Following the Crowd
Erykah Badu is an American singer who vandalised her own Tesla to "stay on trend," almost literally cutting off her own nose to spite her face. Of course, Musk still has the money she paid and "Tesla" is in the news again, but, hey, she's pretty sure she's right in following the crowd ... like a good sheep.
Testing the Impossible
World Athletics, an international governing body for sports, is planning to test female track and field athletes with a swab "to determine female gender." Of course, they can't. Gender is sex expression. A biological male, for instance, can wear a dress and express himself as a female -- appear feminine. Sex is biological, and can be tested by a DNA swab. But that's automatically denied, too, since we've decided we're whatever sex we feel like ... in this insane world. Proving Jeremiah 17:9.
Protect What You Love
Three teen girls in Texas tried to kill their mom for turning off the Wi-Fi. Got it ... priorities noted. A new "human right" is added -- Wi-Fi access. And Paul's promise that in the last days people will be without familial love is proven true.
Justice, No Peace
In the interest of justice and fairness, an appeals court has blocked an attempt to deport murderous gang members ... again. So our justice system is intent on keeping killers in our midst because Trump wanted them gone. Makes sense ... to someone.
Your Priorities are Showing
Top U.S. officials accidently leaked a group text to Jeffrey Goldberg, Atlantic Editor-in-Chief, about a strike in Yemen. In an admirable display of patriotism, Atlantic ... published the information. Because "news" is much more important than any national interests. Don't ever be confused. The media is not on your side; they just want their stories at any cost ... to you. They just want their agenda.
Improper Ideology
Trump signed an executive order targeting Smithsonian funding for programs with "improper ideology." The "improper ideology" he targeted was the recent explosion of rewriting American history to cast the U.S. in a negative light. I have a hard time with it, just in principle, but ... it's not like it's new. The government has come down hard over and over on "improper ideology" like binary gender, marriage as the union of a man and a woman, or biblical values in school (to name a few). Trump's only the latest one.
Counting the Cost
A Colorado lawmaker argued, "A birth is more expensive than an abortion" in her argument for state-funded abortion. "Ultimately, we do achieve a cost savings because of the averted births that will not take place." Follow that to its logical conclusion. These people have lost their collective mind.
Fake News You Can Trust
After being stopped repeatedly by judges, Trump is planning to leave the presidency to become a truly powerful District Court judge. Elsewhere, a video of Elmo keying a Cybertruck has been leaked, bringing into question PBS's political neutrality. And from the world of Star Wars, the story is out that Darth Vader accidentally added Admiral Ackbar to a holochat when planning the raid on Alderaan. (Yeah, yeah, a Star Wars nerd story, but you get the joke.)
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Friday, March 28, 2025
Little is Much
We all suffer, to some degree or another, from the sense of ... not enough. I mean, "Am I contributing enough? Am I doing enough? Am I meeting my potential?" We especially wonder if we're making a difference for God. Did we speak up when we should? Are we doing what we should? We all suffer this kind of thing. And, of course, the answer isn't positive since we all fall short.
The problem here, of course, is that we're looking in the wrong direction. We're looking at the wrong things for the wrong reasons. You see, Jesus didn't save us to be perfect. He didn't choose us because He had such high expectations. Instead, Jesus said, "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you" (Mat 17:20). A mustard seed of faith. Not much. Now, let's ask ourselves, what does that tiny bit of faith do? Nothing. Our proverbial mountain is not moved by faith; it's moved by God. In fact, Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Which is not a little something. Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Cor 3:6). So, yes, we participate with Him in His work, but ... it's His work.
There is a hymn from the 1920's titled, "Little is Much When God is in It." The truth is all that we produce is produced by Him and His power. He's not baffled, trapped, stumped, working hard to get done what He hoped we'd do. No. Never. He gets done what He wants done, and any of our "Oh, my, I didn't do enough" is arrogance, thinking God is depending on us and we're slowing Him down. We aren't adequate for the task. We are useful. And only when He makes us so. Don't get trapped into thinking more of yourself than you ought. We bring what we bring and He gives the growth.
The problem here, of course, is that we're looking in the wrong direction. We're looking at the wrong things for the wrong reasons. You see, Jesus didn't save us to be perfect. He didn't choose us because He had such high expectations. Instead, Jesus said, "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you" (Mat 17:20). A mustard seed of faith. Not much. Now, let's ask ourselves, what does that tiny bit of faith do? Nothing. Our proverbial mountain is not moved by faith; it's moved by God. In fact, Jesus said, "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5). Which is not a little something. Paul wrote, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth" (1 Cor 3:6). So, yes, we participate with Him in His work, but ... it's His work.
There is a hymn from the 1920's titled, "Little is Much When God is in It." The truth is all that we produce is produced by Him and His power. He's not baffled, trapped, stumped, working hard to get done what He hoped we'd do. No. Never. He gets done what He wants done, and any of our "Oh, my, I didn't do enough" is arrogance, thinking God is depending on us and we're slowing Him down. We aren't adequate for the task. We are useful. And only when He makes us so. Don't get trapped into thinking more of yourself than you ought. We bring what we bring and He gives the growth.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
When It Hurts
We all suffer at times. Some suffer a lot. Believers have the Lord to lean on, but, face it, we all still suffer. So, what do we do when it hurts? What help is there when we're in pain? We want to trust. We want to be strong. How can we navigate this "trust God" and "Wow! It really hurts" situation? There are those who would urge you to bear up and just take it. There are those who would tell you to knuckle under and fully experience the pain. Does God's Word offer any insights?
Let's look at three examples. First ... Job. Job faced some tough times (Job 1-2). First, he lost everything he had -- his possessions and his children. Job said, "Meh! No big deal." No. Job wallowed in his pain. No. Job "tore his robe and shaved his head" ... and then "fell to the ground and worshiped" (Job 1:20). Interesting. When the second round hit, Job lost his health. "This is too much!" Nope. "Forget the pain; God is good." Nope. He sat in ashes and scraped his boils (Job 2:8) ... and then told his wife, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10). Interesting. Both/and. He faced his pain, and he counted on God. Or take Jeremiah. His entire nation was wiped out. Did he sing God's praises or did he weep? Yes ... yes he did. Both. His first response was not to exonerate God, but to (rightly) blame Him (Lam 3:1-19). It's a long list. And it's all ascribed ... to God. He ends, "So I say, 'My strength has perished, and so has my hope from YHWH" (Lam 3:18). No hope. Then ... "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope" (Lam 3:21). What? What was the thing he remembered that countered his hopelessness ... from God? "The steadfast love of YHWH never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lam 3:22-23). In the end, Jeremiah remembered both that God is Sovereign (even in the pain) and He loves us. Trust Him. The best example, though, is Jesus. He lived a perfect life ... did everything His Father told Him to do. For His troubles, He was physically shattered (crucifixion), emotionally abused (deserted by His friends), and spiritually forsaken. On that cross He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mat 27:46). No mitigation. No, "It's okay." No, "Well, God would never do this." But, He ended with, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!" (Luk 23:46).
