Hyper-charismatapagania

There is much controversy in the church today about the gifts of the Spirit.  Interestingly, those who advocate that the mode and operation of spiritual gifts has not changed since Pentecost primarily focus on the gift of tongues as their anointing litmus test. Yet, the apostle Paul says that tongues were low on the gifting totem pole (1 cor. 12:28-31; 14:5) and specifically that this supernatural ability was given temporarily to the church as a judgment sign to unbelievers (1 cor. 14;20-22) that the Lord had condemned and cut off Israel, just as He had promised in the days of Ephraim and Isaiah.

Another belief that is carried into this century regarding spiritual gifts is the idea that there exists special prophetic ministries touring the planet offering to heal people of various diseases and to deliver them from whatever demon is either assaulting or possessing them.  Now, let me be clear on this point. I do believe that God can and still does heal us of our sicknesses and diseases today. What I contend, however, is that He doesn’t do it in the same manner as some advocate. God, if He so wills, can and has cured folks of their diseases and ailments.  What I deny is that there are those living today who possess anything that resembles the power of the Spirit that we see in the New Testament to heal sickness.  That was a special gifting given to the primitive church as a sign of the inauguration of the Kingdom of Christ on earth.

Benny Hinn is an extremely well-known proponent of what I call “hyper-charismatapagania” – the imitation of the work of the Spirit in paganistic forms. Here is a quote from a recent interview that was posted at FoxNews.com.

“I’m not one that can discern every little problem with people.  So if someone comes up and says that I have cancer and the cancer is gone …often I’ve said, “Go back to your doctor and make sure that you are truly cured” (on healings in his ministry, transcribed from the video interview)

“They question me on why I don’t verify (these miracles),” Hinn says. “I answer, ‘God never called me to verify. I’m not a doctor.’” None of his comments even come close to echoing biblical fidelity. Hinn never preaches the gospel nor does he speak as a man of God.  Instead, he preaches materialism wrapped in a slice of culture-Christ.

Below, you will find an interesting video that shows what is put forth as the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the power of God among His people – bodies shaking, uncontrollable laughter, people falling backwards to the floor and continuous ramblings in jib-jab speech patterns.

There are no examples in Scripture that match such spectacles as true manifestations of God in the Body of Christ.  Instead, these happenings have much more in common with ungodly spirits and trances.  Examine it for yourself.

Idolatry Fail – the crumbling down of statues

God determines all things because He alone is God. This determining not only involves His complete sovereignty over all the events of history, but it also includes His attitude towards worship. The first commandment comes to mind as God gave the Israelites a very clear and simple rule – I am God and you shall not have any other gods besides Me.

This directive was immediately followed by the imperative prohibition to not make any carved or sculpted images or statues of anything either heavenly or on earth for the purpose of worship. Seems rather unambiguous and straightforward, doesn’t it ?  Well, Roman Catholicism and other professing Christians take license to dissect the second command and break it into variances. Apparently praying to dead people who have been enshrined in plaster models is not considered worship since ‘dulia’ is an inferior form of veneration and not truly ‘latria’ which is to only be offered to God.

The Scriptures, however, make no such distinctions.

So we are left to either follow the inventions of man in his religious quest or we can follow what God has laid before us in His Word.  Below, you’ll find an video which parallels this passage from the Old Testament that speaks of idol worship. Read and watch and may the LORD convict the hearts of the those who need to turn from false worship.

Now the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod. 2 Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon. 3 When the Ashdodites arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set him in his place again. 4 But when they arose early the next morning, behold, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. And the head of Dagon and both the palms of his hands were cut off on the threshold; only the trunk of Dagon was left to him. 5 Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor all who enter Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
1 Samuel 5:1-5

Deconstructing Christian Cliche – Part III

Last time  we saw that God’s love of mankind found in the provision of the gospel of Christ stands in contrast to His hatred of sinners and sin alike. (Psalms 5, 11; Proverbs 6) The Lord rescues sinners from eternal condemnation, not miscellaneous sins.  God, as the righteous judge of all things, sentences the workers of iniquity to the fiery pit as their just reward. (Romans 2:1-6)  Over time, most evangelicals have lost any real understanding of exactly what they are supposed to be saved from. With the advent of self-help psychology and rampant feel-good theology finding its way into once biblically-based teaching, there has been an overemphasis of good news. The problem, however, is that without the wrath of God as the backdrop of Calvary, Christ becomes merely a murdered man instead of the Savior having suffered for all the sins of His people.  This truth relates to our final cliché in this series – “The Lord will not give you more than you can handle.”

