Politics: One More Reason to Hate Calvinism
Calvinists are sooooo much more spiritual than we are that we can’t even talk about real life without being corrected. So, let me instruct you on how to discuss last night’s election without being chastised by a Calvinist:
‘Like, praise Jesus. But like, I was watching the election last night, not caring about who won because Jesus should be the king anyway. I just wanted to see how like, you know, the gospel narrative was going to unfold. It was just so awesome to see what Jesus already planned to do. Praise Jesus. I am still contemplating what the election results mean in their gospel context. Like, it’s really, really deep. In my own part of the gospel narrative, I read from the Scriptures about Jesus (of course) for several hours and then went to the polls to see what gave me joy. When I voted, it was like, a mere natural flow dude.”
Seriously, you can’t say anything. I tweeted something about political conservatism, and the next thing I know, I’m getting blasted for “hoping in conservatism instead of Jesus.” I saw where other tweets that referred to needed political change in this country were met with,” Only Jesus can bring about change.” Right. How dare we be so unspiritual! Folks, these people are making me gag. And I think the primary source of my gagetry is the hypocrisy on steroids. In regard to politics, Calvinists in this country posit a mindset of being above the fray, or endeared to loftier concerns unlike the everyday spiritual peasants among us.
The truth of the matter is that Calvin and his followers throughout the centuries have been rabid, political animals. The Puritans were up to their ears in political intrigue, and the executions of many Reformers/Puritans were for political reasons and not martyrdom for the faith (though factiously represented as such). In fact, the Puritans who came to America were political refugees and little more than that.
While pretending to be above the concerns of mere worldly governments, American Calvinists walk about quoting the Westminster Confession constantly. Do you know what that is? It was a document prepared by Reformed “Divines” at the behest of the English Parliament! It was a religious rule of law for the church and state. The European marriage of church and state resulted in the innumerable slaughter of thousands in Christ’s name.
But American Calvinists are above getting involved in the political system that put an end to all of that. It’s like, so unJesus.
I mean really, how petty can a system be when it lacks so much blood and torture?
paul
The Future of New Calvinism is Political
I have learned much about Reformed theology in the past five years. As I compile facts that point to logical conclusions, those logical conclusions are usually confirmed and lead to additional information. In other words, when you see a duck walking across a field, it is safe to assume he is looking for a body of water, or already knows where one is, and headed in that direction.
And though there is very little information to be found regarding the idea, it is safe to assume that New Calvinism is headed towards a marriage with the government. It’s what Reformed ideology does—it’s who they are. And the fact that John Piper et al continually espouse the position that they think such is a bad idea—there assertion shouldn’t be taken seriously. If ducks could talk, what would you think if one told you he thought ponds were a bad idea? Exactly.
Cooperation with state to enforce “truth” with the sword is a strong Reformed tradition that is all but completely absent in our day except for the remnants of it in Europe where it was spawned. There are actually Reformed political parties there that hold a few seats in parliaments and other branches of government. While calling their confessions, counsels, and creeds “subordinate” truth, they also refer to it as “orthodoxy.” Sure, orthodoxy is subordinate to the Bible, but the dirty little secret is the fact that only the “Divines” can really understand the Bible, and therefore interpret it for the totally depraved ignorant masses. The masses readily concur that orthodoxy is subordinate to the Scriptures, but that agreement has no practical implications for their lives other than the idea that orthodoxy is the only truth they can understand. It might as well be Scripture, and is treated as such. A prime example is the following excerpt:
But the fact remains Reformed Christians are a part of a confessional heritage. Our confessions are summaries of what [we] believe the Word of God teaches.
As confessional Christians, we must stand on our confessions as the principles of our Christian life. Below is the opening paragraph of Article 36 of the Belgic Confession of Faith, Dr. Beeke’s primary subordinate standard:
“We believe that our gracious God, because of the depravity of mankind, hath appointed kings, princes, and magistrates, willing that the world should be governed by certain laws and policies; to the end that the dissoluteness of men might be restrained, and all things carried on among them with good order and decency. For this purpose He hath invested the magistracy with the sword, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well. And their office is, not only to have regard unto and watch for the welfare of the civil state, but also that they protect the sacred ministry, and thus may remove and prevent all idolatry and false worship, that the kingdom of antichrist may be thus destroyed, and the kingdom of Christ promoted. They must, therefore, countenance the preaching of the word of the gospel everywhere, that God may be honored and worshipped by everyone, as He commands in His Word.”
