Renewing the Mind - #6

This is the sixth and final sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topic of history. 

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Today I intend to conclude the series of messages I have been giving on the subject “Renewing the Mind.” This has been a series intended to remind us of the importance of living with a biblical view of life and the world rather than an atheistic or secular view of life. We refer to that as having a “biblical/Christian worldview.”

I have talked about a number of general topics trying to explain some of the differences between the way a Christian understands the subject and the way it is viewed by someone who doesn’t believe in God or the Bible. Our final topic in the series is the subject of history.

History – (dictionary.com)

1.      the branch of knowledge dealing with past events.

2.      a continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period, person, etc., usually written as a chronological account …

3.      the aggregate of past events.

4.      the record of past events and times, especially in connection with the human race.

How important is it to have a biblical worldview in regard to history?

Some of you may remember a story I shared a few weeks ago regarding Attorney David Gibbs (Christian Law Association) and his conversation with Pastor Levi Whisner who was in court fighting for his church’s right to operate a Christian school. (Studied world history in school and completely missed the first man and woman.)

For the remainder of our time this morning I want to speak to you about the topic of history. With God’s help I intend to consider:

I.          Foundational Principle for Recording History

II.        Secular Assumptions about Understanding History

III.       Thoughts about Bible History

I.          Foundational Principle for Recording History

Truth

At the beginning of this series, I preached a sermon in which I tried to emphasize the importance of truth. In that message I started out sharing some thoughts from various authors regarding the definition of truth. We also tried to explain the difference between “subjective truth” and “objective truth.”

Subjective truth is based on personal experience/opinion, changes – e.g. “It is hot!” “church is boring.”

Objective truth is based on an objective standard of reality, doesn’t change – e.g. “It is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.” “church is the body of Christ.”

Finally, we discussed truths from the Bible: God is a God of truth. Jesus is the way, the TRUTH, and the Life. God’s Word is truth.

What does all this have to do with history? It ought to be universally accepted that recorded history must be based upon and grounded in truth, or it is simply meaningless. We probably already know that some historians do not always stick to the truth when recording events. When we discover a historian, who does not adhere to the truth, we generally lose interest in what he/she has to say or has written.

When we read about history by any author, we expect the author to portray the facts accurately – not worse than they are; not better than they are. (Just like the Bible; “bad” with the “good.”) It seems logical to assume that all people would cherish the truth in regard to history whether they are secular or Christian. But, sadly, that doesn’t always seem to be the case. Regardless of what non-Christians may think, a Christian worldview of history certainly must include the principle of truth as one of the most crucial characteristics. 

Many people are extremely disturbed, and rightly so, over the ways that our nation’s history has been revised to fit a politically correct framework of thought. Historical record that is based in truth does not need to be revised in order to conform to any particular framework. If you have been paying attention to current events over the last few decades, you know that certain elements of our society are trying to completely erase all historical reference to the kinds of spiritual and religious values many Americans hold dear.

Why does it disturb us? There are many reasons, no doubt, but one reason is because it simply is not based in truth.

II.        Secular Assumptions for Understanding History

When I worked at New Destiny Treatment Center, I taught a class we called “Spiritual Formation.” One of the topics I presented every year was called, “Evidence for Faith,” and was based on a video series with the same title recorded by Josh McDowell. In that video series McDowell addresses five misconceptions held by some people about Christianity. One of those misconceptions included this allegation: “The Christian’s faith has no historical basis.”

As Josh tries to defend the historical basis of the Christian faith, he takes time to describe the assumptions that atheists and other non-Christians make regarding history. (These are assumptions used to interpret or understand history.)

A. There is no God.

For secular historians, all references to God are “categorized” as religious opinions that are not verifiable, so they do not belong in any discussion of history. “History only deals with humanly verifiable facts.” It almost seems as though they think, “Since God’s existence cannot be proven, we’ll just assume He’s not real.”

B. We live in a closed, self-caused system.

Since “there is no God,” then it can be assumed that we live in a world/universe which is not impacted in any way by anything outside the universe.

C. There is nothing supernatural.

If we live in a system (universe/world) that is closed off from any type of outside intervention, then everything exists due to natural causes, and all events are to be understood as naturally generated (by/within this closed world system).

D. There are no miracles.

If every event is generated by natural causes rather than supernatural causes, then there can be no “miracles.”

There may be other assumptions that secularists hold, or there may be other ways of expressing them, but these four are the ones I discovered as presented by Josh McDowell. I think we can all understand how secular assumptions like these would totally affect one’s view of history and interpretation of historical data. Assumptions, such as these four I’ve mentioned, provide the basis for non-Christian historians to claim large portions of the Bible are fiction or mythological.

III.       Thoughts about Bible History

The third point I want to explore today relates to Bible history.

A. The Bible is not a history textbook.

There are many details regarding the history of the world that are not included in the Bible. However, whatever the Bible records about historical events is reliable.

John Oswalt – The Bible doesn’t exist to give us a history of Israel. It gives us enough data about [such events as] the Exodus that we can say it really occurred, but it has no interest in giving us all the data so we can reconstruct the event. [The Bible is] not interested in reconstructing an event. It is interested in [helping] us know God, who was revealed in the event.        (YouTube, AdventNext Theological Podcast)

B. The Bible is not filled with myths and fables.

In regard to the OT, Dr. John Oswalt does an excellent job of arguing how the OT is drastically different than other ancient literature and myths. (The Bible Among the Myths)

Speaking about the NT, (especially about the resurrection), Josh McDowell stated, “Even though similar things, such as rising from the dead, are attributed to the mythological characters, the readers (or hearers) knew it was in reference to a mythological character. However, in biblical Christianity, the … events occurred in time and space (or history) in the person of Jesus Christ, an event that was witnessed and verified by hundreds of individuals who were still living when the testimony/record was written. (Evidence for Faith Video Series)

C. The Bible is very clear about the reliability of the written record.

In our Scripture reading earlier in the service, we heard a number of verses that describe various individuals writing down what the Lord instructed them to write and inspired them to write. (For those able to see the screen, here is a list of those references again.)

