Yesterday’s Lake City Reporter carried a letter from a Gerald Witt of Lake City. If you haven’t read it, you might catch it in the online version. I don’t recommend reading it because you will be edified, but rather because his opinion is (a) totally contrary to biblical Christianity and (b) representative of the people we live among and have responsibility to reach.
One quote from his letter serves to introduce the message I will preach a week from Sunday night. Mr. Witt declares, “Religion conceived as a total way of life will never be seriously affected by advance of knowledge because the convictions aren't validated until after death.”
His quote is completely true – if, and only if, our faith is simply meant for “the sweet bye and bye when we meet on that beautiful shore.” Fire insurance. But, that is not biblical Christianity.
We are called to renew the meaning of the word “Christian” in this generation. Remember that disciples were called “Christian” for the first time in Antioch. Their lifestyles were radical. Their conversations were so full of Christ that the local population nicknamed them “Christians”, meaning “little Christs”. We are called to reflect the message of Philippians 2:14-16: 14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life… (NIV).
The saddest part of Mr. Witt’s letter is not that he doesn’t have a clue about what life is all about. The saddest part is that he lives in Lake City and hasn’t yet been affected by a life so dominated by Jesus that he recognizes it as more than “religion”.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
When there is no God
Sunday is designated for emphasis of the sanctity of human life. Central in this observation is the question of abortion. No other practice in contemporary society reflects the impact of evolutionary though more than does abortion.
Before the influence of evolutionary thought, we believed in a tier of importance where God was on top; man in the middle; and, the animals at the bottom. Since evolutionary thought, the tier has radically changed. God has disappeared. Man is at the top – but with the animals inching their way closer and closer to equality. There is no one above man to tell us what is right and what is wrong. Instead, we are free to make our own decisions.
During Old Testament times, the Canaanites sacrificed their children to their god, Molech – hoping that he would give them the desires of their hearts. Now that man finds himself at the top of the tier, we have a repeat of Canaanite worship. These days, our generation sacrifices its children on an altar to itself in an effort to please itself.
God forgive us. Oh, that’s right – they did away with Him.
Before the influence of evolutionary thought, we believed in a tier of importance where God was on top; man in the middle; and, the animals at the bottom. Since evolutionary thought, the tier has radically changed. God has disappeared. Man is at the top – but with the animals inching their way closer and closer to equality. There is no one above man to tell us what is right and what is wrong. Instead, we are free to make our own decisions.
During Old Testament times, the Canaanites sacrificed their children to their god, Molech – hoping that he would give them the desires of their hearts. Now that man finds himself at the top of the tier, we have a repeat of Canaanite worship. These days, our generation sacrifices its children on an altar to itself in an effort to please itself.
God forgive us. Oh, that’s right – they did away with Him.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
2006
So we enter 2006! More than mid-way thru the first decade of the 21st century! What does that mean for Christians?
One thing is clear: The church must be more intent than ever before to teach the truth. Years ago, much of Christian truth was caught, rather than taught. A child was around Christian parents and grandparents in critical life settings and caught the gist of what we believe and the pattern of how we live. Outside influence was minimal.
How life has changed! Thought infiltrates our homes via television, radio, newspaper magazine and Internet that is definitely not Christian. Everywhere our kids go, they are confronted with image, symbol and philosophy of life that runs counter to what we believe. If we do not intentionally engage them in discussion about what God teaches, the increasing decline in Christian influence will be the result! Isn’t it funny that with so many ways of communicating today – phone, cell phone, email, snail mail, ipod, etc. – that we do so little actual communication? Let’s take more time this year to actually engage in dialogue with people, especially young people, about the things that matter.
One thing is clear: The church must be more intent than ever before to teach the truth. Years ago, much of Christian truth was caught, rather than taught. A child was around Christian parents and grandparents in critical life settings and caught the gist of what we believe and the pattern of how we live. Outside influence was minimal.
How life has changed! Thought infiltrates our homes via television, radio, newspaper magazine and Internet that is definitely not Christian. Everywhere our kids go, they are confronted with image, symbol and philosophy of life that runs counter to what we believe. If we do not intentionally engage them in discussion about what God teaches, the increasing decline in Christian influence will be the result! Isn’t it funny that with so many ways of communicating today – phone, cell phone, email, snail mail, ipod, etc. – that we do so little actual communication? Let’s take more time this year to actually engage in dialogue with people, especially young people, about the things that matter.
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