Martin Luther King Jr. Knew God’s Synthesis of Love and Justice

When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.  I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.   When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.  Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.  – Unknown Author

In our socially, economically, and spiritually troubled culture, many have taken up the banner of “social justice” to make a difference.  Moved with deep emotion and compassion, they press for justice on behalf of the poor and minorities.  Others carry the “social justice” banner simply for political or economic gain.  Regardless of their intentions, all will do well to remember the elements of Christian love and righteousness that were at the forefront of the civil rights movement of the last century.  Otherwise, well meaning movements will generate a lot of steam and even explosions, while virtues of the human heart are no longer present to bring lasting unity and peace.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights Supporters

This week, we celebrate the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. whose leadership based on Christian love and forgiveness did much to bring into reality the biblical teaching that “all men are created equal.”  Dr. King awakened us to the true meaning of the words from our Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, “…one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”  The following excerpt of Dr. King’s book, Strength to Love, reveals how he framed his vision for “liberty and justice for all” within a Christian, Gospel framework:

At times we need to know that the Lord is a God of justice. When slumbering giants of injustice emerge in the earth, we need to know that there is a God of power who can cut them down like the grass and leave them withering like the Greek herb. When our most tireless efforts fail to stop the surging sweep of oppression, we need to know that in this universe is a God whose matchless strength is a fit contrast to the sordid weakness of man. But there are also times when we need to know that God possesses love and mercy. When we are staggered by the chilly winds of adversity and battered by the raging storms of disappointment and when through our folly and sin we stray into some destructive country and are frustrated because of a strange feeling of homesickness, we need to know that there is Someone who loves us, cares for us, understands us, and will give us another chance. When days grow dark and nights grow dreary, we can be thankful that our God combines in his nature a creative synthesis of love and justice that will lead us through life’s dark valleys and into sunlit pathways of hope and fulfillment.

Without his faith in God’s “synthesis of love and justice,” Martin Luther King Jr. would have accomplished little more than a humanistic attempt at “social justice."  Instead of peaceful demonstrations, he would have simply stoked the fires of anger and produced lawless crowds that trampled on justice while pursuing “what seemed right in their own eyes."  Such a non-biblical worldview of justice brings out self-appointed activists who dismiss God completely or follow a one-dimensional "god of justice" and "power."  When this false god sees “slumbering giants of injustice,” he will "cut them down like grass", and "leave them withering."  Last year, we saw in Ferguson and Baltimore that a godless view of justice merely stirs angry, violent protests and actually contributes to the undoing of what Dr. King and his followers gained.  

Thankfully, Dr. King followed his vision of God’s “synthesis of love and justice” and led hundreds of thousands to follow him in non-violent marches that eventually led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  The Baptist pastor’s dream was that God’s love and justice “will lead us through life's dark valleys and into sunlit pathways of hope and fulfillment."  It follows that any efforts for social justice must be civil and peaceable, and led by those who understand that true social justice is only possible when, in the words of Jesus, people “know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8: 32)."

As we remember Martin Luther King Jr., let us join him and other Christian leaders of the past whose priority was to "preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1: 23-24)." May God grant us the eyes and mind of Christ, full of truth, mercy, love, and compassion toward our neighbor, whether rich or poor, powerful or destitute?  For, if we do not know Christ, we are "dead in [our] trespasses and sins,” and our greatest need is to be raised from the dead by faith (Ephesians 2: 8-9).  This spiritual resurrection as "new creatures in Christ" is only possible by the "washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.(Titus 3:5)."  As “new creatures” in Christ, we have the power of the Holy Spirit to enable us to do what Jesus would do in the midst of injustice.  We can study His life in the Gospels to nurture the “mind of Christ” within us, especially important in today’s divided culture.

In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the coverage of the nonviolent protests led by Dr. King was possible through newspapers, radio, and the fledgling stages of broadcast television.  Those who opposed his efforts used the power of the pen as well as radio and TV; and, some used stones, bricks, and other violent methods.  Now, we still have these same tools plus the additional technology of social media. 

Internet and social media allow a more rapid spread of news and commentary than in Dr. King’s time.  But when Christian virtue does not govern the minds and hearts of those who use social media to promote social justice or any other political message, these technologies become the purveyors of miscommunication, division, anger, and violence.  

