Its In Our DNA

I am not into science very much so excuse me if this is old news, but I have been learning about a protein molecule called laminin which holds our body together. The interesting part is that it is shaped like a cross. This has caught fire and many preachers are using it as evidence in God. They are tying it to scripture.

Colossians 1:16-17

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” NIV

On Witnessing

John MacArthur makes an illustration out of 2 Corinthians 4. He calls it “Paul’s humble five-point strategy:

We will not lose heart. We will not alter the message. We will not manipulate the results, because we understand that a profound spiritual reality is at work in those who do not believe. We will not expect popularity, and therefore, we will not be disappointed. And we will not be concerned with visible and earthly success but devote our efforts toward that which is eternal.

2 Corinthians 4

“(1) Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart. (2) But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. (3) But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, (4) whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. (5) For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. (6) For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Cast Down but Unconquered (7) But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (8) We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; (9) persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— (10) always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. (11) For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (12) So then death is working in us, but life in you. (13) And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed and therefore I spoke,”[a]we also believe and therefore speak,(14) knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and will present us with you. (15) For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God. Seeing the Invisible (16) Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. (17) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, (18) while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

A Better Way?

I hear a lot that the old ways of doing things when it comes to churches is “broken” or “not working”. This makes me think, how can we improve the message of the Gospel? The only answer I can find is that the Holy Spirit gives us understanding.

John 14:26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.”

This attitude of changing methods and techniques reminds me of those BASF commercials were their slogan was “We don’t make the products you buy, We make the products you buy better.” In my opinion the only way to make it better is to have a solid foundation of doctrine.

Instead, prominent pastors such as Rick Warren are promoting this program and entertainment centered ministry. I looked at a few of my area local churches web pages and found programs for anything. From cheerleading to fitness centers. I understand the method of reaching out to people and bring them in, but the result is in most cases is not building people up spiritually.

In addition, everything must be a certain way or a “production”. For example, ending at the exact time each week or having gruesome tryouts to sing in the choir. I just finished reading a book called “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory” by Randall Balmer (I guess it was also a documentary on PBS). In the chapter on Rick Warren it says “What about children? ‘We don’t allow children in the Worship Center,’ came the answer. Saddleback, in fact, siphons all children off to the children’s programs and doesn’t allow kids under five in any of the venues. ‘They’ll destroy your service,’ the pastor warned.”

I will not leave out the arrogance that they have either. “Though the church dropped the word ‘Baptist’ from its name long ago, and Warren does nothing to advertise his affiliation, both he and the church are technically members of the Southern Baptist Convention. ‘We remain in the denomination more for their sakes than for ours,’ he told me.”

After reading this book, it really opened my eyes to how many different worship styles of Christianity there are and how superficial they look. Switching churches because someone prefers one music style over another or they have sports programs for their children. Is this how we are to evaluate churches? By what is pleasing to our ears and what programs they have to meet our desires. By focusing on these attributes there is a high danger in turning into nothing more than a social institution.

Politics and the Pulpit

When it comes to politics and the Church, we must hold fast to the “regulative principle” as understood by the New Testament. This is the foundation of Christian Liberty, because only the Bible can bind another person’s conscience. If what the preacher says doesn’t flow out of the biblical text, he has no right to impose it on other people, and it has no place in the pulpit. This is a very fundamental mark of a healthy and sound church, and it can function as a basic criterion to distinguish a church, as a true charitable institution, from a political pressure group that masquerades as such in order to take advantage of tax benefits.

How this idea of a limitation on what may be addressed from the pulpit has been expressed within the Reformed tradition can be readily seen in such documents as The Westminster Confession of Faith. That attempt at summarizing what Scripture itself teaches states in Chapter XX, “Of Christian Liberty, and Liberty of Conscience,” paragraph ii:

“God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are, in anything, contrary to his Word; or beside it, if matters of faith, or worship. So that, to believe such doctrines, or to obey such commands, out of conscience, is to betray true liberty of conscience: and the requiring of an implicit faith, and an absolute and blind obedience, is to destroy liberty of conscience, and reason also.”

