Tag: moral law

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Facts & Feelings

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"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised."  Romans 4:20-21

I have Christians friends that struggle a bit in their faith life because they don’t feel like they “love God.” They see someone sitting near them in church who seems to cry every single Sunday, no matter the message or song. To these friends that must mean that person “loves the Lord.” And while I admit to finding myself shedding a tear occasionally during church, I find myself more enthralled with the facts of the message — the unique links that good pastors find in scripture. I especially enjoy sermons that show God’s plan at work in the Bible from beginning to end. In other words, I like facts to back up my faith. But those facts have led me to tears of thankfulness for what the Lord has done in me.

Last night at a Christmas gathering of my Bible Study Girls we began a discussion about apologetics. One of our members — probably the most scientific minded of us — recently completed an apologetics class at her church. What drew her to this class was that Christian apologetics, defined as a formal argumentation in defense of something, such as a position or system, is facts based. You don’t go to a class like that to learn how to sing songs to the Lord or how to pray fervently. You go to strengthen your faith in what you know…about your faith.

“We have not yet got as far as the God of any actual religion, still less the God of that particular religion called Christianity. We have only got as far as Somebody or Something called the Moral Law. We are not taking anything from the Bible or churches, we are trying to see what we can find out about this Somebody on our own steam.”

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity on the Moral Law

The above quote is from the great apologetics book by C.S. Lewis wherein he first looks at the fact that all humans (who aren’t pathological) subscribe to a Moral Law. He then goes on to discuss life within this Law and why it has to come from somewhere outside us. His final intent is, of course, to bring Christianity to unbelievers. But his approach is not, “Do you know the Gospel?” It’s “how do you explain the realities of human life?” He takes facts about our everyday behavior and logically takes you through to “there must be a God.” At the end you either accept facts or decide to pretend those facts don’t exist. In accepting the facts the reader now has knowledge of the Christian God. It’s up to him or her to take the next step — believing in God’s promises.

In our opening verse today we see the results of Abraham’s unwavering faith in God’s promises. He took facts — that God had already made promises to him and fulfilled those promises — and decided to believe God would come through on the rest of His promises.

"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead." Romans 4:18-19

Too often we humans want to experience feelings first in order to take action. “I don’t feel like doing xyz.” “I feel like I should be nice to that person so I guess I will.” But our God expects us to first have the knowledge of His Moral Law and His commands. I have plenty of people in my life that have encouraged me to cut off my parents who have been dismissive at best and cruel at the worst of times. However, as their only child remaining, God has told me it is my duty to “honor my mother and father.” It doesn’t have any exceptions. What honoring them looks like is what I take to the Lord in prayer.

“It is after you have realized that there is a real Moral Law and a Power behind the law and that you have broken the law and put yourself wrong with that Power — it is after all this, and not a moment sooner, that Christianity begins to talk.”

CS Lewis Mere Christianity

The facts of life tell us that we all believe in “good” and “wrong.” But who has set that on our mind? Who has decided what those are? Because when you look around it isn’t obvious that humanity desires to constantly live in those “good” boundaries. So why would man create them? He wouldn’t. Only something greater, who has a greater plan and love for us, would create this Moral Law. You see, no overwhelming feelings or tears needed. Just facts.

“If you love me, keep my commands." John 14:15

That’s love from our Christian God. To show Him love we do something — not feel something. We can know He loves us by the millennia of promises He made, revealed and kept in His Holy Word. He asking us to show Him we have noodled on the facts and have accepted them as truth. In doing so it leads us to action.

In the miraculous and glorious ways of our Lord and Savior, those actions lead us to feelings. We see how when we obey He stands alongside us or even in front of us. He comforts us. He brings others to us to love us. It’s a beautiful circle that when practiced day in and day out reassures us and strengthens our faith and allows us to give all glory to God.

My friends, if your faith is built mostly on feeding your feelings be aware that the devil loves to use emotions to turn our head from God. We need to study the Word God has given us so we know the facts and the promises. In this way we can be at the ready to share His Word and stand strong in it.

If your faith is mostly head knowledge, take action on His commands. An unopened gift is good for no one, especially the believer. When you see Him at work your heart will be lifted. Whichever you need, ask in prayer. Our glorious God will provide what you need.

