The Church in the Post-Truth Era

The Church in the Post-Truth Era

I have a book in my library called The Post-Truth Era written by Ralph Keys. The book discusses the prevalence of deception and flat out lying in our contemporary culture. From popular politicians to the next door neighbor, Keys documents how people regularly lie to one another in order to get what they want. I was reminded of Keys book after reading an article in The Rotarian magazine titled The Four-Way Test in a post-truth era. The Rotary club has what is called The Four-Way Test for all things that we say or do. The first of these tests is, “Is it the truth?” How does such a test work in a culture that is “post-truth.” Interestingly enough, the author of the article was still committed to the idea that there is truth. I found that rather encouraging.

As Christians, we have God’s truth revealed for us in the Bible. Jesus said in John 17:17, “Sanctify them in your truth; your word is truth.” We also have the example of Jesus to follow. Jesus also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:7). On top of that, Jesus said that we can know the truth. He said to those who believed on him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32). What does the church do about living in a post-truth culture? We keep on doing the same thing we have always done, speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). The church doesn’t capitulate to cultural standards. Rather, it is the culture that must capitulate to God’s standards. Don’t be shy about telling others the truth. There are many who still believe in truth today.

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The Effect of Suicide on the Soul

The Effect of Suicide on the Soul

Question: Is suicide always a sentence to hell?

Answer:

There is, within the church, a group of people that commonly is neglected, overlooked, and seldom discussed. Occasionally they may receive help through a benevolence program, or may be housed in a special shelter for adults, but aside from that, they are quietly and conveniently outcast—not mentioned in sermons, and often unwelcome in church buildings.

They are the mentally ill.

Current estimates reveal that 22.1 percent of Americans ages 18 and older—about 1 in 5 adults—suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, when applied to the U.S. Census residential population estimate, this figure translates to 44.3 million people.

Of these, many can be further diagnosed with severe mental illnesses—those possessing unstable neural chemistry to the degree that the individual is unable to function in society or distinguish right from wrong.

So where do these individuals find themselves in the light of God’s Word? Are they walking “in the light,” or has their lack of obedience to the Gospel caused them to place their immortal souls in danger?

We teach—accurately—that murder is sin and that suicide leaves an individual in a poor relationship with God Who is the Giver of life (Acts 17:25). We correctly teach our young people the importance of not corrupting or physically damaging their physical bodies.

So, what about a person who totally disregards the instructions Paul gave to the Christians at the Corinth in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

For instance, what about the precious soul of an individual who is ravaged with a disease such as schizophrenia and who prematurely ends his or her life? Or what about those individuals who bring pain and destruction to their own bodies through an overdose of pills, or a sharp blade against the skin? Are we ready to stand tall in the pulpit and proclaim these individuals lost, just because they appear physically mature?

In evaluating the eternal salvation of these special individuals, we need to assess what ability they possess to obey God’s law. If, in doing so, we deem that they are unable to discern right from wrong, how, then, can we hold them accountable? If the neuronal chemicals responsible for moral conscientiousness are physiologically unstable, then it is beyond the individual’s capability to observe the edicts found in the New Testament.

We commonly hear the phrase “age of accountability” within the church in reference to young people who have traversed from a “safe innocent” state into a position of being responsible to God for their actions. Aside from age and physical maturity, is someone that is mentally handicapped any different from the young child? Neither has the capability of knowing and carrying out the commands of God.

Does that change God’s expectations? No, it does not. God does not change. But does this mental handicap change their status in God’s eyes? Certainly. The mentally ill possess a “safe” status when it comes to their salvation, just as young children do.

Infants and young children have not sinned, and thus have no need for repentance. Thus, as the examples in the New Testament demonstrate, children are not candidates to be buried with Jesus Christ in baptism for the remission of sins. While children do not come into contact with the blood of Jesus Christ, their very nature and innocence affords them safety in the eyes of the Lord.

David, following the death of his son by Bathsheba, informed us that the righteous one-day would meet up with their children. After learning of the child’s death, David stated: “But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me” (2 Samuel 12:23, emp. added). David knew he one day would see his son again—a son that had been afforded a safe condition in the eyes of the Lord.

The mentally ill are no different from this young child. They, too, are unable to comprehend repentance and the confession of Christ, and as such are not candidates for baptism. However, this does not mean that the mentally ill will spend an eternity in torment. They, like children, have been granted safety in the eyes of God.

