A New Twist on Answering One of the Most Common Objections to Christianity

 
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How often have you heard this one? 

“You’re telling me that only Christians go to heaven? What about someone who was brought up in a different faith or people from remote areas who never even heard of Jesus? How is it fair for God to condemn them to hell?”

This may be the single most common objection to biblical Christianity. How do you respond to that?

First, let me outline a tried-and-true, solid answer, and then I’ll extend that argument a bit.

The first thing to recognize is that God is absolutely righteous (i.e., fair) in his judgment (Acts 17:31). Next, Paul deals with the exclusivity question in Romans 1. He begins by explaining that no one who rejects God’s existence can accuse him of being unfair because God’s invisible attributes,

namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him (Romans 1:19-20).  

In other words, absolutely everyone should know that God exists.

Tony Evans takes this thought process to the next step when he explains that

God will judge people according to the light they have. Thus, those who sinned without the law (Romans 2:12) . . . will be judged according to the law that is written on their hearts” (The Tony Evans Bible Commentary, p. 1119).

Or putting it another way, people won’t be held accountable for something they don’t know about. Essentially, this is an argument from the lesser to the greater. Let me explain.

For the sake of discussion, let me arbitrarily suggest there may be eight or nine “levels” of belief involved in becoming a Christian. (There may be fewer or more.) The first step might be acknowledging there is some kind of god. The second might be that this god has a personality (as opposed to being a vague “force”). The third point might be that this god created us. And so on. The final step is acknowledging my personal sin that can only be dealt with by Jesus’ sacrificial death on my behalf and committing my life to him.

Here’s why this is an argument from the lesser to the greater. The thoughts are getting more and more specific. If someone denies the very existence of God (a pretty “mild” belief), there is no way they will surrender to Christ’s lordship (a very demanding one). This means that even if someone has never heard of Jesus, they can be held accountable for having “rejected him” (Step 8) if they deny that God even exists in the first place (Step 1).

This is a well-known line of reasoning and can be quite effective. My addition to this thought pattern is to push it to its logical conclusion. If someone rejects the Christian message as “unfair” to people who have never heard or were brought up in a different faith, they are rejecting Paul’s teaching in Acts 17:31 and denying God’s fairness. “I would never condemn someone for not responding to something they never even heard of.” But stop for a minute. They are implicitly claiming that their sense of fairness is greater than God’s. Do you really think it’s wise to go there?

This may be one of those “slow burn” thoughts that someone has to mull over for a while before they recognize how presumptuous it is. Although I have only shared this logic with a few people, I have yet to have someone be willing to admit that they consider themselves to be more fair than God is.

What do you think? Does this argument fly?

Your Influence Is Far Greater Than You Realize

Are you the same Glenn Pearson who learned to play mandolin while on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ in 1976 at Myrtle Beach, SC?

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That was the opening line of an email I got from a guy named Tony Royko six years ago. He went on to say, I don’t know if you remember me or not as I am sure you have influenced thousands over the years, but I can say you had a wonderful impact on my life and I remember you well. Can’t wait for the reunion that awaits us in heaven.

It turns out we were, indeed, both on that summer beach project 38 years previously, and Tony was now a vibrant Christian with a robust faith. Cru organizes outreach projects for solid college kids to teach them to walk with God and share their faith more effectively. Every one of the students is a Rockstar in their own right, but some are more memorable than others.

I did remember Tony – after all, how many guys named Tony Royko can there be? – but barely. I had a vague mental picture of what he looked like, but since he was more reserved than the other students, I didn’t really recall much about him or our time together. And, despite his explanations, I never did fully understand how what I did or said so powerfully affected him. But it obviously was enough for him to track me down to thank me.

Tony’s email reminded me of an experience I had as a 12-year-old at church summer camp. I was one of the youngest campers, and my social skills were pretty underdeveloped. Consequently, I had a hard time fitting in with my cabinmates. After being there a week, I got sick and actually welcomed the chance to spend a day in the infirmary.

What really pushed me over the edge emotionally was the fact that, for some reason, my mom neglected to pack a dress shirt and tie for me, and I was the only kid at the Sunday church service without a tie. I felt like I had shown up for chapel in only my underwear.

Later that afternoon, we were going swimming in a nearby lake. By the time I boarded the bus, most of the seats were filled, so I ended up sitting on the floor in the back, crying. In case you’re wondering, crying in front of your middle school peers does little to boost your social standing. However, one of the older guys kindly came back and invited me to join him at his seat. He told his seatmate to slide way over so I could sit with them.

I can’t remember his name, what he looked like, or where he was from. But I do remember his little act of kindness, even these many decades later. And I calculate that the probability of him remembering this incident is 0.0004%.

These two stories illustrate how God can use us without our recognizing it. You can potentially have a lifelong impact on others through even the smallest of gestures – reaching out to a lonely person, mowing a widow’s lawn, taking a little extra time with the “troublemaker” kid in the Sunday School class you teach, or doing any one of a thousand other little things. Of course, not every act will pack a punch, but you never know which ones will.