In other words, according to the Confession, it isn’t enough that a position doesn’t contradict Scripture; the teaching must itself be Scriptural, that is, based on Scripture. The Church doesn’t have the authority to dictate to the people of God what the Scripture itself doesn’t teach. The Church is limited in her proclamation to what “is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture.” (The Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter I, “Of the Holy Scripture,” paragraph vi.) We must only “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (Jude 3)

James Henley Thornwell put it this way in his article entitled “Argument Against Church-Boards:” “The power of the Church is purely ministerial and declarative. She is only to hold forth the doctrine, enforce the laws, and execute the government which Christ has given her. She is to add nothing of her own to, and to subtract nothing from, what her Lord has established. Discretionary power she does not possess.” [James Henley Thornwell, “Argument Against Church-Boards,” The Collected Writings of James Henley Thornwell, D.D., LL.D., Volume IV — Ecclesiastical (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1974, 1875), p. 163]

The Confession cites several passages of Scripture in support under XX, ii. The New Testament supporting passages underscore that more than the Sunday morning worship service is in view. All of life is religious, lived in the presence of God, carried out as worship, and the Church can never impose rules and regulations or ideas about God and things that do not flow from biblical texts.

Two passages that are cited stand out very clearly in this regard: Matthew 15 and Colossians 2. Looking at them in their broader context, they are not about whether or not we should only sing the Scottish Metrical Psalms, a cappella, in formal worship, or whether or not we should observe the traditional Church calendar and celebrate such things as the birth of Christ, but about the limitation that God places on well-intentioned, wise and learned, seemingly Spirit-filled, Christians in telling the rest of the Church how to live and believe.

“ . . . You invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: ‘This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’

“Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” (Matthew 15:6-9, 17-20)

“ . . . No one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head, from whom the entire body, being supplied and held together by the joints and ligaments, grows with a growth which is from God.

“If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)-in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” (Colossians 2:16-23)

Sadly, churches contend earnestly for so much that is not based on the explanation and application of Scripture. We contend over whether or not Christians may consume alcohol as a beverage . . . smoke, use sugar, eat high fat food, go to sporting events, and go to movies, own televisions; listen to Rock music, ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Most of these things find some legitimacy in Scripture for individual believers to consider as a possibility of how they ought to live, but the Church cannot command such conduct, because that would go beyond the bounds of biblical revelation.

But politics is the real bone of contention in many congregations . . . most White Evangelicals are Republicans, while most Black Evangelicals are Democrats, each party attempting to seduce the Church to its own ends. Let a White Evangelical find out that you’re a Democrat, and they see you as either unsaved or terribly benighted. Let a Black Evangelical discover that you’re a Republican, and they reject you as a money grubbing racist.

It is because of the regulative principle that I have refused permission for the Christian Coalition to put out their literature in our church or school. Here is a case in point.

Back in 1996, there were two men in the runoff for our U. S. Representative: Francis Thompson and John Cooksey. The Christian Coalition’s “Voters’ Guide” subtly favored Dr. Cooksey. This was very odd. Dr. Cooksey, a physician who had never held elective office before, was not completely committed to the pro-life cause. Whereas, Francis Thompson was one hundred percent pro-life and had a voting record of well over ten years in the Louisiana legislature to prove it. Furthermore, State Senator Thompson was an Evangelical, an active deacon in a Presbyterian Church in America congregation.

So why did the Christian Coalition word the “Voters’ Guide” to favor Dr. Cooksey over Senator Thompson? There was only one reason: he was a Republican, and Senator Thompson was a Democrat.

