A Mother's Farewell to the Shadowlands: In Memory of Charlotte Hancock

In the afternoon of Monday, December 13, 2010, my life changed in a way that I never imagined. My mother, Charlotte Hancock, died. Regardless of my mother’s failing health, I never thought it would come now. I was aware of the “one day” that was coming. Unfortunately for me, that day had already arrived. Nevertheless, there is a goodness that comes through this pain, a goodness that I can’t even imagine, but I know with all certainty it is there. Although many may not have known my mother Charlotte, her death is the same end we will all meet at some point. This end doesn’t spell despair as some believe; it actually opens the way to paradise.

The morning after her death, I stared at the ceiling in my brother’s spare room wishing that I would awake from such a nightmare. Instead, I was met with an odd thought: The Chronicles of Narnia. C. S. Lewis is my favorite author, and The Chronicles of Narnia are my favorite pieces of fiction. Most people are familiar with the recent movies including the latest that was released that previous weekend, but the book that stood out to me at that moment was more obscure. The Last Battle is the final book that concludes with the end of Narnia. In the last chapter, “Farewell to the Shadowlands,” the Pevensie children are dead, yet they are unaware. The Christ figure Aslan reveals this to the children in what I consider to be the most beautiful passage of the seven books:

"There was a real railway accident," said Aslan softly.
"Your father and mother and all of you are - as you used to call it in the Shadowlands - dead. The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning."
And as He spoke He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.

This passage paints a picture too beautiful to explain. The children were dead. This is a terrible thought for us in our carnal, earthly minds, but we must look beyond this world to what lies beyond. For the believer in Christ, death is not the end; it is the beginning of the holidays. My mother was a firm believer. While she may have not graced the church door as often as many other church goers, she knew her savior. She knew him well, and because of this faith in both our parents, my brother and I grew to know him as well. We were given the greatest gift any parents could give to a child.

We like to remember our loved ones for their worldly characteristics. My mother had a sharp wit, stern personality, and a heart overflowing with love. I will remember and cherish these things for the rest of my life, but the most important thing to know is that she was a child of God, a follower of Christ. Because of this, she is with Him in paradise. She feels no more pain, sorrow, disappointment, or any other worldly affliction. She now has more than we could ever want: joy, love, and comfort in the very presence of God.

A good memorial piece is what some hope to hear in this letter. While memories will remain, a look to the future is what the importance is. God wants us to look forward and live our lives in Him. Charlotte Hancock had a job to do on this earth. Her job is now complete, and she has been called home. On December 13, 2010, she began Chapter One in the never-ending book of life and just like the children in Narnia, each chapter is better than the last.

What does this mean for us? It means that we all still have a job to do. We are here for a reason, and that reason is to live in communion with God, to spread His hope and love to all. I urge all that know Christ to live your life to the fullest with Him at the center. For those that do not know Christ Jesus, call on His name for the forgiveness of sin and salvation. He doesn’t promise a cushy life on earth but everlasting life beyond the grave just like my mother has. It is there for us all. We just have to want it and believe. If so, he will give it. And for this, I know I will see my mother again and most importantly, I will be with Jesus in paradise forever.

For my work, I have devoted myself to spreading the word through my blog The Zealots Path found at thezealotspath.blogspot.com. I invite all who seek the Lord to come read. This doesn't mean that I picked my "work." God has a specific job for all of us. We may not know until it comes what it is, sometimes after it passes. Nevertheless, if we turn to Him, all will be right, and we will be with Him.

The Misused Love: Part Four

After a good Thanksgiving break, let's finalize this series in the blog with the final three essentials of Godly Love. I believe these last three are the most challenging. Look and see how they square up to your life.

6. Confirming the importance in others is a great essential of Godly love. All have purpose, and to degrade others and act as if they are worthless is contrary to Christ’s teachings. Paul states in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepares in advance for us to do.” Regardless of what people have done in the past and what we may think of them, God has a plan for all. Now the holiness of his plan cannot be reached without the person becoming saved, but expressing that there is a purpose and plan for everyone certainly can bring God’s love to that person which can lead them to his grace. And in his grace, all can achieve the will of God. I do not mean to confuse this point with the popular watered-down Gospel message used today in churches in which all that is preached is a “wonderful plan” with no mention of sin and Hell. God’s plan for us is to be in communion with him, not a wonderful earthly life. That is crucial to understand. If we can reveal the importance in one person, it is worth the minuscule effort that seems to so often keep us from God’s will.

7. The next essential of God’s love is what I believe to be one of the most, if not the most, disputed. The idea of witnessing to others is a haunting thought to Christians. Many of us claim to be Christians, but ask yourself, how often do you speak to someone, especially strangers about your faith, or even hear others speaking about theirs? Exclude church related activities also. I think the answers should shock us as Christians. Now before I continue, I do want to stress that I do not mean that witnessing is only going door to door or standing on street corners screaming to people about going to Hell. What I mean by witnessing is being brave enough to speak of and stand up for your faith when the time comes. At times, Christ will lead those in need into our paths. How we handle the situation is partially in our hands. Partially because while the Spirit uses us as an instrument for Christ’s message, we must ultimately decide to act upon the Spirit’s calling. But as I said before, I do not mean to forcibly spit the word into people's faces. When it is time for them to hear, the Lord will create the space in time for it to happen. But how is this a part of love? It is actually the greatest part of God’s love. This is loving someone so much that you care where he or she will be when death comes. Refer to John 3:16. It show the epitome of love. When the occasion comes to share the Word, we should all think of God’s love for us and how he wants us to share our faith without fear and shame. This is the greatest expression of love: to not keep his Word locked inside of us but to allow it to grow in others.

8. The final essential is the idea of sacrifice. Do not simply think that sacrifice means that you will “give up” something for another. That connotation sometimes sits negatively on some hearts. While we basically do give something up, the concentration should be on what good is done for those the sacrifice is for. Through Christ’s crucifixion, we do acknowledge the fact that he died, but we focus more on the fact that he was raised from the dead and has given eternal life to his followers. With this type of thinking, why do we usually associate a negative feeling to concept of sacrifice in our own lives? First, how is love sacrifice? It is not intended for everyone to go and give their material possessions to those in need. That is not what I mean by sacrifice. In the context of spreading God’s love, we should sacrifice those things that hinder us from doing so. May it be time, effort, or comfort, we should not let our personal selfishness keep us from showing the greatness of God. Therefore, with the will of God, a Christian lifestyle requires sacrifice in many ways. Anything that keeps us from expressing God’s love cannot be considered holy, and we should sacrifice that which hinders Christ’s message.

After examining the challenge of these essentials, we must examine our own lives. Should there be any transitions, any changes, or are these essentials absent from our lives altogether? Actually, all of us lack at least one essential part of Godly love at some point in our lives. We must all be aware that the absence of Godly love means an eventual absence of God in our lives. God is true love; without it, we turn from him. But with all of the negative, worldly ideals that are implanted into our culturally aware minds, how do we focus on God while keeping our sin at bay? Start by prayer. Turn to God for guidance and strength. The Lord wants us to be full of his power, so why would he deny it to us? “Ask and it will be given to you” (Matt 7:7). We should never forget this. Christ tells that all you must do is truly want God and ask; you will not be denied. He then will give you the knowledge and understanding in that situation. But before you progress with this, understand that this does not mean a literal beam of light will fall upon you, where you will see everything as a divine epiphany. This is a misunderstanding of those who do not see what Christ means when he says that we will receive if we ask. We, in some way, will receive help. Do not focus on emotion and expect an immediate change of heart or physical ecstasy. Waiting for these things leads to discouragement and possible disbelief. Just understand that God will help you. With the trust that Christ will help, look to the world with a clear mind and distinguish between reality and worldliness, meaning separate your conscience from cultural ideas and focus on the truth of God’s holiness and love.

I think the best way to bring together what is expected of us as Christians is to look to Christ’s life. How did he live? What type of impact did he have on people? The answers are clear. But what can we understand about his character and his impact? Love is the key premise to Christian living. It is the foundation of all the good of God in this world. Through love, Christ died, salvation has found us, and we live. If we turn from true love, we turn from God because he is love.

