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February 4, 2015

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Genesis, Origins

Have they found Noah’s ark?

Nope. Thanks for asking and reading.

Well, I guess that wasn’t quite long enough of an answer, so let me elaborate. Noah’s ark is the large ship built by Noah according to the commands of God given in Genesis 6. This massive vessel was at least 450 feet long, 150 feet wide and fifty feet tall. Noah, his family and the animals with them floated across the waters throughout the year long flood. (The Bible does not teach a 40 day flood, but 40 days of catastrophic rain. From the time Noah got on the ark to the time he got off was over one year.) As the flood waters began to go down, the ark landed in the mountains of Ararat. Not Mt. Ararat, but the mountains plural. Somewhere in the range then identified as the Ararat mountains was the arks resting place. Presumably the ark rested in the Zagros mountain chain that runs north to south along the eastern Iran border into western Turkey. The ark has never been found.

The absence of the ark or archeological evidence of an ark does not disprove the validity of the flood account. The mountains where the ark might have landed are very rugged and snowcapped. A thorough archaeological search throughout that region is impossible at this time. Even if an expedition could be mounted, the possibility of finding the ark is very low. Being a large wooden vessel, there is no reason to assume that the wood did not rot and waste away. How many wooden houses can be found today that have been abandoned for 100 years? It is very unlikely that a wooden boat would survive nearly 4,500 years. Besides this, When Noah and his family left the ark, it would not be unreasonable for them to scavenge wood from the ark to build homes. As the families grew and expanded, the ark would have provided a ready supply of wood for construction, cooking and heat. It is not unreasonable to assume the ark was dismantled and put to other uses as Noah’s family began to rebuild after the destruction of the flood. The ark has not been found and there is no reason to expect it will be.

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January 30, 2015

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Life Questions

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What about Karma?

Karma is the idea that what goes around comes around. Karma is tossed out in casual conversation, especially at times when a bad person has something bad happen to him. Karma is a concept that comes from Buddhist teaching and stresses personal responsibility for actions with an emphasis on cause and effect. Karma is the mystical application of “for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction” to behavior. What happens to one today the was earned by past behavior. One teacher said it this way, “Your world today is just a reflection of your past.” Karma teaches that thoughts and actions are powerful. They carry energy that ripples across the universe and that will eventually echo back to the person who committed them. Karma is akin to the common proverb, “what goes around comes around.” In the eastern religions Buddhism and Hinduism karma is also a reflection of past lives. A person who was bad in past lives may face greater suffering in this life. All wrongs must be atoned for in life and in the end, everything must balance out.

The Bible does not teach Karma. People do not have multiple tries at life and not all wrong will be punished during a person’s lifetime. Actions have consequences, but nowhere does the Bible teach that good in this life will come to those who do good or that evil in this life will come to those who do evil. Instead, the Bible teaches Divine judgment on sin. The Bible teaches that sin has awful consequences. Some of those consequences will be felt in life, but the consequences of sin will be felt most severely after this life. In the end judgment or blessing does not find it’s primary basis in the behavior of the individual. Judgment and blessing is based on the person’s relationship with God. He who has turned to Jesus for forgiveness and salvation will never suffer punishment for the wrong he does. He who has not accepted Jesus as Savior will be punished for all his sin and the good he has done will one day be revealed to be worthless. The Bible doctrine of punishment and reward is a doctrine of eternal judgment or eternal joy based only on a person’s saving faith.

This may seem very unfair. Why are those who ask Jesus to save them absolved from all consequences of their sin? How is it justice for God to ignore all the wrong done by certain people? God remains a righteous judge because He provided a substitute who stepped in and suffered the full punishment of sin. Jesus’ death was more than a horrible injustice done by man to the perfect Son of God. Jesus’ death on the cross was the act of God by which God the Son took the place of mankind and endured in His own body the full and just wrath of God on sin. Jesus paid the complete penalty of sin, spiritual death and physical death, so those who will trust Him for salvation will not suffer eternal consequences themselves. The Bible does not teach a version of karma. The Bible teaches Divine justice which will punish all sin. Either one will suffer the eternal punishment of his sin in his own body or he will in this turn to Jesus to have all guilt and sin removed. The Bible teaches divine mercy which provided a legal substitute and offers that substitute freely to all who will rely on Him for forgiveness.

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January 27, 2015

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Christian living, Church

Why is Church Attendance Important?

To understand the importance of church attendance, one must understand the purpose of church. Many different ideas are held about what going to church accomplishes. Some think church is to make people feel closer to God. Others think it is about learning to be a better person. Many think church is to teach people how to do what is right. Changing the world, being part of a community and having sins forgiven are other reasons given for being a part of a church. These are all benefits of going to church, but they are not the purpose of church. The church was designed by God for Christians to help them be like Jesus and to give them the tools needed to serve Him in the world. The church is for those who have trusted Jesus for salvation.

