Blogging Atheist

This particular post will be a little different from my other posts.

Today I decided to look at a few comments on a blog called Friendly Atheist.  I was curious about a comment I saw him make that I stumbled across during a google search.

I read through a few of his posts and many of the comments given on those posts.  One thing I find quite interesting is that the majority of these posters assume that all Christians are morons and all atheists are extremely intelligent.  Why?  I have listened to very smart people on both sides of the argument, and I have listened to people on both sides who are just not gifted with brainpower.  Does that mean they are less valuable?  No.  Intelligence does not equal value for any person, and just because a person is very smart does not mean they are right on every subject.  Now it is true that an intelligent person, if they have thought through, considered, reasoned, and left emotion out of it, has a better chance of coming up with a correct assessment of what the truth is.  However, I have noticed two pervasive characteristics in the majority of things I have seen atheists write in blogs and forums like these:  anger and arrogance.

Anger, being expressed less than the other, is certainly easier to see.  I saw this more on Panda's Thumb than in any other place.  However, this emotion did not seem to come from the creation vs evolution debate.  It seems to come from anger in being burned by a church.  Now, they could have in fact been mistreated by people who claim Christ, or in fact, they could have been treated very well but refused to give up sin and been angry because the church would not accept it.  I have personally seen the latter, and I have heard instances of the former by people I trust.

Arrogance is the by far the most common of these two.  Sarcasm and condescension drips from these comments.  All of the bites and jabs come together to form one overriding statement:  If you don't believe what I believe about this whole God idea, you're stupid, a complete moron.  When I have participated in a few of the "debates" in these forums, that is the attitude with which I was greeted.  Now, this is certainly not true of every atheist or agnostic I have read comments from or talked with.  To label them so would be as ridiculous as labeling every Christian an idiot or every atheist a genius or visa versa or any combination that can be put together there I think...  especially ancient Rome's labeling of Christians as atheists.  Some atheists are quite respectful and nice to talk to and even debate and reason with.  Some are even nicer to deal with than some Christians.

I don't understand why they are so angry and unbelievably insulting toward Christians for what we believe.  After all, if there is no god, are not we all just doing what our instincts have predisposed us to do?  How could we be blamed for that?  On the other hand, if there is something more, if God is really there, and a spiritual war is being waged for our souls, does it not make sense that the Deceiver would do everything in his power to belittle the position of truth?

Theology of Blood

I followed my uncle down the trail.  It was just one foot after the other as the dry dirt was crushed under every footfall.  My dad and brother were right behind, and I could hear their steps kicking up the dust a few paces back on that path down near Uvalde, TX.  I always loved the hill country.  As I gazed across the uneven landscape toward the horizon, I would feel at home.  This was something new, though, because my uncle carried a shotgun today.

I had never gone hunting before.  I was old enough to have the basic concept down, but I really did not know what to expect.  Bob stopped in a clearing up ahead.  He set down the ammo case and began loading the weapon.  We didn't say a word.  Dad had told us to stay quiet, and I knew I didn't want to mess anything up.  The anticipation of the unknown made it feel like the ages of the earth were passing, though I'm sure it was only a few minutes.  Then, in an instant, he raised the weapon and fired two quick rounds into the sky, and I saw a dark form fall to the ground.  I remember marking the spot where the bird had fallen in my head, and I went after it.  My uncle said not to worry about it, he was just sighting the weapon, but I went anyway.  I vividly remember seeing the little sparrow lying on the rock where it fell, and I remember picking it up.  The pellets of buckshot had riddled its small body, and it looked at me while gasping for breath.  It died soon afterward.  I put it down on the rocks, and as I drew my hand back, I remember the blood.

"For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life" (Leviticus 17:11).

Under the Law, the Israelites were required to pour out the blood of animals on the altar of God.  There was no pleasure in it.  It was not just a ritual.  There was a reason that blood had to be spilled.