The Misused Love: Part Three

We have all heard how it is good to be "nice" to others, but what is "nice?" With Jesus being the prime example of how to show compassion, I believe that we should do more than just “be nice” to people. Being nice has become a shallow example of what many think Christ wants us to do. There are what I believe to be eight essentials that should be understood as to what Christ intends for love. We will cover five in this entry.

1. We must overcome barriers and take time to understand that God’s love transcends all of our cultural and social understandings. Christ didn’t stay within the Temple to commune comfortably with the Pharisees; he went to the tax collectors, was followed by prostitutes, and cared for those who the culture would dismiss as evil. This shows us that we shouldn’t disregard anyone for any reason. Christ sees the truth inside us all: all are God’s children. No one should be discounted from his love.

2. Forgiveness is also a great obstacle that so many believe can’t be dealt with. It can be easy for some to forgive minor offenses, but it is more difficult with major issues. And think of what our culture considers to be “horrible” offenses: rape, murder, and I’m sure we can go one. But remember, God is so holy and has such righteous standards that what we consider to be evil is no worse in his eyes than what we see as minor offenses. Sin is sin with no exception. But we see these horrible things in the world and thrive on Worldly justice and revenge. While justice is good, vengeance is not promoted by Christ. Regardless of the offense, God will forgive if we repent and believe. This is the attitude that Christians should express. When we show forgiveness to those who offend, we interject something into the world that is rarely seen. Christ forgives, and if we are to be Christ-like, so should we with a loving, gracious heart.

3. Christ’s parable of the lost son speaks volumes to us about turning from sin to God, but I also see a lesson in patience. This is a critical facet to love. The Father, while he knew of the errors his son was doing against him, was patient and loving. Even after all was done, he welcomed his son back. God knows what terrible things we will do against him in our lives, but he never turns away from us. He will never give up; he is patient. His Spirit works everyday in our lives to help us turn to him. This is the kind of compassion that we must also share. While those we know hurt us and cause heartache of many kinds, we should still give our love to them. If God does this for us, how can we claim to live Godly lives and turn our backs on those who need us just because they have betrayed us in some way big or small?

4. Another point that is tied closely to patience is forgetfulness. I have heard, and said sometimes myself, the claim, “I will forgive but I will not forget.” This is a contradiction. Literal forgetfulness may never come, but in the context of the statement, it suggests that the remembrance will have an effect on the relationship. This is not forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive without “letting go” of the past. We have also heard of the statement, “forgive and forget.” As cliché as this sounds, it is a great characteristic of God’s grace. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, all of the sins of believers are washed away and no longer acknowledged. We are sinful, but we are forgiven if we turn to him. Isaiah 43:18 even states to, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” What has passed has passed. If we are to love and forgive, we must let go of the past, or the sin in us will use it to eat at our heart and turn us against each other.

5. Much of our love is expressed, but not all love is shown through action. The simple act of listening can give unbelievable help to so many. Some people in the world just need someone to listen to them speak. How many times have you felt “better” because you were able to “vent?” This is partially what I mean. The idea is still the same though. Being able to express our issues and have someone care enough to want to know about it helps tremendously. There are multitudes of people that need an ear to willingly and caringly listen to them. This gives the person a feeling of love. They say, “Wow! Someone cares enough about what I have to say. They actually want to know about me and my problems.” This is the easiest act of love a Christian can do, but it is also one of the least used. Christ would listen to a person all day if it means showing his love. In fact, he does. We all have this need. When we have problems, we turn to God. We pray, speak, and even cry at times. God is always there listening to us because he loves us. In turn, we must do the same to others, friends and strangers alike.

The Misused Love: Part Two

The past can most often lend an observant eye to our own difficulties. In the early years of Christianity, many initially gave attention Christians due to the love they displayed. Many Christians of the time would go to those in need with humility and compassion. This alone was what many needed to show that God was the loving truth that they needed all along. This is not to say that the message of sin and salvation was not preached. This is also an act of love which we will cover soon, but know this: God is love, and love shines through his children. Showing people such Godly love is showing them God. Now here is the question that begs to be answered: Do we see this love still expressed in the world?

Of course, there are numerous missions, national and international, that take place every year. Many are exposed to the Gospel because of such love, but does this love take place at home? In other words, do we live our lives expressing this love? What about the people around us who do not seem to need help? While we don’t regularly see small, malnourished children living in tents in our towns as shown in television commercials, we are still surrounded by lost souls that need to be shown the love of Christ, but fear so often keeps us from making that step.

Having our love stop at our family and friends is a misuse of what God has given us. Not only does it keep his love from spreading to the ones that truly need it, it’s an absolute contradiction of what Christ is, and many lost souls are misled by this. When a Christian is seen rejecting others and turning his or her head from those who are in need, it’s ammunition to Worldly critics. They claim, “Christians don’t practice what they say is true. They claim to love all but reject so many.” This misuse of love has caused resentment in some. Those who need Christ need his hand to reach out desperately, but if his children turn from them, what will these distressed souls feel?

This is the difficult task for so many. It appears impossible for some to reach out. I feel this way at times still. I remember in the past going to church in a bad mood, hoping no one would come to me to talk. I would be forced to smile and pretend that I cared about anything other than the reason I was there, which was to worship. Was I truly worshiping with that attitude? God would rather see me as a living example of his love to others than see me sitting quiet and still like a dead man propped up in a church pew.

Another issue is selfishness. Our culture puts so much emphasis on the individual and that a person has the right to all that concerns the self. I feel that this type of thinking can be poisonous to our true purpose. When we care only about ourselves, we are living in contradiction to Christ’s teachings. As he washed the apostles’ feet, he set an example of how to be. Christ came to serve; we should do the same. But this is not a popular attitude. Having a servant like stance shows weakness, and praise is given to those who stand up on their own, need no one, and serve no one. To express a Christ-like love through serving our neighbors is an illustration of weakness. To fit in, a person must show individual strength. All Christians should know that this is devastating.

Christ wants us to be dependent on the Lord and to serve him and all his children. I don’t claim that standing up for yourself is sinful, but allowing your personal selfishness to take over can give you an illusion of independent individuality. It must be understood that we are nothing without the Lord, that we can do nothing that is truly good without him. Knowing this can lead us to understand that by living like Christ, we will do true good unlike what the Worldly consider good.

How can we break away from this mind-set? We must look to God for guidance and see that Christ is the ultimate example. Just like Christ, we should all express compassion in ways that benefit. What I mean by benefit is not necessarily money. If you feel compelled to help others monetarily, then do so, but not all can. When it comes down to evaluating what is meant to benefit others, look to the spirit. It is a great thing to give help to the physical world. Do not be deceived though. So many people think happiness is found in the physical. Christians know that true happiness is found in God, so we should spread God to all. We should be concerned with the spiritual; therefore, we should work to assist those who are in need on the spiritual level.

The Misused Love: Part One

I seem to have a good bit to say on this subject. This is mainly because of how important love is to God's ministry. I'll break this topic down into multiple parts that I will post weekly. It's simply too much to cram in right now.

I foresee these installments becoming troublesome for most. This is because the idea of “love” is so misconstrued that this study will introduce such a challenge in which some must drastically revamp their initial comprehension of what love is. This situation is due to our cultural connections and rejection of God’s intentions of love.

Love seems so important in the modern world. Valentine’s Day brings roses and gifts that are given to people we truly love. Holidays mark special times we spend with loved ones. Weddings lavishly spread love’s tugging sensation into the hearts of the guests. Even anniversaries show us how some people are able to love each other through the hardest of times. These are all great things that do express the gift of love that God has given us, but it’s weakened in this world due to our sin. We’ve crafted a weak, conventional conception of “love” that’s selfish. We tell ourselves that we’re loving Christians but turn our heads from uncomfortable situations where love is needed most. We stand with our family and friends in a close knit circle imprisoning our love from the outside that desperately needs it.