Notice these additional passages:

John 21:24 (NKJV)  This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

1 John 1:1-3 (NKJV) ¹  That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life-- ²  the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us-- ³  that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.

D. Jesus Christ is the focal point of all human history.

When looking at Christianity and history, Christians view history through the concepts of creation, fall, and redemption… God’s ultimate plan for divine intervention, redemption, and restoration. (Allaboutworldview.com)

Conclusion:

• A Christian worldview of history places a high value on truth. The study and recording of history should be solidly based on the truth.
• A Christian worldview of history places a high value on the biblical record. Historical data in the Bible needs to be interwoven in the history of the world.
• A Christian worldview accepts supernatural intervention as a normal phenomenon in this world.
• A Christian worldview looks at Jesus Christ as the central figure of all history. When time is no more and history is complete, Jesus Christ will stand as the central figure receiving worship from all creation and every creature. Hallelujah!

If all of this is true, then Christians need to be serious about telling the story. People in this world will not get the whole story from the secularists. If they get it, they’ll get it first from a believer.

Closing Song:

Tell the Blessed Story

Renewing the Mind - #5

This is the fifth sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topic of economics. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

1 Corinthians 1:20 ^(NKJV) Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

Introduction:

We have been working our way through a series of messages about the importance of having a Christian worldview – a biblical way of looking at life and making important life decisions. I have repeated the assessment that many Christians have assumed that the Christian faith is only about asking God to forgive my sins so that I can go to heaven. However, the Bible is clear that following Christ as His disciple means that we are not only forgiven, but we are endeavoring to think and behave in a way that is consistent with the principles and values of His Word. Logically, that means Christians will have viewpoints, opinions, values and lifestyles that are often contradictory to those commonly held by non-Christians. Sadly, that is not always the case.

There have always been Christians who rejoice that their sins are forgiven, and they have hope of going to heaven, but their viewpoints and opinions about life are not all that different from other people who make no profession of faith. (Having said that, I must honestly admit that there are non-believers who think and act in ways that are consistent with biblical truth, not because they care about what the Bible says, but only because they’ve learned that it works.)

When the Apostle Paul says to the Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, by be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” he is implying that there is such a “thing” as “worldly thinking,” or a “worldly mindset.” When Paul writes to the Corinthians, “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” He is clearly showing that the thoughts and ways of God are contrary to the ways and thoughts of the world.

We have been trying to examine several topics or areas of study in which the biblical viewpoint differs from that which is commonly approved and accepted in the world. Today we are going to continue our discussion by looking at another field of study – the topic of economics.

Economics

In preparing for this message, I thought it might be nice to see what I could find by looking for some jokes about economics to lighten up our spirits a little here at the beginning. These are some I found:

·         What do plumbers, garbagemen, and economists all have in common? They all deal with gross domestic product.

·         Banker - The fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining and wants it back the minute it begins to rain. (Mark Twain)

·         Economist - An expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn't happen today. (https://upjoke.com/economist-jokes)

·         Why was astrology invented? So economics would seem [more] like an accurate science. (https://www.equities.com/news/a-look-at-some-of-the-best-jokes-about-economists)

·         The same people who laugh at fortune tellers take economists seriously. (https://www.johns-jokes.com/economic-one-liners)

What is economics anyway?

Miriam-Webster.com - a social science concerned chiefly with description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.

Ronald Nash – (adds this) Economics covers a much larger territory. Economics studies the choices human beings make with regard to scarce [limited?] resources.

Today, I will attempt to name some important biblical principles that may be applied to the field of economics and, in doing so, will include some of the errors of a secular/atheistic approach.

Let me begin by sharing a quote from Ronald Nash (former professor of philosophy at Western KY Univ., and later at Reformed Theological Seminary): “I make no effort to deduce a system of economics from the Bible. Such an activity strikes me as muddle-headed as an attempt to deduce a theory of the solar system from the Bible.” (p. 12, Poverty and Wealth)

So, it might be accurate to say that there is no such thing as “Christian Economics.” However, I believe that there are some basic biblical principles that can impact the economies of any nation for good or ill depending on whether they are followed or ignored.

I.          The Principle of Freedom

A number of years ago I preached a sermon with the title, “Liberty is God’s Idea.” In that message I tried to show from Scripture that the very concept of freedom and liberty comes from God Himself. Liberty was woven into the very fabric of creation.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

One of the essential characteristics of the “image of God” is free-will.

2:15-17 ¹⁵Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to tend and keep it. ¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

God spelled out the boundaries and the consequences, but He did not coerce their obedience. They had the freedom/free-will to make whichever choice they wanted.

Many economists argue that those nations or societies experiencing the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people are the same ones where people are free to engage as they see fit in the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Freely means they may do so without coercion or violence from fellow citizens or their government. In economies where the citizens are not free, people are generally poorer, services and goods are harder to obtain, and exchange.

Obviously, I do not have personal knowledge of these general statements that I have just made. I haven’t examined the economic practices and living standards of the world’s nations. I have made these statements based on the numerous examples offered by respected authors who have described the benefits of free economies over centrally controlled economies. – e.g., Ronald Nash, Poverty & Wealth; Social Justice and the Christian Church.

II.        The Principle of Property Ownership and Stewardship

Exodus 20:15   Thou shalt not steal.

A. Negative Meaning: Do not take anything that belongs to another person without his/her consent.

B. Positive Principle: Personal property is sacred.

If it is wrong to take anything that belongs to another person, then it seems obvious that God recognizes and endorses the idea of personal ownership of private property. This may seem like a pretty simple point to make, but it is very basic to an orderly and civilized society.

(Keil & Delitzsch) “Property was not to be violated just as the sacredness of marriage was not to be violated.”

If the 7^th commandment prohibits the taking of another person’s spouse, then the 8^th commandment prohibits the taking of another person’s property.