Before you rejoice and assume that you, too, are afforded this same safe condition because you’ve been diagnosed with something, we must realize that science delights in naming new syndromes or diseases. This results in medical textbooks that are overflowing with official-sounding ailments. As a result, we have found ourselves diagnosed with horrific sounding syndromes, when in truth our only symptom was a hurt toe, a loss of hair, or intestinal discomfort. But that official “label” is still penned into your medical chart.

This is true with minor mental issues as well. Just because you are now the proud owner of one of those horrible-sounding diseases, does not negate the fact that you still have an obligation to obey Almighty God. The diseases under discussion here are those diseases that affect the mental well-being of an individual to the point that they are incapable of functioning (i.e. schizophrenia, autism, Down’s syndrome, dementia, etc.).

The mentally ill in our community are a very special group of people—a people who possess souls and are important to God. As Christians, we should strive not only to minister to these, God’s children, but also to teach and preach on these things as well.

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SU BIBLIA EN ESPAÑOL REINA VALERA

CONOZCA SU BIBLIA EN ESPAÑOL REINA VALERA 1960

Este es uno de los temas que más me ha fascinado y al cual he dedicado varias horas de estudio. La razón es porque la Biblia es el libro sagrado, único mapa que puede hacer salvo al hombre, saber y conocer todo sobre ella es fundamental. La Biblia en el idioma inglés tiene su propia historia extensa y muy distinta a lo es la formación de nuestro santo libro en el idioma español. Algunos han alegado con muy poco criterio académico, que la Iglesia católica nos dio el canon, sin embargo, dudo mucho que ese haya sido el caso. A continuación, deseo resumir un poco de la historia entendiendo que es mucho más extensa que el material presentado aquí.reina valera

Formación del canon del Nuevo Testamento

No hay evidencia histórica que ningún individuo, iglesia o concilio ecuménico en particular determinarán en un momento específico los límites del canon. Incluso en la actualidad el leccionario oficial de la iglesia ortodoxa griega tiene material de sólo 22 de los 27 libros del N.T.

Jesús mismo preparó el camino para añadir material al canon del A.T. Cuando puso sus palabras no simplemente por encima de la interpretación de los escribas (Mt.5:33-37,43-48) sino a la par de la ley del A.T (Mt.5:21-42) Pablo dio instrucciones a las iglesias en Colosas y Laodicea a fin de que se intercambiara las cartas para lectura pública (Col.4:16). La epístola a los Gálatas debía circular entre una cantidad de iglesias (1:2). Aparentemente se enviaron copias de Efesios a varias iglesias en el Valle del Lico. La segunda de Pedro 3:1516 es la referencia más temprana a la existencia de una colección de las cartas de Pedro y muestra la autoridad que se percibía en esta colección. Para el tiempo de Ignacio, obispo de Antioquía aproximadamente en el 110 d. C ya había cierto tipo de Corpus Paulino y para la época de Marción (140 d. C) el proceso de recolección virtualmente ya estaba completo. Por eso es esencial recalcar con énfasis las palabras del hermano Neil R. Lightfoot en su prominente obra “Como nos llegó la Biblia” lo siguiente:

Ningún concilio formó el canon de las escrituras. Ninguna iglesia por medio de sus decretos, nos dieron o aprobaron la infalibilidad de los libros de la Biblia. La Biblia no le debe su autoridad a ningún individuo o grupo. La Iglesia no controla el canon, pero el canon controla la Iglesia. Así que la autoridad divina es atribuida en la autoría de estos libros por la iglesia algunos siglos más tarde. Tal como un niño identifica a su madre, la iglesia tardía identifica a los libros que ya tenían por sí mismos una autoridad única y divina.  (How we got the Bible. Neil. R Lightfoot, pág.162)

Origen de nuestra Reina Valera 1960

Existe evidencia de que la Biblia en el idioma español ya era conocida en España en el siglo 10º. Un edicto de Jaime I de Aragón en 1223 prohibió a sus súbditos tener los libros del Antiguo y el Nuevo Testamento en idioma romance. El Concilio de Tolosa en 1229 prohibió a los legos que usarán la Biblia en el idioma vernáculo sin embargo no se conocen esas traducciones. La primera traducción importante al castellano de la que se tiene datos precisos es la conocida Biblia Alfonsina traducida por orden del Rey Alfonso X de Castilla (Alfonso el sabio) que apareció en 1280 y fue una traducción de la vulgata, pero en forma resumida y parafraseada.

En 1527 el cardenal Quiroga obsequió al rey Felipe II la traducción al español que había realizado de la vulgata, esta traducción se conoce como la Biblia de Quiroga.

