When Atheists Believe –

When Atheists Believe –

Christianity Today, Chuck Colson, October 2009 (condensed)

In recent years Great Britain’s chief export to the U.S. has been a payload of books by atheist authors such as evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins and literary critic Christopher Hitchens. They contend that faith is irrational in the face of modern science. Other prominent British atheists seem to be having second thoughts. Is there some revival sweeping England? No; they are examining the rationality of Christianity, the very beliefs Dawkins and others are so profitably engaging, but are coming to opposite conclusions.

Well-known scholar Anthony Flew was the first, saying he had to go “where the evidence [led].” Evolutionary theory, he concluded, has no reasonable explanation for the origin of life.

More recently, A.N. Wilson, once thought to be the next C.S. Lewis who then renounced his faith and spent years mocking Christianity, returned to faith. The reason, he said in an interview with New Statesman, was that atheists “are missing out on some very basic experiences of life.” Listening to Bach and reading the works of religious authors, he realized that their worldview or “perception of life was deeper, wiser, and more rounded than my own.”

He noticed that the people who insist we are “simply anthropoid apes” cannot account for things as basic as language, love, and music. That, along with the “even stronger argument” of how the “Christian faith transforms individual lives,” convinced Wilson that “the religion of the incarnation…is simply true.”

Likewise, Matthew Parris, another well-known British atheist, made the mistake of visiting Christian aid workers in Malawi, Where he saw the power of the gospel transforming them and others.

Could this signal a trend? Faith and reason are not enemies. We are given reason as a gift. And while we can’t reason our way to God (only the power of God can transform fallen men) Christianity is the most rational explanation of reality.

A strong empirical case can be made to show that Christianity is the only rational explanation of life. Why is there sin and suffering? Is redemption possible? List the various philosophies and prominent world religions. By examining how each view answers these questions, determination can be made about which world-view conforms to the way things really are. This is the correspondence theory of truth–a thoroughly rational test.

– Perfect love casts out fear. Cindy

The Title ‘Christian’

“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” (1 Peter 4:16) The word “Christian” occurs only three times in Scripture and seems to have changed in its meaning from first to last. In the first instance, “the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). The name merely identified them as followers of Christ with no reproach intended. The second usage was some years later, by which time the term was evidently well known, even among unbelievers. After Paul had witnessed to him, “Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian” (Acts 26:28). A more literal translation which renders the sentence “Do you try in such a short time to make a Christian of me?” indicates an air of superiority or incredulity in Agrippa’s voice. It would take more than a short testimony to make a Christian of him. As the years went by, the church began to be plagued by persecution. Our text indicates that even the name “Christian” was by then regarded with contempt and reproach. But Peter tells us that there is no shame involved in the name “Christian” or in following Christ. Peter, no doubt, recalled the shame he felt for denying the name of Christ, but he also recalled with thankfulness how that even though the Jewish council had “beaten them” and “commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus” (Acts 5:40), he and the other apostles departed “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (v. 41). Furthermore, we can “glorify God on this behalf,” or “in this name.” This implies more than just praising the name. We can glorify God in what we do–in how we live in that name. We can certainly also bring dishonor to the title “Christian” by our actions. A solemn responsibility is then ours, to bring honor and glory to God through our lives. JDM

Institute for Creation Research | 1806 Royal Lane | Dallas | TX | 75229 www.icr.org

Be a Joyful – Praying – Thankful Christian

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  |  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. [ESV]

These three verses (16-18) are part of the closing exhortations found in 1 Thess. 5:12-22. These exhortations, along w/many others are found throughout the NT. These various exhortations were given in God’s Word so that Christians would know how to walk daily before a lost world.

Today it is no different than it was nearly 2,000 years ago when Paul wrote those words. Just as most people in Paul’s day were lost w/o a saving knowledge of Christ – so too are most of those we encounter on a daily basis. Therefore, just as the Thessalonians were exhorted to walk before others putting their trust in God’s sovereign ability to preserve them, so are we exhorted from these same words to walk before others giving a testimony that we worry not about what is going on around us because our surety lies w/God no matter the circumstances of life | cf. Romans 8:1, 28-39.

