GOD's Will vs. Human Will . . . In Other Words: A Complete Mess of Conflicting Wills

"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God,
"Thy will be done," and those to whom God says,
"All right, then, have it your way”.

~ C.S. Lewis

08/04/2010 OWATONNA, MN -- A 17-year-old boy was killed when a landscape block fell off a truck and crashed through the windshield of a van in Steele County. Sheriff's deputies say some retaining wall blocks were strapped on the truck's trailer, but one somehow fell off on Highway 14 west of Owatonna Tuesday afternoon killing the boy instantly.

Overheard at the boy’s funeral: “[Something, . . . something]. . . God’s will.”

09/18/2010 BAXTER , MN -- It was a fairy tail wedding over 40 years in the making. Joe Yoder left for Vietnam with a foreboding sense that his fate would leave his fiance' a young widow. He broke off their engagement and she was left alone and heartbroken. Pegge did eventually marry, but lost her husband to cancer only a year after their wedding. In 1973, Joe returned from Vietnam, forlorn and war-scarred. He never married. Thirty-seven years later, Joe and Pegge were reunited in -- of all places -- a surgery waiting room at Mayo Clinic.

Overheard at the couple’s wedding:
“. . . how wonderful that they found each other.”

And once again we see how easily God gets blamed for a shocking tragedy and given zero credit for a tenderly orchestrated reunion of sweethearts.

So...what is God’s Will? And at what point does God give in to the human will and say, "All right, then, have it your way"?

Before we can answer these questions, it is important to understand that there are two very different meanings for the term God's Will in the Bible.

First consider the words of Jesus when he prayed in Gethsemane:

“My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

~ Matthew 26:42

In this passage, "your will" refers to God's Will of Decree -- that is, it relates to God's sovereignty over all that happens. The Will of God was that Jesus die. This was God's plan. This was God's decree. There was nothing that could change it. Jesus did ask that he not go through with the plan, but God had already decreed it. God's sovereignty was at work.

An unsettling fact for many Christians is that the fulfillment of God's Will of Decree does include the reality of sin. To fulfill His sovereign plan, someone usually commits sin. And as a result, someone somewhere is hurt, killed, emotionally wounded, etc. In Matthew 26 and 27, Herod, Pilate, the soldiers, and the Jewish leaders all sinned -- thereby fulfilling God's Will that Jesus be crucified.

A good summation of this kind of God's Will in terms of our lives today is found in the words of I Peter 3:17:

"For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil."

And a perfect summation of this kind of God's Will in terms of Christ's incarnation is found in the words of Philippians 2:6-7:

"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the vary nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness."

Did the 17-year old boy die instantly because God decreed it?
Was his death the result of someone's sin
{-- which sin was part of another of God's decrees? . . . }

I don't know. I don't think anyone on this side of heaven can answer that.
I do know that God is Sovereign. And I do know that we live in a world of sin.

Does God orchestrate love stories?
Was it God's Will that Joe and Pegge find each other after nearly forty years?
. . . You decide.

Now consider another meaning of God's Will:

Jesus said in Matthew 7:21:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Oh Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

Here we see God's Will of Command. Here, God's Will is what he commands us to do through His Word; and this is the kind of God's Will that we can choose to either obey or disobey.

Romans 1:20-21 tells us,

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. For although they knew god, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."

Humankind is without excuse when it comes to our awareness and knowledge of God. And it is our will to choose whether to glorify Him and obey his commandments -- or to dismiss His presence altogether. Psalm 14:1 says,

"The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good."

~*~*~*~

In the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:10-14), Jesus says that God's Will is done "in heaven as it is on earth." Here's the thing:

In heaven, God's Will is done promptly, perfectly, willingly and joyfully.

On earth → Not so much. The earth is full of human will -- a complete mess of conflicting wills even among people. ["There is no one who does good. . ."] Add the Perfect Will of God; and the whole theme of Scripture is embodied!

"But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all."

~ Isaiah 53:5-6

C.S. Lewis certainly had a heavenly perspective when he penned those words. . .

"There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, "Thy will be done," and those to whom God says, "All right, then, have it your way”.

But. . . Was Lewis referring to the two different kinds of God's Will?
One specific kind of Will?
Both?

When we pray "They will be done" we are saying first and foremost that God is Sovereign and that we submit to His Will [of Decree]. We relinquish our plans and ideas and allow His plan to be fulfilled. And . . .

