References:
• The Larger Catechism, Specifically Questions and Answers 134-136 (It will be towards the middle of the Web Page.)
• Exodus 20:1-17 NAS
• Exodus 23:1-9 NAS
• Deuteronomy 5:4 NAS
• Micah 6:6-16 NAS
• abortion definition
**Notice**
The topics of abortion and the death penalty are very touchy items for many, many people. The way that I have tried to approach this is from a biblical world view that focus on what God considers to be justice. I know that many people, because of the pain that they have experienced in their own lives, have very strong opinions on these issues. I also know that some people will look down upon anyone who does not share their particular view point. It is not my intention to ‘look down upon’ others. Whether you agree with the death penalty, are pro-choice or pro-life, read at your own discretion. My goal is simply to share what I have learned from studying Scripture over the years. To be honest, there are times where God convicts my heart of things while I learn and grow as a Christian. It is very, very challenging to walk with God.
Remember, God's Grace is amazing. He can always reach you where you are, forgive you for all of your past mistakes. God wants to have a personal relationship with you, and His Grace is greater than anything you have done or could do though. Seek His Grace for what you have done and seek His wisdom with what you need to do.
Over the years I have been asked concerning my stance on the death penalty and abortion. When I state that I am pro-life and pro-death (penalty), many people have told me “you can’t be pro-life and pro-death!” or “You are either for abortion and the death penalty, or you are only for life!” To do try to explain why I can be against abortion and for the death penalty, but many people refuse to believe it. Being a strong introvert, it is more difficult for me to verbally explain what I believe and why. This is especially with those who are extremely extroverted and/or love to argue things. Because I am much better and explaining myself via writing, I will highlight what I believe. And, as I have mentioned many times before, this is not a thorough explanation of what I believe, just an overview.
For those who did not grow up in a Christian denomination that studies various early church writings like the Short and Larger Catechisms and various confessions, like the Westminster Confession of Faith, I will offer a brief explanation of what they are and their importance. During the Early Church, various church leaders gathered together to write various works to explain the Christian faith and correct unorthodox beliefs. Things like the Apostles Creed, Shorter and Larger Catechisms, etc., were the results. Such writings do not take precedence over Scripture. They are used to help understand Scripture. If you have not explored these important writings of the Early Church, I highly, highly encourage you to do so.
With the Larger Catechism, I was to specifically look at Question/Answer 136. It is explained exactly what we are to do, and not to do, in order to honor the 6th Commandment. In a nutshell, we are not to take an ‘innocent life.’ What is an ‘innocent life?’ An innocent life is one that has not committed a crime that should be punished by death. For example, doing such things as lying, stealing food or books, verbally insulting someone, etc., are crimes hardly worthy of being put to death. Instead, it would be more justifiable if the person who committed such acts paid restitution, spent time in prison, or something else reasonable.
However, in situations where a person commits forced rape, killing numerous people through gross negligence (for example, driving while intoxicated and causing an accident that kills several people), or intentionally killing a person out of anger, envy, or to try and hide a crime. All of these examples are one where a person chooses to cause great injury, pain, and even the death of someone else. Though the death penalty may not be the right sentence for everyone it should be an option. Especially for those who choose to do something out of the anger/malice of their hearts, have a history of hurting or abusing other people, or kill the person in such a way as to show that they were hiding another crime, trying to cause excessive suffering, etc.
Of course, care must be taken to make sure that the correct person is being sentenced for a crime that had been committed. This goes for any crime, serious or not. The punishment needs to be appropriate for the crime that had been committed. But, when the evidence has been closely examined and weighed, and a verdict of guilty has been rendered, one other very important thing has to be considered. Just how much of a threat is this person to society? What kind of justice would be most appropriate so that the friends and family of the victim(s) could get closure? It isn’t just the threat to society that one has to worry about. It is also the threat he/she holds to those who work in the prison system.
For example, is the person going to be a significant threat to other inmates and staff within the prison system? Are they extremely callous, or do they show signs of repentance? Do they have a history of violence? If they are in a gang, especially one who is already high up in the ranks or wanting to move up, no matter at what cost, how likely are they to engage in violent behavior while incarcerated? All of these are very serious questions that need to be carefully examined. It’s not just about ‘justice’ for what he/she did to a person or a group of people, but also justice for those directly affected by the death and the people that will have to deal with him/her while in prison.