Those who are not saved are not commanded to go to church. Frankly, church is going to seem weird and very boring to those who have never turned to Jesus for salvation. Attending church is important for those who are saved, but going to church will not bring salvation. A person can be saved without every having attended a church in his entire life life. A person can attend church faithfully every week for his entire life and never be saved. The church does not save, weekly attendance at church does not save, nor will keeping a special day set apart for the Lord save a person. Church attendance is important as a right response to salvation.

Church attendance is an act of obedience on the part of the Christian. This act of obedience is a little bit more difficult because it is something that requires repeated observance and regular interaction with people who are still far less than perfect. Unlike being baptized, attending church is not a one time event that barely interrupts regular life. Church attendance requires a regular pattern of doing something whether you feel like it or not. Church attendance requires a commitment to a group of people that will offend one another, wound each other and do sinful things to one another.

The sinfulness of the people in church does not justify not attending. Nowhere in the New Testament does church attendance presuppose a perfect church. In fact, an honest reading of the New Testament reveals that church attendance presupposes an imperfect church filled with sinners. The churches in the New Testament were attended by liars, adulterers, narcissists , gossips, divisives, cowards, idlers, complainers, false teachers and stubborn rebels, just to name a few. The church always has been and always will be filled with sinful people of all varieties. Being around perfect people, or people just like ourselves is never the purpose of church attendance.

To get around to answering the question, church attendance is important for several reasons. First, regular attendance at church is commanded for every Christian. The simplest place to show this from is in Hebrews 10:25 where believers are instructed to not forsake the assembly. Church attendance is the obligation of every child of God. Second, church is necessary for growth in Christ. The New Testament has no conception of a mature Christian that is not a part of a church. Instead, every Christian in the New Testament is understood to be a part of a church. The stay at home Christian does not exist in the New Testament. Third, church attendance is the only avenue for obedient service to the body of Christ. The New Testament is full of commands instruction Christians how to treat one another. The New Testament is full of commands to serve the local body of Christ. These commands cannot be obeyed apart from the regular gathering with other believers. Last, the church assembly is the gathering of God’s children whom He loves. Those who love God will love God’s children. (1 John 4:20-21) Ignoring, forsaking and avoiding God’s children cannot possibly be defined as love for the brethren. Church attendance will the natural response of all those in Christ who love His children.

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January 23, 2015

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What about visits to heaven?

This week the visit to heaven genre of books has gained a lot of attention. Alex Malarkey, the central figure in the story of The Boy who Came Back from Heaven, wrote an open letter to publishers, retailers, marketers and buyers in which he recanted the tale of his journey to heaven and apologized for his part in propagating the book. On the other end of the spectrum is the recent announcement that Don Piper’s book 90 Minutes in Heaven is going to be made into a movie.

Near death experiences are nothing new, nor is it novel to write a book about one’s experience with the afterlife. These kinds of things have been popular in America for decades, and cycles of such experiences and popularization of subsequent tales can be traced back much farther. What is a person supposed to think about these stories? How should one respond to a pastor’s claims to have visited heaven? How should a child’s claims of seeing heaven be evaluated?

The question of whether or not the person experienced something is neither here nor there. A person’s experience, especially experience in the middle of a traumatic situation, does not define truth. The person may have seen something and experienced something. His perceptions do not define reality. Truth is defined and evaluated by the Bible. (For a powerful illustration of this, consider Peter’s comparison of his experience and the reliability of the Bible in 2 Peter 1:16-21.)

The Bible tells of nine people, other than Jesus, who died and were restored to life. Not one of these individuals gives a single detail about what they saw. Not one single word is recorded about what these people experienced after their death. That should tells us a lot about the validity of the modern stories of heavenly visits.

The most significant example of one who went to heaven and returned is the Apostle Paul. Paul is a very informative example because he was the apostle who penned the largest portion of the New Testament. More than any other man, Paul was responsible for the growth of the Christian church. He taught the church things that had not been understood before. By the power of the Holy Spirit Paul led the church into new and uncharted territory. If anyone was to have an experience of heaven and tell the church about it, Paul would be the one we would expect to give a powerful and authoritative account of his experiences. The entirety of what Paul said about his heavenly experience can be read in a few seconds, “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” (2 Corinthians 12:4) Out of thirteen books written by Paul, he mentions his visit to heaven only one time. Paul only mentions the event because circumstances forced him to do so. He did not return from heaven and write a book all about it. He did not go on tour proclaiming the glories of what he saw. Paul returned from heaven and the only thing he ever said about it was that he could not say anything about it. The consistent response of those in the Bible who went to heaven looks nothing like the modern day practice.