How can such a high and glorious view of a magistrate in subjection to the gospel be confessed as an article of faith and then pragmatism be promoted as the application of that confession? (Online source: http://gentlereformation.org/2012/11/03/why-the-word-of-god-will-not-let-me-vote-for-mitt-romney-a-gentlemanly-response-to-dr-joel-beeke/).
The Reformed ideology of Plato’s Republic with its philosopher kings (church elders and Divines), soldiers (the government) and its producers (society at large) runs deep and long in the Reformed tradition.
We don’t see it now, but we will.
paul
The Potter’s House: Sunday, November 4, 2012
Paul’s Gospel Treatise to the Roman’s: Divine Anthropology; Romans 1:19-2:8
The first major part of Paul’s gospel treatise is about man. This is information about mankind that will equip us to preach the gospel. This first part speaks to unregenerate man. This is a model for preaching to mankind about the gospel—what they need to know about themselves in the appeal to obey the gospel. This is training in regard to what Christians need to know about unregenerate mankind and what they need to be told. This is gospel psychology 101.
This part is from 1:19 through 3:20 overall. Paul addresses the general populous of unregenerate mankind from 1:19 through 2:8. And then from 2:9 to 3:20, Paul teaches important facts about the Jews, Gentiles, and their relationship to God and His gospel. Paul then moves on to the next segment of his gospel starting in 3:21.
As aside, it should be noted that this part of Romans dispels a popular myth in our day—the whole idea that Romans 1:15 is a proof text for the following: Paul was eager to preach the gospel to the Romans because we are sanctified by the same gospel that saved us. In essence, the gospel is about the works of Christ only which is the sum and substance of the Bible. All spiritual growth comes passively through a deeper and deeper knowledge of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Only problem is, though the letter is written to the Romans who were Gentiles, Paul addresses unregenerate man and the Jews independently (note 2:1,17 among many examples). It is clear that the full orbed gospel has different applications for different people groups. Hence, the message and application for life is clearly different according to the specific need which is not the same for the unregenerate and the saved. Many of the Reformed tradition that propagate this taking away from God’s word and adding to it would do well to heed the fearful biblical warnings concerning those who teach such things. A prime example is Michael Horton, who wrote the following on page 62 of Christless Christianity:
Where we land on these issues is perhaps the most significant factor in how we approach our own faith and practice and communicate it to the world. If not only the unregenerate but the regenerate are always dependent at every moment on the free grace of God disclosed in the gospel, then nothing can raise those who are spiritually dead or continually give life to Christ’s flock but the Spirit working through the gospel. When this happens (not just once, but every time we encounter the gospel afresh), the Spirit progressively transforms us into Christ’s image. Start with Christ (that is, the gospel) and you get sanctification in the bargain; begin with Christ and move on to something else, and you lose both.
We noted a very important truth in 1:18. There are only two ways—the unregenerate way and the regenerate way. The unsaved way actively suppresses the truth whether wittingly or unwittingly. There is no neutral ground, and there is no such thing as an agnostic. It’s interesting: it seems Paul begins by refuting the idea that there is any such person as an agnostic, and then moves on to refute the idea that there is any such person as an atheist. How valuable it is to know that these labels are red herrings lest we fail to share the gospel in a way that it needs to be heard. Not knowing and pleading ignorance still suppresses the truth that God expects to be obeyed.
Paul speaks clearly to the supposed idea of the atheist:
Romans 1:19 – For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Aside from the fact that creation should be proof of God in and of itself, God takes a further step; Paul states that, “God has shown it to them.” They will not be able to stand before the one who showed it to them and claim that they didn’t know. As we progress, problems with a strict dichotomy between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will be seen. It’s true God must show man certain things in order for him to see it, but it is interesting that He has shown all men that He is the Creator God. They are without excuse.
Paul continues:
1:21 – For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
This is in the past tense, and it is significant. Paul seems to mention the invisible attributes of God first, and then, “they knew God.” Presently, He shows His invisible attributes to them through creation which is constantly before them and often preaching (Psalm 19:1). But there was a time when God revealed Himself through more than creation—He manifested Himself to man through direct acts on earth. In other words, they suppressed God to His face and often at the foot of His very throne. Paul seems to be smashing all of the popular presuppositions; let’s add another one, “Seeing is believing.” They saw, they knew, and rejected God to His face.
