Junk Mail and Happiness, by Tim Archer
You can learn a lot about the world by looking at the junk mail folder on your computer. You'll find offers of wealth, offers of health, offers of forbidden pleasures. It's a world of illusion, spinning fantasies before your eyes of increased wealth, of increased sexual prowess, of unheard-of bargains and opportunities. Spam almost seems too nice of a term for it; it's evil come calling, sin just a mouse click away. At best, it's an annoyance. At worst, it's an open door to a world of problems.
Some experts say that these unwanted messages may someday choke the Internet to death, making it virtually unusable. Those of us who use e-mail a lot must work with spam blockers and spam filters, running the risk of missing valid messages as we wade through a swamp of junk. I don't know anyone who likes getting junk messages. So why do they keep coming?
Because somebody out there gets taken in. Someone lets greed overpower them, buying that illegal software or falling for that scam message that offers them millions of dollars for no work at all. Someone else gets deceived by the message that love can be found through physical enhancements and that the necessary enhancements are available in that pill, that cream or that herbal supplement. Others are fooled by voyeuristic desires, tempted by offers of pornographic material.
People look for happiness in their inbox
The sad thing is that these people don't realize that they're going about it all wrong. They are trying to fill a spiritual void with physical things. They need things like love, companionship, and meaning in their lives, none of which can be found in junk messages. Even though they don't realize it and would probably deny it, what they crave above all is God.
In the book of Psalms, the Bible says: "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart" (Psalms 37:4). It's easy to focus on the second part of that verse and miss the whole message. It's saying that when we realize that our greatest desire should be God, when we make Him our greatest delight, then all of the other things that we've been longing for will be taken care of. Some will be granted to us, others will no longer seem desirable. But only if we take care of that one need that every man has -- the need for a relationship with God.
Happiness isn't found in your e-mail. Lasting happiness, the kind that reaches to the very core of our being, is found only in God. Let me tell you more about it. Just write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog at www.hopeforlife.org/blog.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
Memorial Day Quote
We can't all be heroes. Somebody has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by. - Will Rogers
Friday, May 9, 2008
Motherhood in the Bible: A High Calling
Motherhood in the Bible: A High Calling
Judy Bodmer & Larry Richards, Ph.D.
Authors, What's in the Bible for Mothers
May 9, 2008
Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:3)
The treatment of women in the Middle East has left us with the impression that this is the way women were treated in biblical times. On the nightly news we see pictures of darkly shrouded figures completely covered except for their eyes. We read stories of how some of these women have been forced to abandon their careers and are treated like slaves by their husbands, and we assume that's the way it was in the Old Testament times.
But is this true? Were women treated like this? Were they hidden away, never to be seen or heard from? Let's look at what the Bible has to say.
The Old Testament is full of Scripture commanding the respect of children for both mother and father. In fact, this is such a basic principle that it's one of the Ten Commandments. In the book of Proverbs, the duty of reverence, love, and obedience of sons to their mothers is emphasized over and over.
How Others See It: Henry Cloud and John Townsend"Mothering is the most significant, demanding, and underpaid profession around.... We strongly believe that God ordained the specialness and importance of mothering: 'Honor your mother and your father' is a recurring theme throughout the entire Bible."
Equality in the Garden Genesis 1:28, 31: God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." ... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
In the story of the Garden of Eden, Eve is as important as Adam. In fact, the Scripture clearly states that they were given equal responsibility. He didn't give this command only to Adam, but to them, Adam and Eve. Their roles changed after the fall, but their status didn't.
Examples From the Bible
Other examples of prominent women in the Bible are:
Sarah (Genesis 12–23): Abraham listened carefully to Sarah's advice in Genesis 16 when she suggested that her maidservant provide him with a son. Later, God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah again, in Genesis 21:11–12, because she will be the mother of a great nation through Isaac.
Rebekah (Genesis 24–28). Jacob's chief counselor was his mother, Rebekah (Genesis 28:7).
Miriam (Exodus 15:20). Moses' sister, Miriam, led the women in Exodus 15:20.
Deborah (Judges 4–5). Judges 4:4 clearly states that Deborah was leading the nation of Israel.
Huldah (2 Kings 22:14). God spoke to the leaders of Judah through the prophetess Huldah, even though the prophets Jeremiah and Zephaniah were alive.