The biblical issues involved needed addressing, but only within the parameters of biblical revelation, so, the Sunday before the election, I mentioned this to our congregation and told them that a godly person could vote for either candidate or may choose not to vote at all. One could vote to strengthen the more pro-life party by voting for the less pro-life candidate or one could vote for the more pro-life candidate in the less pro-life party. Furthermore, I stated that there are many factors that enter into a person’s decision for whom to vote and that while the pro-life issue is extremely important, it is legitimate to vote not based on a single issue. The point of my message was that God alone is Lord of the conscience and that the Church has no authority to tell somebody what is right or wrong apart from biblical truth. We cannot sit in judgment of how other people choose to exercise the democratic franchise in our Republic.

Another point I made was that politics is often a deceptive business and that believers need to be careful about organizations such as the Christian Coalition. Political organizations, be they Christian in name or not, are about motivating people to work hard for a candidate and to turn out and vote. One way they often do this is to simplify complex issues to the point of distortion.

I have never used the pulpit to tell anyone how to vote; although, some years ago, I did say that it was a sin to vote for David Duke — boy howdy! Did I catch flak for that! But I did get one very loud “Amen” from the wife of the state chairman of the Democratic Party. Ours is an odd church, having had both the Republican candidate for state Attorney General and the state chairman of the Democratic Party in it. What do you do in that situation? Stick to Bible exposition.

My position is very different from the actual case in many churches. Some time back in the fall of 2002, I preached to a local African-American congregation. A short time before I got into the pulpit, a Democratic elected official came and spoke from the lectern — it was the Sunday before the upcoming Saturday primary — I can’t remember his exact words; he may have said “opponents” or “enemies” instead of “The other side.” I was on the platform, concentrating on staring at my shoes, praying that my lily-white, Republican deacon, who chauffeured me to the church, wouldn’t stand up and say something. When the speaker finished, I glanced up and saw that there wasn’t a white face in the congregation — my deacon was beet-red! Anyhow, he said: “Now, you all need to remember that we must vote this coming Saturday. We got a call from our President this past week — President Clinton reminded us how important it is that our people turn out this Saturday. The other side is counting on it raining and us staying away from the polls. If it rains, put on a raincoat and vote. You only need to remember one thing: vote Democrat.”

Now, it isn’t usually that crass in other quarters, but the message is fundamentally the same, because politics is about power, and power generally comes through coalitions built on compromises.

I attended the Religious Roundtable in Dallas, Texas back in 1980. While Baptist Deacon Jimmy Carter had been invited, he didn’t show up, of course — this was a massive pep rally for Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party under the cloak of a revival meeting. There were a handful of African-Americans there and members of the press — I stood in line behind Bill Moyers to get a hot dog — he’s been dogging the Religious Right ever since. Black, Los Angeles Baptist, E. V. Hill, gave the best speech of the whole bunch — better than Reagan, better than Pat Robertson, and a whole lot better than the bevy of White Baptist preachers who spoke, salting and peppering right wing politics with Bible verses.

But we cannot go beyond Scripture from the pulpit, telling people how to believe or how to live, just as we are not free to impose on others words of knowledge, words of wisdom, interpretation of tongues, etc. We are limited to the Spirit anointed exposition and application of Scripture, because the whole corpus of the Christian Faith has been once for all deposited with the Church in the form of Holy Scripture.

A New Earth

A new phenomenon has graced (or disgraced) the presence of popular television for the past few weeks. Oprah, the famous (or infamous) talk show host has endorsed a new book for her book club. Labeling this choice ‘a bold move’, Oprah decided that this book is different and deserves more time and effort than any of her other books that she has suggested for her book club. Therefore, every Monday night, for the past 8 weeks, Oprah has had a ‘virtual class discussion’ on this book, A New Earth, by Eckhart Tolle.

After receiving a youtube video link on a forwarded email, I decided that it may be beneficial to take a deeper look into this work. The youtube video has an obvious bias, and I do not like to take things at face value when they are critical of someone else’s work, so I did my own research. Oprah has provided these class sessions for free on iTunes, so I downloaded the first hour and a half session and watched it.

