Do Christians and Muslims Worship the Same God?

It is somewhat popular to think that Christians and Muslims invoke the same God. After all, even Arab Christians refer to God as "Allah" because that is the Arabic word for "God".

Yet, for most non-Arabs, the title, "Allah", is specifically associated with the Muslim god. Similarly, the ancient Canaanites bowed the knee to a false god whom they called Baal; which means "lord" or "master". That name was always used in reference to the false god of the Canaanites (1 Kings 18:16-40); and by the time of Christ, the Hebrews were referring to the devil as Baalzebub or Beelzebub, a derivative which means "lord of  flies" or "god of dung" (Luke 11:14-23). This is consistent with Scriptural teaching that false gods are demons (Deuteronomy 32:17, Psalm 106:37, 1 Corinthians 10:19-21).

But there's much more to it than mere linguistics. The teachings of these two religions about God are so vastly at odds that they are just not about the same God. Suppose someone claims to be friends with, say, Phil Robertson. But their Phil Robertson works for Peta, is an atheist, and a communist from New York City; that person is clearly not talking about the controversial Duck Commander from Louisiana. Now the God who is revered by born-again Christians, and the one invoked by Muslims, are just as significantly different; more, even. 

The error of saying that Muslims and Christians worship the same God is most clearly evident in the drastically variant teachings, between the two religions, concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Islam denies the supremacy and deity of Jesus of Nazareth. It teaches that when He returns He will be a servant of Muhammad, and that He will abolish Christianity. It teaches that another one who is greater than both Jesus and Muhammad is yet to come.

Christianity affirms that Jesus of Nazareth is the eternal Son of God; equal with the Father - that He is God. He is supreme over all creation. The entirety of the cosmos was created through Him, and for Him. And He will return in glory to judge every soul and every spirit, and establish His Kingdom on Earth (John 1:1-3; John 10:25-30; Colossians 1:13-20, Revelation 11:15).

Islam denies that Jesus of Nazareth died on the cross. Christianity affirms that He did die; and that His death was the payment for our sin. The Christian gospel is that salvation from sin and condemnation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ the Nazarene (Romans 5:1-2) because of His death on the cross for our sin (Colossians 1:13-14 & 19; 1 John 4:10). 

That means that you don't have to meet the requirements of the Law of Moses, or any similar system of religious regulations, in order to be reconciled with God - because in your fallen, sinful state of being, you can't meet God's perfect standard (Romans 3:23-24). But Christ paid your penalty - death (Romans 6:23) and rose to life again (which Islam also denies, of course) so that all who simply trust in Him will be reconciled to God and also be raised to everlasting life. And He, by His own power, will make His own righteousness grow in the hearts of His people. (Romans 3:20-21, Philippians 1:6, Philippians 2:13,1 John 3:2). And His righteousness is not a cold, dead, rigid body of rules and regulations; but an abundant, vibrant spiritual life that manifests itself through love (Matthew 35-40, John 10:10, Galatians 5:1-6, 1 John 4:8).

Islam, like many false teachers and heretical churches, puts forth "a different gospel - which is really no gospel at all." (Galatians 1:6) a gospel of law instead of grace; precisely the opposite of the Christian gospel (Ephesians 2:8-10). 

Islam, then, is a different gospel with a different Jesus ( 2 Corinthians 11:4). That is to say that it is a falsehood, which keeps people from knowing the truth. It keeps them from knowing the true God, and the sacrifice of love which He made to take away our sin and reconcile us to Himself.

And so God curses everyone who preaches any gospel other than the gospel of salvation from sin, and peace with God, by grace, through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. (Galatians 1:8-9).

The Beauty of the Psalms

A favorite portion of the Scriptures, the book of Psalms is a collection of 150 sacred poems, (that is what a psalm is; psalm-definition-www.merriam-webster.com) written by David and others. One of the characteristics of these ancient Hebrew poems is the repetition of idea instead of the repetition of sound (rhyme). For example:

"Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous!

For praise from the upright is beautiful.

Praise the LORD with the harp;

Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.

Sing to Him a new song;

Play skillfully with a shout of joy

(Psalm 33:1-3).

Or:

"Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth"

(Psalm 2:10).

While these psalms sometimes make references to literal events, which are recorded in the historical narrative portions of Scripture (i.e. Genesis-Esther and Matthew-Acts; see Psalm 136), the psalmists also made use of figurative language to paint evocative pictures of God's love, mercy, providence, protection, justice, sovereignty, splendor, majesty, power, eternal nature, and goodness; as well as humanity's complete dependence on Him for life, sustenance, forgiveness, salvation and everything.

Examples of figurative language can be found in Psalm 91 were the psalmist refers to God as a Fortress to describe His strength and power to protect those who trust in Him. In the same poem, the wicked one is referred to as a fowler (bird trapper) to describe those who seek to ensnare others, especially believers, in sin and trouble. Then God is described figuratively as having wings, bringing to mind God's ability to protect and deliver His people, like a mother eagle protecting her little ones. And His truth is described as being a shield and buckler against evil deceptions.

The psalmists employed poetry to express the overflow of their hearts to God in worship. They poured out in words and music their adoration for God, their sorrows in troublesome times, their joys, their petitions, thanksgivings, repentance, and righteous indignation toward wickedness in the world. At times, tucked in among the psalmists praises, pleas, and sorrows, the Holy Spirit gives prophetic glimpses of Christ's own experiences, sorrows, and pains in His earthly life and sacrificial death on the cross for our sin, as well as the glory that, before and forever after, Christ shares with the Father. 

The 22nd Psalm is a prime example of this. When Jesus was dying on the cross, He spoke to the heavenly Father, "with a loud voice, saying 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' which is translated, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" (Mark 15:34; also see Matthew 27:46). He was quoting Psalm 22:1.

He felt our estrangement from the Father as He bore our sin upon Himself; as He took our blame. As the poem continues, David described his own troubles with his enemies. And the double meaning - the parallel between David's sufferings and those of Christ becomes even more apparent. There comes a point in the psalm where it says, 

"For dogs have surrounded Me;

The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.

They pierced My hands and My feet;

I can count all My bones.

They look and stare at Me.

They divide my garments among them,

And for my clothing they cast lots

(Psalm 22:16-18).

Nowhere in the historical account of David's life (found in 1 Samuel 16 - 1 Kings 2:11, and 1 Chronicles 11-29) did anyone ever pierce the hands and feet of the shepherd-turned-king. Nor did anyone divide his garments among them or gamble for his clothes. But when Jesus the Messiah hung on the cross, His hands and feet were pieced, and the Roman soldiers did divide and gamble for His clothes (John 19:23-24; also see Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24, and Luke 23-34). 

The psalmist, David, quotes the enemy as saying,

He trusted in the LORD, let Him rescue Him;

Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him

(Psalm 22:8).

