Natalie Vellacott's Blog, page 7
May 8, 2017
Can a Christian Author Write for the Secular Market?
As an avid reader and book reviewer with a Christian worldview, I often face dissenting opinions. I expect this, to some extent, because I try to be honest and apply critical thinking which can be sadly lacking. (Here are ten reasons for writing honest reviews.) The interesting factor in all this, is that it is often Christians who are uncomfortable with my views and sometimes they seem to be arguing from a secular perspective on behalf of the world…..
One of the biggest areas of debate is definitely what I would describe as “content issues.” Is it okay for authors to include bad language, graphic violence, explicit or detailed sexual activity, drug taking and its effects? How about a Christian author? And what about Christian authors who write for the secular market? Is there any difference in acceptable standards?
Let’s start with authors who are not Christians, those who are in the world and very much of it, who haven’t yet had their eyes opened to the saving hope that Jesus offers. What about them?
Obviously, we cannot expect people not claiming to be Christians to behave like believers. They will live as they choose and don’t see themselves as accountable to God. The fact that they will ultimately face God on Judgement Day and give an account of their lives is not really the issue. As Christians, we cannot seek to inflict Christian standards on non-believers. It is when someone becomes a Christian that their lifestyle will change as they seek to please God rather than themselves or other people.
Can a Christian reviewer express faith-based opinions about a secular book? Yes, of course we can and should be doing this. We don’t remove our Christian hat (or head) when picking up a book, and our faith is at the centre of what we do and who we are. How can we write an honest review without including faith principles or seeking to make some kind of spiritual application?
However, when reading such books and writing such reviews, I try to keep in mind that the author is not a professing believer, and that I have chosen to select their book knowing this. My review will still detail things that may be of concern to a believer, but I would render a less harsh judgement for graphic content.
Turning to the other end of the spectrum—Christian authors writing for the Christian market. This should be an easy one. Christian authors should expect to be held to certain content standards by their readers. We are all part of the body of Christ and are therefore responsible to hold each other accountable—to offer correction, advice and a loving rebuke for the benefit of His Kingdom. I have written extensively about this elsewhere with a particular emphasis on swearing in Christian books.
For some reason, things seem to get complicated when dealing with the third category of authors. People like John Grisham who profess to be Christians, but who are writing for the secular market. Should Christians even attempt to do this? Is it a grey area? Can this content be held to different standards?
Most definitely, we need talented Christian authors writing for a wider secular audience and entering the spiritual battle-field in the process. Why should writing be any different to any other profession? We need Christians in every work-place and every corner of this world. Light needs to be shone in areas of spiritual darkness. Christians are reflecting the light of the world, or at least we should be.
Christians who have chosen to make their living as writers have massive potential influence especially with the rise of the internet. I would suggest, that those writing for the secular market have an even greater responsibility. They have access to thousands, maybe millions of people who might never set foot in a church or pick up a Christian book. These authors are effectively representing Christ to the world. Well, again, they should be.
It has been argued that it is okay for a Christian author to breach generally accepted standards of content when they are writing for the secular market. I cannot understand this on any level. Christians are Christians all of the time.
We don’t become non-believers for a day, a month or a year when we are in the secular workplace—why should writing a book be any different? What is the point of having Christians in secular work places if they are going to conform to worldly standards. We might even ask the question—is someone really a Christian if they are going to behave like the world and there is no visible difference between them and Joe public?
The content of secular books by secular authors is deteriorating, but that is to be expected. People are becoming desensitised and are demanding more and more of what their fallen nature desires. Christians need to buck the trend and swim in the other direction whether they are writing for the secular market or not. It shouldn’t be a grey area.
Sure, Christians will differ on what is and isn’t acceptable content wise, but let’s develop our critical thinking skills. We should at least be considering whether what we are writing and reading is acceptable to God. We can take responsibility for warning others or at least making them aware of the things we observe so they can make informed decisions.
Can a Christian author really justify causing someone to lust or form graphic violent images in their mind or find themselves repeating bad language they read in a book? What about teenagers experimenting with drugs having read how to do it in a book written by a “Christian”? Maybe you think this is an exaggeration, but we all know how easily our minds can be corrupted, how quickly we fall into temptation and let’s not forget that our hearts and minds are attracted to evil in the first place.
Some full-time Christian authors may feel pressurised to increase the graphic nature of their books or to include bad language to attract a wider audience. There may be financial pressures or the need to make a name in the various genre markets. But, if someone is a true Christian, this will prove to be a false economy. God promises that He will honour those who honour Him. Conforming to worldly standards of entertainment comes back to a lack of trust that God will provide.
We must make sure we keep our priorities in check and remember that we are accountable to Him. Why don’t we use our talent for His glory and to reach out to those still in darkness with the saving message of hope. Let’s not waste the opportunities we have been given for evangelism and to represent Jesus, by instead writing rubbish, or even offensive content that might push people away from Christ.
True Christians are serving one Master all of the time. Let’s remember Who we are living for, wherever we are and whatever we are doing!
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men
Colossians 3 vs 23
One of the biggest areas of debate is definitely what I would describe as “content issues.” Is it okay for authors to include bad language, graphic violence, explicit or detailed sexual activity, drug taking and its effects? How about a Christian author? And what about Christian authors who write for the secular market? Is there any difference in acceptable standards?
Let’s start with authors who are not Christians, those who are in the world and very much of it, who haven’t yet had their eyes opened to the saving hope that Jesus offers. What about them?
Obviously, we cannot expect people not claiming to be Christians to behave like believers. They will live as they choose and don’t see themselves as accountable to God. The fact that they will ultimately face God on Judgement Day and give an account of their lives is not really the issue. As Christians, we cannot seek to inflict Christian standards on non-believers. It is when someone becomes a Christian that their lifestyle will change as they seek to please God rather than themselves or other people.
Can a Christian reviewer express faith-based opinions about a secular book? Yes, of course we can and should be doing this. We don’t remove our Christian hat (or head) when picking up a book, and our faith is at the centre of what we do and who we are. How can we write an honest review without including faith principles or seeking to make some kind of spiritual application?
However, when reading such books and writing such reviews, I try to keep in mind that the author is not a professing believer, and that I have chosen to select their book knowing this. My review will still detail things that may be of concern to a believer, but I would render a less harsh judgement for graphic content.
Turning to the other end of the spectrum—Christian authors writing for the Christian market. This should be an easy one. Christian authors should expect to be held to certain content standards by their readers. We are all part of the body of Christ and are therefore responsible to hold each other accountable—to offer correction, advice and a loving rebuke for the benefit of His Kingdom. I have written extensively about this elsewhere with a particular emphasis on swearing in Christian books.
For some reason, things seem to get complicated when dealing with the third category of authors. People like John Grisham who profess to be Christians, but who are writing for the secular market. Should Christians even attempt to do this? Is it a grey area? Can this content be held to different standards?
Most definitely, we need talented Christian authors writing for a wider secular audience and entering the spiritual battle-field in the process. Why should writing be any different to any other profession? We need Christians in every work-place and every corner of this world. Light needs to be shone in areas of spiritual darkness. Christians are reflecting the light of the world, or at least we should be.
Christians who have chosen to make their living as writers have massive potential influence especially with the rise of the internet. I would suggest, that those writing for the secular market have an even greater responsibility. They have access to thousands, maybe millions of people who might never set foot in a church or pick up a Christian book. These authors are effectively representing Christ to the world. Well, again, they should be.
It has been argued that it is okay for a Christian author to breach generally accepted standards of content when they are writing for the secular market. I cannot understand this on any level. Christians are Christians all of the time.
We don’t become non-believers for a day, a month or a year when we are in the secular workplace—why should writing a book be any different? What is the point of having Christians in secular work places if they are going to conform to worldly standards. We might even ask the question—is someone really a Christian if they are going to behave like the world and there is no visible difference between them and Joe public?
The content of secular books by secular authors is deteriorating, but that is to be expected. People are becoming desensitised and are demanding more and more of what their fallen nature desires. Christians need to buck the trend and swim in the other direction whether they are writing for the secular market or not. It shouldn’t be a grey area.
Sure, Christians will differ on what is and isn’t acceptable content wise, but let’s develop our critical thinking skills. We should at least be considering whether what we are writing and reading is acceptable to God. We can take responsibility for warning others or at least making them aware of the things we observe so they can make informed decisions.
Can a Christian author really justify causing someone to lust or form graphic violent images in their mind or find themselves repeating bad language they read in a book? What about teenagers experimenting with drugs having read how to do it in a book written by a “Christian”? Maybe you think this is an exaggeration, but we all know how easily our minds can be corrupted, how quickly we fall into temptation and let’s not forget that our hearts and minds are attracted to evil in the first place.
Some full-time Christian authors may feel pressurised to increase the graphic nature of their books or to include bad language to attract a wider audience. There may be financial pressures or the need to make a name in the various genre markets. But, if someone is a true Christian, this will prove to be a false economy. God promises that He will honour those who honour Him. Conforming to worldly standards of entertainment comes back to a lack of trust that God will provide.
We must make sure we keep our priorities in check and remember that we are accountable to Him. Why don’t we use our talent for His glory and to reach out to those still in darkness with the saving message of hope. Let’s not waste the opportunities we have been given for evangelism and to represent Jesus, by instead writing rubbish, or even offensive content that might push people away from Christ.
True Christians are serving one Master all of the time. Let’s remember Who we are living for, wherever we are and whatever we are doing!
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men
Colossians 3 vs 23
April 29, 2017
10 Things You Must Do Before Going to Church For The First Time
There are some things that a person wishing to go to church for the first time must know. There are requirements and regulations and accepted standards that everyone needs to adhere to. God also has a list of things that He checks when someone goes into a church building. I thought it might be helpful for you to read the list to see if you qualify;
1. Become a better person to ensure you will be accepted by God and others
2. Learn how to pray and know The Lord’s Prayer by heart
3. Make sure you are physically clean so that you don’t cause offense
4. Know about the Bible and memorise some verses
5. Buy smart clothing so that you fit in
6. Get a baby-sitter so you can leave the kids at home
7. Save some money so you can put it in the offering bag or contribute to the building fund
8. Make a list of your sins so that when it’s time for confession you know what to say
9. Learn how to smile cheerfully and to engage in small talk with strangers
10. Listen to some worship music and remember some of the lyrics
Some of you are wondering where I’m going with this. Others are reading anxiously through the list to see which of my suggestions apply and what you personally should do. A few might be thinking that this advice is sensible. One or two might have missed the point completely and are annoyed that people could be misled. The vast majority, however, are smiling to yourselves—you get it or at least you think you do….
A church, according to Wikipedia, is a building used for public Christian worship. However, the Bible teaches us that all Christians are part of the universal body of Christ which is the church in a broader sense (Colossians 1 vs 18 and other verses.) Christians gather together in buildings in their local area to worship God—these are what most of us think of when we talk about churches.
The big question is, who do these churches (or church buildings) belong to? Some may be partly or wholly government owned, others may be owned by a group of people with a board of trustees, still others may be privately owned and choose to operate independently.
Regardless, all of these buildings are ultimately owned by God. He is the one who places authorities over us and He also provides the finance for buildings to be bought and sold. He owns all of our assets whether we acknowledge it or not. Church buildings and other places that Christians gather for worship are a blessing from Him.
I have heard most of the list of wrong views about church above from non-believers. A street teenager in the Philippines thought that he couldn’t go to church because he didn’t know how to pray. He also said that he was too dirty to go into a church building. Another person said that they wanted to become a better person before they could go to church. Someone else was worried about tithing and whether they would be forced into confession. The others on my list have been mentioned in one form or another in different cultures and in different church situations around the world.