Until we have surrendered our own will to God's Will [of Command], our will and behavior is centered on our self. God's Will [of Command] challenges our self-righteousness, our lifestyle, and our personal values and desires.

"Then I said, "Here I am, I have come -- it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do Your Will, my God; your law is within my heart. . ."

~ Psalm 40:7-8

Unless we are recognizing that our will (i.e., our plans, our ideas, our desires, our behavior, our values, etc.) must be submissive to All of God's Will [of Decree & of Command], then we are the one to whom God says: "All right then -- have it your way."

We are the fool of Psalm 14. . . .

"Therefore God gave them up . . . "

~ Romans 1:24

~ Esthermay V. Bentley-Goossen
© 2010 The Heart of a Pastor’s Wife

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Why? . . . Because IT Changes Lives!

"The Gospel alone is sufficient to rule the lives of Christians everywhere. . . any additional rules made to govern men's conduct added nothing to the perfection already found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

~ John Wycliffe

The doctrine of Sufficiency of Scripture is hardly a 21st Century revelation to Bible-believing Christians. But remarkably, even for his day, John Wycliffe -- in 12th Century England -- regarded the Bible as a living and authoritative Book. This indeed set him apart as not only a scholar, but a Bible-believing Christian. Like many Christian conservatives of 2010, Wycliffe observed and commented on the many discrepancies between the standards set by Scripture and the practices of the church and governing bodies.

Despite the escalating tensions between King Edward III and the Roman Catholic Church which gave rise to much of Wycliffe's work, the quote could well have been written or voiced only yesterday for all its timely wisdom and significant application to our own generation's socio-political atmosphere and doctrinal disputes. His words reflect timeless Truth.

Why. . . ?

It is an understatement to say that most evangelical churches in America function outside of the teachings for the New Testament Church. It's also a given that many denominations put far more faith in a man-made doctrine than the Inerrant Word of God. But it is a blaring and obvious fact that our United States' government employs little if anything that identifies with the Gospel of Jesus Christ by way of its "additional rules made to govern [our] conduct."

A strong movement exists today to divorce America not only from its Christian beginnings, but from the sufficiency of the Gospel of Redemption through Jesus Christ.

Why. . . ?

This progressive trend is becoming less about the debate between two opposing sides and more and more about defining and establishing the boundary between what is true and what is false. You either believe America is a Christian nation which was founded upon the sufficiency of Scripture; or you don't. It's black and white.

In the early public schools of America, the BIBLE was one of the main textbooks -- if not the only textbook. Apparently, it was SUFFICIENT. But on June 17, 1963, in Abington vs. Schempp, the United States Supreme Court removed the BIBLE and its readings from public education.

Why. . . ?

Data from the Center for Disease Control and Department of Health and Human Resources and Human Services and Statistical/Abstracts of United States PROVE that rape, murder, alcohol abuse, robbery, suicide, gang warfare, assault, absenteeism, pregnancies, burglary, vandalism, abortions, arson, extortion, venereal disease, bombings, and drug abuse have SKYROCKETED since 1963.

Apparently . . . the "additional rules made to govern [our] conduct" were not sufficient.

Not surprisingly, all of society including media, entertainment, criminal behavior, family trends, etc. (even the behaviors of those claiming to the "Christians") have followed the trend.

There is no moral compass provided by the government or any other ruling body that is more sufficient that GOD's Word. So, with the one and only moral compass provided to us as human beings removed by the "government," is it any wonder we are in the state we find ourselves? As Wycliffe said, ". . .any additional rules made to govern men's conduct added nothing to the perfection already found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

Why. . . ?

The willful rejection of the Bible as our source of divine authority is a direct cause of the current state of immorality in our country. In the years that followed that devastating Supreme Court ruling -- and continuing to this day -- the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to be persecuted, eliminated, and otherwise rejected by both our government and society as a whole.

Why. . . ?

Progressives, Socialists, and atheists don't want Americans to know the truth about our nation's Biblically based Christian heritage. They are strenuously trying to rewrite history to match their propaganda and support their agenda. They are even more adamant about denying the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are attacking God's Word, its sufficiency, and its plan of Redemption from every angle including education, the political arena and the legal system in an effort to change, reinvent and transform history to conform to their radical beliefs. In doing so they will eventually destroy the very foundation of America.

Why. . . ?