The biblical stories wouldn't be the same without Leah and Rachel, Delilah, Bathsheba, Ruth and Naomi, Hannah, and Esther.
Women were listed in the lineage of Jesus Christ. This was considered to be the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an Israelite. Another example of the importance placed on women in the Bible.
How Others See It: Beverly LaHaye"Genesis 1:27 says that God 'created' man, but Genesis 2:22 tells us that God 'fashioned' the woman. This word comes from the Hebrew root word meaning 'to build' or 'to design.' God had a special blueprint and design for woman, so he fashioned her into what he wanted her to be. Could it possibly be that God took extra care in making woman, so she could be a fairer sex and a feminine beauty? She was designed to complement the man, not to replace him."Deborah Newman"Most women accept the subtle messages the world tells us about what we need to be as women—young, sexy, rich, powerful. Others of us try to measure ourselves by certain roles we see outlined in the Bible—submissive, gentle, hospitable. But there is so much more God wants us to experience as women."
Ave Maria—A Child Is BornJohn 19:26–27: When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
With the birth of Jesus, a new era dawned for women. For two thousand years Mary has been honored and even worshiped.
But she wasn't the only woman whom Jesus treated with respect. Throughout the New Testament he is shown visiting women in their homes, forgiving their sins, caring for the widows, and healing women of their ailments.
His final act on the cross was seeing to the care of his mother. He asked one of his disciples, John "the beloved," to take his mother into his home and treat her as if she were his own.
How Others See It: Henry E. Dosker"The birth of Christ lifted motherhood to the highest possible plane and idealized it for all time.... What woman is today, what she is in particular in her motherhood, she owes wholly to the position in which the Scriptures have placed her."
Where Have All the Mothers Gone?Colossians 2:8: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
The pressures on mothers have never been greater. Seventy-five percent of us are employed or looking for work, and the percentage is higher for mothers with children age twelve and older. This means most of us are trying to do a good job at work, be a first-class mom, keep a house clean, cook, shop, run errands, maybe do some gardening, and, if we're married, be an excellent wife. When someone gets sick, we're the nurse. When someone needs a ride, we're the chauffeur. When someone needs just about anything, we're it. We're the fixers, the lovers, the counselors, the bill payers. Let's face it, there aren't enough of us to go around. I don't know how many times I've driven to work in the morning with tears running down my face, feeling like a failure at everything.
Everyone else seems to make it look easy. The moms on TV are not only beautiful, but they also solve their problems in half-hour sitcoms that make us laugh. Somehow it wasn't so funny to me when I'd been up all night with a crying baby and then the next day had to take care of customers or employees' problems in a professional manner. The other women I worked with seemed to make a go of it. What was wrong with me?
Then there's the pressure from church. Sometimes it's subtle, but other times it can be blatant. A sermon on the Proverbs 31 woman can leave us feeling like failures. An afternoon with Mrs. Faultless Christian can leave us wondering why we can't find fifteen minutes for a quiet time every morning and why our children aren't perfect like hers.
There were lots of days I dreamed of running away.
Those of us who hang in there and continue to do the best we can need to know we're not alone. There are many mothers who feel the same way we do. We need to let go of some of the man-made pressures and prioritize what's most important.
How Others See It: Mary Whelchel"If you are sure of God's direction for you in the working world, then your role there is just as sacred, just as important to God, and of just as much service to him as anything else you could do. It is not second best; it is not the alternative for those who have never sensed a call into a public ministry. It is full-time Christian service!"
Mother's Day
On the second Sunday of every May, the English-speaking world stops and honors its mothers. Card shops and florists rake in big bucks. Children write poems and make plaster casts of their hands. Breakfast is served to Mom in bed, and someone else, for a change, prepares dinner.
We have Ann Jarvis to thank for coming up with the idea for this special day. After the death of her mother, she brought a group together on the second Sunday of May to honor her memory. The first Mother's Day was celebrated on May 10, 1908, at Andrews Church in Philadelphia. Two years later the governor of West Virginia officially set aside the second Sunday in May to honor all mothers.Excerpted from: What's in the Bible for Mothers by Judy Bodmer and Larry Richards, Ph.D. Copyright © 2008; ISBN 9780764203855 Published by Bethany House Publishers Used by permission. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
Find this article at: http://www.crosswalk.com/parenting/11575046
Judy Bodmer & Larry Richards, Ph.D.