We may think the list is ridiculous and the people that are thinking these things are ignorant. But these are some of the things that people are actually worrying about. To be clear, none of the above are things that anyone should be concerned about or even thinking about when making decisions about going to church. There are no requirements for attending church, at least, there shouldn’t be.
As Christians, we bear the responsibility for projecting the wrong image of our churches to the outside world. We may misrepresent them by our behaviour outside the church, by the way that we respond to a question about what church is like or by failing to correct someone’s erroneous view. We may not want that person to know the truth in case they actually come to our church and reveal who we really are to our congregation. Maybe we think that they won’t fit in due to their ungodly lifestyle. We have gradually formed rules about dress codes, cleanliness and noisy children, amongst other things….
We like formality and we don’t like disruptions or change. We are comfortable mingling with the same people and following set routines week by week. Anything or anyone that disturbs this is a nuisance. We may announce that we welcome all visitors, but is that evidenced by our actions?
It is biblical for there to be order in a worship service, after all we need to remember Who we are worshipping. But what happens when our traditions, rules, regulations and requirements that are cultural rather than biblical stop people coming to our churches?
They are afraid that they may be checked at the door, or worse gossiped about or alienated having made it over the threshold. They fear that they won’t fit in due to the close knit Christian clique of popular people or that they may be relegated to a seat somewhere far away from the regular members. That they might be asked to move if they accidentally sit in a deacon’s usual spot. They are anxious about the potential superficiality of some of the conversations where numerous people ask them how they are doing before walking off mid-sentence because someone more interesting arrives.
They fear rejection, humiliation and most of all they fear not being good enough. They are in like company in one respect—none of us are good enough for God. That’s why Jesus had to die and why there are no divine scales measuring good and bad deeds or places called Purgatory. Our churches are full of sinful people if only we would acknowledge it. That’s why we need a Saviour. But, instead of recognising that we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard, we add extra unnecessary burdens to people. We make them feel that they have to be good enough for us before they can enter our churches.
Let’s try to remember that God doesn’t show partiality and that we shouldn’t either (James 2 vs 9.) Let’s not be like the religious leaders who outwardly followed all of the rules but inwardly were corrupt. They were harshly rebuked not only for their own folly but for taking others down with them. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” Matthew 23 vs 13.
Let’s debunk the myths and wrong beliefs about church and ensure that we are not adding extra-biblical procedures to our services. We can also take responsibility for our behaviour as members of the body and ensure we always encourage unbelievers to come to church and then genuinely welcome them when they turn up. This is not just the responsibility of church leaders or the super-spiritual, but all of us as representatives of Jesus.
It may have taken years of prayer or numerous contacts from different people over the years to get a person to actually take the first step and attend a meeting. This is especially true in Western atheistic cultures where society has shunned Christianity and church as a by-product. Let’s make the most of the opportunity to encourage, support and share the Gospel with them rather than placing hurdles in their way. Let’s be tolerant of things that might irritate or mess up our neatly arranged schedules—I never thought I’d use the word “tolerant” in a positive capacity due to rampant political correctness, but there it is!
God owns our churches and He welcomes those who are sincerely seeking the truth. He promises that those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him. (Jeremiah 29 vs 13) Let Him be found in our churches as we seek to love people and share the Good News about Jesus with them.
1. Become a better person to ensure you will be accepted by God and others
2. Learn how to pray and know The Lord’s Prayer by heart
3. Make sure you are physically clean so that you don’t cause offense
4. Know about the Bible and memorise some verses
5. Buy smart clothing so that you fit in
6. Get a baby-sitter so you can leave the kids at home
7. Save some money so you can put it in the offering bag or contribute to the building fund
8. Make a list of your sins so that when it’s time for confession you know what to say
9. Learn how to smile cheerfully and to engage in small talk with strangers
10. Listen to some worship music and remember some of the lyrics
Some of you are wondering where I’m going with this. Others are reading anxiously through the list to see which of my suggestions apply and what you personally should do. A few might be thinking that this advice is sensible. One or two might have missed the point completely and are annoyed that people could be misled. The vast majority, however, are smiling to yourselves—you get it or at least you think you do….
A church, according to Wikipedia, is a building used for public Christian worship. However, the Bible teaches us that all Christians are part of the universal body of Christ which is the church in a broader sense (Colossians 1 vs 18 and other verses.) Christians gather together in buildings in their local area to worship God—these are what most of us think of when we talk about churches.
The big question is, who do these churches (or church buildings) belong to? Some may be partly or wholly government owned, others may be owned by a group of people with a board of trustees, still others may be privately owned and choose to operate independently.
Regardless, all of these buildings are ultimately owned by God. He is the one who places authorities over us and He also provides the finance for buildings to be bought and sold. He owns all of our assets whether we acknowledge it or not. Church buildings and other places that Christians gather for worship are a blessing from Him.
I have heard most of the list of wrong views about church above from non-believers. A street teenager in the Philippines thought that he couldn’t go to church because he didn’t know how to pray. He also said that he was too dirty to go into a church building. Another person said that they wanted to become a better person before they could go to church. Someone else was worried about tithing and whether they would be forced into confession. The others on my list have been mentioned in one form or another in different cultures and in different church situations around the world.
We may think the list is ridiculous and the people that are thinking these things are ignorant. But these are some of the things that people are actually worrying about. To be clear, none of the above are things that anyone should be concerned about or even thinking about when making decisions about going to church. There are no requirements for attending church, at least, there shouldn’t be.
As Christians, we bear the responsibility for projecting the wrong image of our churches to the outside world. We may misrepresent them by our behaviour outside the church, by the way that we respond to a question about what church is like or by failing to correct someone’s erroneous view. We may not want that person to know the truth in case they actually come to our church and reveal who we really are to our congregation. Maybe we think that they won’t fit in due to their ungodly lifestyle. We have gradually formed rules about dress codes, cleanliness and noisy children, amongst other things….
We like formality and we don’t like disruptions or change. We are comfortable mingling with the same people and following set routines week by week. Anything or anyone that disturbs this is a nuisance. We may announce that we welcome all visitors, but is that evidenced by our actions?
It is biblical for there to be order in a worship service, after all we need to remember Who we are worshipping. But what happens when our traditions, rules, regulations and requirements that are cultural rather than biblical stop people coming to our churches?
They are afraid that they may be checked at the door, or worse gossiped about or alienated having made it over the threshold. They fear that they won’t fit in due to the close knit Christian clique of popular people or that they may be relegated to a seat somewhere far away from the regular members. That they might be asked to move if they accidentally sit in a deacon’s usual spot. They are anxious about the potential superficiality of some of the conversations where numerous people ask them how they are doing before walking off mid-sentence because someone more interesting arrives.
They fear rejection, humiliation and most of all they fear not being good enough. They are in like company in one respect—none of us are good enough for God. That’s why Jesus had to die and why there are no divine scales measuring good and bad deeds or places called Purgatory. Our churches are full of sinful people if only we would acknowledge it. That’s why we need a Saviour. But, instead of recognising that we have all fallen short of God’s perfect standard, we add extra unnecessary burdens to people. We make them feel that they have to be good enough for us before they can enter our churches.
Let’s try to remember that God doesn’t show partiality and that we shouldn’t either (James 2 vs 9.) Let’s not be like the religious leaders who outwardly followed all of the rules but inwardly were corrupt. They were harshly rebuked not only for their own folly but for taking others down with them. “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.” Matthew 23 vs 13.
Let’s debunk the myths and wrong beliefs about church and ensure that we are not adding extra-biblical procedures to our services. We can also take responsibility for our behaviour as members of the body and ensure we always encourage unbelievers to come to church and then genuinely welcome them when they turn up. This is not just the responsibility of church leaders or the super-spiritual, but all of us as representatives of Jesus.
It may have taken years of prayer or numerous contacts from different people over the years to get a person to actually take the first step and attend a meeting. This is especially true in Western atheistic cultures where society has shunned Christianity and church as a by-product. Let’s make the most of the opportunity to encourage, support and share the Gospel with them rather than placing hurdles in their way. Let’s be tolerant of things that might irritate or mess up our neatly arranged schedules—I never thought I’d use the word “tolerant” in a positive capacity due to rampant political correctness, but there it is!
God owns our churches and He welcomes those who are sincerely seeking the truth. He promises that those who seek Him with all their hearts will find Him. (Jeremiah 29 vs 13) Let Him be found in our churches as we seek to love people and share the Good News about Jesus with them.
April 18, 2017
Why It's Not Okay For a Christian to Date, Court or Marry a Non-Believer
It's safe to say that the enemy is having a field day in the area of unequal yokes (believers becoming romantically entangled with non-believers.) I would go as far as to suggest that it is the biggest danger and strongest area of temptation a Christian can face, especially for younger people. I hear it all the time and the list of reasons is extensive.
I succumbed as a teenager, so I’m also speaking from personal experience. After a painful break-up with a Christian, and having just been baptised, declaring my faith publicly, I fell in dramatic fashion. A man who seemed to be exactly what I was looking and hoping for appeared suddenly on the scene when I was still reeling and hurt from what had gone before. The only problem, he wasn’t a believer, well, not yet anyway, but that would change, wouldn’t it?
Determined that I wouldn’t make the same mistakes as so many of my peers, and thinking my situation was somehow different, I ignored the advice of everyone. I persuaded him to come to church with me. I resisted making the relationship official knowing what the Bible says about these things. But, my heart was committed and I was emotionally attached. I was walking the danger line and it was just a matter of time before I veered over the edge.
Six years later, my life a broken mess and a string of relationships with non-believers behind me, I woke up. I decided that enough was enough. Knowing the way home, I repented of my many sins, and returned to a patient and gracious God. That was twelve years ago, but, things could have been very different if I had heeded the warnings in Scripture or listened to those who were trying to get through to me. My life could also have been very different if I had married one of those men.
Let me ask you, do you recognise any of these? They may be spoken aloud or remain hidden in the heart:
“I’m the only Christian he knows. How will he be saved if I break up with him?”
“She was brought up in the church and our views are almost the same.”
“He’s from a good Christian family, his mother and sister are Christians.”
“God has told me that she is the one.”
“She’s willing to wait until we are married.”
“We’re just friends, I’m praying for her.”
“He’s been coming to church with me. I think he’s nearly ready.”
“Why would God have allowed our paths to cross if we weren’t meant to be together?”
“My pastor says it’s okay as long as we don’t have sex.”
“That Bible passage isn’t talking about romantic relationships.”
“I just have an inner sense that we are meant to be together.”
“I don’t think I’ll meet anyone else and I want to have a family.”
“My friends really like her, she fits in.”
“Everyone is getting married, I don’t want to be lonely.”
“I’ve waited for God and He hasn’t delivered, I’ll have to make my own happiness.”
“God can’t expect me to be alone forever.”
“My church leader said that sometimes God makes allowances.”
“I know of a couple where it worked out and he became a Christian. They are very happy”
“He is more moral than a lot of Christian people I know.”
“The Bible doesn’t apply to us today. Things have moved on.”
“She supports my faith and thinks it’s a good thing.”
“God knows my weaknesses and He will forgive me.”
“God wouldn’t want me to break the commitment I have made to marry her.”
“Once we’re married everything will be okay, she will believe because she loves me.”
“My situation is different and I know things will work out.”
“He accepts my faith and doesn’t want me to change.”
“We’re saved by grace, remember? God loves me too much to deny me this relationship.”
“My faith is strong enough to endure the temptation, I won’t fall away.”
“But, I love him and can’t imagine my life with anyone else.”
There are surely others that you have heard or maybe even wrestled with yourself. The devil has perfected his strategy having dealt with many subjects over the years. He whispers lies and takes us captive to the feelings and emotions that are racing in our hearts and minds. It’s practically impossible to be objective when we are already in the situation.
