Christian. I study the GENIUS of the design and creation of the human body. PhD student (Cellular & Molecular Biology. Focus: DNA Repair, Cancer) at University of Vermont.
Musician
The Church and the World walked far apart On the changing shores of time, The World was singing a giddy song, And the Church a hymn sublime.
“Come, give me your hand,” said the merry World, “And walk with me this way!” But the faithful Church hid her gentle hands And solemnly answered “Nay!
I will not give you my hand at all, And I will not walk with you; Your way is the way that leads to death; Your words are all untrue.”
“Nay, walk with me but a little space,” Said the World with a kindly air; “The road I walk is a pleasant road, And the sun shines always there.
Your path is thorny and rough and rude, But mine is broad and plain; My way is paved with flowers and dews, And yours with tears and pain.
The sky above me is always blue, No want, no toil I know; The sky above you is always dark, Your lot is a lot of woe.
My path, you see, is a broad, fair one And my gate is high and wide; There’s room enough for you and me To travel side by side.”
Half shyly the Church approached the World And gave him her hand of snow; And the old World quick grasped it and walked along, Saying, in accents low:
“Your dress is too simple to please my taste; I will give you pearls to wear, Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form, And diamonds to deck your hair.”
The Church looked down at her plain white robes, And then at the dazzling World, And blushed as she saw his handsome lip With a smile contemptuous curled.
“I will change my dress for a costlier one,” Said the Church, with a smile of grace; Then her pure white garments drifted away, And the World gave, in their place,
Beautiful satins and shining silks, Roses and gems and costly pearls; While over her forehead her bright hair fell Crisped in a thousand curls.
“Your house is too plain,” said the proud old World, “I’ll build you one like mine; With walls of marble and towers of gold, And furniture ever so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house; Most splendid it was to behold; Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there Gleaming in purple and gold.
Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held, And the World and his children were there. Laughter and music and feasts were heard In the Place that was meant for Prayer.
There-were cushioned seats for the rich and the gay, To sit in their pomp and pride; While the poor folk, who were clad in shabby array, Sat meekly down outside.
The Angel of Mercy flew over the Church, And whispered, “I know thy sin”: Then the Church looked back with a sigh and longed To gather her children in;
But some were off at the midnight ball, And some were off at the play, And some were drinking in gay saloons, So she quietly went her way.
Then the sly World gallantly said to her: “Your children mean no harm, Merely indulging in innocent sports”; So she leaned on his proffered arm
And smiled and chatted and gathered flowers As she walked along with the World; While millions and millions of sorrowing souls To eternal death were hurled.
“Your preachers are all too old and plain,” Said the World to the Church with a sneer. “They frighten my children with dreadful tales, Which I like not for them to hear.
They talk of brimstone and fire and pain And the night of an endless death; They talk of a place which may only be Mentioned with bated breath.
I will send you some of the better stamp Brilliant and gay and fast Who will tell them that people may live as they choose And go to heaven at last.
The Father is merciful, great, and good, Tender and true and kind; Do you think He would take one child to heaven, And leave the other behind?”
So he filled her house with gay divines Gifted and great and learned And the plain old men that preached the cross Were out of her pulpits turned.
“You give too much to the poor,” said the World. “Far more than you ought to do; If the poor are in need of shelter and food, Why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes, Buy horses and carriages fine; Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food, Buy the rarest and costliest wine.
My children, they dote on all these things, And if you their love would win You must do as they do, and walk in the ways That they are walking in.”
Then the Church held tightly the strings of her purse And gracefully lowered her head, And whispered, “I’ve given too much away; I’ll do, sir, as you have said.”
So the poor were turned from her door in scorn, And she heard not the orphan’s cry; But she drew her beautiful robes aside, As the widows went weeping by.
Then the sons of the World and the Sons of the Church Walked closely hand and heart, And only the Master, who knoweth all, Could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said, “I am rich and my goods increase; I have need of nothing, or aught to do, But to laugh, and dance, and feast.”
And the sly World heard her, and laughed up his sleeve, And mockingly said, aside: “The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church; And her shame is her boast and her pride.”
The angel drew near to the mercy seat, And whispered in sighs her name; And the saints their anthems of rapture hushed, And covered their heads in shame.
Then a Voice came down through the hush of heaven From Him who sat on the throne: “I know thy works, and how thou hast said, ‘I am rich,’ and hast not known
That thou art naked, poor and blind, And wretched before my face;’ Therefore from my presence cast I thee out, And blot thy name from its place.”
