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July 13, 2016

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The Bible

Who is Jehosophat and why did he jump?

Though it is no longer common every once in a while you may hear someone say, “jumping Jehosophat!”. The exclamation has an amusing sound and serves as a useful expression of surprise or frustration. The hopping human of exclamatory fame is taught about in the Bible. Jehoshophat was king over the nation of Judah 850 years before Jesus was born. After the death of King Solomon the nation of Israel split. Most of the nation followed the rebellious leader Jeroboam and they continued to be known as Israel. Two tribes followed the leadership of Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, and became known as Judah. Many years later Solomon’s great, great grandson Jehoshophat became king over Judah. His story can be found in 1 Kings 22 but it doesn’t say anything about him jumping.

The history behind the origin and popularity of the phrase is not certain. The most plausible explanation seems to be that the phrase is slang that came into popularity during the 1800’s. To avoid breaking the third commandment by taking God’s name in vain people would insert into their exclamations an innofensive word instead of “God” or “Jesus”. Gosh, golly and gee serve a similar purpose today. The Biblical name Jehoshophat became a substitute for Jesus. The alliterated phrase caught on and is still with us a hundred and fifty years later.

This whimsical question reminds us how much the English language has been influenced by the Bible. Dozens of familiar phrases have their roots in the Bible. A few examples are:
– Money is the root of all evil (1 Timothy 6:10- the Biblical quote is acutally, “The love of money is the root of all evil.”
– By the skin of your teeth (Job 19:10)
– A little bird told me (Ecclesiastes 10:20)
– To everything there is a season (Ecclesiastes 3, “Turn, turn, turn” was added by the Byrds)
– The blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:13-14)
– Cast the first stone (John 8:7)
– An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth (Matthew 5:38)
– A fly in the ointment (Ecclesiasts 10:1)
– Go the extra mile (Matthew 5:41)
– The straight and narrow (Matthew 7:14)
– The apple of his eye (Psalm 17:8; Proverbs 7:2)
– The writing on the wall (Daniel 5)
– A thorn in the flesh (2 Corinthians 12:7)
– Wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15)
– Don’t cast your pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)
– Eat, drink and be merry (Ecclesiastes 8:15; Luke 12:19)
– Give up the ghost (Genesis 25:8; Mark 15:39)
– The ends of the earth (Deuteronomy 33:17; Psalm 67:7)
and many, many more!

At one time the Bible was familiar to most Americans. Public schools used the BIble in their reading and writing curriculum. Many families read the Bible on a regular basis. The well educated were very familiar with the Bible, and the common man knew enough of the Bible for it to become part of the culture. Though the twentieth century saw the American culture lose its familiarity with the Bible, the Bible continues to influence our lives and language in ways that are sometimes surprising.

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June 10, 2016

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What’s Happening?

Summer is a very busy time for most people including the pastors who participate in the Everlasting Truths ministry. As a result this blog will be silent until sometime after Independence Day. Though this time of year is busy don’t let the activities of life keep you from asking questions of the Word. May you grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18)

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June 3, 2016

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Christian living, Christianity, Law

Why don’t Christians follow all the Old Testament laws?

No Christian in the world follows all the laws given in the Old Testament. No Christian even attempts to follow all the Old Testament commands. Regardless of how a person views his obligation towards the Old Testament, the keeping of the laws regarding temple worship and sacrifice is impossible in this present day. Very few Christians are concerned about their inability to offer a burnt offering in the temple. Very few Christians attempt to keep other commands. Most Christians are not concerned if their garments contain fibers from different kinds of materials or if the meat they are eating falls into the category of “clean”.

Why Christians do not keep all the Mosaic law? The typical answer given to this question breaks into three categories the laws given to Israel at Mt. Sinai. Ceremonial laws were those which governed the worship of the Israelites. Civil laws were those given to govern the operations of Israel as a nation and her people as citizens. Moral laws were those laws which summarize God’s universal standards of right and wrong (the ten commandments are usually cited as an example of the moral law). The common explanation asserts the ceremonial laws are fulfilled in Jesus, and thus are no longer needed. The civil law is no longer needed because God does not at this time have a self-governing nation as His people on earth. The moral law is the only portion of the Mosaic law which is still binding on people today.