En 1543 apareció una versión del Nuevo Testamento traducida por Francisco de Enzinas, quién utilizó el texto griego que había publicado Erasmo en Bruselas en 1516. La obra de Enzinas fue el primer Nuevo Testamento completo que se conoció en español.

En 1556 Juan Pérez de Pineda publicó su versión del Nuevo Testamento para la cual había usado la versión encinas y había agregado su propia traducción de los Salmos. Debo decir que es a esta altura de la historia en donde Norman L. Geisler en su obra “Introducción general a la Biblia” añade a Martini y Anselmo Petite traductores         que fueron permitidos por la inquisición en 1758 hasta 1790 para traducir la Biblia al español (pág.577 del libro citado).

Para 1560 salió a la luz la Biblia del Oso, traducida por Casiodoro de Reina. Esta fue la primera versión de la Biblia completamente traducida al español a partir de los manuscritos más antiguos disponibles en la época en hebreo, griego y arameo. Para el Nuevo Testamento Reina usó la tercera edición del texto de Erasmo. Tan solo este hecho hace que Reina Valera sea muy cercana mi corazón, pues en la historia de la Biblia al español, me causa melancolía pensar en los cientos de personas que por primera vez en toda la historia del hombre estaban leyendo en su propio idioma y de forma completa la perfecta palabra de Dios. El texto de Erasmo fue muy respetado en su momento y si hablamos de la tercera edición mucho más todavía, aunque como toda traducción no escapa de los errores de traducción. Quiero ser claro en que una cosa son los errores de traducción y los errores en el contenido. Más tarde Cipriano de Valera invirtió 20 años en la revisión de la traducción que había completado Reina. Publicó el N.T en Londres en 1596 y en 1602 toda la Biblia en Amsterdam. Otras revisiones de esta traducción se hicieron en 1862, 1865, 1874, 1883, 1890, 1909, 1960 y 1995, 2016 y no estoy seguro si en la actualidad trabajan para alguna otra revisión.   Algunos me han tildado de Reina-Valera Lovera lo que me declaro culpable de todos los cargos. Yo no sé, pero prefiero confiar en un trabajo de traducción que ha sido revisado más de 20 veces que una versión moderna que acaba de salir y no posee ninguna revisión en lo absoluto.

La versión de la Biblia Reina Valera de 1960 estuvo a cargo de la sociedad Bíblicas unidas que designó un comité especial para ello. Los viajes comenzaron a manera de consultoría, participaron poco más de 80 líderes evangélicos de toda América latina, para colaborar principalmente en la revisión del castellano y asegurarse que el lenguaje estaba acorde y a la altura de las ideas originales. Países como: México, Chile, Argentina, Costa Rica (por supuesto) entre otros se dieron la ardua labor de revisión. Algunas palabras como Caridad, que se confunde con limosna debieron cambiarse por Amor en muchos pasajes como por ejemplo 1 Corintios 13.

Muchas de las diferencias entre Reina Valera y las versiones modernas radican principalmente en el texto griego base. Erasmo utilizó Textus Receptus mientras que en su mayoría las versiones modernas utilizan Westcott y Hort como base o el de NestleAland. Considero que es muy cruel desechar con alevosía y ventaja la versión Reina Valera por la Biblia de las Américas o cualquier otra versión moderna sin antes conocer al menos un poco el sacrificio de tantos hombres y los años de historia que le encierran. Gloria sea Dios de que Biblia siga siendo el libro más vendido en el mundo y que muchas versiones en español estén circulando, pero nos sigue preocupando el trato ligero que se le da a la palabra de Dios en Biblias de parafraseo o cualquier otra semejante que busque más que cualquier otra cosa venderse más y llegar al lenguaje popular de nuestros días.  Termino citando las palabras del hermano Wayne Jackson en su artículo gente que cree en la biblia” donde hace notar lo siguiente:

“¿Posee la Biblia realmente inspiración divina?  Una declaratoria escasa de evidencia es hueca. El hecho es que la evidencia para demostrar la inspiración divina de la Biblia es abrumante e impresionante… continúa diciendo, nosotros somos gente que cree en la Biblia a causa de la poderosa evidencia que contiene en la inspiración celestial de las santas escrituras.”

Referencias

Neil R. Lightfoot. (1963). How we got the Bible. MI: Baker Books.

Norman L. Geisler. (1986). A General Introduction to the Bible. Chicago: Moody Press.