In summary, the Death Penalty is a method for a State or country to enforce laws and to protect the members of society. Those who work as corrections professionals (custody staff, unity staff, maintenance staff, amongst many others who work in corrections and with Inmates on a daily basis) have families, too. This is probably something many people either don’t understand or choose to ignore. If you choose to not sentence a violent person in their 20’s or 30’s to death, but just give them life, the staff have to deal with that person for decades to come. Yes, some people do change. However, not everyone does. And, as I have explained to many people, the few hours that an Inmate has with friends and family during visitation, while in court, or attending a religious activity, is just one face of an Inmate. From personal experience, I have seen numerous Inmates put on a very convincing front about being apologetic and remorseful about their crimes and very pious. Even very loving and caring towards others. However, I have seen many Inmates show a very angry and vengeful attitude towards staff.
Though some Inmates change, many do not. And, it is not an easy decision. One that needs to be made very, very carefully. But, all of these things need to be taken in consideration. Not just the heinousness of the crime and its impact on community, but the person’s history and the threat that he or she will be towards those who have to deal with him on a daily basis in prison. To ignore any of these, especially those who work in a prison, is to make light of or totally disregard them.
Now, concerning abortion… What is abortion, but the ending the life of a fetus (unborn baby) while it is still growing within the mother. If we take into consideration what justifiable homicide is verses murder, there is a significant difference. One involves the taking of a life in defense of oneself or someone else, and one involves the killing of someone who has not done anything wrong. In Deuteronomy 5:17 and Exodus 20:13, the same Hebrew word is used, רצח (raw-tsakh') (Lexicon number 7532 or http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/ratsach.html) primarily means to murder or slay a person.
In the Micah 6 passage, we see two important things. One is the evil that is being done to other people. The other, in Micah 6:8, we see how God calls us to live. We are “…to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God…” That is, we are to protect others, show love and kindness to others, and to walk in total dependence with God. As I argued earlier, there is a time and place where a person who has committed a grievous crime against someone else (especially murder), where the death penalty would be a justifiable sentence. However, if we are to ‘love justice,’ would the killing of a fetus be ‘justifiable?’
Let’s seriously think about this for a moment. Did the fetus commit a heinous crime against the mother, or against someone else, or was the woman (or girl’s) pregnancy the result of someone else’s sin? Did the woman become pregnant because she stole food, verbally slandered someone, or because she got into a fight and accidently injured or killed someone? Or, did a woman or girl become pregnant because either they choose to have sex with someone or someone forced them to have sex? What will be the end result of ending the life of the fetus (who is the innocent bystander here)? Will it be justice, or will it be revenge?
I know that many of those who push ‘pro-choice’ emphasize the very volatile and emotion driven topic of women and children being raped and becoming pregnant. Therefore, if the child is from an unwanted relationship, it should be up to the woman or girl as to if the fetus should be allowed to live or to die. To me, whether or not the fetus (again, unborn baby) we created from consensual or nonconsensual sex, is beside the point. If we are to act justly with something, we have to punish those who have committed a crime. Since a fetus is the result of a bad choice (consensual sex) or the result of being sexually assaulted, it did not commit a crime.
In life, there are times when we have to make very, very difficult choices. Things that can have a huge impact on our lives and the lives of those around us. And these choices can be laden with all sorts of very, very strong emotion. During these times, it can be very difficult to make wise decisions. However, if we are to live by God’s standards, we have to be very, very careful how we choose to do things. It is wrong in God’s eyes for us to not protect the innocent. Throughout Scripture, God condemns the oppression of ‘the widow, the orphan, the alien.’ God calls us to uphold justice. With that, we are to punish those who commit evil in a manner that evil or revengeful. The other side of the coin is that, if we are ‘to live justly,’ we are to protect those who have not committed a crime.