WHY? . . .What is it about the sufficiency of Scripture that has so many people set on a course to destroy that "perfection already found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

The doctrine of Sufficiency of Scripture is based primarily on II Timothy 3:15-17 and Jude 1:3.

The sacred writings . . . are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work . . . Contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

In other words the Bible is sufficient in that it is the only ("once for all") inspired and therefore inerrant words of God that we need, in order to know the way of salvation and the way of obedience ("equipped for every good work").

The sufficiency of Scripture does not mean that the Bible is all we need to live obediently and function in society. For example, in order to be obedient and lawfully drive a car, we need to obey traffic rules and observe state regulations for licensing. In order to be obedient and work in the realm of science, we need to read science and study God's creation. In order to be obedient and function in the realm of economics we need to read and observe the world of business. To be obedient and perform in the realm of sports, we need to know the rules of the game. To be obedient in marriage, we need to know and understand our spouse's personality. To be obedient and perform as a pilot, we need to know how to fly an airplane; etc, etc. etc. In other words, the Bible does not tell us all we need to know in order to be obedient stewards of this world.

It does tell us that Jesus is the way and the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through CHRIST. (John 14:6)

The sufficiency of Scripture means that we need NO further explanation or revelation from God or anyone in order to be competent and equipped for every good work. We do not need a "Fundamental Transformation" of a nation already established in Christian principles. We do not need to redefine marriage. We do not need to redefine the family. We do not need to redistribute wealth. We need NO further enlightenment. We need NO more inspired, inerrant words. From anyone!!!

God's Word is sufficient not only for the lives of Christians, but for all people. Through His Word, God has given us His plan of redemption along with the the absolute perfect standard for judging all other knowledge and all other philosophies. Even when that knowledge helps support the Bible.

For example:
(John Piper explains this beautifully.) The word "ant" occurs twice in the Bible. Once in Proverbs 6:6 and again in Proverbs 30:25. Yet, the word "ant" is never defined in the Bible. The Bible expects us to know what an ant is from another body of knowledge (language) along with our life experience. But even if we misinterpret the verses to mean that ants actually teach us that laziness is profitable, Scripture again is the standard for testing our interpretation. Numerous other passages in the Bible will prevent us from misinterpreting the meaning of the verses containing the word "ant" regardless of our ability or inability to know the word's definition. The Bible is all-sufficient for judging and proving or disproving Itself and all other bodies of knowledge.

"The Gospel alone is sufficient to rule the lives of Christians everywhere. . . any additional rules made to govern men's conduct added nothing to the perfection already found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

~ John Wycliffe

Christianity is entrenched in American culture. The sufficiency of Scripture permeates our heritage. From the founding documents consistent mentioning of "Creator," to "In God We Trust" on our coinage, to politicians almost universally ending speeches with "God bless American," Christianity is such a part of America that the effort to remove it may likely result in the collapse of our nation.

So what is it about this Perfect Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes all other rules to govern futile and utterly useless? Why are so many progressives and socialists and atheists so intent on destroying it?

Here's why: John Wycliffe, like many scholars across the time-line of history knew this:

GOD's Word Changes Lives!

"The reason that Christianity is the best friend of Government is because

Christianity is the only religion that changes the heart."

~ President Thomas Jefferson

Is it possible -- just maybe -- that there is a force behind this movement that seeks to destroy our Christian heritage? A force that does not want to see changed lives. . . ?

~ Esthermay V. Bentley-Goossen
© 2010 The Heart of a Pastor’s Wife

In Honor of Memorial Day . . . And in Memory of Paul Martin Wehlan

MEMORIAL DAY
Remembering PAUL MARTIN WEHLAN

The memory of the righteous will be a blessing
~Proverbs 10:7

This is a rather famous photo taken during World War II in Sicily (1943). An Army medic is administering blood plasma to a soldier (Paul M. Wehlan) who later died as the result of his injuries.

The photo has been in the archives of the American Red Cross for decades. It appeared in the Chicago Tribune three days prior to the U.S. Army's official visit to my Grandparents' home to inform them of their son's death.

My grandparents (and my mother -- then age 12) were convinced the moment they saw the photo in the newspaper that it was their Paulie. It wasn't until some fifty years later that my mother was able to establish for absolute certainty that the dying soldier was her brother.

