Wednesday, March 25, 2009

What's left after religion?

Are we looking at the horizon of religion's demise? Many experts predict the coming flat-line, at least the death of a certain kind of religion that has drawn the wrath of modern media & the culture it produces.

Several blogs I recently read encapsulated these feelings by pointing to a coming "collapse" of evangelical Christianity.*


Just one quote from "The Evangelical Collapse: A Statistical Analysis" will sum up the point:
"According to George Barna: 'With its 195 million unchurched people, America has become the new mission field. America has more unchurched people than the entire populations of all but 11 of the world’s 194 nations.'"

In other words, religion, as we know it in the western world, has fallen on hard times and ever-hardening hearts. Our culture pays less and less attention to religious ideals, opting rather to almost-daily invent our "values" as we desire.

Maybe the idea of "religion" itself can't any longer juice up the imagination of postmodern mankind.

The word "religion" comes from the old Latin language meaning "to bind again" (cousin to the word "ligament"). And what culturally aware person today wants to be bound by anything? It doesn't seem to be in our 21st Century genes to accept restrictions, limits or chastisement of any kind.

So, if religion itself is a culturally endangered species, what will replace it?

Well, I think we can make an educated guess because it's happened before. Although ancient religion was never totally erased, it did have to move over and give way to a more powerful force (until that force was co-opted by religion itself and watered down to resemble the same old, same old).

The day Jesus arrived, the world was already swimming in religion. He didn't need to come here to start another one, not even a better one. Religion had failed. It had failed completely to bridge the breach between God and His corrupted creation. Ancient religion had littered the world with violence, gruesome sacrifices, racism, fear and hopelessness. So much for man's attempt to fix his problem with Divinity.

If you don't believe me, read the Apostle Paul's masterful analysis in Romans chapters seven and eight. Or read Jesus' laser-like summation in the Gospel of John: "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." (5:39-40 NIV).

So what did Jesus think should replace "religion"? Relationship. A relationship based on mutual love between Jesus and His disciple.

Religion binds. Those who aren't good at it soon lose hope; those who are talented at it soon develop spiritual pride.

But true relationship frees. It frees God to embrace us despite our evil, and it frees us to be embraced without fear.

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23 NIV).

*"Why Do They Hate Us?" "The Coming Evangelical Collapse" "The Evangelical Collapse: A Statistical Analysis"

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

How to know God exists

It seems that more atheists than Christians read this blog. At least, more atheists respond when I write something that hits a nerve.

That's because atheism has become tantamount to a religion, and those who "believe" in atheism have become more and more vocal. They've even become "evangelistic". Concerning my faith in God, an atheist recently wrote to me, "You can recant and become a whole person again. I hope that your reason someday helps you to see this."


That's a little scary. Christians throughout history who wouldn't "recant" hav
e been murdered by the millions (as in Stalinist Russia and the French Revolution). And the stereotypical charge that people of faith eschew reason is common among secularists.

So, it seems time to write about how to know God exists. No, I can't prove to the partisan skeptic that God exists
beyond any shadow of doubt (no one can). But I can show that it's more reasonable to believe in God than not.

Besides, those who say there's definitely no God can't prove it. No one can prove a negative. To prove that God doesn't exist (beyond a shadow of a doubt), you'd have to experience everything in existence, and go everywhere one can go (even the supernatural world) and then report to us, "I didn't find God".

So, how can one know that God exists? It's more simple than you think. You can know God exists because He visited earth and told us about Himself.

I'm sure you've probably figured it out by now - I'm speaking about Jesus of Nazareth, who is the Messiah (Anointed). I'm saying that this Jesus was God in flesh.

Now, just me saying it (or millions saying it) won't make it true. There has to be some evidence that makes it more reasonable to believe it than not. So, what's the evidence?

It's found in the answers to these top ten questions about the man Jesus:

#10- "Was Jesus A Real Person?"

Yes, Jesus actually lived. No credible historian today would deny the existence of a carpenter & teacher from Nazareth named Jesus. The Bible gives his life history, but several non-biblical historians of his era also mention him. Josephus (AD 37-95) the Jewish historian wrote about him, and so did Roman historians Tacitus (AD 55-120) and Seutonius (born AD 120.)