A final thought… I do not get excited about people being put to death. I would rather see people repent of the evil that they have done. However, from what I have learned from studying human nature and my experiences as a MP and in Corrections, I know that many people choose not to change. No prison will perfectly protect the community at large. Inmates have known to escape from time-to-time. Not just that, but violent prisoners are still a daily danger to other inmates and the staff that enforce the rules and provide programing to help those who want to change.
Monday, August 29, 2016
Monday, August 22, 2016
Physical and Spiritual Fitness
References:
• Our Daily Bread Devotional for 06JUL2016
• 1 Timothy 4:6-11
• Hebrews 12:1-3
• Physical and Spiritual Nutrition
I am writing this blog entry as a follow up on one that I wrote on September 13, 2015, as well as a commentary on an Our Daily Bread devotional that I read a while back. They are both related because you cannot have good physical fitness without good nutrition. Our bodies will not be healthy without good, nutritious food, and our spiritual health will not be good without good spiritual nutrition.
My wife and I have recently purchased FitBit watches (https://www.fitbit.com/) in order to better track our physical activities and the calories that we burn. The phone app and online web page that we log into helps us to track the food that we eat, how much water we drink each day, our heart rate, our sleep, etc. All of it has been extremely helpful with living a more healthy life.
While I was deployed to Qatar last year, I was disciplining myself with running three times a week. At first a 5K (approximately 3.1 miles) was the farthest that I would run. But, having ran the All American 10 Miler back in 2004, I choose to push myself to run farther. By early summer, I was running a 10K (approximately 6.2 miles) once a week. It was an exciting time for me because I was steadily improving my run time.
On top of the running, I also did calisthenics two or three times a week. Add to that, the fact that I walked to my destinations most of the time, I was physically in very good shape. It took a lot of self-discipline to do so. I had to allow time for walking to the different places on base; I had to choose to exercise, even when I didn’t feel like it; and I and to make sure that I was eating good, healthy food.
The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have come to a close. There, athletes from all over the world compete against each other in various events. Each of these athletes have to train for years in order to compete on the level that they do. It takes many, many years of practice, self-discipline, sacrifice, etc. The end results can be astonishing feats of athletic abilities that can garner great pride and honor. But yet, for those of us who follow Christ, there is so much more to life than one’s physical abilities.
Eventually, all of us grow old. The things that we used to be able to do with ease will eventually become very difficult, if not impossible. Some people are blessed with excellent healthy, endurance, and fitness throughout their life. But, that is not always the case. For many, illness, injury, and/or lifestyle decisions hamper what one can physically and mentally do as they get older. Though it is important to maintain as healthy of a lifestyle as one can, there is more to life than that. That would be spiritual fitness.
Paul drew a parallel between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. Having seen what Roman soldiers were capable of, having seen athletes compete, etc., Paul had a good understanding of the benefits of physical exercise. Having been a Pharisee and scholar, Paul also knew the important of spiritual discipline. Saul would never have become an important member of the religious establishment in Jerusalem without years of hard work and study. After become a Christian, that vast knowledge and intense self-discipline greatly helped him as a traveling missionary. It is something we should aspire to, I believe.
Not all of us will become biblical scholars who are gifted in one ancient language or another. Not all of us will be able to understand ancient history with how it relates to Scripture. Though some people may be gifted in memorizing Scripture or teach Scripture to others, this is not the case for everyone. God has a role for all of us to play in His plans for us and the Church Universal (the Body of Christ). While how we serve God will vary greatly, there is one that is important to all of us. That is knowing Christ in a personal way and deepening that relationship.
I strive to do devotions every day. I do admit, though, there are times where I do better at doing devotions more regularly than others. One thing that I seem to do very well is maintaining a prayerful attitude (praying without ceasing). While in seminary, I was introduced to the idea of prayer walking. That is, while walking around a particular neighborhood, pray for those around you, whatever God brings to your mind. I also make it a point to pray for at least half of my 20 minute commute to work. Each of these things have been very helpful with maintaining and deepening my relationship with Christ. They are not the only things that I do, just some examples.