2.382 billion! That is the number of people that profess Christianity, 2.383 billion! Christians are called to battle, not against flesh and blood, not with carnal weapons – it is more serious than that (Ephesians 6:10-18). Matthew 16:24-26 “Then Jesus said unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life will lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” O professing Christian, where are your scars? Where are the scars that show you are engaged in active battle? What have you given up for the course of Christ? Are your scars visible in your relationship with your spouse? Your children? Other believers? In the secular environment? How can you be a Christian and not bear scars? How can you be a Christian and have a ‘worldlier’ worldview than the world? How can you look like the world, think like the world, speak like the world, seek after everything but the Word of God, like the world, and claim to be a Christian?
Where are your scars? If you claim to be a Believer, is there an ongoing battle between flesh and the Spirit as in Galatians 5: 16-26? Putting the one-liner status updates aside, the online and offline presence, eloquent speeches and Bible teachings, putting aside the titles – Bishop, Pastor, Priest, Worship-leader, Apostle – what do you do in secret? Is your secret life a reflection of your testimony? Do you battle with your flesh?! If you claim to be a son, a daughter, do you bear the scars of Father’s discipline? As a local Church, how close are you to the example of the early Church in Acts? Are unbiblical traditions the order of the day? Has the Word of God been placed on the back burner as our Churches flirt consistently with the world, that there is hardly any genuine difference anymore, just a sprinkling of Christianity over worldly services? As a local Church, do you bear scars from missions and fellowship?
How can you be a Christian and not bear scars?!
1 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? – unless indeed you are disqualified.
1. The Nature of God: It all begins here, with Him. Who is He? What is He like?
Psalm 11:7. For the LORD is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.
1 Sam. 2:2. “No one is holy like the LORD, for there is none besides You, nor is there any rock like our God.
Psalm 33: 5. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
2. Creation/Purpose of Man: Why am I here? What is the model of my being?
Gen. 1:27. So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.
Isa. 43:7. Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.
3. The Fall and the Nature of Man: I look nothing like the image of God. What is wrong with me?
Gen. 3:6-7. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked.
Rom. 5:12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned
Rom. 3:10-18. “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one. …
Jer. 17:9. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?”
Mark 7:21-23. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these things come from within and defile a man.
Gen. 6:5. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
4. Justice/Punishment of Sin: Guilty! What should a Just God and Judge do with me?
1 John 1:8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
Rom. 6: 22a. For the wages of sin is death…
Isa. 13:11. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity.
II Thess. 1:9. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the LORD and from the glory of His power…
II Pet. 3:7. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
5. Hope ONLY in Jesus Christ: The price tag on sin is heavy! Is there any escape from the surely coming DANGER?
John 3: 16-18. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
How did Christ do this? How does this take care of my sin problem?
Isa. 53: 5,6,10. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his way. And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all………Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him. He has put Him to grief. He shall see the lab out of His soul and be satisfied. By His knowledge my righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities.
II Cor. 5:21. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
I Pet. 3:18. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God…
I Pet. 2:22-24… “who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth“, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree
6. Response: How do I get on the lifeboat?!
John 3:3. Jesus said to Him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Eph. 2:8-9. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
John 10:9. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved
1 Jn 1:9. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.
Rom. 10:9. …that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that Hod raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Acts 2:28. The Peter said to them, “Repent, and let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
7. The Spirit of Sanctification: Hallelujah! I am saved! What do I do with the Holy Spirit? What happens to my sinful, flesh desires? What is the focus of my life now on?
Rom. 8:12-13. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors – not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if we live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Gal. 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Rom. 12: 1-2. … present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Col. 1:18. And He (Christ) is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things HE MAY HAVE THE PREEMINENCE.
In my interaction with life, and more so in recent past years, I have come to a profound realization: I need God! Not just to check off church attendance, or have a streak on the YouVersion Bible app. This is more than a realization of a ‘want‘. In fact, many times I don’t want what God has to say or want His will. But the growing awareness that I need God is indeed profound. I need to know God and be known by Him.
