A Public Proclamation

May I share what is on my heart?

On Sunday, during the service the guest speaker asked for all who would desire to place their faith in Christ to please raise their hands. Of course this raising of hands was being done in conjunction with the request that everybody in the room keep their heads bowed and eyes closed. As soon as all the hands had been found, the speaker then asked that we all pray the sinners’ prayer. Okay, maybe that wasn’t exactly how it went but it was similar and I have seen many alter calls where it was just that quick and simple.

Just to be clear, I am not hating on the speaker, but simply desiring to bring to light what I believe to be a really bad doctrinal practice.

The sinners’ prayer confuses me. Actually, it embarrasses me.

Why? Well, for just so many reasons.

For starters allow me to just say this: Jesus did not die in private for a few people. He died publicly for the world. He was bruised, battered, beaten, and torn to shreds so that we might be brought near to God. His death was a public declaration, demonstration, and proclamation. It was public—not private.

With this truth being clearly abundant within the scriptures, how can we who preach the gospel tell a person that salvation is only one little 30 second private prayer away? This is why I am embarrassed—because God is watching.

My second reason for having disagreements with this approach in evangelism is not because I don’t believe God saves people through it—of course he does. But because I feel that it is the product of skinny theology, or a skinny presentation of the gospel.

What I mean is that if this method is going to be used then the speaker should make it plenty clear that salvation is not found in a prayer but only in Jesus Christ. We don’t get saved. Rather, we are saved. Saved, not by our own works and righteousness, but by the grace of God through faith.

How can our death be so private when Jesus’ was so public?

A third reason I have beef with this module is because after it is done nobody except for the preacher knows who just made the greatest decision of their life—that is a decision to follow Christ. It is true that in some churches they will have the people stand up and maybe wave their hand so everybody can see them once they have done the prayer. Other churches are so bold that they will have the people walk forward after the decision, so that the speaker can pray over them. But, unfortunately the trend seems to gravitate much more toward the super-seeker-sensitive-side.

It needs to be made more clear that the sinners prayer is not a pill that one can simply consume and then be saved, but that it is meant to be the beginning of a conscious decision to follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that decision (if made in the context of a church service) should be in every sense of the way a public decision.

I have so many more reasons but for now I rest my case.

Perhaps some of my readers may have a better/different understanding then myself. If so I would love to hear your thoughts on this matter.

Putting Sin to Death

Check it out

Arminianism vs Calvinism

Just in case any of you like to read about or maybe just want to know more about Arminianism and Calvinism these are some blogs that I frequent where you can read up about them. I believe the Arminianism/Calvinism conversation to be one of the most important conversations in Christian theology. So, if you have the opportunity, you should take some time and read up. Don’t stop at the blogs though. Go to the scriptures and to prayer when your done.


Arminianism

http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/

http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/

http://www.twtministries.com/articles/1_cal_arm/index.html

http://episcopius.blogspot.com/

http://classicalarminianism.blogspot.com/

http://www.arminiantoday.blogspot.com/




Calvinism

http://theologica.blogspot.com/

http://www.challies.com/

http://purechurch.blogspot.com/

http://albertmohler.com/

http://www.standtoreason.org/

http://adrianwarnock.com/

The Identity Trap by David Brooks

As some of you may have observed the language games and word battles are constantly being taking to their extremes amongst our candidates. David Brooks does an excellent job in this article in describing the identity trap that both Clinton and Obama have gotten themselves into as a result of it.

Constitution Mending

An interesting read by Gregory Boyd about Huckabee wanting to Mend the Consition: http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/2008/01/huckabee-on-amending-constitution.html

The Debate is on for the Semester

Class has just started back up this week and I can already tell that it is going to be a heated semester. Two of my classes are designed in such a way to engage the students in conversation and debate, and by the looks of what we are going to be studying I can already feel the temperatures rising. It has got me both tense and excited.