What does this have to do with economics? People cannot exchange personal property for goods and services they desire if they are not permitted to own property. Even in societies where limited property ownership is permitted, the limitations necessarily restrict what choices and decisions people can make in order to obtain goods and services or provide goods and services. The principle of ownership is also applicable to economics because if it’s wrong for one person to steal what belongs to another person, then it is wrong for government to steal from one person in order to give it to another person.

The biblical position not only includes the principle of ownership, but it also promotes the principle of stewardship.

Psalm 24:1 (NKJV) The earth is the LORD'S, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.

Psalm 50:10 (NKJV) For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.

1 Corinthians 4:2 (NKJV) Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.

Those who attempt to live by a biblical worldview and biblical standards of conduct recognize that even though the Bible teaches private ownership of property, yet ultimately, everything belongs to God and I will give an account to Him. The government planners in a centrally controlled economy become the “all-knowing” owners of property to which we must give an account.

III.       The Principle of Labor and Reward

Ephesians 4:28 (NKJV) Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.

The implication of this verse is that the purpose for stealing was to gain what he needed/wanted. But rather than stealing property that belongs to another, he should work for the rewards he desires, not simply take them. Not only will the labor provide for the necessities desired, but it will also provide the excess necessary to give away for others in need. 

Without the previous principles of freedom and private ownership, this verse makes no sense.

IV.       The Principle of Love

There are all kinds of biblical references about the need for people to care for the less fortunate and to demonstrate love for them. We are admonished to love our neighbor as ourselves.

1 John 3:16-18 (NKJV) ¹⁶ By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷ But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Economies cannot express love. Governments cannot express love. People express love. If the economy is centrally controlled causing freedoms and property ownership to be limited, then people will have very little if any means to demonstrate love for others.

Conclusion:

A couple of observations:

1. Ronald Nash and others have adequately argued that the abuses of free enterprise and capitalism that people often point to in order to support their call for socialist/Marxist economies are not faults of the free enterprise/capitalistic system, but failures of intervention methods economic planners have mandated.

2. The classic passage in the Bible that is used to support socialism or “Christian Communism” is Acts 2:44-45 (NKJV) ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

Two things true about this text that are not true in Socialist/Marxist economies: 1) It was property they owned. 2) It was willfully sold and divided, not coerced.

If you have been listening, you can tell that I have presented principles and arguments that favor free market economics rather than government-controlled economics. More thorough arguments and multiple examples of principles at work can be learned through some of the books I’ve studied and would be happy to share information for.

Any fair study of history will reveal that free markets, private ownership, and labor opportunities produce more benefits for the whole society than any other system of economics. These are principles that are firmly rooted in Scripture.

I want to close the service today by singing a hymn that emphasizes the calling we have from Christ to be different than the world.

Jesus Calls Us

Renewing the Mind - #4

 This is the fourth sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topics of law and government. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

Written excerpts:

Introduction:

Wow, here it is already the second Sunday of January in a brand new year! With the cancelation of our services the past two weeks, it seems like “forever” since we worshiped together.

Back in November, I had gotten started in a series of messages that we were calling: “Renewing the Mind.” In those messages we were trying to emphasize the fact that it is not only important for us to confess our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ to be “Born Again,” but also that this new birth is intended to impact our whole lives. That is, it not only changes our relationship with God, but it changes our patterns of thinking and our manner of living. We tried to explain how our lives will be shaped by the way we view the world around us – either from a biblical perspective or from a secular/atheistic perspective.

Romans 12:2 urges believers to do not be conformed to the world (squeezed into its pattern or mold), but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. i.e., Let God completely change us so that we think and act like Christ rather than thinking and acting like someone who doesn’t even know Christ.

We broke away from that series for a few weeks in order to focus on Advent and the Christmas season. As we prepare to consider a couple more topics or themes today that are included in our study of a Christian Worldview, I wanted to start by looking at a passage of Scripture that I had used about 4 years ago.

In Matthew 13:33, Jesus is using a parable to give us a lesson about the Kingdom of God and how it grows.

Matthew 13:33 ^(NKJV) Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."

Even though the immediate lesson from this verse is regarding the growth of God’s kingdom in the world, yet I believe it can also be used to illustrate how the message of the gospel and the message of God’s kingdom is meant to permeate our individual lives. Being a Christian and being born again by His Spirit doesn’t simply mean that we have this new little compartment in our lives that will be devoted to God from now on and therefore we will add a few religious activities to give expression of that new compartment of faith. No, being born again means letting the seed of gospel truth get planted in our heart and soul so it can grow and develop and impact every area of our lives. Jesus compares the kingdom to yeast that is mixed into the dough until it has its effect upon the entire amount. The truth of righteousness will have the same effect upon every person that is truly born again.

For our Scripture reading earlier this morning I chose the first chapter of Daniel because of the implications in that story regarding those Hebrew men and how they stood out in stark contrast from the rest of the “wise men” of Babylon. They were educated in all the various fields of study, but they maintained their godly convictions and commitment to divine revelation. (Some scholars have even suggested that these men were largely responsible for the knowledge that the Magi had regarding the birth of Hebrew king.)

After that lengthy introduction, let us pick up our previous discussion of different topics that are impacted when we have a biblical/Christian worldview. The topics or disciplines that we have already discussed are: truth; theology; philosophy; ethics; science; psychology; and sociology. We just briefly defined each area and tried to describe how our understanding of each one is shaped either by a worldly/ secular/ atheistic viewpoint or a Christian and biblical viewpoint. 

With the Lord’s help, I want to speak to you today regarding two more disciplines or fields of study, which I am going to consider together because they are so interrelated.

Law and Government

Our consideration for today is the area of law and government. As with all of the previous topics we have considered, we will merely “scratch the surface” in discussing these two subjects (law & government).