We discovered the photo on the Internet in 1993 and contacted the Red Cross. We were able to obtain the names of both the Army medic and the photographer. The medic confirmed that the soldier was indeed PAUL MARTIN WEHLAN. The photographer was deceased, but we spoke to his son.

As I understand the further unfolding of this story, my uncle Paulie had written many letters home explaining to his momma that he was ready to meet Jesus; and that he knew in his heart he would not be coming home again to his family. These letter were -- of course -- received months after his death.

Following the war, a fellow-soldier contacted my grandparents to share with them that Paulie had taken his place on the "front line." Paulie's selfless act had cost him his life. The man whose place Paulie took that day -- June 28, 1943 -- was not a Christian. He was not ready to meet Jesus. My grandparents lost touch with the young man, but continued for years to pray for his salvation.

THANK YOU, Uncle Paulie for giving your life for our GREAT COUNTRY -- and sparing the life of a friend who had not yet met the LORD. May we never forget the sacrifice of your generation and so many generations who have followed.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
~Psalm 33:12

I Am the Wretch the Song Refers To. . .

"I am the wretch the song refers to."

~Todd Friel

In the introduction to his book, “Hard to Believe – The High Cost and Infinite Value of Following Jesus,” John MacArthur writes, “The world is filled with millions of people who think they are headed for heaven – but they are deadly wrong. . . .what is especially sad, is that many of those people sit in evangelical churches misinformed!”

I agree with MacArthur.

So what is the "misinformation?"

The misinformation is nothing less that a complete misinterpretation of the Gospel.

The message of most Christian concerts, youth events, women’s conferences, men’s rallies, etc., and seeker-sensitive churches is “Jesus loves you! Jesus will free you from all your pain! Come to Jesus now!”

It’s a distorted message and a message that advances the thought that being a Christian is easy and freeing and fun. It’s called easy believe’ism, and it is anything but biblical! And it only touches the very surface of True Gospel of Salvation.

Consider how Jesus approached personal evangelism when he walked on earth as a man. Jesus did not say to people, “Pray this simple prayer” or “Just make a decision to follow Me.”

Not at all.

Jesus confronted people with the reality of their own sin. (Consider, for example, the woman at the well in John Chapter 4.)

Those who “accepted” Jesus were truly convicted of their sin and they repented. Those who refused Jesus rejected the fact that they were sinful. Instead they boasted and bragged of their own righteousness. (See, for example, the account of Jesus and the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-22)

Do you suppose if the rich young ruler in Mark Chapter 10 had simply been told to repeat a simple prayer of salvation, he would have done so? And would he have walked away counting himself as saved?

Maybe. . .
But would he have really be saved?
Where has our culture gone wrong that we think we can do this very thing?

I don’t think we can identify the exact point that we began drifting from the Truth, but . . .

Robert Schuller made one of the most absurd and anti-Gospel statements ever in his 1982 book “Self Esteem: The New Reformation” when he wrote (on page 98), “Once a person believes he is an unworthy sinner, it is doubtful if he can really honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ.”

Absurd!
. . . this is where the drifting went terribly bad.

So . . . (see if I understand this. . . ) if you want to be saved according to this new reformation of self esteem, you cannot believe yourself to be an unworthy sinner? And to follow the logic further, there really is no reason at all for Christ’s death on the Cross. Right?

Again: Absurd!

. . . The very idea erases the entire story of redemption beginning in Genesis and culminating in Revelation! To do away with the notion of sin, essentially eliminates the entire Bible!!

II Timothy 3:2 reminds us that “Dangerous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves.”

It is indeed this new man-centered gospel of self-esteem that has hijacked the Gospel. And it is this gospel of self-esteem that has permeated the seeker-sensitive evangelical churches of today.

* And therein we find the “misinformation.”

Here’s the Truth: The Gospel of Salvation has as its bedrock the very idea of sinfulness and scripture confirms it repeatedly.

Bottom line: I am a wretch. I am the wretch the song refers to. You are a wretch. Every human being to ever walk the earth is and was… a wretch.

Amazing Grace!
How sweet the sound,
That saved a WRETCH like me. . .

Yet, to confront this by acknowledging sin in our culture today makes you a Bible-thumping Pharisaical fundamentalist [I mean that in a bad way.]

Leaders of the self-esteem reformation look down on the True Gospel of Salvation, pointing out that we should not “judge” others, but instead tolerate and love each other.

Wrong!