And sometimes God will even take one of your offhand comments and drive it into a person’s heart. I’ve had people remark that something I said a few months previously stuck with them and helped them through a particular problem. When they tell me what I said, I sometimes don’t recall ever saying that. And once in a while, it doesn’t even sound like something I would say! But God uses it anyway. Go figure!

Tony Royko and I traded several more emails, but then his stopped. He had shared in one of his first emails that he had melanoma that had metastasized, so I suspect any reunion we have will, as he indicated in his first email, truly be in heaven.

What joy that will be to learn how God used you unwittingly in others’ lives and to be able to thank the countless people who helped you along the way, often without them realizing it! I hope this thought motivates you as much as it does me.

One of the Most Inspiring People I Know

Chris is a likeable, unassuming, down-to-earth building contractor.  I met him about six years ago in men’s group where he spent the whole meeting sitting silently in a corner with his hoodie pulled tightly around his face, hiding everything but his nose and mouth. Having raised a teen-aged son, I knew that any time a male sits with a hoodie obscuring most of his face, something is going on.

I invited Chris to breakfast, and the next week over IHOP pancakes, he told me his wife of 20 years just kicked him out and invited another man to move in. To make matters worse, she was putting all kinds of roadblocks to prevent him from seeing their kids. In order to provide for his ex-wife and his children, Chris generously signed over virtually all their assets and for a time ended up sleeping in his truck.

But this was just the beginning of his story. As we continued to meet over the next few months, I discovered other incredibly unfortunate aspects of his life:

·       His mother was an explosive bi-polar, and his father was a narcissist who constantly berated him.

·       His only sibling is a brother who is estranged from the family and has a college-aged daughter Chris has never even met.

·       His ex-wife did all she could to turn his children against Chris. He spent many thousands of dollars and almost two years battling to get custody of his middle-school-aged son.

If all these problems weren’t enough, on January 30, 2018 Chris was driving on a two-lane road when the driver in front of him decided to perform an illegal U-turn. Chris T-boned him and came within inches of being crushed to death. He suffered severe head injuries and, to this day, has to wear sunglasses both day and night to combat the constant severe glare.  Additionally, he frequently has trouble formulating his words because of the brain injury.

These conditions have affected his ability to secure construction jobs. As he puts it, Who wants to hire a contractor who can’t get his words out and always wears sunglasses like he’s a drug addict? Furthermore, he has other physical ailments like a torn rotator cuff and serious hip issues that make it hard for him to heft plywood sheets and roofing material for his construction work.

The other driver’s insurance company refused to settle the claim for nearly two years, and once they finally did, Chris didn’t even get enough to cover his huge medical costs. He has been forced to consider selling his work truck to pay off some of those bills.

The latest chapter is that Chris has been renovating his frail elderly parents’ house at his own expense so they can continue to live there. His reward? His dad turned him into the state, and Chris is currently under investigation for alleged elder abuse and stealing from his parents.

I don’t think I have ever known anyone who has had thing after thing after thing go so wrong like Chris has. If there is a “Society of Job” in heaven, Chris will be a shoo-in once he arrives.

The reason I describe him as one of the most inspiring and impressive guys I know is that in the six years we have been meeting, I have never heard him once express bitterness toward any of the many people who have so consistently mistreated him. Disappointment, frustration and mild anger, yes. But never bitterness. I have not met many people whose hearts are as pure and generous as Chris’. Furthermore, he has never questioned God’s goodness, and the personal sacrifices he has made to get custody of his son speak volumes to the young man about how much his dad loves him.

During our last call, Chris used the word blessed several times and once even referred to himself as very thankful and super-blessed. After all, he said, I should be dead, so everything else is great! He then added, His grace is sufficient. Chris is truly amazing! I promise you, I would not demonstrate half of Chris’ faith. And I don’t know too many others who would either. He is a genuinely remarkable man of God.

As a takeaway, I urge you to evaluate your current and past circumstances against Chris’ and also the degree to which you consider yourself as super-blessed as Chris does. He is a super role model!

Is It Ever OK to NOT Ask for Forgiveness?

 
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Forgiveness is a core aspect of the Christian faith. Of course, Jesus’ forgiveness of our sins is what makes a relationship with God possible in the first place. And Jesus links my forgiveness of others and God’s forgiveness of my sins (Matt. 6:12-15). Furthermore, he teaches in Matt. 5:23-24 that, if we recognize someone’s offense against us, we should even interrupt the very act of worship to be reconciled, which requires asking for forgiveness. So, our default should always be to quickly forgive and seek forgiveness when necessary.