I apologize to anyone who thinks I am equating “social justice” with the riotous displays in places like Ferguson and Baltimore.  I am sure many programs are producing good results with social justice in mind, even among those who would not identify with Christianity.  However, I do believe that social justice efforts without values based on genuine love for God and for neighbor risk creating a mindset that can lead to resentment of authority, preoccupation with material wealth, and focus on class distinctions that stir envy, anger, and even violence.  Meanwhile, the importance of individual responsibility, spiritual regeneration, and God’s purposes for each human being is diminished.

Today, more than ever we need leaders like Martin Luther King whose faith in a God of love and justice enabled them to change the world.  In this presidential election year, may God raise up men and women who will lead our nation, churches, schools, and communities based on the Spirit’s fruit in their lives; namely, love for God and neighbor, plus joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law (Galatians 5: 22-23).  Surely, God will answer our prayers as we humble ourselves and pray and seek [His] face and turn from [our] wicked ways, then [God] will hear from heaven, will forgive [our]  sin and will heal [our]  land (2 Chronicles 7: 14).

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I respectfully dedicate this article to a former Cedarville University student and friend, Bill McBrayer, who pointed me to the Facebook page cited below.

Dr. King’s quote from Strength to Love was posted in the Facebook account of The Center for Urban Engagement at Wheaton College, Carol Stream, IL. January 18, 2016

Your Comments Welcomed:  I have not been too specific regarding programs and approaches that attempt to promote social justice.  If you know of such programs, with either secular or religious affiliations, or with either centralized versus a local grass roots approach it would be helpful to read your description of their degree of success.

Sports: Exhibit of Stewardship and Worship

It is common to hear people bemoaning the moral decline of America.  Some believe the moral decline is spilling over into the sports world as seen in more severe unsportsmanlike behavior and the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes.  In an era when our young people especially are looking to the sports world for role models, it seems that there are fewer and fewer athletes and coaches deserving of this respect.

As I try to understand the intersection of science, faith, and culture, I want to avoid becoming pessimistic about the apparent moral decline.  Two things give me hope.  First, the Scriptures have not left us without moral clarity and guidance about our future.  The Bible spells out clearly the characteristics of moral decline that have been a part of human history and which are increasingly in evidence today.  While he was imprisoned in Rome awaiting his execution, the Apostle Paul wrote to the young pastor, Timothy, the following words:

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.  For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. –2 Timothy 3: 1-5

Whew!  That list is discouraging; but, it seems on the mark for today’s culture.  Knowing these indicators of a culture in decline, we should not be surprised or depressed. Nor should we be passive spectators awaiting the rapture of the church and the tribulation that God has predicted in the Book of Revelation.  Instead, we should be all the more diligent to sanctify Christ as Lord in [our] hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence…(1 Peter 3: 15).  Have we shared with our friends and family our hope and its basis for escaping eternal judgment?

Although Christians are not perfect, we are the salt and light the culture needs.  Like salt we can enhance flavor and preserve against moral decay; and, like light we can share Scriptural truth to point the way to peace with God through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ.  This point brings me to my second reason for hope.  My hope is renewed when I find heroes of faith who are leaders in our culture.  Some examples of my heroes can be found in the following links—heroes in (1) education, (2) science, (3) missions, (4) sports, (5) fine arts, and (6) politics.

Clemson Tigers Head Coach, Dabo Sweeny

Monday, the Clemson Tigers became College Football Championship Finalist Runner-up with a 14-1 record in 2015. My attention to the 2015 college football season, now ended, was highlighted by several head coaches who have inspired their teams by a clear and consistent testimony of who they are as men.

First, I’ll mention The Ohio State University head coach, Urban Meyer, who led the Buckeyes to the 2015 college football championship.  Coach Meyer credits some major changes in his life between his tenure as Florida Gators coach and his coming to Ohio State to his reading of LEAD ... For God's Sake! written by Todd Gongwer.  Meyer reached out to Gongwer after reading the book and confessed, according to ThePostGame, "He had lost sight of what was important, and now kind of had his eyes opened to those things that mattered most in life.”  Now, Coach Meyer maintains contact with Gongwer with whom he has developed a close relationship based on their common faith in God.

Coach Jim Harbaugh in Peru (L), and on the sidelines (R).

