Looking forward to the Answers

Looking forward to the Answers

Yesterday, I was sitting in the chair in a barbershop in Denver, Colorado. Like normal I asked the person cutting my hair what were her passions in life and what were some things she was looking forward to given the craziness of 2020. She enthusiastically replied, “I can’t wait for the holidays! I can’t wait to gather with my family, eat a wonderful meal, and just enjoy some normalcy.” I suspect she is not alone. I suspect there are thousands of individuals who long to be surrounded by those they love and just enjoy familiar traditions.

looking forward

Why are you here? What are you looking for?

When I asked the young lady cutting my hair what were her favorite Thanksgiving foods she said, “I love all the sides and desserts. Especially the desserts!” Again, I suspect she is not alone.

Consider for just a moment your favorite Thanksgiving dessert:

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Apple Pie

Cheesecake

Grandma’s Secret Chocolate Cake

Coconut cake

Fruit Trifle

Carrot Cake

You get the picture. Imagine you walk into your kitchen and there sits your favorite dessert. Science can tell you a great deal about that dessert. For instance, it can tell you what ingredients are in the dessert. It can tell you that the dessert is real and does exist. It might even help us deduce who created the dessert. (Fingerprints, DNA, etc.) But the one thing science cannot tell you is WHY that particular dessert was created.

Only the creator can tell us WHY.

The only way that you will ever know why the dessert was created is if the person who made it reveals it to you. The same can be said for the Earth and the Universe. Science can tell us a lot about the universe, but it can’t tell us why it was created. For that we must turn to the Creator.

If you really want to know why you are here, why the universe was created, why the earth exists, then turn to the Creator. The answer to these questions and so many more are revealed to us in God’s Word. Let me encourage you today to dig deeply into God’s Word to find out why! Ironically, the answer as to why someone baked your favorite dessert and why the earth exists are probably very similar—because the creators of both love you.

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LEYES TERRENALES Y LOS CRISTIANOS 

LEYES TERRENALES Y LOS CRISTIANOS

El contexto general en el que se escribe Romanos 13:1-7 tiene que ver con las responsabilidades de los cristianos incluyendo claro está la responsabilidad con el gobierno civil.

leyes christiano

LEYES TERRENALES Y LOS CRISTIANOS

A manera de introducción cabe la oportunidad mencionar que largas horas se han invertido en discutir estos 7 versículos en Romanos y muchos cristianos han ignorado lo que Pablo está diciendo en principio. Fundamentalmente el bastión que sostiene esta porción en los 7 versículos es el principio de la autoridad. Toda autoridad reside en Dios, tanto la terrenal como la espiritual y uno no puede estar bien con una y con otra no y viceversa. La discusión acabaría automáticamente si entendemos el principio de autoridad y la necesidad de estar dispuestos a someternos a ella. Con todo hay mucho más que decir y procedemos a ello.

Ninguna ley terrenal que esté por encima de las leyes especificadas por Dios en su santo libro deberá ser obedecida por los cristianos. Pero pagar impuestos, tener el vehículo en regla, estar legal en un país o en proceso de estarlo, portar una licencia de conducir, y en la actualidad cumplir con las restricciones sanitarias que no violen la ley de Dios son parte de los deberes que un cristiano debe de cumplir para con su gobierno en el cual el tal es ciudadano. Recordamos como Pablo hizo uso de su derecho como ciudadano romano en Hechos 22:25 y nuevamente cuando apeló a César en Hechos 25:11. Al ser ciudadano romano de nacimiento portaba con ciertos derechos (reflejados en los pasajes antes mencionados) y sin lugar a duda con ciertos deberes como pagar impuestos al gobierno de Roma.

DESOBEDIENCIA JUSTA DELANTE DE DIOS

Un cristiano podría perder su salvación al vivir en desobediencia a las leyes terrenales que no atenten contra la voluntad de Dios por el simple hecho de no aprender a sujetarse al principio de Autoridad. En Judas 4-10 leemos de la condenación de ángeles que no respetaron la autoridad de Dios y que están reservados para la condenación Eterna. Así que es posible ser condenado por irrespeto a la autoridad de Dios aún cuando estas sean terrenales.

Existe una desobediencia justa delante de Dios. Los cristianos primitivos debían reunirse cada domingo aún cuando esto era prohibido por parte del emperador, la respuesta de Dios fue “…se fiel hasta la muerte y yo te daré la corona de vida.” (Ap.2:10) implícitamente esta fidelidad incluía; reunirse los domingos como Iglesia, cantar, orar, tomar la cena del Señor, ofrendar, aún cuando el costo sea sus propias vidas al ser descubiertos.