There are myriads of examples of this in Scripture. One is the tower of Babel. Many Bible historians think God’s disapproval of its tower project, resulting in the confusion of languages, occurred within 100 years of the flood. For certain, the huge ark resting atop a mountain was a gargantuan monument to the judgment of God. Other scholars note that the tower was built from water resistant materials. Therefore, the following is suggested: the builders thought they could overcome God’s expected judgment, and God’s promise to not flood the earth again was not believed as well (see endnote #1 for sources).
So, they refused to do two things: they refused to “honor” God, and they refused to be “thankful” unto Him. One would do well to note that Paul summarizes the crux of rebellion against God with two primary categories: recognizing God with the honor He deserves, and being thankful to Him. In this willful suppression of truth, darkness within their own souls deepened. People are always moving in two directions: further away from God and into deeper darkness because they are suppressing His truth, or into greater light because they are upholding truth and honoring God at the same time:
but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
This is the danger of secular philosophy and anything that is deliberately suppressing God’s truth: foolish darkness, though lofty sounding, is filling the void. Worse yet, it replaces God with His own goodness and creation:
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
The image, or idol, is an ancient art of replacing God’s wisdom with dark foolishness. It focuses on a narrow concept that can be interpreted many different ways by many different people; ie, they can make its meaning anything they want it to be. A good example is the infamous “Butterball Jesus” in Monroe, Ohio. It is a giant 60ft. image of Christ that stands in front of a large Charismatic church visible from the I-75 interstate highway that runs by it. Testimonies concerning how the image “speaks” to many of those passing by, including salvation experiences, abound. The diverse ways in which the image “speaks” to detractors varies as well:
“It’s cartoonish,” “It’s the most retarded thing I have ever seen in my life,” “It makes Christians look foolish,” It’s racist,” “It’s a freak show,” “Couldn’t the money have been used for something more worthy?” (see endnote #2 for sources).
Idol worship is the meditation on a narrow concept that is a gateway to unlimited (or “eternal”) knowledge that is found within. Bottom line: idols can be interpreted according to a truth of our own desire. Various images are merely symbolic of the narrow concept or gateway. It can also be a concept that rejects images according to its own philosophy, but it almost always involves the deep knowledge being found within. The knowledge found within is unlimited because meditation on the narrow concept usually results in a uniting with the invisible which then relays the information to the inner being. It is a uniting of the invisible spirit world (the location of higher knowledge or vision of the good versus evil) with the material world. The many faceted ideas come from deep inner darkness and often appear to be profound.
Click on to enlarge.
This resulted in God removing certain forms of grace and mercy. God has always restrained certain kind of evils in the world according to His mercies. Again, this is a past event, a past judgment that is ongoing. In response to man seeking wisdom that suppresses God’s wisdom, God removed certain restraints as judgment:
Romans 1:24 – Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Apparently, at one time in human history, this sin was off limits according to God’s mercy. Man is restrained from reaching the total depth of darkness that he would find in his endeavor to suppress God’s wisdom. As a judgment, God removed this restraining mercy. This hearkens back to the revealing of God’s wrath for the deliberate suppression of His truth:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth (1:18).
As history unfolds, God will continue to reveal His wrath by removing His restraining mercies. In our day, His written word is the primary way in which He communicates His wisdom for life and godliness. Before this fact is used to illustrate the next point, let it be established:
Luke 16:19 – “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— 28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
This is because mankind rejects God just as readily in light of His mighty works on earth in times of old as He does the written word in our day. Despite the many dire warnings against taking away from God’s word (gospel) or adding to it, man will persist in doing so. Therefore, in his darkened state of undiscernment due to a lack of trembling before holy writ, God will further his misery and fall by not restraining “strong delusions.” A natural descent of “anomia” (anti-word) is lack of love towards others which will take its toll in the last days (Matthew 24: 12), but God will further compound the misery by not restraining supernatural delusions by Satan:
For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect (Matthew 24:24).