We cannot be saved without first acknowledging our own wretchedness before God; and we cannot share the Gospel of Salvation without first pointing out to others their wretchedness before God.

“For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
~ Romans 3:23

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
~ I John 1:8

“And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will convict the world of sin…”
~ John 16:8

It has been said that repentance is the stuff saints are made of…

Isaiah the Prophet said,

“Woe is me! For I am unclean; because I am a man of unclean lips…”
~ Isaiah 6:5

Job said,

“I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
~ Job 42:6

Peter said,

“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”
~ Luke 5:8

The Apostle Paul said,

"What a wretched man I am!"
~ Romans 7:24

…you will also find the repentance of Daniel and Abraham in the Old Testament and John in the Book of Revelation. These saints recognized, acknowledged and professed their wretchedness before God and others.

Look now at some biblical examples of Schuller’s gospel of self-esteem:

Cain did not see his wretchedness. He saw instead his own righteousness in the fruits brought by his own hands to the altar.

Saul – before his conversion – did not see his wretchedness. He saw instead his own pedigree as a high ranking religious leader.

The rich young ruler did not see his wretchedness. He saw instead his superior knowledge and achievements.

Hopefully, we can see here that the gap between the Gospel of Salvation and the gospel of self-esteem is gaping. The consequence of each is eternal.

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”
~Luke 9:23

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us
and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
~ I John 1:9

Yes, Jesus loves you! Jesus will free you from all your pain. Come to Him. But. . . the Bible in full context shows us very clearly that until we recognize that we are indeed wretched sinners, we cannot appreciate the Cross and we cannot know His Grace.

Amazing Grace!
How sweet the sound,

That saved a WRETCH like me. . .

I AM the wretch the song refers to. . . .

Esthermay V. Bentley Goossen
© 2010 The Heart of a Pastor’s Wife

Christian . . . or Not?

“Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective.”

–Rob Bell

Nearly thirty years ago, Robert Schuller wrote a book called Self-Esteem: The New Reformation. The book did indeed usher in a new "reformation" -- a reformation of anti-biblical, anti-Christian thought that has permeated the culture and effectively turned out a great many Christians in our generation who are anything but a reflection of the very first Christians of the New Testament.

So, can the same terminology used in the First Century to describe Christ-Followers be used today? Has the meaning changed? Have Christians changed?

Rob Bell's ministry is the direct result of Mr. Schuller's "reformation" so you do have to wonder what he's really thinking; and how he defines the term Christian. But when Mr. Bell tells us that the word "Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective," it's easy to agree with the last half of the statement. The word "Christian is indeed a poor adjective as used to describe the majority of mainline churches today. Especially when you consider the message of the New Testament Church and compare it with the message of a great number of today's churches.

But the word "Christian" is also an incredibly loosely used noun ascribed to most churchgoers of our culture. . . Thanks to Mr. Schuller's New Reformation and the resulting Seeker-Sensitive Movement. Biblically and properly defined, however, Christian is a great noun.

It really does depend on how you define "Christian."

Mr. Bell is a prominent leader in The Seeker-Sensitive Movement. Are you familiar with this term? Seeker-Sensitive Churches give their audience what they want -- what they "seek." They "seek" relevant sermons and exciting programs that may or may not have anything to do with Biblical Christianity.

Seeker churches rarely use expository preaching and seldom do they ever bring up redemption, or sin. These are the recurring themes of the Bible, but they are not themes that people "seek." The Seeker Movement is a church "style" that dominates American churches; and it is anything but reflective of the New Testament Church.

I'm not sure what Mr. Bell is trying to tell us in his quote
Because I'm not sure what he means by "Christian."

Christianity, in the hands of these Seeker-Sensitive churches has diluted (and in many cases completely misrepresented) the divine message of Salvation as revealed in the Bible beginning in the Book of Genesis!

Seeker Sensitive churches have replaced the Glory of God with the satisfaction of human beings. They have neglected to teach -- or even understand -- the entire Story of Redemption which unfolds in every single page of the Bible. They have effectively done away with the Word of GOD. Except -- of course -- for it's soundbites: those selected "feel-good," "Jesus-loves-you" verses taken out of context to give the audience what it wants to hear.

. . . 'cause who wants to hear the that we are sinners who deserve Hell?
To be sure, the Book of Romans has been
completely ripped out of the Seeker-Sensitive Bible.