Today was the second day to go to my World Literature class and the professor decided to take the liberty (of just about the entire period) to rail against the belief of objective reality, truth, and transcendental literature. Even though he did bring up the need to read a text in context (which is true) he went so much further then that. He is all about subjectivity and relativity. Thus he stated for the second time today that one of his main purposes in class is to educate us against the belief that literature can possibly contain some kind of objective authority. This being one of his main motivations, it was no surprise to me to see that the Bible is going to be our second reading for the class. Surely, the decision to read the Bible in a world literature class is no mistake. Especially, in a class where the professor has already been taking cheap shots at the idea of inspired literature.

I am confident that the class will probably be one of my favorites for the semester. It is in these kinds of classes that I grow the most in what I believe. Not because they cause me to retreat to blind isolationist faith but because they force me to search deeper into what I believe to already be true.

About Me & My Job

For quite some time I had been very unhappy with my job. It was to the point that I was ready to quit upon the first opportunity I got and even at the risk of making less money. I didn’t quit though, I couldn’t. I prayed about it and felt that it was God’s will that I should stay. No matter how much I talked about wanting to quit and how I was going to get another job at such and such a place, I knew that I was acting in opposition to what God had spoken to me.

Everything has changed. I have changed. I knew that for some time my work ethic was not of the type that glorified Christ. And everyday I left my job I felt convicted about it, but instead of making a commitment to improve and change I only tried to ignore it in hope that I would get a knew job soon where all would be better. The change began to happen after my buddy Daniel Sparks called me from California and we both confessed our unhappiness with our jobs and how such unhappiness had affected our work ethic. We wanted to change, to glorify God in all we do, and to be the best where God has called us to be without complaining and grumbling. In conclusion, we confessed our sins and surrendered our jobs to God in prayer. And that is where my heart and attitude began to change.

A few months ago I happened to be sitting at Starbucks (where Andrea works) on a Thursday night after Pillar (my church’s young adult ministry) just talking with some friends, when suddenly, a fellow named Bobby walked up an introduced himself. It turned out that when Andrea was taking his order at the line that she discovered Bobby spoke Spanish and thus she got all excited and told him that her husband spoke Spanish also. And Bobby, being the outgoing people person that he is decided he should introduce himself. That is when Bobby and I first met. To be honest, I knew that our encounter had not been an accident or just a random event. It wasn’t.

The day after Bobby and I met I arrived to work as usual (not really wanting to be there) and to my surprise Bobby was in the manager’s office. I didn’t remember ever having told him where I worked—I never did. I couldn’t believe it. When I asked what he was doing in there they told me that he was interviewing for a job. Guess what? He got the job.

Bobby became the next major factor that brought a shift to my attitude at work. Since his being there I have been challenged to work differently. It is an amazing thing what working with other people who are serious about following Jesus can do. Whereas just a month ago I adamantly wanted to quit my job, now I want to work my best.

Finally, but certainly not least, the way I talk about where I work has probably made the biggest difference in my attitude. As I have cancelled the habit of complaining about it, I have been working to establish a new habit—one of thanksgiving and of speaking blessings. Unless God changes my plans I have now decided to stay with International Bank of Commerce until I graduate from A&M in the summer.

Sometimes the change that is needed is not a change of location but a change of mind and heart.

Why I Should Have a Blue Tooth For When I Drive

I just arrived from The Woodlands back at my apartment here in College Station and I thought I might share a couple things that happened while driving and talking on my cell phone.

The first incident happened as I pulled up to the stop light at 1488 and 1774 while talking to my buddy Nigel on the phone. And as I was coming up to the light there was absolutely no traffic around except for me and a cop car (go figure). I saw the cop but didn’t really think too much of him. I should have though, because I was the only other person out there which meant that there was no other competition for his attention. Moreover, because there was no other traffic at the light I just assumed that I didn’t need to make a full stop at the light when turning right. So instead of stopping and then turning I just slowed down and turned. Well, the cop didn’t so much appreciate my logic and decided to turn his shinys on and pull me over. I prayed. We talked. And in the end God spoke to his heart and he didn’t write me a ticket. He just told me to obey the law next time. Whoop.