These visits should be viewed with deep suspicion. The people involved do not respond as those in the Bible did. The details given in the books disagree widely from author to author and disagree significantly with what the Bible tells about heaven. These kinds of books elevate the experiences of individuals to an importance equal, or nearly so, to the truths of the Bible. Instead of relying only on the Word of God for instruction on heavenly things, many people are being turned aside to follow fanciful tales. We would all love to know more about what is and what will be, but speculation and imaginations offer nothing profitable. The Bible is enough and can be trusted to teach everything necessary for reaching heaven and living a life pleasing to God.

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January 21, 2015

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What does the Bible say about mediums?

For reasons utterly incomprehensible to me, mediums, fortune tellers and prognosticators continue to be popular forms of entertainment for many people. I imagine most who are fascinated with these individuals do not actually believe the fortune teller can reveal previously unknown truths, unveil the future or talk to dead people. Nor am I so naive as to think all treat such professions as just frivolous fun. Some take fortune tellers very seriously, believing they offer a spiritual insight into things hidden from the rest of mankind. Despite the lighthearted way they are often viewed, mediums are not a laughing matter.
The Bible does speak about those who attempt to talk to the dead, to spirits or to read the future by mystical and magical means. Leviticus 19:31 forbids turning attention to wizards (speakers to the dead) and those who have familiar spirits. Deuteronomy 18:10 forbids using divination (talking to spirits to gain knowledge), magic, wizardry and witchcraft. In the Old Testament these activities are directly associated with idol worship. The Old Testament views the use of mediums and fortune tellers as part of the worship of false gods. One who visits a medium is participating in idolatry.
The New Testament is not silent on this topic. The book of Acts offers several examples of sorcery and divination. In every example such behavior is presented as incompatible with Christianity. Galatians 5 and Revelation 21 both teach that those those who regularly participate in the activities of sorcery, which includes mediums and fortune tellers, have no part in heaven. One who goes to see a fortune telling is practicing behavior that is contrary to Christianity. A further disturbing connection about oracles is found in 1 Corinthians 10:20, “The things which the Gentile sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils.” The offerings to idols were actually offerings to demons. In otherwords, participation in idolatry is participation in devil worship! Since psychics were a part of idolatry, those who participate with them are taking part in demonic activity.
Very few involved with mediums and fortune tellers intend to participate in idolatry and demon worship. The intention may be to jut have a good time, make a few silly phone calls or spend a few bucks to see what a gypsy and crystal ball will say. Despite the flippancy of many participants, the Bible declares they are following demonic paths. The participants in such activities have a part, however unwittingly, in activity of a demonic nature. Spiritualists are a part of a major spiritual battle. Treating this kind of activity as entertainment is like treating the war on terror as a lighthearted family comedy.
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January 18, 2015

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Life Questions

Why can’t I change?

Every new year many folks set off with good intentions to make positive changes in their lives. Yet, most of these people will be very disappointed. Their resolution will quickly fall by the way side. What started out so well often ends in disappointment. By this time of the year some have already given up on their resolutions.

As a pastor I interact with many men in prison. With very few exceptions these men express a desire and intent to do better, straighten up their lives and avoid future incarcerations. Yet a large majority of them soon return to jail again after release for much the same crimes as they committed before.

Why is it so hard to change? People know certain behaviors are destructive. People acknowledge the problems caused by their actions. A man will admit an action is not a good idea and will probably end in his sorrow. A woman will confess her behavior is hurtful and will leave her in sad state. Despite these admissions they continue down the same bad course. Many set out on a path to make good changes in their lives. Many start well and genuinely desire to be different. Despite this, very few ever change. Why is this?

One of the most important reasons people do not change is their focus is on the wrong problem. The problem is never the problem. The problem is always a symptom of the problem. If a man walked into the doctors office complaining of chest pain, shooting pains in his left arm and difficulty breathing, the doctor will always look deeper than the presenting pain for the problem. No doctor would just give this man aspirin and an inhaler. He would look for major problems with the heart knowing the pains are just a symptom.

So it is with human behavior. The actions and decisions people make are just the symptom. The real problem is a problem of the heart. Jesus makes this point in Matthew 15:19, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” All human behavior comes from the human heart. The way to change the behavior is to change the heart.

No one can change his heart. No more than a heart attack patient can give himself CPR, defibrillate himself or give himself a heart transplant can a man remove and replace the sinful heart that is the core of his being. An outside agency must replace the damaged heart with a new one. The only agency effective to perform a transplant of the spiritual heart is Jesus. To be changed, one must turn from his self dependent efforts and self seeking desires to trust Jesus for full cleansing and transformation. God’s promise is, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” In Jesus, the heart is cleansed, the man is made new. With Jesus the heart is changed and the behavior will be changed. Without a change of heart there will be no change of behavior.