John MacArthur calls the trend "quasi-Christian, narcissism" and it is vividly characteristic of the false teaching we are warned about in II Timothy 3 where we are reminded, "Dangerous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves." (II Timothy 3:1-2)

And because so much of the Seeker-Sensitive Movement has infiltrated our churches, the Church of 2010 bears little -- if any -- similarity to the New Testament Christian Church.

In today's culture, the use, meaning and expression of the word "Christian" is indeed a poor descriptive of a person who has been saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8)

"Christian is . . . a poor adjective."

Indeed! . . . so how did this all start?

In his bestselling book, Schuller aggressively attacks the Protestant Reformation which began when Martin Luther published The Ninety-Five Theses in 1517. Schuller writes: "It is precisely at this point that classical theology has erred in its insistence that theology be 'God-centered' and not 'man-centered.'" (1)

Excuse me?? But. . . *WhaT!!??

In an attempt to define this "man-centered theology," Schuller explains, "This master plan of God is designed around the deepest needs of human beings -- self-dignity, self-respect, self-esteem." (2)

Again: Huh??

He goes on. . . "Success is to be defined as the gift of self-esteem that God gives us as a reward for our sacrificial service in building self-esteem in others. Win or lose: If we follow God's plan as faithfully as we can, we will feel good about ourselves. That is success!" (3)

So. . . Self Esteem trumps Salvation??!!
Anything but Biblical, Mr. Schuller.

"If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me."

~ Jesus

Schuller's not done. Perhaps his most preposterous assertion comes when he writes, "Once a person believes he is an 'unworthy sinner,' it is doubtful if he can rally honestly accept the saving grace God offers in Jesus Christ."(4)

Mr. Schuller, do you own a Bible?
Have you read it?

". . . for all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God."

~ Romans 3:23

Sadly, this "man-centered theology" is precisely the theology that the Seeker-Sensitive Movement is teaching. And it exists at some level in the majority of mainline "Christian" churches today. Christianity is no longer about Christ. It's all about the seeker.

What does the seeker want?
What does the seeker think they need?
What is truth according to the seeker?
And how does the seeker feel about that?

If you want to be saved, according to this new "gospel," you do not believe yourself to be a sinner. You just "accept Christ" because "God is Love." And -- more importantly -- you can't ever (ever!) tell anyone else that they are a sinner or even mention the word hell!

How distorted that?!

Any minister or teacher who waters down the message of Salvation so that it is less confrontational and more popular, politically correct and appealing to the seekers, is doing one thing and one thing only: promoting a cheap imitation of the Christian life, and corrupting the use, meaning and expression of the word CHRISTIAN.

Mr. Bell's quote is completely dependent on how you define the term Christian.

“Christian is a great noun and a poor adjective.”

–Rob Bell

*~*~*~*~*

"One of our great allies at present is the Church itself.
Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church
as we see her spread out through all time and space
and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners.
That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes
our boldest tempters uneasy.
But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans."

~ Screwtape,
A senior devil, instruction a junior devil
on how to tempt and trap humans.
C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

~ Esthermay V. Bentley-Goossen

© 2010 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

NOTES:
(1) Robert Schuller, Self-Esteem: The New Reformation (Waco, Tex.: Word Publishing, 1982), 64.
(2) Ibid., 71.
(3) Ibid., 76.
(4) Ibid., 98.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Tami
on her blog, The Next Step

Christians Will Have Enemies - No Doubt . . .

"Do not suppose that I have come
to bring peace to the earth.
I did not come to bring peace,
but a sword."

~ Matthew 10:34

Taken all by itself and completely out of context, Matthew 10:34 surely implies that Jesus' mission on earth was one of violence -- that He was most certainly not a peacekeeper as so much theology likes to underscore.

In fact most of Matthew Chapter 10, finds Jesus proclaiming something seemingly and directly contrary to the message the angels proclaimed at His birth:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men.”

~ Luke 2:14

So were those angels misinformed? And what about Jesus' own words elsewhere in Scripture where He seems to agree with the angels and contradict Himself?

"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"

~ John 14:27

. . . No sword here.

Confused?

Remember the Book of Matthew was written to all of us, but in terms of a specific audience, the Book is addressed to the Jewish people of Jesus' day. The Jewish people were expecting a Messiah who would wage war. The use of the word sword certainly fits with the image of war.

Context is everything.