While having strong care and love for the ones we are close to is a good thing, keeping it from reaching beyond our comfort zone to “outsiders” is where the misuse begins. Study this passage:

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? (Matt 5:46-47)

What do these verses tell us? Does it make you examine your life? Do you live your life according to Christ’s words? I can’t say that I have followed this even partially in the past. One afternoon as my wife, brother, and I were driving to Arkansas from Tennessee, we stopped to get gas and some food for the road. As I was about to pull back out of the gas station parking spot, I noticed a lump of faded blue sticking up from the grassy field next to the road. As I peered closer, I noticed it was a man sleeping in the grass with his denim jacket covering his face. His pants and boots were dirty and mud caked. I briefly looked at the sandals I was wearing at the time contrasting my comfort to his, but my eyes drifted over to my brother’s over-sized strawberry muffin he just bought just in case someone needed it. For a split moment, I thought of grabbing the muffin and running it over to the man, but I put the truck in reverse and left instead. My fear kept me from showing Christ’s compassion. I didn’t know what everyone in the car would say; I didn’t know what the man would say. I know that I wouldn’t have received any ridicule, but I convinced myself this with lies in order to keep out of an uncomfortable situation, and it still haunts me at times. Can you think of a time in which you have squirmed out of a similar situation? Many have done comparable things with the homeless, handicapped, or anyone that makes them feel uncomfortable.

How did Jesus live in regards to this idea? He loved his family and his apostle very much, but he did not stop there and nor should we. He illustrated his Godliness through his grace and compassion. He healed the sick, welcomed the poor and sinful, embraced the children, and ultimately gave his life for everyone including those he had not spoken with in the world much less even physically seen. This is the true exemplification of God’s love. He gives his grace to all no matter their social background, their cleanliness, their home life, occupation, race, or even nationality. He died for all.

Take some time to think about the God’s grace. This undeserved love is given to us regardless of our sins because Christ has taken the punishment for us. That is absolute love: to live a perfect life enduring persecution and death for those who rightly deserve eternal punishment. God looks beyond our sin and loves us for what Christ has done, but it does not begin there; he has always loved us even though we have repeatedly turned our backs on him. While he asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, he already knew that he was going to do the same thing himself. Jesus Christ, God incarnate, willingly came to take our sins upon himself for our sake. Pay close attention to the word “willingly.” Christ didn’t come out of any requirements. It didn’t benefit him. It was all done for us. We must look beyond ourselves to others. God’s grace dwells inside his people, and it’s our obligation to spread this love.

Are There Such Things as Ghosts?

I decided to do something a bit more festive yet taboo. Considering that it is almost Halloween and that I have had a few conversations recently on this topic, I decided to discuss ghosts! Some may already be in the process of leaving the blog without a glimpse into the contents, but I suggest we all take time to discuss this topic. While many of us do not believe in ghosts and hauntings, the supernatural has an effect on our culture and lives. The central question to ask is if the belief in ghosts is compatible with Christian doctrine. This will lead us to ask ourselves if we center our beliefs around Christ’s teachings or what the secular culture tells us.

In short, we are not going to experience “spirits” of those who have passed. This is logically incompatible with Christian doctrine. To show this, I want to focus on two passages today. First, Philippians 1:23-24 speaks of being present with the Lord and away from the body. Paul asserts, “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” The logic that this passage asserts is that spiritual absence from the body means to be in the presence of the Lord and away from the earth. I could continue with this, but the next passage holds insight.

The second passage is from Luke 16:19-31. Christ tells this parable to warn us of the sinful life we can lead on this earth, but deep within this parable is a description of the spirit after death. The rich man and Lazarus both go to two distinct, polarized places. Lazarus goes to Heaven and the rich man to Hell. There is no middle ground. Some Catholics may argue the idea of Purgatory, but the Holy Scriptures have no mention of such a thing, so that is dismissed. This shows that when we die, we either go to be with the Lord or away from him in torment. Concerning this discussion of ghosts, the last section of the passage gives great support to the nonexistence of haunting spirits. The rich man begs for Lazarus to be sent to warn his brothers because they will believe a dead man, but Abraham states, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

This last passage is crucial. It shows that after death, we either are with the Lord or away from him. It also shows that the dead cannot commune with the living. Think of this logically: If a person, saved or lost, dies, would he or she come back to just say hi, make mischief in a house, or attack others? It seems that these are the most common experiences with “ghosts.” Look at the rich man. No matter how evil a person is considered in this world, he or she will drop to the knees and be in full regret. Even with saved souls, if able to return, many would tell of the glory of God and give warning to those who need Christ’s salvation not rattle chains or slam doors.

I now need to be clear with the dangers of this topic. Many people claim to have experiences with ghosts. If these claims are legitimate, we should address it. Since we know that the bible is clear on what happens to souls after death, it is crucial to know what these people are experiencing. It cannot be a person’s soul; therefore, the only other logical explanation that is not biblically contradictory is that a demonic presence is at work. Many of you may want to dismiss this idea, but remember that Jesus and his disciples cast out numerous demonic spirits during his ministry. C. S. Lewis’ central précis of The Screwtape Letters is that the Devil’s greatest accomplishment was convincing the world that he did not exist. Do not fall into this trap. Satan is real and active in our world.

Some may ask, “why are some experiences with ghosts pleasant and comforting like those of a passed loved one?” With the scripture being quick to identify Satan as the great deceiver, it is logical that he presents himself disguised in an intriguing situation. We must understand that Satan will use all that he can to pull us away from God, even if it means posing as a loved one’s ghost. Put nothing past him.

Regardless if we believe in “ghosts” or not, this topic has extreme effects on our culture. How many “scary” movies have you watch in your lifetime? Are they entertaining in some way? The answers to these questions are apparent in the amount of movies, television shows, books, and magazines that are sold each year. The question we now must ask is this: Am I following Christian doctrine by believing in these things? The problem is that many Christians frankly do not know much biblically to know that they even need to ask this question. This is the same reason why we are commanded to stay away from the occult. Any spirituality that is not from God is from Satan. All occult beliefs, even belief in ghosts, are detrimental to our walk with God.

The best defenses we have against any demonic attack in our lives are the Word of God and prayer. Satan is at work in the world now, and the only way to resist these temptations and attacks is through God. We all must turn to God and resists all that the world throws at us including such impossible crazes as ghosts. God gives us hope and comfort in him. We have no need for other occult beliefs that our culture has inconspicuously injected into our minds. Believe in Christ Jesus only. All else is futile.

Can a Christian be Gay?

This entry will be quite controversial to some. Nonetheless, it’s an important topic that Christians should be able to affectively discuss with others. Many non believers have some type of dislike for Christians because of the “hate” they have for homosexuals. Some feel that Christians are not open to other lifestyles and don’t accept those that are different. In response, some Christians try to bend specific beliefs to pander to these misunderstood ideas. Some churches and denominations are freely accepting homosexuals into their congregations and even clergy. The question now arises: is it acceptable, or even possible, for a Christian to be a homosexual? How would you answer this?

The first point to address is that homosexuality is a sin. Verses such as Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27, and 1 Corinthians 6:9 clearly state that homosexuality is a sin. Some argue that the original language doesn’t condemn homosexuality, but this is not true at all. These verses are clear in their Hebrew and Greek form that it is wrong. Some Postmodernists state that it depends on how a person interprets the passages individually. This is also untrue. Throughout the books of the Bible, it is consistently referred to as sin.

The next detail that must be considered is the differences between temptation and action. We’re all tempted every day. Even Christ was tempted. It is stated in Hebrews 4:15 that Christ was tempted in every way yet without sin. Therefore, it is not a sin to be bombarded with constant challenges to our spiritual holiness. We’re in constant battle with Satan as he slams us with temptation after temptation. Yet, it is the desires and action of the temptation that becomes the sin. For example, a person may be tempted to lust after someone other than his or her spouse. When does this become a sin?

Enticing thoughts find their way into everyone’s head at some point, but it is what we do with those thoughts that create sin. Temptation, when not met with holy resistance, can turn into a desire which turns into action. The point being made is that temptation comes to everyone in many ways. All is dependent on how we treat that temptation. When we see someone attractive, do we push the thoughts aside or do we begin to lust after that person? Which would be the Godly thing to do?