Greek Syntax – (Grammar) – All three of the verbs used here in the text of the original Greek manuscripts translated as: rejoice  / pray  / give thanks – are of an imperative class of Greek verbs. This type of verb is the strongest type of a Greek syntactical command given in the NT. Here these verbs are also found to be in the 2nd person plural making their subject of these exhortations being a plural “you” or as we say here in the south – “Y’all.”

 

Vs. 16 – [You] Rejoice always

John MacArthur*

The phrase translated rejoice always literally reads “at all times be rejoicing” and emphasizes that truly joyful Christians will always have a deep-seated confidence in God’s sovereign love and mighty power on behalf of His own, and in His providential working of all things according to His perfect plan (Matt. 6:33-34; Rom. 8:28-30; 11:33; Phil. 1:12; cf. Gen. 50:20; Ps. 139:1-5). Therefore, no event or circumstance in the Christian’s life, apart from sin, can or should diminish his true joy | [adapted].

Rejoice – Not of your works – but that your names are recorded in heaven – Luke 10:20.

Rejoice – That this is the day that God has made – Psalm 118:24.

Rejoice – In the Lord that you may have the desires of your heart – Psalm 37:4.

. What circumstance do you think can come up in your life that God cannot be there for you to face?

. What sin can you do that He cannot forgive? – So why be sad? / Unhappy? / Depressed? / Troubled? / Afraid?

. As Jesus rejoiced in securing our salvation, let us follow His example and “always” rejoice in Him!

Hebrews 12:1-2 –  … Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

Vs. 17 – [You] Pray without ceasing

John MacArthur*

Paul’s exhortation … to pray without ceasing is thus a divine mandate to all believers. … It encompasses all the aspects of prayer: submission, confession, petition, intercession, praise, and thanksgiving. … [It is to be] constant and defines prayer not as some perpetual activity of kneeling and interceding but as a way of life marked by a continual attitude of prayer | [adapted].

Pray – To our Father – in a family relationship – Matthew 6:9-13.

Pray – In Jesus name – we may boldly come in His name – John 14:13-14.

Pray – By the Holy Spirit – He makes intercession for us – Romans 8:26.

. Because God is sovereign – Then in confidence we can call on His name in making our petitions known to Him – with a constant attitude of assurance that He hears and answers us.

Hebrews 4:14-16 – Since then we have a great high priest … Jesus, the Son of God … who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence [boldly – NKJV] draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

 

Vs. 18 – [You] give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

John MacArthur*

[This] simple, direct statement allows believers no excuses to be ungrateful. In everything … refers to all that occurs in life. No matter what struggles, trials, testings, or vicissitudes [i.e., unfavorable event; misfortunes] occur in the lives of Christians (with the obvious exception of personal sins), they are to give thanks. … It is God’s will that all those who are in Christ Jesus should express constant joy, constant prayer, and constant thanksgiving | [adapted].

Philippians 4:6-7 –  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

. How does a Christian accomplish rejoicing always, praying w/o ceasing, and being thankful for all?

.. He does so by trusting God.

2 Timothy 1:12 – For this reason I also suffer … nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. [NKJV]

. Trusting God – it is committing our way (life) to follow the Lord – Psalm 37:5 | Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.

 

* [MacArthur John, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 1 & 2 Thessalonians, (Chicago, Moody Press, 2002), 183-190.]

ba – October 21, 2009

5 Pointers for Approaching the Bible

John Piper 

Be open to the fact that it is the Word of God.

Revere the Bible when you discover that it’s God’s Word.

Have a sense of conviction that you are a sinner in the view of this Word.

Know that the Bible meets you with forgiveness because Christ is at the center of the book.

Have hope that you can press on in life because the Bible will give you all the guidance you need.

 

[BibeStudyMagazine.com (Sept/Oct, 2009), 12]

ba

Let The Nations Be Glad and Sing For Joy

by: John Piper

The ultimate goal of God in all of history is to uphold and display his glory for the enjoyment of the redeemed from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. His goal is the gladness of his people, because God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Delight is a higher tribute than duty. The chief end of God is to glorify God and enjoy his glory forever. Since his glory is magnified most in the God-centered passions of his joyful people, God’s self-exaltation and our jubilation are one. The greatest news in all the world is that God’s ultimate aim to be glorified and man’s aim to be satisfied are not at odds.

