Renewing Reason: Calling All Skeptics

If there is one thing I wish I could tell the world about Jesus, it would be this: you don't have to better yourself up to come to Him. You can come just as you are, with any and all of your mess ups, failures, shortcomings, doubts, worries, fears, sins of the very worst kind. Somehow, we feel we must take care of all the knots in our lives. But Jesus simply says: leave it to me. Let me take care of it. Let me smooth out the knots. Let down your heavy, heavy burden and rest in me. Find life, hope, joy, and peace in me. Find your identity no longer in your mess ups, rather take hold victoriously of a new one: find your identity in Christ. An identity that through God's eyes sees you as holy, perfect, righteous, and blameless because of Christ's work on the cross. And that really is all there is to it.

As I end this blog series on renewing reason, I find that I must share that I definitely don't have all the answers. There are many others that are much better at explaining all we can find in this world that points to clear evidence of a great and mighty God and Christ. But I will say that if you what you really desire is to find the truth, you will find it when you seek it wholeheartedly. The truth is undeniable. God is written in the sunsets, the mountains, the lakes, and in the many chapters of stories of how He has changed the hearts of men and women that I know. He has changed my life.

I love that all can come to Him. Welcome skeptics, welcome murderers, welcome prostitutes, welcome the prideful and arrogant, welcome haters, welcome gossipers, welcome all.

Today, specifically, I want to welcome skeptics. Those that love the question why. Man, we have all been there. But I know God saves us for His glory, even the skeptic. Come to Him, with your questions and your doubts. Find someone to walk you through the questions. Fall at the feet of Jesus, and find answers in Him.

In my own walk with Christ, I have found that unbelief is a huge struggle. God is never changing. But my heart in believing God is who He says He is continues to be an up and down journey. If you look at stories in the bible, you can see that we as a people have a history of dealing with unbelief. Unbelief kept the Israelites wandering in the wilderness when the promised land was right at their fingertips. God always has our best in mind. He was not there to punish the Israelites. The wandering was a consequence of choosing to not believe God and His promises. Belief is right at our fingertips and yet we struggle.

The amazing thing about God though is that He continues to use us and change us and inspire belief in us even when we doubt. He uses the skeptic all the time. Even when we doubt who He is, He will work in our lives.

I love what Beth Moore says about belief in Praying God's Word: "You may be thinking, 'I want to believe! I just don't have enough faith!' God's Word records an encounter in Mark 9:14-24 to encourage every person who wants to believe. Christ met a man with a son who had been possessed by the enemy since childhood. No telling how many physicians, witch doctors, religious fanatics, wise men, and foolish men the father had sought to find freedom for his son. Imagine the glimmer of hope that kindled his soul when rumors circulated about the disciples of Jesus who were reputed to perform miracles. Then imagine his devastation when they too were added to the list of the failed. Jesus asked for the boy to be brought to Him. The father's desperate plea would bring an empathetic lump to the throat to any parent: 'If you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.' I love Jesus' powerful retort: 'If you can...?' Everything is possible for him who believes.' The father's reply comprises one of the most honest, priceless moments in the record of Christ's human encounters. 'Immediately the boy's father exclaimed, 'I do believe.' Then, as if Christ had caught his gaze eye to eye, reading his questioning mind, the father quickly restated, 'Help me overcome my unbelief!'"

Jesus goes on to cast out the demon for the crowd to see. I love this example in scripture. And there are so many other examples of God continuing to use us even when we struggle with doubt for His glory.

J.P. Moreland has an awesome article entitled "Answering the Skeptic" that discusses questions about human knowledge and why the logic of skepticism cannot stand. It can be found here: http://www.jpmoreland.com/articles/answering-the-skeptic/

My heart is that others may see that true knowledge and truth can be found in God and in Christ. Furthermore, true life and freedom may be found in Christ. If you seek logic and evidence and reason for God, you will find it. God says knock and the door will be open, seek and you will find.

Christ welcomed the doubter and the skeptic, as seen through His response to Thomas, a disciple who would not believe in Christ and the resurrection until he saw it with his own eyes.

"Then he said to Thomas, 'Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.'" John 20:27-29

May all of us fall at the feet of Jesus, in whom all our answers can be found.

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Malted Musing

As I scroll through my newsfeeds I am bombarded with arguments, opinions, and general bluster over last Friday’s SCOTUS decision with regards to gay marriage in America. Being fairly emotionally and intellectually attached to this event myself I too feel the need for an outlet to express and outline my own ruminations. What is contained herein is just that…mere thoughts of a fairly malted, sometimes hoppy, very unstylish bald guy.

So far, neither side of the argument is very appealing to me: on the one hand you have very smug, morally superior bandwagoners who are ecstatic to see their castle of tolerance built; while on the other hand you have depressing, morally superior hardliners who are afraid of seeing their bastion of principle toppled. Both parties retaining an equal (irony) self-righteous hatred for the other as the evil ones. It is obvious that there is an outrageous battle to define love, marriage, and freedom. As usual it’s firmly rooted in the ever-volatile foundation of human emotion, viciously armed with the dogma of the day. I’m afraid there are no winners in this war, as the combatants will continue to be driven to and fro by their fickle master, constantly wounded and never satisfied.