This applies to homosexuality. Being that it is a sin, there is the ability, through God, to resist it. Therefore, we can look at it as a choice. I don’t mean to begin the argument of whether or not someone is born with it or if it is a choice in that aspect. I simply mean the act and desires of homosexuality. Just as any other sin, we have the ability to fight it or to give into it. With this being said, it’s important to understand that in God’s eyes, sin is sin. There is not one greater than the other when it comes to our accountability before him. This even means simple desires. Christ states in Matthew 5:27 that anyone who even looks at another person in lust has already committed adultery in the heart. God is so holy that all sins must be accounted for. This even means homosexuality. But know this: homosexuality is no worse than lying, cheating, murder, heterosexual promiscuity, or even disrespect to parents. We are all in the same situation: we must fight all temptation of all sins because we will be accountable for what we have done.

This is how we can answer the question: Yes, a Christian can have homosexual feelings and temptations. It is just as possible for a Christian to have those feelings as much as a Christian can be tempted to steal, to hate, and to cheat. Once again, we see that temptation comes to everyone. Not all people are enticed with the same sin, but we all experience some type of temptation.

Now, is it acceptable for a person to be a practicing homosexual in the church? Considering that it is a sin, no, it is not acceptable. There are serious problems with a Christian living an openly gay lifestyle, and the support of such a thing is just as destructive to our goals as Christians. Consider these examples: If a person you know decides to become an openly practicing thief, would you support that or believe it to be in line with Christ’s teachings? What if a family member decided to publicly announce his plans to be an adulterer? He wants to bring married women over to dinner on the weekends for his dates. Would this be acceptable or would we feel that he is misguided and living contrary to God’s commands? Therefore, we can’t “accept” that homosexuality is a part of a Christian’s lifestyle. We can’t serve the Lord and willing, purposefully live in sin. For that Christian, it is technically saying, “God, I am your child, but I want to sin more than obey you.”

Yes, Christians can have homosexual temptations. This is not the sin, but giving in to these desires is. A Christian can’t live an openly gay life and serve the Lord. So, contrary to popular belief, Christians do not hate homosexuals, but just as any other sin, the desires must be condemned. If we see someone living in sin, it is our duty to pray for them and assist them in understanding their offense and need of a savior. If you have any homosexual friends or acquaintances, pray for God to convict them and create an opportunity for you to witness. Maybe this issue has come up in discussion. Maybe it is an issue you are fighting within spiritually. With God willing, you can see that sin is sin and when we are tempted, God always provides a way out. But above all else, turn to God and his word for your guidance. He will make your paths straight.

Morality, Purity, and a side of Passé

I believe it’s safe to say that many, if not all of us, have heard a misled interpretation of what Christian living is. I have been told and implied that we are prudes, stiffed neck fools that deny ourselves the true pleasures of life. This clearly shows what the common Christian impression is. Many Christians may think, “Well, that’s their ridiculous opinion about something they know nothing about.” Maybe so, but whose fault is it that the Worldly either do not know or have received such a misleading idea? I believe that most of the fault can be traced back to Christians themselves but regardless, we need to correct this idea to better serve the Lord.

The main issues within this misunderstanding are morality and purity. It’s automatically assumed with most that if a person becomes a Christian, he or she must live a pure, moral life. Why? The most common reply is, “because God commands it.” True, but why? Many Christians try to live moral lives because of cultural ties. It is taught that God commands many rules and regulations for Christians adhere to. Therefore, do NOT sin. In turn, many follow this idea because it is what they have always known, not because it is what God intends. We sinful beings can look at this in many ways, but one particular method is this: Commands are nothing but commands unless we understand why they are commanded.

As I begin my writing classes each semester, the first thing that I explain is the importance of the course. Academic writing isn’t a pleasurable pastime for most, so it’s essential to understand why it’s taught. If a person understands why he or she does certain chores, goes to certain classes, follows certain rules and guidelines, it is easier for him or her to apply it all to life and have a closer bond to it. Morality and purity are in no way exempt. A good understanding of Godly morals will erase what most consider “obligations” or “chains” and bring appreciation as to why they are so relevant in our lives. God has a purpose for these virtues, and a misunderstanding can only lead us away from him.

Christ proclaims in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” This verse gives all that we need to see the importance of purity in Christ. Of course it is commanded throughout the Bible to strive for moral purity, but the purpose is not to create mere separation between us and the rest of the world or to hold us back from the things we wish for. It is for our own good. These commands of purity and morality are not negative repercussion of being a Christian. They are tools that can turn our lives from sorrow to joy.

The greatest analogy I’ve come across concerning morality is given by C. S. Lewis in what later became Mere Christianity. Lewis explains that we work like machines. God gives us the virtues of morality and purity to help the machine work in the manner it’s made for. When we practice moral righteousness, we care for the machine as was intended by God and keep breakdowns from occurring. When we reject these virtues, we lose harmony, breakdowns occur, and the machine suffers which ultimately can lead to a distancing between God and his children. I believe this is a great idea of how morality and purity are important to our Christian lives. God doesn’t give us these as rules to cause problems because he simply doesn’t approve of certain actions we tend to like. Righteousness will help us. It’s intended to keep us away from the worldly things that will destroy us.

The best part of this is that we have the power to influence and share Christ’s love. Those who struggle without him, struggle for nothing. Christians don’t work alone in morality. Christ lives in us and his Spirit works through us to reach others, so we know that it’s not what we do in this world; it’s what God does through us. So we see that purity doesn’t only help our personal relationship with God. It also illuminates like a light that many can see, and it will touch others.

Jesus Christ did not close himself off from others; he was open to all and gave all his love. It’s our Christian duty to spread Christ’s love to non-believers. By living impure lives, not only do we weaken our relationship with him and drift from our faith, we lead others away from him. It’s not an issue of social freedom and being held back from the things that we enjoy; it’s a matter of bringing others to Christ. Every action and thought we have is tied directly to our faith in God. Allow yourself to turn to him for this step in life. While some may feel that morality is a mindset for anyone, we know that it is empty and useless without Christ. Only through him can we accomplish anything pure in our existence.

Glenn Beck with a Dash of Pluralism

It has been too long since the last entry, but oh how time can pass when we're busy. Yet, having a busy schedule is not an excuse. This will be the subject of the next blog due to some rearranging today. I had the next blog ready to go, but the Spirit compelled me to step back and address another issue that is bothering me tremendously. This last Saturday was the anniversary for the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” speech. Conservative television host Glenn Beck held a patriotic speech of his own in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. called “Restoring Honor” that same day. While listening to his speech this morning, I was alarmed at the message that I heard. I would dare say that it was less patriotic and more religious than anything. More specifically, the message was that of Pluralism.

If anyone has heard much of Glenn Beck, it’s quite clear that he is a Mormon. This poses a serious problem for Christians. But before we delve into this, I want to focus on a specific passage from 1 Corinthians 10:20-21:

…the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons.

What does this say? Does it mean that Christians should not do anything with non-believers? Of course not. If we seclude ourselves from others, how could we spread the Good News to the world? It says that Christians should not participate in unholy practices and congregate with those who are working against the will of God. This should not limit us to imagery of Satanists and witchcraft like popular belief. This includes anything in the world that works against the God’s Word.

With Glenn Beck, he has professed his Mormonism many times. Mormonism is clearly incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but what Beck attempts is to merge all believers together regardless of faiths. This idea is in absolute contradiction to God’s commands. Christ’s death and resurrection was for our salvation, to pay the ransom of our souls. This means that Christ is the only means of salvation. If any faith does not accept that and follow the doctrine that is given to us in the Holy Bible, that faith is incorrect and does not lead to God but to Satan, hence, Paul’s revelation in the stated passage.

When multiple religions are mixed together, Pluralism begins. The importance of Christ disappears with the congregants. All that matters is if a person believes in “God” regardless of the religion. The problem is that no other religion in the world worships the same God as we do. At the rally, Beck is clear with his point though. He repeats his stance that he intends to bring all faiths together to focus on fixing the nation. This is Pluralism and a perfect example of what Paul means by dining with demons. If we participate in a doctrine that is contrary to the commands of God, we are actively following Satan and working against God’s will.

This is disturbing because many people, young and old, are being duped with this by the façade of politics and patriotism. Christians should put the Word of God before anything and follow his commands. Those who are unfamiliar with the Gospels or have never heard them before are drawn in to the attractive idea of unification and change. Regardless of the interesting rhetoric spewed by Beck concerning faiths, it’s very dangerous and many are being led astray.