Once my gaze is not on the Cross, it gets obvious as sin quietly slips in. Usually, the first casualty is Peace. As anxiety fills the space previously occupied by peace, its work insidious and effective, the mind begins to fight battles that are not mine to fight. The psychology world has so many names to these battles. Fear is not far behind, as a sound mind makes a quick exit. My speech and thoughts about people and things become laced with foolishness, as fear of everything else but God increases. Probably, the most devastating blow is a lack of awareness, and an indifference to sin. That sin that so easily besets becomes less and less of an ongoing struggle, even with the prod to repentance. It gets more difficult to resist the Devil and to flee from all appearances of evil. ‘I must repent now‘ slowly becomes ‘I will repent tomorrow‘. My worldview slowly switches from Biblical to anything but. Straying away from disciplined study of the principles and precepts of the Bible carries along with it severe consequences that I just simply need to know God. Nowhere else is joy found.
I also need to be known by God. It is the Word of God that exposes sin, even those ones hid in the deepest, darkest crevices of the heart. And as the Word of God searches me, and tries my innermost thoughts, they are laid bare those three: pride, lust and lies. Like a vampire, evil thrives in darkness, only vanquished by the light of the Truth. I actually don’t want to be known by God. My natural desire is to hold on to these littleevil treats. But for the sake of my soul and my family, and those who will listen to me, I need to be known by God and continue on surrendering.
Our Lord has taught us the first step in preparing for persecution, and our Chinese Christian family members have walked it out in exemplary fashion under a brutal Communist regime for more than 70 years. Christ instructed us to count the cost of discipleship and take up our cross daily. Following Him is costly, but since He is infinitely worthy, we must continue paying without a thought when persecutors raise the price by opposing us.
VOM’s founder, Richard Wurmbrand, said, “A man really believes not what he recites in his creed, but only the things he is ready to die for.” The first step in preparing for persecution is identifying the things we will do at any cost. We will read God’s Word, pray, worship, gather with other believers and witness for Christ, and nothing will stop us from doing these things with willing and glad hearts. Because we do these things in obedience to the commands of our Lord, their worth is beyond evaluation. The value of everything else in this world pales in comparison, including our very lives.
When I talk with Christians here in the U.S. and in other free countries, the word that constantly comes to mind is unprepared. Persecuted Christians in restricted nations have counted the cost and considered Christ worthy, so they prayerfully approach each day with an obey-at-any-cost mindset. Anchored by an understanding of God’s greatness and with their desires fixed on His eternal kingdom, they approach life differently from most Christians in free nations. Too many Christians in free nations live in fear of those who oppose us while worrying about losing the things of this world.
For decades, our Chinese Christian family members have boldly, lovingly and humbly obeyed Christ, no matter how their government opposed them. When their gatherings were made illegal, they held church services anywhere necessary to avoid the secret police. And they also prepared for the inevitable arrests so that when pastors where imprisoned, others in the congregation were ready to take their place. Meanwhile, the imprisoned pastors embraced their time in jail as a new ministry assignment from the Lord. They simply continued their work.
Today, the Chinese Communist Party has arrayed a horrifying technological apparatus against Christians. Hundreds of millions of facial recognition cameras help track believers’ whereabouts and create a digital record used to punish them for their so-called disloyal and illegal activities. Their response to this heightened surveillance has been the same to their response to previous threats and attacks. They simply continue in their obedience with joyful hearts, having the counted the cost and considered Christ worthy of any price they must pay. Are we, our families and our churches ready to respond to opposition in a likewise manner? If not, then we are not prepared for persecution.
She spoke softly, just barely forming the words on her lips. She felt self-conscious and she was willing to admit it. “Uh…hello.” Maybe He heard her, maybe He didn’t. She said it again. “Hello.” That should be enough. “I imagine you know who I am, but I’ll introduce myself anyway. It just seems the thing to do. My name is Sally Beth Roe, and I guess one refers to You as … God. Or maybe Jesus. I’ve heard that done. Or … Lord. I understand You go by several titles, and so I hope you’ll indulge me if I grope a bit. It’s been a long time since I’ve tried to pray.
“Uh . . . anyway, I would like to meet with You today, and discuss my life and what possible role you might wish to play in it. And thank you in advance for your time and attention.”
She stared at her notes. She’d gotten this far. Assuming she had secured God’s attention, she proceeded with the next item. “To quickly review what brought this meeting about, I guess you remember our last visit, approximately thirty years ago, at the . . . uh . . . Mount Zion Baptist Church in Yreka, California. I want You to know that I did enjoy our times together back then. I know I haven’t said anything about it in quite a while and I apologize. Those were precious times, and now they’re favorite memories. I’m glad for them.