#9- "Did Jesus Ever Claim To Be The Son Of God?"

Yes, several times. Once when attacked by his enemies, Jesus said, "I and the Father are one." Then he spoke of the miracles he had done, and asked "For which of these do you stone me?"
Their answer was, "We are not stoning you for these (miracles)… but because you, a mere man, claim to be God." (John 10:33.)

On another occasion they tried to kill Jesus because "he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God." (John 5:18.)

Another time when his enemies tried to kill him, he had said, "Before Abraham was born, I am!" - claiming to be the "Jehovah" of Exodus 3:14. (John 8:58.)
He also said to his own disciples, "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9.)

Even at his trial, when the High Priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" Jesus answered, "I am… And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." (Mark 14:62.)

Jesus definitely claimed to be God's Son.

#8- "Why Did People Believe His Claims; Weren't They Just Superstitious?"

People believed Jesus' claims because he proved them. How? By fulfilling all the Old Testament prophecies about the coming of God's own Son-the "Messiah."

For example, the prophet Micah (720 BC) predicted that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2 & Matthew 2:3-6.)

Isaiah (740 BC) foresaw that Christ would heal the sick (Isaiah 53:4 & Matthew 8:17), and that he would be born of a virgin, and would be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 7:14 & 9:6.) Isaiah also gave an extensive picture of the crucifixion of Christ 700 years before it happened! (Isaiah chapter 53.)

Daniel the prophet (600 BC) predicted that the Messiah would come during the Roman Empire (the fourth empire from Daniel's day) and establish God's Kingdom (Daniel 2:44-45.) Jesus fulfilled it. And the prophet Zechariah (520 BC) amazingly predicted that the Messiah would be sold for 30 pieces of silver, which would be thrown back into the temple (Zech. 11:12-13.)

Also, in Psalm 16:10, King David (1,000 BC) predicted that Messiah would be raised from the dead (see Acts 2:27-32.) People in Jesus' day believed his claims because he fulfilled Divine prophecy.

#7- "Since The Bible Was Written So Long Ago, How Do We Know We Have The Words Jesus Actually Spoke?"

Because of the wealth of carefully hand-copied manuscripts-more than for any other ancient work. There are 13,000 ancient manuscripts for the New Testament alone! Compare that to only 7 for the works of Plato, 5 for Aristotle, 8 for Herodotus, and only 9 for Euripedes.

After years of study, scholar F.F. Bruce says, "There is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the New Testament."

#6- "Did Jesus Actually Work Miracles?"

Yes, Jesus worked scores of miracles right in front of his enemies, yet they never denied it. And he worked so many miracles, that they can't be explained by "mass hypnosis" or "emotionally overwrought witnesses."

His enemies' only defense was to accuse him of working miracles by Satan's power, but Jesus answered, "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined…" (Luke 11:17.)

It wouldn't make sense for Jesus to do good, like casting out demons, by Satan's power-Satan would be destroying his own kingdom.

It's amazing that people today will deny that Jesus, or his disciples, ever worked miracles, yet no one in Jesus' day ever denied it. His enemies never denied it. And those who saw his disciples work miracles never denied it-they said, "Everybody living in Jerusalem knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it." (Acts 4:16.)

#5- "Did Jesus Really Die On The Cross, Or Just Faint And Awaken Later?"

No one in Jesus' day, including his enemies, denied that he died on the cross.

After suffering an entire night of trials and beatings, and then being forced to carry the beam of his own cross, Jesus couldn't have survived the horrors of crucifixion. Besides that, he was crucified by professionals-four Roman soldiers whose job was to kill people. Letting a prisoner escape death would cost them their own lives-They wouldn't be fooled by one who just fainted.

#4- "Did Jesus Actually Rise From The Dead, Or Did His Disciples Just Hide The Body?"

On the third day after his death, Jesus literally came back from the dead. His spirit returned to his dead body (John 20:1-18.)

The disciples couldn't have moved Jesus' body; Pontius Pilate had posted a guard and sealed the tomb. But when Jesus came back to life, these guards were paralyzed with fear. Later, Jewish leaders paid them to say they had fallen asleep and the disciples grabbed Jesus' body (Matthew 28:11-15.) But falling asleep on guard duty meant the death penalty, yet these guards were never prosecuted.