Those who look at the world and at life from a secular perspective, not taking into consideration the existence of God, generally look at law as something that is strictly man-made and continually evolving. If there is no God, then laws are nothing more than the invention of men to provide for a safe and orderly society. And it is the conventional opinions of society that form the basis for laws. This obviously means that there is no absolute standard for the formation of laws and therefore, what is legal not only DOES change from one era to another, but it MUST change in order to reflect the changes in social standards. 

Government comes into the picture as the means of creating the laws and enforcing them. Again, when the basis for government is strictly humanistic and atheistic, then government power and limits of power are constantly changing as public standards change.

I am keenly aware that these statements are very general and broad. But I think we can understand that nothing is certain when the general prevailing view of government and law leaves out any possibility for divine authority and standards.

What are some of the important principles regarding law and government for the person that is a Christian and desires to see a society that functions the way God intended?

A. God is the source of all law.

2 Chronicles 20:6 … "O LORD God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?

Acts 17:24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands.

Isaiah 33:22 (For the LORD is our Judge, The LORD is our Lawgiver, The LORD is our King; He will save us);

(Some have suggested that this verse provides the basis for the different branches of government that our forefathers created in the founding of our form of government – judicial, legislative, and executive.)

Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.

For the Christian, God and His righteous/holy nature is the basis and foundation for all law. He is unchanging and therefore, His law does not change. His nature and His law is the final authority by which all human laws and government rules must be judged.

B. Laws and standards for governing must acknowledge both the dignity and the depravity of mankind.

We have frequently mentioned various passages of Scripture that support these truths.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The dignity of “man” is rooted in the image of God and must be cherished by the laws of governments to protect human life.

The depravity of “man” is established in scripture and in human history, so left unchecked, humans will abuse power and produce great harm upon each other.

Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me.

This is not only true in individual, interpersonal relations, but it is also true of government entities, which are prone to acquire more and more power that becomes abusive and totalitarian.

(Allaboutworldview.org) Our founding fathers also grappled with the problem of protecting ordinary citizens from the sinful inclinations of those in authority.

From a biblical and Christian perspective, public behavior must never be allowed to destroy the value and dignity of human personhood. It was a belief in a Law and a Law Giver, which superseded human laws, that gave men the moral courage to change laws that were clearly unjust and wrong, e.g., slavery. Many of those who fought against the slave trade appealed to a moral law that was higher than the current laws of the land.

Next Sunday is “Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.” Those who continue to appeal for changes in our laws regarding abortion, do so for the same reasons we have already mentioned:

·         There is a higher law and higher moral standard by which we will be judged.

·         Human life should be protected in all stages of life because all humans are formed in the image of God.

C. Laws and government need a permanent, non-changing foundation.

Because we believe that God is the source of all moral laws and He never changes, we believe that the foundation for government should not change. Peripheral laws will change and need to change in order to conform to a higher law that is permanent. But, the foundation must remain the same or there is no restraint from great abuses of power.

Two philosophies regarding those who should serve on the Supreme Court – a) those who believe the Constitution is firm and should be interpreted in light of the creators’ original intent; b) those who believe the Constitution is a living, changing document that must reflect the current standards of the society.

The Christian believes that there is a higher standard or law to which both individuals and government entities must be held accountable to. Because of our national departure away from biblical foundations, we are witnessing more and more abuse of power by those in positions of authority. More and more freedoms are being taken away by authorities who are becoming intoxicated with power.

D. Government primarily has two main responsibilities: national security and equal justice for all.

In Scripture, the two primary responsibilities of government are these:

1. Provide for the security of its citizens against enemies.

2. Protect the innocent and punish the guilty.

As we all know, there are a myriad of other duties and benefits that our government has determined to be its responsibility, which all require more and more tax revenues.

Conclusion:

I actually had intended to cover more than just this area of law and government for today, but as I worked on it, I could tell that I would not have time for another topic. In closing, I just want to remind us what the Bible says, When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan. (Proverbs 29:2 NKJV) We need to intercede in prayer for God to raise up more and more godly/righteous people to positions of authority. We have surely seen the damage that the wicked can do to the moral fiber of the nation when they are in power. We need to pray more, not less!

For our closing song today, I chose the hymn:

O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee

Eyes to See His Salvation

 This is a brief message that was recorded and uploaded to our church's YouTube channel due to the illness of Pastor Les and some other church leaders. It is based on the account in Luke 2 about Joseph and Mary taking Jesus to the temple where Simeon declares that he has seen God's salvation and is now ready to depart from this life in peace. Out of all the people who would have been in the temple that day, why is Simeon the only one who was able to see Jesus as God's salvation? To watch a video recording of this message, click here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

Good morning, and Happy New Year to all of our Wayside church family. We are coming to you this morning by means of this video because several of our people are still recovering from recent sickness. I want to personally thank all of you for your prayers while I was sick. I am almost back to full strength for which I am very thankful to the Lord.

Well, here it is – the very first Sunday in a brand-new year, 2021.

As I was thinking about what God wanted me to share with you today as a word of encouragement and inspiration, I kept thinking about this phrase that appears in Luke 2:30, “My eyes have seen Your salvation.”

Let’s begin by reading the context to get the whole picture.

Luke 2:22-35 (NKJV) ²²  Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³  (as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD"), ²⁴  and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons." ²⁵  And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷  So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, ²⁸  he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: ²⁹  "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰  For my eyes have seen Your salvation ³¹  Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, ³²  A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel." ³³  And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him. ³⁴  Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against ³⁵  (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Two quite separate ceremonies are involved here, the presentation of the child and the purification of the mother. The attendance of the child was not necessary, but it was natural when they were all so close to Jerusalem. The presentation of the baby follows from the fact that every male that opens the womb (i.e. the first-born of a mother, not necessarily of the father) shall be called holy to the Lord (Luke’s quotation is not exact but gives the sense of several passages: Exod. 13:2, 12, 15; Num. 18:15). Though Luke does not mention it, doubtless the usual five shekels were paid to redeem the first-born (Num. 18:15f.)

