Too Bad, So Sad...

In the last post, I started getting into things which may be misunderstood or plain out unknown by some people.  Today, we shall continue in this realm.

Among the reasons why a person may choose (yes, it is a choice) not to turn to God, a couple of these involve the word “too”.  Specifically, things they have done are “too bad” and/or it is “too late”.  If you, or someone you know, fit into one or both of these categories, hopefully we may help to provide a bit of peace for them.

Let’s start with the first, and probably the most common, misconception:  “I have done things which are too bad and cannot be forgiven.”

"... all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ~ Romans 3:23

Note the word “all” in this passage of scripture.  All have sinned.  All fall short.  It does not say some or even most, but all.

But, you may say, my sin is really bad.  You do not know the things I have done.  True, I do not know everything you have done any more than you know all that I have done.  I do know a few things though.  For instance, I know that "... the wages of sin is death..." ~ Romans 6:23.  I know it does not say some sin or sins, but rather, the implication is that all sin is deadly.  You see, it is not God who says one sin is really bad while another is just this light little thing barely worth noting (murder versus a lie, for instance).  That is something that we, as people, do and can sometimes be culturally influenced.  God is not influenced by our culture.

Why don’t we continue with Romans chapter 3 for a moment:  "and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" ~ Romans 3:24.  Again, as we noted above, we see the word “all” in this verse as well.  We also must take note of the words “freely” and “grace”.  The last one is of particular interest.  You see, none of us, no matter what we have or have not done, deserve salvation.  Grace means we do not get what we deserve.  Grace means that no matter what you have done, in Christ, there is life for you as well.

What if you are getting along in years though?  Isn’t it too late for you?  Not even close.  In Matthew chapter 20, verses 1 through 15, we read the story of an owner hiring people to work at his vineyard.  In the parable, the ones who are hired first are hired for a set daily wage.  Workers hired later on, are also hired for the same daily wage.  At the end of the day, everyone gets the same pay.  Now while some of you may argue that that arrangement does not seem fair, it is fair that each got what was promised them.  The point of it is this, even if you are 97 years old and have lived a life worthy of a Hollywood movie, you can – and will, if you ask for it – receive the same salvation as someone who accepted Christ when they were 15.  The difference, however, is in the life lived - being free and connected to God for many years, or only a few months.  So waiting until the end is not the best idea if you have the chance when you are younger, especially since none of us knows if we will make it to our next birthday, let alone one 20 years in the future.

Earlier, I mentioned that I do not know what you have done any more than you know about me.

If you had to list someone who was unforgiveable, it is not too hard for anyone to guess that someone who was, let’s say, into Satanism or witchcraft would be pretty high on that list, right.  Most would even say that those people were beyond the reaches of God’s grace and forgiveness and that God would much rather kill them, than accept and save them.  Those people would be dead wrong.  How do I know?  I know because if they were right, then I would be dead.

"... God does not show favoritism" ~ Romans 2:11

If I am alive and free and saved by the grace of God through faith in what Jesus has done for me, then trust me on this:  you can be too.  You are not too bad or too old or too anything.  Not now, nor have you ever been.  Life is but a prayer away.

You say potato, I say...

Over time, I have come to realize that there are some things which I had thought were common knowledge which may, in fact, not be quite so clear to many outside of the realm of the Christian Church, if not downright misunderstood.  That said, I am going to attempt to hopefully clear some of these up for anyone who would ever wish to know.

Our first item up is with regards to the difference between religion and denomination.  I have heard, at least a few times over the last several months, people commenting that various denominations were different than being Christian.  I mean denominations within the Church, for anyone confused at this point.  For example, stating that Catholic, Baptist and Christian were all different religions.

Now then, while different denominations and/or traditions may do some things differently, if they are a Christian church, they follow and serve the exact same Christ as each other does.  Music provides a wonderful way to understand this a bit more clearly.

Let us use rock music for our example.  Rock music is a specific kind of music, but it has many different variations within it.  Heavy metal, rock-a-billy and pop are all rock music but each one is very different in the way in which they express themselves and they appeal to different people in differing ways.  They are, however, still all rock and roll music.  Similarly, there are many different divisions or forms of the Christian church, each one appealing to different people.  Catholic, Baptist, United, Pentecostal, Charismatic, and so on appeal to different people in different ways and thus people have a choice in what they find more comfortable and fitting to their own personality.

However, is opera music considered to be rock and roll?  No, as there are certain things which are present in one form over another.  The same is true with churches.  Just because a church exists and calls themselves a church, does not mean it is a Christian church.  So how does one know which is which?  By looking to the bare basics and not in how they do things as a group.  Yes, I will give you a few guide lines to look for.