Está por demás mencionar que tiempos de coronavirus y tiempos de cuarentena se torna difícil tomar decisiones. Por un lado, está nuestra obligación para con Dios en reunirnos y por otra la prohibición del gobierno, la amenaza de cerrar edificios y el riesgo de ser contagiados o contagiar a alguien. No podemos comprender cómo en un país se abren las fronteras, restaurantes bares, discotecas, pero los edificios de Iglesias permanecen cerrados. Parece ser que la hermandad sigue muy confundida en tres conceptos: Iglesia, mandamientos, y adoración. Considere:

  1. La Iglesia no está cerrada. El gobierno no puede hacer eso. Podrán cerrar los edificios, pero no la Iglesia del Señor. Recientemente conversando con el hermano Hipólito Triveños de Cusco Perú, decía: “Nosotros nos reímos del gobierno, ellos nos prohíben adorar en el edificio, pero nosotros adoramos a Dios en la montaña, detrás de los arbustos, en patio de alguna casa, en la selva…hasta allá les da pereza llegar”. Gloria a Dios por los hermanos de humilde condición en Perú que se ríen del gobierno al obedecer justamente a Dios y que han entendido correctamente que la Iglesia no es un local.
  2. En la mente de Dios NUNCA estuvo el diseño de una “Iglesia virtual”.  Hemos fallado enormemente al pretender obedecer el mandamiento de Dios en la reunión de la Iglesia sintonizandonos por internet y teniendo “comunión virtual”. Ef.2:15 de ambos pueblos hizo uno solo haciendo la paz… intentamos convencernos a nosotros mismos de que Dios nos está justificando por la condición mundial pandémica cuando podríamos estar atentando horrorosamente al plan eterno de Dios en su cuerpo. NO EXISTE “Koinonia” virtual, o “Congregaciones fantasmas”. Nada nunca reemplazará el contacto humano y personal que Dios desea en su Iglesia, “Saludados los unos a los otros con ósculo santo…” (Ro.16:16). Obviamente entendemos las recomendaciones de salud y las leyes, pero ¿es eso suficiente para detener a la Iglesia Gloriosa del Señor en cierto lugar?
  1. Miedo. Algunos han justificado la ausencia de las reuniones físicas por el miedo a ser expuestos al covid-19. Y si no es miedo hacia ellos es miedo para no exponer a sus hijos. ¿Cómo si los cristianos del siglo primero son historias ficticias o extraterrestres? ¿Cómo si ellos no tenían hijos pequeños? Y aún así ellos expusieron sus vidas y la de sus familias por amor al Señor. Desde Nerón (54 d.C) hasta Maximiano (305 d.C) ocurrieron casi 10 periodos de intensa persecución contra los cristianos y nosotros hablamos de ¿miedo a ser contagiados? Absurdo, ese tipo de justificación es una burla a nuestros antepasados en la fe.

¿PROTESTAS VIOLENTAS?

Por supuesto que esto no es bien visto por Dios. Somos gente de paz, personas que aman a otros seres humanos y que no están involucrados en ningún tipo de rebelión a menos que sea necesario glorificar a Dios. Los apóstoles violaron las reglas de los hombres, pero estuvieron contentos de obedecer a Dios (Hechos 5:41).

Para concluir deseo enfatizar que Romanos 13 no está ahí con la intención de que los predicadores tengamos un buen tema para discutir en las clases Bíblicas los domingos, o para buscar los “portillos” en que podemos obedecer o en que no.  Obsérvese:

  1. 12:4-8    Responsabilidades como miembros de un solo cuerpo.
  2. 12:9-21  Responsabilidadespara aquellos que nos persiguen.
  3. 13:1-7    Responsabilidadespara con los gobernantes.
  4. 13:8-10  Responsabilidad de amar a todos los hombres.

Muchas cosas cambiarían si tan solo prestamos más atención al contexto de donde se encuentra la sección controversial y la palabra Responsabilidad, estoy seguro de que muchas cosas cambiarían y como Pedro al encontrar la moneda en la boca del pez (Lc.17:23) aprenderemos a hablar menos y pagar los impuestos, aunque no estemos muy de acuerdo con el gobierno y sus gobernantes.