May all glory, honor and power be to God alone. Amen

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31 Days of God’s Wisdom

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“Love the Lord with all your minds heart and soul.” Matthew 22:37

It seems when we Christians talk about our faith these days it’s so frequently focused on feelings, emotions – “from the heart.”  And while Jesus will ultimately be the judge of our heart’s true commitment, He also asks us to use the rest of our bodies to honor God.  It’s not enough to feel God we need to know and obey God.  Why? Because His Words are designed to guide us through this temporary life as best possible.  We want to become skillful not just at making a living but in making a life that is in line with our Holy Father.  Many of us have experienced life outside those guardrails – sometimes on a daily occurrence.  When we are rash with our decisions or emotions, quick to be angry, quick to take up the latest idea or get rich scheme, quick to enter into relationships without good judgment, we easily find ourselves outside God’s protective ways.

The words “wise” and “wisdom” are used 125 times in the 31 chapters of the book of Proverbs.  It sounds as though someone might be trying to get a point across to us!  Wisdom literature in the Bible includes Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes.  But for this series I’ll be focusing only on Proverbs.  You’ll notice there’s 31 chapters – perfect for a one month study of God’s messages to us about living life in His guardrails.  

But first and foremost, we need a right relationship with our Creator. Meaning we accept God in His three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) as one God who created the universe and everything in it.  And that Jesus came as fully man and fully human to be the final, complete sacrifice to cleanse us of our sins.  In this way we may come before God, our King, as righteous.  He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent in our lives.  There is one way on this path and that one way is open to everyone who believes in Him.

Second, we have an assertion of a moral law operating in the world and there will be divine justice.  None of which has to do with IQ, wealth or even education.  There is an expectation by God to follow His moral laws.  And everyone, believers and non-believers, will be judged upon their death.

If we do not have these two foundations, then the seeking of wisdom has no foundation itself.  Without a moral King to guide us then we are guiding ourselves.  And we know how well that usually turns out!  Our selfish souls seek ease, seek comfort, seek pleasure above all.  Without an understanding and acceptance of a final, universal judgment then what does it all matter?  If you read back into ancient history, peoples without God sacrificed children to meet their desires.  They performed all sorts of sexually immoral acts (especially on women) to please their desires.  Murdered without out conscience.  It was the formation of God’s people through Abraham and Moses that brought God’s moral law back down to earth.  Setting us back on the path toward God’s future Eden on Earth.

And so, through people like King Solomon He spoke.  The king had asked God for wisdom and it was granted (1 King 3:5-14).  It is believed King Solomon spoke 3,000 proverbs during his reign.  The beauty of the proverbs selected for this book is that none of them are in conflict.  All cultures have their sayings – quick summaries of lessons.  But many times, they conflict with each other!  (“Look before you leap!” vs “He who hesitates is lost.”) God’s words are never opposed to each other.  

Toward the end of his reign, King Solomon turned to the folly he so frequently spoke to avoid and disregarded his own wisdom – proving we need to stay close to God at all times. In fact, God warned him when He gave Solomon this gift: “And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will enlighten your days.” A good reminder to never take a day off from following God.

Proverbs are not promises.  They are generalized statements of what is usually true.  So, if you find a proverb that you want to disagree with first remind yourself that we humans are sinful people.  And second, God seeks to bring us into His ideal world.  We are practicing to live in our final home – the New Eden.

If you haven’t signed up to receive your 31 Days of God’s Wisdom, make sure you subscribe today!  After entering your email information below, check your inbox for your confirmation link.  Thank you for joining me on this journey and be sure to share with your friends, neighbors, co-workers and family! Blessings to you for wisdom, Kris

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Sojourners & Exiles

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No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 2 Timothy 2:4

We Christians are sojourners and exiles.  This is not where our ultimate allegiance lies!  

David Van Drunen, Politics After Christendom

We certainly aren’t lacking in opportunities to engage in political discourse these days.  From mask wearing to vaccine mandates and budget crises to abortion laws the world around us is in quite a turmoil.  But when, as Christians, are we to engage?  When are we called to join the fight and stand resolutely in our faith?  These next two posts will look at our life as Christians and the political realm.  First, starting with what role the church, and therefore Christians, play in our common citizenry.

But let’s back up a bit.  For those of us living in the United States we’ve seen a serious deterioration from our Christian-held values over the last 70 years or so.  Not long ago almost all businesses were closed on Sundays and you certainly couldn’t by alcohol on that day.  Now, a business that makes the decision to not be open on Sundays because of their beliefs is vilified.  I’ve heard different arguments about whether or not the United States was a special project by God.  Whatever stance you may take on that we can be certain that every single nation was formed by God.  Every single head of state has been placed in their position by God and therefore is subject to His expectations and final judgment.