It is foolish to deny pain. We all suffer. It's part of the curse. It's part of human existence. Denying it is not sane. But, it's also not the last word. In all these cases and more, they embraced the pain ... and counted on God. They endured the pain and looked to the Father. It's what Scripture says. Jesus endured the cross "for the joy that was set before Him" because He knew the final outcome was found in God's faithful love. (Heb 12:1-2). A pattern we all might benefit from.
Let's look at three examples. First ... Job. Job faced some tough times (Job 1-2). First, he lost everything he had -- his possessions and his children. Job said, "Meh! No big deal." No. Job wallowed in his pain. No. Job "tore his robe and shaved his head" ... and then "fell to the ground and worshiped" (Job 1:20). Interesting. When the second round hit, Job lost his health. "This is too much!" Nope. "Forget the pain; God is good." Nope. He sat in ashes and scraped his boils (Job 2:8) ... and then told his wife, "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?" (Job 2:10). Interesting. Both/and. He faced his pain, and he counted on God. Or take Jeremiah. His entire nation was wiped out. Did he sing God's praises or did he weep? Yes ... yes he did. Both. His first response was not to exonerate God, but to (rightly) blame Him (Lam 3:1-19). It's a long list. And it's all ascribed ... to God. He ends, "So I say, 'My strength has perished, and so has my hope from YHWH" (Lam 3:18). No hope. Then ... "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope" (Lam 3:21). What? What was the thing he remembered that countered his hopelessness ... from God? "The steadfast love of YHWH never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lam 3:22-23). In the end, Jeremiah remembered both that God is Sovereign (even in the pain) and He loves us. Trust Him. The best example, though, is Jesus. He lived a perfect life ... did everything His Father told Him to do. For His troubles, He was physically shattered (crucifixion), emotionally abused (deserted by His friends), and spiritually forsaken. On that cross He cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mat 27:46). No mitigation. No, "It's okay." No, "Well, God would never do this." But, He ended with, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit!" (Luk 23:46).
It is foolish to deny pain. We all suffer. It's part of the curse. It's part of human existence. Denying it is not sane. But, it's also not the last word. In all these cases and more, they embraced the pain ... and counted on God. They endured the pain and looked to the Father. It's what Scripture says. Jesus endured the cross "for the joy that was set before Him" because He knew the final outcome was found in God's faithful love. (Heb 12:1-2). A pattern we all might benefit from.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Your Wife by Covenant
Scripture isn't vague about divorce. Jesus said don't (Matt 19:3-6). God said, "I hate divorce" (Mal 2:16). Clearly, God's opinion is "Don't!" In the Matthew passage Jesus said it was, at best, the product of a hard heart (Matt 19:8) and causes adultery (Mark 10:11-12). Don't!!
And then ... I came across this. In that Malachi reference God is telling His people "you cover the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand" (Mal 2:13). This is a catastrophic condition, a spiritual meltdown. God no longer cares about your sacrifices or your tears. What is the cause of this condition?
Christians still debate the topic. "Under what conditions can we divorce?" The Bible lists ... none. If you experience a divorce (as opposed to initiating it), remarriage is possible in the cases of "sexual immorality" (Matt 19:9) or if an unbelieving spouse abandons a believing spouse (1 Cor 7:12-16), but the Bible lists no valid reasons for initiating divorce. And, isn't it interesting? Peter says that husbands are to "live with your wives in an understanding way ... so that your prayers will not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7). That sounds a lot like the Malachi passage. Maybe our marriages are much more important to God than we think.
And then ... I came across this. In that Malachi reference God is telling His people "you cover the altar of YHWH with tears, with weeping and with groaning, because He no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favor from your hand" (Mal 2:13). This is a catastrophic condition, a spiritual meltdown. God no longer cares about your sacrifices or your tears. What is the cause of this condition?
"Yet you say, 'For what reason?' Because YHWH has been a witness between you and the wife of your youth, against whom you have dealt treacherously, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. (Mal 2:14)He's talking there about divorce. He says it in verse 16, but He also says it here when He refers to "your wife by covenant." It's not hard to see. As a matter of routine, we promise
To have and to hold from this day forward.That is not simply a contract; it's a covenant. There are no conditions of "to love and to cherish" except "until death do us part" (Rom 7:1-2). If we choose to divorce, we're breaking a covenant, an unconditional vow. We are dealing treacherously. And God told His people it was spiritual suicide. It cut them off from communication with God.
For better, for worse.
For richer, for poorer.
In sickness and in health.
Forsaking all others.
To love and to cherish.
Until death do us part.
Christians still debate the topic. "Under what conditions can we divorce?" The Bible lists ... none. If you experience a divorce (as opposed to initiating it), remarriage is possible in the cases of "sexual immorality" (Matt 19:9) or if an unbelieving spouse abandons a believing spouse (1 Cor 7:12-16), but the Bible lists no valid reasons for initiating divorce. And, isn't it interesting? Peter says that husbands are to "live with your wives in an understanding way ... so that your prayers will not be hindered" (1 Peter 3:7). That sounds a lot like the Malachi passage. Maybe our marriages are much more important to God than we think.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Feeling of Love
I've repeatedly said that love is not merely an emotion. Scripture commands love, and emotions can't be commanded. Emotions are a response. So love is primarily a choice ... a choice to be invested in someone or something else. So ... love is not an emotion? No ... but ... yes. And I think I can show it from Scripture.
On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). Notice which comes first -- treasure. And what is that? Well, it's the things you value. In fact, it's the things you value most highly. Then, there's the heart. Clearly we're not talking about that organ that pumps blood. What is it? David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). Jeremiah says the human heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9). God knows our heart (Psa 44:21). In Genesis it says about Man "that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen 6:5). Jesus warned that "out of the heart come evil thoughts ..." God's Word can "judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12). So "heart" includes thoughts and intentions. Solomon wrote "it is the wellspring of life" (Prov 4:23). So the heart is our central being, our core -- our feelings and thoughts and intentions.
Putting it together, then, where that which is most valued is, there your feelings, thoughts, intentions -- your whole person -- will be also. Or, if you value something highly, you will feel it. It will affect your core being -- your mind, your will, your emotions. The point, then, is to have the right ... values. Love (1 Cor 13:4-8) is something we do, where we value the loved one more than we value ourselves. It will certainly result in feelings. Scripture says so. But the feelings aren't the definition. They're the byproduct.
On the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). Notice which comes first -- treasure. And what is that? Well, it's the things you value. In fact, it's the things you value most highly. Then, there's the heart. Clearly we're not talking about that organ that pumps blood. What is it? David was a man after God's own heart (Acts 13:22). Jeremiah says the human heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9). God knows our heart (Psa 44:21). In Genesis it says about Man "that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Gen 6:5). Jesus warned that "out of the heart come evil thoughts ..." God's Word can "judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Heb 4:12). So "heart" includes thoughts and intentions. Solomon wrote "it is the wellspring of life" (Prov 4:23). So the heart is our central being, our core -- our feelings and thoughts and intentions.