This author prefers a simpler view to the classic one given above. The Christian is under no obligation to obey the law of Moses because Jesus has fulfilled the law of Moses and because the church is not Israel. The law given to Israel was intended for that nation from the time of Moses until the time they finally and fully rejected their Messiah. The law given to Israel was always limited in its scope, purpose and duration. Christians today are under obligation to keep the commands given to believers in the New Testament. Christians have no responsibility to observe a Sabbath because that law was in no way repeated to the church. Instead, Christians are under obligation to do something that is not found at all in the Old Testament- gather together every Sunday with other Christians. When the New Testament repeats an Old Testament command Christians are bound to obey it, but asking Christians why they do not follow all the Old Testament laws is a bit like asking an East Berliner why he doesn’t follow all the laws of Communist Germany.

This does not mean the New Testament Christian disregards the Old Testament. Some of the laws given in the New Testament are summations of Old Testament laws. For example, the New Testament forbids immorality but does not describe what that is. To understand what God defines as immoral sexual behavior one has to read the Old Testament. The Old Testament also gives the historic and moral foundation on which New Testament commands are based. When Jesus was asked about divorce, he pointed to the events of creation recorded in Genesis 1-3. The Christian does not scorn the Old Testament but reads and studies it to learn the character of His God and the nature of the requirements God places on His people.

Because God’s character does not change one would expect significant overlap between the commands given to Israel and the commands given to the church. One would expect similarity between the Law and New Testament commands. One would expect the same basic principles to be at the foundation of God’s commands to His people. One would expect certain unalterable, moral laws to be universally applied to all men. This is exactly what we find when comparing the laws of the Old and New Testament. Christians don’t follow the commands of the Old Testament because God has given in the New Testament the commands which He expects believers of this age to obey.

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June 1, 2016

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The Bible

Who were the Sadducees?

Daily life of Israel under Roman occupation was governed by a group of religious and political leaders known as the Sanhedrin. Rome allowed Israel to govern itself in many matters as long as they did not interfere wtih Rome’s laws or foster rebellion against the Empire. Like the American Congress today the Sanhedrin was comprised of men holding allegience with one of two ideological groups. The larger of the two groups was the Pharisees. They held a strict adherence to a broad reaching series of traditional laws that governed every part of daily living. The Pharisees endured the government of Rome but generally did little to cooperate with it.

The other group within the Sanhedrin was known as the Sadducees. The Sadducees were very different from the Pharisees in politics, theology and daily living. Sadducees were mostly wealthy men of the ruling class. They were fewer in number than the Pharisees, but they held the positions of leadership within the Sanhedrin. The Bible tells us that the High Priest in Jesus day was a Sadducee (Acts 5:17) and history indicates that most of the High Priests under the Roman occupation were Sadducees. As a result, the Sadducees were the more powerful of the two groups.

The greatest political disagreement between the groups was over the relationship of the Sanhedrin to civil government. This issue is believed to be one of the primary reasons the Sadducees split away from the Pharisees sometime around 150 BC. The Sadducees desired both political and religious authority, while the Pharisees taught that civil government and religious government should not be invested in the same individual.

Very little first hand information about the theological teachings of the Sadducees is available. History has not preserved any of their writings. What is known about their doctrine comes from a several references in the Bible, the writings of Josephus and a couple other Jewish works. The Sadducees held to the teachings of the Old Testament, particularly the writings of Moses, but rejected the authority of the traditions of the Pharisees. This caused great conflict with the Pharisees who believed the oral traditions to be as authoritative as Scripture. While the Sadducees adherence to Scripture alone appears laudable their rejection of the traditions of the Pharisees seems to have been driven by a refusal to follow the Pharisees rather than by a desire to obey God’s Word.

The Bible says the Sadducees rejected belief in the resurrection (Mark 12:18; Acts 23:8). The believed the soul died with the body and that there was no promise of a future resurrection, either to a kingdom on this earth or to a life in heaven. The Sadducees also denied the existence of a spiritual essence in man and of angelic beings. They appear to have been materialists who were most concerned with maintaining their own power and wealth. Their influence in Israel lasted a little over 200 years. When the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, so was their power. They fell off the pages of history in 70 AD and have not reappeared since.

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May 27, 2016

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Christianity, Death, Life Questions

Should Christians cremate their loved ones?

Europeans and Americans have long placed great importance on burying the bodies of their dead. Even in times of war or great poverty the energy was invested to inter the body. Rich and poor alike sought to give their loved ones a proper burial. America’s west in the late 1800’s illustrates the importance that was placed on interring the body. A man could be gunned down in the streets of a western town, unknown to any one, but someone would dig him a grave. Boot Hill may have been filled with anonymous cowboys, but even the most despised were given a “decent burial”.