Mankind is a strange creature.  He can be strong, courageous, and valiant.  He can be kind and care for those around him, but he is also corrupt.  He lies and cheats.  He has evil thoughts of murder and lust.  He will steal if he can to get what he wants at times.  If you have trouble believing this, I have a question for you:  do you lock your doors at night?  Think about yourself even.  Have you ever lied?  Have you ever lusted?  Have you ever stolen anything?  Have you ever hated anyone?

Jesus said:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’  But I say to you thateveryone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire" (Matthew 5:21-22).

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.'  But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).

If you're honest about it, by your own admission, you are a liar.  You're an adulterer.  You're a thief.  You are a murderer.  Maybe you're all of the above.  I am.  I'm pretty messed up, and because I did those things I was under the wrath and condemnation of God...  just as you are under it now.  I don't say this to put you down.  I say it so you will see why the blood is so important.

The Israelites lusted and murdered and lied and stole also, and those evil things caused a separation between them and God just like it has with you today.  It caused a debt, a blood debt, because there is only one way to pay for doing wrong: "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23a).  Sin is a severe thing.  It is not causal.  It is not ok because "everyone does it."  It is a personal slap in the face to the One who created you and loves you.  When an Israelite did evil, it had to be paid for.  He paid for it in the blood of his animal on the altar.  It showed his faith and trust in God for the fixing of that separation that was between them.  Ultimately, though, "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4) because, "God made man in his own image" (Genesis 9:6b).  What that payment did was show how serious it is when we do evil as well as allow the person to show their faith in the true payment that was to come.

On the morning of the 3rd of April 33AD, Roman soldiers moved through the streets of Jerusalem.  With them a man struggled along as blood trickled from multiple cuts and lacerations.  His face was so bloodied and bruised that He no longer looked human, "His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and His form beyond that of the children of mankind" (Isaiah 52:14).  On His back, scrapping and splintering into His wounds, was a cross, the instrument of His execution, to be used when they reached the place, given in Scripture as κρανίου τόπος or Calvary.

The metallic ring and sickening sound of punctured flesh resonated in the ears of those who were present as they drove the nails through His hands and feet.  The smell of blood came on the breeze as it coursed over the hill outside the city, and the people looked up at the crucified Christ.  Darkness came over the land, and Jesus cried, "'It is finished,' and He bowed His head and gave up His spirit" (John 19:30).

God exists outside time, so He is not confined within it or limited by it.  The effect of the death of Jesus was a cascade that moved back through and forward in time itself, echoing through and shaking the very foundations of existence!  It changed everything!  It moved back through the centuries to the Israelite sacrificing His lamb on the altar, back to Abraham when he sacrificed the ram on the altar in place of Isaac, back to the very beginning when God Himself sacrificed the first animal to make clothing of its skin to cover Adam and Eve after the first sin at the very dawn of creation, and it has moved forward in time to you in this very moment as you read these words.

Jesus paid the blood debt for the wrong you have done, and the reparation of the separation between you and God that exists even now is ready to be had.  Do you believe it?  You can have it now.  It is given to you!  In that you will know Him, and in knowing Him you will truly live, bought by His blood...  and alive again in His resurrection as you look forward to everlasting life!

"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God.  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.'  And He who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new'" (Revelation 21:1-5a).

Tattoos & Other Things

I was watching a recent episode of the show, Sons of Guns.  It looked interesting, so I thought I would check it out.  During the show, I heard that one of the guys, Vince, had recently left the show for whatever reason.  The boss and the people who worked in the shop seemed to have some different feelings about him and about his leaving.  Being interested in people, this peaked my curiosity.  I looked up the guy's profile online http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/sons-of-guns/bios/vincent-buckles-bio.html and started to read.  When I did, I came across this post:

Joe Conway · Retired!!! at Retired

and he is lieing about being a christian to no way a christian would act like that and by the way if hes religous why does he got tatts it says in bible thats a sin

Now, I have no idea how Vince acted, so I certainly cannot comment on that area.  He could have been a big baby about something, or he could have been acting in accordance with how God wanted him to.  I don't know.  I would like to comment on two ideas coming out in this post, though.

The first comment is on tattoos because it is the easiest.  This is the response I wrote to Joe.


