I am writing in response to the Cokie and Steven V. Roberts, Newspaper Enterprise Assn., article “The ‘agents of intolerance’ return” published in The Courier-Times on Wednesday, October 17, 2008.
What role should faith play in American politics? How compatible is orthodox religion with the practical functioning of democracy?
That was a great way to start an article. Unfortunately, what followed is proof that the Roberts’ totally misunderstand people with a conservative Christian world view.
Texas preacher Rick Scarborough had it exactly right; it’s not about winning elections. For the conservative Christian it is exclusively about honoring Christ and the authority of God’s word.
Politics is about compromise and there are many areas where we can reason together and reach compromises. Should we pave or gravel-top this road? Should we spend 5 million or 10 million on cancer research? Should we mandate full-day Kindergarten and allow school vouchers for private schools? In all of these areas compromises can be reached that benefit the community while not violating a moral law. However, following the Judeo-Christian God with integrity has nothing to do with compromise when it comes to moral law, or what conservative Christians would call “clear biblical truth.”
Ask Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the Hebrew Scriptures who said, “We will not bow!” Translation: we will not compromise about this. Daniel even accommodated the king who kidnapped him along with other promising young leaders like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego by serving as a royal advisor, and eventually as the king’s most loved and trusted advisor. But when it came to things as simple as his personal prayer life or diet, Daniel drew a line in the Babylonian sand and said, “I will not disobey God. There are some things that I just will not do.”
In the New Testament the Apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthian church, “What do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” And the Apostle John wrote that “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.
Following God is about purity in thought and deed. In our own power, we cannot attain absolute purity, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for it. Just because compromise is easy and/or acceptable in the political realm doesn’t mean we should lay aside strongly held beliefs simply to gain a political victory. Even our own poets like Frost say we will be rewarded if we “take the road less traveled.”
Sean Hannity is right when he says that if conservative Christians abstain from the political process, “the result will be far worse for the cause that I know [James Dobson] passionately and deeply” believes in, and the nation will live with the consequences. But God forbid if we sell our souls for a short lived, hollow, political victory.
Religion as the dominant credo or a blueprint for public policy may or may not be a source of discord. But religion as the blueprint for a well lived life is essential. Voting for someone who doesn’t value life enough to protect it, is a violation of a biblically informed personal blueprint, and red flag indicating a life that is being lived without moral integrity. In 2007, no one in their right mind would vote for someone advocating slavery. But that was not the case 140 years ago.
In the pre- and post-Civil War years, politicians were having a very similar discussion as the one we find ourselves in today. But they were not discussing the right-to-life or the sanctity of marriage, they were discussing the right to buy, own, and sell other people. Slavery isn’t wrong because we all decided it was wrong. And slavery wouldn’t have been right if the Confederate States had won the war. Slavery is wrong because a higher moral law says it is wrong. Killing pre-born babies, and destroying the definition and structure of marriage, is wrong because that same moral law declares it is wrong.
The congressional votes cited by Senator John Danforth (R-MO) regarding stem-cell research and Terri Schiavo can be seen clearly in the light of this higher moral law. Polls, political practice, Senators, and opinion writers cannot change that law.
Many times we enter the voting booth, hold our noses, and pick the candidate we can tolerate the best, not the one we like the most. However, there may come a time when people of faith cannot, in good conscience, vote for any of the candidates presented by the political machine. Abstaining at the ballot box is not the equivalent of political ignorance or of moral intolerance. Sometimes choosing not to vote is the only choice you can make and still sleep well at night. Conservative Christians who refuse to make “compromises” on moral issues may or may not understand the American system. But a nation that refuses to acknowledge a higher moral law, as well as the Giver of that moral law, does so at its own peril, and a Christian who does so will certainly have a higher authority to answer to.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
It’s Time to Pray – Two Years Later
Christian Perspectives Article – Courier-Times – September 22, 2007
It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. This time it’s the youth’s turn.
That’s how I started my article two years ago. Not much has changed.
On Wednesday, September 26, 2007 students all across the country will gather again outside their school around the flagpole to pray for their school, their teachers, their principals, their fellow students, as well as the nation.