“So I suppose You are wondering what happened, and why I broke off our relationship. Well I don’t remember what happened exactly. I know that the courts gave me back to my mother, and she wasn’t about to take me to Sunday school like Aunt Barbara did, and then I went to live in a foster home, and then . . .Well, whatever the case, our times together just didn’t continue, and that’s all . . . Well, I guess it is water under the bridge . . .”
Sally paused. Was there some kind of awakening happening inside her? God could hear her. She could sense it; she just knew it somehow. That was strange. It was something new.
“Well . . .” Now she lost her train of thought. “I think I do sense that You are listening to me, so I want to thank you for that. She got her thoughts back again. “Oh, anyway, I guess I was an angry young woman, and maybe I blamed You for my sorrows, but . . . at any rate, I decided that I could take care of myself, and that’s basically the way it went for most of my life. I’m sure You know the story: I tried atheism, and then humanism with a strong dose of evolution thrown in, and that left me empty and made my life meaningless; so then I tried cosmic humanism and mysticism, and that was good for many years of aimless delusions and torment and, to be honest, the mess I’m in right now; including the fact that I am a convicted felon. You know all about that.”
Okay, Sally, now where do you go from here? You may as well get to the point.
“Well, anyway, I guess what I am trying to say is that Bernice back in Ashton, was right, at least as far as Sally Roe is concerned. I have a moral problem. I’ve read some of the Bible. Uh . . . it’s a good book . . . it’s a fine piece of work – and I’ve come to see that You are a God of morals, of ethics, I’m glad for that, because then we can know where our boundaries are; we can know where we stand . . .
“I’m beating around the bush, I know.”
Sally stopped to think. How should she say it? Just what was it she wanted from God?
“I guess . . .” Oh-oh. Emotion. Maybe this is why I can’t get around to it. “I guess I need to ask You about Your love. I do know it’s there; Mrs. Gunderson always talked about it and so did my Aunt Barbara, and now I’ve had a brief glimpse of it again in my talks with Bernice and that pastor, Hank the Plumber. I need to know that You’ll . . .”
She stopped. Tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away and took some deep breaths. This was supposed to be business, not some emotional, subjective experience she may later doubt.
“Excuse me. This is difficult. There are a lot of years involved, a lot of emotion.” Another deep breath. “Anyway, I was trying to say that . . . I would like very much for You to accept me.” She stopped and let the tightness in her throat ease. “Because . . . I’ve been told that You love me, and that You’ve arranged for all my wrongs, my moral trespasses, to be paid for and forgiven. I’ve come to understand that Jesus died to pay my penalty, to satisfy your holy justice. Um . . . I appreciate that. Thank You for that kind of love.
“But I . . . I want to enter into that kind of relationship with You. Somehow, I have wronged You, and I have ignored You, and I have tried to be a god myself, as strange as that may sound to You. I have served other spirits, and I have killed my own offspring, and I have worked so hard to lead so many astray . . .”
The tears were coming again. Oh, well. Considering the subject matter, a few tears would not be inappropriate.
“But if You will have me . . . if You will only accept me, I would be more than willing to hand over to You all that I am, and all that I have, whatever it may be worth.” Words from thirty years ago came to her mind, and they captured her feelings perfectly. “Jesus . . .”
She couldn’t stop the emotions this time. Her face flushed, her eyes filled, and she was afraid to go on.
But she did go on, even as her voice broke, as tears ran down her cheeks, as her body began to quake. “Jesus . . . I want You to come into my heart. I want You to forgive me. Please forgive me.”
She was crying and she couldn’t stop. She had to get out of there. She couldn’t let anyone see her like this.
She grabbed her duffel bag and hurried away from the pond, turning off the walkway into the nearby trees. Under their sheltering, spring-fresh leaves, she found a small clearing and sank to her knees on the cool, dry ground. With a new freedom that seclusion brought, the heart of stone became a heart of flesh, the deepest cries of the heart became a fountain, and she and the Lord God began to talk about things as the minutes slipped by unnoticed and the world around her became unimportant.
Above, as if another sun had just risen, the darkness opened and pure, white rays broke through the treetops, flooding Sally Beth Roe with a heavenly light, shining through to her heart, her innermost spirit, obscuring her form with a blinding fire of holiness. Slowly, without sensation, without sound, she settled forward her face to the ground, her spirit awash with the presence of God.