Just like it takes a lot of self-discipline and time before you will see major results in physical fitness, the same can be said for spiritual fitness. There will be times where it seems like no matter what you do, things seem stagnate. The same happens when you plateau with your physical fitness for a time. In spite of these challenges, continue to seek to know God deeply and intimately. Though physical fitness does have many benefits, there are eternal benefits (and consequences) for our spiritual health. It’s a lifelong challenge, with many plateaus, mountain top experiences, and deep valleys. Are you ready for the challenge?
• Our Daily Bread Devotional for 06JUL2016
• 1 Timothy 4:6-11
• Hebrews 12:1-3
• Physical and Spiritual Nutrition
I am writing this blog entry as a follow up on one that I wrote on September 13, 2015, as well as a commentary on an Our Daily Bread devotional that I read a while back. They are both related because you cannot have good physical fitness without good nutrition. Our bodies will not be healthy without good, nutritious food, and our spiritual health will not be good without good spiritual nutrition.
My wife and I have recently purchased FitBit watches (https://www.fitbit.com/) in order to better track our physical activities and the calories that we burn. The phone app and online web page that we log into helps us to track the food that we eat, how much water we drink each day, our heart rate, our sleep, etc. All of it has been extremely helpful with living a more healthy life.
While I was deployed to Qatar last year, I was disciplining myself with running three times a week. At first a 5K (approximately 3.1 miles) was the farthest that I would run. But, having ran the All American 10 Miler back in 2004, I choose to push myself to run farther. By early summer, I was running a 10K (approximately 6.2 miles) once a week. It was an exciting time for me because I was steadily improving my run time.
On top of the running, I also did calisthenics two or three times a week. Add to that, the fact that I walked to my destinations most of the time, I was physically in very good shape. It took a lot of self-discipline to do so. I had to allow time for walking to the different places on base; I had to choose to exercise, even when I didn’t feel like it; and I and to make sure that I was eating good, healthy food.
The summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro have come to a close. There, athletes from all over the world compete against each other in various events. Each of these athletes have to train for years in order to compete on the level that they do. It takes many, many years of practice, self-discipline, sacrifice, etc. The end results can be astonishing feats of athletic abilities that can garner great pride and honor. But yet, for those of us who follow Christ, there is so much more to life than one’s physical abilities.
Eventually, all of us grow old. The things that we used to be able to do with ease will eventually become very difficult, if not impossible. Some people are blessed with excellent healthy, endurance, and fitness throughout their life. But, that is not always the case. For many, illness, injury, and/or lifestyle decisions hamper what one can physically and mentally do as they get older. Though it is important to maintain as healthy of a lifestyle as one can, there is more to life than that. That would be spiritual fitness.
Paul drew a parallel between physical fitness and spiritual fitness. Having seen what Roman soldiers were capable of, having seen athletes compete, etc., Paul had a good understanding of the benefits of physical exercise. Having been a Pharisee and scholar, Paul also knew the important of spiritual discipline. Saul would never have become an important member of the religious establishment in Jerusalem without years of hard work and study. After become a Christian, that vast knowledge and intense self-discipline greatly helped him as a traveling missionary. It is something we should aspire to, I believe.
Not all of us will become biblical scholars who are gifted in one ancient language or another. Not all of us will be able to understand ancient history with how it relates to Scripture. Though some people may be gifted in memorizing Scripture or teach Scripture to others, this is not the case for everyone. God has a role for all of us to play in His plans for us and the Church Universal (the Body of Christ). While how we serve God will vary greatly, there is one that is important to all of us. That is knowing Christ in a personal way and deepening that relationship.
I strive to do devotions every day. I do admit, though, there are times where I do better at doing devotions more regularly than others. One thing that I seem to do very well is maintaining a prayerful attitude (praying without ceasing). While in seminary, I was introduced to the idea of prayer walking. That is, while walking around a particular neighborhood, pray for those around you, whatever God brings to your mind. I also make it a point to pray for at least half of my 20 minute commute to work. Each of these things have been very helpful with maintaining and deepening my relationship with Christ. They are not the only things that I do, just some examples.