All sorts of Christians, from all different backgrounds, with perfectly good intentions have slipped into sin by listening to one or more of the lies listed above. If we tell ourselves something often enough, we start to believe it, whether or not it is the truth. We can dull our conscience until the guilt that kept us awake at night becomes a dull ache and then fades away almost completely. Not totally though, provided we are really saved, there will still be a sense that things are not quite right. Believe it or not, that is God’s grace, reminding us that we cannot be satisfied or fulfilled without Him even though He has been temporarily side-lined.
I cannot address those who don’t believe the Bible or who don’t see it as authoritative. Those people have more serious issues and cannot be called Christians in any real sense. Take away the Bible and there is no foundation for faith. The Bible is God’s Word and we should seek to obey it.
If you do take the Bible seriously, you need to know that it is clear on the subject of relationships between believers and non-believers. In 2 Corinthians 6 vs 14-16:
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God” (ESV)
I think John MacArthur’s comments on this passage are helpful here;
“This passage identifies two opposing worlds. The terminology is clear; One of those worlds is marked by righteousness, light, Christ, believers, and the presence of God. The other is marked by lawlessness, darkness, Satan, unbelievers, and the presence of false gods. And these two worlds are utterly different and distinct, so much so that they are mutually exclusive.
They cannot work together in common partnership; they cannot fellowship together. They are not in harmony with one another. One is old; the other is new. One is earthly; the other is heavenly. One is deadly; the other is life giving. One is wicked; the other holy. One is built on lies; the other is all truth.One perishes and the other lives eternally.” (https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-l...)
Personally, I never considered the arguments that the Bible passage didn’t apply or that God meant something different. I knew what the Bible said and that my decision to have a relationship with a non-believer was displeasing to Him, so I just stayed away from the church. Ultimately, I became a prodigal.
I wasn’t guilty of hypocrisy by claiming to live a Christian life—those that do are not just harming themselves but are also damaging the integrity of the church in the eyes of the world. Don’t claim to be a Christian if you are living in wilful disobedience and don’t try to justify yourself by blaming God. That’s what the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were doing and they were severely rebuked for it.
What about the occasional story about couples where one party wasconverted later than the other? From a different perspective, does God ever bless disobedience? The answer to that question is a definite “no.” So, those who believe that they have somehow been brought together by God and that He would have them disobey a clear command in Scripture are wrong.
There are instances where God is gracious to a person and brings good out of bad. He may forgive our wrong choices and use us anyway, but there are always consequences. Nine times out of ten, or maybe ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the non-believer ends up drawing the Christian away from Christ.
There are many sins in the mix in these situations but the main one is idolatry. We are placing a person ahead of our relationship with God. It is easy to become blind to the reality and irrational—the enemy makes us think that we mustbe with that person and it becomes the most important priority in our lives. Is another human being ever really that incredible, or have we been drawn into a fantasy world?
We forget that we serve a good God who loves us and knows the desires of our hearts. That He is all powerful and more than capable of leading us to the right marriage partner at the right time. We attempt to do God’s work for him and make a mess of it. We are impatient and impulsive and forget that our hearts are sinful and lead us astray. We think that we can handle it and that we know what we are doing. We place ourselves on God’s throne and suffer the consequence.
God’s commands are there for our benefit and protection. He didn’t make them up to ruin our fun or for the sake of it. Think of the long-term consequence of becoming emotionally entangled or even married to a non-believer
1. Unless they see the truth, the partner you love is on their way to hell
2. What about your children? How can you teach them the right way if you are divided
3. Your priorities, values, focus and purpose in life will be fundamentally different
4. Your hobbies, holidays and use of time will be at odds with each other
5. There may be arguments about financial priorities, career prospects, gender roles
6. In time, there will be fights about church, personal devotions, beliefs, the Bible
7. Guilt—a nagging sense that you have sinned and are trapped in the situation
8. Different views about love, marriage and relationships
9. The loss of the opportunity for unity in a marriage with God at the centre
10. Greater likelihood of divorce—a marriage that is divided from the outset may fail
11. The church in disarray as disobedience is seen as the norm and others follow the example
12. God is grieved and your relationship with Him is damaged
Again, I’m sure there are many more that only those who have suffered through them will know.
This post is really a warning to those that are not yet married not to fall into the enemy’s trap. Don’t shut out the voices of those who care about you or isolate yourself from other believers. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn away from your church family thinking you and your partner can go it alone. Listen to the advice of Christians who have made mistakes and heed what they say. You are not invincible and your situation is not different. Talk to your church leader by all means, but if they tell you something that contradicts the Bible, you must obey God rather than men. They will have to give account for their carelessness.
This is not a message about Christian dating, so I’m not going to offer suggestions in that area. I will just say, that it is better to be single than to be with the wrong person, and then either end up falling away from God, or in the middle of a messy divorce a few years down the line.
Wait and pray, if God has someone for you, you can be sure that He will bring that person along when the time is right.
I succumbed as a teenager, so I’m also speaking from personal experience. After a painful break-up with a Christian, and having just been baptised, declaring my faith publicly, I fell in dramatic fashion. A man who seemed to be exactly what I was looking and hoping for appeared suddenly on the scene when I was still reeling and hurt from what had gone before. The only problem, he wasn’t a believer, well, not yet anyway, but that would change, wouldn’t it?
Determined that I wouldn’t make the same mistakes as so many of my peers, and thinking my situation was somehow different, I ignored the advice of everyone. I persuaded him to come to church with me. I resisted making the relationship official knowing what the Bible says about these things. But, my heart was committed and I was emotionally attached. I was walking the danger line and it was just a matter of time before I veered over the edge.
Six years later, my life a broken mess and a string of relationships with non-believers behind me, I woke up. I decided that enough was enough. Knowing the way home, I repented of my many sins, and returned to a patient and gracious God. That was twelve years ago, but, things could have been very different if I had heeded the warnings in Scripture or listened to those who were trying to get through to me. My life could also have been very different if I had married one of those men.
Let me ask you, do you recognise any of these? They may be spoken aloud or remain hidden in the heart:
“I’m the only Christian he knows. How will he be saved if I break up with him?”
“She was brought up in the church and our views are almost the same.”
“He’s from a good Christian family, his mother and sister are Christians.”
“God has told me that she is the one.”
“She’s willing to wait until we are married.”
“We’re just friends, I’m praying for her.”
“He’s been coming to church with me. I think he’s nearly ready.”
“Why would God have allowed our paths to cross if we weren’t meant to be together?”
“My pastor says it’s okay as long as we don’t have sex.”
“That Bible passage isn’t talking about romantic relationships.”
“I just have an inner sense that we are meant to be together.”
“I don’t think I’ll meet anyone else and I want to have a family.”
“My friends really like her, she fits in.”
“Everyone is getting married, I don’t want to be lonely.”
“I’ve waited for God and He hasn’t delivered, I’ll have to make my own happiness.”
“God can’t expect me to be alone forever.”
“My church leader said that sometimes God makes allowances.”
“I know of a couple where it worked out and he became a Christian. They are very happy”
“He is more moral than a lot of Christian people I know.”
“The Bible doesn’t apply to us today. Things have moved on.”
“She supports my faith and thinks it’s a good thing.”
“God knows my weaknesses and He will forgive me.”
“God wouldn’t want me to break the commitment I have made to marry her.”
“Once we’re married everything will be okay, she will believe because she loves me.”
“My situation is different and I know things will work out.”
“He accepts my faith and doesn’t want me to change.”
“We’re saved by grace, remember? God loves me too much to deny me this relationship.”
“My faith is strong enough to endure the temptation, I won’t fall away.”
“But, I love him and can’t imagine my life with anyone else.”
There are surely others that you have heard or maybe even wrestled with yourself. The devil has perfected his strategy having dealt with many subjects over the years. He whispers lies and takes us captive to the feelings and emotions that are racing in our hearts and minds. It’s practically impossible to be objective when we are already in the situation.
All sorts of Christians, from all different backgrounds, with perfectly good intentions have slipped into sin by listening to one or more of the lies listed above. If we tell ourselves something often enough, we start to believe it, whether or not it is the truth. We can dull our conscience until the guilt that kept us awake at night becomes a dull ache and then fades away almost completely. Not totally though, provided we are really saved, there will still be a sense that things are not quite right. Believe it or not, that is God’s grace, reminding us that we cannot be satisfied or fulfilled without Him even though He has been temporarily side-lined.
I cannot address those who don’t believe the Bible or who don’t see it as authoritative. Those people have more serious issues and cannot be called Christians in any real sense. Take away the Bible and there is no foundation for faith. The Bible is God’s Word and we should seek to obey it.
If you do take the Bible seriously, you need to know that it is clear on the subject of relationships between believers and non-believers. In 2 Corinthians 6 vs 14-16:
“Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God” (ESV)
I think John MacArthur’s comments on this passage are helpful here;
“This passage identifies two opposing worlds. The terminology is clear; One of those worlds is marked by righteousness, light, Christ, believers, and the presence of God. The other is marked by lawlessness, darkness, Satan, unbelievers, and the presence of false gods. And these two worlds are utterly different and distinct, so much so that they are mutually exclusive.
They cannot work together in common partnership; they cannot fellowship together. They are not in harmony with one another. One is old; the other is new. One is earthly; the other is heavenly. One is deadly; the other is life giving. One is wicked; the other holy. One is built on lies; the other is all truth.One perishes and the other lives eternally.” (https://www.gty.org/library/sermons-l...)
Personally, I never considered the arguments that the Bible passage didn’t apply or that God meant something different. I knew what the Bible said and that my decision to have a relationship with a non-believer was displeasing to Him, so I just stayed away from the church. Ultimately, I became a prodigal.
I wasn’t guilty of hypocrisy by claiming to live a Christian life—those that do are not just harming themselves but are also damaging the integrity of the church in the eyes of the world. Don’t claim to be a Christian if you are living in wilful disobedience and don’t try to justify yourself by blaming God. That’s what the religious leaders in Jesus’ day were doing and they were severely rebuked for it.
What about the occasional story about couples where one party wasconverted later than the other? From a different perspective, does God ever bless disobedience? The answer to that question is a definite “no.” So, those who believe that they have somehow been brought together by God and that He would have them disobey a clear command in Scripture are wrong.
There are instances where God is gracious to a person and brings good out of bad. He may forgive our wrong choices and use us anyway, but there are always consequences. Nine times out of ten, or maybe ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the non-believer ends up drawing the Christian away from Christ.
There are many sins in the mix in these situations but the main one is idolatry. We are placing a person ahead of our relationship with God. It is easy to become blind to the reality and irrational—the enemy makes us think that we mustbe with that person and it becomes the most important priority in our lives. Is another human being ever really that incredible, or have we been drawn into a fantasy world?
We forget that we serve a good God who loves us and knows the desires of our hearts. That He is all powerful and more than capable of leading us to the right marriage partner at the right time. We attempt to do God’s work for him and make a mess of it. We are impatient and impulsive and forget that our hearts are sinful and lead us astray. We think that we can handle it and that we know what we are doing. We place ourselves on God’s throne and suffer the consequence.
God’s commands are there for our benefit and protection. He didn’t make them up to ruin our fun or for the sake of it. Think of the long-term consequence of becoming emotionally entangled or even married to a non-believer
1. Unless they see the truth, the partner you love is on their way to hell
2. What about your children? How can you teach them the right way if you are divided
3. Your priorities, values, focus and purpose in life will be fundamentally different
4. Your hobbies, holidays and use of time will be at odds with each other
5. There may be arguments about financial priorities, career prospects, gender roles
6. In time, there will be fights about church, personal devotions, beliefs, the Bible
7. Guilt—a nagging sense that you have sinned and are trapped in the situation
8. Different views about love, marriage and relationships
9. The loss of the opportunity for unity in a marriage with God at the centre
10. Greater likelihood of divorce—a marriage that is divided from the outset may fail
11. The church in disarray as disobedience is seen as the norm and others follow the example
12. God is grieved and your relationship with Him is damaged
Again, I’m sure there are many more that only those who have suffered through them will know.