We get an idea of what some of these strong delusions will be in the book of Revelation. Apparently, images will come alive and begin speaking. Surely, the undiscerning masses that have long abandoned the sufficiency of the Scriptures will be helpless against such delusions. And therefore doomed to eternal destruction:
2Thessalonians 2:9 – The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, 12 in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Three times in the passage at hand, the Bible states, “’Therefore,’ ‘For this reason,’ ‘Since they did not…’ ‘God gave them up to…’” Throughout history, and in individual lives, God will continue to remove His mercies and grace for those who suppress His truth. He restrains His mercies in two general areas: passions and ability to reason, or think. The first ranges from all kinds of sex addictions and cravings to the unnatural act of same sex. The second is in regard to reasoning. So, the following laundry list presented by Paul is indicative of an inability to reason:
Romans 1:28 – And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
God gave them up to an adokimos mind, or a “worthless” mind. A mind that does not uphold God’s wisdom and seek to know it more is WORTHLESS, and more and more is given over to deeper and deeper worthlessness leading to more and of what Paul describes as the result. In verse 32, Paul again reiterates that mankind “know[s]” the righteous decree, and deliberately defies God regardless of knowing that death is the final result. Moreover, they commend those that partake; eg, in our day much humor and entertainment abounds that glorifies such behavior. We must beware that we are not beguiled accordingly:
Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
Paul concludes this part of God’s divine anthropology with another surprising proof that mankind is well aware of what God’s truth is, and in effect, His righteous standards as well. He presents it as proof that Man is “without excuse” accordingly. And what is this proof? Unregenerate man indicts other men for the same behavior that they partake in! Paul states it this way:
Romans 2:1 – Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?
Agnostics and atheists are quick to judge others according to wrongdoing. This proves they really know the truth, but deliberately reject it. By the same token, they are given over to their own worthless minds and can’t help but to practice the immorality that defies a standard that they deny, but expect others to live by. Moreover, they constantly judge and accuse God of winking at the same sin that they partake in, and note that God is silent. In other words, their worthless minds not only misinterpret reality in general, but misinterpret the mercy of God:
Romans 2:4 – Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
Hence, God’s mercy is unthankfully trampled upon. Paul concluded this part by again reminding us that there are only two ways:
Romans2:6 – He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
There is obedience to righteousness or obedience to unrighteousness. Both ways compound their own essence of what they are paved by: righteousness, or unrighteousness. These are the only two ways, whether one is a Jew, or a Gentile. There is no difference regardless of the Jewish heritage that posited Israel as the vanguards of God’s law.
Paul addresses this, and their relationship to the law in the next part.
Endnotes:
1. http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cm/v22/n1/peleg
http://www.enduringword.com/commentaries/0111.htm
http://www.noahs-ark.tv/the-true-bible-story-of-noahs-ark.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Kings_(statue)
https://paulspassingthoughts.com/2010/06/23/darlene-bishop-and-the-king/
https://paulspassingthoughts.com/2010/06/18/when-god-adds-an-exclamation-point-to-life/
A 4-Point Evaluation of Ligon Duncan’s Defense of SGM
I would then encourage you to ignore the assaults of wounded people on attack websites and blogs, and that you discount the opinings of those who have no real knowledge of these matters or relation to SGM or authority to comment upon them, and that you refrain from assuming that you (or they) are in a position to render judgment on these things.
1. I would then encourage you to ignore the assaults of wounded people on attack websites and blogs,: He admits they are wounded, but that’s not the point. The totally depraved don’t deserve justice. Furthermore, getting raped isn’t the point, how that event glorifies God in the predestined scheme of the gospel meta-narrative is the point. By not accepting the event and seeking justice, the “wounded” are not “entering into the plot” of showing forth the gospel.
2. and that you discount the opinings of those who have no real knowledge of these matters or relation to SGM: The knowledge of the philosopher kings is so much higher than yours, that even when it seems obvious that abuse occurred and it was covered up, that’s not really what’s going on. Please trust the higher knowledge of your local Reformed pastor king.
3. or authority to comment upon them,: Only the pastor kings have authority to speak to these matters. Anybody who speaks out is messing with God’s anointed who have been given all authority on earth.
4. and that you refrain from assuming that you (or they) are in a position to render judgment on these things.: Only the philosopher kings can render judgement. The producers have no role in judging, they are the church’s producers. In America, Reformed elders have to fill the role of both philosopher king and soldier. And much to their frustration, there are laws that protect the producers. They must improvise because they are deprived of the stake and the gallows. Instead, they offer formal counseling where they can earn your trust and get documentation on your secret sins that can be used to blackmail you into silence or control if needed. This is one of many alternative controls they have contrived. It’s the exact one that CJ Mahaney used on the co-founder of SGM who attempted to leave SGM for doctrinal reasons.
paul
A Dead Dog in Dallas, Ghost Sex, Saving Baby Lions, and the Truth War
The Bible teaches us how to be reconciled to God. It also teaches us how to show others the same salvation we received, but in doing so, it also teaches us how to interpret our entire world. This message is the crux of this ministry—what I believe God has called many to proclaim. The prism that dominates my mind concerning all questions regarding one; life, and two; godliness, is the apostle Paul’s rhetorical question, “What saith the Scriptures?”