Having just completed his first season as head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, Jim Harbaugh, integrates his Catholic faith with principles of leadership. In 2014, filmmaker Sean Maddison traveled to Peru with Harbaugh to film Peruball: Jim Harbaugh in South America.  The film documents Harbaugh’s short-term mission work in Peru.  Afterward, Maddison concluded, “Jim’s faith is certainly a foundation for the principles he brings to everything he does.  He comes across as a man of conviction, so (his faith) explains a little bit where it comes from.”

Monday, Clemson University head football coach, Dabo Swinney, a devout and outspoken Christian, and his Tigers played with excellence and nearly won the 2016 national college football championship.  According to David French, writing in National Review, Swinney’s faith in God has guided his life and leadership so much so that the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) complained, “Christian worship seems interwoven into Clemson’s football program.”  The FFRF particularly objected to the presence of a team chaplain and provision of transportation to “church days.”

Swinney did not back down to FFRF efforts to rid his program of Christian influence, and Clemson University stood behind him.  According to French, Swinney’s policy was “a model of polite conviction” with three rules players must follow:  players must (1)  go to class, (2)  give a good effort, and (3) be good citizens.   Coach Swinney also emphasized that he recruits players “of many faiths,” Finally, he makes it clear that (emphasis mine):

Recruiting is very personal. Recruits and their families want — and deserve — to know who you are as a person, not just what kind of coach you are. I try to be a good example to others, and I work hard to live my life according to my faith.

A year later, neither Swinney nor Clemson University budged; and, Swinney added (emphasis mine),

We weren’t doing anything [wrong]. Ain’t nothing to change. .. . People have just got to be who they are, it’s that simple. We’ve never tried to force anything on anybody. Everybody who comes here to Clemson knows who we are as people. There’s no surprises in that regard. 
He adds, Everybody has the opportunity to grow if they want to, spiritually, but that’s a personal thing. We play the best football players. As far as me personally, I am who I am. I don’t apologize for that.

Coach Swinney’s successful spiritual model suggests that rational and reasonable objections to a sports program fully integrated with Christian principles cannot prevail. 

Swinney’s life and leadership also present a metaphor of biblical stewardship at its best.  According to Scripture, stewardship is performed with the understanding that God owns everything and graciously entrusts time, talents, and treasures to us to manage them for His glory (1 Corinthians 4: 7).  As willing Christian stewards lead, teach, coach, or whatever they do, they do it heartily, as to the Lord (Colossians 3: 23).  Therefore, in essence, stewardship is worship.  According to Oswald Chambers, “Worship is giving God the best that He has given you.” (My Utmost for His Highest, January 6)

Although our culture may be in moral decline with difficult times upon us, I am thankful for leaders in every vocation (calling) in life.  I have highlighted three leaders in the world of sports.  May the tribes of Urban Meyer, Jim Harbaugh, and Dabo Sweeney increase.  I’m sure they will as they are permitted to demonstrate excellence in their roles in influencing young men and women with whom they work.  And, as spectators may we observe them and their victories and defeats with thankfulness for their example and for sports in general.  Sports in a biblical context affords athletes the opportunity to demonstrate through their rigorous discipline and performance the very essence of good stewardship—worship of their Creator—and the pleasure of giving back to God the best that He has given them.

I believe God made me for a purpose.  For China.  But he also made me fast.  And when I run, I feel his pleasure.  – Eric Liddell (1902-1945), Olympic Runner and Missionary to China

Your Comments Welcomed:
You may wish to add other coaches (Bobby Bowden comes to mind) whose Christian character was a major influence in how they coached.  Please respond with their names and any comments about them you wish to add.

Do you consider worship of God as one aspect of the broader concept of stewardship?  Or is it equal in scope to stewardship?  Or is worship broader in scope than our stewardship?

The Conscience of Science: Part 2 Do Museums Make Us Muse?

"Overall, the nation has a big problem,” says Dr. Brian Alters, president of the National Center for Science Education.  Dr. Alters is concerned that approximately 50% of Americans polled still believe evolution does not occur.  What’s more, nearly half of college students reject evolution or consider it “just a theory.”  These data stun many other evolutionary biologists who have invested their lives for decades in classroom teaching, curriculum revision, and teacher training built upon a naturalistic evolution foundation.  Yet they seem to have failed to convince students and their teachers that life on Earth originated and evolved as a result of time, gene mutations, and natural selection over billions of years.

