Death to the Atheists...

Smyrna... (Reveation 2, speaks of the Church in Smyrna)

We know of the events in Smyrna (smyrna was a city in the roman empire located in Asia Minor) through a writer who claims to have witnessed them. It all began when a group of Christians were brought before the authorities (around 150 AD) and all of them refused to worship the roman "gods". Under the cruelest tortures they remained firm, they claimed that 'resting in Christ they scorned the pains of the world." When Germanicus, an elderly christian, was brought to trial, he was told that he should take into account his old age and recant, rather than submit to torture and death. To this he repsonded that he had no desire to keep living in a world where the injustices he had just seen could take place. And to show how deeply he meant his words, he called the beasts (wild animals hungry for his blood...lions, dogs, hyenas) to come to him and kill him. This act of courage enraged the angry mob, who began to shout: "death to the atheists!" (that is, those who had no visible gods) and "Bring Polycarp!" (The leader of the church in Smyrna).

When Polycarp learned that he was being sought he followed the advice of his flock (he was the pastor of smyrna) and hid for several days. But after having changed to another hiding place, and still having been discovered, he decided that his arrest was the will of God and refused to hide any longer and calmly awaited those who came after him.

The proconsul who presided at his trial attempted to persuade him, urgin him to think about his advancing age and consent to worship the emperor. When Polycarp refused, the judge cried out "out with the atheists!" To this Polycarp responded by pointing at the angry mob exclaiming "Yes out with the atheists!" Again the judge insisted, promising that if he would swear by the emperor and curse Christ he would be free to go. But Polycarp replied "For eighty-six years I have served him, and he has done me no evil. How could I curse my king, who saved me?"

The judge then threatened to have him burnt alive, Polycarp simply answered that the fire that the judge could light would last only a minute, whereas the eternal fire would never go out. He was taken outside and tied to a post. Here he looked up and prayed aloud "Lord, Sovereign, I thank you that you have deemed me worthy of this moment, so that, jointly with your martyrs, I may have a share in the cup of Christ. For this I bless and glorify you. Amen". He was burnt alive...

The stories of the sufferings of the saints of old only make one wonder if it is not they who should be pitied, but those of us who in our world of comforts, ease, and pleasures have tasted so little of the majesty of Christ. That in our lives saturated with little suffering we may not be in danger for our lives but for our souls. Polycarp, John Huss, the Apostles, and so many more lived lives that reflected so clearly that they were in love with God. He was enough, and all other pleasures paled in comparison to him. Could it be that the removal of all suffering and the infiltration of much evangelicalism into our culture has begun to produce generations that know about Jesus but have never experienced him. That know the story but have never been apart of it. Simply content to live our lives of ease, be culturally relevant and pursue our own desires often behind a veneer of Christian principles that simply cover the fact that in the end most of us care more about our stuff, our dreams, our future than we do about God. God help us... deepen our love for you, in ways that we are insufficient to accomplish.

Jesus help us to let our lights shine so brightly and so distinctly in a culture that seems to have so much knowledge of you but little love and sacrifice that seems to declare, we are yours...

Indescribable

The design of the universe...is very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty that they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he run across did not have proper respect...for the AUTHOR of the universe"- Charles Misner (scientific specialist in general relativity theory).

Scientist know that light travels at the speed of 5.87 trillion miles a year. They also know that the galaxy our solar system is a part of is 100,000 light years or 587,000 trillion miles in diameter. It is one of about a million galaxies in the optical range of our most powerful telescopes. It has been estimated that in our galaxy alone there are more than 200 billion stars. The sun is just one of them and a modest one at best. The sun travels at 135 miles per second!! And even at this speed (a vehicle moving this speed would circle the globe in just over one minute), it takes the sun 250 million years to complete one revolution around our galaxy. The infinite magnitude of this sovereign power is devastating to attempt to contemplate. In the mundane of our everyday life we are quick to not even grasp the grandeur of the massive creation that exists around us. And even more so, forgetting the God of existence, who eclipses all of these. That “ Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.”- Isaiah 40:17.

Every time the bible mentions man encountering God it is always quick to record the incredible reverence that is paid to his presence. Even consider the priest who had a rope tied around his foot so that in case he should be killed in God’s presence he could be dragged out. The name of the Lord brought such reverence that it was often not even spoken in Israel for the powerful presence it evoked.