So, the cop and I, after what felt like a ten minute encounter ended up going our separate ways. Again, I got back on my cell phone and began chit-chatting it up. After about ten minutes of driving, engulfed in conversation, I see this possum making a mad dash to get to the other side of the road. And while the possum is just being plain stupid about running out in front of me I do nothing about it. It was just a weird moment. I see the possum, I am talking on the phone, and all I am thinking is “Oh, I am about to hit a opossum.” In a blink of an eye that opossum was road kill. I mean, he was a big opossum and I hit him straight on. It took me a few seconds to really realize what had happened, and then it dawned on me that I had just done my first hard core road kill. Though, I guess that is what happens when possums play with death.

Lesson learned is that I should probably buy a blue tooth so that I may pay more attention while driving at night.

Whatever Happened to Loving Our Enemies?

“You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

Believe it or not but it is a temptation of human nature to want to complicate things—especially when they are disagreeable. The above passage of scripture is no exception.

Before we can talk directly about loving our enemies I think it necessary to first know how to define an enemy. To give the definition found in the New American Webster Dictionary an enemy is: “One who opposes or seeks to inflict injury on another. An opposing military force; a hostile foreign country, or a national of such a country. Anything injurious or antagonistic.” When we look at the word “enemy” (echthros) from a Greek vista we find that it likewise describes a hostile and hateful relationship between two people. Simply put, an enemy is not an easy person to love.

Scripturally speaking, there are only two kinds of people: neighbors and enemies. Thus, to all the followers of Christ has been given the mandate to love and pray for them both. We have no business picking and choosing whom we should love, for we have been called to love all people, no matter what the circumstances.

In this day and age I am convinced that many of us do not know how to love our enemies. I hate making generalizations and judgments on this generation, but I can’t help but speak what I see is true. To see how seriously we have taken the mandate to love our enemies every one of us must ask ourselves “what enemies have I been loving and praying for lately?” Possibly I am missing it, but I rarely here people talk about praying for their enemies. If we are going to follow Christ with our lives then it is time we begin to actively and passionately love and pray for those at enmity with us. Sadly, we have created so many exceptions to loving our enemies that we have worked our way out of it without even knowing. I want to challenge all who may read this to put down the exceptions and to just begin to love with all that you are—with your life.

Whether it be a short term traffic jam enemy or a long term family enemy we need to be a people that release an atmosphere of peace. This requires that we spend time in the presence of Christ and that He would reveal to us the greatness of His love. I would not expect a person that has not had a revelation of God’s love to know how to love their enemy. For that kind of love is not of the kind that modern entertainment and education speak of. To love your enemy is foolishness to this world.

When 9/11 happened, I was attending a Christian school and to this day I still can’t get over the comments of many of the students. “Nuke em.” “Let’s join the military and kill those bastards.” “We should just blow up the whole country.” Comments like that seemed to be everywhere and to be said without hesitation. Someone had just become the nation’s enemy and because many Christians did not have a practice of loving their personal enemies they certainly did not know how to respond to a national enemy. We should have practiced forgiveness. Christian leaders should have stood up all over America and been the first to say “we forgive, now let us pray for you.” We didn’t do that—we couldn’t do that because we did not have a practice of doing it here in this country. It is not an American practice. That needs to change.

If you ONLY love those who love you, what reward will you get? You see, the world only knows how to love those who reciprocate back. Modern sociology teaches that gifts that aren’t reciprocated breed discomfort and disbelief. But this should not be the case for the Christian. It is not our inheritance to love just as the world loves. Revelation not reciprocation should be our enduring motivation to love.

I close with this quote from Transforming Violence: “We get no closer to God than we get to our enemy—that is, to any person regarded as ‘different’ and ‘a threat.’” Perhaps we should think about that.

A Missionary Vision

Most that know me know that I grew up on the mission field in Mexico. At the age of two my parents decided to move to Platon Sanches Veracruz where they spent 9 years working with the local town’s people and the Náhuatl (Aztec) Indians. From Platon Sanchez we moved to El Higo which was another small town only about an hour away. In El Higo we spent 5 years and at age 16 we moved back to the U.S. The 14 years I spent in Mexico will forever leave their impression upon my life. There is a part of my heart that will always be Mexican. I will always love the food, the language, and especially the Mexican people.