Joe Conway, the Scripture that you refer to is in the Old Testament (OT). It is says, "You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord" (Leviticus 19:28). However, you have to be careful about using OT passages as prooftexts for how Christians should conduct themselves or for what we can/cannot do in the present age. The New Testament (NT) says, "And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross" (Colossians 2:13-14). This means that Jesus fulfilled the Mosaic Law on the cross when He died giving us freedom from the only outcome of that law, death, because we cannot fulfill it ourselves, "For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2). Now, there is still a standard for how Christians are to behave today. They come in passages such as when Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Matthew 22:37b-39). This was taken from the OT as a standard, but it is given again in the NT. That is a good way of knowing whether something is still applicable to the present age of grace.

I wanted to let you know, not to tell you that you're wrong, but to help you be better informed. I am glad to see when someone brings the Bible into any discussion. By the way, I have a tattoo, and I am planning to get another.
Pastor Levi Buchanan

The writing is in Hebrew translated, "King of Kings."

For a lot of people in the church, tattoos are still taboo.  This has nothing to do with tattoos being morally or ethically wrong.  One can see this if you look at the fact that many people outside the church believe tattoos are ugly or wrong, too.  They aren't in and of themselves.  If they portray or say something wrong, that is a different story.  It is just like books... or art may be a better example, since tattoos are basically art on skin.  Books and art are neither good or bad.  However, both have the ability to become good or bad based on the message they give.  A book becomes life-giving if printed upon its pages are Scripture.  The same book becomes an abomination if the title page reads, "The Turner Diaries."  The reason some people have a problem with them, if it goes beyond not wanting one themselves, is culture and tradition.  A couple generations ago, our culture associated tattoos with a lower class of people.  Tattoos were not necessarily safe either.  They were much more prone to infection and disease fifty years ago.  Today they are safe, clean, and often used to proclaim the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior.  So, those of you who love tattoos and don't understand why the older generation can't jump on board, cut them some slack.  Those of you who look at any tattoo with disdain, how can anything that proclaims Christ as King be wicked?


The second is on the idea of judging someone as a Christian.  Now, whether Joe's judgment is correct or not, there is both good and bad in his statement.  First, the good.  A believer can be shown to be a true believer by their fruit.  


Matthew writes in his gospel, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.  You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?  So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.  A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.   Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.  Thus you will recognize them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:15-20).


You will know false prophets by their fruit.  This means that you will also know those who do come in the name of God by their fruit.  You can see any Christian by their fruit.  What is this fruit?  "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22).  It is not to say that every Christian would have these characteristics in abundance.  However, if a believer is walking with God and not backsliding, these characteristics will be increasing as the believer is becoming more and more like Jesus, who not only has these characteristics in perfection but gives this fruit out of His overflowing cup.


Now, the bad.  The way Joe's statement comes across is arrogant and seems to come out of condemning heart. If you are in The Forge, you may remember how we talked about the difference between judging and condemning.  As Christians, we make judgment calls all the time, and we should.  We make judgment calls on what is right and what is wrong.  We make judgment calls on whether someone is saved or not in order to respond to them in the right way (presenting the Gospel or encouraging spiritual growth).  However, condemnation is something that belongs only as a reaction to sin and rebellion.  Even in condemnation, though, Christians are to rebuke with love and out of a desire to build each other up, not to tear down, "Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.  Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.  For


'Whoever desires to love life
    and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
    and his lips from speaking deceit;
 let him turn away from evil and do good;
    let him seek peace and pursue it.
 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil'" 
(1 Peter 3:8-12).  


The church, God's people, have often cowered away from being truthful with each other about sin.  Often it becomes even worse, and God's people decide that instead of going to confront the brother or sister to rebuke sin and build up, they will go to someone else and tell them all about it.  There is a fine line between asking for advice in a hard situation and gossiping.  Make sure that you are a builder of the church rather than a gossiping coward.  Confront in love.  
Proverbs says, 


"Faithful are the wounds of a friend;
    profuse are the kisses of an enemy" (Proverbs 27:6).