The Levitical law provided that after the birth of a son a woman would be unclean for seven days and that for a further thirty-three days she should keep away from all holy things (for a daughter the times were doubled; Lev. 12:1-5). Then she should offer a lamb and a dove or pigeon. If she was too poor for a lamb a second dove or pigeon sufficed instead (Lev. 12:6-13).

There are several things spoken about Jesus by Simeon, but I was struck by the words in v. 30 – “My eyes have seen your salvation.”

These words were spoken by a man who saw the baby Jesus approximately 40 days after his birth. In all likelihood, there were throngs of people in the temple that day when Joseph and Mary brought Jesus with them to the temple. With the exception of Anna, who is mentioned just a few verses later, no one else notices the new baby or recognizes His importance.

I asked myself, “How is it that one man, out of all the people in the temple, can look at a new baby and know that he has just witnessed God’s salvation for his nation?” “How is that man able to be so keenly aware of spiritual realities that he is able to understand the significance of this child?”

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, I am struck by the great value in being able to see what God wants me to see this year; maybe even things that most other people will overlook and miss. There were so many people and so many other activities taking place in that temple courtyard that day, and yet this man knows he has just witnessed the Lord’s “salvation” – the “Consolation of Israel” – the Anointed One (Christ). What was his secret? Well, this is what the Bible says about Simeon.

He was just and devout (v. 25)

Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – Righteous shows that he behaved well towards people, while devout (eulabēs; used by Luke alone in the New Testament) signifies ‘careful about religious duties’ (in the classics it means ‘cautious’).

Luke 2:25 (AMP)  …this man was righteous and devout [cautiously and carefully observing the divine Law], and looking for the Consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

The Holy Spirit was upon him. (v. 25)

One writer indicates that this description implies more than the occasional empowering by the Holy Spirit for some immediate task or event, but an ongoing presence.

We see here how much the Holy Spirit is active in this story. The Holy Spirit revealed that he would see the Christ before his death. (v. 26) The Holy Spirit directs him to go to the temple on the same day that Mary and Joseph go. (v. 27) (It’s implied that the HS pointed out the baby to him too.)

These qualities that describe Simeon may seem to be simple and insignificant, but I believe they give us an important clue as to how he, out of all people in the crowd that day, could testify, “My eyes have seen Your salvation!”

I don’t know about you, but I desire to be the kind of person that can recognize God’s message and God’s work in my life and in my world. I want to continue living my life carefully and intentionally following God’s Word. I want to experience the tender presence of the Holy Spirit in greater measure so I too can be directed by Him to be in the right place at the right time; and so that I can also discern His message that I need when its needed.

Living daily in careful obedience to the Lord requires determination and commitment. Being filled with His Spirit requires constant submission to Him, recognizing that His presence is a divine gift; it cannot be worked up or imitated. He comes when He is truly welcome.

Let us pray.

His Name Is Emmanuel

 This is a Christmas Advent sermon based on Matthew 1:23 and presents some answers to the question, "What does it mean to say, 'God is with us.'?" The message presents three answers that are explained. The phrase represents God's self-revelation, His abiding presence, and the promise of His Holy Spirit. A video recording of the worship service in which this message was preached can be viewed by clicking here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

It isn’t very easy to come up with new Christmas messages year after year! As I was looking through some old notes, I felt impressed to rework a sermon I had done years ago in my previous church. As I continued to look, I discovered that I had preached a similar message for my first Christmas here at Wayside in 2009. (Just in case you didn’t remember!) The title of that message was, “Is God Still with Us?” In both of those messages I asked the question, “What does it mean to say, ‘God is with us?’” Eleven years ago I gave four answers to the question by looking at various Scripture passages that included the phrase “God with us” in some form or variation. Today, I want to provide some additional answers to the same question by looking at more passages of Scripture which include some form of the phrase, “God with us.”

I.          “God with Us” refers to His special revelation.

Exodus 3:18 ^(NKJV)  … you shall come, … to the king of Egypt; and you shall say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews has met with us; and now, please, let us go three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.'

The context of this verse includes Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush. God revealed himself to Moses and revealed his name, “Yahweh.” God tells Moses that He has seen the affliction of the people of Israel and has come to deliver them.

(v. 16) He also tells Moses to go to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared to me, saying, "I have surely visited you and seen what is done to you in Egypt;

So in this passage in Exodus, we read about God revealing Himself to Moses. “I Am Who I Am.” We read about Moses telling the people “God appeared to me.” And, we read what he is instructed to tell Pharaoh, “God has met with us.” All of these aspects together emphasize the fact that God was revealing Himself. When “God is with us,” He is revealing Himself to humanity.

One of the foundational truths of the Bible which I have mentioned many times is this: God is a self-revealing God. He doesn’t leave us to stumble and grope in the dark hoping against hope to discover Him by some random miracle. The Bible repeatedly describes how that God reveals more and more of Himself to humanity.

Hebrews 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, ²  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;

The writer of Hebrews begins his letter by affirming the process of revelation that has taken place. God spoke by prophets, and finally by His Son whom He sent into the world. The God of the Bible is not like the pagan deities, shrouded in darkness, unknown and unreliable, but He willingly reveals Himself so we can know Him and know His desires for us.

II.        “God with us” refers to His abiding presence.

A. He is present in the journey of life.

Exodus 33:16 (NKJV)  For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth."

This is much later in the Exodus story. God has brought the Israelites out of Egypt and they have been at Mount Sinai to receive the Covenant of Law. The people have sinned by making and worshiping the golden calf. God has told Moses to take the people up to the land He had promised them, but He would not go with them. They are a “stiff-necked” people and the Lord may consume them if He is to come into the midst of them.

But, in verse 15, Moses says to the Lord, “If your presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here.” In v. 16 he continues by asking, “How will anyone know we have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us?”