A few years ago, I had a thought-provoking insight on forgiveness. In my first healthcare job (Administrative Fellow at University of Michigan Health System), I assisted another entry-level executive, Mike, with one of his projects. After several meetings where I wondered whether he really knew what he was doing, I tried to distance myself from the project by going behind his back to the health system CEO to state my concerns and withdraw from the project. In hindsight, I see how cowardly and unprofessional that was. I should have at least clearly told Mike about my concerns and informed him I wanted to bow out.

Despite my inappropriate behavior, Mike and I remained on decent terms and eventually went our separate ways. About 15 years later, he told me he was coming through Atlanta and asked if I wanted to get together. After chatting a while over Waffle House pancakes, I blurted out an apology for my unwise and unkind action from 15 years prior. To my surprise, he had no idea what I was talking about and didn’t even remember the incident. Of course, my asking forgiveness was completely appropriate and in line with Jesus’ teaching, and I’m glad I did it.

I thought about this episode a few years later when I knew I would have the chance to meet up with a different former co-worker from my next job. To my shame, one time in an attempt at humor, I made a joke about one of his physical features. A few months later, he moved on to another job, and despite my stupidity, we stayed in touch professionally. Several years down the road, we discovered we would be attending the same conference. I wrestled with whether or not to dredge up my mistake and ask for his forgiveness.

In the end, I decided the more loving thing was to not bring it up. I concluded that if he did remember, rehashing the incident could compound the problem by opening an old wound, and if he didn’t, my apology would shine the spotlight right now on the very physical trait I’m sure he was already sensitive about. Either way, I would probably cause him discomfort. Apologizing would make me feel I had done my “Christian duty,” but doing so could further wound him.

In those very rare cases where you decide apologizing is worse than not apologizing, there are two ways to compensate for your transgression. First, vow to never repeat the offense – ever. Second, seek ways to affirm the other person in their strength areas in a genuine, non-kiss up way. Come to think of it, encouraging someone else is always a good idea, even when I haven’t offended them.

So, in 98% of cases, yes, apologize quickly and seek forgiveness. But carefully consider whether or not the result might be a net negative for the other person.

One Silver Lining of the Covid-19 Crisis

 
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Covid-19 has changed everything for the entire country and most of the world. The medical and economic impacts have ravaged individual lives and the culture as a whole. History shows that watershed events – like localized natural disasters, 9/11, and now Covid-19 – shock people out of their complacency, causing them to reevaluate many aspects of their lives. And, after these events, church attendance typically blossoms – at least for a while.

Our current crisis presents an unusual dilemma for Christians. As Jesus-followers, we feel compelled to address others’ needs in whatever ways we can. This often means donating goods, supplies or cash. Or it can mean rolling up our sleeves to volunteer with disaster clean-up or help a not-for-profit address the crisis of the moment.

With Covid-19, though, millions of people – including many Christians – are facing economic stress and are in need of assistance themselves. And public health and political leaders have stressed “shelter in place” requirements, telling us the most significant contribution we can make is not venturing out, even to help. This obviously severely curtails volunteer opportunities.

Despite these limitations, there is a way every Christian can have an impact for the Kingdom. Back in 1998, Campus Crusade for Christ’s Worldwide Challenge magazine published an terrific article entitled “20 Questions You Can Use to Turn a Conversation to Spiritual Things.” I have referenced this piece dozens of times and distributed hundreds of copies.

Here are a couple of my favorite questions:

·       When you’re chatting with, say,  another parent at a soccer game, after you go through the typical questions about which neighborhood they live in, how long they’ve been in the area, etc., you can ask in a very low-key and natural way, “Do you guys go to church anywhere?” Their answer will give you great insights into their attitudes – open, indifferent or bitter – and can lead to tailored follow-up questions. If you’re likely to have ongoing interaction with them, there is no need to jump in during the first conversation. You can save this question for a subsequent conversation.

·       Here’s another good question:  “We’ve been friends for a while, but I’ve never had the chance to talk with you about what is really the most important factor in my life. Is it OK if I share that with you?”

These two are awesome, but this one next is custom-designed for our conversations in the Covid-19 era:

·       As indicated above, many people are at a particularly tender point where they are rethinking many aspects of their lives, including the spiritual implications of their current circumstances. So, the question is, “How has this situation affected the way you look at God?” What a great opening! Many people are asking themselves that very question. Their response will give you a window into where they are spiritually and potentially lead to a meaningful conversation.

As we continue to walk through the pandemic and its aftermath, let’s keep looking for creative ways to address the needs of those around us in whatever realms we can, both the tangible and the spiritual.

If You're Married, You MUST Do This

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On a recent Focus on the Family radio broadcast, marriage counselor Dave Carder suggested an intriguing communication exercise for couples. Every morning for 30 days, he suggested, each of you should write down something you like about your spouse, and then share it with him or her at the end of the day.

My immediate thought was, “Great idea, but 30 seems like a lot. I certainly like lots of things about my wife, but 30 might be a stretch.” When I shared this idea with Annette, she suggested an alternative. “What if we modify it to 20 things I like about you, and 10 things about you that drive me crazy? Maybe we could do two days on, one day off.” (Her reaction reflected #25 on my list of things I like about her:  her sense of humor.)