At first glance, our nation appears to be experiencing an extended period of peace. It’s been six years since terrorists have launched an attack on this land. It’s been eight and one-half years since the Columbine shootings. And the war in Iraq has not directly impacted most of the country. We don’t feel like we’re at war.
But a closer look still reveals several raging battles with new battle lines being formed every day.
The drug abuse problem in Henry County is still destroying families, causing financial heartache, and robbing the future of too many of our young people. Alcohol abuse on our high school and college campuses is so pervasive that many college freshmen think that “keggers” are one of the most significant parts of college life.
Modern media outlets, including movies, television, and popular music still promote a sexually experimental lifestyle that threatens our students with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and emotional abandonment. Entertainers are now open hostile toward Christ and the church and receive praise for their verbal attacks.
Just this week a State Senator in Nebraska filed a lawsuit against God for terroristic threats and untold damages from natural disasters. And because our courts have lost their way with regard to abortion, there are over forty-eight-million fewer citizens of the United States who are thirty years and under. In this war, we have had enough infant casualties to fill more than forty-eight cities the size of Indianapolis.
Two years of “recovery” from the damage caused by Katrina still reveals racial and class divisions that are deep and growing deeper. A friend of mine from Louisiana believes that racial hatred is strong in New Castle. Is he right?
Our political system has been reduced to deceptive power plays and character assassination. We no longer look for the best candidate or nominee, but the person what will do our biding. There are few statesmen, and precious little leaders with personal or professional integrity. Gone are the days where we can have honest debates over the facts and refrain from personal attacks. Negative attack ads and “October political surprises” are the norm.
Even the church is showing signs of moral failure and battle fatigue. National religious leaders continue to be caught in scandals, whole denominations are rejecting the authority of the Word of God, and faith statements are now being used as political tools. Have we forgotten that St. Anne’s Catholic Church was burned on the morning before Easter Sunday? Are you aware of the spiritual crisis that many churches in Henry County are experiencing?
I want to believe that our youth know what is required in times like these, but the unity we experienced two years ago is waning. Many of them led the way that summer with Project 4.12 when they spent one week working to make our community a better place to live. They invested hundreds of work-hours cleaning, painting, raking, and ministering. They set an example that few adults have followed; and now I fear the youth themselves have become jaded.
This Wednesday morning they will again have the opportunity to lead the way by gathering across denominational boundaries and praying for our community. Many will sing songs of praise with fellow students who worship weekly in different buildings with distinct liturgies. Some will shed tears for friends and teachers as they intercede for them before a Holy God. School administrators will be lifted up in prayer, as well as city, state, and national governmental leaders.
If you know of a student in the school system, encourage him or her to discover more information about See You at the Pole and how it will be observed at their school. If no student in your school has begun planning for this year, it’s not too late. Go to www.syatp.com to find out how your student can organize a morning prayer time around the flag pole.
Is there any reason to petition God to intervene on behalf of this nation? Do we need to pray for this community? Are we too busy to talk to God about our youth?
It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. The See You at the Pole event starts at 7:00 am at your local school flagpole. Parents and other interested individuals are encouraged to gather off school property and participate in their own prayer time.
It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. This time it’s the youth’s turn.
That’s how I started my article two years ago. Not much has changed.
On Wednesday, September 26, 2007 students all across the country will gather again outside their school around the flagpole to pray for their school, their teachers, their principals, their fellow students, as well as the nation.
At first glance, our nation appears to be experiencing an extended period of peace. It’s been six years since terrorists have launched an attack on this land. It’s been eight and one-half years since the Columbine shootings. And the war in Iraq has not directly impacted most of the country. We don’t feel like we’re at war.
But a closer look still reveals several raging battles with new battle lines being formed every day.
The drug abuse problem in Henry County is still destroying families, causing financial heartache, and robbing the future of too many of our young people. Alcohol abuse on our high school and college campuses is so pervasive that many college freshmen think that “keggers” are one of the most significant parts of college life.
Modern media outlets, including movies, television, and popular music still promote a sexually experimental lifestyle that threatens our students with Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and emotional abandonment. Entertainers are now open hostile toward Christ and the church and receive praise for their verbal attacks.