How could Jesus' disciples have moved his body without overpowering the guards? And if the guards were asleep, how did they know what happened to the body?

#3- "Didn't The Disciples Just Mistake Jesus' Ghost For A Resurrection?"

No, Jesus actually appeared in bodily form. He spent over a month-40 days-with hundreds of his disciples after his resurrection. He ate meals with them, taught them and readied them to be his witnesses (Acts 1:3-8.) On one appearance Jesus said to them, "Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have" and then he ate fish with them (Luke 24:37-43.)

#2- "If Jesus Was The Son Of God, Why Didn't Everyone Believe Him?"

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus said people fail to believe because Satan comes and steals the good news out of the hearts of hearers (Luke 8:12.)

He also said that religion itself can become a barrier to belief-to a group of religious Pharisees, Jesus said "you nullify the word of God for the sake of your traditions." (Matthew 15:6.) An insincere heart can poison the well of one's belief.

#1- "If Jesus Was Really The Son of God, Why Did He Let Himself Be Killed?"

Because his death and resurrection had a purpose.

After his resurrection, Jesus told his own disciples, "Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms… This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…" (Luke 24:44-48.)

The purpose of Christ's life, death and resurrection was to repair our broken relationship to the Father-the "forgiveness of sins." As the Holy Spirit later said through the Apostle Paul, "For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…By this gospel (good news) you are saved…"(1Cor. 15:1-4.)

Since every human being born after Adam's likeness has sinned-or "fallen short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)-everybody needs their alienation from God repaired. Isaiah said that "your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you…" (59:2.)

Christ substituted himself for us-he went to hell on the cross so we don't have to go there ourselves. He was the sinless Son of God, yet he absorbed our sins so we could be free. All the guilt and shame of every sin-whether child molestation, murder, adultery, theft, lying, etc-all sin and shame were placed on him.

If you believe that he is the Son of God, raised from the dead, and that he did all this just for you, it will change you. You'll be, as Jesus described it, "born again" (John 3:3-18.)

He also said, "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16.)

Now, after looking at these top ten questions, you have some evidence. Some will mock, but many will come to the only logical conclusion - God exists because "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us." (John 1:1, 14 NIV).

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

If God is real, why so many unhappy Christians?

Atheists like Christopher Hitchens often argue that if God really exists, then why are so many religious people unhappy, partisan, mean-spirited and even sometimes violent?

They have a point. But it's based on a false assumption. The assumption is this: if a real God really operates in a person's life, then that person will be perfect, living as if he or she is already in Paradise, without any temptation to sin or moral failings.

This spiritually naive view can't grasp a basic phenomenon of interaction between God and man. That basic phenomenon is this - a man who walks with God, still walks on this earth. He is still human. And he has a spiritual enemy called Satan, who is trying to win him back to the dark side.

Trying to live the religious life on this fallen planet can be messy. That's because the spiritual quest to know God is a human endeavor. Although a real God is in it, so are real humans.

I know what you're thinking. Some claim the Name but don't walk the talk. Not all believers try sincerely. Hypocrisy abounds, but hypocritical behavior itself is a spiritual illness. Even if you subtract the hypocrites (which the Lord Himself will do - Matthew 13:24-43), that still leaves many sincere believers who struggle. Spiritual life on this planet doesn't happen in a vacuum, but in the middle of flawed human life.

Even prayer is a human exercise, finite man trying to communicate with the Infinite. Sometimes it can be sublime; sometimes it fails miserably.

And it fails, not because God isn't powerful enough, but because even redeemed man still has a sometimes-stubborn will. And God won't violate that sacred thing He created in us called sovereignty - our freedom of choice.

All of Jesus' great disciples, from Peter to John to Barnabus to Paul, exhibited flaws. The Bible pull no punches, but shows all the Messiah's followers to be human, moral warts and all.

In fact, Jesus didn't die for our good deeds but for our sins. He knew what He was getting. He isn't naive about who we are, yet He died for us anyway. And He continues to work with us despite the flaws, mistakes, sins, missteps and spiritual ignorance... and even those days when we don't feel like praying.