Is The Apostle’s Gospel “The Gospel”?

What is the gospel? How should we refer to it? Is it the entire Biblical story or a specific part of it? What does it begin with? Where does it end? Should we explain the gospel message primarily to be God making all which is broken fixed, that God’s purpose for you is to better the world, or a proclamation that the Messiah is the risen Lord, like many today are advocating to be the “good” of the “good news”?

The Chinese translation of “gospel”, which is “fuyin”, doesn’t mean “good news” but rather “all the good news about God”. While I at times refer to the gospel as everything accomplished or purposed by God in Christ, I am increasingly becoming hesitant with this language. The more I look at how the Apostles use the term “gospel” the more I see it as a specific message, NOT an all encompassing story. I see this message being a narrative (specific truths) to a meta-narrative (all of God’s truths). In other words, it is a message by which all other parts of the story get to be carried out and equally cherished.

Are You Scared of This World, Distracted By It, or Both?

As a Christian, are you scared of popular opinion? Especially when you believe something the Bible says that isn’t popular according to popular opnion? Why? Do you have it on your to-do list to “make sure the world approves of me”? Are you afraid that people will be intolerant of your intolerance of silly and evil beliefs? If so, why? Either way, someone is being intolerant, and the truth is always more liberating and freeing. Have you spent any time learning about why only the Christian worldview makes sense so you can be more confident about what you believe and sleep like a baby? If not, why? Let Jesus be the hero of every sermon, the point of every text of Scripture, the answer to all the questions, and the focus of all the lives.

Consider Mat 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

The Shack (Needs To Be Taken Out To The Shack)

Over the last year this best selling book by William P. Young has created quite a stir among believers. Many praise it and many reject it. Here are my quick thoughts on the book ‘The Shack’:

Pros:

The main character Mack dialogues a lot with God. You can tell that Young would have had to crack his doctrine 101 books about the nature of God, the nature of man, and other important doctrines in order to present this type of dialogue as being Biblically sound (Orthodox). In many parts, Young does a good job of remaining Orthodox and some of the explanations that God gives Mack are very practical and insightful.

I think he does a good job of upholding a Biblical view of free will (page 95), God’s self-sufficiency (pages 98-99), the Trinity (page 101), and even does a beautiful job of explaining why the Trinity is a precondition to something such as “love”, hence page 102 which says “Or maybe worse, you would have a god who, when he chose, could only love as a limitation of his nature”.

Deborah 13: Servant of God

Here are my thoughts on ‘Deborah 13′, a BBC documentary about a young girl named Deborah Drapper who has lived secluded from the outside world and pop-culture her entire life. Deborah is a devout Christian, along with her parents. She temporarily leaves her country side home and gets to experience what life is like on the outside with her older brother Matthew who is in college. Here are my thoughts, for what they’re worth. Keep in mind, I don’t know the big picture with Deborah or this documentary. Please take my assumptions about the documentary with a grain of salt as I lay out my thoughts.

(part 1)

(summary) Deborah and her siblings have no knowledge whatsoever of pop-culture or the “outside” world.

(my thoughts) Many Christians raise their children with no knowledge of pop-culture and wear this fact like a badge on their shoulder. There are some wonderful things which can come about from withdrawing from sinful scenes and situations. However, many of these types of people who are raised culturally unaware become socially awkward. They have little or nothing to add to people’s everyday conversations and are only most comfortable around their families – those who know their quarks and personalities best.

Jesus and the apostles shared the gospel in ways which found common ground with unbelievers. Many times Christians equate holiness to withdrawal from the “world”. Just like the movie ‘The Village’ demonstrates, sin is inside of us, not “out there”. Being able to find commonalities and interests with unbelievers is an extremely biblical and effective way to share one’s faith. For example, if she knew who David Beckham was, she would already have something to talk about with virtually every girl in Britain! Then she could tie it into a spiritual discussion and ask, “do you think famous people are really happy? What do you think makes us most happy? I think it is Christ for this reason…”

Sometimes Christians have the tendency to be people who have all the answers, yet have no questions. We can only converse about what we think is best for people and not offer much else. This is what I call “in-and-out” Christianity where there is little relationship building, that is until an “icky” unbeliever crosses over to looking like us.

Why Is Christ Everything?

You may often think about your problems, your needs, and your desires. You’re a human being. Of course you and I will spend much time thinking about all this. But what about Christ and His needs and desires? What about His love for Himself, His justice, and His glory? All this ties into the real story that God is the author of, namely, the gospel. The gospel is an eternal story. Here is where it begins:

1. Have you loved God and others perfectly every day of your life? (Mat 22)

2. If not, then you deserve to be eternally separated from a holy and righteous God. (James 2:10, Gal 3:10)

3. You are not a good person in trouble with a bad God, but a very bad person in trouble with a very good God. (Isaiah 6:5)

4. The wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23)

5. Cling to Jesus Christ and receive Him as Savior and Lord (Boss).

6. He lived the life you couldn’t live, died the death you deserved, and rose to prove it all satisfactory.

7. He is returning to judge everyone that has ever lived and sinned, including you.

8. Are you ready to meet Him in the next world?

9. Know you are ready.

10. Change your life and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

11. We were created to know, see, and experience Jesus Christ… forever! He is the eternal solution to our hearts eternal longing.