Just this week a State Senator in Nebraska filed a lawsuit against God for terroristic threats and untold damages from natural disasters. And because our courts have lost their way with regard to abortion, there are over forty-eight-million fewer citizens of the United States who are thirty years and under. In this war, we have had enough infant casualties to fill more than forty-eight cities the size of Indianapolis.
Two years of “recovery” from the damage caused by Katrina still reveals racial and class divisions that are deep and growing deeper. A friend of mine from Louisiana believes that racial hatred is strong in New Castle. Is he right?
Our political system has been reduced to deceptive power plays and character assassination. We no longer look for the best candidate or nominee, but the person what will do our biding. There are few statesmen, and precious little leaders with personal or professional integrity. Gone are the days where we can have honest debates over the facts and refrain from personal attacks. Negative attack ads and “October political surprises” are the norm.
Even the church is showing signs of moral failure and battle fatigue. National religious leaders continue to be caught in scandals, whole denominations are rejecting the authority of the Word of God, and faith statements are now being used as political tools. Have we forgotten that St. Anne’s Catholic Church was burned on the morning before Easter Sunday? Are you aware of the spiritual crisis that many churches in Henry County are experiencing?
I want to believe that our youth know what is required in times like these, but the unity we experienced two years ago is waning. Many of them led the way that summer with Project 4.12 when they spent one week working to make our community a better place to live. They invested hundreds of work-hours cleaning, painting, raking, and ministering. They set an example that few adults have followed; and now I fear the youth themselves have become jaded.
This Wednesday morning they will again have the opportunity to lead the way by gathering across denominational boundaries and praying for our community. Many will sing songs of praise with fellow students who worship weekly in different buildings with distinct liturgies. Some will shed tears for friends and teachers as they intercede for them before a Holy God. School administrators will be lifted up in prayer, as well as city, state, and national governmental leaders.
If you know of a student in the school system, encourage him or her to discover more information about See You at the Pole and how it will be observed at their school. If no student in your school has begun planning for this year, it’s not too late. Go to www.syatp.com to find out how your student can organize a morning prayer time around the flag pole.
Is there any reason to petition God to intervene on behalf of this nation? Do we need to pray for this community? Are we too busy to talk to God about our youth?
It’s time to pray. It’s always been time to pray. The See You at the Pole event starts at 7:00 am at your local school flagpole. Parents and other interested individuals are encouraged to gather off school property and participate in their own prayer time.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Taxes, Truth, and Theology
Courier-Times Article for Saturday, September 1, 2007
Last weekend the Courier-Times published an article suggesting that State Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) was soon to present a bill that would require churches to pay a portion of property taxes to cover the expense of police, ambulance, and fire. When asked to comment about the alleged church tax proposal, I said I was surprised because Rep. Saunders helped our church, as well as many others in Henry County and across the state, when reporting requirements by the government changed from once in a lifetime, to once a year.
Apparently Rep. Saunders was just as surprised. Since I was quoted in the article, he called the house on Saturday morning to assure me that he had no intention of asking churches to pay taxes on church ministry property. Crisis averted . . . or maybe it wasn’t even there in the first place.
So I began to think about taxes, and truth, and what the bible teaches.
When Jesus was asked if we should pay taxes, He responded with a question of His own. “Show me a coin. Whose image is on the coin?” Caesar’s image was on the coin, so Jesus commanded, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” The remarkable thing about this answer was that it challenged both the secular and religious communities while avoiding an obvious trap.
We are commanded both by the government and by Jesus to pay our fair share of taxes to the government. At the same time, Jesus challenged everyone who is created in the image of God, believers and non-believers, to give to God what belongs to God.
The church, if it is true to scripture, will never preach against paying taxes. That would contradict Jesus’ own words. However, the church will also challenge everyone to give to God those things that belong to God; the things that hold the very image of God. Each individual is precious to God because we each bear His image.
Then I imagined a culture that would want to tax churches. This would be a culture that had forgotten the overwhelming positive benefits that churches provide to a community.
People of faith were the first to build schools, and hospitals. People of faith provide a safe place for alcoholics, and drug addicts to recover with grace and truth. People of faith help restore broken homes, feed those who are hungry, and provide a father for the fatherless. People of faith have proven that they can dramatically reduce the chance that prisoners will become repeat offenders. To advocate taking money from these communities of faith, money that could be used for ministry, to pay for infrastructure in a neighborhood is very short sighted and contrary to common sense.