Growing up in Mexico taught me many things for which I will always be thankful. One such thing it taught me was what it means to be a foreigner, to not be a citizen, to be a white American. As you would probably guess, there weren’t too many other Americans hanging around. Most people had never seen the “white man” before (except on TV) and so we were a brand new experience for many. To be honest, I hated the fact that everywhere I went I was obvious. I stuck out like a soar thumb. I was the gringo/wedo/bolillo. I could not hide. There was no escaping from the color of my skin

In a town of ten thousand everybody knows who the gringos are and most everybody knows what they are there for. Everybody knew that I was a Christian brother, thus I wasn’t just the gringo but I was the hermano gringo. I say all this to paint a picture of what accountability looked like for me. Everything I did went public. Nothing remained a secret.

Had Christ not rescued me from my own pride I probably would have chosen a path of rebellion. Whereby, I would have brought not only disgrace to my parents but to the cause of Christ. At age 12, just as I was starting to lust after the things of this world, Jesus completely turned my life around. I was forever changed through an encounter with God, and my life hasn’t been the same since.

Had it not been for that encounter with God, I don’t think I would have ever caught on to the vision of being a missionary. I don’t think I would have ever seen the importance of my actions and words.

When my parents moved from Platon to El Higo, the move was really hard on my brother and I for the first couple of years. For me, it seemed like it was every day that I had to be the one to walk away from conflict. No matter how much I wanted to spit back at the other kid, to kick back, to curse back, and to fight back, I knew that to much was at stake. To have responded with spit for spit, or with kick for kick would only have continued the cycle of violence.

It wasn’t until after my encounter with God that I discovered I could do more than just walk away—I could pray and love my opponent. Almost immediately this kind of behavior brought different kinds of results. Let me share with you just one such result.

Israel was about 3 years older than me and for some unknown reason (to me it was unknown) he hated my guts. We had never met, but I guess he didn’t need to know me in order to hate me. Whenever Israel saw me walking or riding my bike out in the streets he was always sure to try and chase me or throw rocks at me (thankfully he never caught me nor was successful at stoning me). But every time he acted in such manner, rather than feeling scared or hatred toward him, I would feel incredibly moved with compassion. As a result my reaction would be one of prayer. I would ask God to please forgive him and to save him from his sins. And this interaction of hate vs. love went on for some time until God in His power and humor changed the situation.

On Sundays while on our way to church my parents would stop by different houses and pick up the people who wanted to go with us. So, on the Sunday that everything changed between Israel and I, my parents were told to stop by this certain house to pick up a new family that we hadn’t met before. While I was sitting in the back seat, waiting to see who this new family was, all of a sudden Israel, plus his mother and sister come walking out of the house. I couldn’t help but smile knowing that this had been the result of my prayers. Guess where Israel had to sit? Right between me and his mother. To make a long story short, I was given the opportunity to lead Israel in a prayer of confession/salvation. From then on our relationship was forever changed. Glory be to God for his great mercy.

The point in sharing all this is simple. Every one of us has been called to be a missionary to the people around us. Whether we agree with the principles of pacifism or not we must all know that we have been called to be peace makers and to share the love of Christ. We cannot pretend that our actions and words are meaningless for we are here representing the King of Kings. We are ambassadors of Christ Jesus.

As an American in Mexico, I understood that though I was in Mexico I was not of Mexico. As a Christian in the world I understand that I am in the world but not of the world. The missionary vision needs to be restored in our lives. This is where we come to understand that we are dead to this world and alive in Christ Jesus.

The Death of a Pilgrim

There is a simple little biblical fact that I think most of us know as a matter of information but have little revelation about. It is the reality that we are pilgrims simply passing by.

“Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.” Psalm 84:5

A pilgrim is defined as being a person on a journey. Until the pilgrim has reached his destination he knows that wherever he stops he cannot get too permanent. The pilgrim knows that no matter how strong the temptation he cannot risk becoming too comfortable. A pilgrim must constantly live with his eyes fixed on his destiny.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13

I ask this not only to you but to myself also, “where has our confession of being strangers and pilgrims on this earth gone.” We say that we know we are pilgrims, but do we really confess it and embrace its reality? I think not. We have become too permanent and comfortable in our living. We have killed the pilgrim spirit.