Tolle and Oprah (it’s interesting how we only use her first name when referring to her) talked to each other and to people from around the world about the first chapter of the book, A New Earth. One lady videoed in a question that asked, ‘How can I still be a Christian and use this teaching? Is it possible to reconcile the two together?’ The answers from Tolle and Oprah were very interesting, to say the least. Oprah proceeded to tell a story of why she left the Baptist church she attended for years. Her reason was because the pastor one morning said that ‘God is a jealous God.’ Upon hearing this, Oprah responded (at 27 years of age), ‘What? God is a jealous God? Jealous of what? Jealous of me? I thought God is Love.’ After this revelation, Oprah left the church.

Now, the answer, although not sufficient in my opinion, basically went like this: God is all-loving, all-powerful, and all-present, and we cannot keep God ‘in the box’, so we need to be open to ANY means by which God relates to each individual (paraphrased by me). The bottom line is that Oprah believes that Tolle’s methods are totally kosher with the Christian Faith and that his methods actually enhance our Faith in Christ.

Immediately after hearing this, I decided it would be worth a read. If it enhances Christianity, then I sure want to see what this is about, right? (please excuse the sarcasm) So I checked the book out of our public library and read it, in a very short amount of time, by the way. Here are some quotes I found interesting:

‘Christ can be seen as the archetypal human, embodying both the pain and the possibility of transcendence.’ (144)

‘The possibility of such a transformation [of consciousness] has been the central message of the great wisdom teachings of humankind. The messengers – Buddha, Jesus, and others, not all of them known – were humanity’s early flowers. A widespread flowering was not yet possible at that time, and their message became largely misunderstood and often greatly distorted.’ (6)

‘In Hindu teachings, this transformation is called enlightenment. In the teachings of Jesus, it is salvation, and in Buddhism, it is the end of suffering.’ (13)

And my personal favorite:
‘Almost every woman has her share in the collective female pain-body (term used to describe the ‘bad’ which is in us), which tends to become activated particularly just prior to the time of menstruation. At that time many woman become overwhelmed by intense negative emotion.’ (155)

These quotes just give a snippet of ‘enlightenment’ (pun intended) into the writing of Tolle.

Although this book is among a myriad of New Age material out there, I was particularly upset with Mr. Tolle and his academic integrity, or lack thereof. He uses Platonic philosophy mixed with Freudian psychology and he gives ZERO credit to either of them. He has an entire chapter dedicated to the concept of the ‘ego’ and says nothing of Sigmund Freud. And he talks about the ‘Forms’ and the images of the Forms but says nothing of Plato. This is not acceptable in academia and should be condemned as plagiarism.

Finally, Tolle’s ‘inspiration’ for the title of the book comes from the Bible, where Jesus talks about ‘a new heaven and a new earth’. He says, ‘A new heaven is the emergence of a transformed state of human consciousness, and a new earth is its reflection in the physical realm’ (23). In Tolle’s mind, and Oprah’s voice, humanity is increasing becoming ‘aware’ of who we intrinsically are. This is done by being in the ‘present state of consciousness’ and not thinking of the past or the future, only the now (his former book is called, The Power of Now). By becoming aware of our ‘presentness’, what Tolle actually refers to as the ‘I Am’, we will be transformed into the higher state of consciousness, which will yield a new earth, which will be free of pain.

I thought it poignant to read and write about this book because of the extremely large influence Oprah has on millions of people in the world in general, and millions of Christians in particular. Tolle is a plagiarist, an author with no academic integrity, who also takes the Bible completely out of context with every passage he uses. This book IS NOT kosher with the Christian Faith, and SHOULD NOT be used to ‘enhance’ our Christian beliefs. It negates the person and work of Christ. It places I, me, my at the center of the universe, and it destroys any conception of original sin. Oprah may be a nice person, but her endorsement of this book as being something every Christian should read and use seems to be an act of a ‘wolf in sheeps clothing’.