A culture that would want to tax churches would be in the final stages of moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Or maybe they just haven’t seen the church . . .
Is it possible that churches have entered an era where they are more concerned with elections than souls? Is it possible that people of faith are more concerned about keeping up with the Joneses than keeping the commandment to take care of the orphan and the widow? Is it possible that the body of Christ can no longer make a positive impact on the world because we are too much like the world? Has the church become invisible?
Tax exemptions for the church is not a ‘right.’ Tax exemptions have been a way for God to bless the church as the church ministers to and blesses its neighbors. Is it possible that God’s blessings on the church are now uncertain because of the actions, or inactions, of the people of God? Just a question.
I trust Tom Saunders when he says that he does not want to tax church ministry property. In Central Indiana, that would be a major political miscalculation. The question that remains is the one Christ asks the church, “I was hungry, did you give me food? I was thirsty, did you give me drink? I was naked, did you clothe me? I was sick and in prison, did you visit me?” The truth could prove very taxing.
Last weekend the Courier-Times published an article suggesting that State Representative Tom Saunders (R-Lewisville) was soon to present a bill that would require churches to pay a portion of property taxes to cover the expense of police, ambulance, and fire. When asked to comment about the alleged church tax proposal, I said I was surprised because Rep. Saunders helped our church, as well as many others in Henry County and across the state, when reporting requirements by the government changed from once in a lifetime, to once a year.
Apparently Rep. Saunders was just as surprised. Since I was quoted in the article, he called the house on Saturday morning to assure me that he had no intention of asking churches to pay taxes on church ministry property. Crisis averted . . . or maybe it wasn’t even there in the first place.
So I began to think about taxes, and truth, and what the bible teaches.
When Jesus was asked if we should pay taxes, He responded with a question of His own. “Show me a coin. Whose image is on the coin?” Caesar’s image was on the coin, so Jesus commanded, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and give to God what belongs to God.” The remarkable thing about this answer was that it challenged both the secular and religious communities while avoiding an obvious trap.
We are commanded both by the government and by Jesus to pay our fair share of taxes to the government. At the same time, Jesus challenged everyone who is created in the image of God, believers and non-believers, to give to God what belongs to God.
The church, if it is true to scripture, will never preach against paying taxes. That would contradict Jesus’ own words. However, the church will also challenge everyone to give to God those things that belong to God; the things that hold the very image of God. Each individual is precious to God because we each bear His image.
Then I imagined a culture that would want to tax churches. This would be a culture that had forgotten the overwhelming positive benefits that churches provide to a community.
People of faith were the first to build schools, and hospitals. People of faith provide a safe place for alcoholics, and drug addicts to recover with grace and truth. People of faith help restore broken homes, feed those who are hungry, and provide a father for the fatherless. People of faith have proven that they can dramatically reduce the chance that prisoners will become repeat offenders. To advocate taking money from these communities of faith, money that could be used for ministry, to pay for infrastructure in a neighborhood is very short sighted and contrary to common sense.
A culture that would want to tax churches would be in the final stages of moral and intellectual bankruptcy. Or maybe they just haven’t seen the church . . .
Is it possible that churches have entered an era where they are more concerned with elections than souls? Is it possible that people of faith are more concerned about keeping up with the Joneses than keeping the commandment to take care of the orphan and the widow? Is it possible that the body of Christ can no longer make a positive impact on the world because we are too much like the world? Has the church become invisible?
Tax exemptions for the church is not a ‘right.’ Tax exemptions have been a way for God to bless the church as the church ministers to and blesses its neighbors. Is it possible that God’s blessings on the church are now uncertain because of the actions, or inactions, of the people of God? Just a question.
I trust Tom Saunders when he says that he does not want to tax church ministry property. In Central Indiana, that would be a major political miscalculation. The question that remains is the one Christ asks the church, “I was hungry, did you give me food? I was thirsty, did you give me drink? I was naked, did you clothe me? I was sick and in prison, did you visit me?” The truth could prove very taxing.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Thoughts on Worship
Courier-Times Article for Saturday, August 11, 2007
There are three fundamental questions that need to be answered regarding Christian worship.