Compare this to what Jesus' enemies were saying when He was being crucified (Matthew 27:39-44, Mark 15:29-32, Luke 23:35-39).

As a whole, the 22nd Psalm is comparable to Isaiah 53, where the prophet vividly and poetically foretells the rejection of the Messiah by His people, His suffering, death, and resurrection. From Psalm 22:19 through the rest of the poem, David looks forward to being delivered by God from his enemies, as he has prayed; and he expresses hope for the future, and praise to God his Savior. Like Isaiah 53:10-12, this passage also provides a prophetic view of Christ being delivered by the Father who has now raised Him from the dead. And it is a look forward to the salvation that Christ's death and resurrection makes available to all who trust in Christ. 

In the book of Psalms, the believer finds a treasure trove of poetry to which he or she can relate personally, through the conflicts - both triumphs and defeats - of life. In these poems we too can find expressions of our own joys, sorrows, hopes in the face of fear, prayers and praises. And in so doing, we can even share spiritually and emotionally in the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

We come to realize that our living Friend, Jesus Christ, has been through, and knows, and understands what we go through in this fallen, broken world. And we have hope, knowing that just as He was delivered by the Father from death, so we too will be saved; and we will share in His glory, His peace, His joy, and His everlasting life in Paradise (Luke 23:43).

The Lord is our reason to make melody; 

It is He who gives us breath to sing.

Without Him we would have nothing;

Had He not made us, we would have no voice,

Nor could we live,

Or even exist at all

Jesus Did Say Something About It

There is a certain deception floating around, which I have heard and read numerous times. The deception is that Jesus Christ never said anything to controvert homosexuality or gay marriage. But when Jesus discussed the sanctity of marriage, He clearly defined it as intended to be a union between a man and a woman. He said, "But from the beginning of creation, God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife'" (Mark 10:6-7). 

I've also heard numerous people defend the "alternative lifestyle" by saying that when the Bible was written, the word "homosexual" did not exist. True as that may be, the concept to which the word refers did exists. People have been having same-sex relations at least since the period when Sodom and Gomorrah were in existence, approximately four thousand years ago. Just because a particular word was not in existence at a particular time does not mean that the concept or practice did not exist under a different name or terminology.

And Christ's apostle, Paul, was clearly describing same-sex relations in his letter to the Roman church, where he identified that behavior as one of many crimes against Divinity; for which the judgement of God is going to be poured out upon the world. He wrote, "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due" (Romans 1:26-27).

I've also heard of the claim that Adam and Eve were not the only humans that God created in the beginning; and that He may have created other couples that were not heterosexual. However this deception is exposed by the statement that I have already quoted from Jesus Christ, that "from the beginning of creation, God 'made them male and female', 'for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife'" (Mark 10:6-7). Here, Jesus acknowledges no other arrangement. 

There is no indication anywhere in the Scriptures that God created others than just Adam, Eve, and their posterity. "And Adam called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living" (Genesis 3:20). All human beings are descended from Adam and Eve. "Where" one may ask "did the sons of Adam find wives then?" The answer is that they married the daughters of Adam. 

That may seem shocking, since, over two thousand years later, the Law of Moses banned incest. But in the pre-Flood era, the human genome would have had much fewer defects that could potentially become dominant in human offspring. In the pre-Fallen world, before sin, disease, and death entered the world, (Romans 5:12) there were no defects at all in the human genome. It is because of the increase of defects, caused by the brokenness of nature due to sin, (Romans 8:21-22) that anyone seeking a spouse must look beyond their close relatives. 

Now I think most if not all of us have heard the claim that homosexuals are born that way and can't help it. But whether or not that is true makes no difference. God's word lets us know that we are all born with a fallen, sinful nature which we have inherited from our first ancestors, Adam and Eve. Different people may have different weaknesses, but all moral/spiritual weaknesses stem from the same fallen, sinful nature. There is nothing whatsoever unique about homosexuality. It is a sin, and it is no better, and no worse, than idolatry, adultery, fornication, lying, or any other sin. 

All of us are fallen, our nature is broken. And it is true that we can't  help it. That is why we need to receive salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ who gave Himself on the cross for our sin; and who has risen from the dead to provide everlasting life to all who trust in Him. By His death and resurrection, Christ has made it possible for us to receive redemption, forgiveness of sin (Colossians 1:13-14). By faith in Him, we receive the Holy Spirit who then lives in us, and is helping us, making us become perfect in His righteousness. We can not be saved from our sin unless we trust in Him.

Nimrod

In Genesis 10:8-12, we read about a man named Nimrod who was "a mighty one", and "a mighty hunter before (i.e. in the presence of) the LORD". We learn that "the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calnah, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth, Ir, Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city)". 

In Genesis 11:1-9, we read about how the people of the earth, under Nimrod, endeavored to build "a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens" in order to "make a name" for themselves as a people. The implication is that they wanted to build something that would stand as a testament to their own greatness, and the greatness of their ruler, Nimrod. 

But God took away their ability to communicate with each other.  Up until that time there was only one language. But at the Tower of Babel, the people of the earth became divided by language barriers for the first time. And they were scattered abroad; the Tower of Babel left unfinished. The ability to communicate is a blessing from God, which He has every right to confiscate. When the LORD takes away, He takes what rightfully belongs to Him from start to finish. He is the Creator, and Owner of everything that exists. It is a graciousness on His part that He allows anyone to live and move and be (Acts 17:28). And those who use His gifts for evil will be judged.

The construction of the Tower of Babel was a sort of  humanist endeavor, before the term "humanist" existed. In other words, Nimrod and the people of the earth had forgotten that it was in God's presence that they were mighty. It is God who created humanity and sustains us. God gave Nimrod life and strength to be a "mighty one". But Nimrod took it for granted, as though he had accomplish it all by himself.

Since then, the name of Nimrod has become a term of derision. To call someone a nimrod is an insult. The name of Nimrod has become a synonym for "stupid person". We as humans do behave stupidly when we forget our Creator, when we fail to acknowledge His blessings and His sovereignty over our lives. We act like a bunch of nimrods when we think that we live by our own strength or intelligence. As the O.C. Supertones put it, 

"Lord, I just don't understand

This strange creature You call 'man'

Who thinks he lives by his own hand

But I know - there's no life away from You"

Only fools deny God (Psalm 14:1). And it is also nimrod-like to think that we, by our own efforts, can say or do anything to achieve or earn good standing with God. We are fallen creatures because of sin. Our nature is fallen. All of us fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). The prophet of God said, 

"But we are all like an unclean thing,

And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;

We all fade as a leaf,

And our iniquities, like the wind,

Have taken us away"

(Isaiah 64:6).

