My 100th Post

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After posting the article about the cross, I noticed the counter (on the admin screen of the blog) indicated I had posted 99 articles. So this makes number 100 and I thought it would be a good time for some reflection. The first two articles (in December of 2010) were commentaries on scripture and beliefs of atheists. The next 3 articles covered smartphones, a health topic and inter-personal relationships. At the time, I really hadn't decided any particular focus for this blog. Now, after nearly 3 years, I've tended to gravitate toward scriptural commentary because I find it so mentally invigorating. Here’s the stats:

63 articles regarding scripture and religious topics

20 articles regarding science and technology

12 articles regarding miscellaneous subjects

5 articles that are not listed on my index list.

There seems to be at least 50 some-odd people following this blog (according the admin pages) although I only have two members as of August 2013. But I didn't start this to amass a readership. My whole drive was to keep up my writing skills and hopefully be of help to some that are really looking to make sense of God and the Bible. I've strived to use both common sense and reasonableness in my thought development. The closest thing I’ve gotten to a compliment on this blog is that I present interesting “stories.” Well, at least they’re not boring, (or maybe the commenter was just being kind with the word “interesting”). Personal friends that have read selected articles have indicated they were well-written and I truly do appreciate those expressions of appreciation.

So what is next? If you notice the chronological sidebar on the right, I've not set any regularity of a posting schedule. At present, I do not have any research projects planned and the articles based on my experiences are only written after I contemplate how to present it in an interesting way. Except for the young man at the bagel shop, which happened in mid July 2013, nothing notable has happened since then.

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Is The Cross Something To Be Reverenced?

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As I was walking out of a bagel shop with a friend, we were greeted by a young man who was sitting at an outside table of the shop. He asked us if we were with a church-group. I made a quick observation about his attire. He had a cross on a necklace around his neck, cross earrings and other religious emblems. His demeanor was arrogant and assaultive in trying to raise himself up as being better than us because he was not part of “organized religion.” I've heard this weak argument before. It demonstrates no understanding of what the Bible identifies as Christianity. Christianity is and was always an organized effort by fellow believers to spread the message as recounted in detail in the book of Acts.

But rather than take up that discussion, I thought I’d try to get him to think on a very basic level. So I challenged him: “If someone were to murder a relative of yours with a gun, would you take that gun, put it on a chain and wear it around your neck, or would you be repulsed by it?”

The young man knew exactly what I was referring to and then went on to say that if a person doesn’t reverence the cross, that person is not truly Christian. In response, I asked, “What is more important, that Jesus died for our sins or the method and instrument of his unjust execution?” The man completely avoided the question and started throwing insults at me. I could tell he was not going to be a reasonable individual so I left.

Two things I will commend the young man for, first, he had conviction and second, he was not afraid to discuss it. So many I meet today claim to believe in God and attend some religious functions, but they have no desire to discuss something so vital for our life—salvation by belief in the ransom.

It has been weeks since that encounter and it took a long while for me to reflect on it. I’m still not sure what I would or could have done differently. Admittedly, I tend to get defensive and take an adamant stance when others start verbally assaulting me. I try to always call to mind God’s direction that a true Christian should always be peaceable, even when under adverse conditions. However, just for the record, I wanted to document the facts about the cross.

A Wikipedia article makes this observation: “During the first two centuries of Christianity, the cross may have been rare in Christian iconography, as it depicts a purposely painful and gruesome method of public execution and Christians were reluctant to use it.” Another article indicates that the cross came into use around the third century. Finally, a third article I found on the web identifies the cross as being of pagan (not Christian) origin. You, the reader, should note that I took care to NOT use any literature written by Jehovah’s Witnesses in the above references. The reason was to show that this is not merely some doctrine that we (Jehovah’s Witnesses) made up. But it was after diligent search that we came to same conclusion as the articles cited above. However, now that the facts have been corroborated, here is what we officially believe.