There is no doubt that from a purely experiential vantage point this is a false claim. How many times have you been completely overwhelmed by life? How often have you had to seek counsel and aid and advice and resources from others just to get by?  Is it not true that while we may experience a certain degree of independence, we are still hopelessly interdependent; relying upon others in times of great need? Surely, Katrina taught us that.

So where did this saying come from? I’m fairly confident that its origin is another Scriptural misquote. This time, it is a butchering of 1 Corinthians 10:13-14 –“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.”

The apostle Paul’s admonishment to flee idolatry is predicated on the promise that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle; instead, He will always provide us with a way of escape so as not to fall into sin. This passage says nothing about God not allowing us to endure a trial or suffering beyond what we can endure for if this were the case who would ever have suffered martyrdom? Also, we are well-covered in one-another verses in the New Testament as God has prepared that our new family in Christ would comfort us and help provide for our needs.(Romans 12:10-16)  If we were supposed to be somehow protected from being overburdened then why would we need each other at all?

On the contrary, the power of Christ is seen clearly in our weakness.  Paul instructs us that it is good to be content with insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties for the sake of Christ, for in our frailty God is mighty. (2 Corinthians 12:5:10)

May we all learn to live lowly and rejoice in our infirmities for it is in our darkest hour that God’s grace in Christ is the most lovely jewel in our lives.

Deconstructing Christian Cliche – Part II

In the previous post, we looked at the oft-used phrase “Judge not lest you be judged.” Most people utilize this verse as an escape from being judged themselves, without ever understanding its true biblical context and application. All throughout Scripture, we see both the need to discern correctly (judge) and the need to avoid hypocrisy when examining and criticizing others.  What God forbids is not judging itself, but, rather, doing so superficially, arrogantly and with a double-standard.

The next frequently used cliché involves God’s attitude towards sin and sinners – “God loves the sinner but hates the sin.”  This statement is used without reservation in most Christian circles as if it was a biblical truth, but is it?  The testimony of Scripture will show us differently.

A common error is to over-emphasize a particular attribute of God and in our current culture no one attribute is more talked about than God’s love. Love, however, is spoken of in variant degrees and types in Scripture and in the English language the word ‘love’ is extremely weak and multi-definitional.  We say that we love our car, we love ice cream, love the Saints, love God and love our children all with the same word; however, the meaning in each case is radically different. Surely no one wants to argue that they love God in the same manner, meaning and measure that they love their automobile. Hence, ‘love’ is too broad and too blanketed to be used precisely in describing God’s relationship to sinners for most certainly the love of God extended to the man who is condemned to eternal punishment in hell is most certainly not the recipient of unending grace and mercy.

The book of Psalms declares that, “The LORD tests the righteous, but the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind shall be the portion of their cup.” (Psalm 11:5-6)  God’s wrath and hatred towards those who practice evil is often underemphasized making passages such as these seem quite foreign and harsh; yet without the bad news of impending judgment and condemnation the good news of the Gospel is made unnecessary.  Proverbs says that the LORD hates those who are arrogant and spread discord among the brethren (Proverbs 6:16-19) and Psalm 5 clearly states that God takes no pleasure in wickedness, therefore the boastful shall not stand in His sight for He hates all workers of iniquity abhorring the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

So if we are to stay consistent in our understanding and true to the text of Scripture we must maintain that God is angry at sin and sinner alike.  Hell will not be full of miscellaneous sins it will be the eternal dwelling place of sinners who refuse to turn from sin and put their trust in the complete forgiveness of God found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

God loved humanity by offering up His only begotten Son at Calvary so that convicted sinners may escape their just reward but the degree of that affection is tempered by the free will of Him who alone extends mercy.

Deconstructing Christian Cliche – Part I

Along our walk of faith we find and learn Christian clichés – those pesky little phrases that emerge from the colloquial pond as tried and true nuggets of wisdom supposedly drawn from timeless biblical truth, but in the end, turn out to be more rooted in human imagination than in divine understanding.

Three such impostors making the top of the chart are these – “We should not judge others”, “God loves the sinner but hates the sin”, and “the Lord will not give you more than you can handle.”  These sayings are repeated often in an attempt to spread wisdom and comfort in life through advice and conservation; however, are they really accurate? Do these comments have their root in God or man?

We will take a look at each statement over the next few weeks and examine it biblically to see if it stands or falls. First, let’s look at: We should not judge others.