There is nothing we can do to change the fact that we have sinned. It is only by the grace that comes through Jesus Christ, who was crucified for our sin, and has risen from the dead to provide eternal life to all who trust in Him, that we can receive redemption - forgiveness of sin, and reconciliation with the heavenly Father (Acts 4:10-12, Romans 6:23, Colossians 1:12-14, 1 Timothy 2:5).

Let's not be like Nimrod. Let us remember that we are created by, and in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27) who is love (1 John 4:8), for the purpose of love (Matthew 22:37-40); and that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning" (James 1:17). Then we will be mindful of our dependence on our heavenly Father, submissive to His sovereignty over our lives, and grateful to Him for His mercy, and His blessings, and His love toward us.

Willing To Die For Jesus Christ

The book of the Acts of the Apostles, was written by Luke, a Greek physician who had become a member of Paul's missionary team. His are the only two books in the Bible to have been penned by a Gentile. He wrote the book of Acts as a sequel to his account of Jesus' earthly life, ministry, death and resurrection. It is a record of the deeds or works (acts) of the apostles after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven. They began to do the work which He had commanded them to do - take His message of repentance and salvation through faith in Him to the world. In accordance with His instructions, they began in Jerusalem. And the Church quickly began to grow (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). 

During that period, a man named Stephen stood up and preached Christ to a hostile audience and when he had finished speaking they stoned him to death. And so Stephen became the very first to be martyred for the gospel of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 6-7). This was the beginning of a wave of persecution, led by a Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus, who had been involved in the stoning of Stephen. The result was that the believers at Jerusalem were scattered all over Judea and Samaria, and the message of Jesus Christ spread with them. But the twelve apostles remained in Jerusalem (Acts 7:57-60, 8:1-4). Judas Iscariot had been replaced by a man named Matthias (Acts 1:15-26).  

Ironically, though, Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus with intent to arrest and kill Christians, would end up surrendering his life to Jesus Christ to become an apostle for Him, preaching the gospel all over the Mediterranean world (Acts 9:1-22). Years later, Saul (now going by the name Paul) was intent on returning to Jerusalem at the end of another missionary journey, and some Christians who were with him urged him not to go, for fear that he might be arrested if he did. It was then that Paul replied "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13). 

Paul was arrested upon his return to Jerusalem, and remained there in chains for some time. But he found opportunies to preach the gospel of Jesus the Messiah and risen Savior of all who trust in Him. He gave his personal testimony in the presence of the Roman governors Felix and Festus, as well as king Aggripa. Then he ended up being put on a ship to go to Rome (having used his Roman citizenship to make a court appeal to Caesar). Along the way, Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, along with the Roman guards and his companions who had been allowed to accompany him. There, Paul miraculously survived being bitten by a viper while he was loading wood into the fire (Acts 28:1-10). 

Finally arriving in Rome, he ended up under house arrest for two years; during which time he preached the gospel to those who came to visit him and hear him (Acts 2811-30). So Paul did not die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. But eventually he was beheaded by the sword of Rome for the name of the Lord Jesus (circa 64 A.D.). And he wasn't the only one. All but one of the apostles, who were eyewitnesses of Jesus' ministry, miracles, death, and post-resurrection ministry, and ascension into Heaven, died as martyrs. 

Peter was crucified at Rome, requesting that he be crucified upside down because he said that he was not worthy of the honor of dying in the exact same manner that Jesus did (circa 67 A.D.). Andrew was also crucified. James son of Zebedee was beheaded circa 44 A.D.  Thomas made his way to India, preaching the gospel. Eventually, though, he was put to death with a spear near Madras. The so-called Gospel and the Acts of Thomas are not included in the Bible because they were not written by Thomas, but were written in the third or fourth century A.D. 

Bartholomew, a.k.a Nathaniel, preached in Armenia (present day Armemia, eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran) as well as India, Egypt, Ethiopia, Arabia and Persia. He was flayed to death for the gospel of Christ. So also, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus a.k.a Jude, Simon the Zealot, Philip, and Matthias were all martyred for baring eyewitness to the works and teachings of Christ (1 John 1:1-4). 

John lived to an old age, though he was put under arrest and hard labor on the island of Patmos. There he wrote his gospel account and the book of Revelation circa 68-70 A.D., only about forty years after the resurrection of Christ. John died circa 100 A.D. The oldest existing fragment of the New Testament is a portion of the gospel of John chapter 18, dating to around 110 A.D. which was found in Alexandria. It is known as the Rylands Library Papyrus P52, or simply St. John's Papyrus.

Down through the last 2000+ years, many Christians have suffered and died for their allegiance to Jesus Christ. In the first century, Christians were crucified, stoned, burned, fed to beasts or killed by gladiators in the Roman arenas. Even today, in the Middle East, and the Far East, and other places, Christians face imprisonment, violence and death for their loyalty to Christ. But now here is something else on which to ruminate: everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ must die for Him. Perhaps not physically, but in a spiritual sense, we must die to the sinful nature that each of us has inherited from our first ancestors, Adam and Eve. 

I pray that I would be ready and willing to give my mortal life, if it were to come to that, for the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). But I have come to the realization that the best way to be ready to physically die for Christ in the nebulous future is to live for Him right now, every day. Because to live for Christ is to put to death the sinful nature within; to put to death every desire that is contrary to complete surrender and allegiance to Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-6, Colossians 3:1-10). 

Paul said that every day, he died for Christ (1 Corinthians 15:30-31). Jesus Himself said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). I can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit. And if I do that, then I will love Jesus Christ more than comfort, more than convenience, more than pleasure, and more than my life in this world; because I will have already surrendered all of those things to Him, the Creator/Owner of the universe and all life. So I will not be afraid to lose them. 

Voice of the Martyrs

The Conquest of Canaan

To many readers, the Conquest of Canaan is likely one of the most uncomfortable portion of the Scriptures. After freeing the Israelites from Egyptian slavery, and leading them in a forty year long walkabout, God commanded the Israelites to invade the land of Canaan, which He had promised would be their home, and completely annihilate the pagan inhabitants. The land of Canaan (known today as Israel) was home to seven different pagan nations at the time; the Canaanites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, and the Girgashites.

In both the Old and New Testament Scriptures, we are told that God never changes (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8). However, many people think that this portion of biblical history is at odds with Christian teachings about peace and love and God's offer of salvation. They feel that there is an appreciable difference between what they call "the God of the Old Testament", and "the God of the New Testament". 

They ask, "How do we reconcile the judgement and wrath of the Old Testament with the words of Christ, who said, 'Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.'"? (Matthew 5:44). And when His disciples asked Him if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy the Samaritan villages who rejected Him, Jesus said to them, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them" (Luke 9:51-56). 

However, there is no conflict if we take the time to learn and understand the context of the Scriptures. As I like to say, context is the BOSS of interpretation. So if we take things out of context, we will always be wrong. Taking everything in context, we see that there is no difference at all between God in the Old Testament, and the New Testament.

