BORN AGAIN

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BORN AGAIN

(John 3:3) Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

The term born again can mean many things to many people.  Let’s describe what the term born again does NOT mean:

Born again is not another term for reincarnation, that when you die you are born into the next world and live another life trying to reach nirvana.  Born again also does not mean a new age experience whereby you keep searching for truth until you finally enter a state of spiritual awareness and enlightenment.  Neither does born again describe a Christian evangelical political movement like the one we saw under the Carter administration in the 1970’s.   

Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, thought that being born again was entering into your mother’s womb a second time and being born.  So you see for a long time there has been erroneous views concerning the term born again.  

Born again means to be born twice. (John 3:5) Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  It means you are born physically (once) and then you are born spiritually (twice).  To be born spiritually means a new birth has taken place in your life.  You have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit whereby God imparts spiritual life to the one who trusts Christ. 

When you are born physically into this world you are born a sinner.  That sin nature was passed on to you all the way from Adam and Eve.  We are dead in sin and subject to the wrath of God until we accept the finished work of Christ on the cross.  At that moment our sins are forgiven and the Holy Spirit enters us and we are born again. (Read Ephesians 2:1-9)

Jesus said to Nicodemus that unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.  That means to qualify for heaven you must receive Christ as your Savior and become a new person:  (2 Cor 5:17) Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.  It’s like getting a new heart transplant!:  (Eze 36:26) I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  There’s nothing you have to do.  Just receive this free gift:  (Titus 3:5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.

Have you been born again?  Why put heaven off when you can have the promise of eternal life right now?  Born once, die twice.  Born twice, die once.  

Louie

ANSWERING AGNOSTICISM

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ANSWERING AGNOSTICISM

I think philosopher William L. Rowe describes agnosticism well.  He says an agnostic is someone who neither believes nor disbelieves in the existence of God, while a theist believes that God does exist and an atheist believes that God does not exist.  The term agnosticism was coined by English biologist T.H. Huxley in 1869 but the concept was expressed way before that.   It goes back to the Greeks around 450 BC and even earlier mentions are recorded in the Hindu Vedas, written between 1700 and 1100 BC. The word agnosticism means “without knowledge” and refers to the agnostic’s unyielding tenet that you can never know for certain that God exists.  

Agnosticism has sometimes been divided into two categories: STRONG AGNOSTICISM which is the view that the existence of God is completely unknowable because the nature of God and faith is far too subjective and unscientific and lacks empirical evidence. WEAK AGNOSTICISM is the view that the existence of God is unknown but is not necessarily unknowable; further evidence is needed.  

How do you answer an agnostic?  

FACTS: Agnostics have great minds and follow strong arguments from brilliant minds of old.  Perhaps facts regarding the veracity of the Bible will help them along the way.  Fulfilled prophecy, archaeological evidence, apologetic studies, and the like might appeal to their sense of reasoning.  (Isa 1:18) “Come now, and let us reason together,” says the Lord…

FAITH: To believe in God you’re going to have to have faith. (Hebrews 11:6) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  As finite human beings we should not expect to be able to comprehend an infinite God.  (Rom 11:33-34) exclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! ‘Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?’”  If one is devoid of faith, God is able to dispense it as a gift so one may believe without test tube proof.  (Eph 2:8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.  

FEELING: The book of Ecclesiastes would be a great book of the Bible for the agnostic to read and discern.  This book chronicles king Solomon’s shift away from God and the emptiness it produced.  Agnostics have personal feelings like the rest of us.  Empty feelings may be the result of an empty philosophy.  We can be so smart to be so unhappy.  

Jesus’s answer to “doubting Thomas” was “…because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)  

Louie

THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

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THE EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH

Most people see Christianity as made up of Catholic and Protestant sects.  But there is another branch of Christianity that contains 300 million adherents.  It is called the Eastern Orthodox Church.  Most of these believers live in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East but also have churches in most countries and in almost every major city.  

In 1054 the Great Schism occurred where there was a break of communion between what are now the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches centered in Constantinople and Rome respectively.  The Orthodox Church claims to have kept the faith through the church councils while the Roman Catholic Church has strayed into heresy with the development of the papacy and supremacy over all other churches.  

The Eastern Orthodox Church is not a single church but rather a family of 13 self-governing bodies such as the Greek Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church, etc.  They are united in their understanding of the sacraments, doctrine, liturgy, and church government, but each administers its own affairs.  

The head of each Orthodox church is called a “patriarch.”  The patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul, Turkey) is considered the universal patriarch. He is the nearest thing to a counterpart to the Pope in the Roman Catholic Church.  He holds special honor, but he has no power to interfere with the 12 other Orthodox communions. 

Orthodox believers affirm the Trinity, the Bible as the Word of God, Jesus as God the Son, and many other biblical doctrines. However, in doctrine, they have much more in common with Roman Catholics than they do with Protestant Christians. 