But it goes further than the context of speaking to a Jewish audience. Look at the verses immediately following this idea of "a sword" where Jesus quotes a passage from Micah 7:6 having to do with mistrust and betrayal within families:

"For I have come to turn 'a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'"

~ Matthew 10:35-36

Sounds very much like a passage earlier in the same Chapter:

"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child;
children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death."

~ Matthew 10:21

It seems then that the "sword" that Jesus came to bring is symbolic of the division that will occur within families and friends (and even bodies of apparent believers) as a result of His ministry. So the use of the word "sword" is typical of Jesus' figurative way of speaking. He used a sharply definitive word to convey a very disturbing reality.

The reality being: Christians will have enemies.

Look at the parallel verse in the Gospel of Luke:

"Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division."

~ Luke 12:51

See how Luke changes the metaphor into a factual statement?

Throughout Scripture we are confronted with the reality that Christians will have enemies. There will be division. Jesus Himself caused much division and had many enemies.

(There's an understatement!)

► Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be despised and rejected by men some 700 years before His birth. Clearly the division was foreseen. (Isaiah 53:3)

► While blessing Jesus as a very small child, Simeon prophesied that His life would indeed act as a "sword" and bring division in Israel. Clearly the division was forseen. (Luke 2:33-35)

► Judas -- one of the Twelve Disciples -- betrayed Jesus. Clearly there was division between Jesus and one of His own followers.
(Mark 14:10-11)

► The Apostle Paul instructed believers that if an unbelieving spouse chooses to leave, that we should "let them leave." Clearly being a believer can cause division in a marriage. (I Corinthians 7:15)

► In the Apostle Paul's closing words to Timothy, he warns about a man named Demas who deserted him. Paul also mentions Alexander the copper-smith, a man who opposed the message of the Gospel and did great harm to Paul. Clearly there was division between Paul and those who knew him.
(II Timothy 4:9-18)

► In Acts Chapter 5, Peter exposes the lies and piousness of Ananias and Sapphira. Clearly there was even great division in the body of Christians known as the Church. (Acts 5)

It becomes clear as we read the New Testament that Jesus considered it a given that the world would despise Him and his Church. He says, "The world . . . hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil" (John 7:7).

In other words, the world's contempt for Jesus, His Church and His followers stems not from simple differences, but from a huge chasm -- a chasm created by a refusal to accept that human ways (human thought, human behavior, human philosophies. . . ) are evil.

"This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved the darkness instead
of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will
not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

~ John 3:19-20

Christian Truth will never be popular with the world. It will always divide.

Yes. . . Jesus brought peace to earth. But that peace comes as an inner peace that is available only to those who put their full faith in Him as their Savior.

Otherwise. . . His presence and His message only bring conflict. No accurate reading of Scripture can conclude anything different.

The coming of Christ did not bring the peace the Jews had hoped for. Instead it brought even greater conflict because the presence of Truth causes those who deny it to become even more enraged and evil.

Wishing and hoping for world peace is a ridiculous, hopeless and pointless task. Sin is the dominant force on this earth. The Bible tells us so. Scripturally speaking, "Peace on Earth" is reserved only for those who surrender to Him and live according to His will.

The Christian will make enemies. No doubt.

". . . but if to do the right, and to believe the true,
should cause him to lose every earthly friend,
he will count it but a small loss,
since his great Friend in heaven will be yet more friendly,
and reveal Himself to him more graciously than ever. . . .

"Better a brief warfare and eternal rest, than false peace and everlasting torment."

~Charles H. Spurgeon

~ Esthermay V. Bentley-Goossen

© 2010 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

Who Wears the Millstone? Thoughts for Sanctity of Human Life Sunday...

If you were born after 1972, consider yourself a Survivor of the Abortion Holocaust. ONE-THIRD of your generation has been killed by abortion in the United States of America.

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"You created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,
I know that full well."

~Psalm 139:13-14

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"Then said He unto the disciples, 'It is impossible but that offenses will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than than he should offend one of these little ones.'"

~Luke 17:1-2

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"If they [my daughters] make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

~ The President of the United States

"The first thing I'd do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. That's the first thing I'd do."

~A Politician running for President of the United States

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"Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds: sound leadership has a moral foundation."

~Proverbs 16:12

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Who wears the millstone?

The abortionist?
The mother who chooses it?
The citizens who support it?
The politicians who fight for it?
The electorate who vote for them?

The citizens who look the other way?. . .

Who wears the millstone?