For one thing, Jesus was no hippie. To think of Him or present Him as being like one is simplistic and ridiculous. On one occasion, some people came to Jesus and brought up the subject of Pontius Pilate recently massacring of some Galileans.  

"And Jesus answered and said to them, 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent (turn away from sin) you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Luke 13:1-5).

Jesus said "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it". (Matthew 7:13-14).

To the forgiven adulteress, Jesus said "...go and sin no more" (John 8:11). In other words, "I forgive you. Now don't let it happen again". To a miraculously healed man, Jesus said, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you" (John 5:14). Clearly, Jesus taught that there are consequences for sin. Jesus often talked about the judgement that is to come in due time (read Matthew 25). He also said "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28).

Aside from this, there are also examples of God's great mercy in the Old Testament, including during the Conquest of Canaan. God does not take pleasure in the death of anyone who dies. His desire is for people to turn away from sin, and live. Yet He has assured us that the soul who sins will die (read Ezekiel 18:4, 20, 23 & 32). 

Before Joshua led the Israelites in the famous Battle of Jericho, he sent spies into the city. When the Israelite spies were in Jericho, and in danger of being caught, a prostitute name Rahab hid the spies in her house. She and her family knew that God had sent the Israelites, and that He was with them to give Canaan over to them. And because she responded to God with reverence and repentance, she and her family were spared (Joshua 2 & 6).

Now it is true that today we live in what Christian theologians call "the age of grace" or "the Church age". It is during this time that God extends the offer of amnesty to all sinners who repent and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. The prophet Isaiah referred to such a time as an acceptable time (Isaiah 49:8) or acceptable year (Isaiah 61:1-2). When Jesus first began to teach in the synagogues, He opened the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and read from chapter 61. And after reading through the line about the acceptable year of the Lord, Jesus said "Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing" (Luke 4:16-21).

During this time, between the first and second coming of Christ, the primary focus of the Lord's work is the spreading of the gospel (good news) of salvation through Jesus Christ. That is the reason why this is not a time for holy wars like the Conquest of Canaan. This is a time for God's people to peacefully tell the world about the forgiveness and love of Jesus Christ; how He died on the cross, receiving unto Himself the wages of our sin (Romans 6:23). And rose victorious over death.

But Isaiah also foretold the day of vengeance of our God (Isaiah 61:2). That is the day of Christ's return; the second coming. And all who place their trust in Jesus Christ will be saved from the coming wrath, just as Rahab and her family were saved when God judged Canaan; and just as Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of the Genesis Flood. 

So there is no change in God between the Old and New Testaments. "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). The only change is what time it is. There is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). If you consider the work of a farmer; it is not always time to plow, it is not always time to plant, and it is not always time to harvest. But the same farmer carries out each task in its time.  

And whether God extends His mercy or pours out His wrath, He is always justified in all that He does. God is love. And as I pointed out in last weeks post, that is precisely the reason why He is holy. He is infinitely wise and good. And He knows when it is necessary to judge and condemn. He also knows when to show mercy and have patience. 

As for the Israelites, they knew that it was God who led them. He showed Himself through the ten plagues in Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the drowning of the Egyptian army in the same water, a pillar of cloud to lead them by day, and a pillar of fire by night. He did many supernatural works to show that He was with Israel. And He even caused the walls of the city, Jericho, to collapse when the Israelites had marched around it seven times; as He commanded them to do.

As for the Canaanites, they were a wicked people who practiced many abominable things. And the apostle Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, saying, "for the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). The people of Canaan merely received the wages of their own sin. Yet God was very merciful, and waited until the wickedness of those nations was extreme before He sent Israel to destroy them (Genesis 15:16). It was good and right to destroy them from the face of the earth.

As for humanity, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). And God has mercifully provided salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He patiently withholds His final judgement until the day that He has appointed, when in due time He can no longer withhold His judgement. That day will be great and terrible - and completely necessary. 

Also read:

Yesterday, Today, and Forever

Why God is Superlatively Great

From the astronomical to the microscopic; all matter, all space, all time belongs to God. He is the Creator and Owner of every soul, and every spirit. God is the Lord and Judge of every thing, creature, every person that exists. He is the Absolute Decider of what is good. He is the Absolute Standard of goodness.

After revealing Himself to humanity through nature, and through the Old Testament prophets; the Creator of all things took on mortal human form and came personally into the world that He created (Hebrews 1:1-2). Jesus Christ is God in Person. He died on the cross for the sin of humanity, though He Himself has no sin. And He rose victoriously over death. 

By accomplishing these works, Jesus made redemption; forgiveness of sin, and eternal life, accessible to every human being who places their trust in Him, and follows Him. Anyone who wants to can personally know the Creator of the universe as their Friend, Savior, and Everlasting Father. 

Jesus said that the first and greatest commandment is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength (Dueteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37-38). God is love in three Persons; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 John 4:8). The reason that we as human beings even have a concept of love and of goodness is that we were created by, and in the image of God who is love (Genesis 1:26-27). 

Anyone who truly loves, as we were created to love, will love God who is love. And Jesus Christ is God in Person. Therefore anyone who truly loves will love Jesus Christ. "Let loving hearts enthrone Him". But as fallen human beings, all of us have sinned, and have not loved God who is love, and who created us in His image for the purpose of love. 

"But", Paul the apostle wrote, "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). John the apostle wrote, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...We love Him because He first loved us" (1 John 4:10 & 19).

I stated that God is the Absolute Decider of what is good; the Absolute Standard by which goodness is measured. Some wicked people accuse God of being wicked because He judges sin. By accusing God of evil, these evil people manifest (show, reveal, demonstrate) their own evil, wicked, fallen nature. God is God. People are not. God is the One who decides what is right and what is wrong. He is the One who decides what is good and what is evil. 

Because He is good, He judges and condemns sin. But also, because He is good, God has provided salvation from sin through His Son, Jesus Christ. No one has to be condemned for their sin. As I stated before, anyone who wants to can be redeemed. All one has to do is trust in the salvation that is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-2). Those who do, receive His Holy Spirit who is now begun to work in them to reform them, conforming them to holiness, to righteousness. 

Why History Is Great

According to a recent article in Huffington Post, there are some people who think the United States of America is two thousand and fourteen years old. Actually, 2014 is the current year in the Christian Calendar because it is based on the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. And hopefully most people know that. And by the way, just in case anyone is confused on the matter, Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, Judea, Israel; not to be confused with Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. The Christian Calendar, also called the Western Calendar or the Gregorian Calendar, was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582. But the Calendar is thought to be off by something like three, four, or six years. So the birth of Jesus Christ was not precisely two thousand and thirteen years ago.