Putting it together, then, where that which is most valued is, there your feelings, thoughts, intentions -- your whole person -- will be also. Or, if you value something highly, you will feel it. It will affect your core being -- your mind, your will, your emotions. The point, then, is to have the right ... values. Love (1 Cor 13:4-8) is something we do, where we value the loved one more than we value ourselves. It will certainly result in feelings. Scripture says so. But the feelings aren't the definition. They're the byproduct.
Monday, March 24, 2025
The 23rd Channel
A reader shared this with me and I thought I'd pass it on because, well, I liked it.
________
________
The Twenty-Third Channel
The TV is my shepherd, I shall not want.
It makes me to lie down on the sofa.
It leads me away from the Scriptures.
It destroys my soul.
It leads me in the paths of sex and violence for the sponsor’s sake.
Yea, though I walk in the shadow of my Christian responsibilities,
There will be no interruption, for the TV is with me.
Its cable and its remote control, they comfort me.
It prepares a commercial before me
In the presence of my worldliness.
It anoints my head with humanism.
My coveting runneth over.
Surely laziness and ignorance shall follow me all the days of my life
And I shall dwell in the house watching TV forever.
--Author unknown
Sunday, March 23, 2025
Omniscient
We know that only one being in the universe is Omniscient. That's God. How Omniscient? He fully knows Himself, all that is, all that was, and all that will be ... or even could be. We see, for instance, that Jesus knew the future (John 2:24-25; John 14:29; John 16:30; John 18:4). He even knew contingencies (Matt 11:21-24). Open Theists have a problem with God's Omniscience. They say it eliminates free will. That's not because Scripture doesn't support Omniscience, but because they're dedicated to a particular definition of free will.
We know, for instance, that God knows all things (1 Sam 23:11-12; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:11). God's Omniscience regarding future things is proof that He is the true God (Isa 41:21-23; Isa 43:9-12; Isa 44:6-8; Isa 46:9-11; Deut 18:20). We fear (1 Chron 28:9) and trust (Psa 139:1-3,14-16; Isa 48:17-19) God because He knows all things. His knowledge is not limited by time or space (Psa 139:7-12; Psa 90:4).
The fact is Scripture repeatedly declares that God and God alone knows all things for all time without error. It's truth. It proves His character. It is incentive both to fear, and to worship and trust. His Omniscience humbles us who tend to think we know so much better than He does. Let God be God.
We know, for instance, that God knows all things (1 Sam 23:11-12; 2 Tim 3:1-5; Acts 2:23; Eph 1:11). God's Omniscience regarding future things is proof that He is the true God (Isa 41:21-23; Isa 43:9-12; Isa 44:6-8; Isa 46:9-11; Deut 18:20). We fear (1 Chron 28:9) and trust (Psa 139:1-3,14-16; Isa 48:17-19) God because He knows all things. His knowledge is not limited by time or space (Psa 139:7-12; Psa 90:4).
The fact is Scripture repeatedly declares that God and God alone knows all things for all time without error. It's truth. It proves His character. It is incentive both to fear, and to worship and trust. His Omniscience humbles us who tend to think we know so much better than He does. Let God be God.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
News Weakly - 3/22/2025
Forgetting Why
Because of Trump's "trade war" with Canada, Canada's Defense Minister says they're reviewing the purchase of F-35 jets. Not because they're not needed. Not because they're not good jets. Because they want to give Lockheed-Martin the middle finger ... because of Trump. Hey, it's not just Canada. It's everywhere. Why do we punish the children for the sins of the fathers ... so to speak? "Stick it to the Americans because we don't like their president!"
Oh, No! Not Again!
Another customer forgot that "hot tea" was ... hot, and sued Starbucks after he spilled his ... hot tea ... in his lap. He suffered "permanent and life-changing disfigurement" and won $50 million. Like that landmark suit from a McDonald's drive-through because the hot coffee was hot. Expect tepid tea and lukewarm coffee at double the price, I suppose.
Indian Giver
A French politician has called for the return of the Statue of Liberty because "the United States no longer represents the values embodied by the monument." Of course, the U.S. admits more openly and generously than France, and France segregates immigrants while the U.S. does not, the real problem is that politicians are blowing out of proportion everything that Trump says or does. Let it go. He's no saint. He's only here for 4 years. Drop it. And ... no ... you're not getting that statue back.
We Don't Need No Education
Pink Floyd sang, "We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control." Trump ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education. With Harvard offering a remedial algebra class for their students and American kids reportedly falling behind, perhaps the Department of Education hasn't been doing its job. We need education (as "We don't need no education" proves -- very bad grammar), but we seem to have lost our recipe for educating kids. (Of course, I'm pretty sure the courts won't allow this to actually occur, so ...)
Oh, the Humanity!
A woman in Florida was trying to board a plane, but was refused boarding because she had a dog. So ... she drowned it in the airport bathroom. A felony, a fine, lots of outrage; we will not tolerate killing dogs. Unborn humans, on the other hand ...
Your Best Source for Fake News
It takes the Bee to point out that unelected officials continue to thwart the elected, as judges keep striking down Trump's agenda. In Chicago, a leftist smashed a Tesla after seeing the image of a fascist in the window. In Las Vegas, Teslas were shot and set on fire (actual story). Democrats blame climate change.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Because of Trump's "trade war" with Canada, Canada's Defense Minister says they're reviewing the purchase of F-35 jets. Not because they're not needed. Not because they're not good jets. Because they want to give Lockheed-Martin the middle finger ... because of Trump. Hey, it's not just Canada. It's everywhere. Why do we punish the children for the sins of the fathers ... so to speak? "Stick it to the Americans because we don't like their president!"
Oh, No! Not Again!
Another customer forgot that "hot tea" was ... hot, and sued Starbucks after he spilled his ... hot tea ... in his lap. He suffered "permanent and life-changing disfigurement" and won $50 million. Like that landmark suit from a McDonald's drive-through because the hot coffee was hot. Expect tepid tea and lukewarm coffee at double the price, I suppose.
Indian Giver
A French politician has called for the return of the Statue of Liberty because "the United States no longer represents the values embodied by the monument." Of course, the U.S. admits more openly and generously than France, and France segregates immigrants while the U.S. does not, the real problem is that politicians are blowing out of proportion everything that Trump says or does. Let it go. He's no saint. He's only here for 4 years. Drop it. And ... no ... you're not getting that statue back.
We Don't Need No Education
Pink Floyd sang, "We don't need no education. We don't need no thought control." Trump ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education. With Harvard offering a remedial algebra class for their students and American kids reportedly falling behind, perhaps the Department of Education hasn't been doing its job. We need education (as "We don't need no education" proves -- very bad grammar), but we seem to have lost our recipe for educating kids. (Of course, I'm pretty sure the courts won't allow this to actually occur, so ...)