Rather than confessing that “we are strangers and pilgrims on this earth” we have been confessing that “we are citizens and permanent residents.” I believe that one of the reasons it is so hard for us to discuss pacifism and non-retaliation is because we have been (for some time now) too permanent in our thinking and living. The spirit of pilgrimage needs to be renewed in our minds and hearts.

A pilgrim will only take what he can carry on his journey. He really doesn’t have time for a greedy and lustful lifestyle for his eyes are set on the prize of his destiny. To live as a pilgrim would set many of us free to live as God has called us. It would deliver us from the seduction of stuff, money, and greed (at least I think it would).

To live on this earth as a pilgrim on one’s way to be with Christ is to live in a contrary spirit to the powers of this world.

Why Did Jesus Tell the Disciples to Buy Swords?

There is a great post over at Gregory Boyd’s blog (http://gregboyd.blogspot.com/) where he talks about the reason why Jesus asked his disciples to buy swords. Here is the meat of what he said:

Whatever Jesus was up to in telling his followers to buy swords, it's clear he didn't intend them to use them! In fact, had he intended his disciples to use violence to defend themselves it would have contradicted every single teaching Jesus had previously given them about loving enemies, doing good to them, never retaliating, turning the other cheek, etc...

A close look at the passage reveals Jesus' purpose. Immediately after telling his disciples to buy swords (Lk 22:36) Jesus says, "It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors’; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment.”(vs. 37, emphasis added). So the reason Jesus wanted his disciples to possess swords was not to use them, but to fulfill prophecy (Isa 53:12) by appearing to be a law breaker to the Jewish authorities.

This is why, in the next verse, when the disciples say they have two swords, Jesus says "That is enough." (vs. 38). Obviously, if Jesus ever intended the disciples to actually use swords in self defense, two wouldn't be nearly enough. But it was enough to fulfill the prophecy and justify the Jewish authorities accusing him of being a rebel leader. (My thanks to my friend Tony Bartlett, author of Cross Purposes, for giving me this insight at a recent Atonement conference).

Thoughts About Turning the Cheek by Paul Copan

Here are some thoughts written by Paul Copan about a Christian turning the other cheek. As you will see, we have different views on how much turning the other cheek means. It is a good argument though.


Contrary to what many believe, Jesus’ words about “turning the other cheek” after someone hits you on the right cheek are dealing with personal insults, not with acts of violence or force. Rather, Jesus said, “When insulted, be willing to take another insult.” Assuming that persons in Jesus’ time were generally right-handed, a hit on the right cheek is a back-handed slap, which even today in the Middle East expresses a gross insult. This idea of a slap as an insult is seen in Lamentations 3:30: “Let him give his cheek to the smiter and be filled with insults.” This slap would be roughly equivalent to spitting in someone's face in our society.


Jesus is not saying, “Don’t defend yourself when you are attacked” or “Don’t help a woman who is being raped” or “Don’t defend your country when it is being attacked.” He is not negating the judicial principle of an “eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth”; he speaks against the abuse of that judicial principle to justify personal retaliation or vengeance.[7]

Paul Copan Jesus, Religions, and Just War - CDC Panel Discussion
http://www.rzim.org/resources/essay_arttext.php?id=8

Self Defense or God Defense?

On far too many occasions I have heard grown American Christian men talk about the violence they would do if somebody were to jump them in the street or break into their house while they were there. Many people, at least the people that I have been around, have no moral hesitation when it comes to fighting and killing in the name of self defense. I want to challenge that absent hesitation.

I don’t really think I can count the number of times that I have heard somebody say “Well, once I turn the other cheek that’s it. It’s my turn to punch.” Please! Jesus commandments deserve a little more respect and intellect then that.

To a degree I want to make the point that self defense is exactly as self centered as it sounds. It is the exaltation of self over God. When it comes to the issue of defense this is where the rubber meets the road, or where the Christian should be meeting God.

Many of my Christian brothers have shared with me how they keep pistols in their houses for a just in case situation. Others carry guns on their body at all times. I can’t help but wonder whether they have already made up their minds as to who/what will be their defender in the day of trouble. It appears to me that they have already prepared their hearts for murder. How is this situation any different then predetermined murder? How is there any faith in the course of action that they have already for-planned?