We went ahead with this exercise, and I must say it’s been one of the best things we’ve ever done. I found myself thinking all day about both what I had written for that day – looking forward to sharing it – and pondering what I would say the next. Spending a month thinking about all the things you like about your wife is an awesome experience!

Midway through the month, I started to fear I might “run dry.” Then I realized I could “buy” several days if I started listing things she is not:  she is not high maintenance; she is not a gossip; she is not a troublemaker; she is not a “shopper.” (I know this last one makes me the envy of half the men in the country.)

Perhaps the most interesting aspect was how surprised we were by some of the items the other person listed. After being married for 38 years, I heard Annette verbalize some positive things about me that had never even occurred to me.

And it turns out that the most surprising thing she said about me didn’t show up until the very last day when she told me I don’t have a mean bone in my body. She said she has never seen me do anything to intentionally harm anyone. I pushed back a bit and reminded her to the many times I would complain – occasionally bitterly – about some of the jerks in my life. She agreed that I have honed that particular skill pretty well, but she went on to point out that, despite my negative feelings, she has never seen me take action to hurt them. I had never thought of that. What an encouraging observation from the person who knows me better than anyone else!

Interestingly, my #30 comment about her was also an obvious one that I’m surprised I hadn’t tagged sooner – the fact that she feels secure enough in our marriage to be able to express her anger toward me knowing it wouldn’t kill our relationship. I’m thrilled she feels that safe.

And it turns out we didn’t have to worry about running out of ideas. We each even came up with one or two “bonus” items, beyond the 30.

So, I highly recommend this exercise. Give it a try! By the way, you can also do this with your kids or anyone else. Tell them one thing you like about them every day for 30 days.

Two Reasons I Don't Do New Year's Resolutions

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Well, here we are in the fourth week of the new year, and undoubtedly the majority of New Year’s resolutions have gone the way of the Sony Walkman. A recent US News and World Report cites an 80% New Year’s resolution failure rate. If you made some, how are you doing?

I’ve never been big on the practice, and now, for two reasons, I never even start down that road.

1. Many New Year’s resolutions are made with little thought

I was guilty of a parallel transgression as a first year Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ staff member. We were getting ready for our annual student Christmas Conference, and my monthly communication with my support team was due. Naturally, I discussed the conference and asked for their prayers. I had just heard a talk about praying specifically, so I yanked some figures out of the air regarding the number of students attending, the number of people we would get to share Christ with during the conference, etc. But, . . . I had devoted almost no thought and even less prayer to the numbers. I don’t even remember praying particularly diligently for these requests myself. That’s how many people formulate New Year’s resolutions.

Meaningful change comes with thoughtful planning and realistic (i.e., reasonable and modest) expectations. Yet many people haphazardly generate lists of a dozen or more poorly-thought-through resolutions, and they – predictably – fail. Few people succeed at going from zero to sixty in four seconds.

2.  The most profound changes usually come when God teaches me something I didn’t even realize I needed to learn

I’m all for planning and personal goals. But over the years, I’ve learned some of my most significant lessons unexpectedly when God painfully spotlighted one of my shortcomings. A few years ago, I got into an argument with a beloved family member and pushed and pushed my point much further than I should have, damaging the relationship. Although we had gotten into scuffles before and I knew in my head I should have backed off, I didn’t. Subsequently, God made it painfully obvious how badly I had messed up. I deeply regretted my folly, and I vowed never to travel that path again.

Guess what? This is a great picture of what true repentance is. In a recent sermon, our youth pastor Troy Gambrell referenced Charles Spurgeon’s three elements of repentance: 

·         Discovering your shortcoming

·         Mourning your sin

·         Resolving to never repeat it

Troy pointed out that, although repentance has gotten a terrible reputation in our culture, we should embrace it as the means and message of good news that follows the bad news about our sin. If our goal is merely to stop bad behavior, we start down the dark road of legalism, judgmentalism, and self-condemnation. But if our goal is spiritual transformation, we should see repentance as a vital tool God employs in our upward calling in Christ (Phil 3:14).

 

So, I’m happy to keep planning and setting goals, but I’m (eventually) delighted after God reveals a major flaw and provides the grace that helps further conform me to the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18). Hebrews 1 - 7explains how Jesus is superior to the prophets, angels, Moses, Joshua, and the Old Testament priesthood. In the same vein, I would suggest that repentance is superior to New Year’s resolutions.

When You Unexpectedly Have a Ministry to Yourself

Every speaker and teacher I know agrees that organizing their thoughts into a talk or written piece leaves them feeling they learned more than their audiences did. I’m no exception.