Oh, and by the way, Tolle believes in the Big Bang Theory, to which he adds: The world started as a big bang of the material. It is growing bigger and more complex every day. Eventually, however, it will get to the point where it begins to shrink down to nothingness again. At that point, another bang will happen and start the process all over again. Good one Tolle.

Prosperity And The Gospel

The Bible teaches that it is normally God’s will to prosper us materially and give us good health.

That is true in the Old Testament: “Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 103:2-5).

And Saint Paul clearly teaches a connection between generous, sacrificial giving and our experiencing increasing financial blessing: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. . . And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. . . Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:6-11).

While we should not limit this blessing to material things, material things certainly are at least somewhat in view: “ . . so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work” (verse 8). “You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (verse 11).

That is the teaching of the 31 chapters of the book of Proverbs. But I said, normally, because Job reveals the fine print in the contract, as I will attempt to lay out below.

First of all, consider health. Essentially, I believe that a person is “immortal” until God’s purpose for his life is completed. That doesn’t mean that we won’t get sick; we will, and unless somebody shoots us or runs over us with a car or something like that, one day, sooner or later, every one of us is going to get sick from something that’s going to kill us: “It is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). We see that in the life of one of the three greatest workers of miracles in the Old Testament, Elisha. “Now Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he died” (2 Kings 13:14). Amazingly, even in his death, this type of Christ brings life: “Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet” (2 Kings 13:20, 21).

I believe that it is normally God’s will that we have sufficient health so that we can go about doing what he’s called us to do, not that we don’t ever get tired, feel bad or have a bout with illness. Due to sickness, I have only missed preaching in our Sunday morning services two times in the past 32 years. But I will let you in on a little secret, if I’m going to feel under the weather when I get up, it’s almost always on Sunday morning. Time and again, my fever has broken while I was preaching. I’m usually ready for a nap after the second morning sermon, but I almost always feel better after I preach than before. Back on Monday, January 26, 2004, I was diagnosed with Bell’s Palsy which left the left side of my face paralyzed to the point I could neither completely close my left eye or the left side of my mouth. I had been eating lunch with a man in my congregation and I realized that the onions in my liver and onions kept falling out of my mouth. Within three weeks I was completely healed, but on two Sundays I had to use my left hand to push my lips together every time I used a bilabial plosive, otherwise I couldn’t pronounce words like “pastor” or “bad.”

As indicated above, the Bible teaches that it is normally God’s will to prosper believers materially, but we must hold fast to certain truths, lest we twist this biblical truth to our own destruction.

1. It belongs to God alone to define what prosperity is.

1.1. Prosperity is not having everything we desire—so much of what we desire is bad for us, afterall, like a little child stuffing himself with candy at holiday time. If I went through my list of desires, let’s see . . . on second thought, I don’t think I want to go there.

1.2. Prosperity varies from place to place, culture to culture and time to time. Having an automobile in modern suburban America is probably a necessity, and one that we may humbly expect that God will provide as we seek to do his will. But having a dirt-floored, log cabin, vegetables and cured meat, homespun clothing, a mule and tools would have met these criteria a couple of hundred years ago.

1.3. Prosperity is having enough “money” so that we are able to provide food and shelter for those for whom we are responsible and to have enough left over to give to advance God’s kingdom in the lives of others.

2. Our ultimate “prosperity” in Christ means that God will sometimes orchestrate the events of our lives in such a way that we find ourselves bewildered by our circumstances. That certainly was often the experience of the Apostle Paul as he describes it in 2 Corinthians 11:21-29: “I have . . . been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?”

2.1. Saint Paul teaches us that God is directing everything in the life of believers so that they will become more and more like the Lord Jesus: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:28, 29).