Over the last several decades America has seen a steady increase of the number of cremations. Some statistics show that nearly half of all deceased are cremated. For Christians considering what to do with the body of their loved ones this can be a difficult decision at a very difficult time. To make this matter even more challlenging the Bible does not give any commands for or against burning the bodies of the dead.

This does not mean the Bible is silent on death and burial. The Bible consistently shows burial as the standard practice of the people of God. Multiple examples of this could be given, starting with Abraham and ending with Jesus. Clearly burial was the normal practice of all those in the Bible. Burning of bodies is only mentioned a few times in the Old Testament and is always associated with judgment. Achan was burned after being stoned to death for his disobedience to God’s command to not take anything from the city of Jericho. The book of Leviticus prescribed two cases when a person’s body was to be burned and both were commanded as part of punishment for specific sins.

The example of the Old Testament must be considered by the Christian. Burial was the normal practice of the Old and New Testaments saints but that does not necessarily mean the Bible teaches burial is the only permissible treatment of a dead body. Generally those who oppose cremation offer theological reasons as the basis for burying the dead. Two of those theological reasons are the resurrection of the body and the dignity of the person.

Often funeral practices are a reflection of the beliefs of the culture. Much unconscious symbolism can be found in the modern tendency to have no funeral or to replace the funeral with a party. Burial points to the future resurrection of the believers. A Christian burial reflects the teachings of Paul in 1 Corinthians 15 that the body is sown in the ground and will spring up again as something greater. The sown seed will spring up into a full, greater existence and the Christian, like that seed, looks forward to springing up again with a glorified body into eternal life. (This does not at all imply that the resurrection of the body is in any way dependent on a proper burial.) Burial points to the Christian’s expectation of resurrection.

Burial respects the dignity of the person who is created in the image of God. While Christian burial does not attempt to keep the body in a pristine a condition for as long as possible (though modern embalming and entombing practice seem to have that effect) it does seek to treat with respect the person who has died. Genesis 1:26-27 states that God created mankind in His own image. Though sin has marred this image Genesis 9:6 and 1 Corinthians 11:7 indicate that man still bears the image of God. That which is a reflection of the image and glory of God is worthy of respect. Cremation intentionally destroys the body and has been seen by many cultures as a sign of contempt. The apparent disrespect in burning a body is not in keeping with the respect due one who is the image of God.

The Christian should give careful thought to the Biblical teachings regarding death, resurrection and the dignity of the person. However, when all things are considered the Bible gives no direct instructions regarding the disposal of dead bodies. The Bible nowhere forbids burning a body after death, nor does it command burial. Crematiòn is a matter of liberty in which each Christian and each family must seek to reach a Biblical conclusion as best as they are able. Each Christian must be careful to not bring an extra measure of suffering on those mourning the loss of a loved one.

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May 25, 2016

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The Bible

Who were the Pharisees

A reader of the gospels soon encounters a group of men who have become almost synonymous with religious frauds. Jesus tangled with the Pharisees more often than any other group. The Bible does not explain who the Pharisees were. The gospels were originally written to people that knew exactly who and what the Pharisees were. Modern readers are far removed from the culture of the New Testament and may wonder who and what the Pharisees were.

The Pharisees were religious leaders who exercised great authority over the Jews. The Jewish historian Josephus records that there were 6,000 Pharisees in Israel during Jesus’ day. They were members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of Israel. The beginning of the Pharisees can be dates to the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, over 450 years before the birth of Jesus. They trace their lineage to a group of Jews who separated themselves from those who had remained in the land of Palestine after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. (Ezra 6:21) This group gained influence within the nation over the years. By the time of Jesus’ day the Pharisees were a major part of the ruling body of Israel.

The Pharisees were Old Testament scholars. They studied and debated it endlessly. They knew it minutely. They were actively involved in teaching the application of the law of Moses to the daily life of the average person. This application was made primarily through an extensive series of traditions. The Pharisees blanketed the Old Testament laws with a huge system of precise regulations addressing every area of life.

The Pharisees themselves were scrupulous to observe all the traditions. Jesus called them hypocrites because they obeyed the law and kept the traditions to impress others not because they taught a way of life they did not themselves practice. The Pharisees were extremely careful to observe all their traditions and they held in disdain all those who did not share their scrupulousness for outward religion. Jesus referred to them as ones “which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.” (Luke 18:9) Even though the Pharisees were active in teaching the common people how to live they would have very little interaction with non-Pharisees. The traditions of the Pharisees placed great restrictions on all interactions with those not a part of the brotherhood of the Pharisees.