Charasmaniacs, Tongues, and Hypnotherapy

I had not known what the difference was between hypnotherapy, hypnosis, and meditation. I realize now that hypnotherapy is somewhat shorthand for being in an altered state of consciousness. Apart from the dangers that alcohol and drugs may have on one’s conscious state, we can experience alternative states of consciousness which are normal and healthy. This can be in the form of daydreaming, laughing hysterically, adrenalin rushes, listening to a motivational speaker, etc.

Hypnotherapy is often mistaken for hypnosis – commonly referred as  hypnotism. In other words where you have no conscious “veto” power over your mind and actions where someone or something is in total control of you. However, hypnotherapy is different. You have full control of your mind and actions but your sub-conscious self is being catered to more then your conscious faculties. You’re in more of an emotional or experiential state then in a mentally focused state.

This proper knowledge of hypnotherapy helped me all the more understand what I now believe to be some truths about the Christian Charismatic movement, which I came out of about 5 years ago.

The North American Christian Sub-Culture’s Idol – Sensationalism

Sensationalism – subject matter, language, or style producing or designed to produce startling or thrilling impressions.

An epiphany hit me today while I was driving and listening to the Christian radio station-which I hate listening to. I decided to listen for a moment just to see if its cliche lyrical content was still in tact, which it was of course. So there I was, listening to those sexy, overtly inspirational, making out with “God”, Disney Channel style songs when all of a sudden it dawned on me… the North American evangelical Christian sub-culture suffers greatly from worshiping the idol of sensationalism.

In other words, the climax of the gospel for us is that we no longer have any emotional or life problems. If we do admit to having emotional or life problems, however, then we wright them off with our convenient “Jesus” anesthesia. He numbs our pain so that we can be walking have-it-togethers. Somehow the best news of the good news is that we become PHP’s (perpetually happy people). We don’t hurt inside anymore. No, we are happy-go-lucky because we chose Jesus!

And do we boast about this spiritual shot?

Foo Fighters – Come Alive

Happy Easter!

Here is my Scriptural commentary on this awesome song. This is not a Christian band or a Christian song. If it were it might run the risk have having a boring 4 for 4 timing, use all major chords, have an overtly uppity beat, have lyrics with no depth, have lyrics for Christians only, have lyrics that are painfully cliche, have lyrics which sing about 1% of God’s character and 0% about everyday life.

So for our purposes we’re going to look at what non-Christians have written through a Christian lens because they actually aren’t afraid to talk about real life struggles. They don’t have a sub-culture telling them that it’s “unspiritual” to sing about everyday life or live in fear that “God” may get out his wooden spoon if they do.

Seems like only yesterday
Life belonged to runaways
Nothing here to see, no looking back

Every sound monotone
Every color monochrome
Life began to fade into the black

Ecc 1:2-3 “Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” What does man gain from all his labor at which he toils under the sun?”

Such a simple animal
Sterilized with alcohol
I could hardly feel me anymore

Gen 9:21 “When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent.”

Obama’s First Signing

It seems as though if Obama were to even move his left foot that many people would praise it. It kind of makes me think about his very first signing of a law as President.

Photographers take pictures of Obama’s very first Presidential signing:

Photographers take pictures of toilet after Obama’s very first #2 in White House:

There wasn’t even a stink!

Do You Dream of Californication?

This song definitely has lyrics that are worth pondering for a bit. Consider the chorus “I dream of Californication”. When I first heard this song, I thought this phrase somehow meant “I dream of a united California” or something similar. However, what I found is that “Californication” is a play on words which is basically saying that California is perverted in its great influence, hence the term “fornication”. The lyrical content greatly backs up this notion.

Some Biblical Tips for Relationships and Singleness

Preface: Wanting to be in a relationship, or wanting the relationship others have, may quite possibly be the greatest reasons we break the 1st, 2nd, 7th, and 10th commandments. Everyone would like the opportunity to announce to the world that they have arrived because they “are loved” by someone. But relationships are the beginning, not the end. They are the beginning to life long selflessness and change. It’s not about YOU, getting what YOU want, because YOU have needs.

And there is no quintessential relationship other than that of Christ and His bride. This relationship is perfect from Christ’s side, and imperfect from ours, which still makes it truly perfect! All earthly marital relationships are extremely temporal compared to eternity. No imperfect earthly relationship should be jealous of another imperfect earthly relationship. All earthly relationships should be jealous of The One Perfect and Eternal Relationship… that of Christ and His bride (which all Christians will eternally participate in anyways).