But lets come back to the second question I posed to the young man, “What is more important, that Jesus died for our sins or the means of his death?” Although prophecy did indicate that Jesus would die by the standard Roman means of being put on a pole, a stake, the vastly more important fact is not how he died but why he died. In fact, the majority of the Christian scriptures accentuates the WHY of the matter, not the HOW. And as far as HOW he died, making a religious symbol of it should be as offensive to us as it was to the first-century Christians.

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The Bible, Fact Or Fiction?

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Recently an anonymous commenter wrote that the whole set of my articles were nicely written “stories.” He (or maybe she) went on to explain that just as in the movie “Life of Pi” (the commenter misspelled it “pie”), it all depends on what the audience wants to believe. The commenter thus implied that truth is whatever one chooses to believe. I’ve already written an article addressing the relativity of “truth,” so herein I wanted to address the accusation that the Bible merely contains unprovable stories. One thing that separates fact from fiction is that facts can be proven.

Archeology has several times come to the defense of the Bible. People, places and events have been corroborated. With this proof alone, reasoning people can easily see that the Bible is more akin to a history book than it is a child’s fable.

Scientists have also come forward in favor of the Bible. For instance consider this personal experience of a  man whose study is neurophysiology. Raised an atheist, it was his own studies that convinced him the Bible was more than meets the eye. Also, here are two articles from biochemists, one a man the other a woman, who started out as atheist but changed by reason of their field of study. Yet another article is about a designer of robots that gained an appreciation that God truly exists.

The brochure “Was Life Created” may be of interest to some of you.

Other real-life experiences from the sciences and medical fields:
Nuclear Physicist (Apr.2004 Awake article)
Orthopedic Surgeon (Aug.2013 Awake article)
Kidney researcher (Sept.2013 Awake article)

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Consider It All Joy

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After the initial greeting to his audience, James, the writer of a small letter that follows Paul’s letter to “the Hebrews,” says the following: “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials.” It may sound like an odd piece of advice, but for the first century Christians, it was a running theme and their modus operandi. For example, one of the first beatings the apostles faced was at the hands of the religious leaders that were trying to intimidate them into submission. One might think that such a severe treatment would be a “real downer” for them. But instead, they were actually honored to stand up for Jesus and rejoiced over it.

But James cites another reason to be joyful. In verse 3 he says that successfully meeting trials adds endurance to our personal repertoire of Christian maturity.  But it is one thing to have lived through a trial, it is another thing to come out spiritually unscathed. Hence, in verse 4, James advises that we need to learn from the trial so that we emerge “complete and sound in all respects, not lacking in anything.” That is easier said than done, especially when the trial we are experiencing seems to drag on without letup. Discouragement can easily set in, followed by doubts, wondering if any of this has any purpose—does God really see it and care?

James may have anticipated that feeling and so he continues in verses 5-8: “So, if any one of YOU is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him. But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah; he is an indecisive man, unsteady in all his ways.”

What is the “wisdom” that we may be lacking? Jesus spoke of this in his “Sermon on the Mount.” He reasoned with his audience that “not one of them [sparrows] will fall to the ground without your Father’s knowledge… Therefore have no fear: you are worth more than many sparrows.”

Peter states it succinctly: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; while you throw all your anxiety upon him, because he cares for you.”  (1 Peter 5:6, 7)

Yes, wisdom should tell us that God does care. But like a child squirming because it doesn’t want to get a medical shot (injection), sometimes we may get pouty and fight against the trial. Admittedly, I have personally felt a situation that I’ve been enduring for nearly 2 decades “is hopeless.” I’ve even felt as Job did: ‘Just let me die and bring me back when things are better.’ (Job 14:13) Really, no one in their right mind would desire to go through what I’ve been through—especially as hopeless as the situation seems to be.

But that was the whole reason for my writing this article—to remind myself that giving into feelings of hopelessness betrays a lack of faith. That is definitely not how I want my God to know me. I want to have full confidence in Him and demonstrate it by standing firm in the faith.