What can we do as Christians then? The first step is to pray and turn to God’s Word. Study the Bible regularly. I don’t mean simply read through it but study, think deeply, and pray with the Word. This is the best defense God gives us in these situations. It is impenetrable by Satan. Next, congregate with fellow believers. This strengthens our faith and our fellowship with God’s church. Also, stand firm in your faith and know that there is only one truth, and that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth cannot be altered or made untrue. No matter how Beck tries to mix many faiths together, there is still only one God, one salvation, and one savior. Therefore, don’t support anything that is contrary to God’s Word. Just understand that such support can, and most likely will, lead someone astray from the Good News.

So what do we make of Mr. Beck’s rally and speech? I would first recommend that anyone who has not listened to it, go do so. This will acquaint you with the ammunition being used against God’s will. We must understand that we cannot support anything that works against God’s commands for his people regardless of what the occasion and circumstance. If we resist and follow God, he will provide and comfort us. More importantly, we keep the truth of the Gospel clear with coming generations and with those unfamiliar with Jesus Christ.

The Existence of God: The Moral Argument

The argument for the existence of God is immense, so I want to focus on specific points that are effective and practical in casual discussion with skeptics. I especially want to stay away from a deeply academic approach considering that it can lead to much deeper points in the argument which can frankly leave skeptics uninterested. Once again, reason and logic can fuel the defense of our faith well enough in this section of the argument. Hence, this week will concentrate on the Moral Argument.

This argument specifically focuses on the origin of morality in humanity. First, I believe it is wise to hear the opposing side before understanding how to defend against it. The view point of most skeptics is that of Moral Relativism. In this context, Moral Relativism states that morals are man made; they are created in specific contexts and only have grounding in those environment. Therefore, morals are only relative to the culture or society which creates it.

Moral Relativism seems to have fallen out of popularity in many philosophical circles, but it is still prevalent in thought even though it may not be called by this name. It seems logical to many that morals are rules, and rules are created to keep stability. Using the logic from last week, if rules are created, then there must be a creator of such. The argument starts with who the creator is. Moral Relativists believe that these rules differ from culture to culture to fit the needs and values of each environment. This seems logical in some ways. What the United States may consider less offensive sexual content on television may cost someone his or her life in Saudi Arabia. A big question now arises: who is wrong and who is right?

This brings us into the realm of absolute truth, which is also the demise of Moral Relativism. Moral Relativists will argue, possibly even subconsiously, that there is no absolute truth, only what works in that given cultural context. If the USA feels that pornography is perfectly fine for its citizens, who can dare tell Saudi Arabia that they are wrong in punishing “offenders.” This shows that morals are only relative to the culture that creates them. Hence, there is no absolute truth in morals.

What does any of this have to do with the existence of God? A defense against Moral Relativism will reveal how so. Consider all types of moral laws that we live our lives by. Are we able to waiver on some of them? Maybe we can with some such as cursing in public, the types of clothes that we wear, how to treat others that we consider friends. But notice that none of these focus on important moral issues. What about rape, murder, theft, and lying? Can we waiver on these points? For this argument, I always revert back to Nazi Germany and the extermination of the Jews. The Germans truly believed that they were doing the world a service by murdering as many “impure” beings as they could. According to the logic of Moral Relativism, would it be acceptable to excuse their actions based on that reasoning? They in fact did exactly what their culture said was good. Since there is no absolute truth, who can tell them that they did wrong? This would be a ridiculous stance. Anyone with a conscience can not accept that behavior, and everyone has a conscience.

Now all that is left is to ask what the alternative is. The truth is that there is a moral law giver. Their must be a being that has planted a conscience in the heart of every human being on earth that tells what right and wrong is. Regardless of miniscule differences in cultural beliefs, all humanity has an understanding of right and wrong. C. S. Lewis called this the Tao; Thomas Aquinas called it the Natural Law. Everyone has a sense of good and evil and knowledge of right and wrong regardless of the culture.

As for absolute truth, it is impossible not to have truth in the world. Even the statement is illogical. “There is no absolute truth.” If that is so, then that statement itself can’t be taken as truth because there is none. There must be truth or else the world would be absolute chaos in every possible way. As Fyodor Dostoevsky expressed in The Brothers Karamazov, “If there is no God, everything is permitted.” If God does not exist, there is no moral law that humanity can live one, so there is nothing keeping anyone from doing anything he or she wishes. Civil rights cannot stop any one from doing what their heart desires even if it is murder or theft. Actually, would it not be their right to do as they wish?

There is a god in this world. The Moral Argument is only one of many ways to express this truth. As I stated last week, it takes more faith to believe that there is nothing behind the intricacy of life and universe than to believe that an omnipotent creator made what we all see, experience and more. I only scratch the surface with the Moral Argument; if anyone wishes of further readings or sources, feel free to send any emails to The Zealot’s Path. I would be happy to discuss further. If this stirs your conscience, giving you a buring in your heart, do not sit back and hope that it passes. God gives us all and impulse to seek him. Set off on the search and seek the truth no matter what it may be. Maybe the Path is the place to start.

The Existence of God: The Skeptics Unexplainable Origin of Creation

These next two weeks will concentrate on the existence of God. This is quite a popular topic of discussion, and I don’t pretend to be an authority in scholarly research concerning this. I do know that rational thought can reveal all that God wishes for us to know. That will be the focus on this topic. I know all too well how much of “educated” academia pretends that rationality can destroy any belief in a god. Contrary to that, God has given his children brains to think, and we all can use them for his glory. So read on and see how pure thinking can stimulate your mind and stir your heart for the Lord.

With that being said, there is no better way to being than the understanding of creation. One reoccurring theme of Atheism that has become popular is that the Theory of Evolution and the Big Bang have explained away the belief of an omnipotent creator-god. Since these are taught religiously in public schools and higher education, many impressionable minds are bombarded with the idea that belief in a god is for uneducated, ignorant citizens of the world. Anyone with a shred of rational thought can’t believe in such archaic absurdity. I don’t intend to fight the arguments of these theories. Many have written volumes of books on this subject. This entry in the blog will show how rational thought reveals that all that we know and see is impossible without a creator.

Imagine that you are walking in a random field. The place looks barren and has no apparent signs of life for miles. You suddenly stumble over a sharp object sticking out of the dirt. As you look at it closely, you realize that it is the tip of a metal object. After digging, you come to understand that you’ve found an ancient sword that was buried in the dirt. Now ask yourself, is it reasonable to believe that either someone made the sword and placed it there, that it somehow evolved from something else, or even just somehow came into existence out of nowhere? Naturally, we can rely on the fact that it was created at some point in time by someone. Now apply this to life and the existence of the universe. Is it rational to think that the entire world, which is so intricate, suddenly popped up into existence?

Simple logic explains this point. If any one thing exists, it must have a beginning. If any one thing has a beginning, it must have a cause. Logic leads to this conclusion: the universe exists; therefore, it had a beginning. The universe had a beginning; therefore, it had a cause. In conversations with Evolutionists and Big Bang Theorists, the argument will come up that either life evolved over time or that the Big Bang was the beginning of the universe. They are two disconnected ideas, but both are used as ammunition to shut down Theists’ belief in a creator-god. Let’s see how these arguments hold up to the steps of logic previously stated.

Where does honey come from? It comes from Bees, of course. What about oak wood? This wood is from an oak tree. Where did the bee or tree come from? They come from a previous bee and tree. But, what about them? Where do they come from? They are from another bee and tree before them. Can you see where this line of questioning leads? We are now going in circles. No matter how far we trace the previous bee or oak tree, we’re searching for the first bee and oak tree that was created by someone beyond the comprehension of our world. The bee and oak tree existed and had a beginning. Now we’re left asking what the cause is.

The Evolutionists have no grounding in this argument. They may bring up that the bee evolved from something else or the tree did likewise, but they fail to address that whatever the previous being was, where it came from or what the beginning was. As much as Evolution can attempt to explain, it can’t address the point of creation. Big Bang Theorists have a little better attempt at the explanation but not much. They believe that all can be traced back to the Big Bang but following the logic used before, what caused the Big Bang? What caused the matter that that was a part of the Big Bang?