The United States of America, though, did not exist when Jesus was born. The United States of America was officially formed in the year 1776. That makes the nation only two hundred and thirty-eight years old. And the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. That's three hundred and ninety-four years ago. And it was "in 1492" (five hundred and  twenty-two years ago) that "Columbus sailed the ocean blue". That is the year that he is said to have become the discoverer of the New World, though he never actually set foot anywhere on the continent that is now known as North America. He actually landed in the Caribbeans and mistakenly thought that he was in India.

It is important to know about history; real, accurate history. It is important to know the truth about the past in order to know where we came from and where we are going. As the saying goes, "The only way to understand the present is by understanding the past". God's people, the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; understood that. That is why they preserved their history in writing. That is why when God gave the Law to Moses, instructing him to write the Pentateuch; he inspired Moses to write down the history of all things. 

Under Divine guidance, Moses wrote history; from the Creation of the universe, to the Fall of Man into a sinful state, to the Flood of Noah. He recounted from the Flood to the calling of Abraham by God, to the immigration of Jacob's family into Egypt when Joseph saved Egypt from a severe famine. Moses then reviewed the subsequent enslavement of the people of Jacob (a.k.a Israel) in Egypt, and his own birth, upbringing, and Divine calling to lead Israel out of Egyptian slavery into the Promised Land.

And why did Israel become enslaved in Egypt. Because a new Pharaoh came into power, who did not know the history of how Joseph the Hebrew saved Egypt from starvation. So he was ignorant, and without proper gratitude to the Hebrew people. As Jesus Christ the superlative Savior said "Salvation is from the Jews" (John 4:22). Paul the apostle said that the Gentiles owe material gratitude to the Jews because it was through the Jews that Jesus Christ and His spiritual blessings came into the world (Romans 15:26-27).

But the historically ignorant Pharaoh feared the Hebrews and enslaved them. And he ordered the massacre of all Hebrew first-born son's at birth, much the same way as Herod "the Great" would later do when Jesus Christ was born in Israel. History has a way of being repeated like that. As another saying goes, "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it". But Moses, like Jesus, was rescued from infanticide. His mother hid him in a basket, coated with pitch and put him on the Nile River. He was then discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, who took him in and raised him as her own. She gave him the Egyptian name, "Moses" which means "drawn from the water". 

Centuries later the Israelites were again in captivity (this time in Babylon/Persia) because of their unfaithfulness to the LORD. But during that time they were saved by history from annihilation. Haman was seeking to turn the king, Xerxes, against all the Jews. But on a sleepless night, Xerxes called his servants to come and read to him from the history of his kingdom. It was through this reading that the king learned, or was reminded of Mordecai's loyalty to the king (Esther 6:1-3). Mordecai was a Jew. And as a result of Mordecai saving the king's life on an earlier occasion, Esther, Mordicai's relative, was able to persuade Xerxes to favor all her people. Haman's evil plan backfired on him with fatal result. 

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reviewed some events recorded in the Books of Moses. And he said "Now all these things happened to them as examples, and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come" (1 Corinthians 10:11). History is recorded for the sake of our generation to learn from the past. There are many examples of how historical ignorance is detrimental, while historical knowledge is indispensable. But the historical sequence of Creation, the Fall, the Flood, Israel and Jesus Christ is the superlative example. 

As I demonstrated in an earlier post, Why Science Is Great; the scientific laws are a testament to the truth of our orderly Creator and sovereign God, and the brokenness of the world due to sin - the need for salvation. Archaeology also testifies to the historical reliability of the Biblical texts. And the events recorded therein are of utmost importance.

Sin and the Remedy

Biblically, the word sin refers to a couple of things that are related to each other. For one thing, it refers to any specific act or attitude of disobedience against God. His commands are revealed to us in the Scriptures. Therefore, any specific act of disobedience against His revelation, in Scripture, is a sin. This includes idolatry, irreverence, theft, murder, adultery, lying, and envy (Exodus 20:1-17). And it also includes homosexuality, because contrary to what some falsely claim; the truth is that both the Old and New Testament, and Jesus Christ Himself, address the issue (Leviticus 18:22, Mark 10:6-8, Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). 

So, all specific acts/attitudes of disobedience against God are sins. The Greek word that is translated "sin" in the New Testament literally means "to miss the mark". In other words, it is a failure to meet God's standard of what is good. As the Scripture says; "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). No one can be good without God, because God Himself is the Absolute Decider of what is good. He sets and upholds the absolute standard. We can either obey, or disobey. It is evil to reject God's standard and substitute one's own. The problem is, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God". None of us meets God's standard of goodness. 

And so this is another thing to which the word "sin" refers. It refers to the human condition. It refers to the fallen nature of the human race. When sin entered the world through one man, and death came by sin, (Romans 5:12) it affected the whole nature of the human being. As a result, we are all born with a sinful nature, inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. Since that day in the Garden of Eden, humanity has been in a spiritual state of rebellion against God. Thus, every specific act of disobedience against God is symptomatic of the spiritual condition of the inward soul. This condition, this fallen nature, is referred to in Scripture as sin. Sin runs deeper than actions. Sin is a spiritual disease.

So all such things as faithlessness, kleptomania, malice, lust, gender confusion, every kind of sexual deviance, greed, inordinate anger, the state of being a sociopath or a compulsive liar; all tendencies and inclinations to disobey God, are sin (Matthew 5:21-30). The Bible says that "the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ came into the world and died in our place, for our sin. He didn't just die for specific acts of disobedience which we have committed. He died for our sinful condition.

Those who place their trust in Him are saved by His grace. And having been saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive His Holy Spirit who works in us to reform our inward nature. This is a life long process. An individual may have a particular type of sin that is a point of weakness for them. The individual may struggle with that point of weakness throughout their life in this world. But each believer, when he or she stands before God at the end of his or her life in this physical world, will be perfected in accordance with His holiness through Christ (see Romans 5:1-2, Philippians 1:6, and 1 John 3:2). So, as we think of sin as a spiritual sickness, Jesus came with the remedy; the cure. This is why Christians like myself sometimes refer to Him as the Great Physician.

Why Science Is Great

The reason science is great, the reason it is even possible at all, is that the universe operates according to orderly sets of laws. If it did not, then our own brains would not operate in an orderly manner, allowing us to think and to make valid observations of the universe, of which we and our brains are a part. Now atheists would have us to think that this natural universe, which operates according to orderly sets of laws, came not from an intelligent Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, but from random, mindless, unguided processes. And these atheists make the ridiculous claim that theirs is the more rational worldview. But they are not rational. They are irrational, and spiritually blind. Their hearts are insensitive to the truth of God.

The word of God describes them rightly; that "... they became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools"(Romans 1:20-22). They have the absurd view that since scientific laws govern the universe, that somehow refutes the word of God who made the laws that govern the universe. But science, the orderly, systematic study of the natural universe, is great because it truly points to our orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver who orders and commands His creation as He sees fit. 