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Related articles:
Despising Shame
Grasping For Dignity
How Does God "Test" Us?
Silence Is Golden
Why Be Happy

Survival Of The Fittest

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I’ve been reflecting on a comment a friend made recently regarding evolutionist beliefs. Although I did come close to hitting on the same point in another post, what this friend said was profound (at least it seemed so to me).

If you do not believe that God is the maker of all things, that “it is he that has made us, and not we ourselves” (via evolution or any other means), then consider the following. Part of the evolution doctrine is the so-called “natural selection” (aka “survival of the fittest”). Many evolutionists that I’ve spoken to claim that this dictates that the strongest, most domineering should be what survives. Such a belief would treat moral integrity as a weakness. So let me ask you, if you believe that survival of the fittest should be devoid of anything dealing with moral code, do you think that

      1.       Laws that place people in prisons should be abolished because we are just acting like the animal we are?

      2.       Society should just save money and allow injured and ill ones to just die? (After all, they are the weak ones, aren't they?)

      3.       Science should cease spending millions (if not billions) on disease prevention? (Also, there are known potentials for strains of viruses that are lethal to man, not to mention genetically engineered chemicals and substances. If these viruses wipe out segments of human population, isn't that just survival of the fittest--the brainless viruses being the fittest and mankind being the weak?)

When such thinking is taken all the way down the road, the folly of it is demonstrated. I've heard evolutionists say that chaos and violence have been in nature and human society since day one and it is change that drives evolution. If so, why try to stop violence? The fact is most of the laws governing social structure are not based on science and logic but rather on moral codes—our perception of right and wrong. By evolutionist thinking, human sense of morality is attempting to establish order in the chaos. Oh no! We're fighting against our own further evolution! (Obviously, such reasoning is designed to show the absurdity of superficial evolutionist thinking.)

By the way, I am using the terms “natural selection” and “survival of the fittest” as espoused by the majority of those claiming to adhere to those tenets. In actuality, those terms were not intended to be used that way, as explained by this Wikipedia article.

But some might challenge me: “Wait a minute! Are you claiming that you don’t believe violence has always been around? What about our very own sun? It is a demonstration of violent explosions.” While current science holds that the material universe was the result of massive and even multiple explosions, there is also beauty, uniformity and control. Although the scale is much smaller, think of a controlled explosion we call the internal combustion engine. Intelligence, not random evolution, is the maker of that engine. Likewise, such control can be witnessed in the physical universe. Paul used a similar line of reason regarding the building of houses. Today both brute force and power tools are used, including hammers and pneumatic nail drivers, both of which emit loud “bangs” when used. But it is all a controlled use of energy. Some phases of house construction may seem to be in disarray but to the intelligent minds that are making it, they know it will all come together into the house they envisioned.  Truly, as Paul further reasoned, it is inexcusable to make any other conclusion but that God made (likewise through the use of controlled energy) the physical universe. Just because the magnitude of that power is immense (from our small & limited perspective) does not mean it is not under control.

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What Exactly Is The "Good News"?

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The Bible speaks of the "good news." What is that good news? In Acts 10:34-43, Peter covers several facets of that message that have amazed many down through the centuries.

First, in verse 34, Peter mentions something that is truly good news for everyone regardless of nationality or ethnicity. He says that God is impartial, that God doesn't care what nation we are from. To become accepted by him, our motives and conduct are what he looks at.

Next, in verse 36, he relates something that anyone who has ever dealt with injustice from governments should be absolutely elated over, namely, that Jesus' rulership is even over and above all earthly governments, being "Lord of all others." (this is not an ineffectual rulership. In time, Jesus will act to remove human rulership and bring relief and benefits to all his earthly subjects.)

In verse 39 he relates something that may at first seem like a huge disappointment--Jesus was put to death by devious lies from the Jewish religious leaders and carried out by Roman rule. But in verse 40, there is yet more, almost unbelievable, good news--God brought Jesus back to life. As proof of this good news, Peter indicates in verse 41 that there were many eye witnesses of the risen Christ. Backing up the numerous eye witnesses, Peter mentions in verse 43 that a number of Hebrew writers (prophets) points to Jesus and the impact he would have on those accepting and rejecting the message.