These logical questions, though they may seem simplistic to some, are detrimental to science’s skeptical stance against the idea of a creator. While the theories of Evolution and the Big Bang hold attractive benefits for skeptics, they have major holes that can’t, no matter how much they try, support the possibility of there being no god. What some consider irreproachable scientific theories takes more faith to believe than the truth of Jesus Christ.

This is entry is only a fragment of deep discussion concerning the existence of God. If anyone has questions about sources or further readings, contact The Zealot’s Path. Remember that God is with us always, and he gives us the tools to understand him better and spread his word. We are all confronted at times with challenging questions that seem more than we can handle, but his Spirit is there to guide us and work through us for his glory. Be brave and use the mind that God has given you.

Sickness and Joy in Entertainment

Being a product of this technologically dependent world, I enjoy television, music, and movies. I am not a fanatic, but I do love entertainment. Yet, I find myself lacking the fulfillment that it used to give me. I used to love watching action, comedy, and horror movies late at night. I would listen to any music if I liked it regardless of the “message” that it contained. Now most of these disturb my conscience instead of entertain. This has been on my mind for a while but has recently become a topic of discussion for me.

I watched a specific horror movie one night in which a group of strangers was quarantined in an apartment building. All were eventually infected with super rabies and brutally murdered by each other. While it seemed to bother me at first, it eventually passed, and I proceeded to watch more movies of the sort. This last weekend, I watched a Sci-Fi movie with alien weapons that splattered enemies like watermelons at a Gallagher show. I was deeply disturbed by this movie. It left me feeling worse than I expected any movie should.

I was then left wondering why I was so upset with the movie. One can quickly reply with the idea that I was “too caught up” in it. This is possible, but there is a bigger picture behind that. I sat back and thought about what I actually just watched and what it means for humanity. Hollywood clearly makes movies to make money. If the movies don’t sell, they lose money. We see that there has always been bloody action, crude, vulgar comedy, sci-fi, and horror movies as well as television shows in these genres on for decades. Logically, we can assume that there is a demand for these things. Think about that: there is a demand for these movies. Sin in humanity has made it popular to watch people get tortured, shot, writhe in pain, stabbed, get cheated on, lie, steal, and even have sex in front of us. Clearly, Hollywood makes movies that they can make money on due to demand. The entertainment we crave is truly sickening.

I see now why such movies disturb me. The more I focus on the Lord, sin becomes detestable. These horrible visual productions of sin only hurt our walk with Christ. Would Christ find entertainment in watching people torture each other? Would he cheer when a man avenged his wife’s death by brutally murdering her murderer? Would he enjoy watching zombies eat people alive? Then, why would we want to indulge watching these acts?

We all have watched these types of movies and saw horrible things happen to people and animals. As followers of Christ, we cannot and must not look to these deplorable things for joy. Turn to God first, and he will fill our hearts with righteousness to the point of joy and gladness in holy things. I don’t mean that watching these movies is a sin. Finding joy and entertainment in sinful, unrighteous acts is what dangerously affects our walk on the path of faith.

The challenge that the path of the zealot now gives all of us is to examine ourselves. Do these types of entertainment disturb us? Ask yourself if Jesus would watch and enjoy these movies, shows, or music. Should we be doing so then? If we claim to be Christians, we claim to live Christ-like lives. Would enjoying the acts of sin be acceptable actions and external examples of Christ for nonbelievers? The answer is no. As I said before, watching these movies is not a sin. The “comfort” and joy that we attempt to find in movies and sitcoms that promote sin leads us to enjoy sin. We should hate sin, not enjoy it.

What do we do then? Stop watching movies? Not necessarily. The best thing to do with our lives is to rid ourselves of anything that is contrary to the word of God; this means anything from television to bad habits. Don’t go to the extreme though. I had a friend tell me one time that any music that didn’t glorify God was bad. I guess this would include “Happy Birthday.” The point is that not everything will glorify God directly as church hymn, but not everything works contrary to his glory. Be smart, and evaluate your surroundings.

“Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold, and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path” Psalm 119:127-128.

If there is such a good god, why does he let bad things happen to good people?

A very common argument that skeptics robotically spit at believers is the question that if an all-loving, omnipotent god exists, why does he let bad things to happen to everyone, more specifically, bad things to good people. Initially, we may not be prepared to answer such a question. It tends to take the conversation down an avenue where many feel uncomfortable discussing. Maybe this is due to not thinking much on the topic or just not reading God’s Word much leading to an inability to defend the faith. Despite the panic we may feel by being approached by this question, the argument is easily discredited with elementary logic.

The first track to answer this question deals with the issue of free will. When concentrating on this, be sure to clarify the idea that without free will, we’re all robots. For instance, if a man jumps from a building twenty stories high and God catches him ten feet from the ground, would this be a good thing? The man’s life was saved; a good person was saved from a bad thing. On this earth, this can be a bad thing.

Think of what just happened: the man made a choice to jump. His choice was overridden by God, and a controlled outcome resulted. Now the question is what can come from this type of existence. It illustrates that God would control our lives and if we are controlled, we have no choice; we’re puppets. This is not what God wants for his children. Imagine that another man loves a specific woman. She clearly doesn’t want the man. Having utter control over her, he forces her to love him. Is this a bad or good thing? Most will agree that it is wrong to force someone to do something they don’t want, yet this is the same type of situation with jumping from a roof with God catching the jumper. God didn’t create robots; he desired a creation that by choice can turn to him. Without choice, we’re robots living a robotic existence.

But what about situations where bad things happen without choice like cancer? This still deals with free will. If we’re to be given the choice to make decisions and have true freedom, we must accept the fact that the bad comes with the good. If I‘m cooking in the kitchen, I make a choice to start the burner. The burner is good because it cooks my dinner, yet it will burn me if I put my hand on it or eat the hot food without letting it cool. The point is that we must accept the fact bad comes with good. Consider the alternative: we would have no control over thoughts, emotions, and movements. He doesn’t want this, nor do we.

The second point to make is that we do live in a sinful world. Because of what we did by sinning against God’s will, the world is now cursed with sin and is in an imperfect state. In this state, we encounter pain, death, aging, murder, disease, sexual perversion and immorality just to name a few. God does let this happen because we brought it on ourselves. God is so holy and just, he keeps all promises and allows good and bad things to happen. Image a judge who just convicted a mass murderer that changes his mind to let the murderer go after a short stay in prison. What should happen to the judge? Would we have trust in the justice that is passed? God will not waiver from his promises or judgments.

The pitfall to watch for in these types of conversations is to evaluate the setting in which the conversation comes. If it is a quick discussion with a friend on the street, a person may want to tailor the points to fit the scenario. A deep philosophic discussion may not be fruitful at this point. When a time comes later for a sit-down conversation, this is when a deep illustration will come into play. Keep this in mind and pray for God’s guidance. He will provide for us all.

God’s commission for us all is to spread his Good News. Even though situations like these don’t always directly address Christ’s resurrection, guiding others through these issues will lead them to where they are more willing to accept the Gospel. Remember, God says to love him with all of our mind, heart, and soul. He gives us the capability to handle these philosophical questions for times like these. Let the Spirit speak through you and do his will.

No Work, No Food: An Observation of Scriptural Nourishment

If I can state one specific idea of human life that is believed to be essential to living, it would be the notion that if I truly want to do good for myself, I must work for it. I’ve heard numerous times that in order to advance in life, I need to work hard, and it seems to be true. In order for most people to advance at their jobs, relationships, hobbies, sports, and anything else in life for that matter, they must work. Students slave over term papers and study continuously for higher grades, parents struggle to raise good, productive children in the world, and it’s even apparent in recreation how important it is to work hard. It seems that we have found the ancient secret to success: work hard and prosper.

But if this is true, why is it not taken into account for Christian faith? It seem that many Christians will claim their faith but will not take defining steps toward a dedicated following of Christ. Maybe it’s because of verses such as Ephesians 2:8. Many feel that since works do not save, there is no reason to labor for faith. I must admit that I somewhat believed this at one point in my life. I felt that since I am already saved, I don’t need to work for my faith; it is given by God, and I cannot earn it, so why exert so much effort?