For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:16-17

That the United States was founded with God and the idea of His sovereignty at the forefront should not, however, be in dispute.  Besides the federal founding documents, all state constitutions, except one, reference God and His oversight of said government in the beginning of those documents.  It was then left to the citizens, as it has throughout the history of the world, to maintain that stance.

When you get deep in to C.S. Lewis’ great Christian apologetic book, Mere Christianity, you’ll find the concept of a Moral Law.  Through every empire, every phase of human existence we turn to this moral law for guidance.  We know what basically is wrong (ie: killing another human for gain or pleasure) and what is right (ie: helping a widow or orphaned child).  And, as Mr. Lewis argues, no matter your faith or lack thereof those concepts have been placed in our hearts and minds by someone.

But as a society drifts further away from a common faith, as in the case of much of Europe, North America and South America, we create new ways of working around what we know to be right and wrong.  We bend the moral law to fit the desires of our flesh and we seek to be accepted by the world.

You cannot make men good by (man-made)law; and without good men you cannot have a good society.

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

And so, as Christians we watch as one of the last bastions of religious freedom, the United States, which also built upon that with many other freedoms, begin to crumble.  And we can so easily misplace our fears on our elected officials and the laws they create. 

So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. 2 Timothy 1:8-9

At the time Paul wrote this letter to Timothy the Romans ruled with an iron fist.  Anyone that did not submit to their laws was imprisoned, tortured, killed, or pushed out of everyday society.  And Paul reminds not just Timothy but all of us who read this message that we have one commander to whom we must be most concerned – God and His son Jesus Christ.  We are set apart to be holy and live a holy life.

We are reminded that our role in this world is a sort of dual citizenship – to the country we call home and the home that waits for us.  It’s a balancing act that the disciples knew all too well.  We are to obey the laws of our government as good guests yet remembering we have limits based on God’s expectation of our adherence to His moral laws and knowledge of the final judgment.

Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles,to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:11-12

It may come as a surprise to many Christians in the United States but it isn’t our role to create a “just society.”  It is our role to seek justice for those in need in our communities but we can’t right every wrong.  We need to be comforted that God is in charge and we can, as individuals and corporately do His good works.  But Jesus, time and again, never sought regime change.  He sought heart change. He sought obedience by His followers to God’s expectations.

Being a sojourner did not require isolation from surrounding societies.  Abraham seems to have understood the need to exercise prudential judgment about how, when and with whom to share common activity.  One approach did not fit all cases.

David Van Drunen, Politics After Christendom

So does this mean we shouldn’t try and affect our government’s choices or laws?  No, it’s just remembering who we serve first, resolutely.  It’s remembering the difference between violently protesting a wrong and speaking out within the framework of how God wants us to act.  It’s figuring out where God and the church stands on an issue (ie: abortion) and where something may not be biblical at all (ie: the federal budget).  It’s making sure our heart and mind set firmly with God, not the world.

Believe me, I’ve struggled with these issues a lot.   I’ve stood on street corners waving my country’s flag and promoting a candidate.  I’ve stood up to politicians who have demonstrated a lack of moral character. Neither of which are wrong for a Christian.  I vote in every single election. Which is, in a way, expected as a Christian. But as my faith progresses, I’m taking a new view of my place on this big blue planet.  When I firmly set King Jesus as my authority, as my hope, as the Lord and Savior not just of my world but of every single human that has existed and will exist, my perspectives change.

As Christians we cannot continue to say we trust God, we know God will judge in the final conflict and still scream in outrage at people who disagree with our political opinion.  That message speaks loud and clear to non-believers that we don’t trust God.  That we haven’t set Him as our authority. That we have no concern for eternity. 

It’s time, fellow sojourners, to pull out our passports and remind ourselves of our future travel plans.  To stand resolutely with the one King that will judge everyone for all ungodly acts.  He has not appointed us commissioners of that judgment.  Yet, we are also not called to be passive in our worldly citizenry — sitting back and watching the world fall around us. He has appointed us as soldiers to exhort others to follow Him before it is too late.