A museum display of the supposed evolution of humans.

How could it be so difficult to convince science teachers and their students to believe what seems logical to most scientists?  Could it be that many students (and science teachers) are turned off by a classroom that pressures them to change their whole outlook on human origin?  This notion is plausible considering that most students of science have had at least one teacher who inspired them by presenting science as an invitation to inquiry and wonder about the natural world.  Would such students sense something unnatural about a science classroom that aims to “indoctrinate” learners into a naturalistic, evolution way of viewing the world?  Could it be that indoctrination in science is “poison” to both good educational pedagogy and the process of science itself?

After 50 years in science education and research, I am persuaded that a major purpose of what I call good science is to invite students to observe God’s creation, experience wonder in response to its grandeur, think critically as they formulate important scientific questions about the natural world, and participate as researchers in a logical method of scientific inquiry to find answers to the questions.   In this second part of my series on “The Conscience of Science,” we will consider the role of natural history museums in promoting scientific understanding and the pursuit of knowledge of the natural world.  Specifically, we’ll ask, “Do natural history museums motivate visitors to join in the “process of science” by welcoming critical analyses of what are believed to be valid theories of science while inviting participation in the discovery of what is not known?”  In other words, “Do museums cause visitors to muse—i.e. to wonder, to ponder, or to think reflectively?” Or, “Are museums more like dark, musty temples filled with images underwritten with captions that insult visitors by declaring notions about human origins which they should accept without questioning?”

I still remember my first visit as a junior higher to a natural history museum, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.  When I saw the reconstructions of prehistoric animals, fossils, and geologic timelines, I stood in awe of the vast scientific knowledge of the natural world.  Of course, I didn’t question the authority of science to make judgments about the fossil record, or the age of the Earth, or how the first humans originated.  After all, who was I as a young student of science and history to question the scientific claims etched in stone within this giant “temple of knowledge?”

Wikipedia defines museum as is “an institution that cares for (conserves) a collection of artifacts and other objects of artistic, cultural, historical, or scientific importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary.”  Natural history museums that aim to accomplish these functions can elicit wonder about how life on Earth originated and diversified. However, most museums of natural history present a view of life’s origin that assumes an ancient Earth and a Darwinian timeline of human evolution from ape-like ancestors.  But, how do museums communicate this message?

Do similar anatomy and DNA mean a common ancestor?

The arrangement of displays of fossils and reconstructions of plants and animals in most museums are situated in a configuration that teaches a Darwinian interpretation of life’s origin and diversification.  However, the extent to which these museum presentations line up with good science varies greatly from museum to museum.  A recent article by Marvin Olasky in WORLD Magazine, entitled “A Tale of Two Museums,” compares two national museums with respect to how they convey what is known about life’s origin.

Dr. Olasky compared the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC (NMNH, also called “the Smithsonian”) with the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City.   According to AECOM and the Themed Entertainment Association’s annual report on the world's most visited attractions, the NMNH and the AMNH are ranked 3^rd and 12^th among the world’s most visited museums.  These two museums boast a combined annual attendance by over 12 million visitors.  The popularity of such museums with their expansive collections, imposing displays, and scientific-philosophical storyline enables them to convey an authoritative if not dogmatic message about the origin of life to their visitors, especially to impressionable children somewhat like I was as a junior higher.

I encourage you to read the Olasky article referenced above.  You can also take a virtual tour of AMNH. Here, I will highlight examples from the Olasky article to illustrate how the two museums differ in the way in which they explain life’s origin through historical science.  Historical science aims to understand the significance of an object or process as affected by one event or a series of past events called "causal histories."  Usually, causal histories must be reconstructed from inferences.  The approach of historical science resembles forensic science because in both sciences, no one was there to observe the causal events—i.e. what caused the fossils.  Or, in forensics, who committed the crime?

Evolutionary view of human origins at the Smithsonian Museum

Olasky recounts how the Smithsonian welcomes visitors to travel “Evolution Trail” of the museum which leads from simple aquatic forms of life all the way “up” to the “Mammal Family Reunion.” Here visitors are invited to “come meet your relatives” in the “Human Family Tree.”  Olasky expresses the theme of the Smithsonian as follows:

Evolution is the cornerstone of modern biology.  There is no scientific controversy about whether evolution occurred or whether it explains the history of life on earth.