And James says, "Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (James 5:20).

Too often I find that people within the church are all to willing to spread their grievances out to everyone in the church except for the people they have the grievance with, whether that be another member, part of the pastoral staff, or anybody else.  This is an example of how Satan will use people to cause disunity within the church.  If you are doing this, you need to stop letting Satan use you as a tool.  Instead let God use you as a tool by encouraging, loving, giving up yourself, and rebuking in love when needed to the furthering of His Kingdom.  Don't be a coward.  "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" (1John 4:18).

Dressing For Church

Imagine the typical Sunday morning at church. What do you see?  The church parking lot slowly begins to fill around 7:30am as the worship team arrives to begin running through the service.  More and more vehicles change the bare asphalt into a spectrum of metallic reds, whites, blacks, blues, and "harvest gold" or whatever you want to call that beige car.  The welcome center lobby fills with a bunch of people, most are happy to see each other.  We all should be happy to see each other, but that is a different topic.  And everyone is "fine," also a different topic.  Have you noticed how everyone is dressed?  I don't tend to pay much attention to it, but I guarantee there are those that will nitpick on the clothes everyone else is wearing, judging them to that last iota.  Why is that?  Where in Scripture does it say that people have to dress up for church?  Personally, I enjoy coming to church in comfortable clothes, and I am not comfortable buttoned up in a starched shirt with a noose around my neck!  Although, I have to admit that anyone dressed to the hilt looks pretty sharp on Sunday morning, but the question I have for them is why are they wearing it?  Who are they trying to impress?

Ok, that was a leading question.  Objection!  Sustained.  Lawyered.  Are they trying to impress someone?  I think they are more often than anyone would like to admit it.  The number of people who are more comfortable all suited up as opposed to more casual is probably less than one would think based on a Sunday morning.  I can only think of a few reasons why someone would come to church every Sunday morning in a suit and tie:

1.  They enjoy coming in a suit and tie.
If this is the case, great!  More power to them.  Every once in a great while, even I get it into my head to dress it up for church.  There is nothing wrong with that, and if you enjoy dressing up every Sunday, then do not let anyone tell you it is wrong!

2.  Tradition.  They have always done it, or they still have mom's nagging voice in their head telling them they had better dress it up for God.


"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8).


This may sound strange to some of you, but is it not true that you can be held captive by things you thought you had to do but really didn't?  Let's consider the eating of meat sacrificed to idols which Paul spoke of.  Was it ever a sin to eat meat sacrificed to idols?  No.  In the same way, it is not a sin dress casually in church (provided it is also modest).  However, we must consider the opposite side of that.  Will it cause my brother to sin?  If so, Paul says we should never eat meat for the benefit of the conscience of the weaker brother.  To carry that through, if it would cause a problem for the conscience of a weaker brother, we should dress up for their sake.

3.  In order to impress other people at the church.  The other people I am referring to are other church members, visitors, or that pretty woman who sits a few rows in front of you.

"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).

I think it is pretty clear that seeking the adoration of other people is not the reason we should be coming to church.  Even if it is not the primary reason for dressing up, it can be an obstacle to experiencing true worship with the Creator.

4.  To impress God
I hear this all the time when talking about this issue, "Should you not give your best to God?"  Then I get a rehashing of the difference between Cain's sacrifice and Abel's sacrifice.  Really?  I didn't hear a comparison of the clothes Cain and Abel wore while making their sacrifice once during that story.  The story is about faithfully giving back to God the best of what He has given to you.  If you want to compare that story to the modern day, look at your charitable giving record, not how you try to make yourself look good if front of the rest of the church-goers!  It is only arrogant pride that thinks God can be impressed by the clothes you wear to church!  What God cares about is the intention of your heart!  If He cared about dress, Jesus would have eaten with the Pharisees, not the sinners!

So, this Sunday, when you start getting dressed for church, ask yourself why you are picking those clothes.  Make sure it is for a good reason.  Then, when you get to church, makes sure you are not judging those who dress otherwise.  The one who dresses up and the one who dresses down are both called of God, and they both have the right to come just as they are before the throne of the King of Glory.