Finally, in verses 42, Peter mentions that this is not a hidden message or one that people would have to travel great distances to hear. Instead, Jesus "ordered" that those who had knowledge of the resurrected, empowered Christ should spread the message near and far.

So although the "good news" is multi-faceted (just as a diamond has many facets depending on its cut), it is still one single diamond--Jehovah, through his written word (The Bible), points to Jesus as the solution to mankind's problems. Or, as Peter put it in Acts 4:12, "God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (New Living Translation, copyright 2007)

Granted, this is not good news for the governments of this world that oppress mankind. This also is not good news to any that insist on creating their own set of rules, their own standards and measure of what is right and wrong—those that reject the Bible’s clear and simple moral code. But to those that are sincerely and humbly looking for what God wants of them and willing to follow what is outlined in the Bible, the promise of rule by God is very appealing and is the greatest news they have ever heard.

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Them’s Fightin’ Words!

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Those who remember old western TV shows and theater movies are well-acquainted with the title of this article. Christians also put up a battle, but it is “not against flesh and blood,” but against Satan’s spiritual darkness whether it be in the form of false religious teaching, outright atheism, or national-political fervor—all of which is included in Paul’s words at Ephesians 6:12. (Again, I emphasize that although the above three are physical manifestations of Satan’s “darkness,” Christians are not to literally fight or engage in physical altercations/confrontations with them. This is confirmed by 2 Timothy 2:24.)

A Christian’s battle is two-fold: First, to protect one’s self. Second, to fearlessly declare God’s Kingdom to any and all who will listen and, hopefully, help others take a stand for truth and righteousness. Paul makes these points clear in the words that follow what he wrote in Ephesians 6:12….

(Ephesians 6:14-18) Stand firm, therefore, with YOUR loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and with YOUR feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace. 16 Above all things, take up the large shield of faith, with which YOU will be able to quench all the wicked one’s burning missiles. 17 Also, accept the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word, 18 while with every form of prayer and supplication YOU carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit. And to that end keep awake with all constancy and with supplication in behalf of all the holy ones….

The reason I have underlined the action-words is to drive home the actions being emphasized. Take note that they are all defensive and not offensive. When I started this article, I was particularly intrigued with what Paul said about the “helmet of salvation.” I wondered why it was rendered “accept the helmet” and not “put on” or some such phrase. I checked the rendering of multiple other translations. While at least one did translated it as “put on,” the majority used the word “take.” Upon scrolling down in the list, I found a commentary by “Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary” that pretty much said what I expected to find. That is, “take, receive, and accept” are all legitimate forms of the original Greek word that Paul used. But what was the significance of “accepting” the helmet? I figured there had to be some gem of insight that is easily overlooked.

Then I started reflecting on what I knew of the people of that time—especially those Jews (Israelites) that were contemporaries of Paul. For many of those, it was a challenge to accept Jesus as their salvation because they had become steeped in tradition and Jewish Law. Accepting Jesus in the minds of the leaders (Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes) was tantamount to heresy, apostasy. For those “of the nations,” it may have been foreign to their ideologies to entrust salvation to anyone but themselves. There are even cultures today that are repulsed by the idea of belief in and trust in a savior. So now Paul’s words make perfect sense in that social climate—he was admonishing those in Ephesus to humbly accept the provision that God had made for mankind’s salvation. “Accepting” for the Jews meant having to put aside their trust in working out their own salvation through sacrifices and other acts prescribed by the Mosaic Law. They had to realize that nothing they personally could do would ever amount to salvation. However, after accepting the ransom sacrifice of Christ as the basis for their hope of salvation, they could now perform works befitting repentance and acceptance of Christian responsibility. Even in this modern world, some find wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle or motorcycle to be bothersome. They feel self-confident that they are strong enough to withstand whatever can happen. This drives home even more so how humility and following direction are important when it comes to accepting the helmet of salvation.

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