Authors, What's in the Bible for Mothers
May 9, 2008
Each of you must respect his mother and father, and you must observe my Sabbaths. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:3)
The treatment of women in the Middle East has left us with the impression that this is the way women were treated in biblical times. On the nightly news we see pictures of darkly shrouded figures completely covered except for their eyes. We read stories of how some of these women have been forced to abandon their careers and are treated like slaves by their husbands, and we assume that's the way it was in the Old Testament times.
But is this true? Were women treated like this? Were they hidden away, never to be seen or heard from? Let's look at what the Bible has to say.
The Old Testament is full of Scripture commanding the respect of children for both mother and father. In fact, this is such a basic principle that it's one of the Ten Commandments. In the book of Proverbs, the duty of reverence, love, and obedience of sons to their mothers is emphasized over and over.
How Others See It: Henry Cloud and John Townsend"Mothering is the most significant, demanding, and underpaid profession around.... We strongly believe that God ordained the specialness and importance of mothering: 'Honor your mother and your father' is a recurring theme throughout the entire Bible."
Equality in the Garden Genesis 1:28, 31: God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground." ... God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
In the story of the Garden of Eden, Eve is as important as Adam. In fact, the Scripture clearly states that they were given equal responsibility. He didn't give this command only to Adam, but to them, Adam and Eve. Their roles changed after the fall, but their status didn't.
Examples From the Bible
Other examples of prominent women in the Bible are:
Sarah (Genesis 12–23): Abraham listened carefully to Sarah's advice in Genesis 16 when she suggested that her maidservant provide him with a son. Later, God tells Abraham to listen to Sarah again, in Genesis 21:11–12, because she will be the mother of a great nation through Isaac.
Rebekah (Genesis 24–28). Jacob's chief counselor was his mother, Rebekah (Genesis 28:7).
Miriam (Exodus 15:20). Moses' sister, Miriam, led the women in Exodus 15:20.
Deborah (Judges 4–5). Judges 4:4 clearly states that Deborah was leading the nation of Israel.
Huldah (2 Kings 22:14). God spoke to the leaders of Judah through the prophetess Huldah, even though the prophets Jeremiah and Zephaniah were alive.
The biblical stories wouldn't be the same without Leah and Rachel, Delilah, Bathsheba, Ruth and Naomi, Hannah, and Esther.
Women were listed in the lineage of Jesus Christ. This was considered to be the highest honor that could be bestowed upon an Israelite. Another example of the importance placed on women in the Bible.
How Others See It: Beverly LaHaye"Genesis 1:27 says that God 'created' man, but Genesis 2:22 tells us that God 'fashioned' the woman. This word comes from the Hebrew root word meaning 'to build' or 'to design.' God had a special blueprint and design for woman, so he fashioned her into what he wanted her to be. Could it possibly be that God took extra care in making woman, so she could be a fairer sex and a feminine beauty? She was designed to complement the man, not to replace him."Deborah Newman"Most women accept the subtle messages the world tells us about what we need to be as women—young, sexy, rich, powerful. Others of us try to measure ourselves by certain roles we see outlined in the Bible—submissive, gentle, hospitable. But there is so much more God wants us to experience as women."
Ave Maria—A Child Is BornJohn 19:26–27: When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
With the birth of Jesus, a new era dawned for women. For two thousand years Mary has been honored and even worshiped.
But she wasn't the only woman whom Jesus treated with respect. Throughout the New Testament he is shown visiting women in their homes, forgiving their sins, caring for the widows, and healing women of their ailments.
His final act on the cross was seeing to the care of his mother. He asked one of his disciples, John "the beloved," to take his mother into his home and treat her as if she were his own.
How Others See It: Henry E. Dosker"The birth of Christ lifted motherhood to the highest possible plane and idealized it for all time.... What woman is today, what she is in particular in her motherhood, she owes wholly to the position in which the Scriptures have placed her."
Where Have All the Mothers Gone?Colossians 2:8: See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
The pressures on mothers have never been greater. Seventy-five percent of us are employed or looking for work, and the percentage is higher for mothers with children age twelve and older. This means most of us are trying to do a good job at work, be a first-class mom, keep a house clean, cook, shop, run errands, maybe do some gardening, and, if we're married, be an excellent wife. When someone gets sick, we're the nurse. When someone needs a ride, we're the chauffeur. When someone needs just about anything, we're it. We're the fixers, the lovers, the counselors, the bill payers. Let's face it, there aren't enough of us to go around. I don't know how many times I've driven to work in the morning with tears running down my face, feeling like a failure at everything.