Olasky notes correctly that this sweeping claim is false.  On the contrary, more than 800 Ph.D. scientists have signed onto the Scientific Dissent from Darwinism (see www.DissentfromDarwin.org).  Olasky notes that even the famed evolutionary biologist, Ernst Mayr, acknowledged “a large, ‘unbridged gap’ between humanlike species in the fossil record and our supposed apelike australopithecine ancestors.” Although he died in a decade ago, Mayr’s somewhat tentative and skeptical tone is reflected in museum captions like the following:

Not having any fossils that can serve as missing links, we have to fall back on the time-honored method of historical science, the construction of a historical narrative.

Although this statement at the Smithsonian admits to the absence of “transitional fossil forms,” the museum dismisses the fact that the “construction of a historical narrative” (i.e filling missing gaps) involves much of what Olasky rightly terms “speculation and storytelling.”  Filling gaps with little or no fossil evidence has given historical science, and the natural sciences in general, a bad name. 

Here, we should note that historical science is also involved in the risky business of predicting future global climate trends by piecing together the past history of global climate and constructing models that project future climate trends.  Because of the uncertainty and risk involved in reconstructing the past and predicting future trends, the claims of historical science about both evolution and global climate trends must be subjected to ongoing scientific testing.

In view of the gaps and uncertainties that exist in the fossil record, how can natural history museums serve their visitors in a manner that is consistent with good science? Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language defines science as “Systematized knowledge derived from observation, study, and experimentation carried on in order to determine the nature or principles of what is being studied.”  Recall that by using the term, good science, I want to emphasize the “quality” of the science.  In our context of “musing about museums” and the message they convey about the origin of life, readers of Olasky’s article will find that the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City offers its visitors at least two marks of good science as follows:

1) Good science affirms that well accepted science knowledge is durable, but must always be open to revision and even rejection when new evidence consistently emerges.  The AMNH supports good science, when it admits the need to correct errors in prior scientific claims.  For example, according to Olasky, the AMNH admits that Pterosaurs (“flying reptiles”), once thought to be mammals related to bats, are now believed to be archosaurs, more closely aligned with crocodiles.  The “take home message” from this humble admission is that science is a process of ongoing inquiry, subject to error, and in need of occasional correction.   As such, good science is not a stale and boring activity that smells like a preserved museum specimen, but rather an invitation to wonder and excitement in pursuit of truth about the natural world.

"Good Science" caption at National Museum of Natural History

2) Good science acknowledges that certain questions about the natural world may be difficult or impossible to answer.  Unfortunately, many brilliant, motivated scientists find it difficult to admit that there are limits to what we can know about prehistoric life forms.  Refreshingly, Olasky found some evidence that the AMNH admits to the limits of science.  For example, one statement admits,

We cannot be sure how pachycephalosaurs used their skull caps, because theories about the behavior of extinct animals cannot be tested. 

Commendably, in regard to whether carnosaurs were hunters or scavengers, another AMNH caption states that, because of

…fossil bones that are often incomplete, or that have been distorted… We may never have all the evidence needed to support these ideas.

There you have it.  It seems clear that Dr. Olasky’s “A Tale of Two Museums” presents two visions of the science of human origins as presented in major museums of natural history.   We have learned that a museum can represent the spirit and approach of good science.  Or, it can present a distorted and dogmatic version of science through overstated conclusions that lack solid support from the fossil record.  Instead of becoming more convinced of the support for Darwinian and neo-Darwinian evolution of life, visitors may leave with a sense that they have been manipulated or insulted.  Most sadly, such approaches diminish the wonder of science as an invitation to inquiry about the natural world, or creation.

In my next article on “The Conscience of Science” we will consider in more detail the difference between good science and what I will call “incredible science” with respect to how the science addresses evidences for human origin.  Hopefully, we can identify specific reasons why about half of Americans surveyed have persisted in rejecting the claim that humans evolved from non-human primates and ultimately, from ancient life forms.

“No Fear!” God Is Near!