This post is really a warning to those that are not yet married not to fall into the enemy’s trap. Don’t shut out the voices of those who care about you or isolate yourself from other believers. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn away from your church family thinking you and your partner can go it alone. Listen to the advice of Christians who have made mistakes and heed what they say. You are not invincible and your situation is not different. Talk to your church leader by all means, but if they tell you something that contradicts the Bible, you must obey God rather than men. They will have to give account for their carelessness.
This is not a message about Christian dating, so I’m not going to offer suggestions in that area. I will just say, that it is better to be single than to be with the wrong person, and then either end up falling away from God, or in the middle of a messy divorce a few years down the line.
Wait and pray, if God has someone for you, you can be sure that He will bring that person along when the time is right.
April 13, 2017
10 Suggestions for Evangelism
I know lots of people who want to share the Gospel but either don’t know where to start or are afraid of taking the first step. I thought it might be helpful to share some ideas or methods that can be used. There are some big suggestions that may be daunting. But, also, some more discreet approaches. Some are things you can do individually, others are for a church group or in partnership with a church.
There is no “one size fits all” and no method that will necessarily be more effective than another. God chooses when to open a person’s heart and draw them to Him. Our job as Christians is to be faithful in planting the seed. Most importantly we need to pray about every contact with a non-believer.
Choosing and Distributing Tracts. A tract is a small leaflet containing a Gospel message. It can be on a particular topic or theme. There are good tracts and bad ones. Colourful or unusual looking tracts can be effective because they get a person’s attention. Ideally, choose tracts that clearly present the Gospel with at least one Bible verse—it is the Word of God that convicts. Some organisations offer sample tract packs—LivingWaters or Birmingham Gospel Outreach. If you don’t like any of the available tracts, you can create your own and even include your testimony. But, don’t make it too long and it’s a good idea to ask a church leader to check it over.
Take tracts with you wherever you go and leave them in public places—trains, restaurants after a meal, shopping malls, libraries etc. If you are feeling bold you can write an email address for further contact. You could also give a tract to someone after a conversation. It’s always a good idea to say something about what it is if you do that.
Door to Door. I know a church that uses a detailed street map of their town to plan their evangelism. A small team meets once a week for prayer, they then take tracts and church leaflets and put them through every door on every street detailed on the map. They have covered the entire town and started again with a new tract which means that every person in their area has had the opportunity to read the Gospel. It is also non-confrontational. Always make sure there are details if someone wants to ask further questions or to go to a church.
Social Media. The internet has created opportunities to reach people around the world, even in closed countries. Make sure your social media profiles reflect your Christian faith. You could put Bible verses prominently on your pages or post them to walls. Like and share Christian posts. Write your own testimony and share it. Read and review Christian books and recommend them online, try to be honest! Don’t hide your faith online, make it obvious that you are different and try to bring biblical values into discussions. The Christian Institute deals with a wide-range of issues that impact Christians in the UK. Read and share their posts and consider supporting their work.
Prison Writing and Visiting. The Bible specifically reminds us to remember those who are in prison. There are Christian organisations that facilitate contact with prisoners—Daylight Christian Prison Trust and Prison Fellowship. Sign up as a volunteer and write letters to prisoners around the world. If there is a prison near your church, consider asking your church leader if you could organise regular visits to build relationships with the prisoners. The biggest need is usually for practical help on release from prison, make sure your church plans for this.
Street Evangelism. This is probably the most well-known form of evangelism and the most feared! But it doesn’t need to be confrontational. You could be a supporter—join a team preaching on the street and stand in the crowd ready to answer questions or to discuss what the preacher is saying with those watching. You could even just give out tracts to those nearby. Setting up a small book-table is a good way to start conversations and distribute Christian literature especially with the sad demise of many Christian bookshops. If you are led by God, get involved in the preaching yourself. It’s good to join with others and to be linked with a local church for follow-up with enquirers. Make sure you obtain permission from authorities for public spaces. There are Open Air Missions you could join or take a trip to a Speaker’s Corner
Personal Contacts. These are the people you already know through daily life—relatives, friends, neighbours, work-colleagues. They may be the most difficult group to witness to because they know you, have seen your ups and downs and you could risk losing the relationship. But, they are actually the people that you bear the most responsibility to witness to. You might be the only Christian they know--make sure your lifestyle and decision-making reflects Jesus. Try inviting them to a special event at church or include a Bible verse or tract in a card for a Birthday or Christmas. Offer them a Christian book that deals with an issue they are facing. It may not be necessary to keep hammering them over the head with the Gospel, but it’s really important that they hear or read it clearly at least once through your contact.
Coffee Shop Outreach. There are a lot of churches now that have places where people can talk to a Christian informally. Sometimes these places sell books or host a small library which could be good for starting conversations. Independent bookshops are disappearing but church shops usually operate on a not for profit basis due to being charitable. You could get involved in this friendship evangelism or ask your church to consider beginning a ministry for this purpose. A lot of people have problems and need someone to listen, but face to face contact is being lost due to the unstoppable march of technology. People are lonely, give your time.
Write a Book! Not everyone will have the ability, motivation or time to do this but it can be a great way to get the Gospel out there and to make people think about issues from a Christian perspective. Alternatively, start a book club with some friends or work colleagues and when it is your turn to choose, be bold and opt for a Christian one. Plan what you will say in the subsequent discussion to make the best use of the opportunity.
Become an Online Evangelist. There are organisations that recruit online missionaries and evangelists. I volunteer for Need Him (formerly Groundwire.) We chat online to people all around the world who have questions about faith or who need spiritual advice. It is anonymous, there is training and a team leader oversees the conversations. If you have a few hours a week to spare, sign up now!
Missions. Those who are called into long term mission work probably won’t need to read a post suggesting basic ways to evangelise! Short-term missions can be a good option for people who want to test the water. However, they can seriously damage long term work that is already taking place if they are not planned properly. That is part of a larger discussion, but the golden rule for STM’s is to make sure that you partner effectively with either a church or with long term workers on the ground that know what they are doing. Choose a mission that includes evangelism or if it is a specific practical project, that is facilitating future evangelism. Remember that help without hope is the ultimate tragedy.
I hope this list is useful and has given you some new ideas. Feel free to make suggestions as there are a lot of other ways to share the Gospel. Innovation can also be exciting. God created us all differently so maybe your idea will start a trend! In an adaptation of a quote from Chinua Achebe:
“If you don’t like someone else’s idea then come up with your own.”
Matthew 28 vs 18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
There is no “one size fits all” and no method that will necessarily be more effective than another. God chooses when to open a person’s heart and draw them to Him. Our job as Christians is to be faithful in planting the seed. Most importantly we need to pray about every contact with a non-believer.
Choosing and Distributing Tracts. A tract is a small leaflet containing a Gospel message. It can be on a particular topic or theme. There are good tracts and bad ones. Colourful or unusual looking tracts can be effective because they get a person’s attention. Ideally, choose tracts that clearly present the Gospel with at least one Bible verse—it is the Word of God that convicts. Some organisations offer sample tract packs—LivingWaters or Birmingham Gospel Outreach. If you don’t like any of the available tracts, you can create your own and even include your testimony. But, don’t make it too long and it’s a good idea to ask a church leader to check it over.
Take tracts with you wherever you go and leave them in public places—trains, restaurants after a meal, shopping malls, libraries etc. If you are feeling bold you can write an email address for further contact. You could also give a tract to someone after a conversation. It’s always a good idea to say something about what it is if you do that.
Door to Door. I know a church that uses a detailed street map of their town to plan their evangelism. A small team meets once a week for prayer, they then take tracts and church leaflets and put them through every door on every street detailed on the map. They have covered the entire town and started again with a new tract which means that every person in their area has had the opportunity to read the Gospel. It is also non-confrontational. Always make sure there are details if someone wants to ask further questions or to go to a church.
Social Media. The internet has created opportunities to reach people around the world, even in closed countries. Make sure your social media profiles reflect your Christian faith. You could put Bible verses prominently on your pages or post them to walls. Like and share Christian posts. Write your own testimony and share it. Read and review Christian books and recommend them online, try to be honest! Don’t hide your faith online, make it obvious that you are different and try to bring biblical values into discussions. The Christian Institute deals with a wide-range of issues that impact Christians in the UK. Read and share their posts and consider supporting their work.
Prison Writing and Visiting. The Bible specifically reminds us to remember those who are in prison. There are Christian organisations that facilitate contact with prisoners—Daylight Christian Prison Trust and Prison Fellowship. Sign up as a volunteer and write letters to prisoners around the world. If there is a prison near your church, consider asking your church leader if you could organise regular visits to build relationships with the prisoners. The biggest need is usually for practical help on release from prison, make sure your church plans for this.
Street Evangelism. This is probably the most well-known form of evangelism and the most feared! But it doesn’t need to be confrontational. You could be a supporter—join a team preaching on the street and stand in the crowd ready to answer questions or to discuss what the preacher is saying with those watching. You could even just give out tracts to those nearby. Setting up a small book-table is a good way to start conversations and distribute Christian literature especially with the sad demise of many Christian bookshops. If you are led by God, get involved in the preaching yourself. It’s good to join with others and to be linked with a local church for follow-up with enquirers. Make sure you obtain permission from authorities for public spaces. There are Open Air Missions you could join or take a trip to a Speaker’s Corner
Personal Contacts. These are the people you already know through daily life—relatives, friends, neighbours, work-colleagues. They may be the most difficult group to witness to because they know you, have seen your ups and downs and you could risk losing the relationship. But, they are actually the people that you bear the most responsibility to witness to. You might be the only Christian they know--make sure your lifestyle and decision-making reflects Jesus. Try inviting them to a special event at church or include a Bible verse or tract in a card for a Birthday or Christmas. Offer them a Christian book that deals with an issue they are facing. It may not be necessary to keep hammering them over the head with the Gospel, but it’s really important that they hear or read it clearly at least once through your contact.
Coffee Shop Outreach. There are a lot of churches now that have places where people can talk to a Christian informally. Sometimes these places sell books or host a small library which could be good for starting conversations. Independent bookshops are disappearing but church shops usually operate on a not for profit basis due to being charitable. You could get involved in this friendship evangelism or ask your church to consider beginning a ministry for this purpose. A lot of people have problems and need someone to listen, but face to face contact is being lost due to the unstoppable march of technology. People are lonely, give your time.
Write a Book! Not everyone will have the ability, motivation or time to do this but it can be a great way to get the Gospel out there and to make people think about issues from a Christian perspective. Alternatively, start a book club with some friends or work colleagues and when it is your turn to choose, be bold and opt for a Christian one. Plan what you will say in the subsequent discussion to make the best use of the opportunity.
Become an Online Evangelist. There are organisations that recruit online missionaries and evangelists. I volunteer for Need Him (formerly Groundwire.) We chat online to people all around the world who have questions about faith or who need spiritual advice. It is anonymous, there is training and a team leader oversees the conversations. If you have a few hours a week to spare, sign up now!
Missions. Those who are called into long term mission work probably won’t need to read a post suggesting basic ways to evangelise! Short-term missions can be a good option for people who want to test the water. However, they can seriously damage long term work that is already taking place if they are not planned properly. That is part of a larger discussion, but the golden rule for STM’s is to make sure that you partner effectively with either a church or with long term workers on the ground that know what they are doing. Choose a mission that includes evangelism or if it is a specific practical project, that is facilitating future evangelism. Remember that help without hope is the ultimate tragedy.
