This is going to take more than one post. I can already tell, by all that is going through my mind and spirit.
First, let me say that if you are looking for a chance to nit pic and find errors, you came to the right place. Sorta. What I mean is this: If you read this, or anything, trying to find things that you disagree with, then you will be successful in finding things that you disagree with. I am perfectly willing for you to point those things out, by the way. I just would like you to be able to read this with the same mind that I wrote it.
I have heard the questions "Why do bad things happen to good people?" and "Why does God allow bad things to happen to Christians?" We suffer from limited visibility (1 Corinthians 13:12 [New Living Translation] Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.)
I have two sons. They are now grown, but when they were very young I tried to instill discipline in them. I required them to do certain chores around the house. One of those was cleaning their bedroom. Let's say that I gave my son the following instruction: "Son, go clean your bedroom. When you finish, I will take you to get an ice cream. If you don't do it, you will be punished." (Of course this is oversimplified, but you get the point). My son has a choice. He can choose to clean his room or he can choose not to. I cannot 'make' him clean his room. I can only motivate him to do so. Let's say that he chooses to clean his room. I then have a choice to make. I can honor my word or go back on it (that would make me a liar), but of course I take him for an ice cream. I'm not a jerk, ya know. What if he had chosen not to clean his room? I still have a choice to make: to punish or not to punish. If I don't punish him, wouldn't that also make me a liar? Therefore, I follow through and he learns that his ol' dad is a man of his word. He also learns other valuable lessons, like following the rules, etc. So... his punishment...was it a bad thing or a good thing? You probably agree that it is a matter of perspective, right. From his childlike point-of-view, his punishment is a bad thing. After all, they don't call good things "punishment", do they? However, from the dad's perspective, his punishment taught him valuable lessons that will serve him well in the future. Are you with me so far? So here's a short list of some "bad" things: homework, getting a shot at the Dr's office, having to go to school, eating vegetables, following your parent's rules, taking a bath, etc. Now for a short list of "good" things: homework (helps us practice skills and prepare for lessons), getting a shot at the Dr's office (helps in healing and/or prevention), having to go to school (to get an education or participate in sports, music, etc), eating vegetables (makes us healthier), following your parent's rules (teaches discipline, prepares us for adulthood, etc), taking a bath (duh! who wants to be stinky and gross?), etc. Another, short, example: Years ago, I went to Army Basic Training. Our drill sergeants made us do push-ups for any minor infraction. "This Private is looking at me." Everybody drop and give me 20 push-ups!" "You didn't move fast enough. Drop and give me 20!" "You are moving too fast. Drop and give me 20!" At the time I thought that these Drill Sergeants were mean to us. I began to realize that whether we did anything wrong or not, we were going to be made to do push-ups. This seemed like a bad thing to the recruits who were being screamed at. As an adult, I can see that the Sergeants were doing it for our own good. How would I feel if I were dropped into combat and was out of shape and couldn't keep up? They wanted us to reach our peak performance. That is a good thing. It was and is a matter of perspective.
Real life...early 1985. I was in the Army, stationed at a training post, as an instructor. Because it is hard to gain rank (get a promotion) at a training post, and because I wanted to get out and see the world, I requested and received a transfer to Italy, effective in the fall of that year. I had once been engaged (to Tammy), but no longer was and had not seen her in over a year. I accepted Christ in June of ‘85. On July 5th, I had a motorcycle accident that put me in ICU and traction. I was in the hospital for over a month (for the first stay), home for a month of convalescent leave, then back to the hospital for another month. I experienced two surgeries the first month, one during the second stay, and two more to follow. While I was in the hospital, the first time, I was questioning why God would allow this terrible thing to happen to me. After all, I had just become a Christian. I was now one of the good guys, right? My sister sent me a letter. In it, she stated that we may not understand why things happen the way that they do, but that God has a reason for allowing them. What I did not know, at the time, was that Tammy had been thinking about me (or should I say us?) and had decided to pray for guidance. She later told me that she prayed “God, if we are meant to be together, then he will be single and still be stationed where he was, when we last talked.” You could say that she followed Gideon’s example and laid a fleece before the Lord. When she contacted me, Thanksgiving weekend at my parents’ home, she found that, due to my accident, my orders to ship out had been rescinded, and I had broken up with the non-believer I had been dating, shortly after accepting Christ (that relationship was anything but pleasing to God). Well, here we are (Tammy and I), 25 years later, married. I never went to Europe, but it’s been a great ride all these years. Was having that accident a bad thing? I guess it depends on your perspective. Had it not occurred, I would have been in Italy and Tammy would have taken that as her answer from God. I would not have the two sons I now have. How many other things would be different?