"As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.  One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.  Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him" (Romans 14).

Lusting Hypocrisy

I was sitting on the bleachers by the football field one afternoon during football practice.  It was a warm day, and I felt the heat of the bleachers.  I was already sweating from practice, and the bleachers didn't help.  I would have gotten up, but the prospect of walking after just having worked out was less appealing than the heat.

As I sat there exhausted, I noticed a group of girls sitting on the next set of bleachers.  They were talking and laughing...  more like giggling.  They were watching some of the other football players that were still on the field.

Paul talks to the Corinthians, "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you..." (1 Corinthians 5:1).  I think this is more true than we realize.  Think about how Satan operates.  Sometimes sexual immorality is obvious and blatant.  It is one of those things that is heavily influenced by our biochemistry, and that makes it harder to keep from falling victim to it before we realize we're falling...  harder but not impossible.  How does Satan usually operate against us, though.  The vast majority of the time, it is subtly.  It is little by little, the gentle slope to sin.  We often look to the extreme and miss the subtle even when honestly trying to purge ourselves of wrong-doing, and so we miss the inroads Satan finds and uses in us.

Think about it.  What is honestly happening when a group of guys stay after school to watch the cheerleaders practice or even the volleyball team?  It is rarely to support the team.  It is not innocent.  It is an excuse and an opportunity to lust.  I doubt very much there would be any guys staying after to watch the practice if the girls wore clothing that wasn't revealing.  How do you feel about the guys who do this?

"'All things are lawful for me,' but not all things are helpful.  'All things are lawful for me,' but I will not be dominated by anything.  'Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food'—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord" (1 Corinthians 6:12-13).


I would venture to say that most believers and many unbelievers have a negative view of what those guys are doing.  Is it not odd to find the same people who look down on these guys sitting in the bleachers watching the football players?


This hypocrisy is not exclusive to females.  It effects males, too.  I remember not thinking very highly of the girls lusting after those football players, but I know I have failed in the area of lust.  Does our hypocrisy know no bounds?  Do we really look down on people for doing the exact same thing we are guilty of?  Is it not more in keeping with the example of Jesus to gently reveal the wrong-doing in love and encourage them to no longer engage in it?  Why not go farther?  Invite them to go do something else.  They may not know any better, and that way they at least have an option.


Love them like Jesus.

Getting Told

I find political correctness to be an absolutely irritating thing.  I believe the conception of the term has take common decency in language to an absurd level.  It is necessary to avoid certain words or phrases in language in order to keep from offending, but there is a point where this becomes ridiculous.  For example, the word n*gger should never be used as it is derogatory.  However, I have been told that using the term "black" rather than "African American" is now offensive.  Leaving aside the obvious hypocrisy as this person proceeds to call me as "white," is it really upsetting to be described?  I am white.  That does not offend me, so I wonder why this person finds it offensive to be called black.  What's wrong with being black?  Pondering this subject, I came to the conclusion that race is not the issue.  The issue is that people are seeking out reasons to get offended.  They are looking for a way to put someone else in the wrong, to nitpick and find some way to feel better about themselves at the cost of the other person.  The root cause:  pride.  It is the pride that says, "I'm better than you," or even, "I'm as good as you!  Do you see?  You do that, and I don't.  That makes me better than you!"  The same thing has occurred in people who claim Christ as their savior.  I don't drink and you do, or I don't smoke and you do!  I'm better.  And then there is this one:  "I'm straight and you're living the gay lifestyle!  That makes me better!  Do you see?  I'm up here, and you're down there!  Ha!  Me equals better!"  It is really sad that the world has that view of us.  Instead of seeing people that genuinely love them, they see people that are saying, "I'm better than you!  Get out of my church!"  They should be seeing, "I love you.  Jesus loves you.  Come on in.  You are welcome here."