Everyone else seems to make it look easy. The moms on TV are not only beautiful, but they also solve their problems in half-hour sitcoms that make us laugh. Somehow it wasn't so funny to me when I'd been up all night with a crying baby and then the next day had to take care of customers or employees' problems in a professional manner. The other women I worked with seemed to make a go of it. What was wrong with me?
Then there's the pressure from church. Sometimes it's subtle, but other times it can be blatant. A sermon on the Proverbs 31 woman can leave us feeling like failures. An afternoon with Mrs. Faultless Christian can leave us wondering why we can't find fifteen minutes for a quiet time every morning and why our children aren't perfect like hers.
There were lots of days I dreamed of running away.
Those of us who hang in there and continue to do the best we can need to know we're not alone. There are many mothers who feel the same way we do. We need to let go of some of the man-made pressures and prioritize what's most important.
How Others See It: Mary Whelchel"If you are sure of God's direction for you in the working world, then your role there is just as sacred, just as important to God, and of just as much service to him as anything else you could do. It is not second best; it is not the alternative for those who have never sensed a call into a public ministry. It is full-time Christian service!"
Mother's Day
On the second Sunday of every May, the English-speaking world stops and honors its mothers. Card shops and florists rake in big bucks. Children write poems and make plaster casts of their hands. Breakfast is served to Mom in bed, and someone else, for a change, prepares dinner.
We have Ann Jarvis to thank for coming up with the idea for this special day. After the death of her mother, she brought a group together on the second Sunday of May to honor her memory. The first Mother's Day was celebrated on May 10, 1908, at Andrews Church in Philadelphia. Two years later the governor of West Virginia officially set aside the second Sunday in May to honor all mothers.Excerpted from: What's in the Bible for Mothers by Judy Bodmer and Larry Richards, Ph.D. Copyright © 2008; ISBN 9780764203855 Published by Bethany House Publishers Used by permission. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
Find this article at: http://www.crosswalk.com/parenting/11575046
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Al Gore's Inconvenient Hypocrisy - by Dave Burchett
Al Gore's Inconvenient Hypocrisy
Disclaimer to Internet hall monitors: This article is not meant to throw Al Gore under the bus. That would be an inappropriate use of carbon resources to fire up a nasty fume spitting fossil fuel wastin’ bus just to make a point. The point of this piece is to examine one aspect of the story from a spiritual viewpoint.
First, some background is in order. Al Gore has made an amazing personal comeback with his global warming documentary. I will not debate the claims of his film here. Instead I want to focus on a very inconvenient truth that all of us battle. We are natural born hypocrites. All of us. Gore outlined a list of sacrifices that we could all make to help the environment. Use a clothesline instead of the dryer. Drive a hybrid. Cut back on the thermostat and home energy consumption.
But Al Gore’s personal lifestyle severely damaged his message. (Hint to Christian readers…this is fore-shadowing) The Chattanoogan newspaper reports that Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES). In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh — more than 20 times the national average. In the month of August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh — guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year.
Bear with me, I am getting to the spiritual application. So how does Gore justify this apparent case of talk not matching walk? Mr.Gore purchases “carbon offsets” to make his consumption “carbon neutral”. By paying to plant trees or contributing to solar or wind powered energy it “offsets” the personal excessive usage.
Hmmm.
"Every family has a different carbon footprint," said Kalee Krider, a spokeswoman for Gore. The official footprint of Al and Tipper is Sasquatch. The logic is interesting. Perhaps if I invest in companies that use sweat shop labor I can “offset” that by giving money to orphans and the underprivileged.
The spiritual application is real and sobering. A messenger without commitment to the message loses effectiveness. Christians produce our own version of “carbon offsets”. We talk about the life changing power of Jesus and don’t demonstrate it. We talk about God’s love and don’t manifest that love. So we invest in “carnal offsets” like serving on every church committee or saying yes to every church request so that others can see how committed we are to the church. “Look at how hard I am working.” “I am doing so much more than that person.”“All they do is consume the message every week, they never help out.”
And we spectacularly miss the point of following Jesus.Jesus encountered an enthusiastic potential follower on His way to Jerusalem. The young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The Lord’s answer was encouraging…at first.
