through the 45+ years of my pastoral ministry, I have been asked literally hundreds, even thousands, of questions. They range from the silly to the serious, from the light-hearted to the life-altering, from the amusing to the amazing, from matters of this life to matters of the life to come. As I have given thought to those questions that seem to come up more often than others, the one that stands out clearly (from the perspective of my personal experience), as the number one most often asked is this: “How can I know God’s will for my life.” This is certainly a most important question to address. It is imperative that we seek God’s guidance in striving to determine our personal life-path.

However, I am inclined to believe that Henry Blackaby, in his most powerful and thought-provoking study, “Experiencing God”, hits on a key point. He suggests that “How can I know God’s will for my life” is actually the wrong question. He suggests that the correct question is this: “How can I know God’s will?” He then goes on to explain that once we understand God’s will, then we can make His will our will. That is certainly an interesting concept to consider, don’t you think? Let’s think seriously about the implications of that statement.

The first thing we need to address is, how do we know God’s will? And the first place to look is in the Bible. God’s will for the life of the believer is clearly laid out for us in Scripture. Think with me about a few statements Jesus made that will validate this truth. He made several “when you…” statements that give us some insight into things that are clearly actions that He expects of us. For example, in Matthew 6:6 He says, “When you pray…” Jesus is obviously making the assumption that part of the believer’s daily routine is prayer. He doesn’t say “If you pray”, but rather “When you pray”. He then goes on to give instructions on this matter of personal prayer. So, when you begin wondering about His will for you, make sure that you are involving yourself in the actions He assumes you are actively engaging in.

Another of these “when you” statements is found in this same passage of Scripture. In Matthew 6:2, Jesus says, “When you do a charitable deed…” The expectation, of course, is that believers will involve themselves in charitable causes. He also gives a word of explanation on this “when you” statement. He says clearly and specifically that we are not to do these charitable deeds to draw attention to self. Rather, they are to be done for His glory, as well as the good of the recipient of our charitable deed.

These two examples of “when you” statements are only given as examples, there being many others that are clear indications of certain actions and activities that are God’s will for every believer to engage in.

Another example of Biblical teachings on how to know God’s will is found in other types of statements made by Jesus. For example, He said, “Follow Me and I will make you become fishers of men.” Clear, isn’t it? To follow Jesus means that we will be witnesses for Jesus. And we need to make sure we understand the gravity of this statement: we are witnesses for Him! We are either good witnesses, or bad witnesses, but we are witnesses none-the-less.

Jesus also taught His followers that we are to abide in Him, because it is only as we abide in Him, the Vine, that we, the branches, can bear any fruit. And how do we go about abiding in Him? By personal surrender to His Word, His will, His teachings. We are to live daily in the awareness of His presence.

Perhaps a good way to facilitate knowing His will is to remind ourselves that everywhere we go, we take Jesus with us. He is always there, ever present. He hears every word, sees every action, witnesses every attitude. He is our ever-present Friend who is with us always.

Having said all that, there is still that looming question in the back of our minds, right? “How do I know God’s will for my life? And, yes, it is an important question. I am not suggesting that we should take it lightly. But I agree with Blackaby: ask the right question first, and the second will most likely make itself pretty clear. As we begin obediently doing what we know to be His will for all believers, then His will for us as individuals will make itself known as we obediently serve Him.

Blessings!

How to Discern True Christianity from False Religions

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Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

The world of the apostle John’s day, just like today, was filled with religious fervor. Judaism was one among many religious systems which competed with one another, presenting their views, inviting people in, indoctrinating those who would embrace their system of belief with their teachings and dogma. With so many different religions to choose from, how does one know what is true and what is false? How are we to test them, to put them through a strenuous trial, making sure that what we believe is the truth and not merely a fabrication, created ingenuously by the mind of man.

The apostle John gives us some very sobering words of warning, coupled with words of sound advice, on how to know what is true and what is false. It would be awful indeed to spend one’s life devoted to a religious system which in the end proved to be riddled with falsehood, presenting false hope that is based in fantasy rather than reality. Some of the major world religions that were present during the time of Christ were: Buddhism, Hinduism, Confucianism, Taoism, Islam, Judaism – all of which are still active in the world today. Into this mix, Christianity was added after the life, ministry, death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

The vast majority of my readers are professing Christians, having embraced the teachings of the Christian faith. So this question is for us – professing Christians. How do we know that Christianity is the true religion? How do we answer those who adhere to other religious systems of belief?

Christians living in the United States are being faced with this question more and more as our country is becoming more and more the religious melting pot of the world. Adherents of other world religions are growing in number, as immigrants from other countries are now calling the US home. As they come, instead of assimilating into American life, they are maintaining the traditions and beliefs of their homeland – including their religious belief and practice. And, even more, they are in many ways demanding that the American people embrace their beliefs and practices, rather than respecting the longstanding traditional values and beliefs of America.

The results? They are very clear and evident. The United States has lost its Christian distinctive. As a past president of our nation stated, “The US is no longer a Christian nation.” And, sadly, it was due to individuals like him that this statement could ring true, since he, personally, was an adherent to a different religious belief system. Now, we are seeing politicians who embrace Islam being elected to high political offices, and we hear cries for the enactment of Sharia law. I believe that our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves if they were to realize the drastic turn in the religious fabric of their beloved nation.