A belief in one God, made up of three persons:  Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  That God created the world and all of creation.  That humanity needs salvation and that it is possible for each person to receive that through faith in Jesus, the Son of God.  That Jesus was born of the virgin Mary, lived and preached until He was crucified by Pilate, and was dead and buried for three days.  On the third day He rose from the grave and later, ascended into heaven where He is still quite alive and well to this very day.  It was this willing sacrifice of Himself that allows each person to obtain salvation.  Lastly, that Jesus will return again not as a peace keeper, but as Judge over both the living and the dead.

That is a pretty basic rundown but if a church believes that, it is probably pretty safe to say they are a Christian church.  However, if they do not or they believe only in part, then regardless of the name on the door, they are not a Christian church (for example:  if they believe in one God but believe that Jesus was just a prophet or a really nice guy, then no, they are not a Christian church).

Different churches do things in different ways.  Do they, perhaps, do things in ways which are not ideal by times?  Most likely, they are made up of people after all and we can make some pretty big messes sometimes.

Well, that would be the first topic in a brief nutshell.  I will endeavour to explain other items in future writings and I pray that hopefully I have helped to clear some items up for someone.

Time to hand out the cigars?

There (used to be, anyways) is an old tradition of handing out cigars - usually by the new father of a child - to people after the birth of a baby.

In the last 30 days (days – not weeks or years), there have been 323 earthquakes, of a magnitude of 4.5 or greater, on this planet of ours.  Quakes have become so, dare I say, commonplace in the last few years that they barely warrant mention on the evening news or in the daily papers.  The weather has gone completely insane as well.  Droughts and floods are everywhere, even in places which have rarely, if ever, experienced such events.  And recently, the number and intensity of tornadoes here in North America have become fairly common news items with countless people affected by their power.

Let us step away from the natural world for a brief moment and focus on humanity itself.  Speaking as one who is from North America (Canada, specifically), the culture has shifted somewhat noticeably.  For no small portion of the populace, there is no longer a right or wrong, at least in the way in which it is taught scripturally.  The idea that there is any form of absolute truth has been replaced with this “gray mentality” – no black or white, as it were.  The only thing, actually, that is seen as wrong in this culture of gray tolerance is the belief in an absolute truth which, needless to say, puts a pretty solid target on the head of the Church who believe that God is the source of all truth and is, therefore, absolute.

Between cultural shifts and natural events on a global scale, there has been no small number of Christians who have started to quote from Matthew 24:8 “All these are the beginning of birth pains”.  Birth pains.

Allow me to put this in context for you by including some of the preceding verses:  "For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." ~ Matthew 24:5-8 (NIV).  Jesus is speaking about the events which precede His return and the end of this age, in case you were not aware.

Here is a tidbit of information that you may not have been aware of, or perhaps, have just not stopped to consider.  In the words of CS Lewis, “you have never met a mere mortal”.  Think about that for a moment.  That part of each one of us who believes, that will eventually enjoy and afterlife with our Lord exists for ALL PEOPLE.  Everyone will eventually shed the physical form and live eternally ever after.  Where that eternity is spent on the other hand, is a different story.

You may be thinking, “hold on now, didn’t Jesus promise US eternal life”?  Yes, yes He did but He also told us what that meant in John 17:3:  “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”  Every human being on the planet, every single person, is an eternal being wrapped up in a perishable shell.  The life which we who believe have been given is a complete one.  That portion which is missing from us is filled in as we are connected to the One whom created us in the first place.  No longer must we try to find something – anything – to fill that hollow spot within.  It is filled with what, or should I say for Whom, it was designed and destined for.

Got all that?  Good.  So why, you may wonder, am I mentioning that.  Glad you asked.

If, indeed, what we see in the world around us both culturally and within the natural realm, are what Jesus referred to as “birth pains”, then we have a serious issue on our hands.  We, that are “the Church”, have a whole lot to do and not very long to do it.  The onus is upon us.  We know Truth.  We were called Him to do that which He required and desired us to do.  All we have and are, we have been given and we know it.  Do you recall the parable of the talents from Matthew 25?  How each was given a different amount to use?  Do you recall the ending?  The one who hid away that which he was given rather than risk anything at all had what he was given stripped from him in the end.  If we are seeing birth pains, then our Master will soon return.  I do not know about you, but I would so much rather not be like the final servant in the story.

So are we seeing the signs of the impending end?  I cannot say yes or no with any certainty.  Only God Himself knows that final hour.  No man, nor even angel, knows that time (Matthew 24:36; Mark 13:32), only the Father knows.  All I know is from Matthew 24:32-33, “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.”