“…to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
His response stops me in his tracks. He was a good man. He was honest, lived with integrity, and was loving. The kind of guy that we assume should have stored up enough “sin offsets” to get in the gates. But Jesus saw what he worshiped and it was not God.
Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
When he had to pay a price to follow Jesus the young man could not do it.
Trying to live that foot in both worlds faith results in a life without much impact. The ire of Christ was never directed at sinners. His harshest words were directed at the religious types. Imagine walking up to a religious leader today and saying something like this…
Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Jesus said the cost of following Him was full commitment.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
That is an “Inconvenient Truth” for me. I want a Savior because I desire eternal life. I am reluctant to want a Lord because I would have to deed over control to God. Until we as followers of Jesus are willing to deny ourselves we will remain marginalized in this country. When people see something supernatural in our lives they will listen.
If we do not daily depend on Christ we are prone (every Christian) to be hypocrites and frauds. Al Gore gives us a secular mirror for our own self deception. We can too easily offer “sin offsets” instead of the difficult offerings of submission and grace. Inconvenient? Yep. Uncomfortable? No doubt. But if we are not sensitive to that truth we will leave a very small eternal footprint.
Disclaimer to Internet hall monitors: This article is not meant to throw Al Gore under the bus. That would be an inappropriate use of carbon resources to fire up a nasty fume spitting fossil fuel wastin’ bus just to make a point. The point of this piece is to examine one aspect of the story from a spiritual viewpoint.
First, some background is in order. Al Gore has made an amazing personal comeback with his global warming documentary. I will not debate the claims of his film here. Instead I want to focus on a very inconvenient truth that all of us battle. We are natural born hypocrites. All of us. Gore outlined a list of sacrifices that we could all make to help the environment. Use a clothesline instead of the dryer. Drive a hybrid. Cut back on the thermostat and home energy consumption.
But Al Gore’s personal lifestyle severely damaged his message. (Hint to Christian readers…this is fore-shadowing) The Chattanoogan newspaper reports that Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES). In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh — more than 20 times the national average. In the month of August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh — guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year.
Bear with me, I am getting to the spiritual application. So how does Gore justify this apparent case of talk not matching walk? Mr.Gore purchases “carbon offsets” to make his consumption “carbon neutral”. By paying to plant trees or contributing to solar or wind powered energy it “offsets” the personal excessive usage.
Hmmm.
"Every family has a different carbon footprint," said Kalee Krider, a spokeswoman for Gore. The official footprint of Al and Tipper is Sasquatch. The logic is interesting. Perhaps if I invest in companies that use sweat shop labor I can “offset” that by giving money to orphans and the underprivileged.
The spiritual application is real and sobering. A messenger without commitment to the message loses effectiveness. Christians produce our own version of “carbon offsets”. We talk about the life changing power of Jesus and don’t demonstrate it. We talk about God’s love and don’t manifest that love. So we invest in “carnal offsets” like serving on every church committee or saying yes to every church request so that others can see how committed we are to the church. “Look at how hard I am working.” “I am doing so much more than that person.”“All they do is consume the message every week, they never help out.”
And we spectacularly miss the point of following Jesus.Jesus encountered an enthusiastic potential follower on His way to Jerusalem. The young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. The Lord’s answer was encouraging…at first.
“…to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”
His response stops me in his tracks. He was a good man. He was honest, lived with integrity, and was loving. The kind of guy that we assume should have stored up enough “sin offsets” to get in the gates. But Jesus saw what he worshiped and it was not God.
Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.
When he had to pay a price to follow Jesus the young man could not do it.
Trying to live that foot in both worlds faith results in a life without much impact. The ire of Christ was never directed at sinners. His harshest words were directed at the religious types. Imagine walking up to a religious leader today and saying something like this…
Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.
Jesus said the cost of following Him was full commitment.
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”
That is an “Inconvenient Truth” for me. I want a Savior because I desire eternal life. I am reluctant to want a Lord because I would have to deed over control to God. Until we as followers of Jesus are willing to deny ourselves we will remain marginalized in this country. When people see something supernatural in our lives they will listen.
If we do not daily depend on Christ we are prone (every Christian) to be hypocrites and frauds. Al Gore gives us a secular mirror for our own self deception. We can too easily offer “sin offsets” instead of the difficult offerings of submission and grace. Inconvenient? Yep. Uncomfortable? No doubt. But if we are not sensitive to that truth we will leave a very small eternal footprint.