Wayne Jackson. “A Bible-Believing People.” ChristianCourier.com. Access date: January 21, 2022. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/279-a-bible-believing-people

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Our Constantly Changing World

Our Constantly Changing World

Take a quick look at your world and it immediately becomes obvious that all that is around us is in a constant state of change. While the nature of man has not changed, the world in which we live is so different from the world of our grandparents. Imagine what former generations would think if they were transported into our world. It is so different from what they knew.world change

There is an interesting Greek word used to describe this change. In a historical setting, it was used to describe Jesus as He passed by Matthew, the tax collector, and called him to become a follower of Jesus. Matthew was sitting at his place, but immediately he left all to follow Jesus (Matt. 9:9). Jesus passed by and the situation was never the same.

It is used to describe Jesus’ encounter with Bartimaeus, the blind man. As the Lord was passing out of Jericho, He opened his eyes (Matt. 9:27). Jesus continued His journey and the blind man was no longer sitting and begging. He followed Jesus. The world of all those who lived in Jericho was never the same because Jesus walked through their world.

One lexicographer illustrated the meaning of this word as seeing what happened in a panoramic picture as a movie camera scans what is before. As the action occurs, the picture continually changes. This continuous change is emphasized when we note that this Greek word is in the present tense, indicating ongoing change.

With this in mind, consider the spiritual application made of this word. In 2 Corinthians 3, Paul described the face of Moses as it glowed after he had been in the presence of God. The veil Moses wore kept them from immediately seeing the change, but soon it was gone. Paul says that they could not see “what was passing away” (2 Cor. 3:13). That glory shown in his face was passing away. As Paul wrote these words, the glory associated with that law was about to end. Just 15 years after the apostle wrote these words, Judaism came to a crashing halt when the Romans destroyed the temple.

The same is true of our world. John described all that was in the world—the lust of the flesh and eyes and the pride of life—and says it all “is passing away” (1 John 2:15-17). This truth shows us the folly of investing our lives in the physical world. It is passing away.

Our world is constantly changing. Yesterday’s world with all its problems does not exist. Can you think of anything which has not changed? I know of only one thing which never changes. “The word of the Lord endures forever” (1 Pet. 1:25). “Every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Psa. 119:160). The world is changing, but He never does!

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David Dealt with Calamities

David Dealt with Calamities

The headings of the psalms are not inspired words from God but reflect the ancient concepts of what was occurring in the life of the psalmist when he penned that psalm. The heading of Psalm 57 describes the events happening in the life of David when he wrote the psalm—“When David fled from Saul into the cave.” Regardless of when it was written, it shows us how David dealt with the most dire situations in his life.

David Psalm 57

How did David deal with Calamities?

David first looked at the most high God. In the midst of trials, God was one who “performs all things.” David’s God (and ours!) was not one who sat idly by when He saw His children suffering (verse 2). He is One who sends forth blessing of salvation from heaven and reproaches the enemies of those who threatened His children, attempting to swallow them up. He was the God who sends forth mercy and truth (v. 3).

David then looked around him and thought about his enemies. If the heading is accurate, King Saul had just returned from fighting with the Philistines and, upon learning where David had fled, took 3,000 soldiers to kill him (1 Sam. 24). David and his men had taken refuge in the recesses of a large cave when Saul approached the cave and went inside. David’s greatest enemy was before him with thousands of soldiers just outside the cave. Look at how David described them. They were the fiercest warriors among the sons of men. Their violent spirit was like coals of fire, their teeth were like spears and arrows and their tongues were like a sharp sword (v. 4). They had figuratively dug a pit into which David might fall and prepared a net to ensnare him (v. 6).

David then showed his reactions to God’s providence in the midst of ungodly men. “My heart is steadfast.” His heart was anchored and firmly fixed on God and His nature. None of the adversity moved him. Instead of trembling with fear, David’s heart was singing the praises of God. As each day dawned, the man after God’s own heart loudly proclaimed His glory (vs. 7-9).

The psalm closes with words contrasting God and those fierce beasts of David’s enemies. God was glorious, and His mercy and truth reached from David (in the recesses of that cave) unto the highest heavens. Read the events of what happened at the cave to see how God responded to all of this and delivered David.

Look again at the first verse. “In the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, until these calamites have passed by.”  Our lives are so often stressful and surrounded by adversity. When you find yourself in these circumstances never give up. We serve an eternal merciful God and all “these calamites” will pass by. Remember He is with you in your darkest “cave.”

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