God had earlier promised He would send an angel with them. But Moses knows that isn’t enough. He insists, if God isn’t with them, they might as well stay where they are. Moses also knows that it is the supernatural presence of God that sets His people apart from everyone else on the face of the earth. Look at the second half of verse 16. “So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth." There is no substitute for the presence of God.

B. He is present in times of battle, and adversity.

Numbers 14:9 (NKJV)  Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them."

The context of this verse includes the sending of the 12 spies into the land of Canaan when the Israelites were ready to enter the land promised to them. 10 spies gave an evil report of gloom and doom, while 2 of them (Caleb and Joshua) gave a good report. This passage in 14:9 is part of the response by Caleb and Joshua as they tried to convince the rest of the people that they should and could conquer the land because God was with them.

It doesn’t matter how big the foe, when God is with us, we are greater than any enemy! It doesn’t matter how bad the circumstance or adversity, if God is with us, we can make it.

Psalm 23:4 (NKJV)  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

There is no substitute for the presence of God when we find ourselves in the middle of adversity, tragedy and even sorrow.

C. He is present when His people obey His commands.

The abiding presence is not just for the children of Israel when they are facing battles with the enemy. His presence is also promised to His people when they obey His commands.

Matthew 28:19-20 (NKJV) ¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰  teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

How important it is for us to be obedient to the Lord if we truly want His presence to be with us.

III.       “God with us” refers to the promise of the Holy Spirit.

All of the references we have used so far, have been promises and statements made to men long ago in different times and cultures. We certainly have the right to read those promises and apply them to our current circumstances, but there is one promise of God’s presence that specifically includes all of us today. It comes from the words of Jesus, but it refers to a promise He was making for believers of all ages until His return.

John 14:16-17 (NKJV) ¹⁶  And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever-- ¹⁷  the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Conclusion:

In the Scripture passages we have looked at today we have learned that the phrase “God with us” speaks about His self-revelation to mankind, and it speaks about His abiding presence in all kinds of circumstances and situations. God has used prophets and scribes to record promise after promise of His abiding presence in all sorts of life’s situations. His presence always included every provision necessary for the fulfillment of God’s purposes in that situation. God also gave His own Son as an additional revelation of Himself in human form in order that we might experience the physical presence and know what it is like to have Him with us. We obviously did not experience that physical human interaction with God in the flesh, but we are living in the era of the Spirit – the One Jesus promised before leaving this earth, who would be “with us and in us.”

If I understand Scripture correctly, we will be facing darker days in the future than we’ve ever faced before. It is comforting to know that GOD IS STILL WITH US!

I want to close with this interesting little story I came across.

Many of you know the name Karl Barth, who was a well-known theologian from Switzerland who lived from 1886 to 1968.

(Today's Best Illustrations – Volumes 1-4) Karl Barth, the famous theologian, was on a streetcar one day in Basel, Switzerland, where he lectured. A tourist to the city climbed on and sat down next to Barth. The two men started chatting with each other. "Are you new to the city?" Barth inquired. "Yes," said the tourist. "Is there anything you would particularly like to see in this city?" asked Barth. "Yes," he said, "I'd love to meet the famous theologian Karl Barth. Do you know him?" Barth replied, "Well as a matter of fact, I do. I give him a shave every morning." The tourist got off the streetcar quite delighted. He went back to his hotel saying to himself, "I met Karl Barth's barber today."

The question I ask myself and each of you today is this. Do I know God well enough to recognize His presence in my daily circumstances?

Our closing song today is a very short chorus, but it conveys the message of His name, Emmanuel.

We will sing it twice.

Emmanuel

The Blood that Speaks

This sermon is based on Hebrews 12:24, which mentions that the blood of sprinkling "speaks better things than that of Abel." This message was provided for a worship service in which the Sacrament of Communion was administered following the sermon. It discusses what it means to say that the blood speaks of better things. To view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was given, please click here.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

I decided to break away from the series of messages I was doing on Renewing the Mind so we could focus our thoughts on the sacrament of communion today. More than likely, we will return to the series after the holidays.

Here is a question for you to ponder: “Who is one person you would love to hear give a message or a speech?”

It’s quite possible that many different individuals will come to your mind. There are plenty of well-known people that have impressive abilities for speaking. If I asked you to not only think of people who are living today, but also include anyone in the world who has lived in the past, that would bring many more people to our minds. In fact, it might be hard to narrow it down to one or even a few.

In trying to make up our minds, we might not only consider the relative popularity of the speaker, but we might want to focus on those who have a particular kind of authority or power. Maybe wealth and “success” would be a major factor in our choice.

I recently finished reading about King Solomon in my personal Bible reading. Wouldn’t it have been awesome to have the privilege of listening to King Solomon – a man declared by God to be the wisest man who ever lived? Some people might choose Moses. On and on we could go, suggesting the famous people of history we would have liked to hear.

The passage Scripture we are looking at today does not describe a person speaking great eloquent words, but it describes something else that is speaking. In verse 24, the Scripture tells us that the blood “speaks better things than that of Abel.”

For our message from God’s Word today, I want to speak to you about the “Blood that Speaks.”

I.          The blood speaks about Jesus.

Jesus – Mediator; The person is Jesus and the role is Mediator.

In verse 24, immediately before the phrase about the blood that speaks, the author writes about Jesus and identifies Him as “the mediator of a better covenant.” It is written in such a way that we can clearly assume that the “blood of sprinkling that speaks” (v.24b), is the blood of Jesus.

In Heb. 8, the writer mentioned the mediatorial work of Jesus.

Hebrews 8:6 ^(NKJV) But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.

In this verse, the pronoun “He” refers back to the term, “High Priest,” found in verse 1. Again, it is obviously referring to Jesus. Jesus’ role as Mediator requires the sprinkling of blood, which is the very next phrase in 12:24. The purpose is to show the comparison between what Jesus does and what Moses did in the Old Covenant, and it helps define His role as mediator.