Why do Christians get cancer? Why do they die? Many of the things that that we experience are due to the choices that we make. There are very few “real” accidents in life. Most are self-inflicted results of choice. But, if what we are experiencing is not of our own making, then I desire to have the fortitude to accept that my heavenly father has a plan for me and the confidence to trust his guiding hand upon my life. After all, I did say “I’m yours, Lord.” What right do I have to tell him what to do with his stuff? God sees the big picture while I have limited visibility and can only see what touches me directly, in the here and now. My arguing with God would be tantamount to a 3-year-old arguing about bath time. When it’s my time to cross Jordon, I hope that I can say “I am ready Lord. Your will be done.”
Showing posts with label christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label christian. Show all posts
Friday, January 7, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
Understanding Nature: A prelude to A Study in Forgiveness
This blog is going to be different, I think. I am hunting for real answers, instead of just blogging what I have learned.
Some years back, I realized that I was expecting non-believers to follow the same rules of conduct that I believed were expected of believers. Why did I expect people to act contrary to their nature? I would not try and pet a lion or tiger, for I would fully expect that they would, in the least, bite me, or, in the most, devour me. I would never expect a new-born baby to lead a quite existence, but would rather prepare myself for crying that resulted from hunger or discomfort. So why would I expect adults to lead a life that was contrary to the nature that leads them? When a non-believer "does me wrong", why am I surprised or offended? What makes me feel that this person somehow owes me fairness or "right-doing"? Is my pride a factor? Do I feel that I deserve more? The Bible is clear when it speaks about us having a sin nature. We are all born with a nature that aligns us with the "father of perdition." Therefore, by nature, we all tend to lean toward wrong actions and attitude more than right. When we accept Christ into our lives, and begin to pattern our lives after his example and teachings, his nature begins to grow in us. Although I would like to say that the new purges the old, I cannot. Here, I am not referring to forgiveness. Merely the nature that guides our thoughts and actions. One might compare this mix of natures by taking a glass and filling it with cold coffee. If the coffee represented the sin nature and pure filtered water represented Christ's nature, then we could visualize what would happen if either or both were added to the glass. When an unbeliever accepts Christ, it is as though water is poured into the glass of coffee. The glass overflows and the contents are spilled out as it reaches and overtakes the rim of the glass. The more that this new believer studies and prays and grows more mature in the knowledge of Christ, the more water is poured into the glass and the more diluted the coffee becomes. If a person adds the things of Christ to their lives,(reading of scripture, prayer time, practicing the teachings of Christ) then water is added. If they add the things of the sin nature, then coffee is added. This is not to say works and deeds. This is more about spiritual maturity and relationship with Christ.
How many people are able to meet someone for the very first time and live for decades and be able to state that they "know" that person intimately. I have a hard time remembering names of people and have to rely on frequency of use to remember them. My students learn, rather quickly, that I experience difficulty in committing their names to memory in the first few weeks of school. It is only after I have spent time with them , conversed with them, learned details that will serve as memory markers that I can say that I know my students. When they are promoted to the next grade and I don't see them for a long while, can I honestly say that I "know" them. Not to any significant degree. Then how is it that a person can say that they know Christ when they have never invested any time to get to know him? If we never take the time to converse with him, spend time with him, etc. how can we "know" him?
My favorite author, of all time, is C.S. Lewis. I enjoy his writing. I have read many of his books. I have spent time listening to his ideas and thoughts, through his writings. The more that I read, the more that I feel that I "know" him. Get it?
If I continue to pour clean filtered water into my glass of coffee, eventually there will be little trace of the coffee. But, if I pour water in and periodically pour in more coffee, then whichever gets added more will influence the contents of the cup more and those who look at the cup will surely be able to judge whether or not the cup is useful (drinkable) or not. Should I not be able to look at a glass that is darkened by coffee and know that if I were to take a drink I would not be happy with the taste. After all, I despise coffee. If I see that the glass is not clear and I drink, do I have the right to curse the glass for tasting foul? Should I not have expected it?