I hope this list is useful and has given you some new ideas. Feel free to make suggestions as there are a lot of other ways to share the Gospel. Innovation can also be exciting. God created us all differently so maybe your idea will start a trend! In an adaptation of a quote from Chinua Achebe:
“If you don’t like someone else’s idea then come up with your own.”
Matthew 28 vs 18-20
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
March 28, 2017
Help, I've Committed the Unforgiveable Sin!
I was thinking about writing a post on prayer, but I’ve had some discussions recently with people about something that troubles them a lot—the “unforgiveable sin,” mentioned in Matthew 12.
“Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”Matthew 12:31-32 (ESV)
Who was Jesus talking to in this passage? He was speaking to the Pharisees, the religious leaders, who had just suggested that He was using power from the devil to perform a miracle.
What was Jesus talking about? Jesus is referring to those who deliberately and purposefully state that an act of God is actually an act of Satan. They knowingly lie by attributing the glory due to God to the devil. This is referred to as blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Why is the sin unforgiveable? These people are so steeped in evil that they are beyond redemption. They have caused much harm to God’s holy name and have led others astray through their deliberate falsehoods. They have crossed a line and it is not possible for them to turn back--nor would they want to.
Have I committed the unforgiveable sin?
I once heard a Pastor say that he had asked his church congregation to raise their hands if they thought that at some point they might have committed the unforgiveable sin. Nearly every hand went up. That’s a lot of people serving God but lacking assurance, or worse, a lot of people terrified that they have said or done the unforgiveable and cannot do anything to combat it.
I have observed similar concerns during one to one conversations with people troubled by these thoughts. Some think that when they have doubts about God or try to exercise discernment when they witness apparent miracles that they might be committing this sin. Unfortunately, I have even heard believers accuse people who question certain phenomena as potentially having committed this sin or of being in danger of doing so. That’s a sure way to swiftly silence your critics!
One of the saddest things is that people who are worried about this very often carry the burden alone. They allow themselves to be troubled in mind and heart and think that if they seek counsel or ask questions they might receive the response they dread--that they have indeed committed that sin and are therefore excluded permanently from heaven. They don’t realise that most Christians have considered this subject at some time or other and depending on how the Scripture was explained to them either found peace or continued to wrestle with the matter in private.
Firstly, let’s think about this from a purely rational point of view. If this is the only sin in the entire world that cannot be forgiven, it has to be seriously evil. If it is worse than genocide, child abuse, murder, rape, torture, etc then it must be something truly terrible. Consider Paul who persecuted Christians and watched many of them die at his hands, Peter who denied Jesus three times and David who committed adultery and murder. They were all forgiven, it must be worse than this.
Most people that are concerned about it think they have committed it by accident. Is that possible? No, it is not. It is a deliberate and final act of defiance towards and rejection of God.
Other people fear that they have committed it at some point prior to being saved. Is that possible? No, it is not. Those who are worried about possibly having committed this sin haven’t. The point is that anyone who ventures so far into enemy territory will never want to receive forgiveness and mercy from God, at least in this life. They will remain at war with Him until they die.
It will not be the case that there are people desperate for God’s mercy who cannot receive it due to either a mistaken belief or some evil acts that they have committed in the past. Our churches are not filled with people who cannot be saved due to having done the unforgiveable.
Doubting God is a sin but we are all sinners and on some level we all doubt God at times by failing to love Him wholeheartedly or by failing to trust Him completely. This sin is not what Jesus is talking about.
Similarly, exercising discernment or questioning whether or not something is actually of God is not the unforgiveable sin. The Bible teaches us to practice discernment and to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4.) It is when we know that something is of God and instead proclaim that it is of the devil that we are beyond reach.
We need to remember as well that it is God that draws us to Him via His Holy Spirit. Why would He draw a person to repentance and faith if He had already condemned them for eternity?
There is another passage in the Bible that causes similar fears:
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
Hebrews 6 vs 4-6 (ESV)
I came across this one day after I had been backslidden for six years and it made me seriously panic! But as with the unforgiveable sin, my panic was actually evidence that the passage didn’t apply to me. Those who are being dealt with in these verses will not care that they cannot be saved. They have rejected God rather than the other way around.
I was also reassured by the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son which is closely related to my life story. The son (you and me) in the parable, on repentance, is welcomed with open arms by the Father who represents God.
To deal with this second section, I will link to a short article from John MacArthur. In brief, he explains that this passage is addressed to unbelievers and not to Christians. Christians cannot lose their salvation.
The verses are warning non-believers that they are at the stage where they know as much Gospel truth as they will be given. Therefore, they must make the decision to trust Jesus then and there, there won’t be another opportunity for them. That is sobering, but it should spur us on in our evangelistic efforts.
I hope this post will assist in helping those who struggle with either of these areas of the Bible to find peace once and for all. Christians have nothing to fear from either of these passages. God will forgive if we ask Him through Jesus.
1 John 1 vs 9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Romans 10 vs 9
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
“Therefore, I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”Matthew 12:31-32 (ESV)
Who was Jesus talking to in this passage? He was speaking to the Pharisees, the religious leaders, who had just suggested that He was using power from the devil to perform a miracle.
What was Jesus talking about? Jesus is referring to those who deliberately and purposefully state that an act of God is actually an act of Satan. They knowingly lie by attributing the glory due to God to the devil. This is referred to as blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Why is the sin unforgiveable? These people are so steeped in evil that they are beyond redemption. They have caused much harm to God’s holy name and have led others astray through their deliberate falsehoods. They have crossed a line and it is not possible for them to turn back--nor would they want to.
Have I committed the unforgiveable sin?
I once heard a Pastor say that he had asked his church congregation to raise their hands if they thought that at some point they might have committed the unforgiveable sin. Nearly every hand went up. That’s a lot of people serving God but lacking assurance, or worse, a lot of people terrified that they have said or done the unforgiveable and cannot do anything to combat it.
I have observed similar concerns during one to one conversations with people troubled by these thoughts. Some think that when they have doubts about God or try to exercise discernment when they witness apparent miracles that they might be committing this sin. Unfortunately, I have even heard believers accuse people who question certain phenomena as potentially having committed this sin or of being in danger of doing so. That’s a sure way to swiftly silence your critics!
One of the saddest things is that people who are worried about this very often carry the burden alone. They allow themselves to be troubled in mind and heart and think that if they seek counsel or ask questions they might receive the response they dread--that they have indeed committed that sin and are therefore excluded permanently from heaven. They don’t realise that most Christians have considered this subject at some time or other and depending on how the Scripture was explained to them either found peace or continued to wrestle with the matter in private.
Firstly, let’s think about this from a purely rational point of view. If this is the only sin in the entire world that cannot be forgiven, it has to be seriously evil. If it is worse than genocide, child abuse, murder, rape, torture, etc then it must be something truly terrible. Consider Paul who persecuted Christians and watched many of them die at his hands, Peter who denied Jesus three times and David who committed adultery and murder. They were all forgiven, it must be worse than this.
Most people that are concerned about it think they have committed it by accident. Is that possible? No, it is not. It is a deliberate and final act of defiance towards and rejection of God.
Other people fear that they have committed it at some point prior to being saved. Is that possible? No, it is not. Those who are worried about possibly having committed this sin haven’t. The point is that anyone who ventures so far into enemy territory will never want to receive forgiveness and mercy from God, at least in this life. They will remain at war with Him until they die.
It will not be the case that there are people desperate for God’s mercy who cannot receive it due to either a mistaken belief or some evil acts that they have committed in the past. Our churches are not filled with people who cannot be saved due to having done the unforgiveable.
Doubting God is a sin but we are all sinners and on some level we all doubt God at times by failing to love Him wholeheartedly or by failing to trust Him completely. This sin is not what Jesus is talking about.
Similarly, exercising discernment or questioning whether or not something is actually of God is not the unforgiveable sin. The Bible teaches us to practice discernment and to test the spirits to see if they are of God (1 John 4.) It is when we know that something is of God and instead proclaim that it is of the devil that we are beyond reach.
We need to remember as well that it is God that draws us to Him via His Holy Spirit. Why would He draw a person to repentance and faith if He had already condemned them for eternity?
There is another passage in the Bible that causes similar fears:
“For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.”
Hebrews 6 vs 4-6 (ESV)
I came across this one day after I had been backslidden for six years and it made me seriously panic! But as with the unforgiveable sin, my panic was actually evidence that the passage didn’t apply to me. Those who are being dealt with in these verses will not care that they cannot be saved. They have rejected God rather than the other way around.
I was also reassured by the Parable of the Lost (Prodigal) Son which is closely related to my life story. The son (you and me) in the parable, on repentance, is welcomed with open arms by the Father who represents God.
To deal with this second section, I will link to a short article from John MacArthur. In brief, he explains that this passage is addressed to unbelievers and not to Christians. Christians cannot lose their salvation.
The verses are warning non-believers that they are at the stage where they know as much Gospel truth as they will be given. Therefore, they must make the decision to trust Jesus then and there, there won’t be another opportunity for them. That is sobering, but it should spur us on in our evangelistic efforts.
I hope this post will assist in helping those who struggle with either of these areas of the Bible to find peace once and for all. Christians have nothing to fear from either of these passages. God will forgive if we ask Him through Jesus.
1 John 1 vs 9
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Romans 10 vs 9
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
March 18, 2017
The Fool Says in His Heart, "There is No God."
There is a story about an atheist minding his own business whilst standing on the shore and looking out to sea. He is approached by a man who gives him a Gospel tract. Glancing at it, the atheist becomes angry, tears up the tract and throws it at the by now slightly fearful evangelist. He stamps on the pieces on the ground, curses and then storms off, ranting about the encounter. Arriving home, he removes his jacket and a tiny remnant of the shredded paper falls to the floor. He picks it up and reads the single word “God,” on one side. Flipping it over he reads “eternity” on the other. He has a sleepless night as the two words turn over and over in his mind. The next day he arises early and humbly heads out in search of the evangelist…
The fool says in his heart, there is no God.
You attend a family gathering or social function when the subject of religion comes up. Some slink away, others express loud opinions about the damage religion has done to the world, humanity in general or even more specifically to themselves. But, most people just look down awkwardly, they feel uncomfortable and hope for a swift subject change—the two unmentionables in polite company, politics and religion.
The fool says in his heart, there is no God.
A woman takes a walk in the country. She breathes the fresh air and feels the warmth of the sun. She looks up at the blue cloudless sky. She observes the beauty of the trees and mountains in the distance. She smells the fragrance of the flowers. She sees the animals in the fields. She hears the birds singing. She feels grateful for the beauty of the day, her surroundings, and the “accident” that brought her into existence.
The fool says in his heart, there is no God.
You wake up excited. You are taking your family on the trip of a lifetime. The long hours at work have finally paid off and you can get away for two whole weeks. Your kids can go to the movies, shopping malls and whatever else it is that they want to do. You refuse to think about the build-up of work that will inevitably be waiting for you on your return. You have been planning this trip for nearly the whole year and looking forward to it for just as long. In recent months, the details have basically consumed your life and taken over. You can finally relax, but you wonder, when did life get so busy?
The fool says in his heart, there is no God.
These scenarios are representative of the lives of many people who claim not to believe in God. They deny Him through anger, avoidance, assumed ignorance or by filling their lives with distractions and busyness. They give us insight into the human heart which focuses on ourselves rather than the God who created us.