From the mid-1990’s into the early 2000’s, “No Fear” was a popular clothing brand marketed by No Fear, Inc. through various retail and company-owned stores.  Although Americans now rarely wear this message on their outerwear, many of us wish we could express “No Fear” in response to the circumstances of today’s world.  Instead, many of us carry at least some “Fear!” 

What do you fear most?  If we are honest, here are some of the things high on the list:

1.   ISIS – Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
2.   Immigration – How many terrorists are we admitting?
3.   Insolvency – Can I keep up with my bills?
4.   Infection – What microbes are lurking out there?
5.   Intolerance – Will I offend by word or action?
6.   Insecurity – Can I still hide who I really am?
7.   Invasion – Are my home and privacy secure?
8.   Impotence – When will I lose my virility?
9.   Incompetence – Will I remain effective in my work?
10. Infinite – the seeming number of other causes of fear.

Fear can be a constant companion.  We can slip into a fearful mood at any time, often without any particular reason.  The unknown, the uncertain, the invisible, and even the indefinable factors around us may cause us to be unsettled and uncomfortable.  It is part of the human DNA to have fears.  The Bible teaches that there is a place for fear.  We have been created with the ability to have fear; and then, to react in a way that preserves our lives from danger.  Fear and reverent respect are strong motivations against acting upon temptations that lead us to sin, sorrow, and possibly spiritual and physical death.

God our Creator and Sustainer not only uses fear for our good, but He also has made provision to calm and even erase our fear.  Nowhere do we see this fact more clearly than in the biblical account of the conception and birth of Jesus Christ as it unfolded to bring about that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago.  On each occasion in which God through the angel Gabriel announced a miracle about to transpire, He immediately attempted to address the fear that would be a natural response.  God in all of His great power and might came gently and lovingly to members of humanity, knowing the human tendency to react in fear.

Consider three occasions in which the angel’s glorious appearance was accompanied by a heavenly effort to assuage human fear.  First, when the angel Gabriel appeared to John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias while he was taking his turn to offer incense in the Holy of Holies, the angel said, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard…(Luke 1: 13).   Later, when Gabriel appeared to a teenage girl named Mary who would conceive miraculously to bear God’s Son, Jesus, the angel again immediately addresses the “fear factor,”  saying, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God (Luke 1: 30a).  And months later, the angels appeared to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth, saying, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people (Luke 2: 10b).

The message of Christmas comes to us today, post marked with the words, “Fear not.”  It is not a sin (rebellion against God) to have fear. But if we reject God’s Gift Who is Jesus Christ, the “Prince of Peace,” then His intended peace is not present in our lives and fear becomes our constant companion.  Someone has said, “When fear knocks at our door, and our faith answers, there is no one there.”  On the other hand, Jesus says in Revelation 3: 20:

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

And this Jesus is the One of Whom God spoke centuries earlier through the prophet Micah who predicted that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5: 2) when He said (emphasis mine),

And He will arise and shepherd His flock
In the strength of the LORD,
In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God.
And they will remain,
Because at that time He will be great
To the ends of the earth.
This One will be our peace. – Micah 5: 4-5a

This Jesus, the Scripture teaches, is the One Who did come that first Christmas night, and Who now offers peace to the fearful because He faced all the familiar fears we have listed above and more; and, went to the cross, died, and rose again to purchase us victory over sin, fear, and death.  And, as Micah states above, He is coming again to bring peace …to the ends of the earth—to every dark corner—when He sets up His kingdom for which Christians pray.

An estimated 100,000 Christians die for their faith annually.

What do you fear?  Which item on the “list of ten fears” above is at the top of your list?  I’ll admit it.  At times, I’m afraid of the threat of ISIS when compounded by the possibility that even one terrorist could slip through our porous borders.  But then, I realize that God has called me to faith, not fear.  He calls all of us who bear the name “Christ-ian” with these words …love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven…(Matthew 5: 44b-45a).  Christ came into the world full of grace and truth (John 1: 17).  Even at the hour of His birth on that “silent night” the message was proclaimed, Fear not…!  Christ had only the earthly possessions he could carry with him.  He had no place on Earth to call His home (Matthew 8: 20).  Jesus was misunderstood, mistreated, violently seized and abused, and finally nailed to a Roman cross.  Through all of this, He displayed no fear; only gentleness and forgiveness.  Before His death on the cross, Jesus spoke these words to sinful humanity, Father forgive them for they know not what they do (Luke 23: 34).