This is a misleading notion when it comes to scriptural nourishment. Earlier in my life, I did follow Jesus, but I didn’t follow the best that I could. I didn’t read his Word often or pray much. I somehow abandoned the idea of “no work, no food” and was tremendously weak in my faith while not knowing it at the time. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10, Paul speaks of this idea of working. The rule Paul gives those in the church is that a man must work or not eat. This is where the social thought of working for gain springs into play. The problem is that there is an implausible chasm between the idea that is applied to most peoples’ lives and what Paul actually means. It’s not for gain that we work, for Christ has gained all for his followers; it’s for nourishment.

This idea of “no work, no food” is on a spiritual plain. We all must understand that God’s hand is stretched out, reaching for us to take hold where he will support our lives to the fullest. Imagine setting at a dinner table. You take the food and place it into your mouth, chew it, and ultimately swallow it. No one stands behind you holding your jaws open forcing the food into your mouth regardless if you want it or not. God’s Word works in the same regards. It is there for our nourishment and benefit, but we must make the step to take it. Otherwise, we are idle at the table waiting for the food to casually float to our mouths and abruptly shove itself in. This is force feeding, and Christ doesn’t force himself on to us. Consider the parable of the great banquet in Luke 14:15. As the feast is prepared, many guests were “invited.” The man doesn’t send out a search party for specific detainees and take them into custody. In the same sense, God reveals himself to us, giving us the power and opportunity to turn to him. We are not forced.

Simply waiting for the food to nourish our bodies as it sets on the plate is as if waiting for God to inspire us without us wanting the inspiration. This is sheer idleness. In 2 Thessalonians, Paul’s main focus is on idleness of the spirit. He’s not concerned for the physical but the spiritual actions of his Christian brethren. This should call for a self-evaluation of every Christian. The Lord desires for us to work and live in him. If we do not, we are idle in our faith which leads to unfruitfulness. How can anyone notice our joy and the love of Christ through our idleness?

Not only does it keep us from spreading Christ greatness to the world, this idleness weakens us in devastating ways. In some aspects, it is like a learned skill. The more we use the skill, the better we become with it. The less used, the weaker it turns out to be. If we concentrate on our faith and nourish it with prayer, reading the scripture, and life application, we will not be weakened but strengthened in Christ’s grace. If we neglect God’s tools for spiritual betterment, we will become brittle, frail Christians not living to our fullest.

Are the Gospels Reliable?

For the next few weeks, the Path will focus on some essential Apologetics. Apologetics is the defense of the faith. While most people think that Christianity is a religion of unsustainable fairy tales, it’s actually a historically based religion that reveals the truth unlike any other. 1 Peter 3:15 states that all Christians must be prepared to give the reason as to why we have the hope we do. Consider how Paul and the Apostles preached after Christ’s ascension. They argued and discussed with others the proof they had to show that Christ was who he said he was. God has given us these tools to use for his Kingdom; we must embrace them and use them to help others know the truth.

This first installment will focus on the reliability of the Gospels and the New Testament. I will approach the situation with questions of a skeptic and answer each one in brief detail, so we can all be prepared for these types of questions when thrown at us. Books have been written on this subject, but I will do my best to keep it as brief as it can be while maintaining for it the attention it demands.

Who really are the authors?

It is agreed upon by biblical scholars that the names that are attributed to the biographies are who they say they are. With the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew was one of Christ’s apostles and former tax collector. Mark is essentially “anonymous,” but there is good evidence to believe that it was written by a close companion of Peter named Mark. No other competing claims carry any weight. Luke was written by Luke, one of Paul’s traveling companions. There is no reason to dispute this either. With the Gospel of John, it is clear that it was written by the Apostle John as he refers to himself throughout the book. He is “the one Jesus loved.” While some try to dispute these points, there is no good reason to doubt these traditional beliefs, not to mention the good proof that each provide.

Why do the Gospels skip parts of Jesus’ life?

A major error that people make when approaching the Bible is that they look into the book with twenty-first century eyes. The authors and literary styles were doing different things than what we would expect in a piece of contemporary writing. Ancients would only look at the important points in a biography and give attention to that. They would not give equal importance to all parts of Jesus’ life such as him growing as a young boy or late teenager. They looked to tell lessons to be learned; therefore, they focused on the important points in Jesus’ life.

Are they based on hearsay or actual eyewitness accounts?

Eyewitness accounts are what the Gospels are based on. One only needs to look at the authors to see this. Matthew and John were with Jesus during these events. Mark and Luke were close to the Apostles, so they were close to primary sources. It is also mentioned in the Gospels that others such as James brother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and 500 others all witnessed Jesus on multiple occasions. There were many actual accounts of this. What many do not realize is that the Gospels were written as historical biographies. For instance, Luke did exhaustive research on this, and the purpose was to give an accurate account of what happened.

Were the Gospels recorded accurately between the time the events happened and written?

While the dates of the Gospels were written no earlier than approximately twenty years after Christ’s Resurrection, they were still written within the time span of the eyewitnesses; therefore, many people who knew the truth would contest the Gospels if they were false, but this never happened except for the Jews who tried to deceitfully cover up the truth, but even they could not argue specific facts. Matthew was written around 70-90 A.D., Mark in the late 50’s, Luke about 62, and John in the 90’s.

This seems like a long time to us but to ancient text standards, this is a very short time. A good example that is given is the historical accounts of Alexander the Great. His biographies are considered historically viable, but they were written more than 400 years after his death, and they are still considered accurate.

Hasn’t legend and myth developed over time?

No, there was not enough time between the events and the writings to promote legend, especially since there were eyewitnesses still alive during these times. Alexander the Great did develop legend, but this did not happen until centuries after the writers of his biographies died. There was simply not enough time for this to happen with the Gospels. Also, the points that are made that tell of Christ’s divinity are mentioned previously to the Gospels. It is agreed upon by biblical scholars that Paul recites in his epistles early church creeds that he learned after his conversion only a few years after Christ’s ascension. These verses include Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, and 1 Corinthians 15.

Were the Gospels and New Testament preserved accurately throughout the centuries?

Yes, we have over five thousand Greek copied manuscripts. This does not count other languages. That would bring the total to 24,000 in all. This is more than any other ancient manuscript available. The only other competing text is Homer’s Iliad which only has a little over 2000 copies in original language. Homer’s copies have approximately five hundred to a one thousand year gap between copies, also. With so many copies to compare, the idea that they were not preserved accurately has virtually disappeared.

But there are inaccuracies and copying errors. This means they are unreliable, right?

This is the best ammunition for a skeptic. Many try to say that since there are variants, the New Testament must be wrong. They are mistaken by what is meant by “variants.” There are variations among the manuscripts, but it’s all very small variations that do not jeopardize any doctrine. Most are small spelling variants and sentence structure changes that do not matter in Greek like it does in English. While there are some, none are detrimental.

All of these points made are all researchable and can be checked. If anyone wishes for a list of sources, please let me know. Hopefully the next time we are caught up in a discussion about the bible with a skeptic, these points can help give us the ability to speak boldly about the hope that we have in Christ.

"Why should I turn to Jesus?" How would you answer this question?

I want to start this blog with a simple question that everyone should think about very hard. If someone was to ask you why he or she should turn to Jesus, what would you say? What is the number one reason anyone should “accept” Jesus? This question is a serious problem in the church these days. Think of evangelists such as Joel Olsteen. What is his central message? Inarguably, I find that his message is that if you turn to God (the name Jesus Christ is mentioned minimally), he will bring prosperity to you and show you the plan for your life. While God does have a purpose for everyone, is this the central point of Christ’s sacrifice?

Ray Comfort (www.wayofthemaster.com) once put it very well. Imagine you are able to travel back in time to a place where you knew the people you were about to speak to were unbelievers and would die in thirty minutes. What would you say about Jesus? Would you tell them that he has a plan for their lives, that he will bless them if they turn to him? Or would you tell them that if they don’t repent and believe that he died for their sins, they would go to Hell?

The most important thing that everyone should know, especially when they come into contact with the Gospel, is that Christ died not to give them a comfortable, cushy life of blessings and prosperity, but he died so that they would not go into eternal punishment for their sins. Verses such as Mark 1:15 and 6:12, Luke 13:3, Acts 2:38, and 1 John 1:9 all press the importance of the repentance of sin. Therefore, what we all need is to realize the true purpose for Christ’s death and resurrection. We need him not to help us in our worldly life but to save us from what comes after death. The only way to salvation is to know that we are sinners, trust that Jesus is God, that he died for our sins and rose again washing away the sins of all who believe, and surrender our absolute existence to him. No one can receive salvation but through this one way.