First, what is God ordained worship? The essence of worship can be found in the first ten verses of the 26th chapter of Deuteronomy.
This portion of the law outlines the process that God established for encountering Him in a worship experience. Verses 5 and 6 call for us to remember who we were before we were transformed by the presence of God in our lives. Verses 7 and 8 call for us to remember what actions God took when He transformed our lives. Verses 9 and 10 call for us to remember the blessing of transformation that has been generated in our lives by God. This is who I was; this is what God did; this is where I am now. Praise and worship naturally flow out of our lives each time we walk through this process.
If our worship life is deficient in one of these “areas or remembrance”, then what we experience is something less than God ordained worship.
The second question to be answered is what is the proper posture in worship? We are not talking about an external posture but an internal posture. How are we to approach God? In twenty-first century America we are immersed in a culture of personal growth, self satisfaction, and a positive bottom line. In other words, how does this benefit me?
In direct contradiction to this cultural mindset, King David makes a remarkable statement found in 2 Samuel 24:24, considering that he was the ruler of all Israel. “I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing.” In this simple statement David indicates His posture when he approached God. He was not approaching God with the idea that he was going to benefit from this encounter. He was not even approaching with the idea that somehow he could use his position and authority to influence God. David came to offer a sacrificial gift to God, something that was costly to him personally.
Worship is not about getting anything from God. Worship is about giving something of worth to God. The posture of a true worshiper is one that indicates humble sacrifice, not prideful self-gratification.
Finally, what is the function of worship? True worship has one function with two products. Worship is a vehicle.
Worship functions as a vehicle in two ways. In the first instance, worship carries the individual, or a collected body of worshipers, into a realization of the presence of God. This means that, as worship leaders, we need to understand who will be “riding” in the vehicle. If I am leading a gathering of Frenchmen into worship, my worship should be in the French language. If I am leading a group of children into worship, my worship selection should include elements of worship that are easily accessible to the child. If I am leading a group of senior citizens in worship, the structure of the “vehicle” I assemble needs to accommodate those that will be taking the ride.
Secondly, worship carries the individual, or a collected body of worshipers, into an environment where the Word of God can have its best effect on their lives. This second product of worship enables the worship leader to partner with, and serve, the one who is called to proclaim the Word of God. In this way, we “set the table” for the main course.
In the design world, form follows function. What a thing does, or is supposed to do, has a direct impact on how that thing looks or how it is structured. This brings us back to the answer to the first question.
If we follow the form found in Deuteronomy, we can create a vehicle that is designed to carry people into a realization of the presence of God, where they can offer sacrificial gifts of thanksgiving and praise, and where they can be transformed anew by the Word of God.
There are three fundamental questions that need to be answered regarding Christian worship.
First, what is God ordained worship? The essence of worship can be found in the first ten verses of the 26th chapter of Deuteronomy.
This portion of the law outlines the process that God established for encountering Him in a worship experience. Verses 5 and 6 call for us to remember who we were before we were transformed by the presence of God in our lives. Verses 7 and 8 call for us to remember what actions God took when He transformed our lives. Verses 9 and 10 call for us to remember the blessing of transformation that has been generated in our lives by God. This is who I was; this is what God did; this is where I am now. Praise and worship naturally flow out of our lives each time we walk through this process.
If our worship life is deficient in one of these “areas or remembrance”, then what we experience is something less than God ordained worship.
The second question to be answered is what is the proper posture in worship? We are not talking about an external posture but an internal posture. How are we to approach God? In twenty-first century America we are immersed in a culture of personal growth, self satisfaction, and a positive bottom line. In other words, how does this benefit me?
In direct contradiction to this cultural mindset, King David makes a remarkable statement found in 2 Samuel 24:24, considering that he was the ruler of all Israel. “I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing.” In this simple statement David indicates His posture when he approached God. He was not approaching God with the idea that he was going to benefit from this encounter. He was not even approaching with the idea that somehow he could use his position and authority to influence God. David came to offer a sacrificial gift to God, something that was costly to him personally.
Worship is not about getting anything from God. Worship is about giving something of worth to God. The posture of a true worshiper is one that indicates humble sacrifice, not prideful self-gratification.