Of course, the Scriptures tell that God has the power to command nature to behave differently than normal at specific points - any points - in time and space. When He does, we call the result a miracle. This should not surprise us since He made the universe. It is His. He owns it. From the astronomical, to the microscopic; all matter, all space, all time belongs to Him. Philip Yancy wrote, "Some see miracles as an implausible suspension of the laws of the physical universe. As signs, though, they serve just the opposite function. Death, decay, entropy, and destruction are the true suspensions of God's laws; miracles are the early glimpses of restoration".  

In the physical universe we can plainly see the order and splendor of our God who made all things. And we can also plainly see the brokenness of our world which groans under the weight of sin's curse. So we can see the need for a Savior. And if we read the Gospels, we can learn about that Savior. His name is Jesus. He is the Son of God. 

He took on human form and came into our broken world. He lived within the time and space of human history. He took on Himself all of the brokenness of our existence, and our world, though He had no sin. He died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sin (Romans 6:23). And on the third day, He rose again, conquering death. All who trust in Him receive forgiveness of sin, and eternal life in Paradise with Him.

Science is great because we can see His work through the world that He created. And we can see the brokenness of our world because of sin. We can see our need for reconciliation with God. But the gospel of Christ is greater than science, because it tells us we can be reconciled with God now, by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1-2).

Boasting in the Lord

At least a couple of times in his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul talked about boasting in the Lord. He paraphrased the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "Let the one who boast boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17; compare to Jeremiah 9:24). 

And in his letter to the church in Galatia, Paul says, "But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world" (Galatians 6:14).

So what does it mean to boast in the Lord? Usually, when a person boasts, they are glorifying themselves for some supposedly great thing that they supposedly did. But when a Christian boasts in the Lord, they are doing something different. He or she is not boasting about anything that he or she did. 

The Christian who boasts in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, is boasting about what someone else did. He or she is boasting about what Jesus did. And so the Christian is not glorifying his or her self. The Christian is glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ.

This is appropriate, since Jesus Christ is the One who saves us from our sin. We didn't do anything to save ourselves. All we can do is trust in Him to forgive us, take away our sins, and help us become the men and women that He created us to be. As Jesus Himself said, "I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). 

And as the prophet Isaiah wrote, "LORD, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us" (Isaiah 26:12). The New International Version words it this way, "all that we have accomplished you have done for us". 

In verses 18-19 Isaiah says, 

"We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth to the wind. We have not brought salvation to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life. But Your dead will live, LORD; their bodies will rise - let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy - Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead".

This prophecy is then echoed by Jesus who said, 

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those that hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man.

 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me" (John 5:24-30).

Some wicked, blasphemous people have mockingly compared the resurrection which is to come, with depictions of zombie apocalypses in Hollywood films. And perhaps it is silly to even give a response to such childish mockery. But the resurrection of life will certainly not consist of rotting corpses coming out of the graves. On the contrary, those who participate in the resurrection of life will be fully restored to the vibrancy of life. No tattered clothes, no deteriorated cells, tissues or organs. Just vibrant, healthy life.

Consider this excerpt from my other blog, Dr. Wreath, where a girl who has been dead and embalmed for three days is prayed over and rises from the dead:

And placing a hand upon Cor's overlapping hands, he began to pray:

"Most High God, give back the spirit of this daughter of Yours. And let the breath and blood of natural life be in her once more. I ask this of You in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ, who was dead and is alive".

Just as he spoke that last word, the whole congregation clearly heard Cor draw in a deep breath. The heart that lay in still silence, now resumed the rhythm of life. In place of the embalming fluids; warm, living, healthy blood began once more to make its round course through her body. And every deteriorated cell was restored.

But the resurrection that is to come will actually be greater than Cor's temporal resurrection, described above. That resurrection is comparable to those of Lazarus, the widow's son at Nain, or Jairus' daughter in the Gospels. All of those people, having died and been brought back to life; were restored only to this mortal life that you and I have today. And that means that they eventually died again.

But in the resurrection of life that is to come, those who have trusted faithfully in Christ, will be given something entirely above this mortal life. It will be like the resurrection of Jesus Himself, after He had been crucified. Christians will be raised to immortal, eternal life. There will be no more pain, sorrow, or mortality for those who partake of this resurrection.

Again, there is nothing that any one of us could do to earn this salvation. It is entirely by His grace and forgiveness of our sins. This is why we Christians ought not to boast in ourselves, but in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the resurrection and the life. Without Him, we can do nothing. So it is to Him that we give thanks and praise - forever.

Now these things may seem far out to some readers. But I find Christianity with all its teachings to be far more believable than that irrational myth that atheists tout. Their myth claims that the universe, which operates according to orderly sets of laws, encoded with complex information in its cells and atoms, came not from an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, but from random, mindless, unguided processes.

Insensitive?

I have heard of the accusation; that devote and faithful Christians are mean and insensitive. And maybe some of us are. Maybe I am. However, that accusation is one that cuts both ways. 

Take for example, Simon Peter. Jesus said to his disciple, who argued with Him about His impending crucifixion, that he was not being mindful of the things of God, but the things of men (Matthew 16:23).

Peter was oh so very sensitive about the well-being of the Messiah. How cruelly did the idea stab his heart; that his Lord should have to "go tho Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed..." (Matthew 16:21). "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" he cried (Matthew 16:22). 

He was sensitive to the wrong things. He was sensitive to his own notion of what should happen to Jesus. But he was not sensitive to the will of God; the need for the Messiah to suffer and die before entering His glory (Isaiah 53, Daniel 9:26, Luke 24:25-27). He was not sensitive to the need for Jesus to give His life as a ransom to save sinners from eternal ruin (Matthew 20:28).

And now what about those who mock and ridicule Jesus and His followers. What about those who reject Christ. Do they call us insensitive because we tell the truth: that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus? (Romans 3:23-24). Are we insensitive be cause we tell the truth: that God now commands all people everywhere to repent (turn away from sin) and be saved, by Jesus, from the judgement to come? (Acts 17:30-31).

Do the unrepentant not know that they are the ones who are insensitive to God who is love, and who made humanity in His own image before the Fall? It is irrational for them to think that the universe, operating according to orderly laws, its behavior guided by intelligible information on a cellular and atomic level, came not from an intelligent Creator and sovereign Lawgiver; but from random, mindless, unguided processes. 

And if the physical universe did not operate according to orderly laws, science would be impossible. Our own brains would not operate according to orderly laws, enabling us to think and to make valid observations. Yet, one must also be blind not to see that this is a fallen, corrupted, sinful, broken world we inhabit; in need of a Savior. And it requires a hard, insensitive heart to reject the truth that Jesus is that Savior. 

The unrepentant, because of their depraved spirits, are irrational, and spiritually blind; having hard, insensitive hearts. They are the ones who are insensitive to the things that matter to the Maker/Owner of the universe. They are the ones who are insensitive to the love of Jesus, who died for their sins. He offers eternal life; restoration taking away the brokenness of sin's curse, eternal peace, joy and love. And they reject it all. 