Just like it takes a lot of self-discipline and time before you will see major results in physical fitness, the same can be said for spiritual fitness. There will be times where it seems like no matter what you do, things seem stagnate. The same happens when you plateau with your physical fitness for a time. In spite of these challenges, continue to seek to know God deeply and intimately. Though physical fitness does have many benefits, there are eternal benefits (and consequences) for our spiritual health. It’s a lifelong challenge, with many plateaus, mountain top experiences, and deep valleys. Are you ready for the challenge?
Monday, August 8, 2016
Thoughts on 2nd Thessalonians 2
References:
• 2nd Thessalonians 2
• oανομια (anomia an-om-ee'-ah)
• αποστασια (apostasia ap-os-tas-ee’-ah)
Last week and this week, the Bible Study that I lead has been looking at 2nd Thessalonians. It is a short letter by Paul, but still very full of important, theological information. During the Bible Study, we talked about quite a few things. But, for the purposes of this blog entry, I will focus on some main themes of 2nd Thessalonians 2. As I have mentioned before, the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament (Joshua, Joel, Habakkuk, etc.) may be small as far as length of writing, but they are not short in theology! It is not unusual for those of us doing the study to spend a week or two on each chapter, due to their content. With that in mind, I will be just doing an overview.
In 1st Thessalonians, Paul writes the young church about several things, including Christ’s Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead. These two themes are actually repeated in Paul’s 2nd Letter to the churches in Thessalonica. When Paul received feedback as to how the members of the churches in Thessalonica were applying what he has instructed, he felt obligated to write them again. This was in order to emphasize and clarify things.
Paul writes in detail about the Second Coming of Christ and the rise of the antichrist (or ‘lawless one’). He needed to help the young church to understand what the future held. Though they were experiencing all sorts of persecution now, this will be small compared to the kind of persecution that believers will experience before Christ’s Second Coming.
Many theologians and scholars have argued over the centuries as to when Christ will return. And, we will continue to speculate on this. Some do so out of a sense of awe and excitement for being with Christ for all eternity. Others do so because of the influence, prestige, and attention making such claims gives them. The thing is, Christ has repeatedly warned that we will never know when His return will happen until it actually does happen. As Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 5:1-3, Christ will come suddenly, when none of us expects it. In 2nd Thessalonians 2, he goes into a little more detail.
In 2 Thess. 2:3-6, Paul emphasizes that until the ‘man of lawlessness’ is reveal, Christ will not return. This ‘man of lawlessness’ has to come first. In reading Scripture as a whole, we see that Paul is referring to the antichrist. This is the one that, from what we read in Revelation, is the person that unites the whole world against God’s Children (the nation of Israel and the Body of Christ) and makes war against them. Upon the completion of this ‘time of lawlessness,’ Christ will return.
It is interesting that Paul uses the Greek word oανομια (anomia, an-om-ee'-ah). This Greek work means both to ‘to be ignorant’ of the law, as well as to be in contempt of it, violating it because of one’s wickedness. I believe that Paul is clearly indicating the second definition, violating or being in contempt of the law by choice. It is because of the antichrist’s lawless, wicked heart, that he (or possibly she) leads people away from God intentionally. This is related, I believe, to Paul’s use of the work ‘apostasy’ earlier in 2 Thess. 2:3. This Greek word, (αποστασια, ap-os-tas-ee’-ah) can either mean ‘a falling away’ or ‘defection.’ The ‘a falling away’ is more of a passive action. Like a car slowly coming to ruin because it was not properly maintained. Or, a relationship slowly dies because one or both people do not choose to invest in it on a regular basis. The other sense of the word, ‘defection,’ is a choice. It would be a conscious turning away from.
In verse 7, we see that this ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is already at work. This can be understood in two different ways. First of all, it is a reference to our sinful nature. Scripture teaches that we are all born sinners, that our very nature is in rebellion to God. Paul goes into depth on this in Romans 1-3, so I won’t go into depth here. Lawlessness is, by definition, a disregard or total absence of law. But, the ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is also demonic forces at work in this world that actively fight against God’s Laws, justice, and against His Followers. So, in one sense, it has been happening since Adam and Even were forced out of the Garden of Eden until today. And, it is also true that it is an event that is yet to come.