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The Purposeful Path

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Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good.  Anyone who does what is good is from God.  3 John 11

When I was first researching the word “resolute” I came across the tiny village of Resolute in the province of Nunavut, Canada. Back in 1999, Canada created a new province from the original Northern Territories specifically for its native citizens.  And Resolute was one of the northernmost inhabited spots in that province.  Its most famous resident, who put Resolute firmly on the map, was Joseph Idlout, the subject of two documentaries, Land of the Long Day in 1952 and Between Two Worlds in 1990. He was for a time one of the most well-known Inuit and was shown on the back of the Canadian two-dollar bill.

I decided to watch the Land of the Long Day and was treated to some childhood memories of old fashioned documentary film styles.  This little film about a tiny family eking out an existence in the Arctic held my fascination for over an hour.  You see, Mr. Idlout purposefully chose to keep his family close to the old ways of living.  They hunted and gathered what was available each season, storing up for long, dark winters.  They used every available resource to keep their family alive and thriving.   Everyone in the family had a job to do for their survival.  And to maintain this way of life he petitioned the Canadian government to move to a tiny weather station called Resolute and create a home for themselves.  Rather than uprooting their lives and becoming more “modern” they chose to remain true to their culture.  And they flourished. 

It’s perfect that this “most famous Inuit” moved to a tiny town called Resolute because that’s what it took to make his decision for his family.  And I wonder, how many decisions us modern parents make are based on what God really wants for our children? 

As a grandma and parent of two, now grown women, I can easily recall times when I had to make decisions that would set my children and family apart from others.  So many times, when I would go against the norm, others would say to me,  “I hadn’t even thought about that.”  In other words, they were just going along to get along without consulting any moral code whatsoever.

“When you are being taught how to use any machine, the instructor keeps on saying, “No, don’t do it like that,’ because, of course, there are all sorts of things that look all right and seem to you the natural way of treating the machine, but do not really work.”  

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

It seems so natural to automatically sign a permission slip for your child to go on the 4th grade overnight trip that every single 4th grader in your school has gone on for the last 10 years.  There’ll be chaperones and it’s just down the street.  Everyone is going.  And then you find out boys and girls will be sleeping together in small rooms.  Chaperones include moms and dads – many whom you don’t know.  So your daughter will be spending the night with boys and a dad.   No problem, everyone is going.  Everyone has gone.  No one has ever brought up any issue.   So what’s your problem?  Are you going to set your child apart?  Will you be resolute in what you know is the God-directed answer?

In the verse today it says “imitate evil.”  And I think so often when we read things like that in the Bible we give ourselves little passes to make immoral decisions, especially when we feel it might harm our kids’ social lives.  I mean, it’s not “evil” to let our kids go on a boy/girl sleepover.  It’s not “evil” to allow our daughters to wear the latest fashions that might be a bit revealing.  It’s not  “evil” to let our sons play violent video games.  It’s also not “evil” for all the parents at the birthday party to get drunk. Right?

In a world where parents are pressured into allowing their elementary and middle school children to start dangerous hormones and go under the knife in order to try and change their gender, letting your kids watch R rated movies and TV shows seems tame in comparison. And we let it slide.

“Perfect behavior may be as unattainable as perfect gear changing when we drive; but it is a necessary ideal. Prescribed for all men by the very nature of the human machine just as perfect gear changing is an ideal prescribed for all drivers by the very nature of cars…it would be idiotic not to try; for every mistake is going to cause you trouble later on.”  

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

It’s interesting that this quote from Mere Christianity involves using a stick shift in a car.  For just about every one of us that process has changed to be an automatic.  But the question I ask is your automatic response to making decisions for yourself and your family set to the world of the flesh or the Word of God? 

For Joseph Idlout, he drew on his people’s hundreds if not thousands of years of history and made the conscious decision to not go the modern route of the world.  And I have to say they seemed to live a pretty content and peaceful life.  Not an easy one by any means.  The harsh Arctic conditions probably led many to scoff at their decision.  They might even have been called any manner of names from savages to crazy to ignorant.  But his children didn’t grow up with drug addictions, suicidal tendencies, endless debt, and more that our world offers.

We can’t all put our families on an island away from the world’s influences.  But we can stop pretending things aren’t “evil” when they go against what God wants of us.  We must be resolute and purposeful in following God’s will for our families.  To be His humble servants, to know His Word inside and out so that it becomes automatic, and to live like the chosen people we are.  Our children’s lives depend on it.