Oh, the Humanity!
A woman in Florida was trying to board a plane, but was refused boarding because she had a dog. So ... she drowned it in the airport bathroom. A felony, a fine, lots of outrage; we will not tolerate killing dogs. Unborn humans, on the other hand ...
Your Best Source for Fake News
It takes the Bee to point out that unelected officials continue to thwart the elected, as judges keep striking down Trump's agenda. In Chicago, a leftist smashed a Tesla after seeing the image of a fascist in the window. In Las Vegas, Teslas were shot and set on fire (actual story). Democrats blame climate change.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, March 21, 2025
Preload
It's interesting to me. Both Genesis and the Gospel of John begin with the same phrase: "In the beginning ..." Genesis speaks of God creating ... everything. John begins with the existence of "the Word" -- the expression of God -- who was God, who created everything (John 1:3), who was Jesus (John 1:8-14).
It has been said that the most offensive verse in the Bible is, exactly, Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Fairly innocuous, but ... as it turns out, humans are naturally hostile to God (Rom 8:7), so the claim that all that is was made by God and, therefore is owned by God, is an offense. God is offensive, one way or another, to many. But so is "the beginning." Jesus at the beginning. God at the beginning. In Ephesians, Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him" (Eph 1:3-4). That's offensive ... to many Christians. "He chose us in Him 'before the foundation of the world'? Oh, no. We chose Him." In The Revelation we read about "those ... whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (Rev 17:8). "Wait ... you're saying those who would be saved were written before any of them existed?" No, not me. The Word. He knew from the outset who would and who would not be saved.
We used to sing, "He's got the whole world in His hands." He does. But He always did. David wrote, "In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Psa 139:16). Everything. Paul wrote, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36). From, through, and to Him. It's true. We ought to recognize it. It ought to provide comfort to those who love God.
It has been said that the most offensive verse in the Bible is, exactly, Genesis 1:1. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Fairly innocuous, but ... as it turns out, humans are naturally hostile to God (Rom 8:7), so the claim that all that is was made by God and, therefore is owned by God, is an offense. God is offensive, one way or another, to many. But so is "the beginning." Jesus at the beginning. God at the beginning. In Ephesians, Paul tells us, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him" (Eph 1:3-4). That's offensive ... to many Christians. "He chose us in Him 'before the foundation of the world'? Oh, no. We chose Him." In The Revelation we read about "those ... whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world" (Rev 17:8). "Wait ... you're saying those who would be saved were written before any of them existed?" No, not me. The Word. He knew from the outset who would and who would not be saved.
We used to sing, "He's got the whole world in His hands." He does. But He always did. David wrote, "In Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them" (Psa 139:16). Everything. Paul wrote, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36). From, through, and to Him. It's true. We ought to recognize it. It ought to provide comfort to those who love God.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Profit and Loss
In Malachi, God accuses His people of speaking arrogantly against Him. "What have we spoken against You?" they ask (Mal 3:13)
The accusation is that serving God is vain, that it isn't profitable. I think, if we were honest, we might think the same. Maybe not full time, but sometimes. Is it profitable to obey all we are commanded? Do we forgive as we are forgiven, or is that, sometimes, a bad idea? Is it really a good idea to love as Jesus loved, or love God with your whole heart? Is it ... profitable to serve and obey God? It doesn't look like it, sometimes. Look how the wicked succeed. Is that us, speaking arrogantly against God?
We'd all have to admit it is at times. Oh, sometimes it's not conscious. Sometimes it's an oversight or an error. But each of us at some point will think, "Is it really in my best interest to do what God says in this situation?" His word for that is arrogance. Most interesting to me, though, is that God talks in terms of "profit." We will often think in terms of "duty," but do we understand that obedience is profitable? God thinks so. I suspect if we understood that, it might encourage us to obey more.
"You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before YHWH of hosts? So now we call the arrogant blessed; not only are the doers of wickedness built up but they also test God and escape.'" (Mal 3:14-15)Interesting accusation. Luckily we don't see that anymore. Especially from God's own people. Or ... do we?
The accusation is that serving God is vain, that it isn't profitable. I think, if we were honest, we might think the same. Maybe not full time, but sometimes. Is it profitable to obey all we are commanded? Do we forgive as we are forgiven, or is that, sometimes, a bad idea? Is it really a good idea to love as Jesus loved, or love God with your whole heart? Is it ... profitable to serve and obey God? It doesn't look like it, sometimes. Look how the wicked succeed. Is that us, speaking arrogantly against God?
We'd all have to admit it is at times. Oh, sometimes it's not conscious. Sometimes it's an oversight or an error. But each of us at some point will think, "Is it really in my best interest to do what God says in this situation?" His word for that is arrogance. Most interesting to me, though, is that God talks in terms of "profit." We will often think in terms of "duty," but do we understand that obedience is profitable? God thinks so. I suspect if we understood that, it might encourage us to obey more.
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
No Change
One of God's fundamental attributes is what we term "immutability" -- the inability to change. Without any dancing around, God says, "I, YHWH, do not change" (Mal 3:6). Of course, Scripture says it, but it's equally clear in simple logic. Think about it.
God declared, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num 23:19). He doesn't "repent"; He doesn't change His mind. He can't. He's omniscient. The only way to change His mind is if He failed to know something. God is unchanging in who He is and what He wills. In every attribute He is perfect, making change impossible. In every Intent He is successful, eliminating alterations. He never changes.
James says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Not even a shadow of turning. So rest assured. He is perfect, He always will be perfect, and everything He wills is perfect and will come to pass. That's a God you can rely on.
God declared, "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" (Num 23:19). He doesn't "repent"; He doesn't change His mind. He can't. He's omniscient. The only way to change His mind is if He failed to know something. God is unchanging in who He is and what He wills. In every attribute He is perfect, making change impossible. In every Intent He is successful, eliminating alterations. He never changes.
James says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning” (James 1:17). Not even a shadow of turning. So rest assured. He is perfect, He always will be perfect, and everything He wills is perfect and will come to pass. That's a God you can rely on.
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Wrath?
We all hate that whole "fire and brimstone" thing. The "wrath of God" is an old-timey thing that ... just doesn't play well today. Lots of people ... self-professed Christians ... play it down. It's not real. It's not that bad. It's nothing to concern ourselves with. But ... Scripture appears to disagree. What does the Bible say about God and His wrath? Let God be true though every man a liar (Rom 3:4).
Paul wrote Romans to explain the Gospel. "It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," he wrote, "for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Rom 1:16-17). Good. The righteousness of God. And the very next thing he writes is, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom 1:18). Here we learn two very important facts. First, the wrath of God is not minor or unreal. It is real. Second, it is tied in with ... His righteousness. God's wrath is right. Keep that at the forefront of your thinking. What else? God refers to His wrath as "my wrath" (Rev 11:18). That is, it's personal. It's His opposition to sin and it's part of His glory. It is certain ... not even death can stop it (Rev 11:18). It is final. That is, once spent, it is ended (Rev 11:15). It is horrible (Rev 11:18-19). Scripture and human language cannot fully express it. It is right (Rev 11:17-18). There is rejoicing in His wrath.