Jesus strongly denounced the Pharisees. The harshest words of Jesus were directed at the Pharisees. Matthew 23 contains a series of curses upon the Pharisees for their self-righteousness, heartlessness and elevation of their traditions over the Word of God. The Pharisees were a group of influential religious leaders in Israel who had come to believe that they were righteous because they kept an extensive series of outward laws. They gave no thought to the true condition of their sinful heart. They hated Jesus for His powerful repudiation of their false religion. They hated Jesus because he pointed out to them the wickedness of their own hearts that could never be made clean by the outward keeping of rules and regulations.

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May 20, 2016

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God, Salvation

How does God show goodness to those who never hear the gospel?

Recent articles have dealth with justice and goodness of God in sending people to hell. Though one can understand the necessity of hell and even admit eternal punishment in hell is good act by a good God. A small nagging thought remains that God is not really good to those who are condemned to hell. If God is really good and if Jesus’ death on the cross is sufficient to forgive every sin of every person why wouldn’t God make sure that every one believed the gospel? Yet God is good. He shows His goodness to all men. None are condemned to hell because of a lack in the goodness of God but because the wickedness of men moves them to reject God’s obvious goodness. How is God good to all men, even those who never hear the gospel?

God is good in giving and sustaining life. None come into this world only because of biological processes. God’s goodness is the ultimate source of life men and His goodness sustains their life. “For in Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28) More than the granting of life to men God’s goodness is daily evident by His delaying judgment on individuals and the whole world. “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3:22)

God is good in giving the blessings of daily provision to all men. In His goodness God sends rain and sun on the just and the unjust alike. “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.”(Matthew 5:34) God could send only fair weather on the just and send torment only to the unsaved. He could mark out the unsaved to be victims of horrible plagues like He did the Egytpians. In His gracious goodness God does not do these things. He gives to men what is necessary for life and what is good for happiness. “He causeth the grass to grow fro the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine , and bread which strengtheneth man’s heart.” In their sin men turn the good gifts of God into replacements for God yet God is still good and continues to He makes testimony of Him clear through nature.

God is good in giving a daily declaration of His greatness. Every day every one sees and hears testimony of God. Through the rising of the sun, the passing of the seasons, the growing of flowers, the running of streams and the granting of food God declares Himself to be God. All creation is a reminder that men are contigent creatures. Every person is dependent on something outside himself to sustain his existence. Every person is dependent on things beyond his control for his continued life. God gives those things that man needs to live. The continued operation of the universe in its accustomed fashion is testimony to the majesty of God. In His goodness He has given mankind this constant reminder of Him.

In His goodness to the world God has sent out His servants to preach the gospel. God could have chosen to limit the gospel message to only one family of people. He could have locked the gospel behind closed doors restricted only to the select few. He did none of these things. Since the very beginning God has made salvation known to the whole world. Today God is making the gospel known to the world through Christians going taking the gospel across the globe. Even this blog and it’s accompanying radio broadcast is an evidence of the goodness of God. Christians are using a myriad of means to proclaim the gospel in every corner of world. This ever expanding missionary effort is the direct result of the goodness of God. God has sent out His children as ambassadors to tell every person on earth of the saving grace of God. He knows most will reject, some will scorn and some will assault the messengers of salvation, but God continues to show His goodness to the world by sending His children out as “sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10:16).

The greatest evidence of the goodness of God is His promise to all men. God promises any who seek Him will find Him. God does not hide Himself from those who wish to know the truth. Those who are thirsty are invited to come and to those who desire the water of life it will be freely given.

Read Psalm 104 for further reflection on this theme.

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May 18, 2016

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Why don’t persecuted Christian’s fight against their persecutors?

Christians around the world are suffering under intense persecution. Christians are being put to death, imprisoned, raped, beaten, driven from home or loosing all their possessions. Why don’t these Christian communities band together and fight against their attackers? 

Many Christians facing persecution have no abillity to resist. Even if these believers wanted to fight back their persecutors have prevented them from being able to offer any real resistance. Several Christian groups hold to policies of pacifism. Pacifism is more than refusing to fight in a countries wars. Pacifism is a principle of non-violence against anyone. Those who hold to pacifistic views usually will not fight against anyone who asaults them. Most Christians do not have pacifistic policies but would never view violent self defense as an appropriate response to persecution. This is because of the way the Bible describes the Christian perspective of suffering for Jesus’ sake. Persecution because one is a Christian is different from being the target of a random attack on the street. Many Christian’s would view as acceptable some degree of self-defense against a random assault but would not defend themselves against persecution.