Finally, what is the function of worship? True worship has one function with two products. Worship is a vehicle.
Worship functions as a vehicle in two ways. In the first instance, worship carries the individual, or a collected body of worshipers, into a realization of the presence of God. This means that, as worship leaders, we need to understand who will be “riding” in the vehicle. If I am leading a gathering of Frenchmen into worship, my worship should be in the French language. If I am leading a group of children into worship, my worship selection should include elements of worship that are easily accessible to the child. If I am leading a group of senior citizens in worship, the structure of the “vehicle” I assemble needs to accommodate those that will be taking the ride.
Secondly, worship carries the individual, or a collected body of worshipers, into an environment where the Word of God can have its best effect on their lives. This second product of worship enables the worship leader to partner with, and serve, the one who is called to proclaim the Word of God. In this way, we “set the table” for the main course.
In the design world, form follows function. What a thing does, or is supposed to do, has a direct impact on how that thing looks or how it is structured. This brings us back to the answer to the first question.
If we follow the form found in Deuteronomy, we can create a vehicle that is designed to carry people into a realization of the presence of God, where they can offer sacrificial gifts of thanksgiving and praise, and where they can be transformed anew by the Word of God.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
When Tolerance Masquerades As Grace
Courier-Times Article for Saturday, May 26, 2007
John, a disciple of Jesus, said, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth . . . From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.”
Is Grace available from Christ and from the church? Yes, but Grace does not come alone, she always comes with Truth. They are two sides of the same coin.
Grace without Truth is simply Tolerance, and Tolerance doesn’t care about the truth. In fact, the kind of Tolerance we see in today’s society denies the very existence of truth. The one-word, hallmark response of Tolerance is, “Whatever.”
Hank Aaron’s homerun record is about to be eclipsed by a man who has probably used steroids to achieve that feat. Whatever.
Another drunk-driver kills an innocent traveler. Whatever.
Drug abuse is ravaging our neighborhoods, destroying families, and fueling violent crime. Whatever.
Since 1973, defenseless infants have been killed in the womb 48.5 million times in the United States alone. Whatever.
A convicted sex-offender, a repeat offender while out on bail for three new counts of child sexual molestation, is arrested for raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in Cambridge City. Whatever.
Tolerance doesn’t care about the truth. Tolerance is killing our society.
Tolerance says, “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just act like it didn’t happen.” Grace and Truth say, “What happened was wrong. It will not be tolerated, but confession, repentance, and redemption are possible.”
Tolerance says, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Grace and Truth say, “Today I set before you life and death. Choose life!”
Grace is not cheap, and it is not painless but it is the only way to fight and overcome evil in our world. Tolerance seems free, but in the end the price we all pay is greater pain, destruction, and death. Tolerance extends and enables evil, and when we promote Tolerance without Truth, you and I are the ones responsible for all the evil that follows.
Many good words in the English language have been hijacked, and had their meanings changed. Tolerance is one of those words.
In the real world, Tolerance is a measurement with specific boundaries. If a car part is manufactured with a tolerance of plus or minus 3/16ths of an inch, all parts made outside that tolerance are judged flawed and unusable.
If a drug is manufactured with a Tolerance of 0.2% contaminants, any batch measuring 99.7% pure is rejected and unfit for human consumption.
Tolerance, when used accurately, is when we recognize a true standard, and then judge the results by that standard. And thank God for specific boundaries on tolerance. Otherwise replacement parts for cars wouldn’t fit, and prescription drugs would be killing people instead of healing them.
The word, Whatever, should only be used on holiday weekends when deciding between a hamburger or a hotdog. It should never be used when talking about steroid use in sports, drunk-driving, drug abuse, abortion on demand, or sex-offenders. These things are wrong! We need to say it, and mean it, and do something to ruthlessly eliminate them from our society.
But Christ and the church also say to the individuals who have been caught up in these intolerable actions, “There is One who purchased a way out. You are not hopeless, choose life. You must live with the earthly consequences of your actions because your behavior cannot be tolerated. You can, however, choose a new road, a new direction, and a new destination.” Grace and Truth.
Is Grace available? Only when accompanied by Truth. When Grace comes alone, it’s only Tolerance in disguise. We cannot tolerate anything less than Grace and Truth together.