This reverence seems to be a thing of the past. Mankind seems to operate in a fashion that belittles Gods power or even denies his existence. Attempt to contemplate the greatness of God, the author of all good, and how for an endless succession of moments those who believe will be ever increasingly exposed to the goodness, and greatness of the God of all things, the creator of the universe. His qualities are infinitely beyond our finite cognition and thus ever attempt to ponder the things of our God pales in comparison to his infinite goodness. It will not be a feat to fall in worship and live in reverence for all eternity. It the same way we drink deeply the beauty of a sunset over the mountains, or the magnificence of the differing topographies and geographies in our world, or the wonder of a lightning storm. All captivate our attention and yet, none is even worth comparing to the greatness unknown of the Lord our God.

In a recent debate in TIME Magazine, two scientists went head to head. Richard Dawkins the author of the “God Delusion” and leading spokesman for the scientific atheist community. A strong advocate of evolutionary processes taking place without the presence of a God, paired off against Francis Collins the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute since 1993, he headed a multinational 2,400-scientist team that co-mapped the 3 billion biochemical letters of our genetic blueprint. He is a forthright Christian a convert from Atheism at age 27. Both are well-respected and influential figures in the scientific community. The two squared off back and forth, both providing reasonable and succinct answers for their personal opinions and conclusions on the existence of God. But the most awe-inspiring statement and terrifying one at that did not come from the mouth of Collin’s the outspoken Christian. But from Dawkins. He concluded that although he is a self-proclaimed atheist. He is certain of one thing we all have an idea of him that is too small, and he is far more wonderful than we could conceive.

Dawkins: If there is a God, it's going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that any theologian of any religion has ever proposed.

(Here is the link should you be inclined to read it yourself. http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1555132,00.html)

It wasn’t the words of the Christian but the recognition of Dawkins that seems so incredible. (Collins did a wonderful job)… Simply his own belief, that If there is a God, it's going to be a whole lot bigger and a whole lot more incomprehensible than anything that anything we can even imagine…

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” Romans 1:20

INDESCRIBABLE...

Predestination

I believe that nothing happens apart from divine determination and decree. We shall never be able to escape from the doctrine of divine predestination - the doctrine that God has foreordained certain people unto eternal life. - Charles Spurgeon

The topic of predestination seems to be a widely debated one. Not so much historically. For bible believing Christian’s predestination is not only true it is apparent in scripture. The word "predestined" is not only clear from scripture; it is literally referenced within it. (Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:29-30). For bible believing Christians the idea of predestination is up for debate with regards to interpretation but not with regards to its existence.

Jacob Arminius the founder and of what is known as Armenian theology, known for its strong endorsement of free will, was a believer in predestination...So were his followers. It was simply they believed that God's foreknowledge operated in that he knew who his followers would be and thus chosen them based on what they would choose. He was an advocate of Synergistic salvation. Meaning a double-sided salvation. God opens the door and it is the sheep who walk through that are saved.

His view of salvation differed greatly from John Calvin's (his predecessor). Calvin and his followers held to the idea that it is God alone who saves; this is theologically referred to as monergistic salvation. God opens the door, is the door, and is the shepherd that guides his sheep through the door, without Gods moving them they would never move that way.

Church views held by leaders throughout history

-Origen: 185-254 AD: held to the view that God looked down the corridor of time and saw who would and would not choose him.

-John Chrystrom 347-407 AD: Held the to the same view as Origen

-Augustine 354-430 AD: Believed that none of would choose God, all of us would choose sin every time and it is God who chooses us based on nothing we have done or would do, but his grace.

-John Calvin: would attest to Augustine’s views

-Jacob Arminius: educated at Calvin's school, and refuted his teaching, aligning not only with Calvin’s teaching but also with Augustine.

In 1610: Arminius's followers came up with the 5 points of Armenian theology:

A. Free will/ Partial Depravity

B. Conditional Election

C. Universal Atonement

D. Resistible Grace

E. Perseverance of Some Saints]

In 1618 in response to these points Calvin’s followers came up with the canons of Dort. These conveyed the 5 points of Calvinistic theology

A. Total Depravity

B. Unconditional Election

C. Limited Atonement

D. Irresistible Grace

E. Perseverance of Saints

Now both groups are clearly saved, how the bible is clear that it teaches one method of salvation.

· But first we must see that God loves people, he is good, he defines goodness and love, and he is love and he desires that all would be saved

o 1 Tim 2: 3-4 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our savior, who desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge.

o 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord…is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish, but is patient toward all.

o John 3:16 For God so Loved the World that he gave his one and only son.

o Jesus said “come to me, all you who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”

· God loves all, yet there are many who wont be saved. John 5:40 “You refuse to come me that you may have life” Romans 10:21 “All day long I have held out my hands to you.