Now on to the dating tips…

How do you view Christians and religious people? (ie. over-bearing, secluded, self-righteous know it alls with hyena laughs)

Mark Driscoll on “religion” (17:23)

If there are any non-Christians out there, I would love to hear your thoughts about Christianity, religion, and boring old people who don’t listen to counter opinions too well. What are your feelings, thoughts, and experiences with Christians being too pushy, quick to talk and slow to listen, distant, and phony?

Please take a moment and write something (anything) in the comments below! I want to hear what YOU have to say.

Don Miller’s book ‘Blue Like Jazz’ has really been stirring my mind and heart on this topic lately. Especially because I’m involved with ministry at my college. I am beginning to see more clearly that there are weeds in the harvest field. There are many weeds of misconception and false notions that need to first be uprooted before anyone will approach Christ. Call it “re-approaching Christ”. The real Christ that is. Most churches and church people are phony and uninteresting. This is why the phrase “I love my church” is one of the most rare things ever uttered by human lips.

Blue Like Jazz pg. 123:

“You are confessing to me!” Jake said with a laugh.

“Yeah. We are confessing to you. I mean, I am confessing to you.”

“You’re serious.” His laugh turned to something of a straight face.

“There’s a lot. I will keep it short,” I started. “Jesus said to feed the poor and to heal the sick. I have never done very much about that. Jesus said to love those who persecute me. I tend to lash out, especially if I feel threatened, you know, if my ego gets threatened. Jesus did not mix His spirituality with politics. I grew up doing that. It got in the way of the centeral message of Christ. I know that was wrong, and I know that a lot of people will not listen to the words of Christ because people like me, who know Him, carry our own agendas into the conversation rather than just relaying the message Christ wanted to get across.”

And now I, Cameron, want to apologize too. I am sorry for being pushy with my beliefs and trying to get you to be like me in the snap of a finger. I am sorry that even though I present to you a gospel which says all are with sin, at the same time I hide in my sin and act like I’m above sin. I’m sorry for being too busy to be like Christ when I walk right past the hurting and needy. I’m sorry for being so demanding from you when Christ has every right to demand everything of me, yet has treated me specially instead. Once again, to all non-Christians, I want to say I am sorry.

Sincerely,

Cameron

You Gotta Love the Fleet Foxes

The Truth Behind the Fantasy of Porn

Shelley Lubben is currently active in helping porn actresses come out of the porn industry’s physical and spiritual death grip and into the arms of their Savior Jesus Christ. You can visit her website here. Pornography blurrs the lines between truley attractive women in God’s sight and attractive women in a perverts sight. As Christian men, we must seek to protect and care for women, not destroy ourselves and loved one’s by way of eyeballing other women’s self destruction.

(confessions of an ex-porn star)

by

Shelley Lubben

Sex-packed porn films featuring freshly-dyed blondes whose evocative eyes say “I want you” is quite possibly one of the greatest deceptions of all time. Trust me, I know. I did it all the time and I did it for the lust of power and the love of money. I never liked sex. I never wanted sex, and in fact I was more apt to spend time with Jack Daniels than some of the studs I was paid to “fake it” with. That’s right, none of us freshly-dyed blondes like doing porn. In fact, we hate it. We hate being touched by strangers who care nothing about us. We hate being degraded with their foul smells and sweaty bodies. Some women hate it so much they can be heard vomiting in the bathroom between scenes. Others can be found outside smoking an endless chain of Marlboro lights…

Some Favorite Quotes

“Nothing can damn a man but his own righteousness; nothing can save him but the righteousness of Christ.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

“The phony self is the enemy.” ~ Thomas Mertin

“God does not love us because we are good but because He loves us He will make us good.” ~ C.S. Lewis

“The gospel is a table for sinners and sinners only.” ~ Martin Luther

“The free man is he who does not fear to go to the end of his thought.” ~ Leon Blum

“Atheism shows strength of mind. But only to a certain degree.” ~ Blaise Pascal

“That dear friend is repentance; repentance has been with me all my life, and I think I shall drop a tear as I go through the gates to think that I can repent no more.” ~ Rowland Hill

“If Evolution is true it evolves the human being to not want to die, while at the same time it evolves us to die in a very short amount of time. That would make it the greatest ironic fluke!” ~ Self

“The gospel is not that Jesus loves us in spite of our sin, but that he is the only one who can do anything about it.” ~ Self

“Theism makes the most sense of the world, and Christianity makes the most sense of Theism.” ~ Self

“Nature and nature’s laws lay hid in night; God said “Let Newton be” and all was light.” ~ Alexander Pope (in writing Isaac Newton’s epitaph)

“I do not know what I may appear to the world, but to myself I seem to have been only like a boy playing on the sea-shore, and diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or a prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me.” ~ Sir Isaac Newton

“Gravity explains the motions of the planets, but it cannot explain who set the planets in motion. God governs all things and knows all that is or can be done.” ~ Sir Isaac Newton

“Never argue with a fool. Someone might be watching and may not be able to tell the difference.” ~ Anonymous

Easy Rider

The Revelation of Christ 19:11-16

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.