“Judge not lest you be judged” is probably the most abused statement by both believers and unbelievers alike being thrown around in debates and arguments more frequently than a well-worked pizza crust. It is found in the gospel of Matthew – “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.” Matthew 7:1 Certainly, on the surface this looks rather compelling.  However, context is the text in which God breathed out His Word and so we must capture the essence of the passage by expanding our view to the next verses. Here’s what happens when we do:

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5

When the entire context is considered, the actual thrust of this warning passage turns out to be speaking directly to those who are hypocritical in their judgments.  Take the log out of your own eyes first and then you will be able to see clearly. The command here is a call to self-examination of sin, not a call to cease judging others.  Keep in mind also that judging here is about discernment not condemnation. God alone condemns.

Other passages help us to see our rightful role in judging, such as John 7:24, where Christ, in dealing with supposed Sabbath law violations said, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.” Paul spoke about our need to judge small legal matters and disputes in 1 Corinthians 6:3 ” Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life?”

All throughout Scripture we see both the need to discern correctly and to the need to avoid hypocrisy.  Learn to judge through having the same mind of Christ and exercise humility through patience and peace.

Techno-Evangel

I’ve done quite a lot of traveling over the past few weeks – over 2,500 miles of driving through nine states followed by a week in the Texas sun learning new building and construction techniques.  On the way to San Antonio, we flew through Houston and as always, I had that awkward experience associated with plane flights.

As I made my way through x-rays and security arches and long tile corridors with echoing loudspeakers, I noticed that most individuals carry gadgets and gizmos that preclude social interaction.  Ipods, cell phones, laptops and books occupy the majority of available arms as everyone shuffles off to wherever they are going; yet, they rarely seem interested in conversation. Earbuds say “I’m listening to something else other than you right now.” Faces buried in intense reading broadcast a “Do not disturb” door hanger to all within ten feet and hurried tapping on computer keys tells everyone that you are busy.  It is interesting how the very same technologies that aid us and help create new social venues also facilitate a new type of virtual cocooning.

This techno-inwardness has peculiar implications in evangelism for even though we seem to be more connected it is harder to meet naturally.  Electronic webs seem to be strewn over once interactive spaces and despite being inches away; we don’t talk to each other anymore. The nuances of body language and inflective speech have been overtaken by ‘crackBerries’ and a new texting code has emerged as standard communique.  This same phenomenon exists inside elevator cubes as well, where small crowds stand together as tall pines and yet most hardly ever mumble a word.

Finding a way to enter the silence becomes evermore difficult when chitchat seems to be dying a quick wifi-death.  On the plane, I did manage to speak to a man who was reading a book by Hitchens entitled God is not Good. As he bowed his head into the pages, I curiously asked questions about the title and engaged him in an irenic conversation about life, the true nature of God and social justice.  It is possible to naturally penetrate the ever-growing social techno-cubists and the interesting part is that we do so in the same fashion that Christ, Paul and the other early evangelists and believers did – we exercise humble boldness, true compassion, and listen while we speak the truth of the Gospel in love. Communications and societal paths may change, but the Truth never waivers.

God’s Word is True

From Eden, the strategy of the Enemy has been to discredit what God has said.  At our current point in history we see no relenting of that course as skeptics and textual critics dissect and mutilate what is simple.  The declaration that the Bible is not knowable and irreversibly altered screams through best-seller books and talk shows; even sadly, from within some church bodies.  Hyper-critics juxtapose and conflate biblical text against biblical text in an attempt to play ‘battle Bible’ but their arguments expose a gaping fallacy.  For example, what was written as narrative was written as a continuum; a story to be heard in its context just like any other historical work.  Yet, the skeptics pick apart the Scriptures breaking them into ’sound bytes’ as if a retelling can be chopped into mixed-up pieces and still maintain its coherency.  It is not as if God hasn’t spoken clearly, man just, at times does not want to listen.

Piecemeal critics hide their agendas under academic blankets and calls for open-mindedness. The perspicuity of Scripture maddens the unregenerate knights who gallop through agnostic pastures for they hand out opaque windows to the gullible and uninformed and ask them to see clearly. Apostates line the streets cheering them on while multi-million dollar book tables feed willing crowds. But for those who by the grace of God through faith can now see; Scripture is simply beautiful.

Written to us through His prophets and apostles over centuries, God has breathed out His eternal decrees, commands, guidance, and wisdom to mankind by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  His Word remains pure and uncomplicated despite there being some difficult-to-understand pieces of the whole.  These difficulties and variances do not render us without understanding anymore than any other discipline that requires patience and study.