Earning a Reward by Tim Archer
Earning a Reward, by Tim Archer
My wife just traveled to Argentina and back. That trip would normally have cost more than we could pay, but it turned out to be quite affordable. We were able to pay for that trip with miles we had accrued by taking other trips. In the language of the airline industry, we had earned a reward.
That’s a popular concept these days. Many companies offer incentives based on your purchases with them. Take enough trips and you earn another one. Stay in a hotel and earn another stay. Use your credit card and earn rewards. Buy flowers, shop at the hardware store, rent movies, eat pizza … there are lots of ways you can get free things by earning bonuses.
I have no problem with that system. I like being rewarded. One problem I see, though, is that we often want to look at God as operating in the same way. If we do enough of the right things, we reason, God will be obligated to give us our reward. That's how many people in the world see it. Just make sure that you have done enough right things, and your future is secured.
Heaven doesn't have a rewards program.
But that's not how God works. He doesn't expect us to earn the reward that He has to give. And there is nothing that we can do to obligate God to do anything. What He gives, He gives because of His grace, not because we have been able to force Him to do something. What He offers, He offers freely, not with a price that we have to pay. There's not even a rewards plan where we can accrue enough points to go to heaven.
It all depends on God. The apostle Paul wrote: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
There's no Frequent Prayers Plan, no Platinum Church Members Plan.
There's just Jesus and His sacrifice. By accepting what He did for us with a loving, obedient faith, we get the reward that He earned for us.
Now that's a great plan!
If you'd like to know more about God's reward, write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog at http://www.blogger.com/www.hopeforlife.org/blog.
My wife just traveled to Argentina and back. That trip would normally have cost more than we could pay, but it turned out to be quite affordable. We were able to pay for that trip with miles we had accrued by taking other trips. In the language of the airline industry, we had earned a reward.
That’s a popular concept these days. Many companies offer incentives based on your purchases with them. Take enough trips and you earn another one. Stay in a hotel and earn another stay. Use your credit card and earn rewards. Buy flowers, shop at the hardware store, rent movies, eat pizza … there are lots of ways you can get free things by earning bonuses.
I have no problem with that system. I like being rewarded. One problem I see, though, is that we often want to look at God as operating in the same way. If we do enough of the right things, we reason, God will be obligated to give us our reward. That's how many people in the world see it. Just make sure that you have done enough right things, and your future is secured.
Heaven doesn't have a rewards program.
But that's not how God works. He doesn't expect us to earn the reward that He has to give. And there is nothing that we can do to obligate God to do anything. What He gives, He gives because of His grace, not because we have been able to force Him to do something. What He offers, He offers freely, not with a price that we have to pay. There's not even a rewards plan where we can accrue enough points to go to heaven.
It all depends on God. The apostle Paul wrote: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).
There's no Frequent Prayers Plan, no Platinum Church Members Plan.
There's just Jesus and His sacrifice. By accepting what He did for us with a loving, obedient faith, we get the reward that He earned for us.
Now that's a great plan!
If you'd like to know more about God's reward, write to me at tim@hopeforlife.org or leave a comment on our blog at http://www.blogger.com/www.hopeforlife.org/blog.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Floral theology delineates doctrines held by Calvinists
Posted: 4/25/08
Floral theology delineates doctrines held by Calvinists
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
Theologians past and present have used a bouquet of initials and analogies to describe Calvinist doctrine.
Historically, the Reformed Synod of Dort in the Netherlands delineated the differences between Calvinism and the teachings of James Jacobus Arminius. For the sake of simplicity—and playing on an association with the best-known Dutch flower—those teachings have been summarized through the TULIP acrostic.
• Total depravity. Human beings are dead in their sins, and they stand justly condemned before God, unable to do anything to save themselves.
• Unconditional election. From eternity, God in his sovereignty chose specific human beings to be saved. That salvation was determined entirely by God, not simply God’s foreknowledge of who would respond to his offer of grace.
See Related Articles:• Calvinism: Tiptoe through the TULIP• Floral theology delineates doctrines held by Calvinists• Baby Boomer Baptist theologians tilt toward Calvinism
• Limited atonement. Also known as “particular redemption,” the doctrine teaches the death of Jesus Christ was intended for the remission of the sins of elect human beings only; in other words, the intention of the atonement and its effects are the same.