When I am fearful, I try to picture my brothers and sisters in Christ around the world who daily face persecution and even death for claiming faith in Jesus Christ.  Over the past 10 years, an estimated 100,000 Christians die for their faith each year!  Thousands of Christians endure forced displacement from their homes, brutal persecution, and even death as a testimony of their love for Jesus.  Would my faith in and love for God be this strong?  Would I have “no fear?” Or, would I deny Christ and refuse the call to join the millions of Christian martyrs over the centuries who follow in the holy procession beginning with Christ’s own procession to Calvary?

"Fear not, for I bring you good news...." (Luke 2: 10)

May God help us to be fearless in these troubling days so that we might glorify Him in the routines of our lives.  May we be faithful to pray for those who stand on the front lines for Christ today.  And if we are threatened with severe persecution, may we too remember that Christ has come and suffered persecution while giving back nothing but love and compassion for the many He saw as sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9: 36).  This is the Savior of Whom we sing this Christmas, the first verse of “O Little Town of Bethlehem:”

O little town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie!
Above your deep and dreamless sleep,
The silent stars go by.
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light,
The hopes and fears of all the years,
Are met in thee tonight.

Those who claim faith and obedience to God, can claim this slogan:  “No fear!  God is near!”

Family Christmas Letter (click to read)

Here is our family Christmas letter if you’d care to read a brief summary of our year, 2015.  In truth, our family faces many of the same causes of fear that confront you.  If you are a believer, know God personally, and have put your faith in Him for your daily walk, we covet your prayers that each of us will remain true to our responsibilities and commitments as we enter the New Year, 2016.

How About You?  You may have read this article and are left with a sense of confusion, uncertainty, and even fear.  If you have never encountered the “Good News” or Gospel, let me help.   The “Good News” is summarized in an outline called “Steps to Peace with God” which explains God’s love, our predicament (sin and separation from God), what Jesus has done to address our predicament, and what you can do by faith to receive God’s righteousness (right standing with a Holy God).  If you have additional questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you.  Just post a “Comment” below or e-mail me at silviusj@cedarville.edu

God's Not Fixin', He's Transformin'

In the 1960’s, rapid societal transformations, assassinations, race riots, and other factors caused many people to ask, “Is God Dead?”  Some answered, “Yes.”  Others reacted defensively in ways that showed little Christian gentleness toward their neighbor and little reverence for God.  Still others did nothing to defend their faith, nor did they encourage those who were seeking meaning and purpose in life.  Meanwhile, on April 15, 1965, the song by Jackie DeShannon, "What the World Needs Now Is Love," was released with music composed by Burt Bacharach.  The lyrics by Hal David resembled the message of many in the 1960’s who perhaps could not voice their need as well:

What the world needs now is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of…

As time passed, what some called the "moral majority" was replaced by a "secular majority."  Today, America appears to be moving toward an "immoral" or "agnostic/atheistic majority." More and more Americans support the removal of prayer and all vestiges of God and Jesus Christ from our schools, colleges, and communities.  After all, why pray to a God Who either doesn’t care or doesn’t even exist?  Or why turn to a God that would allow so many to experience personal and environmental tragedies?

This morning, following the tragic attack on the social services center in San Bernardino, CA, the NY Daily News used its front cover to mock presidential candidates who encouraged Americans to pray for loved ones of those killed or injured by the attackers.  The headline, “God Isn’t Fixing This,” allows that God may still be alive, but implies He should be blamed for “not fixing the problem.”  I suggest that another headline might be more appropriate—“Americans Are Not Listening to God.”

Many Christians have been quick to point fingers at those we deem responsible for the moral decline in America.   Our standard lines have been much like the ones I used above-- lines like: “Well what do you expect? They’ve taken God and prayer out of our schools.”  Christians also point to the courts of our land which have disregarded the sanctity of human life and the institution of marriage as defined in the Bible.  Throw in our access to social media, and some, including this writer at times, can be anything but “gentle and reverent” when we enter into “discussions” about political and social issues.  Pointing our fingers or trying to win arguments may give our conscience a sense of relief, but it does little to solve the problems.  Nor does it encourage those who wonder if God exists, and if so, what their responsibility is toward Him.