Over the years that I have been alive, I heard many people claim that they are the Messiah. From David Koresh (http://www.biography.com/people/david-koresh-9368416), to Jim Jones (http://www.biography.com/people/jim-jones-10367607), to many others. Each of these people have claimed to either be the ‘returning Messiah,’ or that he/she knows exactly when Jesus will return. With both World Wars I and II, as well as the coming of 2000, many people were saying that ‘the End Times’ are coming.
It is very easy to get sucked into the trap of believing them. Whether they have ‘fancy degrees,’ are very charismatic, or seem to be gifted in ‘reading the times,’ we must choose not to believe them. When Christ returns, we will all know of it happening. It will be blatantly obvious for everyone all over the world that Jesus has returned.
Now, God calls us all to prepare ourselves and to live our lives as if His return will happen soon. This challenges us to be more obedient now. It also is a stern reminder that we never know when we will die. In one sense of this theological concept, we knew know when ‘Christ’s Second Coming’ will happen for each of us. That is, we never knew when we will die. Even for those who are exceptionally healthy, live very careful lives, and take as many precautions as they can, any day can be it’s last. We all must choose to live in such a way as to be always prepared to ‘meet our maker.’
Paul’s letters are just as relevant now as at the time that they were written. We all experience things like persecution, the struggle with living a life of obedience, the constant knowledge that any day could be our last, the eager hope and expectation of one day being with Christ for all eternity, etc. Following Christ has never been, and never will be easy. It will always be fraught with dangers. We all need to prayerfully prepare ourselves and help others to be ready. We are at war with our own sinful nature, and we are at war with the spiritual forces of evil all around us. We all struggle against 'falling away' and turning our backs to God. We are all challenged with correcting others in love. Are you up for the challenge?
• 2nd Thessalonians 2
• oανομια (anomia an-om-ee'-ah)
• αποστασια (apostasia ap-os-tas-ee’-ah)
Last week and this week, the Bible Study that I lead has been looking at 2nd Thessalonians. It is a short letter by Paul, but still very full of important, theological information. During the Bible Study, we talked about quite a few things. But, for the purposes of this blog entry, I will focus on some main themes of 2nd Thessalonians 2. As I have mentioned before, the Minor Prophets in the Old Testament (Joshua, Joel, Habakkuk, etc.) may be small as far as length of writing, but they are not short in theology! It is not unusual for those of us doing the study to spend a week or two on each chapter, due to their content. With that in mind, I will be just doing an overview.
In 1st Thessalonians, Paul writes the young church about several things, including Christ’s Second Coming and the resurrection of the dead. These two themes are actually repeated in Paul’s 2nd Letter to the churches in Thessalonica. When Paul received feedback as to how the members of the churches in Thessalonica were applying what he has instructed, he felt obligated to write them again. This was in order to emphasize and clarify things.
Paul writes in detail about the Second Coming of Christ and the rise of the antichrist (or ‘lawless one’). He needed to help the young church to understand what the future held. Though they were experiencing all sorts of persecution now, this will be small compared to the kind of persecution that believers will experience before Christ’s Second Coming.
Many theologians and scholars have argued over the centuries as to when Christ will return. And, we will continue to speculate on this. Some do so out of a sense of awe and excitement for being with Christ for all eternity. Others do so because of the influence, prestige, and attention making such claims gives them. The thing is, Christ has repeatedly warned that we will never know when His return will happen until it actually does happen. As Paul writes in 1st Thessalonians 5:1-3, Christ will come suddenly, when none of us expects it. In 2nd Thessalonians 2, he goes into a little more detail.
In 2 Thess. 2:3-6, Paul emphasizes that until the ‘man of lawlessness’ is reveal, Christ will not return. This ‘man of lawlessness’ has to come first. In reading Scripture as a whole, we see that Paul is referring to the antichrist. This is the one that, from what we read in Revelation, is the person that unites the whole world against God’s Children (the nation of Israel and the Body of Christ) and makes war against them. Upon the completion of this ‘time of lawlessness,’ Christ will return.