 

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Something Far Worse than Covid

Something Far Worse than Covid

“Covid is real!” “Covid is deadly!” “People need to take Covid seriously!” Such statements ring resoundingly from both national news and social media outlets alike…And they’re absolutely right! Many Americans who had reportedly tested positive for Covid, had passed away. (1)

covid danger

Yes, there are more important things…

Now, as an aside, the reason I write it like that is because of the somewhat deceptive way in which such data is chronicled, conveyed to, and consumed by, us. Hopefully we all understand by now that only a portion of the total number of deaths being reported as resulting from Covid actually are.Check it out for yourself. Consider:

1). As a story in the Denver Post confirmed earlier this year, such categorization “has been used by the health department since the start of the pandemic and includes the total number of people who died who have COVID-19, regardless of whether it was the virus that ultimately killed them.” (2)(Emph. mine – DED)

2). It is also noteworthy that health care facilities can receive vastly more federal funding for each case of Covid that they list that they had to deal with.(3, 4)

3). When you add to that, the fact that in states like Oklahoma where the less dependable rapid test results that used to be considered as probable are now counted as positive,(5) well, you can see how that if one doesn’t understand the parameters behind which these numbers are arrived at, that the daily reported Covid “death toll” numbers can, at the very least appear to be quite deceptive, if notoutrightoverly and grossly exaggerated.

However, the point of this article is neither to minimize the impact of the Coronavirus or to downplay the tragic loss of life that it is legitimately causing daily in our society. Any one life lost to this monster is one life too many! But what the point of this article actually is, is to bring to our attention a far, far, infinitely far greater and more deadly and dangerous event, and subsequently, the unbelievable irony that accompanies it. Consider…

Using these overly exaggerated numbers partly because even slightly more accurate ones are nowhere readily available as far as I know, that means that while 8,393,773 Americans have reportedly contracted the Coronavirus as of October 19th, that the other 322.5 or so million, or roughly 97.5% of Americans, have not. And yet, as to the infinitely more far reaching and life-changing event of which I speak, it will be experienced by every single American, as well asevery other person on the entire planet to boot – 100% of us, no exceptions!

Also, while the recently-chronicled amount of Covid cases that have had an outcome in America as of the 19th of October numbered 5,688,234, some 5,463,410(or roughly 96%) of those people who once had it, had alsorecoveredfrom and ultimately survived it. However, as to the far more fatal future event to which I refer, there will be no such overwhelming survival rate. In fact, there will be far more who will perish in it – and for all eternity – than there will be of those who survive it (Matt. 7:13-27).

Obviously by now you’ve figured out that the event to which I refer is the coming Judgment Day (Rev. 20:10-15). And the obvious irony is how so many unsaved folks who so adamantly claim that we must all take the Coronavirus more seriously – a disease that hasonly infected less than 3% of our population; a disease which, amongst those whom it has infected, have experienced about a 96% recovery rate; and a disease which can, only at itsabsolute most, take away one’s momentary earthly life–seem to want nothing whatsoever to do with taking far more seriously the eternal death that so many – including all of them if they don’t become Biblical New Testament Christians – will most certainly experience come Judgement Day! Talk about needing to take something far more seriously? Talk about messed up priorities! Talk about straining out a gnat to swallow a camel (Matt. 23:23-24)?!?

But before we get too far down on those who know neither Christ, His word, or about the judgement to come (like Felix inActs 24:25), what about us? Where do our priorities lie? In discussing and/or seeking to help others avoid and/or survive the Coronavirus?Or, in discussing and seeking to help others avoid the wrath of God on JudgementDay, by teaching themhow to better know and to obey Jesus, so they can survive it by virtue of His blood and be guaranteed entrance into His eternal heavenly home?

Yes: Covid is indeed real; and it needs to be taken very seriously. However, the question we as Christians must answer is: “Have we been helping to stem the tide of something far more destructive by sharing the gospel instead?”

  1. https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/usa/oklahoma/
  2. https://www.denverpost.com/2020/05/20/coronavirus-covid-medicare-payments-hospitals/
  3. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/04/24/fact-check-medicare-hospitals-paid-more-covid-19-patients-coronavirus/3000638001/
  4. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/finance/how-much-federal-covid-19-aid-are-hospitals-getting-a-state-by-state-analysis.html
  5. https://oklahoman.com/article/5670840/state-to-include-rapid-coronavirus-tests-in-positive-case-count-for-first-time
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God Help Me

God Help Me

The story is told of a young child who foolishly had climbed on top of the house. It was a metal roof, years ago called a tin roof, and each piece was held in place by several nails readily visible. The boy slipped and was sliding down the roof and knew he would be injured when he fell. He remembered the Bible class he had attended just days before where prayer had been discussed. So, as he was sliding, he prayed, “God help me.” Those words had scarcely been uttered and then were followed by these, “That’s all right, God, I do not need Your help; my pants caught on one of the nails and stopped me.”

roof help

Who will you call when you fall? Who will you thank when you don’t?