The first man becomes angry when he is approached by someone who forces him to think about that which he has been ignoring. He is not angry with the person themselves, although it may appear that way, he is actually angry with God—a God who He claims doesn’t exist. This man is proud and refuses to acknowledge God until confronted with the reality of his situation here on earth.“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16 vs 18)
The social gathering where someone mentions the unmentionable and everyone feels awkward. They don’t want to face the implications of there being a holy God due to their many sins. They bury their heads in the sand and feel safe with others who do the same. But, judgement day will not be a group activity, “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14 v 12)
Avoidance seems like a sensible option—no conflict or emotional turmoil. However, Psalm 139 vs 1-3 reminds us that we cannot hide from, ignore or avoid God, “O Lord, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” If that isn’t sufficient, remember what happened to Jonah?
The lady who enjoys and is amazed by all that God has created but chooses to believe the lies of evolution despite knowing the truth in her heart. “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 people are without excuse.” (Romans 1 vs 20)
Finally, we have the distractions of this life—busyness, materialism, relationships. Basically, anything that consumes our minds and hearts and takes the place of God in our lives. “Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts.” (1 John 5 vs 21)
Anything that stops us thinking about the meaning of life or our purpose here and instead has us dealing with secondary matters or living for the moment. “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. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2 vs 15-17)
Why do we become angry with someone who genuinely wants to help us? Why do we fear talking about faith or religion? Why would we rather believe a nonsensical version of how we came to be here than the truth? Why do we keep ourselves so busy in the here and now rather than focusing on eternity?
Why do we deny what we know in our hearts to be true?
What if God exists and we will one day stand before Him? What if the Bible is true and we are accountable for our sin? Would we get angry with, ignore, avoid or distract ourselves from any other issue of such significance?
Surely it’s time to seriously think about the meaning and purpose of our existence. To learn the truth about our lives here on earth and thus resolve the ongoing struggle in our hearts. Surely this issue is important enough to take time over and consider in detail.
God created us with an innate and natural desire to be in a relationship with Him. It is sin that keeps us at a distance. God loved us so much that He sent His Son Jesus to die for our sin on a cross so that we can spend eternity in heaven with Him. It’s time to get right with God and prepare for eternity.
Psalm 14 vs 1-3
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, any who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.”
March 4, 2017
Is the Gospel the Answer to Every Problem?
Most of us analyse problems and situations and look for logical or sensible solutions. We often focus on the practical rather than the spiritual. It is human nature. It is also the natural tendency of Christians to think practically in the first instance because we are surrounded by earthly concerns. But are we really helping people?
When we see a homeless person, our inclination is to want to feed and clothe the person and ultimately to see them finding housing. When someone has died, we offer the grieving relatives counsel and encouragement and tell them that time is a great healer and it will get easier. When dealing with someone with addictions we offer them twelve step programmes or rehab. When someone is arrested, or goes to jail, we send them material things, visit them in prison and try to lift their spirits encouraging them to focus on their release date. When someone is the victim of a crime we try to replace what was lost materially or pay their medical bills if they were assaulted. When a person loses their business, or has a financial crisis we might directly offer them money or a loan. When someone goes missing we help with the search and spread the word on social media. When someone is lonely we spend time with them or invite them round to our houses. When a person is being persecuted in another country we help them leave as a refugee. When someone is abused we offer counselling. The list is endless…
I have written in the past that help without hope is the ultimate tragedy. From a slightly different angle, I wanted to focus on whether we, as Christians, really believe that the Gospel is the answer to every human problem that we face. We often say it and offer to pray for people, but has it become something of a cliché? We give a lot more consideration to practical help, and the spiritual can be side-lined. What does a person in crisis really need? Do we believe that there is power to solve every earthly problem in the name of Jesus? What will the solutions look like? What happens when God’s ways are not ours?
Sometimes, when reading the news, which I do every day, I come across an article that moves me more than usual. It might stay in my mind and I might think about the person’s situation and want to help them. My mind immediately turns to finances or material help.
Clearly, many people, believers and non-believers alike, are influenced in this way. Just look at the success of crowd funding or the donations that pour in for people whose plights are highlighted in the media or whose social media posts go viral. With the seemingly unstoppable march of technology it is now easy to connect with people whose stories we read from all over the world. We all want to help and money or material provision is one way to do that. We provide funds to help the person overcome their earthly trial and it might help, at least temporarily.
Then there are situations where time is needed—we might be inclined to visit someone or spend hours listening to their problems. Again, this may be helpful, for a time.
The Bible encourages us to be generous with our money and resources, to visit those in prison and to look after widows and orphans. This can easily be extended to all those in crisis or facing trials, as the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. So, practical help can be a biblical response.
However, the important aspect is where our focus is as we do these things. As Christians, we need to train ourselves to think firstly in terms of eternal matters rather than earthly concerns whatever they may be. Jesus is our example, he addressed the spiritual concerns of the paralysed man by forgiving his sin prior to healing him (Luke 5 vs 17-26.) From an earthly perspective, to onlookers, it would have appeared that the only need of the man was to be healed physically, but his burden of sin and eternal destiny was of far greater importance to Jesus. It should also be our priority as we seek to help others.
The Bible tells us that we will all face trials of many kinds in our lifetime. Sometimes it takes a crisis to make a person think seriously about God. Immediately focusing on practical solutions may not be what they need from a spiritual perspective. God may be working in their life in another way. We need to be careful not to obscure their view of God or pathway to Him with our earthly wisdom.
Instead, we can offer hope to someone struggling through a trial by offering to pray for them not as a cliché, but in the sincere belief that it will actually help. We can contact a stranger via social media to share the Gospel with them in their time of need or desperation. We can visit, call or write to someone to share the hope we have found in Jesus. Whose responsibility is it to share with the individuals that we read or hear about in the news or on social media? Who will share real hope with that neighbour or friend as the large financial donation temporarily relieves the crisis? Maybe God is prompting you to be that person.
We might feel awkward and fear rejection if we try to offer a person hope when others are providing seemingly greater earthly gifts. We might worry that the person may see our offering as worthless in comparison—that they might think we offer words to avoid financial sacrifice ourselves. Of course, we can offer practical help as well, but which should be the priority and focus?
Firstly, we should remember that any rejection of the Gospel message is actually a rejection of God rather than a personal one. Secondly, you might be surprised how willing a person is to hear the message of hope if your offering is covered with prayer and if God chooses to open their eyes. I recently received the following from one such stranger; “Thankyou for your message. It means a lot.” I contacted the person on social media, having debated whether or not to do so. I felt awkward and feared a hostile response or a “Who are you to get involved in my business?” or even the question that every Christian fears "If God loves me then why has this happened to me?" The enemy whispered that someone else should share with them, I didn't need to do it, but the fact is that God had prompted me. Don’t ignore those inner promptings of the Holy Spirit—I am not always faithful in responding but am learning.
The key here is whether we actually believe the things that we say we do. In my recent post about whether Christians really believe in Hell, I observed that if we did, we would do everything in our power to stop people ending up there, regardless the earthly consequence to ourselves.
Similarly, if we really believe that forgiveness of sin through Jesus, leading to eternal life in Heaven is the answer to every earthly problem, then wouldn’t we offer that first to those facing trials. If we really believe that the Gospel is the answer and provides the hope the person needs at that time, wouldn’t we risk it anyway, for their sake? We worry about political correctness and potentially offending someone, but if the Gospel is the truth then shouldn't a person’s eternal welfare be the priority.
What happens when God’s solutions are not our solutions? We need to be careful about offering people the “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” version of the Gospel. We shouldn’t tell a person that God will remove them from their earthly trials or make everything better. God may require the suffering to continue for reasons we cannot fathom, but He promises to be with them in the middle of the struggle. We can pray that the suffering would end, but we need to ensure we are offering hope for life beyond this one rather than focusing on the here and now.
The Gospel is the answer to every problem because it sustains us in our earthly trials and offers hope for a future life in heaven. Let’s ensure we keep our focus and communicate this to others as we also help them practically.
“If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge of a practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the marrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay in my head or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season. and my text would be, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul”
Anonymous atheist
When we see a homeless person, our inclination is to want to feed and clothe the person and ultimately to see them finding housing. When someone has died, we offer the grieving relatives counsel and encouragement and tell them that time is a great healer and it will get easier. When dealing with someone with addictions we offer them twelve step programmes or rehab. When someone is arrested, or goes to jail, we send them material things, visit them in prison and try to lift their spirits encouraging them to focus on their release date. When someone is the victim of a crime we try to replace what was lost materially or pay their medical bills if they were assaulted. When a person loses their business, or has a financial crisis we might directly offer them money or a loan. When someone goes missing we help with the search and spread the word on social media. When someone is lonely we spend time with them or invite them round to our houses. When a person is being persecuted in another country we help them leave as a refugee. When someone is abused we offer counselling. The list is endless…
I have written in the past that help without hope is the ultimate tragedy. From a slightly different angle, I wanted to focus on whether we, as Christians, really believe that the Gospel is the answer to every human problem that we face. We often say it and offer to pray for people, but has it become something of a cliché? We give a lot more consideration to practical help, and the spiritual can be side-lined. What does a person in crisis really need? Do we believe that there is power to solve every earthly problem in the name of Jesus? What will the solutions look like? What happens when God’s ways are not ours?
Sometimes, when reading the news, which I do every day, I come across an article that moves me more than usual. It might stay in my mind and I might think about the person’s situation and want to help them. My mind immediately turns to finances or material help.
Clearly, many people, believers and non-believers alike, are influenced in this way. Just look at the success of crowd funding or the donations that pour in for people whose plights are highlighted in the media or whose social media posts go viral. With the seemingly unstoppable march of technology it is now easy to connect with people whose stories we read from all over the world. We all want to help and money or material provision is one way to do that. We provide funds to help the person overcome their earthly trial and it might help, at least temporarily.
Then there are situations where time is needed—we might be inclined to visit someone or spend hours listening to their problems. Again, this may be helpful, for a time.
The Bible encourages us to be generous with our money and resources, to visit those in prison and to look after widows and orphans. This can easily be extended to all those in crisis or facing trials, as the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbour as we love ourselves. So, practical help can be a biblical response.
However, the important aspect is where our focus is as we do these things. As Christians, we need to train ourselves to think firstly in terms of eternal matters rather than earthly concerns whatever they may be. Jesus is our example, he addressed the spiritual concerns of the paralysed man by forgiving his sin prior to healing him (Luke 5 vs 17-26.) From an earthly perspective, to onlookers, it would have appeared that the only need of the man was to be healed physically, but his burden of sin and eternal destiny was of far greater importance to Jesus. It should also be our priority as we seek to help others.
The Bible tells us that we will all face trials of many kinds in our lifetime. Sometimes it takes a crisis to make a person think seriously about God. Immediately focusing on practical solutions may not be what they need from a spiritual perspective. God may be working in their life in another way. We need to be careful not to obscure their view of God or pathway to Him with our earthly wisdom.
Instead, we can offer hope to someone struggling through a trial by offering to pray for them not as a cliché, but in the sincere belief that it will actually help. We can contact a stranger via social media to share the Gospel with them in their time of need or desperation. We can visit, call or write to someone to share the hope we have found in Jesus. Whose responsibility is it to share with the individuals that we read or hear about in the news or on social media? Who will share real hope with that neighbour or friend as the large financial donation temporarily relieves the crisis? Maybe God is prompting you to be that person.
We might feel awkward and fear rejection if we try to offer a person hope when others are providing seemingly greater earthly gifts. We might worry that the person may see our offering as worthless in comparison—that they might think we offer words to avoid financial sacrifice ourselves. Of course, we can offer practical help as well, but which should be the priority and focus?