The doctrine of justification by faith is for the most part missing from the teaching of the Orthodox Church. Rather, Orthodoxy emphasizes theosis (literally, “divinization”), the ongoing process by which Christians become more and more like Christ. But Orthodox tradition fails to understand that “divinization” is the progressive result of salvation, not a condition for salvation. Other Orthodox distinctives that conflict with the Scriptures include: The equal authority of church tradition and Scripture;  the perpetual virginity of Mary;  prayer for the dead;  baptism of infants; the possibility of receiving salvation after death; a person may lose their salvation; prayer to saints (especially Mary); use of icons as an aid to worship.  

Keep in mind:  Salvation is not a gradual process: (Eph 2:8) For by grace you HAVE BEEN SAVED through faith…  Sanctification is a gradual process:   (1 Thes 5:23) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely… Scripture supersedes church tradition: (Mark 7:9) He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

Louie

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST

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THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST 

Here’s some quick facts about the resurrection of our Lord.  I pray this study will bless you! 

PROPHESIED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT:  (Job 19:25) For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth. (Psa 16:10) For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. (Jonah 1:17)…Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. 

PREDICTED BY JESUS:  (Mat 16:21) From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

CENTRAL MESSAGE OF EARLY CHURCH: (Acts 4:33) And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus…

DOORWAY TO OUR SALVATION:  (Romans 10:9) that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

CORNERSTONE OF OUR FAITH: (1 Cor 15:17) And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

GUARANTEES BELIEVER’S RESURRECTION: (1 Cor 15:20) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

THE TRINITY IN THE RESURRECTION:  FATHER: (Acts 5:30) The God of our fathers raised up Jesus…  SON: (John 2:19)…“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  SPIRIT: (Rom 8:11) But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead…

SOME DOUBT: (Mat 22:23) The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection…

POST RESURRECTON APPEARANCES: 1. To Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18; Mark 16:9) 2. To the other women (Mat 28:8-10) 3. To Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5) 4. To the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12) 5. To ten of the disciples (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-29) 6. To all eleven disciples, eight days later (John 20:24-29) 7. To seven disciples by the Sea of Tiberias (John 21:1-23) 8. To five hundred followers (1 Cor 15:6) 9. To James (1 Cor 15:7) 10. To the eleven, at the ascension (Acts 1:3-12)

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE: (John 14:19)…Because I live, you will live also.  (1 Pet 1:3)…has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

Louie

BUDDHISM

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BUDDHISM

Buddhism is a religion of about 350 million people around the world (6% of world’s population and forth largest religion). The word comes from 'budhi', 'to awaken'. It has its origins about 2,500 years ago when Siddhartha Gotama, known as the Buddha, was himself awakened (“enlightened”) at the age of 35. By the time Guatama died, Buddhism had become a major influence in India; three hundred years later, Buddhism had encompassed most of Asia. 

Gotama believed that Enlightenment lay in the “middle way,” not in luxurious indulgence or self-mortification. He discovered what would become known as the ‘Four Noble Truths’—1) to live is to suffer (Dukha), 2) suffering is caused by desire (Tanha, or “attachment”), 3) one can eliminate suffering by eliminating all attachments, and 4) this is achieved by following the noble eightfold path. The “eightfold path” consists of having a right 1) view, 2) intention, 3) speech, 4) action, 5) livelihood (being a monk), 6) effort (properly direct energies), 7) mindfulness (meditation), and 8) concentration (focus).  

Buddhism is roughly falls into two broad categories of Theravada and Mahayana. Theravada is the monastic form which reserves ultimate enlightenment and nirvana for monks, while Mahayana Buddhism extends this goal of enlightenment to the laity as well, that is, to non-monks. Within these categories can be found numerous branches.  Zen Buddhism has been popular with celebrities in the West and which has broadened its influence.  

Important teachings of Buddhism include Rebirth (reincarnation), that when a man dies, he will return to live as another person, animal, or god, etc. Karma (action) means that everything (good or bad) that happens to a man is the result of his conduct in previous lives. What happens in future lives is determined by his actions now. Nirvana (release) teaches that man's ultimate goal is to be released from the cycle of rebirth and suffering. This is a state of rest with no earthly desires. 

The basic Biblical response to Buddhism is that it is a philosophy of self-effort.  (Titus 3:5) not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.  It’s not what you do but what has already been done through the work of Christ on the cross atoning for our sins and rising from the dead.  All a person has to do is to personally accept this free gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-9).   

Reincarnation is non-biblical because the Bible says (Heb 9:27)…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.  And Karma?  Our life choices have consequences and the real choice is to accept Christ or not which will affect our eternal destination (Gal 6:7-8; 1 John 5:12).  Nirvana?  That is a substitute for heaven and can be realized when one is born again and not reborn over and over (John 3:1-8).  True rest is through Jesus Christ (Mat 11:28-30).  