It is interesting that Paul uses the Greek word oανομια (anomia, an-om-ee'-ah). This Greek work means both to ‘to be ignorant’ of the law, as well as to be in contempt of it, violating it because of one’s wickedness. I believe that Paul is clearly indicating the second definition, violating or being in contempt of the law by choice. It is because of the antichrist’s lawless, wicked heart, that he (or possibly she) leads people away from God intentionally. This is related, I believe, to Paul’s use of the work ‘apostasy’ earlier in 2 Thess. 2:3. This Greek word, (αποστασια, ap-os-tas-ee’-ah) can either mean ‘a falling away’ or ‘defection.’ The ‘a falling away’ is more of a passive action. Like a car slowly coming to ruin because it was not properly maintained. Or, a relationship slowly dies because one or both people do not choose to invest in it on a regular basis. The other sense of the word, ‘defection,’ is a choice. It would be a conscious turning away from.
In verse 7, we see that this ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is already at work. This can be understood in two different ways. First of all, it is a reference to our sinful nature. Scripture teaches that we are all born sinners, that our very nature is in rebellion to God. Paul goes into depth on this in Romans 1-3, so I won’t go into depth here. Lawlessness is, by definition, a disregard or total absence of law. But, the ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is also demonic forces at work in this world that actively fight against God’s Laws, justice, and against His Followers. So, in one sense, it has been happening since Adam and Even were forced out of the Garden of Eden until today. And, it is also true that it is an event that is yet to come.
Over the years that I have been alive, I heard many people claim that they are the Messiah. From David Koresh (http://www.biography.com/people/david-koresh-9368416), to Jim Jones (http://www.biography.com/people/jim-jones-10367607), to many others. Each of these people have claimed to either be the ‘returning Messiah,’ or that he/she knows exactly when Jesus will return. With both World Wars I and II, as well as the coming of 2000, many people were saying that ‘the End Times’ are coming.
It is very easy to get sucked into the trap of believing them. Whether they have ‘fancy degrees,’ are very charismatic, or seem to be gifted in ‘reading the times,’ we must choose not to believe them. When Christ returns, we will all know of it happening. It will be blatantly obvious for everyone all over the world that Jesus has returned.
Now, God calls us all to prepare ourselves and to live our lives as if His return will happen soon. This challenges us to be more obedient now. It also is a stern reminder that we never know when we will die. In one sense of this theological concept, we knew know when ‘Christ’s Second Coming’ will happen for each of us. That is, we never knew when we will die. Even for those who are exceptionally healthy, live very careful lives, and take as many precautions as they can, any day can be it’s last. We all must choose to live in such a way as to be always prepared to ‘meet our maker.’
Paul’s letters are just as relevant now as at the time that they were written. We all experience things like persecution, the struggle with living a life of obedience, the constant knowledge that any day could be our last, the eager hope and expectation of one day being with Christ for all eternity, etc. Following Christ has never been, and never will be easy. It will always be fraught with dangers. We all need to prayerfully prepare ourselves and help others to be ready. We are at war with our own sinful nature, and we are at war with the spiritual forces of evil all around us. We all struggle against 'falling away' and turning our backs to God. We are all challenged with correcting others in love. Are you up for the challenge?
Sunday, August 7, 2016
Focusing on Other Things
I know that I have not written much at all these last two months. My family has had a number things come up that have required our attention. Between these issues, getting a new puppy a few weeks ago, my on going work at the prison (working 4 12 hour shifts in a row), etc., I have not had much free time. In fact, today is really the first day in quite a while where I feel like I can just sit back and relax.
I know thatsome people struggle with priorities on a very regular basis. The more things that you have to deal with,the more stressed a person can feel. Especially when conflicts arise on what needs to be more importnt. Some people thrive on that kind of challenge. Other people tear themselves apart from the emotional, physical and spiritual stress. How many people do you know who have made themselves emotionally, even physically ill, from the real (or imagined) stress in their lives?
I know that I have been stressed out at times these past several weeks. Though I have set aside a number of articlesto blog on, I have had little time or interest in doing so. And this is coming from someone who loves to write. This is part of the reason why I am purposely relaxing today. I know that my body needs the break. I am sure many of you can relax.