All around her, like spokes of a wondrous wheel, like beams of light emanating from the sun, angelic blades lay flat upon the ground, their tips turned toward her, their handles extending outward, held in the strong fists of hundreds of noble warriors who knelt in perfect, concentric circles of glory, light and worship, their heads to the ground, their wings stretching skyward like a flourishing, animated garden of flames. They were silent, their hearts filled with a holy dread.
As in countless times past, in countless places, with marvelous, inscrutable wonder, the Lamb of God stood among them, the Word of God, and more: the final Word, the end of all discussion and challenge, the Creator and the Truth that holds all creation together – most wondrous of all, and most inscrutable of all, the Savior, a title the angels would always behold and marvel about, but which only mankind could know and understand.
He had come to be the Savior of this woman. He knew her by name; and speaking her name, He touched her.
And her sins were gone.
A rustling began in the first row of angels, then in the next, and then, like a wave rushing outward, the silken wings from row upon row of warriors caught the air, raising a roar, and lifted the angels to their feet. The warriors held their swords Heavenward, a forest of fiery blades, and began to shout in tumultuous joy, their voices rumbling and shaking the whole spiritual realm.
Guilo, as brilliantly glorified as ever he was, took his place above them all, and swept his sword about him in burning arcs as he shouted, “Worthy is the Lamb!”
“Worthy is the Lamb!” the warriors thundered.
“Worthy is the Lamb!” Guilo shouted more loudly.
“Worthy is the Lamb!” they all answered.
“For He was slain!”
“For He was slain!”
Guilo pointed his sword at Sally Beth Roe, prostrate, her face to the ground, still communing with her newfound Savior. “And with His blood He has purchased for God the woman, Sally Beth Roe!”
The swords waved, and their light pierced the darkness as lightning pierces the night. “He has purchased Sally Beth Roe!”
“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,” Guilo began, and then they all sang the words together with voices that shook the earth, “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Then came another roar, from voices and from wings, and another flashing of hundreds of swords. The wings took hold, and the skies filled with warriors, swirling, shouting, cheering, worshiping, their light washing over the earth for miles around.
Miles away, some of Destroyer’s demons covered their eyes against the blinding light.
“Oh no!” said one. “Another soul redeemed!”
“One of our prisoners set free!” wailed another.
A quick, sharp-eyed spy returned from taking a closer look.
“Who is it this time?” they asked.
The spirit answered, “You will not like the news!”
Tal and Guilo embraced, jumping, spinning, laughing. “Saved! Sally Beth Roe is saved! Our God has her at last!”
They remained, along with their warriors, keeping the hedge about her strong and brilliant, making sure that her conference with the Lord would proceed undisturbed.
Time passed, of course, but no one seemed to notice or care.
Later – she didn’t know how much later – Sally pressed her palms against the earth and slowly lifted herself up to a seated position, brushing dry leaves and humus from her clothes and using a handkerchief to wipe her face. She had been through an uncanny, perfectly marvelous experience, and the effect still lingered. A change, a deep, personal, moral restoration had taken place, not just in her subjective perceptions, but in fact. This was something new, something truly extraordinary.
“So this must be what they mean by ‘getting saved,’” she said aloud.
Things were different. The Sally Roe who first ducked into these woods was not the same Sally Roe that now sat in the leaves, a trembling, awestruck, tear-stained, happy mess.
Before, she had felt lost and aimless. Now she felt secure, safe in God’s hands.
Before, her life had no meaning. Now it did, with even more purpose and meaning yet to be discovered.
Before, she had been oppressed and laden with guilt. Now she was cleansed. She was free. She was forgiven.
Before, she was so alone. Now she had a friend closer than any other.
As for her old friends, her tormentors . . .
Outside that hedge, thrown there like garbage into a dumpster, Despair, Death, Insanity, Suicide and Fear sulked in the bushes, unable to return. They looked at each other, ready to squabble should any one of them dare to say the first word.
They were out. Vanquished. Through. Just like that. Somehow, she’d no sooner become a child of God than she began to assert her rights and authority as such. She didn’t say a lot, she didn’t make it flowery. She simply ordered them out of her life.