The unrepentant do not want to be reconciled with their Maker, whose Son died on the cross to save sinners. They want to remain fallen creatures. They think it is enough for them to manage their fallen nature as they see fit. But they are fallen creatures with a corrupted view of what is good. They say that they are "good without a god", but they are not good. They only think that they are good because they are too corrupt to even know what is good. To be without God is, by definition, not good. 

When humanity turns his back on God, and sets up his own fallen, corrupted standard of "right" and "wrong"; it inevitably leads to every kind of evil. It led humanity to crucify the perfect Son of God who is love, and who made humanity in His image before the Fall. And it continues to lead humans to mock and despise Him and His followers to this day. It even has lead to the widespread acceptance of infanticide in the name of "women's rights"; disregard toward human life in the name of "human rights". They think they are good, but they are not good. They are evil. They are the insensitive ones. They are mean. 

They are insensitive to the filthiness of their own rebellion against God who is love. They are insensitive to the stench of their own depravity. They are the insensitive ones who refuse to be reconciled with God through His Son Jesus Christ.

As for me, I too have been insensitive to the heart of God. I have, at times, chosen to be sensitive, instead, to the thoughts and feelings of fallen humanity. And as a result, I have thought and said and done things that are wicked and insensitive to God who is love. For, as Jesus Himself said, "what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God" (Luke 16:15). 

I am sorry for the ways in which I have dishonored God. I repent. And I ask Him to forgive me. And I thank Him for His mercy, as He helps me to practice the righteousness of the new nature which is in Christ.

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:12-14). 

The Dehumanizing Power of Sin

In chapters five - seven of his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, Douglass wrote about the time he became the slave of Mr. and Mrs. Auld of Baltimore, Md. When he first came to that house, Sophia Auld was a very kind and tenderhearted woman. Douglass wrote that she treated him "as she supposed one human being ought to treat another".

He describes her in chapter five as having a "face beaming with kindly emotion". She began to teach Douglass to read and write. Over time, however, Douglass describes how slave-holding proved to have a dehumanizing effect on her. She became even more cruel than her husband. So Douglass showed how slavery not only dehumanizes those kept as slaves, but also slave-holders.

My reason for bring this up is that it is an illustration not only of the dehumanizing effects of slavery, but the dehumanizing effect of all sin. This is why the villain in C.S. Lewis' Perelandra is referred to as "the un-man". This is also consistent with the words of Jesus: "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin...Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:34-36).

Humanity was originally created by, and in the image of our holy, righteous God who is love. This is why we, as human beings, even have a concept of love. But then humanity fell into sin and became corrupt. All of us are born with a fallen, corrupted, sinful nature; inherited from our first parents, Adam and Eve. And so sin and death came into the world though one man (Romans 5:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22).

But sin would quickly prove to strip humanity of more than just immortality. Within only one generation, the first son, Cain, murdered his brother, Abel. But it didn't stop there. As the inhabitants of the earth grew in number, they also grew in wickedness. Turning away from the heavenly Father who lovingly created us in His own image, the people of the earth made their own gods in their own fallen image. And so they made idols in the image of created things rather than worship and love and obey God who is love, and who created all the universe (Romans 1:18-24).

For approximately one and a half thousand years, human nature did not change. The earth was filled with idolatry, violence, and every kind of evil. But one man, Noah, along with his family, was saved by grace (Genesis 6:1-8). At that time God justly sent a Flood to cover the whole earth. Many of the geological features that are observed today were formed by that Flood. But He warned Noah to build a 500 ft. long, 75 ft. wide, 45 ft. high Ark to preserve himself and his family, along with two of every "kind" (not species) of animal.

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A species is a sub-set of the original created "kinds". There is diversity within the created kinds; but, as suggested by the findings of Reginald Punnett, one kind can never give rise to a completely new kind. The feline kind can never give rise to a bird kind, and the canine kind can never give rise to a reptilian kind; and so forth. And as I have already noted in this post, the human kind was created uniquely in the image of God. 

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So Noah did as God commanded him. And the rain fell for forty days, and all the fountains of the deep were broken open. The waters covered the earth for about a year and then receded. Noah and his wife; his three sons and their wives, came off the Ark and started life over again.

In time, (within approximately half a thousand years) humanity increased again in number, and quickly turned away from the one true God to worship man-made idols. And disobeying a simple command to spread out and populate all the earth, they decided to build a great Tower that was supposed to reach into the heavens. So God confounded their language and scattered them (Genesis 11:1-9).

But human nature did not changed. The Sumerians and the Egyptians; the Incas and the Mayans, built their idolatrous, pagan kingdoms. And God spoke to Abraham the Chaldean. He gave Abraham a son, Isaac, through whom the nation of Israel was born by the will of God. Israel, like the rest of fallen humanity repeatedly showed a propensity toward disobeying God. And like the gentile nations, they even committed idolatry, ritualistic prostitution, and human sacrifices.

And approximately two thousand years after the Tower of Babel, the Creator of all things came into the world as a human being, taking on human form, though without sin. He lived a life that demonstrated His perfect love for His creation. But His own creation rejected, persecuted, arrested, and crucified Him (John 1:1-14). This is the natural expression of fallen humanity's vile depravity, because sin is enmity with God (Romans 8:7).

And in the last two thousand years since then, human nature still has not changed. Wars, violence, and theft go on and on and on in every generation. Meanwhile students are taught that the natural universe, which operates according to orderly laws, was not made by an orderly Creator and sovereign Lawgiver, but arose accidentally from random, unguided processes. That is not a rational worldview. That's just the madness of fallen, corrupt, sinful humans.

Divorce, adultery, and promiscuity are prevalent. Families are turbulent and broken. And many people grow up angry, rebellious, without godly council, and full of angst. Truth and virtue become objects of ridicule. Greed, lust, pride, and self indulgence are major motivators of a humanity that is sick and dying of its own wickedness.

And though many people know that these things are wrong, they still do not turn to be reconciled with the one true God who created all things; and who revealed Himself to humanity through His prophets and His Son, Jesus Christ. God's word is widely mocked and ridiculed; and disobeyed by everyone. No one is without sin (Romans 3:23).

Those who desire to live godly in Christ are also despised and mocked; even executed in many parts of the world. And that blood-shed will probably eventually spread to the West as well. Infanticide is widely defended and proudly advocated in the name of "women's rights"! Human life is devalued and discarded in the name of "human rights"!

And marriage is desecrated in the name of "equality"; even though Jesus Himself, when asked a question about marriage, said "But from the beginning of creation, God 'made them male and female'" (Mark 10:6). And even many of those who claim to be in Christ are willing to distort His word to accommodate sin. Yes, even in the Church there are those who, in many ways, outright defy what is good and right in the sight of God.

