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Being a Christian: It Means More Than Being Nice

February 15, 2010 in Apologetics, Discipleship, Theology with 16 Comments

I have been known to do personal surveys from time to time.

Not the kind where you have a seat and fill out a form, but the kind where I would just ask specific questions to random people as I encounter them usually about the topic of faith.

Some of the surveys I have done have been

Asking people why they wear a cross

Asking people why they believe in God

Asking people why they believe in Jesus

Asking people what it means to be a Christian

Asking people why they believe whatever it is they believe

There have been more, but these are the ones I have done the most. I especially enjoy asking people why they wear a cross or what it means to be a Christian.

And honestly, people have been quite offended by these questions. I suppose it is because they had to give a reason for something they were unsure of.

But do we really understand what it means to be a Christian?
Continue Reading…

Moral Obligations in Pop Culture. Make Sense?

February 11, 2010 in Apologetics, Philosophy, Theology with 4 Comments

Popular culture can have a tendency to wear on the Christian so as to fade his or her colorful faith that most evidences itself—I think—in his or her visible moral framework.

Moral Framework and Christian Identity

Please understand that I do not suggest here that moral framework alone constitutes for Christian identity, but a Christian identity necessitates a moral framework.

To be sure, Christians are convicted by and large through their moral framework. This moral framework comes from their Biblical worldview, which states that they are to behave though the filter of a transcendent moral framework because they are children of the transcendent God (Romans 8:12-14).

Being a child of God, though, does not come by observing a moral law, but instead by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (John 1:12-13). What is then produced as a result of this regeneration is then the desire for moral obligation.

Therefore, their sense of awe and gratitude of their salvation gives them a continual reminder that their adoptions as sons and daughters of God had nothing to do with their own efforts or “goodness.”

This gratitude then drives them to the humility of their Savior (Phil. 2:7-9) and the desire to honor Him with their lives. Thus, a moral framework is realized and becomes visible to the world.
Continue Reading…

Ask, Seek, Knock—An observation found in Luke 11:1-13

February 8, 2010 in Apologetics, Theology with 7 Comments

This passage is one that has been misused many times and in many ways. The most common being of the Word of Faith movement, which would say, “The reason you don’t have an abundance in your checking account is because you don’t ask for it!”

Err. Wrong.

Luke 11 begins with what is commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” which continues on to verse 4. Picking up in verse 5 Jesus begins to teach how impudence is often required to receive from even a friend when he is disturbed at an inconvenient time (v.5-8):

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs.” Luke 11:5-8

Just after this Jesus gives the words: ask and it will be given; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened (v.9). It seems as though Jesus may be using the parable of the impudent friend as a parallel for praying to the Father.

This view must be challenged, though, considering the word impudent.
Continue Reading…

Leadership and Apologetics

January 28, 2010 in Apologetics, Leadership with 7 Comments

Two highly potential qualities often not viewed in the same boat.

After reading an article discussing the role of apologetics, I have been thinking about how it fits in with leadership.

Do they fit in with each other? And if they do, what should it look like?

There is definitely a right way and a wrong way of doing this.

I have been in leadership circles that have done at least one of the three of these, if not more:

Lead by ordering
Lead by convincing
Lead by winning

How Do You Stand?

December 30, 2009 in Apologetics with 13 Comments

: Image by mrdorkesq via Flickr

That is, in your faith.

I used to get involved in debates quite frequently.

Most of them were online, and sometimes in some kind of forum. Other times they have been personal.

But never have I participated in a formal debate—I still wonder about that.

Recently, though, I have been involved in a bit of a debate with another person in a comment thread on a website I often read.

It’s been a back-and-forth commenting on the issue of the Bible Continue Reading…

So It’s That Time Again, eh?

October 30, 2009 in Apologetics, Theology with 8 Comments

Twin Pumkins

Are you hesitant on participating?

Well, I could understand if you are. I have talked to quite a few people who believes that Halloween is of the devil and Christians are participating in the occult if they participate in Halloween. Then there are those who do not necessarily think so. What ever position you take, I would like to say a bit about it all. Just a bit, though.

What power does it hold?

If halloween is the participation of pagan worship, then it must hold some intrinsic power, right? Continue Reading…

So You Think?

October 8, 2009 in Apologetics, Philosophy, Theology with 8 Comments

As a matter of fact, I do!

We think about ourselves. We think about our world. We think about others. We think about how things operate in the world. We think about the way things “ought” to be. We think about diversity. We think about equality. We think about pleasure, about entertainment, about pain, about relief, about destiny, and on and on it goes. Sometimes we think too much about certain things.

I was filling out a survey the other day, where I am to respond by circling “0″ to “4″; “0″ meaning “never” and “4″ meaning extremely. One of the question (among others) that was, how shall I say, retarded, was: “Do you have ideas or beliefs that others do not share.” Okay. Obviously this is some kind of psychological analysis, and obviously, this question is entirely vague. I was going to circle “4″—Extreme! Of course I have ideas and beliefs that others do not share. I Believe In JESUS! Besides, everyone has ideas and beliefs that others do not share. Even more, everyone has their own idea and no one shares ideas or beliefs with anyone else in any real way. In other words, no such thing as telepathy! This survey was evaluating how a person thinks. And it just made me wonder if the people who created this survey ever thought about the way THEY think.

