The Self-Labeled Christian

I just read an article (linked on a Facebook post) titled, "Four Reasons–From A Christian Perspective–Why Kim Davis Is 100% Wrong".

It should have been titled, "Four Reasons–From Someone Who Labels Himself A Christian–Why Kim Davis Is 100% Wrong."

Each one of his four reasons was from a human/worldly perspective and, therefore, were weak. The closest it came to referencing God's word was: "The Bible actually says nothing whatsoever about same-sex marriage." Does any faithful follower of Jesus Christ actually buy that? By that "logic", so many horrible things must be perfectly fine because the Bible "says nothing whatsoever about" them from the author's perspective. He then goes on to do what has become more and more popular among Christians: Talk trash about Christians in general (and usually the church), especially if they differ from him. I should have known better since the subheading of his blog is "Jesus, Politics & Bathroom Humor." That is not a misquote, either. So a Christian finds that bathroom humor is a proper thing to put out there for the world as a part of following after Christ. After all, nowhere in the Bible does it use the phrase "bathroom humor" so it must be okay. And we all know what a political activist Jesus was.

So, down to the matter at hand: The self-labeled Christian. To be clear, this is referring to our habit (or need?) to verbally or in writing give ourselves the label. There are probably some scholars who can tell us when this began. Although I am not able to pin a date on it, we can be reasonable certain it did not occur until "Christian" was no longer a term of derision and it even enjoyed a degree of acceptance outside the ecclesia. But when the label was created, it was done so by others who observed the lives of Christ followers in Antioch and decided they were all acting (or at least trying to act) like Jesus. Looking at Acts 11:26, they were simply called "disciples" (learner/pupil) until it was too obvious whose pupil they were.

Have parts of God's church ignored its Cornerstone so much and for so long that we have created a new and commonly accepted definition and identify of "Christian"? In truth, I have known less than a handful of people who, because of their actions, were labeled "Christians" by those outside the church. It is always my goal to live so that people see Christ in me and call me by that identity. It is also a goal to not take His name in vain as in the article I just read. I would rather be like Peter and John in Acts 4:13 – "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus."

If you were arrested for being a Christian,

Would there be enough evidence to help convict you?

If they took you in front of a panel of judges,

Could they find a staunch witness to help convict you.

Or would they find somebody who's seen you in the shadows,

But they couldn't repeat all the naked truth they know?

Would the prosecution have the evidence to hang you,

Or would the Master suffer by your show?

If they put you in prison for being a Christian,

Would they have enough evidence to help confine you?

If they gave you a chance to obtain your freedom,

Would you stand your faith or would you deny him?

Would you cop a plea just to save your earthly body,

And let Satan win the soul Jesus bought to save?

Would the prince of darkness win you for his gallows,

Would the Judgement Day see God send you away?

Gary S. Paxton, Evidence, 1977 (hear it here)

We Continue On

This week in review…so far: The Supreme Court upholds Obamacare and declares same-sex marriage legal in all fifty states, whether those states like it, want it, or not; without declaring it, many "people of faith" react as if the world will soon come to an end; and I was finally able to schedule a medical appointment to get an infusion in my back.

Starting at the back and going forward—
As a result of getting older, my L4 vertebra shifts around. Also, a nice big cyst has grown in/on my L3 vertebra. There is a chance the infusion will allow the back to heal over the next few weeks. If not, another infusion will be tried, also attempting to drain the cyst (not a high probability of success). If both infusions do not produce the desired results, surgery will be scheduled to remove the cyst and "bolt" the lower vertebrae (L3, L4, L5?) together and after a period of recovery, I'll be in great shape.

Now, regarding the SCOTUS rulings and despair by the family of God—
Given:

• We are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) who communicate His message ("be reconciled to God") to the world.
• Reconciliation to God can only occur through Jesus (John 14:6) who died on the cross that our sins might be forgiven (Romans 6:10).
• Jesus commissioned us make disciples (followers/students) of Himself wherever people are (Matthew 28:18-20).
• Though many "Christians" don't get it, our lives are already forfeited for the cause of Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 2:20).
• Dead things feel no pain (It only hurts roadkill the first time it's squished).
• God doesn't change (Hebrews 13:8) so His Truth remains unchanged.

Then:

• The judgements/decisions/actions of man do not alter our God-given mission/purpose.
• We should continue in obedience to God (or, for some, get started).

Living To Die (and Vice Versa)

This is going to be short and sweet. There are two questions I must consistently ask myself: Am I living for Jesus? Am I willing to die for Jesus?