Lately, I have been thinking much about my own spiritual life, my values and priorities, and my responsibilities toward my wife, family, neighbor, church, and community.   Some of this thinking has been reflected in Oikonimia and is included in the following blog articles:

Individual Accountability and Spiritual Awakening
Local Churches and Spiritual Awakening
Christianity Shines in Dark Places
Do You Reckon God Is Real?
Learning How to Respect and Exercise Authority
How Do You P-R-A-Y This Thanksgiving?

Besides thinking and writing, I have been “listening” to what God is saying in His Word.  Rather than be surprised to read a headline like “God Isn’t Fixing This” or condemning those who think it is true, I’ve been learning more about how God has already done His part to “fix it.”  The Apostle John tells us how much God has done, sending His only Son to do more than “fix it.”  Jesus came so that anyone, by faith in His death, burial, and resurrection, could have the gift of new Life—to be “born again” as  a“new creature” so that the old passes away, and all things are new in us (John 3; 2 Corinthians 5: 17). 

As God’s children, we have the privilege of daily communion with our Heavenly Father, and the fellowship of His Holy Spirit to walk along side us as our Helper (John 14: 26).  If we are reborn spiritually and walking in communion with God, His Spirit speaks to our souls,“Abba! Father!” (Galatians 4: 6).  And in response to the Spirit within us, we join Him in exclaiming with warm, endearing affection and worship, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8: 15).  In this loving resonance between the Father God and His child, love, faith, and eternal hope are affirmed.

Having God’s nearness to us; yes, even His presence within our hearts ought to encourage us to praise and thank Him for not only “fixing us,” but transforming us.  We are, or can, by faith (see Romans 10: 8-11), be new creatures in Christ.  We can have a new internal disposition toward our neighbor and the world around us.   Living such transformed lives anytime, especially during this season of Advent and Christmas ought to be such that Peter’s words in 1 Peter 3:14-15 describe what God can do through us:

But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness,
you are blessed.
And do not fear their intimidation,
and do not be troubled,
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts,
always being ready to give an answer
to everyone who asks you to give an account
for the hope that is in you,
yet with gentleness and reverence…

God is not dead.  Nor is He hard of hearing.  He has done His part to “fix it” and then some!  Now it’s our turn as God’s children by faith, and as members of God’s Church, the “body of Christ,” to live so that Peter’s command applies to us--being ready to suffer fearlessly when God’s righteousness is offensive; and yet, being ready to answer others who ask why we are hopeful when so many people are hopeless, yet with “gentleness and reverence.”

But how can we give an answer for the hope that is within us in a culture that is increasingly dark, defensive, and even dangerous as many fellow Christians can testify if they haven’t been martyred already?  I like the example provided in Acts 17 by the Apostle Paul when he addressed the Greek philosophers and teachers of his day.  When Paul observed stone statues in Athens erected in honor of many different Greek gods but not to the God of Christianity, He chose not to insult them.  Instead, he acknowledged that they were very religious because they worshipped many gods in hopes of appeasing all the gods that exist.  But Paul then said to them while pointing to the statue erected “'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD:'

The Apostle Paul introduces Greeks to the "Unknown God"

Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you.  The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands;  nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;  for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, “For we also are His children.” Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.  Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead (Acts 17: 23-31).

In response to this oration from Paul, some began to sneer, but others said, "We shall hear you again concerning this (Acts 17: 32)." Later, Paul’s epistles to the churches referenced many among the Greeks who had put their faith in God and had become leaders in the movement that would soon  sweep across the Roman Empire and northern Europe, and lay the foundation for the positive influence of Christianity in the Western Hemisphere.  

If God could “turn the world upside down” through the lives of the few followers of Christ in the first century, can he not bring revival to our whole troubled world?  Maybe it is already beginning.  Jesus has already given the call (Luke 9: 23):  If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.

The world may ask, “Is God, ‘fixing this,’ or isn’t He?”  We who know Christ should ask, “Am I a faithful steward where God has placed me, or not?”

Comment if you please:  What do you find most difficult to bear in today’s world?  How have you found help through your faith?   What particular helps or suggestions can you offer to those of us who want to grow in faith and stewardship of time, material resources, and abilities?