It seems strange indeed: God wants to involve us in the knowledge process. We must, “study to show thyself approved.” We are to seek God’s wisdom for maneuvering through life which puts His wisdom on display and exposes the foolishness of men. This is set against the wide easy road of our day: the “gospel” is a narrative about Christ’s story. It is a metaphysical story, or a metanarrative that is a predetermined redemptive history by God that encompasses everything from what tie we decide to wear today to great historical events that affect the whole world.
Metaphysics is the interpretation of reality, and all reality therefore according to the “gospel” of our day must be interpreted through the redemptive metanarrative. The sole purpose of the Bible is to help us place ourselves in the narrative that is predestined rather than to use the Bible to determine propositional truth. Seeking truth in order to determine our way in life according to divine guardrails and guidelines arrogantly assumes that Christ’s redemptive story is not already predetermine in every detail.
All is predetermined to “show forth Christ and His gospel” in the historic metanarrative. Tragedies such as 911 and giant tsunamis that show forth Christ’s wrath towards sinful man are birth pangs that point towards the final birth of all wrath at the end of the ages. All good things that happen are for the sole purpose of showing forth the good (or glory of God), and all sins show forth the depravity of man as set against God’s holiness. Therefore, we should run to repentance because it is the other half of the epistemology that shows forth the all-encompassing gospel reality.
The gospel is a Genesis seed that grows organically into the full grown Revelation tree and encompasses every event in human history. Therefore, ALL wisdom (or epistemology: how we know what we know) is divided into two primary parts: the glory of God and the depravity of man. These two things enable us to see reality: the gospel metanarrative. All events therefore are predetermined to show forth gospel reality. If we do not “inter into the rest” by observing what God has predetermined and showing it forth, we are attempting to create our own reality. We are attempting to create our own gospel story where we please God with “our own efforts.” We are attempting to “be the gospel rather than showing forth the gospel” (Michael Horton).
This allows us to separate ourselves from true reality—a freedom from a material world that we often can’t control. Is there tragedy in your life? Don’t take it too hard, it’s merely part of the gospel narrative; ie, “God’s will,” and “for His glory.” Hence, coldblooded indifference is often interpreted as spiritual maturity that at times seems to even celebrate tragedy. Hence, the snooty indifference to politics because those on this spiritual plane flavored by Gnosticism are above the fray of such trivial worldliness. Hence, the indifference to injustice and spiritual abuse as well.
Much of the preaching in today’s church is driven by this philosophy. We do not often realize what is really behind seemingly harmless truisms like, “History is His story.” We assume things like the aforementioned mini-treatise are not behind those bumper stickers. Therefore, these ideas are slowly assimilated into our minds, and we begin to function according to philosophies that we are totally unaware of. This is why there are no answers for life’s difficult questions in the church. Answers are not the issue. Your pain isn’t the issue. A right way verses a wrong way isn’t the issue (men can’t do anything right anyway). The only issue is “how we respond to God’s gospel narrative.” I contest that the Bible refutes this epistemology, and it is a “wisdom” that will hinder the true gospel, and in fact has.
In our (The Potter’s House) study on the book of Romans, we see that book as equipping Christians to interpret reality from God’s viewpoint. The book is about how to be reconciled to God, and interpreting reality according to God’s worldview. It is how to do things God’s way. It is about changing our outlook to God’s outlook. And it involves us, and holds us personally responsible before God for doing so. It holds us responsible to learn our part, and to do our part, and to teach others to do the same.
We have finally come to a very exciting part of the book: God’s anthropological, psychological view of man. What makes mankind tick from the one who created man Himself. It will have much to say about something that I am going to touch on in this post: a life happening, and the question of how we should interpret it. Paul’s “what saith the Scriptures?”
It involves a dead dog in Dallas, ghost sex, and saving baby lions. Every day in this world our children get hit in the face with all kinds of information. And that information always has an agenda. Somebody wants to sell us something, either for money or a victory in the truth war that is constantly raging about us. We must always remember that the world is also trying to sell our children the same thing 24-7. TV shows are not mere entertainment—somebody’s trying to sell something. Interpretations and conclusions are the loss or winning of a battle that in part determines the winning of the war; specifically, the truth war. It is a war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Darkness. And even though the outcome is determined, those who win or lose eternally will be manifest according to the truth they buy or reject.