John, a disciple of Jesus, said, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth . . . From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known.”
Is Grace available from Christ and from the church? Yes, but Grace does not come alone, she always comes with Truth. They are two sides of the same coin.
Grace without Truth is simply Tolerance, and Tolerance doesn’t care about the truth. In fact, the kind of Tolerance we see in today’s society denies the very existence of truth. The one-word, hallmark response of Tolerance is, “Whatever.”
Hank Aaron’s homerun record is about to be eclipsed by a man who has probably used steroids to achieve that feat. Whatever.
Another drunk-driver kills an innocent traveler. Whatever.
Drug abuse is ravaging our neighborhoods, destroying families, and fueling violent crime. Whatever.
Since 1973, defenseless infants have been killed in the womb 48.5 million times in the United States alone. Whatever.
A convicted sex-offender, a repeat offender while out on bail for three new counts of child sexual molestation, is arrested for raping and killing a 16-year-old girl in Cambridge City. Whatever.
Tolerance doesn’t care about the truth. Tolerance is killing our society.
Tolerance says, “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just act like it didn’t happen.” Grace and Truth say, “What happened was wrong. It will not be tolerated, but confession, repentance, and redemption are possible.”
Tolerance says, “Judge not, lest you be judged.” Grace and Truth say, “Today I set before you life and death. Choose life!”
Grace is not cheap, and it is not painless but it is the only way to fight and overcome evil in our world. Tolerance seems free, but in the end the price we all pay is greater pain, destruction, and death. Tolerance extends and enables evil, and when we promote Tolerance without Truth, you and I are the ones responsible for all the evil that follows.
Many good words in the English language have been hijacked, and had their meanings changed. Tolerance is one of those words.
In the real world, Tolerance is a measurement with specific boundaries. If a car part is manufactured with a tolerance of plus or minus 3/16ths of an inch, all parts made outside that tolerance are judged flawed and unusable.
If a drug is manufactured with a Tolerance of 0.2% contaminants, any batch measuring 99.7% pure is rejected and unfit for human consumption.
Tolerance, when used accurately, is when we recognize a true standard, and then judge the results by that standard. And thank God for specific boundaries on tolerance. Otherwise replacement parts for cars wouldn’t fit, and prescription drugs would be killing people instead of healing them.
The word, Whatever, should only be used on holiday weekends when deciding between a hamburger or a hotdog. It should never be used when talking about steroid use in sports, drunk-driving, drug abuse, abortion on demand, or sex-offenders. These things are wrong! We need to say it, and mean it, and do something to ruthlessly eliminate them from our society.
But Christ and the church also say to the individuals who have been caught up in these intolerable actions, “There is One who purchased a way out. You are not hopeless, choose life. You must live with the earthly consequences of your actions because your behavior cannot be tolerated. You can, however, choose a new road, a new direction, and a new destination.” Grace and Truth.
Is Grace available? Only when accompanied by Truth. When Grace comes alone, it’s only Tolerance in disguise. We cannot tolerate anything less than Grace and Truth together.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Is Grace Available?
Courier-Times Article for Saturday, May 5, 2007
I got a phone call from God on Wednesday. Actually, it was from one of those telephone sales people, but I’m sure that God was behind it.
Wednesday afternoon was busy, as usual, and we were short-handed in the church office. When one of the secondary phone lines started to ring, I knew it must be a sales call. I don’t like sales phone calls and I really didn’t have time for this one, so I was going to dismiss it as quickly as possible.
“Hello. Church of God, Curt speaking.”
“My name is . . .” at this point I was so disinterested in the call that I can’t even remember the lady’s name or the company she was calling from. I instantly came to attention when she asked, “Is Grace available?”
Just then, I had one of those moments where time slows down and you have an extended conversation with yourself. I wanted to say, “There is no Grace here.” But my mind said, “Actually, there IS grace here, but not a person called Grace.”
The conversation in my head continued, “Right, but if I try to explain that to . . . ‘what’s-her-name’ from ‘what’s-that-company’, she won’t understand. Then we’ll have a longer conversation and she really doesn’t want to have a long conversation. She just wants to sell me something.”