The reason for the lack of a pure Gospel messages today is because no one wants to be told that they’re wrong, especially in our pluralistic society where a person’s emotions are placed above truth. Therefore, the church is a sanctuary for those looking for a place to “feel good.” Many think that the church is where you go where no one will look down on you or make you “feel bad.” While Christians should be open, loving, and non-judgmental, it’s our Christian duty to reveal the truth to all who seek it. This especially means the Good News of Jesus Christ.

But we must understand that God does have a plan and purpose for everyone. The main purpose for life is to live in communion with Him and glorify Him in every way. In turn, the plan that he has for us focuses around this. It varies from person to person, but it all encompasses the glory of God. Don’t take this message the wrong way. It’s a great thing to express to those looking for meaning in life that God has a purpose for them, but to take away the focal point of Christ’s sacrifice is a disservice.

Yes, God does have a plan for everyone’s life, and he does love us all, but know that he did not come to make our worldly lives comfy; he came to save us from the hell that is to come. This brings us back to the initial question. What would you say to that person asking about Jesus?

Enter the Comitatus: the Mind vs Godly Dependency

When I begin writing, a monotonous process ensues. I pace around the room speaking to myself as if engaged in conversation. I think about the topic long enough to where it seems like the thesis manifests itself in front of me. This is the skeleton of my prewriting stage, and I stress this in my classes. I tell my students not to rush, to think about the topic and the argument will eventually come to them. This works well in creative situations such as writing papers in the classroom, but there seems to be a flaw within that carries over into everyday life.

I specifically see this in myself. It took me a while to realize this, and I do not claim to have mastered it. I simply try to let go of my self confidence in a sense. I see that while I try to “think” my way through writing, I also try to “think” my way through life. I give so much credit to myself that I leave no room for things that I have no control over. I’ve sat in church many times trying to rationalize my faith; I tried to think about how God has saved me. There were many times where I couldn’t understand these points and eventually gave up trying to. It sometimes went to drastic measures where I would think until my head felt as if it could explode especially during the times I have been out of the Word and have tried in vain to think the fervor back into my heart.

Recently, Mark 10:15 finally made sense to me. At last, I was able to understand what it truly meant to be like a child. It is pure dependency. I have always depended on myself to understand what I was reading at times, what I was being told by others, and I always tried to analyze situations in my life on my own terms. I saw at that moment that I was never able to do any of those things. It is through God that I’m able to do anything in this life.

Having absolute dependency on God is the first step in overcoming our hardships. We all must understand that we can’t do anything without him. This was what I needed in my life; I knew then that the reason I couldn’t understand or rationalize my salvation was because I was trying to do so with my sinful, imperfect mind. I needed to lay all that I was at his feet and allow him to show me. In fact, I never “figured out” Mark 10:15; God revealed his wisdom to me. I can’t find, understand, or do anything without him.

In medieval Anglo-Saxon literature, the idea of Comitatus with God was overwhelming. This is the idea of companionship between servant and master where the servant has absolute need and dependency of the master. The servant knew that every fiber of his or her being depended on God. If this companionship was lost, all would cease to exist for the servant.

This idea is what we all must return to. We can’t rely on our own sinful thoughts to carry us through life. We must turn to Christ for full dependency giving full control to him, yet this is one of the greatest obstacles for most. The American culture clearly promotes self confidence and independence. Don’t be mistaken. These are all great qualities in moderation, but there does come a point in life when we must understand what each person is: a sinner who cannot live without Christ. The realization of this truth leads to a point where a person must ask, “how do I make it in this world?” Many people with serious issues such as addiction, abuse, and other dire situations ask this question; most know that they can’t do it alone. This should reveal a bit about how self righteous a lot of us may be. It seems that the ones that think they don’t need help and have everything under control are less enlightened than those who society deems less desirable. It is the ones in the darkest places in life that are sometimes blessed with the wisdom that they need something more.

The challenge is to examine ourselves at this point in life to see if we are more reliant on our own power or on God’s ultimate authority. Before we can truly make a dent in this religiously cynical world, we must surrender to God. I pray that once we submit to the Comitatus with Christ, we can allow God to work in us in ways we never dreamed. Only then can we understand what he did for us, how he died, and what it means for us now. This is the holy wisdom that we can never “figure out” with our own weak minds. God will give the wisdom, the courage, and love needed to fight through the tempering fires of life.

New Laces, New Shoes, and New Path: The Focus of the Journey

After wrestling with numerous ideas, I could not think of a better way to begin this blog other than give a disclaimer. The path we all take in life leads to some specific destination and it is each person’s decision, of course, to follow whichever is chosen. As for the Christian, he or she should be filled with the Word to the point of zealotry and therefore, follow the path of the zealot. Unfortunately, the path is not worn; it is paved with dry dirt and stone. It is a rocky terrain which many chose not to let their soft heels meet.

When one comes to Christ, that person must understand that the path required is not filled with worldly comfort; it requires everyone to strip away all vanity and self righteousness and see the true evil and brood of wretchedness that breeds inside. Once Christ becomes the center of that person’s life, evil desires must flee, yet the temptation never completely retreats. The path grows thicker with evil’s attempt to neutralize the holiness inside; it claws at the ankles seeking to defeat all attempts of living a Christ-like life. When the difficulty of this path is realized, many either turn away or attempt to create pseudo paths to emulate what is considered the joyous pieces of Christ’s teachings and meld to it elements of the sinful world creating a comfortable yet “righteous” path.

The blog’s purpose is not to promote the joy and comfort of this world but to help bring believers and unbelievers alike to the realization of the lifestyle that Christ demands of us all. He desires a holy life with absolute devotion, yet most deceive themselves in believing that a lukewarm life is sufficient in God’s eyes. This belief is the most detrimental to the Christian walk. It is created through many mediums in this “post-modern” world. The Zealot’s Path will expose these worldly lies and lead the reader to a crossroads. This point will require the reader to make the decision as to follow the path of the zealot or continue down which ever path is desired instead. All beliefs will be questioned; all parts of our worldly life will be evaluated and required to stand before Christ. Paul instructs us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (II Corinthians 13:5). What will we find from this examination?

The most common issue with bringing such a topic up with many is that it brings aggressive defense, not of the faith but of worldly actions. “You don’t know how I live my life. I pray every day. You can’t see inside my heart. What about you? Are you saved? You live a hypocritical life too!” Jesus encountered this himself in his ministry, but like Christ, this blog will not focus on self righteousness, for this should be nonexistent in a Christian anyway, but on what God desires for us to do: live a life that is in absolute communion with him and in turn, glorifies him. Anything that hinders the path will be brought to light and examined. Through this, encouragement and devotion will spread and will lend support to all who seek it as stated in Revelation 3:20:

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Not only does this path lead to communion with God, but it requires a lifestyle that spreads His love to others. The true works of a Christian reveal the living, breathing love of God in this world. All Christians are Christ’s representatives on this earth and must not set in a selfish, lukewarm cocoon not sharing the greatness of his glory. This does not mean that all Christians should bang on every front door, taking others by the collars to cram the Word down the throats of everyone that answers. While we all should proclaim the Good News, living life in a loving, Christ-driven way spreads his light in this darkened world in more ways than we can imagine. The Zealot’s Path aims to bring fellow Christians and those searching for the truth closer to His greatness.

Unfortunately, simply living a Christ centered life is sometimes not enough to bring a person to the faith. There comes a point in a person’s journey where questions are asked, and reasons for specific actions are sought. It is the duty of the Christian to give an account of why the belief in Christ is sufficient. 1 Peter 3:15 tells to be prepared to defend the reasons why we have hope in Christ. The Zealot’s Path is a source of apologetic wisdom to all who wish to strengthen belief and defend the faith in Christ as well as answer the mind bending questions posted by those who search for the truth.

The path of the zealot is not a leisurely stroll; it demands full dedication and full devotion in mind and spirit. I pray that God leads all who read, myself included, to a better understanding of living a life that best suits His plans and wishes for us all.