Some years back, I realized that I was expecting non-believers to follow the same rules of conduct that I believed were expected of believers. Why did I expect people to act contrary to their nature? I would not try and pet a lion or tiger, for I would fully expect that they would, in the least, bite me, or, in the most, devour me. I would never expect a new-born baby to lead a quite existence, but would rather prepare myself for crying that resulted from hunger or discomfort. So why would I expect adults to lead a life that was contrary to the nature that leads them? When a non-believer "does me wrong", why am I surprised or offended? What makes me feel that this person somehow owes me fairness or "right-doing"? Is my pride a factor? Do I feel that I deserve more? The Bible is clear when it speaks about us having a sin nature. We are all born with a nature that aligns us with the "father of perdition." Therefore, by nature, we all tend to lean toward wrong actions and attitude more than right. When we accept Christ into our lives, and begin to pattern our lives after his example and teachings, his nature begins to grow in us. Although I would like to say that the new purges the old, I cannot. Here, I am not referring to forgiveness. Merely the nature that guides our thoughts and actions. One might compare this mix of natures by taking a glass and filling it with cold coffee. If the coffee represented the sin nature and pure filtered water represented Christ's nature, then we could visualize what would happen if either or both were added to the glass. When an unbeliever accepts Christ, it is as though water is poured into the glass of coffee. The glass overflows and the contents are spilled out as it reaches and overtakes the rim of the glass. The more that this new believer studies and prays and grows more mature in the knowledge of Christ, the more water is poured into the glass and the more diluted the coffee becomes. If a person adds the things of Christ to their lives,(reading of scripture, prayer time, practicing the teachings of Christ) then water is added. If they add the things of the sin nature, then coffee is added. This is not to say works and deeds. This is more about spiritual maturity and relationship with Christ.
How many people are able to meet someone for the very first time and live for decades and be able to state that they "know" that person intimately. I have a hard time remembering names of people and have to rely on frequency of use to remember them. My students learn, rather quickly, that I experience difficulty in committing their names to memory in the first few weeks of school. It is only after I have spent time with them , conversed with them, learned details that will serve as memory markers that I can say that I know my students. When they are promoted to the next grade and I don't see them for a long while, can I honestly say that I "know" them. Not to any significant degree. Then how is it that a person can say that they know Christ when they have never invested any time to get to know him? If we never take the time to converse with him, spend time with him, etc. how can we "know" him?
My favorite author, of all time, is C.S. Lewis. I enjoy his writing. I have read many of his books. I have spent time listening to his ideas and thoughts, through his writings. The more that I read, the more that I feel that I "know" him. Get it?
If I continue to pour clean filtered water into my glass of coffee, eventually there will be little trace of the coffee. But, if I pour water in and periodically pour in more coffee, then whichever gets added more will influence the contents of the cup more and those who look at the cup will surely be able to judge whether or not the cup is useful (drinkable) or not. Should I not be able to look at a glass that is darkened by coffee and know that if I were to take a drink I would not be happy with the taste. After all, I despise coffee. If I see that the glass is not clear and I drink, do I have the right to curse the glass for tasting foul? Should I not have expected it?
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
What is Christianity?
Let’s begin with the definition of the word Christian. Merion-Webster Dictionary online, the internet version of the most used and trusted dictionary, defines a Christian as “one who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ.” Princeton University Cognitive Science Laboratory defines the word Christian as: relating to or characteristic of Christianity; "Christian rites". following the teachings or manifesting the qualities or spirit of Jesus Christ. a religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination.
The term Christian means "belonging to Christ" and is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means "anointed one," which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written "Messiah"), (and in Arabic it is pronounced Maseeh مسيح). The New Testament, Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16, defines it this way: the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus ("little Christ's!"). It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament.
So, according to secular circles and namy religious ones as well, one is considered a christian by mere association or membership in a christian church. From what I can find in scripture, to be a Christian means to follow the teachings of Jesus. "Well, duh!" you say. But how often do we find that churches teach only the parts of scripture that are convinient to them. We often hear things like "Well, that part is not litteral. It is an alagory." I have been told numerous times that the story that Jesus tell of the rich man and the beggar (Lazarus) "is simply and story that he made up to make a point. There is not a hell in the sense of a place of punishment. A loving God would not do something like that." This is one of many examples of omition for the sake of an attempt to avoid facing up to responsibilities. How can you take part and say that other parts arenot accurate. Does that not void the whole or else show ignorance on our part?