Full disclosure, I actually am not morally repulsed by the concept of gay marriage, as enforced by a state institution. I could go into a long rant about the structure of our glorious American democracy and the functions of constitutional freedom, but I believe that Robert Laurie has sufficiently described my perspective in his article found here: http://www.caintv.com/gays-win-gay-marriage-battle-i. However, although I am writing mainly for myself, I still feel the need to state I personally believe that biblical marriage is between a man and a woman. It’s important to make the distinction between state and biblical marriage, because I believe it is often overlooked by both sides of the argument (maybe intentionally, maybe not), but I refer back to Mr. Laurie to explain further on that topic.

What I really want to discuss is how believers in biblical marriage should respond to this cultural and now governmental movement. I must say that I am quite disappointed with the responses of the majority of Christian/Church organizations, rushing to tell the world that they firmly support traditional marriage between a man and a woman as if that is some sort of new information in the light of this case. What a waste of time; I guess I should be more understanding, since there are many Churches that no longer support this basic tenant of the faith. But still, I have little patience for the religious American church (little “c”) and their hyper-moralistic sensitivities; and I don’t see that changing any time soon…

 I just can’t help but wonder if there isn’t something that is more important to communicate to the world, and fellow believers, in the midst of this turmoil. Spoiler Alert, there is…and it’s the Gospel. Yes, of course that comes across as simplistic, and slightly abstract. Often, no matter how muddied and complex we try to make it, the Truth is very simple. But do not fear, I have no time mere heady concepts or worn out clichés; this is going somewhere practical for real life. When encountered with something possibly disturbing I like to go through and list out the facts as I see them. Thus, from here forward all I have is bullet points; I think better in bullets…5.56 to be exact…  

  

• America is not a Theocracy: Just because we have enjoyed a "cultural moralism" in America somewhat associated with Biblical principles (which is debatable anyway), does not mean that it will last, or that it was genuinely “Godly” in the first place.
• Like it or not, the state is an institution of man, thus it will not submit to God's will.
•  State defined marriage does not change the truth of biblical marriage. The Word of the Lord Stands forever.
• Newsflash: homosexuality has been around for quite some time; and guess what, so have state recognized, unbiblical marriages. Think about it, non-christian heterosexuals who are married are not living in biblical marriages either, nor do they have to.
•  God’s commands are meant for His people (always have been) within context of relationship with Jesus Christ. There shouldn’t be anything shocking about people who don’t believe in Christ not submitting to God…it’s been happening for a while now. Non-Christians have no incentive or claim to live righteous lifestyles, so why should we utilize worldly institutions to make them do so?
•  This isn’t saying of that humanity hasn’t fallen short of the overall standard of righteousness of God…so, take it easy.
• God commands us to eradicate/abhor/oppose sin in the Church and our own lives, not the world, that’s His job, remember? Yes we should be sad about sin in the world; but that has always existed, and will continue to exist until Christ’s return.
•   If biblical marriage is Truth, then we should be confident that it will continue to thrive, no matter what the competing distortions or falsehoods are.
• Just heterosexual marriage is not the Truth by itself; it is only Truth when centered in the Gospel.
• If men of God care about biblical marriage, they should put more energy into standing against their own sexual sin than that of others. Seriously guys.
• If we truly believe in Gospel-centered marriage, we should show the world with Godly marriages that it is the best way to live, not demand or legislate it. If we want people to choose a better life, they need to see that it is, in fact, better.
• When seen, pure Grace driven Truth is irresistible. We need to believe that is true.
• The truth is that the world is desperate for love in any way they can get it, and they will continue to open dry well after dry well. Today we should be more committed than ever to living the Gospel in our marriages, so that cool crisp living water of Christ flows freely into dry hearts.

If anything we should be excited as the nation distances itself from empty moralism, the true Church of the Gospel of Grace can step away from the church of religious practice and show the joy of grace filled relationships. I see the SCOTUS decision as a challenge, to love my wife through my daily death as Christ has loved us; to live with her in understanding, caring for her tender heart, gently pushing her toward the Gospel. I hope that other Men of God see the same. And to our wives, we are not worthy of your submission, but through our Lord's grace we ask it. Your strength in love and grace should empower us to live as we've been created. 

  So I guess what I’m trying to say is that for me nothing has changed. I will continue to go home and take hold of the Truth, pull her in close, and give her soft sweet kisses…never forgetting that the Gospel is within arms reach. Then I will take her hand and together we will show the world how True Love really does win.

"Set me as a seal upon your hear, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, desire as fierce as the grave. Its flashes are of fire, the very flame of the Lord. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised." SS 8:6-7

{Written by Tony Luiken}

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