Divine truth cannot be silenced. When God speaks; we should listen. Do we really think that the Almighty is at a loss to effectively communicate with His creation in both clarity and purpose? Faith comes by hearing the Word of God and it is not mumbled through broken glass. It is spoken plainly and precisely and it is able to cut right down to the joints and marrow of our hearts. Scripture is the encapsulation of what God has said to mankind and part of its beauty is its unending depth.

Scripture is like an endless mine shaft that extends deeper than deep itself. Each time we take our mining cart down the tracks we find new gems and more rails to explore. It is as if God has rewritten certain passages for us as, over time, we reread portions of the text and see new illuminated insight and intention. God’s Word is alive in our newborn hearts as the continuing work of the Spirit matures and fine tunes our understandings in parallel to our learning, wisdom and application. Consequently, studying Scripture is not an option for if we are to grow in our walk with Christ we must rightly divide the Word.

Stand fast and hold firm saints for not only can nothing separate us from the love of Christ; nothing can gag God when He speaks.

Jumping through Hoops – Part III

In our last installment of the interview we hear a few words of warning and encouragement to both daughters and their parents as to the dangers and unique challenges of the collegiate sports world.

What advice would you give parents whose daughters are involved in collegiate sports?

I think it is important to talk about this issue with them particularly with college-aged daughters.  I didn’t deal much at all with this in high school but it is definitely becoming more of a problem at that level now.

If you suspect anything hinting at homosexuality going on around your daughter, ask her about it. Teach her the biblical stance on homosexuality and make sure that she knows that it is a sin against God, no matter how many of her friends are doing it.

If they lack a substantive defense based in the truth and in why they believe what they do, when they are presented with the opposite belief amongst their peers, they will fold because they can’t combat it. On the other hand, if they have a deep understanding of the Gospel then they have the greatest weapon there ever will be in fighting the battle. Also, make sure that you are not telling them to hate homosexuals or to treat them wrong because of their lifestyle.

Make sure they understand that just because they are telling someone what God’s word says and they disagree, doesn’t mean that they are unloving or judgmental. In fact, that is the most loving thing your child can do- share truth in love. Ensure that they have a strong sense of family and feel loved and accepted showing them proper affection for the more love they get from home the less likely they will go looking for it elsewhere.

And don’t be naive.  I have seen it happen a lot where the parents of a girl who is involved in a homosexual relationship are being lied to because the girl is so fearful of their parents finding out. If you see anything suspicious developing, don’t turn the other cheek and say that there’s no way your daughter would do that. Try to get to the bottom of it.

What advice would you give the girls who are entering collegiate sports?

Man, there is so much I would love to say to each girl- including giving each one a deep, rich presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation for all those that believe.. But in general, in speaking to the Christians, I want to tell you that you have no business entering this environment of collegiate sports unless you have been specifically called by God to do so. I know this may sound really extreme and harsh, but take it from me.  I’ve been on a long spiritual journey with the Lord through this; most of the time learning the hard way. Make sure that you are not entering this environment looking to consume it for your own lusts. You will be disappointed every time, if you do. Sports will let you down 100% of the time when you put your trust in it. Especially at the college level, where the temptation to make it your life is increased because they demand so much of your time.

I give you that warning because if you are not spiritually equipped beforehand you can get swallowed up. The temptation is great. The trials are even greater. Without being rooted in the word you will have no foundation to stand on. And soon enough, you will find your life morphing into one that looks just like everyone else’s around you.

Also, make sure that you find a group of people inside and outside of the athlete world who are like-minded and who will build you up in your faith. It is always good to have a group of sincere Christians who don’t care one bit about how well you perform in your sport, but instead want to see you grow in holiness. This is crucial. You need that balance after hearing all day about your sport and how it needs to be number one in your life. Find a great local church that preaches the unadulterated word of God and welcome the accountability and support in your life.

As far as homosexuality is concerned it is hard to predict what kind of situations you will find yourself in, but no matter what, do not compromise what you know is right. It may mean that you are the ‘weird Christian girl who always talks about the Bible’, but trust me, it is all worth it when you think about what it is you are there to do.

Don’t shy away from building relationships with girls that you know are homosexual. Some of my best friendships have come from teammates of mine that are gay. I care about all of them deeply and I make sure that they know that I love and care about their lives outside of them being on the basketball court with me.   People respond differently to you when they know that you genuinely love them

Make sure that they know they can talk to you about the issue without you condemning them to hell in the process. This is why having a deep understanding of the Gospel is so important. Knowing the doctrines of human depravity and the like are crucial so that you are able to explain to them why being a homosexual is wrong, but also not placing them any higher on the sinner list than any other depraved human being…nor does is place them out of the reach of the glorious grace of God.