I know that a big part of life is learning how to balance responsibilities and choosing healthy outlets for stress. It can be very difficult to find that healthy balance, let alone maintain it. And, unfortunately, our jobs, the schools that one's children attend, church (or other religious worship communities), local communities, etc., all vie for our attention. It is a never ending cycle of getting some sense of balance, then something comes in and steals that precious balance. Your are then forced, all over again, to find that balance.
In my own life, I have found that taking time to just relax and read, spend time in prayer and Bible study, listeningto music that I enjoy, and breaking projects down into more manageable pieces, and purposely being with others (not near them, but actually ingaging them in meaningful conversations) all help in my life.
There are several things that are not on my plate anymore, but I still have a lot going on. Since I do this blog more as an outlet and not as a source of income, other things have to take priority. But, I hope to be a little more regular and consistant in my blogging. Though that seems possible now, in a few days or weeks, the opposite could be true.
Not only is this a mental and spiritual outlet for me, but I have noticed that I have a bit of a following. According to the stastics that Blogspot keeps, I have people from all over the world visit my blog. How many of them are regulars, I do not know. But, China, Germany, Russia, TThe Netherlands, and (of course) the US are regular cou tries from where people visit. I know that there is always a spike when I post on Facebook about a new entry. That is to be expected. But, even during times when I do am not inspired to write, or just too busy, I still get visits. It fascinates me, and encourages me. It is my hope and prayer that not only do people enjoy reading what I write, but find it encouraging and helpful.
Just so you know, I am writing this entry on my tablet. So, if there are any obsurd spelling or grammer mistakes, I do apologize. I have been able to correct several mistakes that I have caught, but I am sure that I have missed many.Perhaps some of these errors will give you the chuckle that you might have needed.
I know thatsome people struggle with priorities on a very regular basis. The more things that you have to deal with,the more stressed a person can feel. Especially when conflicts arise on what needs to be more importnt. Some people thrive on that kind of challenge. Other people tear themselves apart from the emotional, physical and spiritual stress. How many people do you know who have made themselves emotionally, even physically ill, from the real (or imagined) stress in their lives?
I know that I have been stressed out at times these past several weeks. Though I have set aside a number of articlesto blog on, I have had little time or interest in doing so. And this is coming from someone who loves to write. This is part of the reason why I am purposely relaxing today. I know that my body needs the break. I am sure many of you can relax.
I know that a big part of life is learning how to balance responsibilities and choosing healthy outlets for stress. It can be very difficult to find that healthy balance, let alone maintain it. And, unfortunately, our jobs, the schools that one's children attend, church (or other religious worship communities), local communities, etc., all vie for our attention. It is a never ending cycle of getting some sense of balance, then something comes in and steals that precious balance. Your are then forced, all over again, to find that balance.
In my own life, I have found that taking time to just relax and read, spend time in prayer and Bible study, listeningto music that I enjoy, and breaking projects down into more manageable pieces, and purposely being with others (not near them, but actually ingaging them in meaningful conversations) all help in my life.
There are several things that are not on my plate anymore, but I still have a lot going on. Since I do this blog more as an outlet and not as a source of income, other things have to take priority. But, I hope to be a little more regular and consistant in my blogging. Though that seems possible now, in a few days or weeks, the opposite could be true.
Not only is this a mental and spiritual outlet for me, but I have noticed that I have a bit of a following. According to the stastics that Blogspot keeps, I have people from all over the world visit my blog. How many of them are regulars, I do not know. But, China, Germany, Russia, TThe Netherlands, and (of course) the US are regular cou tries from where people visit. I know that there is always a spike when I post on Facebook about a new entry. That is to be expected. But, even during times when I do am not inspired to write, or just too busy, I still get visits. It fascinates me, and encourages me. It is my hope and prayer that not only do people enjoy reading what I write, but find it encouraging and helpful.
Just so you know, I am writing this entry on my tablet. So, if there are any obsurd spelling or grammer mistakes, I do apologize. I have been able to correct several mistakes that I have caught, but I am sure that I have missed many.Perhaps some of these errors will give you the chuckle that you might have needed.
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