The Christian life is to be a life of faith, love, and hope. Thus, to have a fixed plan of defense that charges violence upon the head of any future enemy has nothing to do with those three virtues. Rather than constructing a philosophy of self defense we should be preparing our hearts and minds to trust God even in the most uncertain moments.

Unless God defends us, we defend ourselves in vain. When our enemy is most untrustworthy let us not trust ourselves for the answer but may we learn to trust God.

In a culture of individualism, naturalism, and mucho machoism, it has become really hard for us to discuss this idea of non-retaliation. I wish not to make people angry with me but to cause people to converse with me at least about the possibility of non-retaliation. That we may do so from a biblical perspective. This really is an argument that can be so well argued on both sides that at times I just don’t know what I believe concerning it. Though I am more biased to non-resistance I cannot say for sure what my heart would choose in the day of trial. I do hope though, that if the day does come when I am faced with the threat of danger that I would be sensitive enough to hear Holy Spirit speak to me.

What C.S. Lewis thought about the enemy

Just to be fair to the other side of thought I decided to post this C.S. Lewis quote. Given time, I will respond to all Lewis’ arguments here. This is one area of his writing that in my opinion proves to not have been one of his strengths. Though, it is an understandable position for Lewis to have held, due to his time as a soldier in WWI. Whether I believe there are weak or strong arguments in the quote below does not prove they are illegitimate. They ask questions that need to be answered.

Does loving your enemy mean not punishing him? No, for loving myself does not mean that I ought not to subject myself to punishment—even to death. If one had committed a murder, the right Christian thing to do would be to give yourself up to the police and be hanged. It is, therefore, in my opinion, perfectly right for a Christian judge to sentence a man to death or a Christian soldier to kill an enemy. I always have thought so, ever since I became a Christian, and long before the war, and I still think so now that we are at peace. It is no good quoting “thou shalt not kill.” There are two Greek words: the ordinary word to kill and the word to murder. And when Christ quotes that commandment He uses the murder one in all three accounts, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. And I am told there is the same distinction in Hebrew. All killing is not murder any more than all sexual intercourse is adultery. When soldiers came to St John the Baptist asking what to do, he never remotely suggested that they ought to leave the army: nor did Christ when He met a Roman sergeant-major—what they called a centurion.
…..We may kill if necessary, but we must not hate and enjoy it.

The above passage was taken from C.S. Lewis' in Mere Christianity

Should a Christian = anti-war allways?

The excerpt below is taken from David Bercot’s book; The Kingdom That Turned The World Upside Down. The central theme of the book pertains to Christians being utterly different from this world. One of Bercot’s biggest criticisms is the relationship that the Church in America has with politics. I happen to agree with most of the points Bercot makes and I especially agree with his argument that Christians have not been given the right to fight in war. What do you think about this?

“Aside from religious persecution, Caesar’s laws and Christ’s laws probably most often conflict in the area of nonresistance. For example, an earthly government often tells a young man that he must be enrolled in the armed forces, take up arms, and kill others who are enemies of his country. However, our King has already commanded us to love our enemies, not to hate them. Whether they are Buddhists, Muslims, or atheists, we can hardly slaughter them and yet claim that we love them. So we cannot obey both Christ and Caesar.
If Christ’s laws do not allow us to kill unbelievers, how much more so do they prohibit us from killing our fellow Christians. Yet, in nearly every war fought by Americans or Europeans in the past 1700 years, there have been professing Christians on both sides. If a foreign government ordered an American to fight against and kill his fellow Americans, most Americans would refuse to do so. However, if an earthly government orders a Christian to fight against and kill his fellow Christians, most professing Christians will do so.
Our ultimate allegiance cannot belong to two different kings. When a Christian kills a fellow citizen of God’s kingdom simply because some earthly ruler has ordered him to, he’s acknowledging that his ultimate allegiance belongs to his earthly ruler. He will put his country’s welfare above the welfare of the kingdom of God and the brotherhood of Christ.”