At this time of year, we tend to reflect on the previous twelve months. As I did a quick scan of my 2018 blog posts (www.glennpearson.co/new-blog), I thought all of them had something of value. Of course I did, or I wouldn’t have written them 😊. But as an undergraduate English major trained to notice literary patterns, I recognized some inter-related themes in four of my blogs:

  • January 24 – The Absolute Best Bible Passage for Resolving an Age-Old Debate – References Daniel 3:17-18 where the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar threatened to incinerate Daniel’s three friends if they didn’t worship the golden image he had set up – “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it . . . .  But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

  • July 19 – got envy? – Tells of my envy over seeing people having the luxury of running when I had to drive to work, but then my equal envy when I was the one running in the park when my business was slow and saw people on their way to productive jobs

  • November 15 – When God Uses You to Answer Someone Else’s Prayer but Doesn’t Answer Yours – Relates the story how God supernaturally allowed me to establish a mentoring relationship with a young man at LA Fitness who specifically prayed for someone to take him under his wing as he was literally driving to the gym that very morning

  • December 12 – Contentment:  2 Obvious But Life-Changing Ideas – Reminds us of two things:

    ·   Contentment consists not in great wealth but in few wants

    ·   Since God controls absolutely everything, loves me completely, and knows what he’s doing, I have exactly what he wants me to have

Here’s how these four fit together. I see others’ favorable circumstances but envy them (the envy blog), and I rejoice when God uses me to bless someone else but wonder why some of my prayers aren’t answered (the blog about using me to answer someone else’s prayer), resulting in more envy. The antidote is to ponder Daniel’s three friends’ faith as they recognize God can do the absolutely impossible if he wants to and to emulate their astounding commitment to trust him even if he chooses a different path for them. Internalizing these three lessons leads me to contentment as I see that my circumstances reflect exactly what God wants me to have.

Ironically, literally one hour before I posted the contentment blog, I received some very disappointing ministry-related news. God graciously reminded me of these four blogs and, although I was still disappointed, he allowed me to exhale and trust his loving sovereignty. So, I’m thankful I had the chance to unexpectedly minister to myself 😊. But of course, I am ultimately thankful to God for driving these lessons into my heart and allowing me to live them out.

Contentment: 2 Obvious But Life-Changing Ideas

I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,

whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

The Apostle Paul – Philippians 4:12

Who wouldn’t want to be able to echo Paul’s sentiment? Here are a couple of thoughts that might help.

1. Contentment consists not in great wealth but in few wants. I came across this saying about thirty years ago and liked it so much I wrote it on a card to put on my stationary bike to ponder as I logged the virtual miles.

Our natural tendency is to constantly want more, especially during this hyper-consumerized time of year. I love the way our family handles Christmas gifts. Rather than taking wild stabs at what to get for each other, we each generate and circulate a list of things we’d enjoy. That way the gift givers know they’re on target.

I have been so materially blessed that I can initially be hard-pressed to identify things I don’t already have. I usually start with a pretty modest list, but as Christmas gets closer, I keep thinking of things to add, and by the time the big day arrives, I’ve so emotionally invested in my expanded catalog that I feel disappointed if some of it doesn’t make it under the tree. So, I’ve gone from having a hard time identifying things I want to being slightly miffed when all my wants are not satisfied. The problem isn’t with our gift-giving method but with my oversized list of wants.

Comparison is at the root of most discontent. I compare what I don’t have with what others do have. Of course, we tend to look “upstream” at people with more money, a better job, better looks, more friends, etc. And our contentment evaporates.

There is one way that comparison can help, though. And that’s by viewing our many, many blessings – both material and relational – in light of what other people don’t have. Two universal responses from people who go on third-world mission trips are amazement over the mind-numbing poverty and some degree of embarrassment over how much we have. And many of our new overseas friends seem more joyful than we rich Americans are. This type of comparison is a great reminder that contentment doesn’t consist in great wealth but in few wants.

2. I have exactly what God wants me to have. One of the finest books I’ve ever read is Trusting God by Jerry Bridges in which the author explores three of God’s biblically provable attributes. God:

  • is sovereign over absolutely everything in the universe

  • loves me perfectly

  • knows what he is doing

If all these things are simultaneously true – and they are – how could I not have exactly what God wants me to have – no more, no less? Stop and think about this for a moment. When you recognize your lack of contentment, it’s helpful to ponder which of these three truths you’re failing to embrace.

May you and your family experience a blessed and contented Christmas season and 2019!

When God Uses You to Answer Someone Else’s Prayer but Doesn’t Answer Yours

“What’s your shirt about?”

I had just seen a guy by the dumbbell rack at LA Fitness wearing a bright red tee shirt with the words “Spiritual Battle” in bold black letters on the back. He got a funny look on his face and mumbled something about getting it at a retreat. Of course, I knew there had to be some kind of Christian connection, but this was a good conversation-starter. As we chatted, Paul revealed he was working through some pretty big personal issues.  