Firstly, we should remember that any rejection of the Gospel message is actually a rejection of God rather than a personal one. Secondly, you might be surprised how willing a person is to hear the message of hope if your offering is covered with prayer and if God chooses to open their eyes. I recently received the following from one such stranger; “Thankyou for your message. It means a lot.” I contacted the person on social media, having debated whether or not to do so. I felt awkward and feared a hostile response or a “Who are you to get involved in my business?” or even the question that every Christian fears "If God loves me then why has this happened to me?" The enemy whispered that someone else should share with them, I didn't need to do it, but the fact is that God had prompted me. Don’t ignore those inner promptings of the Holy Spirit—I am not always faithful in responding but am learning.
The key here is whether we actually believe the things that we say we do. In my recent post about whether Christians really believe in Hell, I observed that if we did, we would do everything in our power to stop people ending up there, regardless the earthly consequence to ourselves.
Similarly, if we really believe that forgiveness of sin through Jesus, leading to eternal life in Heaven is the answer to every earthly problem, then wouldn’t we offer that first to those facing trials. If we really believe that the Gospel is the answer and provides the hope the person needs at that time, wouldn’t we risk it anyway, for their sake? We worry about political correctness and potentially offending someone, but if the Gospel is the truth then shouldn't a person’s eternal welfare be the priority.
What happens when God’s solutions are not our solutions? We need to be careful about offering people the “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life” version of the Gospel. We shouldn’t tell a person that God will remove them from their earthly trials or make everything better. God may require the suffering to continue for reasons we cannot fathom, but He promises to be with them in the middle of the struggle. We can pray that the suffering would end, but we need to ensure we are offering hope for life beyond this one rather than focusing on the here and now.
The Gospel is the answer to every problem because it sustains us in our earthly trials and offers hope for a future life in heaven. Let’s ensure we keep our focus and communicate this to others as we also help them practically.
“If I firmly believed, as millions say they do, that the knowledge of a practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the marrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay in my head or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season. and my text would be, "What shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul”
Anonymous atheist
February 18, 2017
Why I Won't Be Watching "The Shack"
Reviewing books on Goodreads, I find that many of my most popular reviews are actually those where I have given a one star rating. I have also observed that these tend to be the best-selling books especially in the Christian book market. ( The Purpose Driven Life , The Shack, Heaven is for Real)
The popularity could be because more people are aware of the books hence more likely to read a review about them, consider reading them or have read them in the past. On the other hand, it could be that Christians are lacking discernment in the books that they buy, read and recommend. Therefore, these books end up clogging up the best-seller lists when they really shouldn’t be there in the first place. Tim Challies has written a good review series on Christian best sellers including The Shack.
I am sympathetic to those who act in ignorance or through naivety. I’m sure there have been books I have bought in the past that I wouldn’t want to read now and maybe books that I would read now that I will look back on with a different attitude. This is how the Christian life should be as we progress in holiness and sanctification. What I struggle with, however, is Christians who are aware of the error and decide to overlook it because they want to be entertained.
The Shack is a book that I have warned a lot of people away from over the years. I was given it as a gift by a well-meaning friend and just read the first few chapters before throwing it away. I was annoyed by the profanity and don’t think it's ever okay for a Christian to swear or use blasphemy in their books whether fiction or non-fiction. My most popular blog post to date is interestingly on that topic.
Aside from the cursing, I couldn’t believe it when members of the Trinity began to appear to the main character as black women. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t about race, it is about gender and the representation of God.
Representing God the Father as any image or human is a serious error even in fiction. We are not to build an image in our minds of God--we cannot "reduce" Him to our level of comprehension as He is so far above us in all things. Jesus had to die a painful death to reconcile us as sinful humans to God the Father due to His holiness. Jesus is the bridge and mediator, we cannot approach God apart from Him, let alone misrepresent Him in this careless way.
Why represent God as a woman? The Bible makes it clear that the authority structure is for a man to be at the head. The Shack is more dangerous because it feeds society's attempts to undermine the biblical gender roles and provides direct support for the feminist agenda. Christians should be standing against cultural trends where they conflict with the Bible, not promoting and supporting them.
And now, there is a movie. Hooray!
In the same way that Christian authors have a responsibility to ensure they are not promoting and advancing erroneous theology, even in fiction. Christian readers must exercise discernment in their reading. It is not legalism it is necessary and biblical. Why should this be any different for a movie?If enough Christians refuse to go and see this movie on the basis that the theology is erroneous, even dangerous, then it at least sends a message that the Bible cannot be undermined in this way. It also ensures that non-believers aren’t confused by the misrepresentation of the Christian message like some have been by the Da Vinci Code.
If you are not put off by the issues mentioned already, then an examination of the agenda of the author should be enough to make you think twice before reading the book or going to see the movie. This documentary from Paul Flynn is worth watching.
Sadly, I know that many Christians will still go to see this movie. They will go for the entertainment factor and some will say it is so they can critique it afterwards or start a Christian conversation with a non-believing friend. But, why start with something so confusing and potentially lead your friend down a blind alley from the outset, there are definitely easier ways to start an evangelistic conversation. Why not pray then try—would you like to come to church with me on Sunday? or, have you read this Christian book?—Ultimate Questions by John Blanchard is a good opener and the PDF is free here.
God didn't teach us to walk along danger lines or to study falsehood in order to learn error. We should instead study the truth (the Bible) so that we can recognise error. We are taught to resist evil and to flee from temptation. If we walk along danger lines instead of seeking to be more like Jesus by staying away from the lines, we will eventually veer across the line and fall into sin. It’s human nature and there is an active enemy seeking to devour us!
Christians who go to watch the movie are endorsing the errors in the teaching, undermining the Bible, funding this series and future projects and encouraging other authors and movie makers to write more of this type of thing.
We need to remember that it is the broad way that leads to destruction and the narrow way to life. In the latter times, people will gather teachers that say what their itching ears want to hear and we are warned that many will be deceived. The popular way is not God's way. Simply put in this modification of a quotation from G. K. Chesterton,
Wrong is wrong even if everyone else is doing it. Right is right even if no one else is doing it
Christians, let’s boycott this movie!
Psalm 101 vs 3
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.
Romans 16 vs 1
Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.
1 Timothy 4 vs 7
But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
Philippians 4 vs 8
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
2 Timothy 4 vs 3-4
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Proverbs 4 vs 14-15
Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on.
February 11, 2017
Top 10 Christian Books Read in 2016
I decided it was again time for a book related post mainly for the benefit of those who follow me on Goodreads. My Goodreads 2016 Challenge lists 164 books surpassing my goal of 150 (actually my original goal was 100 but I increased that when I realised it had become irrelevant…)
If you are interested, you can also read my previous posts about books--Reflections of an Amateur Christian Author and 10 Reasons for Writing Honest Book Reviews.
In compiling my list, I have tried to cover a wide range of genres and sub-genres which is quite tricky as I read a lot more biographies (especially by or about missionaries,) than anything else. I prefer books with a clear Gospel message and Christian purpose in writing. The best books are those where the message does not feel “tagged on” but is a central focus of the book without it necessarily being immediately obvious to the reader—it doesn’t feel awkward but is woven into the narrative.
The majority of the books I recommend here are clean—no bad language or sexual content and limited graphic violence. Where there is slight deviation I have commented on this in my review so you should know what to expect. You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link and purchase the books via the other links. (I am not affiliated with Amazon or any of the authors so am not benefitting from these recommendations in any way.) The books appear in the order I read them in 2016.
1. Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage,and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I don’t read a lot of war stories but this looked unusual. The title summarises the book. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I was inspired by the author’s reliance on and trust in God in terrible circumstances. There is some graphic violence which may upset some readers. (Amazon Kindle $5.91 Paperback $8.80)
2. The Hidden Altar. This gets my vote for best fiction by a self-published/indie author. The book actually tells two stories in alternating chapters. One story is set in the modern church and the other several centuries ago. They describe the persecution of Christians in different eras. There are some violence and torture scenes that may bother some readers. (Amazon Kindle $2.86)
3. Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World ofPoverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion,Persecution, Orphans and Pornography. Again the title gives the game away here. This book was my introduction to the author David Platt. I have since read his books Radical and Follow Me and can also recommend them. In my view Platt is a better author than speaker—I tried to listen to his sermons a few times but didn’t get on with the style. Although at times tending to extremes, Platt is a necessary voice in an age of apathy about serious biblical issues. (Amazon Kindle $8.88)
4. Girl in the Song. This is the only 4-star book on my list but it bravely tackles a controversial subject in a sensitive manner so I felt it should be included. This autobiographical account reveals the dangers of becoming unequally yoked (a believer becoming involved in a romantic relationship with a non-believer) and giving in to temptation. There are some minor theological issues hence the 4 star rating. (Amazon Kindle $8.88 Paperback $13.59)
5. Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story. This biography appealed to me due to my interest in criminal justice/police/prisons and the court system due to my former profession. In this case it was a miscarriage of justice. It is rare to find a book like this written by a Christian and the author has done a fantastic job in keeping the focus where it should be. (Amazon Kindle $2.46 Paperback $13.95)
6. Peace Child. Somehow, I had missed this missionary biography despite it being on all of the best seller lists in Christian circles--I only got around to reading it last year. Richardson has a gift for taking the reader with him, I’m sure he adds a certain amount of creative detail but it works albeit with some graphic violence. I also enjoyed Lords of the Earth but Peace Child was my favourite. (Amazon Kindle $5.91 Paperback $14.99)
7. Father of Faith Missions: The Life and Times of Anthony Norris Groves(1795-1853.) This lesser known missionary biography may turn out to be my all-time favourite. It could be listed in the history genre being jam-packed with stories from the field and lessons in life—well, at over 600 pages it would have to be! The author provides an interesting overview of early Brethren circles and the well-known Christian figures of the day. Indeed, on the front cover there is a tree showing how Groves is connected to all of these people in one way or another. (Amazon Paperback $19.99)
Missionary biographies that I also read in 2016 and can recommend include; Behind the Ranges: The Life Changing Story of J.O. Fraser, John G.Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides, My Heart in His Hands: Ann Judson of Burma, Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman, J. Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ and When Iron Gates Yield (I had to put them somewhere!)
8. Worship: The Ultimate Priority. Those who follow my reviews won’t be surprised to see a John MacArthur book amongst my favourites for 2016. He provides an overview of biblical worship emphasising that it is a way of life for a Christian and not just about music. This book reminded me of the greatness and majesty of God. (Amazon Kindle $7.02 Paperback $9.74)
9. The Sparrow Found a House (Sparrow Stories #1.) Outside my usual reading genre but nevertheless enjoyable, the author has written a wholesome family series dealing with a lot of issues that Christian teens and young adults will face in this generation. I read this because a friend asked me for a recommendation for her teenagers—there is a gap in the market for this type of literature. (Amazon Kindle $2.48 Paperback $9.99)
10. Chase Away Cancer. I read a fair number of Christian biographies last year. Some authors seem to tag God on to their stories and don’t seem to be trusting Him completely. Others take a single event and try to fill the pages of a book resulting in a monotonous reading experience. Still others have theological issues that trouble me or too much charismatic experience as the focus. This book avoids all of my pet peeves and tells the compelling story of a young boy suffering from cancer and his family’s attempts to help him whilst trusting God. (Amazon Kindle $13.15 Paperback $9.71)
I hope my list provides you with some new recommendations, feel free to comment on my selection or on my reviews. Let’s keep our reading choices focused on God—how we can be inspired, grow spiritually and benefit from the life lessons of others.
If you are interested, you can also read my previous posts about books--Reflections of an Amateur Christian Author and 10 Reasons for Writing Honest Book Reviews.