So God is good, he desires that all would be saved. But we are wicked, our will, desire, conscience, and existence is totally depraved. We are not utterly depraved (meaning we could do more evil), but we are in bondage to sin, ruled by our sinful nature.

· John 8:34- Everyone who sins is a slave to sin

· 1 Cor.1:14 Things of God are folly to the natural man

· Romans 8 Mind set on the flesh is hostile towards God, it cannot submit to God.

· Eph 2: You were dead in your trespasses…by nature children of wrath.

God is love, we are in bondage. Left to our own wills we would choose sin, Satan, and hell every time. But God “demonstrates his love for us in this, that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us”.

· Free Will??

o Luther wrote a book named “The Bondage of the Will” in response to a fellow contemporary of his named Erasmus. Luther’s point was that our will is in chains. The reason it could only be single-handed salvation is that our free will is in bondage to sin. The depth of our depravity is so strong that we must be first emancipated from our sin in order to worship God.

o Ezekiel 36 puts it this way “I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

So…

In love God predestined us, despite of all of our inadequacies and insufficiencies. He loved us, died for us, and ransomed us. Why? For the praise of his glorious grace. Beyond that we cannot be certain. But scripture is Clear, through his inexplicable love, Christ predestined those who would love him...

Worldliness

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world the love of the father is not in him". 1 John 2:15

Thomas Jefferson famously created a bible that was unlike any other created. He went through the scriptures and carefully removed all teachings he did not agree with. He created the "Jefferson Bible". A book that complimented and accorded with his personal worldview. Thus he removed any supernatural interventions, anything pertaining to God's wrath against sin, hell, and any other teaching that contradicted his views. Such an action brings a wincing response from most Christians. But in all truth we all to some degree are guilty of the same mistake that Jefferson made. Making the bible out to say what we would like it to say rather than what it truly proclaims.


After all our generation (named generation Y) more than any other is influenced by this notion of individual truth. And although within Christendom many would stand poingnantly on the fact that truth is Christ and we are his. The daily manner in which we live does little to indicate that we are a people who have been liberated from the bondage of the world. We are quick to justify and acculturate many of the teachings of the bible as pertinent only to the 1st century or simply to not investigate our actions closely to examine if we have fallen prey to worldliness.


I can't help but think that in our desire to be relevant we have lost sight of much of the cross and our call to live in such a manner that our example draws others to proclaim that there must be something so much greater that explains such behavior. A simple look at your own life will likely draw out that for many of us this this is not the case. Like when was the last time you abstained from a movie because you felt it was not honoring to God, a TV show, ejected a CD whose language profaned God or his creation, gave up something or downsized for something that worked just as well, simply so that you would be able to bless something or someone other than yourself. Abstained from reading fashion magazines simply to refrain from the trashiness that many bring?


I can't help but think that in our efforts to right the wrongs of our parents and not be fundamentalist we have loosed our moral compasses and have become innoculated to a world that beckons to make us impotent and destroy us. I don't think that worldliness is something that suddenly rips us from the bosom of Christ. Rather it is subtle and insiduious. It creeps in and over a period of slow drifting. Drifting that doesn't take place in a way that is always easy to identify. Drifters may still be there on sunday, still sing the worship songs, and still seem ok. But inside are drifting, drifting away from the cross and further towards the world. Sin no longer convicts them as it once did, no longer seems as big of a deal, and slowly their affection for Jesus grows dim and passion for his kingdom begans to placate.

Charles Spurgeon put well 150 years ago he stated " The more the Church in her acts and her maxims, the more true is her testimony for Christ." Spurgeon emboldens his congregation to live in a manner that displayed the awesomeness of Christ and his desire for holiness. But this thinking has been removed. We seem to desire just enough of the world to tolerate it without become intoxicated from its power. The world has permeated almost every facet of our culture. Love for this world looks radically different than the love for God that the bible commands. Joel Bleeke define the goal of worldly people this way. He said their goal "is to move forward rather than upward, to live horizontally rather than vertically. They seek after outward prosperity rather than holiness. They burst with selfish desires rather than heartfelt supplications. If they do not deny God, they ignore Him, or else they use him only for their selfish ends..." How often is this the case, how many have fallen in love with the creation of the world and its inhabitants rather than truly fallen in love with the creator of the universe. Like what are our goals? What drives us? Financil security? More friends? Successful children? Spouse? or are our goals more upward? To obey and glorify God above all other aspects of life. Is this the pinnacle of our existence?