Do not get me wrong here.  Homosexuality is wrong.  So is having sex with anyone who is not your spouse, murdering, lying, stealing, etc.  The point is:  How are we presenting the love of Christ?  If we are going to them in love and gentleness, that is all we can do.  They may get offended anyway, that is not our fault.  We are not to judge them as those outside the church.  God will take care of that.  Our job is to love them as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us.

It is not just people outside the church who are overly sensitive, though.  Those inside the church sometimes seem to make it their business to get offended over the smallest things!  We make the jokes about people getting mad over the color of the carpet and the pews, but the reason we makes those jokes is because it has happened.  I know of at least one church that spit because of the carpet color!  Seriously?!?!  Is that the Kingdom of God here on earth?  It is pathetic that grown men and women can throw a hissy fit over something like that, but it happens all the time:

Ben talks to Marsha.  He mentions that during the last fellowship time, Sandra said, "Marsha's make-up looks fine."  Now, Ben is not the best conversationalist, and he didn't really remember that Sandra actually said, "Marsha's make-up works very well with her skin tone."  Marsha hears "fine" and construes it to mean that she looks like a dead clown with graffiti on her face.  Now she goes to Jorge and Elisa who hear her sad clown story and become angry at Sandra, too.  Soon, the story gets back to Sandra through her friends asking her why she called Marsha "a disgusting painted cow."  She is confused, but the conflict has already peeked.  From the outside, they look like fools.

This big mess and almost all of the other issues like this that arise in the churches today can be taken care of long before they get to this level or even cleaned up at this level by following how Scripture tells us to proceed:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.  And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a pagan or a tax collector" (Matthew 18:15-17).


Now, many of you are probably blaming poor, old Ben already, but Ben was just trying to relay a compliment.  It is not his fault that his memory fails him from time to time on the particulars, and that "fine" actually means "fine" to him.  He was pretty innocent in the matter.  The true problem began with Marsha.  When Marsha heard the word "fine," she decided within herself to take that word in a negative light.  She is one who decided "fine" meant "wrong in every way."  She was too sensitive, and she had second hand information.  Marsha could have proceeded in three ways that would have been keeping with righteousness and godliness:

1. She could have taken "fine" in a positive way.  That is a decision well within her area of control, and it would have stopped any conflict at that point.
2. She could have decided that even if Sandra meant it in a negative way, she was not going to worry about it.  This includes not holding a grudge or speaking about the issue to anyone else.  This would have prevented the conflict from going any further.
3. If the first two options just could not happen, Marsha could have begone the process of church discipline with Sandra by confronting her on the issue in a kind and gentle way and following through with the process in verses 15-17 above.  This also would have taken care of the conflict as Sandra explained what she had really said.

When we enact church discipline, either in cases of brothers or sisters wronging us or in cases when brothers or sisters are doing wrong independent of us, confronting people is never a fun thing to do.  If it becomes fun, you must check your heart because you are most likely guilty of the sin of putting someone else in the wrong which was discussed at the beginning of this.  It doesn't matter whether they are wrong or not at this point.  You need to get the plank out of your eye before you worry about their splinter.

You must confront in gentleness and reasonableness.  The confrontation is for the good of the one being confronted.  Remember this!  No one enjoys being told they are wrong unless they are humble or can look on the situation with complete objectivity, and if they are doing something wrong, it is very likely they have decided to ignore objectivity already.  Emotions can get involved very quickly, and that pushes objectivity even further away.  It is the job of the one confronting to remain calm and bring objectivity back by way of Scripture and reason.  Reason is used primarily as it is reasonable to follow Scripture rather than disregarding it.

Ultimately, it is the job of every believer, for the good of your fellow believers, the church, and the Church universal, to follow this process.  You have been bought by the blood of the Lamb.  You are no longer your own, so you no longer have the right to be offended to the detriment of the body of Christ.  You need to grow a thicker skin and quit putting yourself first.

Jesus & Santa

The holiday season is here again.  I think almost everyone enjoys the holiday season, if for nothing else than the time off with family and friends.  I think most of us would envision this:  the whole family sitting together around a Christmas tree in comfortable pajamas, presents being opened, stockings hung over the fire that warms the room with its light.  It is a cozy scene, but what is it really about?