In compiling my list, I have tried to cover a wide range of genres and sub-genres which is quite tricky as I read a lot more biographies (especially by or about missionaries,) than anything else. I prefer books with a clear Gospel message and Christian purpose in writing. The best books are those where the message does not feel “tagged on” but is a central focus of the book without it necessarily being immediately obvious to the reader—it doesn’t feel awkward but is woven into the narrative.
The majority of the books I recommend here are clean—no bad language or sexual content and limited graphic violence. Where there is slight deviation I have commented on this in my review so you should know what to expect. You can read my Goodreads reviews by clicking on the title link and purchase the books via the other links. (I am not affiliated with Amazon or any of the authors so am not benefitting from these recommendations in any way.) The books appear in the order I read them in 2016.
1. Out of the Depths: An Unforgettable WWII Story of Survival, Courage,and the Sinking of the USS Indianapolis. I don’t read a lot of war stories but this looked unusual. The title summarises the book. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the book. I was inspired by the author’s reliance on and trust in God in terrible circumstances. There is some graphic violence which may upset some readers. (Amazon Kindle $5.91 Paperback $8.80)
2. The Hidden Altar. This gets my vote for best fiction by a self-published/indie author. The book actually tells two stories in alternating chapters. One story is set in the modern church and the other several centuries ago. They describe the persecution of Christians in different eras. There are some violence and torture scenes that may bother some readers. (Amazon Kindle $2.86)
3. Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World ofPoverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion,Persecution, Orphans and Pornography. Again the title gives the game away here. This book was my introduction to the author David Platt. I have since read his books Radical and Follow Me and can also recommend them. In my view Platt is a better author than speaker—I tried to listen to his sermons a few times but didn’t get on with the style. Although at times tending to extremes, Platt is a necessary voice in an age of apathy about serious biblical issues. (Amazon Kindle $8.88)
4. Girl in the Song. This is the only 4-star book on my list but it bravely tackles a controversial subject in a sensitive manner so I felt it should be included. This autobiographical account reveals the dangers of becoming unequally yoked (a believer becoming involved in a romantic relationship with a non-believer) and giving in to temptation. There are some minor theological issues hence the 4 star rating. (Amazon Kindle $8.88 Paperback $13.59)
5. Edges of Truth: The Mary Weaver Story. This biography appealed to me due to my interest in criminal justice/police/prisons and the court system due to my former profession. In this case it was a miscarriage of justice. It is rare to find a book like this written by a Christian and the author has done a fantastic job in keeping the focus where it should be. (Amazon Kindle $2.46 Paperback $13.95)
6. Peace Child. Somehow, I had missed this missionary biography despite it being on all of the best seller lists in Christian circles--I only got around to reading it last year. Richardson has a gift for taking the reader with him, I’m sure he adds a certain amount of creative detail but it works albeit with some graphic violence. I also enjoyed Lords of the Earth but Peace Child was my favourite. (Amazon Kindle $5.91 Paperback $14.99)
7. Father of Faith Missions: The Life and Times of Anthony Norris Groves(1795-1853.) This lesser known missionary biography may turn out to be my all-time favourite. It could be listed in the history genre being jam-packed with stories from the field and lessons in life—well, at over 600 pages it would have to be! The author provides an interesting overview of early Brethren circles and the well-known Christian figures of the day. Indeed, on the front cover there is a tree showing how Groves is connected to all of these people in one way or another. (Amazon Paperback $19.99)
Missionary biographies that I also read in 2016 and can recommend include; Behind the Ranges: The Life Changing Story of J.O. Fraser, John G.Paton: Missionary to the New Hebrides, My Heart in His Hands: Ann Judson of Burma, Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman, J. Hudson Taylor: A Man in Christ and When Iron Gates Yield (I had to put them somewhere!)
8. Worship: The Ultimate Priority. Those who follow my reviews won’t be surprised to see a John MacArthur book amongst my favourites for 2016. He provides an overview of biblical worship emphasising that it is a way of life for a Christian and not just about music. This book reminded me of the greatness and majesty of God. (Amazon Kindle $7.02 Paperback $9.74)
9. The Sparrow Found a House (Sparrow Stories #1.) Outside my usual reading genre but nevertheless enjoyable, the author has written a wholesome family series dealing with a lot of issues that Christian teens and young adults will face in this generation. I read this because a friend asked me for a recommendation for her teenagers—there is a gap in the market for this type of literature. (Amazon Kindle $2.48 Paperback $9.99)
10. Chase Away Cancer. I read a fair number of Christian biographies last year. Some authors seem to tag God on to their stories and don’t seem to be trusting Him completely. Others take a single event and try to fill the pages of a book resulting in a monotonous reading experience. Still others have theological issues that trouble me or too much charismatic experience as the focus. This book avoids all of my pet peeves and tells the compelling story of a young boy suffering from cancer and his family’s attempts to help him whilst trusting God. (Amazon Kindle $13.15 Paperback $9.71)
I hope my list provides you with some new recommendations, feel free to comment on my selection or on my reviews. Let’s keep our reading choices focused on God—how we can be inspired, grow spiritually and benefit from the life lessons of others.
January 20, 2017
Why America Has Not Gone Mad in Electing Trump
Today, I watched the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. I watched the proceedings including his televised speech alongside a fair number of Americans. As I did so, something unexpected happened, emotions began to rise to the surface. I turned to the person next to me and said, “Speeches like that would not be allowed in England.” I felt sad for my country, overwhelmed by what I was seeing and hearing, and somewhat envious.
Speech after speech made reference to God and quoted from the Bible. The Beatitudes were even read out in full to respectful and contemplative silence in the gathered crowds. There was no mockery or question surrounding the existence of God, He was present at every stage of the inauguration.
I had expected Vice President Mike Pence to talk about God—he is a Christian after all. I had not expected Trump himself to not only talk about God but to suggest that God was the most important aspect in the protection of America. He even quoted from the Bible during his speech!
I noted an absence of references to himself —everything was “we,” a refreshing change from outgoing President Obama. Sure, Trump has his faults and skeletons—we have heard enough of them in recent media coverage--he is not a perfect man. But, he is willing to admit changing his mind when he is presented with evidence--on abortion for example—that suggests at least some level of humility.
Recovering myself, I wondered whether the UK media had censored the reporting of the inauguration, maybe cutting out some of the references to faith. I wondered whether the political commentary would discuss the naivety of the American people in making God a central part of the day’s events. The media bias against all things Christian in Europe has resulted in a skewed interpretation of what is going on in America.
Travelling backwards and forwards between England and America a fair few times in recent months and listening to political discussions on both sides, it is apparent that there is a misrepresentation or misunderstanding in relation to America’s opinion of Trump.
In Europe, I have heard sympathetic comments like “I just feel so sorry for the Americans,” and “I don’t think they realised what they were letting themselves in for,” as if they made some type of mistake or acted in ignorance. I have also heard the incredulous “How could they have voted for him?” and “What were they thinking?” The other type of response has been to make personal accusations about Trump and to label him with all sorts of derogatory labels which don’t bear repeating.
It is clear that Europeans are outraged and insulted on America’s behalf, but a lot of the offence has to do with Trump’s lack of political correctness. Americans appear to be ten years behind Europe in the march of the politically correct brigade and loss of free speech—maybe that has caused the divergence.
Here in America, the vast majority of people I have spoken to are excited and enthusiastic about a Trump Presidency. They believe it is time for change, that Obama didn’t deliver and indeed frustrated the will of the people a lot of the time, as well as failing to adhere to his election promises. That Hillary Clinton would’ve continued to be embroiled in one scandal after another and that the excuses would’ve started to wear thin, if they hadn’t already. People just don’t trust her and there are those who are convinced that she is “evil.”
Trump talks about putting America first which angers the globalisationists, but isn’t that what all our governments should be doing—dealing with their own domestic issues and prioritising their own people? At least he’s being honest instead of spouting politically correct rhetoric about open borders and free movement under the misguided notion that this is embracing and celebrating diversity. His speech didn’t leave room for racism or discrimination in any capacity. It was heartfelt albeit ambitious—removing Islamic terrorism from the face of the earth is unlikely to be something that is achievable anytime soon, but with God’s help he can try!
Trump appears sincere in his desire to “make America great again,” he has a VP who is a Christian and by all accounts he is listening to those around him. There are millions around the world praying for him. He quotes the Bible and speaks of the protection of God as something necessary for America’s survival. That has got to be a good start for the 45th President of the United States.
Let’s pray for the American people, for Donald Trump as their President and for Mike Pence as he works alongside him. Whatever happens in America will affect all of us to one degree or another and with a Christian Prime Minister recently being appointed in Britain these are interesting times.
Speech after speech made reference to God and quoted from the Bible. The Beatitudes were even read out in full to respectful and contemplative silence in the gathered crowds. There was no mockery or question surrounding the existence of God, He was present at every stage of the inauguration.
I had expected Vice President Mike Pence to talk about God—he is a Christian after all. I had not expected Trump himself to not only talk about God but to suggest that God was the most important aspect in the protection of America. He even quoted from the Bible during his speech!
I noted an absence of references to himself —everything was “we,” a refreshing change from outgoing President Obama. Sure, Trump has his faults and skeletons—we have heard enough of them in recent media coverage--he is not a perfect man. But, he is willing to admit changing his mind when he is presented with evidence--on abortion for example—that suggests at least some level of humility.
Recovering myself, I wondered whether the UK media had censored the reporting of the inauguration, maybe cutting out some of the references to faith. I wondered whether the political commentary would discuss the naivety of the American people in making God a central part of the day’s events. The media bias against all things Christian in Europe has resulted in a skewed interpretation of what is going on in America.
Travelling backwards and forwards between England and America a fair few times in recent months and listening to political discussions on both sides, it is apparent that there is a misrepresentation or misunderstanding in relation to America’s opinion of Trump.
In Europe, I have heard sympathetic comments like “I just feel so sorry for the Americans,” and “I don’t think they realised what they were letting themselves in for,” as if they made some type of mistake or acted in ignorance. I have also heard the incredulous “How could they have voted for him?” and “What were they thinking?” The other type of response has been to make personal accusations about Trump and to label him with all sorts of derogatory labels which don’t bear repeating.
It is clear that Europeans are outraged and insulted on America’s behalf, but a lot of the offence has to do with Trump’s lack of political correctness. Americans appear to be ten years behind Europe in the march of the politically correct brigade and loss of free speech—maybe that has caused the divergence.
Here in America, the vast majority of people I have spoken to are excited and enthusiastic about a Trump Presidency. They believe it is time for change, that Obama didn’t deliver and indeed frustrated the will of the people a lot of the time, as well as failing to adhere to his election promises. That Hillary Clinton would’ve continued to be embroiled in one scandal after another and that the excuses would’ve started to wear thin, if they hadn’t already. People just don’t trust her and there are those who are convinced that she is “evil.”
Trump talks about putting America first which angers the globalisationists, but isn’t that what all our governments should be doing—dealing with their own domestic issues and prioritising their own people? At least he’s being honest instead of spouting politically correct rhetoric about open borders and free movement under the misguided notion that this is embracing and celebrating diversity. His speech didn’t leave room for racism or discrimination in any capacity. It was heartfelt albeit ambitious—removing Islamic terrorism from the face of the earth is unlikely to be something that is achievable anytime soon, but with God’s help he can try!
Trump appears sincere in his desire to “make America great again,” he has a VP who is a Christian and by all accounts he is listening to those around him. There are millions around the world praying for him. He quotes the Bible and speaks of the protection of God as something necessary for America’s survival. That has got to be a good start for the 45th President of the United States.
Let’s pray for the American people, for Donald Trump as their President and for Mike Pence as he works alongside him. Whatever happens in America will affect all of us to one degree or another and with a Christian Prime Minister recently being appointed in Britain these are interesting times.
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