We diminish God's wrath because of our own sympathy for sin. A proper understanding of God's wrath is necessary for a proper understanding of the Gospel. Let's set aside our natural antipathy for God's wrath and embrace the solution, His Son, in Whom we find peace with God (Rom 5:1).
Paul wrote Romans to explain the Gospel. "It is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," he wrote, "for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Rom 1:16-17). Good. The righteousness of God. And the very next thing he writes is, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness" (Rom 1:18). Here we learn two very important facts. First, the wrath of God is not minor or unreal. It is real. Second, it is tied in with ... His righteousness. God's wrath is right. Keep that at the forefront of your thinking. What else? God refers to His wrath as "my wrath" (Rev 11:18). That is, it's personal. It's His opposition to sin and it's part of His glory. It is certain ... not even death can stop it (Rev 11:18). It is final. That is, once spent, it is ended (Rev 11:15). It is horrible (Rev 11:18-19). Scripture and human language cannot fully express it. It is right (Rev 11:17-18). There is rejoicing in His wrath.
We diminish God's wrath because of our own sympathy for sin. A proper understanding of God's wrath is necessary for a proper understanding of the Gospel. Let's set aside our natural antipathy for God's wrath and embrace the solution, His Son, in Whom we find peace with God (Rom 5:1).
Monday, March 17, 2025
Love is a Verb
In Malachi, God tells His people, "I have loved you" (Mal 1:2). Very moving. Very serious. Very interesting. The verb tense for this word, "loved," is an ongoing verb tense, like, "I have been loving you." It's not, "I loved you at some point." It's an ongoing process. But ... what process?
The Hebrew version of "love" in the Old Testament is not the modern version. It's not "warm affection." It's more of a verb, as in an expression of action. It is something that is done, not merely felt. It expresses itself in giving. Interestingly, in the Hebrew world it was most associated with covenant. In ancient Hebrew culture, love was an action-oriented commitment, deeply intertwined with covenantal relationships, expressed through faithfulness and sacrifice. It included heart, mind, and actions. We see that, for instance, in the Shema (Deut 6:4-9). Love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
In the Malachi text, then, God was telling His people that He was loving them, and not in a merely emotional way. We see the same thing in the classic John 3:16. You can probably quote it, but be careful. When it says, "God so loved the world," it's not talking about a quantity, but a quality. "God loved the world this way." Or, "This is how God expresses love." "This is what God's love looks like." What? He didn't feel; He gave. He acted. We, too, are called to love ... like that. Emotional affection is fine, but real love is something we do (John 13:34-35) ... like He did. And does.
The Hebrew version of "love" in the Old Testament is not the modern version. It's not "warm affection." It's more of a verb, as in an expression of action. It is something that is done, not merely felt. It expresses itself in giving. Interestingly, in the Hebrew world it was most associated with covenant. In ancient Hebrew culture, love was an action-oriented commitment, deeply intertwined with covenantal relationships, expressed through faithfulness and sacrifice. It included heart, mind, and actions. We see that, for instance, in the Shema (Deut 6:4-9). Love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."
In the Malachi text, then, God was telling His people that He was loving them, and not in a merely emotional way. We see the same thing in the classic John 3:16. You can probably quote it, but be careful. When it says, "God so loved the world," it's not talking about a quantity, but a quality. "God loved the world this way." Or, "This is how God expresses love." "This is what God's love looks like." What? He didn't feel; He gave. He acted. We, too, are called to love ... like that. Emotional affection is fine, but real love is something we do (John 13:34-35) ... like He did. And does.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
A Prescription for a Troubled Christian
We all love that wonderful verse in Psalms.
That's interesting. We all fret about stuff, and we all fret especially about evil in the world -- evil people, evil actions, evil events. Why do they seem to prosper? And ... should I do the same because they seem to prosper? No. We need to keep in mind they're a flash in the pan, a piece of grass withering soon. Instead ... trust the Lord. You see two actions here. On one hand, don't fret or envy. That's a "don't" action. Instead, "do." Do replace fret and envy with trust. Trust the Lord. Delight in the Lord. Commit your way to the Lord (Psa 37:5).
There's an old hymn with the refrain
Delight yourself in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psa 37:4)Mmm, that's nice. But ... do you know the context? David begins,
Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers! For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb. Trust in YHWH, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. (Psa 37:1-3)Well, look at that! The problem David was addressing was not how to get "the desires of your heart," but the problem of evil. Don't fret; don't be envious. Evil is temporary. Instead ...
That's interesting. We all fret about stuff, and we all fret especially about evil in the world -- evil people, evil actions, evil events. Why do they seem to prosper? And ... should I do the same because they seem to prosper? No. We need to keep in mind they're a flash in the pan, a piece of grass withering soon. Instead ... trust the Lord. You see two actions here. On one hand, don't fret or envy. That's a "don't" action. Instead, "do." Do replace fret and envy with trust. Trust the Lord. Delight in the Lord. Commit your way to the Lord (Psa 37:5).
There's an old hymn with the refrain
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,There you have it. We shouldn't be fretting about the problems we see. We should be setting aside our weights of worry and envy and sin and be "looking unto Jesus" (Heb 12:1-2).
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Saturday, March 15, 2025
News Weakly - 3/13/2025
Because We Can
So now Trump is waging a "trade war" with his tariffs. Never mind the Constitution says Congress places tariffs, not the Executive Branch. Tariffs are generally an attempt to level the playing field for domestic producers to counter cheap competition from foreign sources. That is, they have a purpose. But Ontario has decided to slap a 25% surcharge on electricity exported to the US not because it helps the industry, but because they're mad at Trump. They also threaten to shut off the electricity. Another fine example of sticking it to ... the people rather than the problem.
Typical Male
The story is of a stepmother who imprisoned a young boy and kept him there for more than two decades. Abused, starved, neglected, he eventually set the house on fire just to get help. Now, we all know the reality behind this story. What horrible thing had this young man done to this innocent woman that caused her to defend herself like that? I mean ... it's always the man's fault ... isn't it?
Enforced Fantasy
In a congressional hearing, Texas Representative Keith Self referred to Delaware Representative Sarah McBride as "Mr. McBride," a bad no-no since biological male McBride identifies as a female, and, as we all know, pronouns are sacrosanct. Mostly meaningless these days, but sacrosanct. By way of explanation, Self said he was not obligated to engage in McBride's fantasy. Which illustrates the double standard. A belief in God, for instance, is not imposed, but recommended. The belief that humans can be whatever they believe themselves to be is not only recommended, it is commanded. False, but commanded.