The term Christian means "belonging to Christ" and is derived from the Greek noun Χριστός Khristós which means "anointed one," which is itself a translation of the Hebrew word Moshiach (Hebrew: משיח, also written "Messiah"), (and in Arabic it is pronounced Maseeh مسيح). The New Testament, Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16, defines it this way: the name given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus ("little Christ's!"). It was first used at Antioch. The names by which the disciples were known among themselves were "brethren," "the faithful," "elect," "saints," "believers." But as distinguishing them from the multitude without, the name "Christian" came into use, and was universally accepted. This name occurs but three times in the New Testament.
So, according to secular circles and namy religious ones as well, one is considered a christian by mere association or membership in a christian church. From what I can find in scripture, to be a Christian means to follow the teachings of Jesus. "Well, duh!" you say. But how often do we find that churches teach only the parts of scripture that are convinient to them. We often hear things like "Well, that part is not litteral. It is an alagory." I have been told numerous times that the story that Jesus tell of the rich man and the beggar (Lazarus) "is simply and story that he made up to make a point. There is not a hell in the sense of a place of punishment. A loving God would not do something like that." This is one of many examples of omition for the sake of an attempt to avoid facing up to responsibilities. How can you take part and say that other parts arenot accurate. Does that not void the whole or else show ignorance on our part?
Living beyond Mediocre Christianity
This blog is an attempt to guide and direct. For many years, I have talked with people who, although they are sincere, seem to have little clue as to what Christianity is all about. You may ask "why do you think that you have all the answers?" This blog is not an attept to claim that I have all the answers. This blog came from the sincire desire to help people find their way. I heard it said that it is less important that a debate prove one person or the other right or wrong, but what is important is to find out what is right or wrong. So many people, when asked about their eternity, didn't have an answer for where their future leads.
What does it really mean to be a Christian? Growing up in a "Christian" home, I was taught a certain set of guidelines that led me to believe there were certain precise criteria that must be met in order to be called a Christian. In my short 45 years, I have discovered that each of us has a different set of historical circumstances that guide our thinking and establish our personal criteria. Therefore, what I think has as much or as little worth as what anyone else may think.
Can each of us be completely correct or even a little correct? Can each of us be completely incorrect or partially incorrect? If I or anyone else can possibly have a skewed view of what it really means to be a Christian, then is it not absolutely essential that we put aside our opinions, regardless how fact-based they may seem, and search for the truth? Is it not true that truth will stand up to questioning? If what we believe cannot be questioned then should we not question its lack of ability to be questioned?
I cannot cover everything in one blog, therefore, this will be a continuing investigation of truth. I am a science teacher, and scientists try to find the truth by questioning everything and trying to disprove their hypothesis. Thomas Edison had to find out what would not make a light bulb work before finding what would work. He is quoted as saying "I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that wont work."
Let us first look at a few of the beliefs that pervade our society. It would seem that there are a number of definitions that must first be established in order to create a "base camp" from where we will begin each of our explorations into the subject of living beyond mediocre Christianity. What is Christianity? How does a person become a Christian? Why should someone become a Christian?
After I read the book A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel, I decided to use his techniques to investigate the subject of what a Christian is and how a person becomes a Christian.
What does it really mean to be a Christian? Growing up in a "Christian" home, I was taught a certain set of guidelines that led me to believe there were certain precise criteria that must be met in order to be called a Christian. In my short 45 years, I have discovered that each of us has a different set of historical circumstances that guide our thinking and establish our personal criteria. Therefore, what I think has as much or as little worth as what anyone else may think.
Can each of us be completely correct or even a little correct? Can each of us be completely incorrect or partially incorrect? If I or anyone else can possibly have a skewed view of what it really means to be a Christian, then is it not absolutely essential that we put aside our opinions, regardless how fact-based they may seem, and search for the truth? Is it not true that truth will stand up to questioning? If what we believe cannot be questioned then should we not question its lack of ability to be questioned?
I cannot cover everything in one blog, therefore, this will be a continuing investigation of truth. I am a science teacher, and scientists try to find the truth by questioning everything and trying to disprove their hypothesis. Thomas Edison had to find out what would not make a light bulb work before finding what would work. He is quoted as saying "I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that wont work."
Let us first look at a few of the beliefs that pervade our society. It would seem that there are a number of definitions that must first be established in order to create a "base camp" from where we will begin each of our explorations into the subject of living beyond mediocre Christianity. What is Christianity? How does a person become a Christian? Why should someone become a Christian?
After I read the book A Case For Christ by Lee Strobel, I decided to use his techniques to investigate the subject of what a Christian is and how a person becomes a Christian.
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