The Bible describes persecution because of righteousness as a source of blessing. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persectured they the prophets which were before you.” (Matthew 5:10-12) The book of Acts shows the apostles praising God because they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ’s sake. The first letter of Peter instructs Christians to be ready to endure persecution and to do so like Christ- with patience, faith and quietness. The book of Revelation also promises rewards for those who endure persecution and it gives several examples of Christians in heaven praising God because they were persecuted for their testimony of Christ. The New Testament view of persecution is that suffering for the testimony of Jesus is something to be patiently endured not fought against. Persecution and death because of the gospel follows in Jesus’ footsteps and brings great reward from God. 

The Christian does not fight against his persecutors because of the nature of the gospel. Christianity is not spread, strengthened or protected by violent means. The gospel message is one of total transformation that begins in the heart. Spiritual transformation cannot be achieved by violent means. The gospel does not change hearts by coercion. Sin is not forgiven by force. Christianity is spread by influence and persuasion. Conviction of the heart of man is the means by which the gospel conquers, not by threats and violence. 

None of this means the Christian will court persecution. The book of Acts shows many examples of Christians being persecuted and how they responded. These examples offer guidance to any believer facing attacks from those who hate Jesus. Christian’s can and will flee persecution. Christian’s can use legitimate legal means to avoid or halt persecution. Above all else the Christian realizes all persecution and suffering in this world is temporary. Because he is living for eternal reward he will willingly suffer at the hands of men that he might receive the praise of God. 

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May 13, 2016

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Death, God, Hell

How is an eternal hell just?

Some view eternal suffering in the lake of fire to be as reasonable as shooting a puppy for wetting the carpet. A good, loving God would never be party to such an extreme injustice. Yet Christian teaching declares that eternal hell is just, good and necessary. How can eternal punishment in torments of flames and darkness be justice?

Justice is the legal response to wrong that brings punishment in proportion with the severity of the crime committed. Contrary to justice is revenge. Revenge is the personal, illegal act of making another endure the same pain that the injured person feels. Justice is not motivated by a desire to get even but by a recognition of the true damage done by a crime. The Old Testament law of “an eye for an eye” was not a prescription for personal revenge but a description of legitimate justice which responded to wrong based upon the extent of harm done. Similar principles of justice are still seen in courts today. The accidental causing of another’s death is treated differently from negligently contributing to the death of a person which is treated differently from suddenly striking down a person which is treated differently from planning and executing the murder of another. Premeditated murder of an adult is treated differently from the intentional murder of an infant. The intent of the crime and the innocence of the victim legitimately affect the response to that crime. Along with murder treason usually brings the severest of punishments. Though treason does not always take another’s life, such a harsh response is generally recognized as just because treason offends the dignity of the ruling power and it threatens the safety of many others within the country. Treason is a repudiation of one’s former allegiances that seeks the harm of ones own country, including friends and neighbors, and thus merits stern penalties.

What does treason have to do with the justice of hell? To understand the justice of hell one must understand the true horribleness of sin. Sin is no mere accident. Sin is first and foremost a willful act of rebellion against the God of heaven. God is Creator of all things and sole Ruler over all creation. Sin is therefore an act of treason far greater than any national treachery. Sin is mutiny against the perfect Creator. Sin is a repudiation of God, self and fellow man. Disobedience against God is an act of treason that wrongs God, injures self and wounds others. Disobedience against God is worse than mere treason. Disobedience against God is the attempt to overthrow God as ruler of your life and to inaugurate your own self as lord of your own destiny. This treachery is not only treason it is attempt to seize power from the Divine.

Since sin is the rejection of God as God and rebellion against His rule sin causes uncalculable harm to the individual and others around. Sin has wreaked havoc across the world. Sin is responsible for the death of billions and for the anguish felt in every part of creation. Every person born on the planet is complicit with sin. How can such evil against one’s Creator, Sovereign and God not require the greatest of punishments? Because sin is the rebellion of creature against the infinite, eternal Creator the scope of sin is limitless. A just response is measured to be appropriate to the scope of crime committed. A limitless crime requires a limitless payment. No finite creature is able to satisfy justice through any punishment of limited duration. The only appropriate judgment for a crime of infinite severity is an infinite punishment. Hell is just.