Hebrews 9:15, 19-22 ^{(NKJV) 15} And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. ¹⁹ For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, ²⁰  saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded you." ²¹ Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. ²² And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

1 Timothy 2:5 ^(KJV) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

You already know that a mediator acts as an arbitrator between two enemies to bring peace and reconciliation. I am so grateful for the fact that Jesus is my personal Mediator with God because of His blood that was shed.

II.        The blood speaks a welcome.

“You have not come … You have come.” (vv. 18, 22)

When I began to look at the other verses leading up to verse 24, I was struck by the contrast that the author is trying to portray for us.

Hebrews 12:18 ^(NKJV) For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest,

(Compare with Exodus 19:16-19) I’m not going to read it, but it gives the physical descriptions of what took place at Mount Sinai. The original mountain (Sinai) was a physical mountain that could be touched, but they were ordered not to touch. It symbolized the awesome distance that existed between a holy God and a sinful people.

Hebrews 12:22-23 ^(NKJV) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, ²³  to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect,

In stark contrast to that OT scenario, they now have come to Mount Zion. “Have Come” (KJV, “are come”) – perf. tense; gives idea of completed action. It is portrayed as though they have already arrived at the heavenly Jerusalem. It is established, but not yet. Mt. Zion was the term used in the OT for Jerusalem, but it is used here to speak of “the New Jerusalem” or “The City of God.” I couldn’t help but feel the contrast between the mountain they weren’t allowed to approach and the new mountain they not only can approach, but are welcomed, or invited. It is an invitation not only to the city of God, but all of the other blessings that go along with that city.

(Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – …a series of nine descriptive phrases identifying the place and the people that represent the Christian’s true destination.

“innumerable company of angels”

Revelation 5:11 ^(NKJV) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,

“general assembly and church of firstborn”

(Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – Elsewhere in the NT, “firstborn” is used as a title of Christ himself (see in this letter 1:6), not of his people, but it recalls the OT description of Israel collectively as God’s “firstborn son” (Ex. 4:22; Jer. 31:9). Here it may well be intended to include God’s true people of both OT and NT eras.

“God – the Judge of all”

(Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – The reference to God as judge then prompts a second mention of the redeemed, now described as “the spirits of the righteous made perfect”—a phrase probably to be understood especially (but not exclusively) of the OT saints ….

“spirits of just men made perfect”

(Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – …redeemed human beings in heaven … They have been “made perfect” in the sense that we have so often seen in this letter … in that their salvation is now complete.

III.       The blood speaks of better things.

“speaks better than that of Abel” (KJV, “better things than that of Abel”)

It is interesting that the writer brings up the OT character of Abel in this setting. Why? The reference to Abel, who was killed by his brother Cain (both sons of Adam & Eve), is probably the only other time in the Bible where the blood is characterized as speaking. In the case of Cain and Abel, the Lord told Cain that his brother’s blood “cries out to me from the ground.”

Commentary writers have suggested that the blood of Abel was speaking “condemnation” and “vengeance.” But, the blood of Jesus speaks of “better things.” That is, redemption, forgiveness, peace, and reconciliation.

Colossians 1:14 ^(KJV) In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

Colossians 1:20a ^(KJV) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself….

Conclusion:

Whenever we talk about something inanimate that is speaking, we obviously are talking in figurative terms.

Today we have been considering the ways that the blood of Jesus speaks and what it could be saying to us. The author of Hebrews is giving us a lesson about what the blood has to say to us and it is a message of joy because it speaks to us of our mediator, it speaks to invite us and welcome us to join the company of the redeemed, and it speaks a better message than the blood of Abel who was murdered. Rather than condemnation and vengeance, the blood of Jesus speaks of forgiveness, peace and reconciliation.

Before we share the sacrament of communion today, let us sing a very familiar song: The Old Rugged Cross

Renewing the Mind - #3

This is the third sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topics of science, psychology and sociology. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

Written excerpts:

Colossians 2:8 ^(NKJV) Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Introduction:

I have given a couple of messages so far on the topic of “Renewing the Mind,” which addresses the matter of being transformed away from a worldly pattern of thinking to a biblical pattern of thinking. We have been using the term “worldview” to represent the lens through which we look to interpret the world we live in.

I shared a few definitions of “worldview” with you last Sunday, and I want to share some additional descriptions today.

(The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity) Worldviews are both visions of life and visions for life. They are both descriptive of the world… and prescriptive for the world…. worldviews tell us both what the world is and what it ought to be….

A Christian worldview is only Christian in so far as it is biblical. The Bible answers for us the ultimate worldview questions: (1) Where are we? We live in the creation that God calls into being, wisely structures and lovingly guides by his creative Word. (2) Who are we? We are special creatures called to love, worship and image God in our faithful stewardship of this creation. (3) What’s wrong? We are broken in our relationships with God, each other and the creation because we have fallen into sin and now serve false idols rather than the true God. (4) What’s the remedy? God has lovingly chosen to redeem us and the whole creation by making a covenant with Israel and fulfilling that covenant in the incarnation, cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In the message last week, I mentioned that I would be using a list of disciplines or categories of study in order to show how a Christian worldview impacts each area. I tried to cover the disciplines of theology, philosophy, and ethics last week. Today, I will continue using that same list provided by an organization called, “All About God Ministries,” in order to discuss three more disciplines.

One of the observations I would make before considering the next three disciplines is this: All of these areas of study are intricately interconnected. It seems impossible to consider any one area very deeply without bringing up questions that are related to the other disciplines.

I.          Science

Science – The search for truth regarding the material universe.

There are separate fields of study that fall under the general discipline of science, such as: Astronomy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and many others.

The scientific method is a series of steps used by scientific investigators to answer specific questions about the natural world… The steps of the scientific method are as follows: Observation, Question (I wonder if, how, why…), Hypothesis (I think it is, will, ...), Experiment, Results, & Conclusion; repeat.

The scientific revolution began with the assumption that the world had been divinely created in an orderly way and therefore could be studied (The Truth Project, Focus on the Family). Some pioneer scientists such as Johannes Kepler, Isaac Newton and others truly believed they were discovering truths about the world that God had designed and created. To them, facts about nature and the universe provided reasons to praise the Creator.