Displaced
An American "influencer" named Sam Jones posted a video of her stealing a baby wombat from its mother on the side of a road in Australia. Australia is outraged and wants her deported. Change.org is petitioning to have her removed from the nation. The outrage is palpable. And I'm embarrassed to be associated nationally with Ms. Jones. Of course, harming a human baby in the womb is perfectly okay in Australia, but we gotta save the wombat!
Basically Good
The FBI is warning about a text message scam called "smishing." They'll text your phone and tell you you have unpaid road tolls or something. (I've received these.) Don't fall for it. Don't hit that link. It's amazing how many scams "basically good" humans can invent, isn't it?
Your Best Source for Fake News
This whole "one up" tariff thing with Canada has culminated in Trump hitting Canada with a tariff of double infinity plus one. Take that! In sports, the NBA has ruled that LeBron James can play in a giant hamster ball so other players can't touch him. Finally, the layoffs in the Department of Education have hit a snag. They're trying to figure out what 50% of employees would be. "Let's see ... if we have 10,000 employees, you take the 9 and double it and multiply by ... no ... Does anyone have a calculator?"
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
So now Trump is waging a "trade war" with his tariffs. Never mind the Constitution says Congress places tariffs, not the Executive Branch. Tariffs are generally an attempt to level the playing field for domestic producers to counter cheap competition from foreign sources. That is, they have a purpose. But Ontario has decided to slap a 25% surcharge on electricity exported to the US not because it helps the industry, but because they're mad at Trump. They also threaten to shut off the electricity. Another fine example of sticking it to ... the people rather than the problem.
Typical Male
The story is of a stepmother who imprisoned a young boy and kept him there for more than two decades. Abused, starved, neglected, he eventually set the house on fire just to get help. Now, we all know the reality behind this story. What horrible thing had this young man done to this innocent woman that caused her to defend herself like that? I mean ... it's always the man's fault ... isn't it?
Enforced Fantasy
In a congressional hearing, Texas Representative Keith Self referred to Delaware Representative Sarah McBride as "Mr. McBride," a bad no-no since biological male McBride identifies as a female, and, as we all know, pronouns are sacrosanct. Mostly meaningless these days, but sacrosanct. By way of explanation, Self said he was not obligated to engage in McBride's fantasy. Which illustrates the double standard. A belief in God, for instance, is not imposed, but recommended. The belief that humans can be whatever they believe themselves to be is not only recommended, it is commanded. False, but commanded.
Displaced
An American "influencer" named Sam Jones posted a video of her stealing a baby wombat from its mother on the side of a road in Australia. Australia is outraged and wants her deported. Change.org is petitioning to have her removed from the nation. The outrage is palpable. And I'm embarrassed to be associated nationally with Ms. Jones. Of course, harming a human baby in the womb is perfectly okay in Australia, but we gotta save the wombat!
Basically Good
The FBI is warning about a text message scam called "smishing." They'll text your phone and tell you you have unpaid road tolls or something. (I've received these.) Don't fall for it. Don't hit that link. It's amazing how many scams "basically good" humans can invent, isn't it?
Your Best Source for Fake News
This whole "one up" tariff thing with Canada has culminated in Trump hitting Canada with a tariff of double infinity plus one. Take that! In sports, the NBA has ruled that LeBron James can play in a giant hamster ball so other players can't touch him. Finally, the layoffs in the Department of Education have hit a snag. They're trying to figure out what 50% of employees would be. "Let's see ... if we have 10,000 employees, you take the 9 and double it and multiply by ... no ... Does anyone have a calculator?"
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, March 14, 2025
Direction Matters
Most of us live with varying levels of pain and disappointment. People let us down. Circumstances can be unpleasant. There is sin and sickness and tragedy in the world. Let's face it ... we're not in heaven ... yet. We live in a world tainted by sin and in bodies tainted by sin and we all suffer to some degree or another. What do we do with it? How do we deal with it?
The question seems to be one of direction. Are we looking at it from our own needs and pain, or from an outward view? For all of us, we are generally on the inward view. We are more concerned about our needs, our desires, our wishes, our pain. We see people in terms of "What can they give to me?" and when they don't, we're upset. But Scripture speaks of a different perspective. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Mark 8:34). Any follower of Christ is expected to deny himself, to die to self. Instead, we are expected to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' (Matt 22:37). That's vertical -- us and God. Horizontally -- us and others -- we are to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:39) or, for disciples of Jesus, to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Notice the directions. First, not to self. We're to deny ourselves. Second, the direction is outward, first to God, and second to others. Not to self. So we are commanded to love -- love God and love others. That love gives. There is nothing in love that takes. It does not seek its own (1 Cor 13:5). It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It never takes.
Direction matters. We are naturally inclined to direct all issues to ourselves. Scripture calls on us to direct everything outwardly. Not "When do I get mine?" but "What can I give to others?" The expectation is that all we need coming in will be provided by God (Rom 8:32; Php 4:19). We're free to give it all away, expecting God to supply. When we start taking it all for ourselves, expect problems.
The question seems to be one of direction. Are we looking at it from our own needs and pain, or from an outward view? For all of us, we are generally on the inward view. We are more concerned about our needs, our desires, our wishes, our pain. We see people in terms of "What can they give to me?" and when they don't, we're upset. But Scripture speaks of a different perspective. Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me" (Mark 8:34). Any follower of Christ is expected to deny himself, to die to self. Instead, we are expected to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind' (Matt 22:37). That's vertical -- us and God. Horizontally -- us and others -- we are to "love your neighbor as yourself" (Matt 22:39) or, for disciples of Jesus, to "love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). Notice the directions. First, not to self. We're to deny ourselves. Second, the direction is outward, first to God, and second to others. Not to self. So we are commanded to love -- love God and love others. That love gives. There is nothing in love that takes. It does not seek its own (1 Cor 13:5). It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It never takes.
Direction matters. We are naturally inclined to direct all issues to ourselves. Scripture calls on us to direct everything outwardly. Not "When do I get mine?" but "What can I give to others?" The expectation is that all we need coming in will be provided by God (Rom 8:32; Php 4:19). We're free to give it all away, expecting God to supply. When we start taking it all for ourselves, expect problems.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Arrogant Humility
Paul wrote, "For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith" (Rom 12:3). And while the more proud among us wince, the more lowly affirm, "Well, at least I have that going for me. I don't think very highly of myself at all." But, as is often the case, we are mistaken. We're all aware that many humans are arrogant. They think more highly of themselves than they ought. Our entire culture is pointed in that direction. "You deserve ..." "You're wonderful ..." "Don't let anyone get in the way of your dreams." David declared, "But I am a worm and not a man, a reproach of men and despised by the people" (Psa 22:6). "No, no, we're not 'worms'. Don't say that." The famous hymn, Amazing Grace, originally said
Some of us suffer from poor self image. We think we're useless or of little value or incompetent or the like. The modern term is "low self-esteem," but "esteem" refers to "worth," so I prefer the "self-image" term simply to indicate how we see ("image") ourselves. We fail to see any strengths or beauty or value or whatever and only see the worst. So we're not thinking more highly of ourselves as we ought; we're thinking more lowly of ourselves than we ought. And I suspect that's a bigger problem for many than the arrogant issue. But ... I would argue that this, too is arrogance -- thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. How? Well, Scripture says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psa 139:14). David wrote, "You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psa 139:13). Who made you? God Himself. And, David affirms, "Wonderful are Your works" (Psa 139:14). So when we declare that we're ... less, inferior, useless, worthless, etc., we declare, "Nope, God! You're wrong!" We quarrel with our Maker, questioning His work (Isa 45:9). We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we tell Him, "Well, that's Your opinion; You're wrong."