But through all of this, God's nature has never changed. He remains our holy, just, and righteous God. And He will rightfully pour out His righteous judgment on the unrepentant, who reject the absolute truth of His word and cling to their own filth.

But He also remains God who is love. And there is no limit to the mercy and grace that He will continually display toward those who, in reverent faith, turn to Him for forgiveness. He has made salvation available to all who are willing to be saved by His grace through faith in His Son Jesus Christ alone, who died on the cross for our sin (Romans 3:23-24, 5:1-2, & 6:23).

God's purpose was fulfilled despite (even by way of) humanity's obstinacy. As God revealed to the prophet Daniel about five hundred years beforehand: "Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself" (Daniel 9:26). It was for our sin that Jesus died.

And at the time it seemed to everyone that He had accomplished nothing. But He was accomplishing a salvation that nobody else's efforts ever could. He who had no sin, took our sin upon Himself; so that those who trust in Him, having no righteousness of our own, may take His righteousness upon ourselves. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17).

But for those who reject this salvation, THERE IS. NO. OTHER. "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5; also see Hebrews 2:2-4, & 10:26-27).

Tongue Bad

If you have never read it, you should read Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. It is a very good autobiography, eloquently written (unlike the intentionally silly title of this post). In the course of telling his story, Fredrick Douglass wrote about the various masters that he had before he escaped to freedom. And he told about an overseer named Mr. Severe. It was Mr. Severe whom Douglass described in this way:

"Mr. Severe was rightly named: he was a cruel man... He seemed to take pleasure in manifesting his fiendish barbarity. Added to his cruelty, he was a profane swearer... Scarce a sentence escaped him but that was commenced or concluded by some horrid oath. His presence made it both the field of blood and of blasphemy... and he died as he lived, uttering, with his dying groans, bitter curses and horrid oaths".

What an epitaph! How would you like to have that engraved on your tombstone? "Here lies a cruel and blasphemous man. He died cursing God". 

The Bible has a lot to say about the words that come out of our mouths. James, a half-brother of Jesus, called the tongue "a world of iniquity". He pointed out how with the same tongue that people use to praise God, they often also curse their fellow humans who are created in God's image (read James 3:1-12). 

King Solomon tells us that "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it's fruit" (Proverbs 18: 21). Like Mr. Severe's bloody cow-skin whip and hickory stick, so the tongue can become a cruel devise to lash out and wound people. And if anyone blasphemes God, that person wounds their own soul; which is not really their own, because every soul belongs to God who created it.

Jesus Himself said, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks" (Luke 6:45). But this truth leaves no one unscathed, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Jesus confirms this when He calls everyone evil (Luke 11:13, Luke 18:19, John 7:7). 

And when we sin in any way at all, we demonstrate a lack of love toward our heavenly Father who is love, and who created us in His perfect image before the Fall. And so when we speak any kind of wickedness; whether cruel insults, hurtful gossip, deceitful lies, foul obscenities, or irreverent blasphemies, we speak against our holy God who is love. And it is a reflection of the condition of our hearts. 

When God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David about his sin, Nathan spoke by the Holy Spirit and said to David:

"Why have you despised the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in His eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised Me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own" (2 Samuel 12:9-10; NIV, emphasis added).

So we learn from this passage of Scripture that all sin is a personal affront to our heavenly Father. And that of course includes any kind of sinful speech, because our words are a reflection of what is in our hearts. And one thing that David understood is that even though humans are fallen creatures, God desires righteousness to be in our inward being (Psalm 51:5-6).

David also prayed, saying, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, oh LORD, my strength and my Redeemer" (Psalm 19:14). Only by the power of the Holy Spirit, can our inward being become truly right and good and pure in the eyes of the LORD. And as Jesus said "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13; NIV).

Thankfully for David, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross paid retroactively for his sin, just as fully as it pays for the sins of all who trust in Jesus. And like Abraham before him, David looked forward to the arrival of God's salvation which came through Christ (John 8:56-58, Psalm 119:81). He even prophesied concerning the Crucifixion, a millennium before it happened (Psalm 22).

Now because of His sacrifice, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, those who trust in Jesus are no longer subject to that foul, lacerating, severe old man. Sin is no longer our master. We are free in Christ (John 8:31-36, Romans 6:6-23). And as we practice righteousness in Him, we grow in His likeness; the perfect image of God in which He originally created humanity (1 John 3:2-3). 

So we are admonished through the Holy Spirit to put away that dead, decomposing old man; and become the new man, created in harmony with God. Which, among other things, means to put away "corrupt speech", or "unwholesome talk" and use our mouths to praise our heavenly Father; and to bless, and build up others through the grace of God (Ephesians 4:21-32).   

Pagan Religions and Christianity

It has been well noted that the Christian doctrine of salvation from sin through the death and resurrection of God's Son bears a striking resemblance to pagan religions. There are pagan stories about dying gods who rise again to give new life.

C.S. Lewis thought of these similarities as "good dreams" that God gave to the pagans to lead them to the truth (see book 2, chapter 3, paragraph 9 of Mere Christianity). Critics of the gospel see the similarities as evidence against Christianity.

But I think that there is a better explanation. All humanity is one family, descended from Noah - descended from Adam. The early patriarchs; Adam, Seth, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew God. These men preserved the truth, which they received from God. They were faithful prophets. 

As I have pointed out in an earlier post, titled Assumptions, the belief that early humans did not have a written language is based on atheistic assumptions about the past. 

There is no real reason to think that the early patriarchs could not have written down their genealogies, as well as life-events, historical events, and prophecies that were given to them by God. Noah likely had written materials that had been passed down from the earlier patriarch. He would have then handed them down to his sons. 

Later on, under Divine inspiration, Moses likely used such earlier materials, as God directed him, to write the Pentateuch. By this I mean that God would have directed Moses in selecting reference materials as He also directed him throughout the whole process of writing Genesis-Deuteronomy.

The pagan nations, all being descendants of Noah's sons, remembered the Messianic prophecies that were given by God to the fore-mentioned, righteous patriarchs. God was already promising a Savior in the Garden of Eden, immediately after sin entered the world (Genesis 3:14-15). 

And there are many other Messianic prophecies throughout the book of Genesis. That is why Jesus said to His critics "If you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me" (John 5:46). Job, who probably lived contemporaneously to Abraham, also spoke of His coming (Job 19:25). 

So I reiterate that God was always speaking to the very earliest patriarchs. He told them about the Savior that He would send into the world. But turning away from God, the pagans worshiped idols, and god's of their own making. And their contrived myths contained dim memories of the truth, corrupted by the worship of false-gods (see Romans 1:18-28).

These things being said, the historical evidence in support of the life, works, death, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah set Him apart from the mythological gods of pagan religions. The caliber of His teachings also sets Him apart.