We got together for lunch a few days later and then about every other month for the next year or so until he moved. Over that time, through me and others, God solidified a lot of important things for Paul, and today, he is a vibrant Christ-follower, having a strong impact for the Kingdom.

During our third or fourth meeting, Paul revealed some interesting details. First of all, the reason he was taken aback when I initially approached him was that no stranger had ever spoken to him in the gym before. Secondly, he wasn’t sure why he wore the “Spiritual Battles” shirt that morning. In fact, it was the first and last time he ever wore it. But most interesting was the fact that the very morning we met, he had prayed specifically that God would bring someone into his life to help him sort through the challenges he was facing. So, I was a direct answer to his prayer. How cool is that! 

Think about the timing factors that had to fall into place for our relationship to get launched. I go to the gym a couple of times a week on different days and at different times. The day we met, I was there unusually early, so would could have easily missed each other. Then there was the shirt, only worn once. And finally, there was his specific prayer that very day for someone to talk to. God worked all this out behind the scenes, and I was literally an answer to his prayer.

As I look at my own life, I see a mixed bag of answered and unanswered prayers. Just last Saturday, November 10, marked the 48th anniversary of my conversion. There are people for whom I’ve been praying for nearly half a century and who seem no closer to the Lord than they were back in 1970. And then, despite my fervent prayers, there have been the major relationship-related, work-related, and ministry-related disappointments. What’s up with that? Why hasn’t God answered my prayers?

I’ve concluded two things about these contrasting situations – being used by God to answer someone’s prayer and God’s seeming silence about some of my own. First, he certainly can orchestrate circumstances in miraculous ways in response to our prayers, just like he did for my friend Paul. But, for reasons known only to him, he often doesn’t. Secondly, I can be OK with that if I view the situation in light of God’s perfect, 100% love for me. As Tony Evans says, if someone actually dies for you, don’t you think he’s on your side?

So, seeing God miraculously use me to answer someone else’s prayer helps me trust his power, and knowing his perfect love for me helps me relax when I don’t always get my way. Can you say you’ve gotten to this point? I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer.

 

 

When Christianity Wasn't Considered a Religion

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In his terrific book The Prodigal God, Tim Keller explains that, surprisingly, in its earliest days, Christianity wasn’t considered a religion. Religions typically have three defining traits:  sacrifices to appease the gods, temples where these sacrifices are carried out, and priests to offer the sacrifices and serve as intermediaries between the deities and the people. Ironically, since the early Christians in the Roman empire didn’t follow “expected” religious behavior, they were labeled atheists.

Christians’ revolutionary teaching was that sacrifices to the gods are no longer necessary because Jesus himself was the ultimate sacrifice. And neither temples nor priests are needed if you don’t have sacrifices. This ran counter to every concept of religion known in the ancient world. All other Middle Eastern religion had many gods who controlled every single aspect of life:  the weather, fertility, war, pestilence, etc. When bad things happened, it was because the gods were angry and had to be placated.

My wife and I recently had the chance to observe one New World, non-Christian, polytheistic religion. In August, we enjoyed an awesome trip to Peru where we hiked the four-day Inca Trail to the ancient Inca city of Machu Pichu. Like other ancient cultures, the Incas believed in many gods to whom they regularly offered sacrifices. One of their principal deities was Pachamama, or Mother Earth.

After hiking the Inca Trail, we visited the charming Southern Peruvian city of Arequipa, which houses a museum containing the frozen mummy of a 12-year-old girl – dubbed “The Ice Maiden” – who had been sacrificed to the Inca’s gods in the 1450s. The museum provides many sobering details about the Inca’s belief system and rituals surrounding human sacrifice.

Although few, if any, cultures today still practice human sacrifice, many polytheistic concepts linger on. During our Peru excursion, we had the chance to discuss Jesus and our faith with our outstanding and friendly guides. It was a bit surprising to see how influential Pachamama remains today, even among some who identify as Christians. More than once, before our guides started drinking a beverage, if we were outdoors they would pour a few drops on the ground as an “offering” to – or at least an acknowledgment of – Pachamama.

This practice, even among professing Christians, should alert us to how easy it is to mix our faith with superstitious or polytheistic ideas and revert to thinking we have to appease God. Jesus was our sacrifice for sin, once and for all (Hebrew 9:12). He loves us enough to have laid down his life for us (John 5:13), and God works everything – even seeming calamities – together for our good (Romans 8:28). We don’t have to do anything to earn his favor. If we truly grasp this, we should want to live in a way that honors God, not feel like we have to do things to satisfy this wrath.

Here’s a question:  Am I living like the first Roman Christians did, basking in the knowledge that, because of Jesus, I don’t need sacrifices, temples or priests, or am I doing anything today that smacks of returning to a pagan belief that I have to earn God’s favor?

Follow Up from Immigration Blog Post

My last article about the yard sign welcoming people of different nationalities drew the most reaction of any blog I have written. (Scroll down to the previous entry to review my original comments.) I appreciate the effort so many made in writing back and wanted to summarize your comments.