It turns out that those who think more highly of themselves than they ought by seeing themselves as better than they are aren't alone in this. It turns out that our shaking of our fists in God's face, complaining about how poorly we are made, is just as arrogant. We see it as humility, but it's not. It's arrogance. And we ought to be thankful to the God who formed us and declare, "Wonderful are Your works." We ought to ... "think so as to have sound judgment," beginning with, "Lord, You're right."
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound"No, let's not say 'wretch'." Some modern versions change it to "saved a one like me." Or "saved and set me free." We're not wretches. So "thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought" really is a problem. But ... I would contend that so is our "humility" version.
That saved a wretch like me.
Some of us suffer from poor self image. We think we're useless or of little value or incompetent or the like. The modern term is "low self-esteem," but "esteem" refers to "worth," so I prefer the "self-image" term simply to indicate how we see ("image") ourselves. We fail to see any strengths or beauty or value or whatever and only see the worst. So we're not thinking more highly of ourselves as we ought; we're thinking more lowly of ourselves than we ought. And I suspect that's a bigger problem for many than the arrogant issue. But ... I would argue that this, too is arrogance -- thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought. How? Well, Scripture says we are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psa 139:14). David wrote, "You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb" (Psa 139:13). Who made you? God Himself. And, David affirms, "Wonderful are Your works" (Psa 139:14). So when we declare that we're ... less, inferior, useless, worthless, etc., we declare, "Nope, God! You're wrong!" We quarrel with our Maker, questioning His work (Isa 45:9). We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and we tell Him, "Well, that's Your opinion; You're wrong."
It turns out that those who think more highly of themselves than they ought by seeing themselves as better than they are aren't alone in this. It turns out that our shaking of our fists in God's face, complaining about how poorly we are made, is just as arrogant. We see it as humility, but it's not. It's arrogance. And we ought to be thankful to the God who formed us and declare, "Wonderful are Your works." We ought to ... "think so as to have sound judgment," beginning with, "Lord, You're right."
Wednesday, March 12, 2025
Sovereign?
It's a common question. Is God actually Sovereign? "Yes," Christians affirm, but I put that "actually" there for a reason. We also affirm free will (with vague definition), so clearly we make choices. God doesn't make our choices for us. (There are those who argue against free will, but that won't work biblically, so let's not go there.) So how does that work? How do we have free will if God is actually Sovereign? This dichotomy causes all sorts of problems. The common perception is that God allows our bad choices and then works around them to produce a positive result. He had a better option, but we just made Him work harder with our poor choices. Maybe the negative consequences in our lives serve as punishment. So, well, yes, we affirm free will and God's Sovereignty, but He's still chasing our tails, so to speak, trying to get things back in line after we go muddling with it. But ... what does Scripture say?
God is Absolutely Sovereign
God is not "mostly sovereign." We like to think He's "sovereign" by which we mean He's mostly sovereign, but gives up some of His sovereignty to us. He retains overall sovereignty, but we still supply some good or ... make a mess of things. Scripture says, "Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psa 115:3). Whatever He pleases. No purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2). He always does what He intends (Isa 14:24). He does as He pleases and no one can stop Him (Dan 4:35). He even controls governments (Prov 21:1). He is not a sovereign; He is the "only Sovereign" (1 Tim 6:15). "YHWH has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (Psa 103:19). Over all. Abraham Kuyper wrote, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'" Absolute Sovereignty.
We Have Free Will
We do make choices for which we are held accountable. Joshua told Israel, "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve," (Josh 24:15), nonsensical if we don't get to choose. Paul wrote, "Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord" (Eph 6:8). We make choices. "Solomon says, "The heart of man plans his way, but YHWH establishes his steps" (Prov 16:9). We make choices, but God is ultimately in charge. If Scripture is to be believed, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36) ... including your bad choices. But, Scripture holds both that God is Sovereign and we are responsible for our choices. In Luke, Jesus, talking about His betrayal, is quoted as saying, "For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Luke 22:22). In that, you see "determined" -- God's inexorable plan -- and "woe" -- the one who chooses to betray Him is held responsible for his choice. Perhaps this concept is seen most clearly in Genesis when Joseph's brothers apologized for what they did to Joseph. He told them, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Gen 50:20). Pay close attention. First, intent. They didn't intend good; they intended evil. No excuses; no justification. "But God ..." God intended good. Note it doesn't say, "God turned it into good." The language requires that when they intended evil, God intended good. God saw their evil intent and used it to produce His intended good. God's Sovereignty and our culpability.
Not all Pain is Punishment
Obviously punishment is painful, but a common misconception is that all pain is punishment. Scripture disagrees. The disciples assumed the man born blind suffered under punishment (John 9:2); Jesus told them he was made that way for God's glory (John 9:3). Scripture says, "The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Heb 12:6). "Wait," some will say, "doesn't 'discipline' mean 'punish'?" No, not necessarily. "Punishment" is a penalty, while "discipline" is a training method. "Punishment" is punative while "discipline" is corrective. Believers, then, can never be "punished" for sin because our sin has been paid for. They can be "disciplined" as a result of sin, not as punishment, but as a corrective action. And not all pain is punishment or discipline, as in Paul's famous "thorn in the flesh" example where he was simply being taught not to exalt himself, but to be content with Christ (2 Cor 12:7-10).
God is Never Caught Off Guard
Still, we tend to think that our sinful choices fall outside God's plan. We fear that our choices can sabotage God's best plans for our lives. But God knows all things from the beginning (Psa 139:16). He doesn't have a "Plan B" for your life. His plan for your life is written before you are born. God doesn't cause your sin, but He knows about it in advance, plans for it, and uses it. You intend it for evil, but God intends it for good. Ultimately, we even know what that good is. "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:28-29). What is the good? We are being conformed to the image of His Son. Why is it good "to those who love God"? Because that is the ultimate goal of everyone who loves God.