How often do we think about the way we think?

I am not sure we do—at least by and large. Continue Reading…

Get It Together People!

September 30, 2009 in Apologetics, Preaching with 21 Comments

And hurry up, will ya!

I just received this magazine in the mail yesterday. I have no idea how these people got my address. I have been to no Church of God, and have not signed up for any of their literature. I simply checked the mail, and one of the first things I saw was this magazine with the huge wording: “Good News: Bringing up a Moral Child.”

Sometimes I think non-Christians have it more right than Christians do

To be honest, this magazine offended me. Almost everything about it offended me. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in objective morality, and I will affirm the need for moral behavior, but come on folks, let’s not get that confused with the gospel! YOU DIDN’T GET YOUR TICKET OUT OF HELL BECAUSE OF YOUR MORAL GOODNESS!

Or maybe I’m just being a Pharisee to the Pharisees

Don’t get me wrong. I have my fare share of pharisaical moments. Heck, even to this day I am, at times, pharisaical. I know this, that’s why I know I need Jesus. But listen, the Gospel goes WAY further than being a MORAL person. Why not just become a Buddhist? Shoot, I could even create myself a god that more suits my own selfish nature!

Listen. I understand the Continue Reading…

Thoughts on Worldviews

September 21, 2009 in Apologetics, Philosophy with 10 Comments

Worldview: A commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart that can be expressed in a story or set of presuppositions which we hold about the basic constitution of reality and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”[1]

I am in currently in a worldview class. I really enjoy it. But I do have my work cut out for me, as you can see in the above picture. What I like about this most is the discussion that occurs in the classroom. I tend to challenge ideas, even if I agree with them. And boy did I challenge the ideas presented in last weeks class. Continue Reading…

Faith: What Is It For?

February 13, 2009 in Apologetics, Theology with 2 Comments

An opportune Time!
It is quite interesting how the Lord works at times. It can even be a bit humorous. Not only does the Lord give us this faith, but He gives us opportunities to use it. He would not give us something we would not use, correct? Well, this post came at the opportune time. In the process of this post, I am currently being stretched in my faith.

No, not the comfortable, morning-happiness, kind

First, let us stay on topic
As pertaining to salvation – which was introduced here, what is faith for? We have already looked at some Biblical figures and how faith was relevant to them, we examined a brief exegesis of faith, and had Pastor Don Dudley discuss from where it comes. Now, we shall look at what it is for. Remember, this series is written mainly in relation to faith unto salvation. Therefore, the application will be for this purpose. However, I am going to share something with you on a personal note in just a moment.

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17

Here we see the Gospel being the message by which God’s righteousness is revealed, and faith being the way whereby a person can believe the message; and in believing, the person is “righteous” and is able to live in it; hence, “by faith”. The following verses are connotative:

“But apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:21-23

Question: if all have sinned, who can live righteously? If sin is separation from God, how can a person be reconciled? Surely not on their own efforts!

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.” Romans 5:1-2

These verses state that we have received peace with God through Jesus Christ by faith; and it is because of this we are able to “exult in hope of the glory of God.” In part 2 of this message series, I mentioned how faith was in relationship to hope. But man, alone, is unable to have this hope in God, because it has not been revealed to him. For only to those who it has been revealed can one truly hope in God, it is by faith this is channeled.

So, what does all this mean?

I would humbly submit – as pertaining to salvation – that faith is the gift from God, to peoples whom He chooses, to reveal His glory to, whereby those people can substantiate the hope of eternal live and exult Him, Glorify God in their lives, live righteously to bring praise to the Father, and believe the Word of God: Scripture. That is the SortingBeans’ perspective.

Now the personal

My faith is being stretched. I have been laid off because my [former] company cannot afford to keep me. Bad times. I have been “sensing” this. Partly, I believe – and have for a while – that God is bringing something about. I really do. I say partly because it has not been revealed to me – yet. I also look at my two daughters asleep and feel the intense weight of this responsibility of a provider of my home – without a job or a financial cushion. Believe me, I am being stretched. Here’s my point: without faith, I would have no hope in the things of a good God to bring good things for those whom He has called according to His purposes. For this, I somehow have this rising up in me to rejoice – in spite of present circumstance. I know this place is not my home because Christ has revealed that to me. This is a broken world with broken people (myself being one) running broken businesses out of broken purposes for broken results.

BUT GOD!

He is not broken. His purposes are whole. He is the restorer of all things. He is the author and finisher of my faith. He is the one who will provide eternally – and temporally. It is in Him that I trust – not this world. And it is because of Him that I can trust; for without Him I can do nothing. But in Him, I can do all things. Not because it makes me feel good, but because it is truth.

- Jonathan J.

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