In truth, it is one question. I am unwilling to die for Jesus if I am unwilling to live for Him and I will never live for Jesus if I will not die for Him.

God came to live as a man so that He might die for me. Jesus' death on the cross for my sins was the capstone of His life.

Literally, I live in order to die and I must die in order to live.

"The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him." —2 Timothy 2:11

The Lowest Common Denominator

When adding and subtracting fractions, you first convert the fractions to the “lowest common denominator.” Next, convert the numerators so the values of the original fractions are maintained. Then simply add or subtract the numerators, placing the sum or difference above the common denominator and reduce the fraction to its simplest form. If you are confused, ask a fourth or fifth grader to show you.

Communicating effectively with different people works the same way: Find a basic expression all can understand and to which they can relate. Once that is established, use it to communicate and move forward together, not backward. That is how progress is made. Problems occur when individuals fail to value others, fail to value communicating with others, or assume their perspective is held in common or accepted by the others.

Effective evangelism or, simply put, telling others about Jesus, works on that principle. It is more than not using “church language” such as salvation and sanctification. It is understanding that the one sharing the good news is responsible for relating to the life of the person who is still headed for an eternity apart from God. Since all who belong to Christ were once in the other person’s position, it is much easier than expecting that person to identify with a position in God’s kingdom they have never experienced. That is one reason new Christians are so effective at telling others about Jesus: Their former life is so recent and they can easily identify with those with whom they are sharing.

Those who have been saints for a longer time may find it harder to communicate using a common denominator. Time in the church can desensitize a person away from the perspective of someone whose life is still fully governed by the values of the world apart God. It is much like clay that is cured. It know longer contains moisture so it no longer responds to external influences in the same way it did when water permeated it. But Christians can once again become sensitive to others without allowing the world’s value system to regain control.

There is a price to pay but it is not as scary as it sounds. The main price is love. Until you love those you want to reach, you will not effectively reach them. To love them, you must put them ahead of yourself. Jesus said something about that. Actually, He affirmed what the Old Testament said: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

This kind of love is not about having warm feelings towards others. It is about doing. As DC Talk once sang, “Love is a verb!” Since it is about doing, there must be specific things that can be done. Here are a few suggestions:

1. Go to them. Do not expect them to come to you. You are the one with the Great Commission, not them.

2. Spend time with them. This is not a new concept. The old adage is true. You spell love “T - I - M - E”.

3. Listen to them. Hear their story. As the saying goes, they will not care how much you know until they know how much you care.

4. Carry their burden. Jesus usually earned the attention of His listeners by meeting their physical needs first.

5. Be patient. Be very patient. God knows who will not receive Him. You do not. Some hurts take a very long time to heal. Some people need a long time before they will begin to have hope that they can trust anyone again.

6. Stay humble. Remember you were once ruled by sin, too.

7. Show relevance. People without Jesus need to see how surrendering to Him will make their life better. It is very important to be honest. God does not promise to make us wealthy or popular. He promises to forgive us, make His home in us, and give us eternal life.

1,170 Miles From Here

WARNING: This post is an emotional release for me. It is probably not going to be short.

I wish we were 1,170 miles from here.
Nothing is wrong at home. Cathy and I are doing fine and the garden is producing all sorts of vegetables, including more beans than we can handle. But, I wish we were 1,170 miles from here.
We were just down in Eugene to see my folks last week. They are 89 and 85 years old, still live in their own place, still drive, are still involved in their church, and devour all the books Cathy takes to them. We can notice that they are slowing down, needing more rest and sleep, and are not able to work as hard as they would like. Considering their age, they are doing great. But, I wish we were 1,170 miles from here.
There is no disaster at work. The church is alive and well. People are busy serving God and others. The ladies have a retreat this weekend, which means attendance in Sunday School and Worship will be down a little this Sunday. We also have a men's breakfast this Saturday morning, followed by four hour work "day". But, I wish we were 1,170 miles from here.
Today marks exactly two months until the day Cathy and I fly to Orlando to begin a long-anticipated and awaited vacation with our dear friends, the Herrons, beginning at Disney World and then followed by a 7-night cruise in the Caribbean for which all of our kids, including the Herrons' grandkids, will be joining us. It is going to be a most wonderful time and probably the first time in over a decade that both families have been together with everyone present. But, I wish we were 1,170 miles from here.