Louie

SAINT PATRICK . . . SAINT BOB?

 

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SAINT PATRICK . . . SAINT BOB?

 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus:  (Ephesians 1:1)

We have always known there are people who are more holy than us.  Their lives are dedicated to God completely and unreservedly.  We feel dwarfed by them.  They seem to have attained to a higher level of spirituality while we feel bound to the earth and even subterranean.  But Paul calls all the Christians in Ephesus saints!  That means you and I are saints too!!  Hard to believe isn’t it?  Especially when you think how you acted this past week.  But “saint” means “holy one” and according to the Word of God we have been made holy by what Jesus did on the cross.  There at Calvary He died for our sins and now those who put their trust in Him are given Christ’s  righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21).  What a deal!  Thank-you, Lord!! 

So when you see those statues of certain saints remember they were just fallible people like you and me.  There’s nothing more special about them than us.  They might have done great things for God but aren’t we?  Aren’t we working hard to provide for our family?  Aren’t we making sacrifices for our kids?  Aren’t we going the extra mile to serve the Lord in the places of ministry and influence He has put us in?  No one has a more exclusive level of godliness than the other.  And furthermore, we are not saints because we do things for God.  We’re saints because He made us saints.   “ . . . we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).  That means you’re either a saint . . . or you ain’t!   

On March 17 we celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.  People dress up in green and bear shamrocks and eat corned beef and cabbage.  We have a vague recollection that there was a saint in Ireland of long ago but not much more is know of him.  But he was a real figure in history.  Patrick was born in Britain around 389 A.D.  At sixteen years of age he was sold into slavery to Ireland for six years.  There in Ireland he had visions from God and was able to escape and return home.  Back at home he had a dream where he heard the Irish pleading with him to return and to walk among them again.  That he did, and Patrick became a missionary to Ireland determined to convert the whole land to Christ.  One of his teaching tools was the shamrock which he used to explain the Trinity (Three in One).  Patrick was able to secure tolerance for Christians in Ireland during his life there.  (Whether he drove the snakes from Ireland we don’t know and falls into the category of legend). 

Saint Patrick . . . Saint Bob . . . Saint Kathy . . . it doesn’t matter.  By the grace of God we are all saints in Christ Jesus! 

Louie

 

HINDUISM

 

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HINDUISM

Would you be surprised if I told you the third largest religion in the world is Hinduism (900mil)?  And that’s after Christianity (2bil) and Islam (1.6bil).  And yet in the West we know so little about this religion that is the majority in India and Nepal but also has influence in other countries as well.  It seems like such a foreign faith to Westerners with images that are fanciful and undiscerning, but in North America alone there are one million adherents.  

Hinduism is one of the oldest known organized religions—its sacred writings date as far back as 1400 to 1500 B.C. It is also one of the most diverse and complex, having millions of gods. According to the Supreme Court of India, “Unlike other religions in the World, the Hindu religion does not claim any one Prophet, it does not worship any one God, it does not believe in any one philosophic concept, it does not follow any one act of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not satisfy the traditional features of a religion or creed. It is a way of life and nothing more".  But there are two things almost all Hindus believe: reincarnation and karma.  It’s the belief, respectively, that the soul continually recycles itself unto perfection in the next life/s and there is merit in one’s life that determines a person’s station in the next life.  

Most Hindus observe non-mandatory religious rituals at home. These vary greatly among regions, villages, and individuals.  Daily rituals may include worshiping at dawn after bathing (usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foodstuffs before the images of deities), reciting of religious scripts, singing devotional hymns, yoga, meditation, chanting mantras, etc.  Many Hindus embrace vegetarianism to respect higher forms of life.

Hindu thought began to influence the West with the help of the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, David Thoreau, and others.  In the 1960s the Beatles spent time in India and were taught transcendental meditation (TM) by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, which became very popular in the West.  This in turn opened the door for the motto that all roads lead to God and are true.  Soon New Age would build upon some of these premises and draw more people into its beliefs. 

Hindus do not believe in a personal God and that Jesus is not God but one of many incarnations.  The Bible teaches that God is a personal and infinite Being manifested in the three persons of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Jesus is God and died for the redemption of mankind (John 1:1; Eph 1:7).  Hindus seek deliverance from the endless cycle of death and rebirth and which is achieved through devotion, meditation, good works and self-control.  The Bible teaches salvation is gained through believing in the sacrificial death of Jesus and His resurrection.  Hindus reach enlightenment by the Path of Knowledge, the Path of devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds.  The Bible says we are saved by the grace of Christ and not by works.  (Eph 2:8-9) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Louie