But of the fruit of the tree, which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The lies and half-truths “…Ye shall not surely die…. Ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil”
Whether the lies we are told by others, or the ones we tell ourselves, these are usually very subtle: “it is for a good cause” “No one is watching” “I will repent tomorrow” “Love is love” “Body no be firewood” “I am not really hurting anybody” “We are adults!”. We rationalize these into many shades of grey that trying to see the truth is like looking through a hazy lens. These lies get craftier and far-reaching, I fear for the kids of today
2. The enticement “…the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and it was pleasant to the eyes”
When the lie is accepted, the allure of the fruit gets more irresistible. It really is pleasant to the eyes! “Be careful little eyes what you see!” The object of sin is beautiful: the extra wads of cash, the curves, the dopamine surges. Once the eye gate has been activated, the ball’s already rolling now, leading to the 3rd stage
3. Led by one’s own lust “…and a tree to be desired to make one wise…”
James 1:14 says: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. The most likely people to do a particular thing are those that say they can never do it. It is when you understand that this lust is ‘inbuilt’, then you will take steps to make certain that you don’t feed your lusts. Be very wary of your heart. Out of it proceeds evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, which defile a man (Matt. 15:19). When the heart leads the man, then the culmination of the sin process happens.
4. The deed of sin “…she took the fruit thereof and did eat”
This should not come as a surprise. Of course, she ate the fruit. It is difficult now to hit the brakes. Now you are fighting battles that you should not be fighting. “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin” James 1:15. You are casting and binding in a place or situation where you are primed to fall. You are already in full expectation of the excitement that will come from the next step. The tab is already open on your screen, and you are ‘struggling’ not to take a look. You know how fat your bank account will be with a mouse click. You can already feel the hit of dopamine. You are hooked. And then the deed is done.
5. Convincing others to partake “…and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat”
This usually involves some sort of emotional, physical and/or legal manipulation. This is the age of the ‘Cancel culture’. You say something contrary to popular societal beliefs, you are canceled, labeled a phobe. Your licenses can be revoked, even physically threatened. The ultimate success of sin is in being widely accepted as true, and truth as preposterous.
A word to Christian parents and potential parents: Be very careful about your life. It is only the Truth that will set you free. Non-negotiable: You MUST know Him! Not experience Him, KNOW him. Not feeling-based but Bible-based. John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. When you know the truth, you stand a chance. Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. The lies are becoming the norm. The world you grew up in is not the same your kids will. Be very careful about your parenting.
The last quarter of the twentieth century witnessed the public embrace of the “sensuous.” The Sensuous Woman, The Sensuous Man, The Sensuous Couple and The Sensuous Divorcee became bestsellers, and some remain in print decades later! One dictionary defines sensuous as, “pertaining to the senses or sensible objects: highly susceptible to influence through the senses.” In other words, sensuous people live by their feelings rather through their understanding. Today on television we can see this sensuality prominently displayed . Famous TV talk-show hosts often encourage their guests to “vent,” exposing their private feelings and emotions to millions of viewers.
Sadly, this kind of sensuality has also wormed its way into the church. Many of us have become sensuous Christians, living by our feelings rather than through our understanding of the Word of God. Sensuous Christians cannot be moved to service, prayer or study unless they “feel like it.” Their Christian life is only as effective as the intensity of present feelings. When they experience spiritual euphoria, they are a whirlwind of godly activity; when they are depressed, they are a spiritual incompetent. They constantly seek new and fresh spiritual experiences , and use them to determine the Word of God. Their “inner feelings” become the ultimate test of truth.
Sensuous Christians don’t need to study the Word of God because they already know the will of God by their feelings. They don’t want to know God; they want to experience him. Sensuous Christians equate “childlike faith” with ignorance. They think that when the Bible calls us to childlike faith, it means a faith without content, a faith without understanding. They don’t know that the Bible says, “In evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature” (1 Cor 14:20). They don’t realize that Paul tells us again and again, “My beloved brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (see, for example, Rom 11:25).
Sensuous Christians go their merry way until they encounter the pain of life that is not so merry – and they fold. They usually end up embracing a kind of “relational theology” (a curse on modern Christianity) where relationships and experience take precedence over the Word of God. If the Scripture calls us to action that may jeopardize a personal relationship, then the Scripture must be compromised. The highest law of sensuous Christians is that bad feelings must be avoided at all cost.
The Bible is addressed primarily, though not exclusively, to our understanding. That means the mind. This is difficult to communicate to modern Christians who are living in what may be the anti-intellectual period of Western civilization. Notice I did not say anti-academic or anti-technological or anti-scholarly. I said anti-intellectual. There is a strong current of antipathy to the function of the mind in the Christian life.