“It’s just entertainment.” That’s easy. “Truth isn’t absolute.” That’s easy. “It’s just a song.” That’s easy. “That’s what it means to me.” That’s easy. “It’s just part of the gospel narrative—praise God anyway!” That’s easy. “What saith the Scriptures?” That’s hard. And easy is the road, and wide is the gate that leads to destruction. Eternal destruction.
So let’s just pick something at random that hits our children in the face daily in this culture. The successful pop star Kesha, who stylizes her stage name by replacing the “S” with a dollar sign (Ke$ha), claims to have had sex with a ghost. This has been widely reported, and her attractive blonde persona does nothing to prevent further stimulation of young imaginations. The episode was reported as follows by the Huffington Post:
Ke$ha says she has had sex with a ghost. Yes, you read that right — sex with a ghost.
And what do you do when you have sex with a ghost? You write a song about the experience, of course.
At least that’s what the 25-year-old singer told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS FM radio show, of her new song “Supernatural.”
“It’s about experiences with the supernatural… but in a sexy way,” she told Seacrest. “I had a couple of experiences with the supernatural. I don’t know his name! He was a ghost! I’m very open to it.”
The singer added that her new album “Warrior” is based around the theme of the spiritual quest she embarked on to improve her music.
“The theme of this record is magic. I went on a spirit journey by myself. No security guard. No managers. I just went around the world and lived on a boat,” she explained. “I was in Africa rehabilitating baby lions. I went diving with great white sharks, and just went on this crazy spirit quest. I got hypnotized, and I just really wanted this record to be really positive, really raw, really vulnerable and about the magic of life.”
If one googles this eventful claim by Kesha, opinions abound. And if our teenagers ask what we think of such a claim, will we push the easy button, or does the word of God speak to her report? Well, her reported experience is no new thing under the sun. Based on what the Bible describes, I assure you it didn’t happen. Not because the claim is sensational—truth can certainly be sensational, but because of objective information that can be found in God’s word. I would like to focus on a more difficult question that can arise from her statement: can lost people, even lost people who obviously have issues, do good works? And are the works, in and of themselves, good? I am speaking of her work in rehabilitating baby lions (apparently injured or otherwise). Kesha is an animal rights activist which is honorable. Does this earn her any merit at all with God? What about the whole issue of good works and lost people? Moreover, unbelievers have been known to execute extraordinary feats of good works. Does the Bible equip us to lead an Oscar Schindler to the Lord? Would we approach him with the gospel in the exact same way as we would others? Why do wicked people do good works?
I will never forget an experience I had as an unbeliever while living in Dallas, Texas. I was traveling down a street and saw the car in front of me hit a dog. They kept going and did not stop. I stopped and looked for the dog which was able to run some distance, though fatally injured. I found the dog at the same time the owner did who was a widow. The dog was her long time, and only companion in the world. It was truly a very sad affair to witness. The widow and I decided we would bury the dog and I would help her. It was winter; thus, not only cold, but the ground was hard and difficult to dig. Not only that, when I had a fairly deep whole dug, she remembered how much her dog enjoyed romping around a nearby pond and wondered if I would mind changing locations. I agreed. On the way home, I pointed out to God (assuming that He was listening) what a righteous deed it was that I had accomplished and suggested that He would have to agree that I was a pretty nice person.
I know now that unsaved people do righteous deeds because God has written the works of the law on their heart, and they also have a conscience that argues for the law and accuses them when they don’t obey it. We will observe this truth as we progress in the book of Romans. I believe that this greatly restrains evil in the world and is the only reason that the world is a fit place to live in at all. Nevertheless, sin still wreaks havoc, and all of creation groans under its curse and tragedy. Man would rather endure the awful weight of sin in order to avoid change. He is willing to pay a heavy price in order to remain the king of his own throne. God doesn’t want our good works, he wants our whole life. He wants more than common decency, He wants kingdom citizens. Men are willing to continue the bet that they will cheat death in order to proclaim their own glory.
People display common decency, but the whole world lays in the lap of the wicked one. They assume that the spring of true life puts forth both pure and bitter water. That’s Kesha’s “magic life.”
She’s right, if that were true, it would be magic. But life isn’t magic—it’s a gift from God, and all will give an account in regard to the offer of eternal life. Kesha, like many other prophets in both the religious and secular realm are selling something. It is competition for the persuasion of minds in the truth war. In such a war, slothful thinking and lack of discernment will certainly lead to death. Our major weapon is our epistemology, or how we interpret what truth is.
What is the proper use of the Bible? This is a life and death question. Eternally.
Paul
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