Reactions fell into two categories. The first was affirming the importance of loving all people but confirming that laws must be obeyed. A few writers pointed to Romans 13 where Paul admonishes obedience to those in authority, a teaching that reinforces Jesus’ statement about fulfilling rather than abolishing the law (Matthew 5:17). My first draft of the blog actually referenced Romans 13, but I deleted that part because the article was running long and also because the topic was how Jesus would react to the issue of immigration, and, of course, Paul was not Jesus. But those of you who pointed to Romans 13 astutely recognized that obeying the law is a consistent Christian theme.

The second set of comments dealt with an aspect I didn’t specifically address: the legal status of people from other countries. Several readers pointed to the financial implications of essentially welcoming anyone and everyone into the country. One person noted that we are a country governed by laws and that we have specific mechanisms for changing laws that we don’t like or have become obsolete. I completely agree with his contention that we don’t have the luxury of picking and choosing which laws to enforce and which to ignore.

Some of you mentally inserted the word “illegal” in front of the concept of people from other nations. I specifically avoided that term because my intention was to consider how we should react to every individual we meet, regardless of whether they follow human laws or God’s standards. Remember, Jesus did not harshly reject the woman caught in adultery, but neither did he condone her actions (John 8). He is the original role model for “love the sinner but hate the sin.”

Perhaps the most interesting comment came from a LinkedIn reader:

I agree with what you write, but here in Sweden we find that immigrants and the second generation don’t respect our laws because they don’t stem from Allah. It’s so sad that everything has turned into such a mess when we just wanted to help them.

So, this is, indeed, a complex issue.

Here’s the bottom line. When Christians encounter someone from another country or culture in the supermarket, the workplace, or the neighborhood – as well as people with lifestyles we may disagree with – we must react in the “Jesus way,” demonstrating love and compassion for them as individuals. Whether or not they got here the right way or whether they are trying to live according to God’s standards should not enter into our personal interactions with them.

This is not to say they should get a pass if they have skirted the law. What happens in that realm is governed by our legal system. In our personal interactions, however, we must treat them in ways that exhibit the love of Christ. How could we do any less?

 

What Would Jesus' Attitude Towards Immigrants Be?

LA Sign.JPG

Last month, my wife and I were blessed to be able to visit both sets of our married kids in Los Angeles. During one of my morning runs, I came across a yard sign with an intriguing message in three languages (Spanish, English, and a Middle Eastern language). The English said, No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor. 

“What an interesting sign,” I thought. “That’s a very nice sentiment.” But then, I immediately recognized the political overtones implied by including the two non-English languages. And it got me to thinking, if Jesus had a front yard, would he put this sign in it?

I both watch CNN/network TV news and listen to a few talk radio shows, so I am familiar with both sides of the “culture war” issues. This sign was obviously placed by someone who welcomes Hispanic and Islamic neighbors, implying a more progressive view toward immigration. Just because someone is Hispanic or is a Muslim doesn’t mean they have done anything illegal. But some Hispanics have broken immigration laws, and some Muslims (a very small percentage) espouse violence against Westerners.

So, would Jesus endorse this sign or not?

The anecdote from Jesus life that sheds the most light on this question is in John 8 – the account of the woman caught in adultery. You know the story. The Pharisees and teachers of the law haul an adulterous woman before Jesus, hoping he will say something that would allow them to claim he didn’t follow the Law of Moses. Of course, Jesus sees right through this and invites anyone who was sinless to pick up the first stone. None is, so none does. Once it was just Jesus and the woman, he tells her he didn’t condemn her either.

People of a more liberal bent tend to stop here. Their application of this story to many cultural issues tends toward the progressive side, and many would support a position that ignores current immigration laws and allow in anyone who wants to come to our country.

 But not so fast. This position ignores the story’s concluding verse where Jesus tells the woman, “Go and sin no more.” So, although Jesus doesn’t condemn her, neither does he invalidate the laws against adultery. It’s the perfect illustration of the old adage, Love the sinner but hate the sin.

Sometimes, people of a more conservative bent – like the Pharisees and teacher of the law in this story – focus exclusively on upholding the law and fail to act lovingly toward individual perceived lawbreaker. But sometimes, people with more progressive inclinations seem to forget that Jesus never supported lawlessness. He said in Matthew 5:17 that he didn’t come to abolish the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfill them. The Old Testament laws regulated both religious and civic behavior. 

So, where does this leave us? Would Jesus endorse this sign or not? I believe he would. But just like he calls everyone to obey the laws of God and man, he would not support behavior that breaks the law.

What do you think?

 

got envy?

During my 19 years as Executive Vice President of Georgia Hospital Association, I drove through a half-mile stretch of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park in Marietta on my way to work every day. Although metro Atlanta is very crowded, I could at least for a few minutes pretend I lived in a less developed area. 