To be sure, there are historical reasons for this kind of reaction. Many laypeople have felt the result of what one theologian has called “the treason of the intellectual.” So much skepticism, cynicism and negative criticism have spewed forth from the intellectual world of theologians that laypeople have lost their trust in intellectual enterprises. In many cases there is the fear that faith will not hold up under intellectual scrutiny, so the defense becomes the denigration of the human mind. We turn to feelings rather than to our minds to establish and preserve our faith. This is a serious problem we face in the twenty-first-century church.
Christianity is supremely intellectual though not intellectualistic. That is, Scripture is addressed to the intellect without at the same time embracing a spirit of intellectualism. The Christian life is not to be a life of bare conjecture or cold rationalism but one of vibrant passion. Strong feelings of joy, love and exaltation are called for again and again. But those passionate feelings are a response to what we understand with our minds to be true. When we read in Scripture, “Take courage; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33), “ho hum” is not an appropriate response. We can be of good cheer because we understand that Christ has indeed overcome the world. That thrills our souls and sets our feet to dancing. What is more precious than to experience the sweetness of the presence of Christ or the nearness of the Holy Spirit?
God forbid that we should lose our passion or go through the Christian pilgrimage without any experience of Christ. But what happens when there is a conflict between what God says and what I feel? We must do what God says, like it or not. That is what Christianity is all about.
The fear of God; this is one of those concepts in scripture that Christians like to work around. I used to be one of those who said, “Surely, it doesn’t mean ‘fear’ like fear.”
The interpretation I grew up with considered fear in this context to mean awe and reverence -reverential respect, wonder. This is probably the predominant perception. Another one which I saw in a blog a few years ago, and I really like this one, looked at the fear of God as our “being afraid to be separated from him”. Surely, we should be in awe of God as believers, and we certainly don’t want that separation, especially after experiencing what spiritual intimacy is like. But why can’t ‘fear’ just mean ‘fear’?
We know what ‘fear’ means. Even a kid knows what it means to be afraid. As a little boy, I had a nightmare one time, no thanks to Nollywood movies. In it, there was a huge hole right outside my room and a hand pulled me down into it when I passed by it. Luckily, I didn’t have to find out what happened afterwards cos I woke up. I spent the next couple of days jumping over that place every time I had to go in or out of my room. I was terrified! I recall another experience that happened in September 2001 in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria. A large crowd of people with sharp knives and very blunt intentions were threatening to get into our neighbourhood to cause untold mayhem. That was very scary even for the adults. Now imagine what that did to me who was, at the time, only a little boy. I certainly know what fear is! You can probably think of times you were afraid. Maybe you still are. In dangerous situations, we feel fear, we are afraid.
Why do we feel the need to redefine fear only when we speak about Scripture? How does that switch happen from sheer terror to reverential respect when we read verses like “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”? Okay, let us assume there is nothing worth being afraid of in this verse, but what do we do with Luke 12: 4-5 where Jesus was saying this about himself: “I tell you my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.” This part reminds me of boarding school (a concept I really hate by the way), where a junior student had to choose between obeying a senior student in SS2 or another in SS1. Either way, one person would drill him, but it was wisdom not to be drilled by the senior student in SS2!
Why is it really so hard to understand the concept of fear with regard to Him? “False Evidence Appearing Real” right? Well, the Bible is riddled with many terrifying stories, or have they become trite? At one time, only a handful of humans were safe in an ark while water covered the earth (Genesis 7:1-24). Fire did come down and consume a whole city (Genesis 19:23-25). The people of God were given direct commands to enter a city and wipe out every living thing, including animals (Joshua 6, 8:1, 1Samuel 15:1-3).
We often get this question, “How does a good God send people to hell?” Often time, the responses are desperate attempts, in all shades and colours, to convince people that God does not do this. “How could he?” Luke 12:4 -5 does tell us that He alone has the authority to send people there. “Jesus died to save you from the Devil.” But scripture doesn’t say this. What do we make of passages like Isaiah 66:15-16 where God basically said, He was coming with His fire and sword to execute judgement? I have heard this statement before: “It doesn’t matter where I am, even hell, as long as I am with my Saviour”. Lol. While I may marvel at that ‘devotion’, I think it grossly uninformed. Have you been there before? With the non-life threatening challenges on this sphere of life, we still manage to turn away from him, and you somehow think things will be different in hell.
For many people, the image they have in their heads is: meek and lowly Jesus who can’t hurt a fly, sharing the Last Supper with His disciples, or Jesuswalking with a lamb on his neck. Well, have a look at Rev 19: 11-21. That passage tells of a bloody battle where Jesus defeats the enemy of God’s people (the beast). Terror grips my mind as “He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty” (vs.15b). I certainly wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of that battle.