1,170 miles from here is where Shane and Alison, our son-in-law and daughter live. I wish we were there right now. Last night, their beloved dog and one of our "granddogs", Dexter, died. A number of days ago, he consumed half of a roasted chicken…bones and all. It was a high price to pay for doing what came natural to a dog that was full grown but really still a puppy. As with Cathy and I when we were first married, their dogs are their kids and this loss is enormous. When Alison talks to me about it—the feelings she expresses, the phrases and words she uses, the grief that is so overwhelming—it brings back what we went through when our first dog, Sampson, met his untimely death on Thanksgiving morning in 1975.

We have had nearly thirty-nine years filled with great joys, including our three children, our daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and four more dogs (of which one even lived long enough to die "naturally" in her old age). We have also had many other great griefs including the loss of my sister Cheryl to ALS and the loss of my father-in-law to cancer. I think the loss of Sampson so long ago helped teach me that God will carry me through times of grief, including the more significant losses of Cheryl and Cathy's dad. We know more grief is coming. Cathy's mom and my parents are not the only ones getting older. I don't want to think about those future losses right now but I know God will carry us through.

Shane lost a sister in a tragic accident a number of years ago. Alison has had her tragedies, too (and has the scars to prove it). But Dexter was one of their two dogs—a life they took care of together. This is a joint loss for them. They are grieving together and deeply. I know their other dog, Cody, will be receiving a lot of extra hugs and loving. They will continue to cry and grieve together and we want to hold them, cry with them, and pray with them instead of doing it from far away.

I wish we were 1,170 miles from here…in Ontario, CA with my daughter and son-in-law (and the other granddog).

Dexter is in the red oval below in our Christmas picture from last year.

My Ice Bucket Challenge Problem

I have not been challenged with the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, yet. My sister, Cheryl, died from ALS a number of years ago and I would love to see huge advances made in overcoming the disease… but not at any cost.

I've visited the ALS Association web site (alsa.org), reading their information on the kind of research that takes place. It is important to know that I regard all human life as just that: Human life. When conception/fertilization occurs, even when disguised with terms such as "so-called totipotent cells", "blastocyst", "inner cell mass", etc, it is a human life. Basically, whether done using laboratory fertilized eggs or aborted babies, it is stopping a human life.

I do not think the ALS Association or its members are wicked and evil…at least, not any more than myself and everyone else. I believe they have a passion for conquering ALS. I understand there are greater difficulties with using adult stem cells taken from bone marrow and ALS research receives relatively little funding. Nevertheless, ending one life, even before it is fully formed, in order to try to help ALS victims is not something I can condone or support. I believe it is morally and spiritually wrong. (I won't do the sermon here on the value God places on human life.)

If the ALS Association can assure me that any contributions will go to research not using intentionally terminated embryos/fetus/fertilized-human-egg/etc., then I will joyfully take the plunge and donate to the cause.

I wish my brother-in-law hadn't lost his wife. I wish my nieces hadn't lost their mom. I wish my parents hadn't lost their first born, I wish my siblings and I hadn't lost our sister. It would love to see an end to ALS…but not at the cost of taking other lives.

Addendum:
I added this to the post on Facebook and wanted to include it here as well.

Okay, here is a start and you can do your own checking on it (In fact, you should do your own checking on it). It's The John Paul II Medical Research Institute in Iowa (http://www.jp2mri.org/mission/htm and/or http://www.jp2mri.org/captial-campaign.htm).

And another: Israel based BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (http://www.brainstorm-cell.com).

By the grace of God, these groups (and perhaps there are others) may find a cure or viable treatment for ALS without the termination of other human lives.

Still Learning…and Relearning

She is more than thirty-five years younger than me and, although we have never met, I hope to have the privilege some day. On her Facebook page, in the "About" section, and under "Family", is "About J_____". It simply says, "It's not." Those two words have a greater impact than the 60+ words carefully crafted for their conciseness and entered on my Facebook page. Another lesson on humility.

Last Sunday, I sacrificed my God-given responsibility to be a vessel by which God convicts and transforms His people through the preaching of His word. Instead, we had people from three different ministries share about the work they do which the church has supported to some extent. Of all Sundays, why did we have to have all those first time visitors on a day they would not even get to hear the Pastor preach? I suppose it was because God wanted them to know that this was His church endeavoring to follow His leadership…and it was not about the pastor. I do not remember the last time the people were as blessed or impacted by my preaching. I suspect it has never happened. They are still talking about it. Another lesson on humility and the sovereignty of God.

Did it make a permanent impact, that is, did it really change anyone's life? I am now working on enlisting individuals in the church who lead ministries or serve regularly in other ministries to share on a Sunday in March while I go and preach at one of the ministries that just shared this past Sunday. So, the answer must be, "Yes" because it changed me. Lessons learned.