Being slightly frustrated at the conversation going on in my head and feeling awkward about the extended pause in the conversation in the real world, I answered, “I think you have the wrong number.”
She apologized and hung-up, but that’s when God picked up the phone and continued the conversation. “Is it really the wrong number?”
Is Grace available? How about Joy, is Joy available? If I knock on your door, will you answer with Charity? If I come to visit, will I meet Hope? If I visit your home will I be greeted by Faith?
I didn’t answer quickly because I know that when God asks a question, it’s not because He doesn’t know the answer. He wants to know if I know the answer.
Talking-the-talk is easy, but walking-the-walk is challenging. I hope the answer to all of those questions is, “Yes!” But I fear that many times I am so consumed with things that are urgent, I respond in ways that prevent Grace, Joy, Charity, Hope, and Faith from showing up.
When God calls your number and asks you those questions, how will you respond?
Today you may witness Cinco de Mayo celebrations among many of our Hispanic neighbors. Given the national debate about immigration, legal and illegal, when you greet someone celebrating Cinco de Mayo, will Grace be available?
We have several prisoners in Henry County, some from out of state. If you visit them will you bring Hope along?
New Castle is full of nursing homes, transitional care facilities, and those who are simply shut-in. Could you take Joy with you the next time you visit?
Look at your community and ask yourself, “What is it that Charity is asking me to do for my neighbors?”
If you are facing dark days of depression, or sickness, or family strife, how would Faith deal with the situation?
I pray that you will be ready to respond the next time the phone rings. By the way, when God does call, you don’t have to worry about the phone bill. That fee has already been paid by His Son.
I got a phone call from God on Wednesday. Actually, it was from one of those telephone sales people, but I’m sure that God was behind it.
Wednesday afternoon was busy, as usual, and we were short-handed in the church office. When one of the secondary phone lines started to ring, I knew it must be a sales call. I don’t like sales phone calls and I really didn’t have time for this one, so I was going to dismiss it as quickly as possible.
“Hello. Church of God, Curt speaking.”
“My name is . . .” at this point I was so disinterested in the call that I can’t even remember the lady’s name or the company she was calling from. I instantly came to attention when she asked, “Is Grace available?”
Just then, I had one of those moments where time slows down and you have an extended conversation with yourself. I wanted to say, “There is no Grace here.” But my mind said, “Actually, there IS grace here, but not a person called Grace.”
The conversation in my head continued, “Right, but if I try to explain that to . . . ‘what’s-her-name’ from ‘what’s-that-company’, she won’t understand. Then we’ll have a longer conversation and she really doesn’t want to have a long conversation. She just wants to sell me something.”
Being slightly frustrated at the conversation going on in my head and feeling awkward about the extended pause in the conversation in the real world, I answered, “I think you have the wrong number.”
She apologized and hung-up, but that’s when God picked up the phone and continued the conversation. “Is it really the wrong number?”
Is Grace available? How about Joy, is Joy available? If I knock on your door, will you answer with Charity? If I come to visit, will I meet Hope? If I visit your home will I be greeted by Faith?
I didn’t answer quickly because I know that when God asks a question, it’s not because He doesn’t know the answer. He wants to know if I know the answer.
Talking-the-talk is easy, but walking-the-walk is challenging. I hope the answer to all of those questions is, “Yes!” But I fear that many times I am so consumed with things that are urgent, I respond in ways that prevent Grace, Joy, Charity, Hope, and Faith from showing up.
When God calls your number and asks you those questions, how will you respond?
Today you may witness Cinco de Mayo celebrations among many of our Hispanic neighbors. Given the national debate about immigration, legal and illegal, when you greet someone celebrating Cinco de Mayo, will Grace be available?
We have several prisoners in Henry County, some from out of state. If you visit them will you bring Hope along?
New Castle is full of nursing homes, transitional care facilities, and those who are simply shut-in. Could you take Joy with you the next time you visit?
Look at your community and ask yourself, “What is it that Charity is asking me to do for my neighbors?”
If you are facing dark days of depression, or sickness, or family strife, how would Faith deal with the situation?
I pray that you will be ready to respond the next time the phone rings. By the way, when God does call, you don’t have to worry about the phone bill. That fee has already been paid by His Son.
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