WORSHIP — The goal of missions, therefore, is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. “The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands BE GLAD!” (Ps. 97:1). “Let the nations BE GLAD AND SING FOR JOY!” (Ps. 67:4). The missionary command to be happy in God is simply a command for the consummation of praise. Professed praise of God without pleasure in God is hypocrisy. Therefore, worship is the fuel and the goal of missions.

Worship is the goal of missions because in missions we aim to bring the nations into the white-hot enjoyment of God’s glory. It is the fuel of missions because we can’t commend what we don’t cherish. We can’t call out, “Let the nations BE GLAD!” until we say, “I REJOICE in the Lord.” Missions begins and ends in worship.

 

— John Piper, LET THE NATIONS BE GLAD!: THE SUPREMACY OF GOD IN MISSIONS, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993, p. 231. ISBN: 0-8010-2613-X

 

[Posted by: - Carl Stam (carlstam@aol.com) wqotw@wqotw.org]

 

ba

[WE FLED TO THEE]

I thought this was especially beautiful. But more than that – it’s interesting and thought-provoking.    |     Cindy.

If there had anywhere appeared in space

Another place of refuge, where to flee,

Our hearts had taken refuge in that place,

And not with Thee.

 

For we against creation’s bars had beat,

Like prisoned eagles, through great worlds had sought,

Though but a foot of ground to plant our feet,

Where Thou wert not.

 

And only when we found in earth and air,

In heaven or hell, that such might nowhere be–

That we could not flee from Thee anywhere,

We fled to Thee.

 

By: Richard C. Trench – 1885

He Makest No Mistake

He Makest No Mistake

A.M. Overton

1900-1952

 

My Father’s way may twist and turn

My heart may throb and ache;

But in my soul I’m glad to know

He makest no mistake.

 

My cherished plans may go astray,

My hopes may fade away;

But still I’ll trust my Lord to lead,

For He doth know the way.

 

Though might be dark and it seem that day will never break,

I’ll pin my faith, my all, on Him,

He maketh no mistake.

 

There’s so much now I cannot see,

My eye sight’s far too dim,

But come what may, I’ll simply trust

And leave it all to Him.

 

Far by-and-by the mist will lift,

And plain it all He’ll make;

Through all the way, tho dark to me,

He made not one mistake.

[Berea Baptist Banner, (May 10, 1981), 3.]

 

ba

Devoted for Life …

 Adoniram Judson – (1788-1850)
“The motto for every missionary, whether preacher, printer, or schoolmaster, ought to be ‘Devoted for Life.’”

ba

Saved from Hell or Your Sins?

Studies on Saving Faith

Arthur W. Pink

Is a simple faith in Christ sufficient to save a soul for time and eternity? At the risk of some readers turning away from this article and refusing to read further, we unhesitatingly answer, No, it is not. The Lord Jesus Himself declared, “Except you repent, you shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3). Repentance is just as essential to salvation as is believing. Again we read that, “will you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead” (James 2:20). A “simple faith” which remains alone, a faith which does not purify the heart (Acts 15:9), work by love (Gal. 5:6), and overcome the world (1 John 5:4), will save nobody.

Much confusion has been caused in many quarters through failure to define clearly what it is from which the sinner needs saving. Only too often the thought of many minds is restricted to Hell. But that is a very inadequate conception, and often proves most misleading. The only thing which can ever take any creature to Hell is unrepented and unforgiven sin. Now on the very first page of the New Testament the Holy Spirit has particularly recorded it that, the incarnate Son of God was named “Jesus” because “he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).

… To ask a person if he has been saved from Hell is much more ambiguous than to inquire if he has been saved from his sins | [p. 131-2].

 

What of you dear reader – Have you been saved from Hell or from your sins?

 

ba

The False Gospel of Prosperity Theology

Dr. Albert Mohler  

http://www.albertmohler.com  | August 18, 2009

It Promises Far Too Little — The False Gospel of Prosperity Theology

“God knows where the money is, and he knows how to get the money to you.” That was the message of Gloria Copeland as she was speaking at the Southwest Believers’ Convention recently held in Fort Worth, Texas. The event drew the attention of The New York Times and reporter Laurie Goodstein contributed a compelling report about the meeting and its message.