That boy’s response was like that of Pharaoh when the plagues came on the Egyptians. When the second plague of frogs came, the king called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat the Lord…and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” God removed the frogs. “But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them” (Ex. 8:8, 15).

When the fourth plague of flies came it happened again. The king said, “I will let you go that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God…intercede for me.” Every single fly was removed. “But Pharaoh hardened his heart again at this time also” (Ex. 8:28, 32). He was like the boy on the rooftop who called out to God asking for His help, but when help came he told God to forget his first prayer.

I can imagine what might repeatedly happen in this land in the coming months in the lives of those who never have had a place for God. There will be those who will be in a difficult financial crisis and begin to pray to God for the first time. There may be those who have friends and family members who become infected with the virus and in desperation will pray to God. They may even make promises to God that if He will help them, they will serve Him forever. When better times come, they will say to God, “Forget it, God, I no longer need you.”

Turning to the Lord is far more that crying out to a Rescuer when trouble comes. He is a Rescuer, but He is Lord. He is Master. He is the Ruler of all His creation. He is the only Way. He is the Shepherd who demands His sheep follow Him. We are not at liberty to select only those traits of God we like and ignore the rest.

Meditate on these two verses. “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and His ears open to their prayers” (1 Pet. 3:12). “He who turns his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination” (Prov. 28:9).  As trials are coming toward us, make sure you are serving Him before they arrive. God has His “nails of rescue,” but He only promises them to those who serve Him all the time.

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The problem with “Spiritual but not Religious”

The problem with “Spiritual but not Religious”

For the next few months I’m going to pause the Letters to my Children and instead pen letters to people who have walked away from Jesus and His church. While these letters are written to a generic audience of people who have left the church, most will be written with a particular person in mind…in hopes that they will think seriously about where they stand.

Dear friend, I send you warm greetings from Franklin, TN. I hope this letter finds you well.

Congratulations on your recent marriage. I hope that you have a lifelong marriage filled with joy and happiness. I have been thinking a great deal about what you said: “I’m spiritual but just not religious. I do not believe in organized worship.”

spiritual

Don’t believe in Organized Church?

You complained that religion just leads to problems over money, power, and egos. While some of your frustration may be correct in many denominations, the church that Jesus founded was never meant to be about any of that. It was always and will always be about Him.

Which is why I’m writing you today.

Imagine me inviting you on a wonderful vacation—four star hotels, delicious food, and outstanding weather. I tell you to pack a bag for several weeks. But then I add: “Yes, I want you to come, just not your wife?” How would you feel? I suspect you would eventually tell me: “No thanks. If my wife can’t go then I’m not interested.” In fact, you might find yourself upset with me for singling out your wife and saying she was not invited. After all, this is the woman you just vowed your love to!

I suspect this is similar to how Jesus feels every time He hears someone say they are spiritual but they don’t want the church. Read John 3:16 again—yes, I know you’ve probably heard it a million times, but I want you to read it in the context of love: “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.”

Now, with that thought in mind flip over and read, Ephesians 5:21-26: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word.”

The Bible describes the church as the bride of Christ. In fact, in Revelation 19:7-9 it talks specifically about Jesus coming back to claim His bride, the church. “Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’” And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God.’”

If the church is the bride of Jesus, then basically what you are saying is: “I’ll take Jesus, but I don’t want His bride.” How do you think that makes Jesus feel for you to reject His bride?

Furthermore, how do you harmonize your ideology with the John 14:15 where Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments”? If you do your own thing are you really keeping the commandments of Christ? Do you remember the scene when Jesus was being tempted by Satan? One of the things Satan tried to get Jesus to do was worship him. Notice the way Jesus responded: “And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.”’” (Luke 4:8).

Jesus knew the importance and power of worshipping God. I realize “I’m spiritual but just not religious” is a popular stance these days, but is it possible you are avoiding religion because it requires time and energy? Is it possible that your ego is interfering? Is it possible you do not want to be accountable to anyone? Is it possible that by avoiding organized religion you can also avoid sacrificing your time for things like giving to the poor, helping the needy, building up your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ? Is it possible that deep down you do not want to be reminded of Biblical morals?

I hope you will think on these things.

Until next time, I continue to pray for you.

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