In summary, I am saying that fear is what it is. Don’t read around it. No need to try so hard to explain it away. It is what it is. You should be afraid. When you try to gloss over those many parts of scripture that talk about some fearful things, ignore them, and focus only on the part of God’s nature that suits you, you have just made an idol for yourself. He is looking for true worshipers, those that worship him in spirit and in truth (John 4: 23-24). What to do with that fear is subject for another discourse. But do the research about fear yourself, especially since this is where wisdom starts from –“the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
Edited by: Editors at Large; Kenechukwu Nlem (editorsatlarge20@gmail.com)
I am having an increasing love for epic historical movies: Legend of the Seeker, Lord of the Rings, Merlin, Chronicles of Narnia, and Sparta 300 among others. Two kingdoms with swords drawn against each other with all sides pledging loyalty to their respective commanders and their agenda, even to the death (Sparta 300 comes to mind here – that movie sure leaves some indelible mental scenes! **”THIS IS SPARTA!!”**). You will often hear the sentence ‘My sword is yours’, indicating a pledge of allegiance to the leader.
I learned the Greek word, Pistis, in one of the Chi Alpha meetings*, used in the New Testament to refer to ‘faith’. While it refers to faith as we often think of it – believing things against normal human reasoning – it also extends ‘faith’ to ‘faith-full,‘ faithfulness. I hold the Biblical picture of marriage very highly. When a husband and wife pledge to be faithful to each other, it implies that they will be faithful physically, faithful emotionally, faithful mentally – all round faithful! It is the most beautiful part of weddings. “I pledge my allegiance to you”. “I swear my fidelity to you.” “YOU HAVE MY SWORD!”
It is Easter time again, and we will soon have many people singing about the risen King, Jesus. And He really is King! But the question is: Is He MY King? On what side of the battle am I fighting? Regardless of what I say with my lips, who really has my sword? Is he a King or is He my King?
Have you ever read this passage in Psalms 139:23-24?
Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about; See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong – then guide me on the road to eternal life (MSG).
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (NLT)
“Search me, O God, and know my heart”! And we wonder why David is called a man after God’s heart when he prayed like this. This type of prayer is against man’s very nature, but the effects of sincere words such as these are as beautiful and powerful as they are devastating. Such a brave prayer point! When light from pure Holiness permeates the deep, dark crevices of the heart, it may not be a beautiful process (“what will He ask me to give up?” “What will He ask me to do?”), but you can be certain it will be a beautiful outcome.
What will it look like if I asked God to search my heart? What will it look like when the light brings up and out all the pride and lust and lies, even those shrouded in veils upon veils of deceit and secrecy? What will it look like if I emptied all that garbage at his feet? What will the different aspects of my life – my time, vocation, experiences, sexuality, relationships, etc. – look like if I bow my knee and say “My King, you have my sword!”?
In a parable Jesus told about the kingdom of God, the Master said to his servant ‘Well done, good and faithful servant…. Enter into the joy of your master’ (Matthew 25: 21, ESV).
Words of affirmation mean a lot to me; I can only imagine what it will be like to receive this commendation. I am reminded that it is not by professing to be of the faith that we are part of the army. We are told that “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ (*or preaches, or sings in the choir, or serves in the PCC, or attends outreaches, or prophesies, or does other great things) will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is heaven.” (Matthew 7:21, ESV). The Kingdom is for those who are surrendered, those who are faithful and are sworn in loyalty, even to the death, for those whose swords are drawn in submission to the Commander.
What will it look like if I ask God to search my heart? What will it look like if I bow my knee and say “My King, you have my sword?”
I looked at his left hand, which had held on to the thorny tree limb. It was covered with red mud. I reached down into my bulging pocket, full of nails. I spilled them at his feet. Maybe I’d find them in my pocket again, as I always seemed to, but here now, I was determined to have nothing to do with them.
“There are two kinds of people,” he said. “Those who deny they carry the nails and those who admit it. My followers admit it and empty them often at my feet, just as you have done.”
Edge of Eternity ~ Randy Alcorn
*Chi Alpha is the Christian campus ministry at University of Vermont
Reviewed by Editors at large: Kenechukwu Nlem – editorsatlarge20@gmail.com
Kanayo Ikeh 