There are a number of questions that the scientific method cannot answer, namely any questions about the earth’s history. That is because any phenomena that has already occurred cannot be subjected to repeated experiments, testing and observations. When it comes to science (the study of our material universe), there are various times when some assumptions must be made in order to proceed. Secularists and atheists naturally bring assumptions that are antagonistic toward any idea of a Creator. Christians hold assumptions that presume the existence of a Creator/Designer. The one area where that distinction is the most pronounced is the question of the earth’s origin. The beginning is something that only happened once and cannot be repeated like a scientific experiment to be observed and recorded. Therefore, scientists look at the evidence available (or we might even call it the testimony of nature) and draw their conclusions from the testimony/evidence.

The atheist looks at the evidence and declares, “It’s obvious, this proves that everything evolved from nothing.” The creationist looks at the evidence and declares, “It’s obvious, this proves that everything was designed by a Master Designer for a purpose. Each of them has interpreted the evidence through the lens of his worldview.

One evolutionist was quoted as saying, “Biologists must constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved.” (Francis Crick in The Truth Project). Crick is essentially admitting that biologists must remember that they are always interpreting what they observe through the lens of a secular worldview, and must not allow themselves to fall prey to any ideas inconsistent with that worldview.

Conservative Christians trust the Bible in matters related to science even though the Bible is not a science textbook. In other words, the Bible doesn’t use scientific terms or vocabulary when describing various phenomena in the world of nature. Professing Christians who are more liberal in their view of Scripture would claim that the Bible is certainly reliable whenever it speaks about the nature of God and the matters of salvation, but contains errors when it speaks about matters of history or science. Their willingness to make this concession seems to be a result of their acceptance of evolutionary theory and a desire to blend it with the Bible.

Before we move on, let me simply share a few of the verses that give us a biblical view of our natural world.

Colossians 1:16 (NKJV) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Amos 5:8 (NKJV)  He made the Pleiades and Orion; He turns the shadow of death into morning And makes the day dark as night; He calls for the waters of the sea And pours them out on the face of the earth; The LORD is His name.

Psalm 19:1-4a (NLT2) ¹ The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. ² Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. ³ They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. ⁴ Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world…

If we truly possess a biblical worldview of science, then the more we understand about the material universe, the greater our adoration of the Creator will be.

II.        Psychology

Psychology – The search for truth regarding human nature.

The word “psychology” comes from the Greek word for soul (ψυχή, psyche).

Understanding human beings and human nature through a non-Christian worldview has produced claims that people are merely a higher form of animal. Any reference to a soul or spirit is to be understood in the same manner that any other animal has soul and spirit. The mind is nothing more than chemical processes in the physical brain. In this secular understanding, humans and human behavior is defined in the same way as animal behavior. (stimulus/response)

In the Christian view of human nature, we understand that human beings are clearly distinct in many ways from the animal world. Yes, there are some similarities, but there are some extremely critical differences.

 Genesis 1:27 (NKJV) So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The Christian view accepts the Bible’s description of soul, spirit, mind and body. The Christian understands human beings to be a combination of physical (material, natural) and spiritual (supernational) qualities. The Apostle Paul asserts that humans are more than just a material body when writing to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NKJV) Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

One example of the difference between secular and Christian approach to psychology is observed in regards to guilt. The usual secular/non-Christian viewpoint would define guilt simply in terms of “feelings” and point to outdated standards of church, family, or society as the cause. The remedy is to change the oppressive standards to set the guilt feelings free.

The Bible view, on the other hand, recognizes both “feelings of guilt” and actual/real guilt. According to the Bible, human beings have an inherited problem with sin that began with Adam and Eve. We refer to the condition as inherited depravity or original sin.

Romans 5:19 (NKJV) For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV) “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

While there may actually be times when over-active guilt feelings are generated by the unbiblical expectations of a particular social group, not all guilt feelings can be dismissed as such. There are clearly times when we feel guilty because we are guilty. We feel guilt because we have violated the moral law of God and insisted on having our own will. The Bible’s remedy for guilt is confession, repentance, and faith. The result of such steps will be peace.

Romans 5:1 (NKJV) Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

III.       Sociology

The final area of consideration for today is the field of sociology.

Sociology – The search for truth regarding social structures.

Dr. Del Tackett, in The Truth Project, identifies six social structures or social relationships as family, labor, church, state, community and the human-divine. Christian and non-Christian worldviews acknowledge the existence of such structures, but differ on their origin, purpose, and authority.

The Bible teaches us in the very beginning chapters of Genesis that human beings are social beings and not meant to be alone.

Genesis 2:18 (NKJV) And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

Atheistic worldviews that propose evolution as the explanation for human life also accept evolution as the explanation of social structures. If all of these structures just evolved by time and chance, then none of them are sacred. The Bible clearly teaches that each one of these relationships were designed by God and are given specific roles and responsibilities by God.

In this verse in Hebrews, obligations and responsibilities are identified for those in submission and those in authority.

Hebrews 13:17 (NKJV) Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

If human beings are created by God with an eternal soul and intrinsic worth, then it matters whether any of the social structures tend to destroy the individual for the “benefit” of the whole. On the other hand, from a biblical point of view, each individual has certain responsibilities for the benefit of the social structures of which he/she is a part. However, if every person and every social structure just evolved by chance, then nothing is sacred, and everything is dispensable.

Conclusion:

We should be getting a picture by now of how important it is for Christians to acquire a biblical view not only about how life is, but also how life should be. Truth affects every area of life. It really matters whether we believe God is the author of truth or if truth can be whatever we say it is.

Finally, I would remind us again that being a Christian and living as a Christian is more than praying a prayer of faith in Jesus, but it includes adjusting our lives and our world to come into alignment with God’s eternal truth as revealed in His Word. It really is imperative to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Closing Song: I Then Shall Live