I will end with two points of note.  The first, for those who seem to delight in calling for the end to come, a verse from the prophet Amos:  “Woe to you who long for the day of the Lord!  Why do you long for the day of the Lord?  That day will be darkness, not light.” ~ Amos 5:18

The second is for those who may say “yeah, yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that all before”.  2 Peter 3:4–10:  "They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” ... But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief."

Make no mistake, whether sooner or later, He is coming and all that you see and know will cease to exist.

*Add-on*
1.  None of the above is me saying I know something about the whens of the end.  If you hear someone, regardless of who it is, saying the end will come whenever (like, 3:15PM, July 17th), they do not know either.  As I said above, only the Father Himself knows.

2.  If you are a believer and follower of Jesus', and if you think that you too may see signs unfolding, this is not the time to turn inward and start thinking of yourself and all your own stuff, wants and needs.  It is time to "get your butt in gear", as it were.  Forget about yourself.  Whatever God has laid upon your heart, do it.  After all, don't we all want to hear the words "well done, my good and faithful servant" ~ Matthew 25:23

Ain't I special?

So here is a question for you:  do you think that you matter?  That is, do you feel as though you are of significance in the world?  Regardless of your honest answer to that question, it is something that we do truly desire to be and have.  We all want to matter.  After all, it is that feeling and desire which fuels some (if not all) of our dreams and fantasies and since we do not tend to fantasize about things which are not appealing, it is a safe bet to say it probably is quite appealing.  Since it is something appealing and desirable, it is something which we pursue.

A problem arises in where a person may choose to find that  significance or self worth.  For instance, if it is from your job that you find your worth what happens when an ecomonic downturn results in your being unemployed?  What happens to your feelings of personal significance if that brief period of unemployment becomes a longer than expected period?  What if you find your significance in, say, being a parent?  Happens when your children are no longer with you?  Perhaps you find your significance in some special skill or ability.  If something happens and that ability is gone (or someone else is better than you at it), where does that leave your self worth at?  Maybe your significance comes from someone else, like a spouse for example.  If they were to leave (in one way or another), where does that leave you?

Looks kind of bleak doesn't it?  Take a moment to get past the bleakness of the view and see what each of these have in common with the other.  Need a hint?  They are all things which are perishable and changable.  Work comes and goes, as do children, spouses, skills, stuff we own, social standing, etc.  If our significance is tied up with something (people are somethings too) that can change (leaving is change) then we may well be set up for disaster.

So our question now becomes, where do we find significance if not from anything or anyone in the world? 

Some may say that we must find it within ourselves.  Problem is, we change as well.  Not too mention what happens when we stumble upon one of those lovely tidbits within ourselves that are less than pleasant to admit to.  Plus, too much self focused significance can lead to one becoming quite arrogant (good chance we have all known someone who was overly full of themselves - is not appealing and many times, they can be pretty insecure themselves since they alone bear the weight of their own worth).  Consider Jesus' rebuke of the pharisees in Matthew 23:5-7:  “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others." (phylacteries were/are boxes containing scripture strapped to the forehead).  The people whom He is rebuking are finding their significance in their own self-righteousness thus why they feel the need to show it off.

What if I were to tell you that you ARE of great significance and worth and that that statement is based upon the imperishable and not the finite and perishable?

How can I say that if I do not even know who is reading this?  Allow me a moment, please.

God is all knowing, all powerful, and eternal.  He has no beginning or end.  He does not shift or change.  His character is what it has always been and will always be what it is.  He is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8).  Long and short of it is this:  God does not change; God does not perish.  Hmmmm.  That said, is there significance to be found for us in God?  Do
we matter to Him?

This is a profoundly important question, not only to the believer but to the non-beliver as well, since we have established that we do, in fact, desire to be significant to someone in some way.  Let us think on a couple of points then, shall we?

God is all powerful and eternal, existing for all time, outside of time and space in a place where even our imaginations cannot stretch far enough to fully grasp.  Even though this is true, He (God) by His own choice (for who can force God?) exists also within the very time and space which He created which includes all things viewed, heard, etc.  Choosing to be involved and interact with
humanity.

A relatively well known verse from John 3:16 starts with "For God so loved the world..".  This is not refering to the rock we walk upon but the people who inhabit said rock.

Romans 5:8 - "...while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"

One could easily go on and on here, but I believe these few points do get the idea across quite well.  We are significant and of great worth to the only One who does not change or go away or die or any of the other possible failings of the perishable reality which surrounds us.  In Him, we CAN find significance and worth.  We must, however, keep in mind that He does not show favoritism (Romans 2:11).  While we are each "His favorite child", none of us is greater than another - we are however, infinitely significant to Him.

After all, He considers us - regardless of what we do, have done or even if we give Him a second thought - worth dying for.


*Some things which God has been speaking to me directly and through other sources, including a conversation with Patty, have combined to create this post*