"It's Not Supposed to Happen Here"

As believers we bear the message of the Gospel in the midst of our own frailty and the messiness of life and its resident evil. People have searching questions rooted in the soil of deep despair, sorrow, pain, and loss that evil, sin, and death produce. The situation leads the thoughtful observer to  conclude: "Things are not the way that they should be!" What are we to make of God's goodness, omnipotence, and the radical evil we see around us?

In the wake of the recent Connecticut massacre of 20 children and 6 adults these deep questions haunt not only the families of the victims but observers in the U.S. and around the world. This morning I read the following and thought it a window into what many (esp those in the U.S.) are thinking in the wake of this tragedy:

“A resident of Newtown told a television reporter: "Things like this just aren't supposed to happen here." No, they aren't. And "here" means not just Newtown, not just Connecticut, but this country we all share. It's not supposed to happen here. Yet it does, again and again. And, in a season of peace, a strong, no-longer-young nation, blessed with so many people of compassion and wisdom and good will, finds itself in a bleak and familiar place -- unable to answer the most basic question of all: Why?” (cf., http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/16/opinion/greene-connecticut-shooting/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_topstories+%28RSS%3A+Top+Stories%29)

Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY) helpfully reframes the "why" question in a biblically and theologically sensitive way:

“[T]he Christian must affirm the grace of moral restraint, knowing that the real question is not why some isolated persons commit such crimes, but why such massacres are not more common. We must be thankful for the restraint of the law, operating on the human conscience. Such a crime serves to warn us that putting a curve in the law will inevitably produce a curve in the conscience. We must be thankful for the restraining grace of God that limits human evil and, rightly understood, keeps us all from killing each other. Christians call evil what it is, never deny its horror and power, and remain ever thankful that evil will not have its full sway, or the last word” (http://www.albertmohler.com/2012/12/14/rachel-weeping-for-her-children-the-massacre-in-connecticut/; the full article is well worth your time).

We must agree with the Newtown resident, things are not the way they are supposed to be and that the killing of one human being, much less 26, should not happen here...in this world...as it was originally created to be.

In the wake of this tragedy, people are searching for answers. How can we prevent such things from happening? What went wrong? Some are blaming government. Some are blaming guns (or gun culture). Some are blaming God. How can God let something like this happen? Does He not want to stop it? Is He not powerful enough ? Is He not complicit in this evil that He seems to have left unchecked?

Christians, however, know the truth of the Gospel: Our own sin is to blame, not God. God created man without sin, but he chose it over God and has received the consequences of that decision: sin and death. Further, God has not abandoned us in our sinful estate, but loved the world and sent His Son to bear our sins and the wrath that they deserve. This is good news in the superlative! Jesus, God's Son, voluntarily became our Savior through suffering and death administered by the hands of sinful humans He created. He is not distant from our evil, he experienced it firsthand. But there's more!

Jesus Christ arose from the grave and is coming again to bring about the justice and righteousness we all find ourselves longing for in the face of a tragedy like Newtown. When He returns, he will make all things new. Those reading this who have embraced this coming King by faith and experienced His coming kingdom through the regeneration of their own sinful hearts understand the predicament of the current evil age. We understand that evil is not outside us but within us. The only hope of mankind is not found in better laws or preventions. While these may help restrain evil, they will never conquer it. The only hope of humankind is the person who has conquered sin and death, and who can make us new.

In the coming days followers of Jesus Christ will have a chance to help shed the light of the Gospel into the darkness of fallen, human understanding. No, massacres like Newtown are not the way things are supposed to be. No, they shouldn't happen here. But in the dark reality to which our sin has led, there is a burning light of hope: our King is coming! May God give His saints grace to respond biblically and thoughtfully to the questions people are asking, directing their attention to the incarnate, crucified, risen, ascended, and returning King who will set everything to right. His kingdom is better! Let us labor in the hope of His return.

Maranatha!

J

False Gospel

For those of you not familiar with the uproar surrounding the new release of Rob Bell's book Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every One Whose Ever Lived, a good analysis is provided by Al Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, here.

Recently Rob Bell was taken to task on MSNBC. Worth a look if you have a couple of minutes.