Make no mistake it is neither the person who abstains from the world entirely, nor the person who engages it who has mastered the art of being in the world and not of it. It is a matter of the heart. External indicators are not always as accurate as we like to think and can be incredibly misleading. Worldliness is internal. It is the inner cravings of a man that lead him into worldliness, aqquiring what John Owen said was " living affections for dying things".

But praise Christ that through the cross we have imputed righteousness through the cross to cleanse us of sin and imparted righteousness to allow us to walk in freedom from the lusts of this world. May we do well to listen to Spurgeons plea that as Christians we "Dwell where the cries of Calvary can be heard" and in doing this the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. May we press to eradicate our lives of love for this world, but realize and meditate on the cross, its power, the ramifications of the cross and our Lord.

Mature Masculinity

At the Heart of Mature Masculinity is a sense of Benevolent responsibility to lead, to provide for, and to protect women in ways appropriate to a man's differing relationships, which in fulfillment of their roles give glory to God...

This is not an exhaustive definition of Masculinity, there is much more to masculinity, but there is not less. And make no mistake it is possible for a man embody many traits that socially are associated with masculinity (i.e. hunting, fishing, fighting, sportsmanship, be an outdoorsman) while at the same time remain "immature" with regards to true and biblical manhood. If there does not exist this "sense of responsibility" to lead, provide, and protect, his masculinity is at best incomplete and may even be distorted...

The word sense here is most appropriate because it does not merit the necessity of a woman or the interaction with women for a man to develop or to have maturity with regards to his masculinity. For example if he is single in the mission field working with indigenous groups, he is at combat, in a monestary, imprisoned, these circumstances do little to negate ones maturity. Neither does this sense need to be actualized in order to meet the criterion for mature masculinty. The man can remain single and celibate and still have a mature sense of responsiblilty that permeates and influences the way he interacts with women, talks to women, relates to pornography or sexually illicit material found in cultural media of all kinds, and even the way he interacts with the marriages of men around him. It also does not mean that he in all situations is enabled to fulfill this burning desire within him. For example a man who has contracted a life crippling disease that leaves him bed ridden and unable to provide for and protect his wife is still capable of recognizing and sensing this desire to provide for and protect for his wife and children even if the wife has now assumed the responsibility as breadwinner.

The term "benevolent" is meant to express the manner of this responsibility and indicate how it is to be served to the women around him. Men are meant to lead biblically as Christ demonstrated becoming the servant in all relationships around them, not lording their leadership in a self-aggrandizing or dictatorial way. But rather they are to fully relay the expression of the golden rule with regards to their female relationships. (Matt 6)

It is a "responsibility", it is a God-given trust for the good of all his creation, it is a duty, one for which men will give an account. Clearly illustrated in Genesis 3:9 when God says first to Adam "where are you?" even may have sinned before Adam but he was the first called to give an account. This does not belittle the responsibility of women, it simply signifies mans unique responsibility.

To "lead" this is perhaps the most often misunderstood trait of masculinity. The term "lead" is somewhat nebulous pending the context in which it is used. Biblical and masculine leadership expresses itself not in the demand to be served but in the strength and conviction to serve and sacrifice for the good of those he is leading and in this case specifically for the good of woman. It imitates and embodies the model laid out by the teachings of Jesus and his moving sacrifice on the cross for his bride. It does this by serving and leading in ways that attempt to draw out the strengths of those on whom their leadership falls. Simply put a good leader does not aim to demonstrate his superiority over others but rather to bring out all of the strengths that will move them in their desired direction. The man must do this not by assuming and enforcing his leadership but advocating for it.

To "provide" is not to belittle or inhibit a woman's role in maintaining support for the family or for society but that his benevolent and loving desire to provide practically unfolds in that when their is no bread on the table it is the man who should feel a responsibility to get it there. This does not mean that the women can't help. This is clearly seen from Gen. 3 when the man receives his curse to work the land.

To "protect", at the core of mature manhood is the desire to protect. The mature masculinty produces a desire to suffer for the safety of other, to step forth into harms way in hopes of protecting his wife, family, loved ones, life, or truth. Few would contend that this is without virtue, just as few would lable it the women's job to play this role of protection in the place of her husband or for his protection. Such an opinion would be a distorted and perverted one that across cultures does not seem to align.