In short, always be ready and able to give an answer for the hope that lies within you. If you live your life for Christ, they will come up to you and ask you genuine questions about it- be ready to give an answer! And also, enjoy the opportunity that the Lord has blessed you with. It is by far an exciting time in your life and it is full of fun, but make sure you don’t lose focus on what it is we are here on earth to do- glorify God in all that we do.

Agnostic Epistemology or How it is that I know that you don’t know

Go back to Eden and you’ll find that the original agnostic was a snake. He was the bearer of doubt and obfuscation slithering reworded queries to confuse and deceive. God spoke, but did Eve really hear Him correctly? “Oh come now, surely you haven’t heard Him right… you will not die.” And so it was.

Not much has changed since then as one can still see constant attacks against the Word of God even within the ranks of the church herself. Many have decided to eat Wittgensteinian cupcakes for breakfast holding their worldview within the limits of their language while tossing certainty into the mire. In a post-modern drift professing believers increasingly believe that the Word of God is ultimately unknowable and yet knowable enough to be known. This strange position of uncertainty reduces the Scriptures from immovable solidity to a cafeteria cherry pick and when we combine that with an ADD McDonald’s drive-thru approach to ministry, we see it producing a herd of hypersensitive and biblically ignorant Chihuahua sheep who nibble and nip at doctrinal heels while carrying “Meanie!” picket signs.

Certainty in doctrine has become the new arrogance.

“How dare you think that you can know the true meaning of that passage!” Sadly this is not a novel cry. It’s the material and formal sufficiency dance that Romanists like to swing to marrying an Emergent unicycle act where the only thing that is certain is uncertainty. I think Descartes isn’t thinking anymore.

The problem with agnostic epistemology is that it slaughters the perspicuity of divine revelation.

Feelings and personal conviction wear the crown and biblical language itself is being forced into the street in favor of more ‘acceptable’ terminology that will both pacify the believers and lure in the seeker. The problem with all of this of course is that it not only makes a shambles of our epistemology but it slaughters the perspicuity of divine revelation. It puts a higher criteria for being certain than being certain puts on itself. The end result is that we have the very breath of God being shielded. Instead of the ‘Word’ of God we end up with confessionals based upon the ‘Mumble’ of the Lord.

I pray that we will all avoid the temptation to put ourselves above Scripture and resist the urge to adopt a fuzzy epistemology that sends our spiritual food back to the deli so that the cook can have it made to our own liking.

The Heart of Teaching Made Perfect in Known Weakness

“…we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.” 1Thessalonians 2:7-8

Teaching for those who are gifted to teach is easy. If you’re a parent you may not be a good teacher but you are teaching your children whether you know it or not. By default, you teach them what and what not to do and so the spotlight and magnifying glass are readily set before you day and night inspecting and broadcasting your ‘class’ to eager eyes and ears.

Praise God for grace for many times our parent-pods are not exemplary yet He is sufficient for us as family leaders and teachers to aid and supply. While living rightly is our command and our children should see our pursuit of holiness and life of gratitude- it is also good that they see us as real people; real people who struggle like them to do what God requires.

It is good that they see us fail for the last thing in the world we need is for our children to think that we have ‘arrived’ and that we don’t need God’s help through mercy and love and grace each and every day. The same can be said of the pastorate and with our friends. Certainly there should be a level of maturity present in those who lead, but far too often transparency is a commodity reserved for privacy rather than for the profit of all.

Students, no matter who they are, benefit from knowing that not only does their teacher have good qualities and information, but they are also not super-sanctified faultless humans. Everyone battles the flesh. The temptation to prop up the pedestal and make yet another idol is strong, yet as Christ taught us, only “… One is your teacher and you are all brothers…” Matthew 23:8

Concerning his apostolic position, Paul related to the church at Corinth how he had and ongoing pride temptation (as most who are highly gifted do) and he speaks counter-intuitively in 2Corinthians 12:7-10 to the assembly about the greatness of God in Christ seen through the admittance of his weaknesses.

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me– to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Crazy, eh? Now this is not a license to sin and merely claim “MESSENGER OF SATAN!” We are to put to death the old man and to live according to the new but realize that part of the new man is proper humility. Humility breeds the right gentleness for the humble man remembers from where he has come. The humble man is in tune with his weaknesses and struggles and embodies an empathetic soul. The humble man teaches with patience and reverence and self-control.

We shouldn’t forget where we have come from as the most miserable of men and yet we should still remember that even on our best day we are far from perfected. Let this sink in to your heart and let the flood of grace send compassion forth in all that you do.

Love people.