Rob Bell on MSNBC

I sent this to a few folks today and received an insightful response from my friend Matt Millsap worth repeating here:

"What I find particularly striking about the whole controversy surrounding Bell's book is that even (presumable) unbelievers such as Martin Bashir quickly realize the inherent contradiction present in Bell's assertions while he apparently does not. Even casual observers who don't have any vested interest in the Christian message whatsoever can see that Bell is trying to have it both ways with his Christianity. But what is especially sad is the level of influence Bell has on younger believers (with Nooma videos, etc.) who tend to hang on his every word. He is leading them down the path of a contemporarily repackaged liberalism; they don't realize it, and neither do they care to do so."

Bell's false doctrine demands a public and vigorous refutation. He is actively subverting the truth of the Gospel and doing so in a very public way. Such responses are readily found and I recommend that you familiarize yourself with them (see Mohler's Blog). At the same time, we also need to recognize the opportunity that this controversy and debate provide for sharing the true Gospel.

Here are some Scriptures that speak to the central claim of Bell's book:

Jesus is the only way of salvation: "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 ESV).

Unfortunately Bell wants to say that those in other religions who are calling on the name of different gods and divine teachers are actually crying out for Jesus. But the Scriptures teach us differently: "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12 ESV).

Bell's doctrine undermines any motivation for evangelism and missions by saying that all people will go to heaven regardless of their decision for or against Christ in this life. This is addressed in the following: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, 'Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.' For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For 'everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?' So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:9-17 ESV).

Other short summaries of the Gospel in the New Testament to keep in mind include Romans 3 (entire chapter); 1 Corinthians 15:1–8; Titus 2:11–3:7)

The temptation will be to gloat when Bell is made to look silly or to squirm in the incoherence of his position. While we should be thankful that the falsehood of his theology is being exposed, let’s pray for the following: (a) that he will repent, (b) that his congregation and those exposed to his ministry will not be led into error, and (c) that the Gospel will not be maligned as a result of this situation. May we watch our own lives and doctrine closely and be mindful of the sin that lies creeping at the door of our own hearts.

Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

J

Evangelism Defined

This week, my Pastor, Tim Presson, preached a sermon on the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). If you would like to listen to the sermon in its entirety, you can do so by clicking here. In that sermon he cited what I feel is one of the best definitions for evangelism I have ever heard from a man named William Temple. The definition is as follows:

Evangelism focuses on Christ, depends upon the power of the Holy Spirit for results, and seeks to make disciples of Jesus who recognize His lordship in all of life (every part without distinction) and plant themselves in the fellowship of a local church. I pray that everyone who reads this blog has become a disciple (or follower) of Christ. However, I realize that there will be some who have not.

Being a disciple of Jesus Christ involves coming to Him in faith and repentance. In faith, one must believe to the point of trusting and staking one's life upon the fact that Jesus is who He said He was, that is, the Christ, the Son of the living God (cf. Matthew 16:13-17), the only way to reconciliation of humans to God (John 14:6). It also means affirming that He did what He said He would do and which his followers and the Scriptures gave witness. All of what one must believed about Christ is summarized in one word--the "Gospel" (or "Good News"). The Apostle

Paul summarizes the Gospel as follows: “Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.” (1Corinthians 15:1-8 ESV)

Believing this truth also involves believing another one, namely that all humans are sinful by nature, condemned before God, and unable to reconcile themselves to God (cf. Romans chapter 3, esp. vv. 10-26). True discipleship also involves repentance--a turning away from sin and self and a turning to God in faith and obedience. Jesus said that those who love Him will keep his commandments (John 15). Our works do not improve our standing before God. On the contrary, God saves us by His own mercy. However, in view of God's mercy, we offer our lives as living sacrifices to God for His purposes (cf., Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 5:16).

The Apostle Paul summarizes these points well: “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works...” (Titus 3:3-8 ESV).

Both our coming to faith in Christ and our living the remainder of our lives in faith and obedience to Christ are the gracious work of God. He alone is worthy of glory for saving us in spite of ourselves (Romans 11:33-36). The Scriptures tell us that those who place their faith and trust in Christ will have eternal life and fellowship with God, but that those who do not believe will be condemned (John 3:16-21). I pray that we will all recognize His glory and reflect that glory in the grateful sacrifice of our lives to Him. If you have never placed your faith, hope, and trust in Jesus Christ as your sole means of reconciliation with God, repented of your sins, and cast yourself upon God's mercy, I beg you to do so without delay.

"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me a sinner,"

Jonathan