• Irresistible grace. Many Calvinists prefer the term “effectual calling” to express this idea—God’s call to salvation will not fail to bring about the repentance and faith of the elect.
• Perseverance of the saints. This doctrine teaches all true believers in Christ will be saved because God grants them faith to persist to the end of life, and God will keep them safe.
Timothy George, founding dean of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, has proposed an alternative floral acrostic. George, a Reformed theologian, recommended a change in terminology from TULIP to ROSES—radical depravity, overcoming grace, sovereign election, eternal life and singular redemption.
James Leo Garrett, emeritus distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has noted Dortian Calvinists and early Arminians may not have differed on total depravity. Rather, he said, the key difference may have been whether faith and repentance were gifts from God—as the Calvinists taught—or human duties—as the Arminians insisted.
“That would call for FULIP (for faith) or RULIP (for repentance), not TULIP,” Garret said.
Without benefit of floral reminder, Garrett also has delineated the five points of Hyper-Calvinism:
• Supralapsarianism. God’s decree to elect some human beings for salvation and to damn others eternally is logically the first of God’s eternal decrees.
• Covenant of redemption. An eternal covenant exists among God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the redemption of elect humans through the Son.
• Eternal justification. The elect are justified in eternity without their demonstration of requisite faith in history.
• No offers of grace. Preachers should be discouraged from offering grace indiscriminately to their hearers, who presumably would include both the elect and the damned.
• Antinomianism. Christians are not obligated to obey the moral laws of the Old Testament.
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.
Floral theology delineates doctrines held by Calvinists
By Ken Camp
Managing Editor
Theologians past and present have used a bouquet of initials and analogies to describe Calvinist doctrine.
Historically, the Reformed Synod of Dort in the Netherlands delineated the differences between Calvinism and the teachings of James Jacobus Arminius. For the sake of simplicity—and playing on an association with the best-known Dutch flower—those teachings have been summarized through the TULIP acrostic.
• Total depravity. Human beings are dead in their sins, and they stand justly condemned before God, unable to do anything to save themselves.
• Unconditional election. From eternity, God in his sovereignty chose specific human beings to be saved. That salvation was determined entirely by God, not simply God’s foreknowledge of who would respond to his offer of grace.
See Related Articles:• Calvinism: Tiptoe through the TULIP• Floral theology delineates doctrines held by Calvinists• Baby Boomer Baptist theologians tilt toward Calvinism
• Limited atonement. Also known as “particular redemption,” the doctrine teaches the death of Jesus Christ was intended for the remission of the sins of elect human beings only; in other words, the intention of the atonement and its effects are the same.
• Irresistible grace. Many Calvinists prefer the term “effectual calling” to express this idea—God’s call to salvation will not fail to bring about the repentance and faith of the elect.
• Perseverance of the saints. This doctrine teaches all true believers in Christ will be saved because God grants them faith to persist to the end of life, and God will keep them safe.
Timothy George, founding dean of Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School, has proposed an alternative floral acrostic. George, a Reformed theologian, recommended a change in terminology from TULIP to ROSES—radical depravity, overcoming grace, sovereign election, eternal life and singular redemption.
James Leo Garrett, emeritus distinguished professor of theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has noted Dortian Calvinists and early Arminians may not have differed on total depravity. Rather, he said, the key difference may have been whether faith and repentance were gifts from God—as the Calvinists taught—or human duties—as the Arminians insisted.
“That would call for FULIP (for faith) or RULIP (for repentance), not TULIP,” Garret said.
Without benefit of floral reminder, Garrett also has delineated the five points of Hyper-Calvinism:
• Supralapsarianism. God’s decree to elect some human beings for salvation and to damn others eternally is logically the first of God’s eternal decrees.
• Covenant of redemption. An eternal covenant exists among God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit for the redemption of elect humans through the Son.
• Eternal justification. The elect are justified in eternity without their demonstration of requisite faith in history.
• No offers of grace. Preachers should be discouraged from offering grace indiscriminately to their hearers, who presumably would include both the elect and the damned.
• Antinomianism. Christians are not obligated to obey the moral laws of the Old Testament.
News of religion, faith, missions, Bible study and Christian ministry among Baptist churches, in Texas, the BGCT, the nation and around the world.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)