The Southwest Believers’ Convention drew a crowd of more than 9,000 to hear an “all-star lineup” of preachers deliver the message of the prosperity gospel. One by one, the preachers and the speakers enticed the gathered thousands by offering them the assurance that God wants them rich — even fabulously rich.

As Goodstein reports, the preachers were not shy about drawing attention to the luxurious lives they lead. “Private airplanes and boats. A motorcycle sent by an anonymous supporter. Vacations in Hawaii and cruises in Alaska. Designer handbags. A ring of emeralds and diamonds.” According to the preachers of the prosperity gospel, these are merely examples of the riches and rewards that come to those who have sufficient faith — and invest sufficient funds in the ministries of the prosperity preachers.

The New York Times took note of the fact that the current recession and financial distress did not keep the crowd from attending the Southwest Believers’ Convention. The event is part of the ministry of Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, described by Laurie Goodstein as the “current patriarch and matriarch” of the prosperity gospel. The paper summarized their message as the promise that if an individual has sufficient faith in God and donates generously, God will reward that generosity by multiplying the offerings a hundredfold.

Those who might curtail their donations during the recession were warned of the spiritual consequences. “Fear will make you stingy,” said Kenneth Copeland.

Goodstein’s report included the story of Edwige Ndoudi, who attended the meeting with her husband and three children. Pointing to the prosperity experienced by the Copeland’s, Ndoudi asserted: “If God did it for them, He will do it for us.” Similarly, Stephen and Millie Biellier brought their family from Missouri with the confidence that 2009 could be their “overcoming year,” even though they are $102,000 in debt. They credit the Copelands with rescuing them from a financial crisis two decades ago, and are now among the Copelands’ “partners” in ministry. The Biellers spoke of their excitement as they participated in an effort to buy the Copeland ministry a Citation X airplane. They joined the “Elite CX Team” after Mrs. Biellier said she heard the Holy Spirit tell her, “You were born to support this man.” The couple gave $2,000 toward the airplane and recently gave $1,800 toward the ministry’s purchase of high-definition television equipment. She is proud that the Copelands fly on a private jet, explaining that “trashy people like Hugh Hefner” also have private airplanes.

Prosperity theology is not new, and it comes to the attention of the secular media again and again. In 2006 TIME magazine published a major cover story on prosperity theology, documenting its development and tracing its influence. As David Van Biema and Jeff Chu explained, prosperity theology “is a peculiarly American theology but turbocharged.” This “turbocharged” theology offers a false hope, presents a failed message, and is a False Gospel.

The prosperity gospel usually comes packaged in terms of the word-faith or faith-promise theology developed early in the 20th century by preachers such as E. W. Kenyon. Kenyon drew from the tradition of New Thought associated with movements such as Christian Science. In one sense, he attempted to bring elements drawn from positive thinking movements into his message, mixing New Thought with Christianity. Kenyon promoted his “new type of Christianity” and found a ready following, especially among those who were experiencing financial distress or poverty. Kenyon, who died in 1948, exerted a significant influence on prosperity preachers such as Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts, and Kenneth Copeland (who was once Oral Roberts personal pilot).

Prosperity theology is now preached by a wide assortment of televangelists and local figures who assure congregations that God promises to make them healthy and wealthy, if only they will possess and demonstrate adequate faith. A significant number of these preachers have departed from Christian orthodoxy altogether, adopting Trinitarian and Christological heresies. The entire movement presents the Gospel as a message that is primarily about earthly rewards — a theology that turns God into a heavenly banker who is obligated to invest His people with material riches if they possess adequate faith and claim these blessings for their own.

Sincere believers in Christ are found among both the impoverished and the wealthy, but the vast multitude of Christian believers throughout the ages have experienced nothing that can be described as material wealth. Their hope was and is established in Christ, who accomplished their salvation from sin and secures their hopes for eternal life through His death and resurrection.

Prosperity theology is a False Gospel. Its message is unbiblical and its promises fail. God never assures his people of material abundance or physical health. Instead, Christians are promised the riches of Christ, the gift of eternal life, and the assurance of glory in the eternal presence of the living God.

In the end, the biggest problem with prosperity theology is not that it promises too much, but that it promises far too little. The Gospel of Jesus Christ offers salvation from sin, not a platform for earthly prosperity. While we should seek to understand what drives so many into this movement, we must never for a moment fail to see its message for what it is — a false and failed gospel.

ba