When I was younger and both sets of grandparents lived close, my family's tradition was to spend Christmas Eve with my dad's side of the family at his parents' house, Christmas morning at home, and then Christmas Day with my mom's side of the family.  On Christmas morning, my brother and I would wake up really early to see what was stashed under the tree.  I had been told, from as early as I can remember, that Santa Claus was going to bring me presents as long as I was good.  I was also warned that, "He can see you when you're sleeping."  This is creepy.  After hearing this, I imagine that a number of children were no longer worried about the Boogey Man.  They were more concerned about his rotund partner, Santa Claws, watching them and waiting in the shadows.

Children being kept up at night watching their closet door is not what I want to take issue with, however.  For years I believed that Santa Claus visited every house of every child all over the world to bring them presents.  I believed it was true like I believed I would one day grow up.  Children eventually find out that Santa is not real.  For some, this can shatter their view of reality and effect their thought process and trust:  This person and event that my parents told me was true was not true.  It was all a lie that I believed for years.  My whole family knew it was fake, and yet they watched me believe this.  I feel like a fool.  I won't be taken in so easily next time.

If they realize that Santa was a lie, I wonder how they will reconsider what their parents have told them about God.  Will they begin to question the fact that Jesus came to die for their sins?  Will they begin to question the Gospel message or their standing before God?  Will they begin to question God Himself?  "Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble" (1 Corinthians 8:13).  Paul speaks about food here, but the message is still clear.  If what we do might cause another believer to stumble, we should give it up.

J.I. Packer tells us, "We do not start our Christian lives by working out our faith for ourselves; it is mediated to us by Christian tradition, in the form of sermons, books and established patterns of church life and fellowship.  We read our Bibles in the light of what we have learned from these sources; we approach Scripture with minds already formed by the mass of accepted opinions and viewpoints with which we have come into contact, in both the Church and the world...  It is easy to be unaware that it has happened; it is hard even to begin to realize how profoundly tradition in this sense has molded us.  But we are forbidden to become enslaved to human tradition, either secular or Christian, whether it be "catholic" tradition, or "critical" tradition, or "ecumenical" tradition.  We may never assume the complete rightness of our own established ways of thought and practice and excuse ourselves the duty of testing and reforming them by Scriptures."  (J. I. Packer, Fundamentalism and the Word of God [Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1958], pp. 69-70).

There are many believers who enjoy the myth of Santa Claus.  It is fun to watch our children enjoy the anticipation of the gifts under the tree.  However, I think it would be irresponsible of us to ignore the possible negative effects down the road.

Even if the kids are not negatively effected by the reality of their favorite elf being fictitious, why are we taking any focus of Jesus to give it to a mythical icon anyway?  I remember how I viewed Santa Claus when I was a child.  He was almost an idol.  I tried to be good every day leading up to Christmas according to what I thought Santa considered good because, "He knows when you're awake," too, in order that I would get rewarded in return.  Does this not sound like idol worship?

Ultimately, what you decide to do about Santa is between you and God.  I am telling you how I see it.  Personally, if God ever decided to give me a wife and children, I will tell them of the Christ.  Jesus will be the focus of the entire season.  They will get presents because the Magi brought presents to Jesus when they came.  For those of you who have seen the Bethlehem Star Presentation (http://www.bethlehemstar.net/), you know that they arrived in Bethlehem on 25 December of 2 B.C., and that is the reason we give gifts on Christmas.  Don't let anyone tell you the Christmas was moved to coincide with the pagan holiday celebrating the Winter Solstice.  It wasn't.  If it was, why is it not on 21 December?  That is a bit off topic, though.

I will not tell my kids that Santa is watching them to decide whether to reward them with presents or punish them with coal because it is not true, and I do not want to lie to my kids.  It also takes away from the focus of Jesus on the day we have set aside to celebrate His entry into this world to redeem mankind to Himself.  Glory be to God.  He must become more...  Santa most become less.  I think that, if we asked St. Nick, he would agree.