More than once, I had to stop for runners crossing the road during their morning runs through the park. And more than once, I got jealous, wishing I could join them instead of having to drive to work.

One morning right after I left Georgia Hospital Association and started my own consulting business, I had one of those days when I had nothing of real substance going on. Rather than sit around the house all morning, I decided to go run in the park. As I approached the very same road crossing I had driven past so many times, I found myself being jealous of “all those people who have somewhere to go this morning when I’m treading water.” I wonder how many of them wished they could be me at that moment.  

How typical look right past our countless blessings and become envious of what we don’t have.

Several months ago, I attend a professional healthcare conference and ran in to some younger colleagues I hadn’t seen in a while. Of course, we checked in with each other and asked how we were all doing. One of them commented, “Boy I wish I could be doing what you’re doing. You can set your own schedule, do what you want, and serve as master of your own destiny.”

I didn’t verbalize what I was really thinking: “Yes, you’re right about all those things. But guess what? I don’t have a steady paycheck, I’m paying my whole Social Security withholding amount and healthcare coverage, and I have no one to delegate to all the administrative tasks I either don’t fully understand or hate doing.”

Every choice we make and every circumstance we face has its upsides and its downsides. God has designed life so that we constantly face challenges. I have yet to meet anyone who would not change a single thing about his or her circumstances. It’s easy to get sucked into the Face Book version of people’s lives where we only see their fabulous vacations, incredible accomplishments, and perfect-looking families. It’s easy to look at my areas of disappointment and envy those who seem to have it so much better than I do. 

Instead, we should focus on our many blessings and thank God for the things we often take for granted. And we should also thank him even for the rough spots we would ditch if we could. It’s all part of his plan to transform us into thankful people who acknowledge his grace in all areas of our lives – the bad as well as the good. I believe this is part of what Jesus had in mind when he referred to his followers as the Light of the World.

Jesus, the Judgmental

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They metaphorically wag their fingers at someone expressing concern about a recent cultural trend that shifts us further away from biblical standards. They then reference what may be one of the few Bible verses they can quote. “Didn’t Jesus, himself, say, ‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged’?” Sometimes, whoever invokes this verse (Matthew 7:1 – part of the Sermon on the Mount) sees it as the “touché” that is supposed to shame the “judger” into silence.

Yanking verses out of context encourages dubious interpretations or applications. In the very same chapter that records this admonition to not judge, Jesus slips in a few pretty “judgy-sounding” things:

·         Only a few will find the narrow road that leads to salvation (verse 13-14). Implication:  most people won’t “make it.”

·         He calls people who don’t do God’s will “evildoers” who will be excluded from the kingdom (verses 21-23).

·         Anyone who fails to heed his words faces ruin (verses 21-27).

But wait! There’s more! It’s not that Jesus woke up on the wrong side of the bed on the day he delivered the Sermon on the Mount. We see the same theme of judgement in nearly half his parables. By my count, out of Jesus’ 40 parables, 18 involved judgement, including:

·         The vineyard tenants who rebelled against the landowner, ultimately killing his son (Mark 12:1-11)

·         Being entrusted with talents and either investing them or burying them (Luke 19:12-27)

·         The rich fool who was not rich toward God and tore down his barns to store all his riches (Luke 12:16-21)

And within the 18 “judgment parables,” fully 10 are “dualistic” where they specify two groups:   those who do it right, and those who don’t.  Here are just a few:

·         The sheep and the goats – those who either care for God’s people or don’t (Matthew 25:31-46)

·         Two sons, one of whom said he would do his father’s will but didn’t, and the other who initially said he wouldn’t but changed his mind and ultimately complied (Matthew 21:28-32)

·         The Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:10-14)

Beyond these teachings, look at Jesus’ scathing denouncement of the Pharisees and teachers of the law (Matthew 23:13-39) where he calls them hypocrites, blind guides, whitewashed tombs, and a brood of vipers. Not exactly “Jesus, Meek and Mild” who never called people out when they violated God’s standards.

If those who criticize Christians for speaking up on social issues were to apply the same standard to Jesus himself, they would be forced to label him judgmental.  The problem is that, in the way they apply “Do not judge, or you too will be judged,” they are conflating the different “dimensions” of judgment:

1.      God judging me as an individual

2.      God holding societies accountable for their collective practices

3.      Me judging someone else as an individual

4.      Me communicating my understanding of how God’s standards should affect society

Jesus’ prohibition in Matthew 7:1 relates to #3 – Me judging an individual.  It fits perfectly with the rest of the Sermon the Mount which addresses my personal behavior, character, and even inner thoughts. Matthew 7:1 does not disqualify me from speaking to #4.

We should not take a confrontational approach when people hijack nine of Jesus’ words to support their social positions. Instead, we should humbly and gently point them to a more nuanced understanding of judgment and Jesus’ charge to his followers – also in the Sermon on the Mount – to be the light of the world.