All of these actions and virtues lie deeply rooted in a regenerated heart that has been transformed, it is only through this that man is able to truly love like Christ loved the Church. But manhood has little to do with being married, just as it has little to do with much of what society would deem "manly". It is mans God-given responsibility to lead, provide for, and protect the women no matter the nature of their relationship. The clearest example of mature masculine leadership took place on the cross, and we as men are now charged to glorify God by behaving, leading, protecting, and providing for those around them, especially the women in their lives.

True Wealth

"I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich)" Rev 2:9
"We are treated as poor...yet making many rich" 2 Cor 6:10


The teachings of Christ heavily include the topic of wealth, money, and spending. This man who did not own a home, have a savings account, and was socially speaking a 1st century Jewish peasant, he would however defy all previously held notions towards finances. Christ would speak almost 25% of the time on the topic of money. The teachings all centered on the fact that "you cannot serve two masters" and if you treasure the things of this world your heart will be here and fixed on more filling your life wiuth things rather than filling the kingdom with souls.

It seems that perhaps we have missed it. In a country where everything is accesible and right at our fingertips it seems as though most of us have fallen for the lie. That it is simply not our calling to deny ourselves, perhaps downsize our house, trade in our luxury SUV or sedan for something more affordable in light of the fact that over a billion people do not have water, over thirty thousand children will starve to death today, and a majority of the world lives off of what we spend in a week.
The bible recognizes that we have an innate sinful ability to withhold our lives from God, as though portions of it were ours, but the epistles constantly command us to aknowledge that Gods heart breaks for the hungry, the tired, the lonely, the widow, the abandoned. I see camper after camper up here. So many of which come from homes that operate in a manner of wealth that I do not even think one could quantify. But they are either spoiled, distasteful, or lazy, or lonely, angry, and just not led. I don't know where the fathers of so many began to justify and move in the direction that we need more, I need to work more and the mothers agreed... That it would be better if there was less Dad around but more things in the house...

But the problem continues not only in our greed for more but in our self consumption. We are an adulterous people who desire far too often God's creation rather than him. Its as though all of us have become heavily addicted to material possesions and justify these addictions by looking at the person above us and saying well its not like I have "..." and thus its ok. It is confusing. Our comforts tend to far outweigh our pursuit of God. Most of us would probably admit that what we want is a comfortable life in a beautiful suburban home, with a beatiful spouse and children, a good job that allows us to give 10% (a number well below the givings of God's people in the OT) a long life, die in our sleep, and no hell.

I am not sure how I would explain so much to so many of the saints at the feast in heaven, or how I would explain my life to God if my life fell in this pattern...

Christ give us the passion and understanding of your incredible sacrifice, how you who created everything became a man possesing nothing and that your actions further allow us to worship you by giving up some things and through you possessing everything...

New York New York

I am sitting on a bus on the corner of 33rd and seventh avenue in New York city. Leaving the epicenter of world culture, capitalism, and cultural diversity is something of bittersweet this evening. On the one hand I am beginning my journey back towards my home, family, and life, but I am leaving behind a friend whose loyalty, love, commitment, patience, and wisdom have punctured into my heart and soul. The past days have brought into my life moments of intense joy in the fellowship of my closest of friends along with those of whom these friends live most intimately. But they also have enlightened my heart to a world I had previously only been able to imagine. This educational experience has left me deeply challenged on a number of levels.

NYC is unlike any other, a empire of extremely where poor meet rich, young meet old, religions foster the zealous and the careless, where you find the hungry and the full, men and women of every age, size, shape color, sexual orientation, social stratification, and race.

The city quickly revealed my own prejudices, pride, and sense of entitlement. I don't see the world like God does, I see things from a very homogenous, elitist, suburban perspective. But what made New York so beautiful is that it truly is a shadow of things yet to come...New York mirrors so much the heavenly city Augustine wrote of 1600 years ago in his famous work "City of God". Both the to be "New" City of heaven and New York City seem to share so much in common. Both are both enormous cities filled with people of every tribe and tongue gathered together in harmony. Though in no way is New York redeemed and thus its citizens pursuit is very unlike the holistic pursuit of the Citizens of the New Heaven who pursue God and his glory, where as the citizens of New York wholehearted pursuiis the dollar bill. But similiarly people from every walk of life come together and dwell together. There is even a large Garden in the middle. How close a resemblance does this city hold to our soon and future "City of God".

May the God of Power, strength, love, passion, and compassion have mercy on this City and bring revival to its gates. Jesus you see all mankind as image bearers, forgive us my God, forgive me...

-revelation 5:1-14

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, "Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?" But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals."

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song:
"You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth."

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!"

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:
"To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!" The four living creatures said, "Amen," and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Amen