2.2. Joseph could look back on the trials of his life, the hellish events unleashed by the murderous deeds of his brothers, and confess: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

2.3. It wasn’t because of Paul’s sin or lack of faith, that our heavenly Father ordained that an angel of Satan would cause Paul to suffer with his thorn in the flesh; it was to produce growth in grace and increasing humility before God: “And 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 buffet me—to keep me from exalting myself” (2 Corinthians 12:7)!

Paul experienced real pain from this attack and earnestly sought relief from his Father, “Concerning this I entreated the Lord three times that it might depart from me” (2 Corinthians 12:8).

But his prayer was not answered the way that he wanted, and this wasn’t due to Paul’s lack of faith or the presence of unconfessed sin in his life: ‘And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

The end result of this was Paul’s joyful submission to God’s good providence, not a bitter, stoic resignation: “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, 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” (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

3. Because we do not yet see all things under the feet of our Mediator (Hebrews 2:8), even though everything is under the sovereign plan of God (Ephesians 1:11), life in this world is often marked by futility and frustration. Heaven and the return of Christ are where we will experience things the way they should be in keeping with our inheritance We see that in 2 Corinthians 12, above, but it is profoundly expressed in Ecclesiastes and in one of my favorite Psalms, Psalm 73. The Psalmist is quite overwhelmed with his own trials and this situation is exacerbated as he observes how well off the God-hating, immoral people around him are:

“But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked” (Psalm 73:2, 3).

Trying to understanding life from the perspective of “under the Sun” (Ecclesiastes) leads us to false conclusions; it is only when we factor in the unseen world and the future beyond that we can make sense of things: “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny” (Psalm 73:16, 17).

Even though it is a cliché and often mocked, we do live for our “pie in the sky,” because our “pie in the sky” is being in the presence of Jesus now and perfectly so in the future. “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. . . But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds” (Psalm 73:23-28).

4. Psalm 73:23-28 underscores the heart of the matter: it isn’t gold, not even the streets of gold in the new Jerusalem, that brings true joy and fulfillment; it is knowing and loving our blessed, Triune God, and living for his glory, set to the purpose of his kingdom . . .

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44).

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45, 46).

To a real Christian, Christ is the Treasure hidden in the field, our Pearl of great price. For him we give up everything and count it but skybalon (Philippians 3:8). Yet, wonder of wonders, we are Christ’s treasure, too, his pearl of great price. For us, he gave up the joy and glory of heaven. He who is and always remains fully God in every way, became a real human being, just like you and me in every way, except he did not have a sinful nature and he never sinned. For us, he endured the shameful, agonizing death of the cross.

A focus on material wealth in preaching, then, is wicked. Our focus must be the glory of God and people coming to enjoy him. We are to seek the Lord and his righteousness and leave to him to order the things in our lives for our good and his glory in the advancement of his kingdom. To be sure, God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17), but these things add nothing to our lives apart from our loving the Lord Jesus and delighting in him. Indeed, apart from a life lived in devotion to the Lord, these things become sinful snares and deadly poisons, as our Lord warned: “The worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke (the Word), making it unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22).

Finally, health and wealth are never ends in themselves, they are means to an end: the advancement of God’s kingdom. A kingdom centered approach sees material wealth as a trust from God to be used to advance his kingdom in the lives of others—the same goes for good health. I do not believe in the private ownership of property, a damnable lie; the Bible teaches the private stewardship of property. All that I am, all that I have, be it time, energy, spouse, children, parents, money, houses, lands, rights, respect, or what have you—it all belongs to God, and I am called to use it for his glory and the good of others, as he directs by his Word and Spirit in his good providence. That is the happy life. That is the free life. That is the true Christian life.

Fast

From a newsletter at church today:

Do you fast? Give me proof of it by your works. If you see a poor man, take pity on him. If you see a friend being honored, do not envy him. Do not let only your mouth fast, but also the eye, and the feet, and the hands and all the members of our bodies. Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice. Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin. Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which sinful. Let the ears fast by not listening to evil talk and gossip. Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism. For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes, but bite and devour our brothers? – St. John Chrysostom