But now, back to the question. How do we, as representatives of Jesus Christ, know that our manner of life, based on the teachings of Scripture, and specifically the teachings of Jesus Himself, is true? We can present all of our arguments, defending our faith, as the Bible teaches that we should be able to do. But the fact of the matter is, adherents to other world religions could defend their beliefs as well. So again, how do we test the spirits of these other religious systems, and have confidence that Christianity is true. Because, we must realize, that to say that Christianity is true we are in essence saying that all others are false. And the adherents of other religious belief systems are just as adamant that theirs is true as we are that Christianity is true.

We could defend the Christian faith by citing Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled, down to the most minute detail, in Jesus first coming. There are Old Testament passages that prophecy His birth, His miraculous conception, His sinless life, His death by crucifixion, He resurrection, His ascension back to the Father. We could also cite other prophecies that are yet to be fulfilled.

We could defend the Christian faith by sharing passages that speak of Jesus’ sinless life, His radical teachings, His ongoing influence that created a revolution throughout the entire world.

But, we could hear adherents of other religions speak of the influence of their religious beliefs and practices. Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism all have throngs of followers. It is estimated that there are 354 million Buddhists, 762 million Hindus, and 1.2 billion Muslim in the world, while Christianity is estimated to have 1.8 billion. These are not insignificant numbers. So, when we say that we believe the words of Jesus, that He is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him, we are suggesting that all of the adherents to these other religions are spiritually lost, without God in this world, and without hope for the world to come. Of course, they would say the same about us, but how can we know which one is true?

Well, actually we have already read the answer. Test the spirits. What do they say about Jesus? Do they believe He as a good man, a good teacher, an example of moral uprightness? Please read my following words very, very carefully. If they believe that He was a good man, a good teacher, and a person of moral integrity, but don’t believe He was God in the flesh, then they are dead wrong!

If anyone believes that Jesus was a good man, a good teacher, and a person of moral integrity, but don’t believe He was God in the flesh, they are dead wrong!

If Jesus was not God, then He was not a good man, nor a good teacher, nor a person of moral integrity. As a matter of fact, He was a dangerous liar who deceived multitudes with His fabrications about Himself. So, once again, how do we know that Christianity is right, and all others are wrong? Simple!

Buddha – DEAD!

Confucius – DEAD!

Mohammed – DEAD!

Dali Lama – DEAD!

Jesus Christ – Dead, Buried, Resurrected, Ascended, at the right hand of God the Father

What further proof could we possibly need? Jesus is the only one who promised that He would conquer death, hell and the grave, and kept His word. He changed the world, and continues to do so through His arms, legs, feet and hands – and that would be us. We are members of His body, the church. And one day, possibly soon, He will come for us, that we might be with Him forever.

Please never lose sight of what He has done for you. Your life is His gift to you; what you do with it is your gift to Him.

Blessings!

Walking in the Spirit: A Guide to Overcoming Fleshly Desires

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Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

Paul gives us some much needed, timely advice in this verse. But what exactly does he mean by this statement? It actually brings a picture to my mind from my brief stint in the marching band at Lancaster High School. I played trumpet in the band for a couple of years, and one of the highlights of playing in the band was being able to go to all the football games, where the band would perform at halftime. In order to be in the marching band, you, of course, had to learn to march in step. Every member of the band stepped in unison – where a hundred sets of footsteps sounded as one. We were all marching in step with everyone else.

The picture Paul is drawing is that of the disciple of Jesus Christ walking in step with Him by walking in the Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity. It would mean being guided by the Spirit, allowing Him to direct our thoughts, our actions, our behaviors, and our attitudes. It would entail yielding ourselves to Him, allowing Him to have control of our surrendered mind, heart, and will.

Paul says that to do so will give us power to refrain from engaging in acts that are guided by the flesh, and he then goes on to give a list of the works of the flesh. It is a rather sordid list of sinful activities that every disciple of Christ should refrain from engaging in. It is not to be thought of as an all-inclusive list, as many other sinful acts could be added. Rather, it is a sampling of behaviors that every believer should guard themselves against.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissentions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5: 19-21

This is what it looks like to walk in the flesh. It does not mean that an individual would be characterized by all of these behaviors, but that their life would be recognized as being in alignment with the spirit which leads to these actions.

The person who is walking in the Spirit, on the other hand, would be characterized by a different list of behaviors. Paul says, in contradiction to the works of the flesh, that the fruit of the Spirit is:

…love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:22-25

This list of the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit bears testimony to character traits of those who are walking in step with the Spirit. And Paul asserts that those who walk in the Spirit will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh.

In another of Paul’s letters – the letter to the Ephesians – he gives a graphic illustration of what living in the flesh looks like. He says:

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. Ephesians 5:18-19

Here, Paul gives a contrast and comparison between being drunk with wine and being filled with the Spirit. It is truly a picture that can’t be missed. If you have ever seen anyone under the influence of alcohol, then you can understand the imagery. We sometimes hear someone say that a person who is drunk is out of control. But that isn’t exactly true. They are actually under control – the control of the alcohol. They are being controlled by walking in the spirit of the drink.

In contrast, Paul says that the person who is filled with the Spirit – who is walking in the Spirit – will be living differently, as he/she is under the influence of the Spirit. They will be characterized by the things of the Spirit, and not by the things of the spirit of the world. It would mean that he/she is living a life that bears testimony to the reality of being in step with the Spirit.

A good question to ask ourselves periodically would be, “With whom am I walking in step? The Spirit God, or the spirit of the world?” And the answer will be found in your conduct, your behavior, your attitudes and your actions. Let’s strive to always walk in the Spirit so that we don’t fall prey to the lusts of the flesh.

Blessings!