He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean

with Foo Fighter’s – ‘There Goes My Hero’ playing in the background. [emphasis mine]

Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:

KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

Benny Hinn (Let The Bodies Hit The Floor)

There are a lot of emotions one may have after watching this video. Some may be angry that this video mocks Benny Hinn. Others may be angry and feel they’ve been manipulated because they once practically confused Hinn for the Holy Spirit. Some may laugh at the person who made the video and think “if only they experienced the true power of the Spirit. Then they too would bolt to a Hinn crusade”. Others may laugh and think “this is the result of people having bad theology plus being put on the spot and expected to do something while in a hyper-emotional state for the sake of being approved by a church that is supposedly in tune with God’s most spiritual activity and that happens to be a CEO of the church world”.

Besides all the differing emotions one may have while watching this video, I challenge you to ponder these questions:

1) Is this type of activity biblical? If so, where? If not, does that matter?

2) What is the overarching goal to “falling down in the Spirit”?

3) What is the Holy Spirit’s actual message and mission? Is it the gospel? Is it the sanctification of believers? Is it conviction of sin? Is it the conversion of God’s elect? Is it love and faithfulness? If so, are these things being emphasized near as much as “falling out in the Spirit” by Hinn and others of his kind?

4) Is Jesus Christ made greatly known in all this? If so, how? If not, would that concern Him? The Spirit testifies of Christ (John 15:26). Jesus wants to be let into churches that don’t fully welcome Him (Rev 3:20).

Arminianism + Butt Rock = Stryper-Free

I love the 80’s rock band Stryper. But as the saying goes, “ideas have consequences”, so the idea of libertarian free will has consequences, whether it be bad theology or butt rock! By libertarian free will I mean the belief that a dead and unrepentant sinner is only indifferent to God, rather than only hostile to Him (Rom 8:6-8). Arminianism teaches that dead and unrepentant sinners can still conjure up at least an ounce of love for the Lord Jesus Christ and ask Him to save them.

The song sort of flaunts this “take it or leave it” offer as a way of saying, “hey, you’re free to do what you want to”. It’s as though they’re casually implying, “it’s cooler to look out for yourself and choose Heaven, but if you still want to choose Hell then go ahead.”

However, I believe you’ll find the most effective and Biblical way to evangelize is to first understand how spiritually dead sinners actually are! So dead in fact that they can’t make decisions to love God. As Ernest Reisinger says “we are to teach people the gospel (in hopes that God will use it to change their heart), NOT “decision” them.” (Mat 28:02)

The lyrics in this video will explain what I am actually talking about.

Please use caution when watching this video! Viewer discretion is advised! In case you sneezed and missed the 80’s, you’re about to see long hair and leather pants.

Some Problems With Modern Evangelism (We Assume Too Much and Know Too Little)

The initial problem in evangelism today is that we have false assumptions about how truly dead the un-born of God sinner is. The majority of Christians today have been taught that an un-repentant sinner is more likened to a sick patient rather than a walking corpse. We have this false notion from the outset and our efforts to evangelize are in vain unless God picks up the pieces of our ignorance. The truth is that we ARE evangelizing zombies and walking corpses. No one goes to a grave yard and tries to sell life insurance. Yet this is what we are doing when we assume that sinners are actually searching for forgiveness.

“Tetelestai”

Oh, what joy it is to declare “paid in full” for your sin! Oh, what unspeakable rest it is to to have all your rebellion in mind, word, and deed placed upon Christ and have His perfect thoughts, words, and actions freely given to you!

Christ is eternally holy, pure, and good. Our lawlessness against Him echoes an eternal imperfection in us and creates an infinite chasm between us and God. Only the cross of Jesus Christ bridges this infinite gap. This gap is our eternal imperfection keeping us from God’s eternal perfection. Today, know that you have crossed this impossible bridge if you believe that God’s punishment for your self-righteousness and pride has been diverted to Jesus Christ instead of you. Rest assure you have crossed this impossible bridge because you live for Christ and enjoy being more like Him inwardly and outwardly. But only Jesus Christ makes this impossible bridge, possible to cross. Cross it now. Believe in Jesus Christ!

“Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing
Passing from you and from me
Shadows are gathering, death-beds are coming
Coming for you and for me!

Come home! come home!
Ye who are weary, come home!
Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,
Calling, O sinner, come home!”

~ William L. Thompson