Sin is bad. No excuses. And we all sin. No exceptions. We all live with our choices and we all regret some. But we live under a Sovereign God who does anything and everything He pleases. No one can change that. He always accomplishes the good He intends, even if it's a seemingly circuitous route through bad choices and sin. Our loving Father will discipline us -- even though our sins are forgiven -- not as punishment, but as training, because He is always accomplishing His will and His ultimate will is to have His people shaped into a reflection of His Son. Without fail. Because He is ... the only Sovereign. You? You're just not that powerful.
God is Absolutely Sovereign
God is not "mostly sovereign." We like to think He's "sovereign" by which we mean He's mostly sovereign, but gives up some of His sovereignty to us. He retains overall sovereignty, but we still supply some good or ... make a mess of things. Scripture says, "Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psa 115:3). Whatever He pleases. No purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2). He always does what He intends (Isa 14:24). He does as He pleases and no one can stop Him (Dan 4:35). He even controls governments (Prov 21:1). He is not a sovereign; He is the "only Sovereign" (1 Tim 6:15). "YHWH has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all" (Psa 103:19). Over all. Abraham Kuyper wrote, "There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: 'Mine!'" Absolute Sovereignty.
We Have Free Will
We do make choices for which we are held accountable. Joshua told Israel, "Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve," (Josh 24:15), nonsensical if we don't get to choose. Paul wrote, "Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord" (Eph 6:8). We make choices. "Solomon says, "The heart of man plans his way, but YHWH establishes his steps" (Prov 16:9). We make choices, but God is ultimately in charge. If Scripture is to be believed, "From Him and through Him and to Him are all things" (Rom 11:36) ... including your bad choices. But, Scripture holds both that God is Sovereign and we are responsible for our choices. In Luke, Jesus, talking about His betrayal, is quoted as saying, "For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Luke 22:22). In that, you see "determined" -- God's inexorable plan -- and "woe" -- the one who chooses to betray Him is held responsible for his choice. Perhaps this concept is seen most clearly in Genesis when Joseph's brothers apologized for what they did to Joseph. He told them, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive" (Gen 50:20). Pay close attention. First, intent. They didn't intend good; they intended evil. No excuses; no justification. "But God ..." God intended good. Note it doesn't say, "God turned it into good." The language requires that when they intended evil, God intended good. God saw their evil intent and used it to produce His intended good. God's Sovereignty and our culpability.
Not all Pain is Punishment
Obviously punishment is painful, but a common misconception is that all pain is punishment. Scripture disagrees. The disciples assumed the man born blind suffered under punishment (John 9:2); Jesus told them he was made that way for God's glory (John 9:3). Scripture says, "The Lord disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives" (Heb 12:6). "Wait," some will say, "doesn't 'discipline' mean 'punish'?" No, not necessarily. "Punishment" is a penalty, while "discipline" is a training method. "Punishment" is punative while "discipline" is corrective. Believers, then, can never be "punished" for sin because our sin has been paid for. They can be "disciplined" as a result of sin, not as punishment, but as a corrective action. And not all pain is punishment or discipline, as in Paul's famous "thorn in the flesh" example where he was simply being taught not to exalt himself, but to be content with Christ (2 Cor 12:7-10).
God is Never Caught Off Guard
Still, we tend to think that our sinful choices fall outside God's plan. We fear that our choices can sabotage God's best plans for our lives. But God knows all things from the beginning (Psa 139:16). He doesn't have a "Plan B" for your life. His plan for your life is written before you are born. God doesn't cause your sin, but He knows about it in advance, plans for it, and uses it. You intend it for evil, but God intends it for good. Ultimately, we even know what that good is. "We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren" (Rom 8:28-29). What is the good? We are being conformed to the image of His Son. Why is it good "to those who love God"? Because that is the ultimate goal of everyone who loves God.
Sin is bad. No excuses. And we all sin. No exceptions. We all live with our choices and we all regret some. But we live under a Sovereign God who does anything and everything He pleases. No one can change that. He always accomplishes the good He intends, even if it's a seemingly circuitous route through bad choices and sin. Our loving Father will discipline us -- even though our sins are forgiven -- not as punishment, but as training, because He is always accomplishing His will and His ultimate will is to have His people shaped into a reflection of His Son. Without fail. Because He is ... the only Sovereign. You? You're just not that powerful.
Tuesday, March 11, 2025
Have This Mind
In his epistle to the church of Philippi, Paul urges unity (Php 2:1-2). How does he recommend arriving at unity? Easy.
We're supposed to be like Christ. We're supposed to follow Him. It should be the greatest desire of every believer. So ... will we "have this mind"? Will we empty self? Or will we correct Him and suggest it's not reasonable? You can see how setting self aside would facilitate unity. Are we going to do that ... or just make stuff up as we go?
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Php 2:5-8)Easy ... yet impossible. What Jesus did was to violate the basic nature of humans by being selfless. He "emptied Himself." The first part of the description gives us the scope of this emptying. He was "in the form of God." Not like a homeless guy offering to give up his cardboard box. He was God. And He set that aside ... all the way ... to death.
We're supposed to be like Christ. We're supposed to follow Him. It should be the greatest desire of every believer. So ... will we "have this mind"? Will we empty self? Or will we correct Him and suggest it's not reasonable? You can see how setting self aside would facilitate unity. Are we going to do that ... or just make stuff up as we go?
Monday, March 10, 2025
The Numbers Game
Most of us play a "numbers game" of some sort. We define success by numbers. Maybe it's dollars of income. Maybe it's number of church members. Maybe it's wins or friends or ... all sorts of things. Success is when we make the numbers. So ... in Christianity, what numbers would signal success?
Well, obviously, "righteousness" numbers won't work. Since Christianity is premised on our lack of righteousness and offers a righteousness not our own, that's right out. I know. Church size. Clearly the size of your church indicates its success, right? So getting people in is the best way to win this game. Any way you can. Entertain, shorten sermons, change musical styles, really pep things up. Right? I mean, we're told to be building up the church, aren't we? Or ... oh, I know. Converts. Like World War II aces, we could stamp a mark on our cars to indicate how many people we've led to Christ. I mean, we're told to spread the gospel, right? That's a pretty solid measure of success right there. Or ... is it? Although lots of people think that way, it doesn't work biblically. We aren't told to make converts. We're told to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20). And that process isn't one that can be counted because it's ongoing, continuous. "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded ..." So, no, not a numerical value. And not a function of converts. And we aren't commanded to build up the church. We're commanded to build up the body of Christ, to equip the saints, to attain unity and maturity (Eph 4:11-14). Another ongoing, continuous command that never ends and can't be counted.
We're not supposed to be making converts; we're supposed to be making disciples. We're not supposed to be building the church; we're supposed to be building up believers. We can get so mixed up with worldly standards that we make worldly programs to meet worldly goals ... for divine commands. It doesn't work. We need to obey, not make up metrics. We're supposed to sacrifice ourselves for God's work (Rom 12:1-2), not build up better systems. We so often seem to be missing the point ...
Well, obviously, "righteousness" numbers won't work. Since Christianity is premised on our lack of righteousness and offers a righteousness not our own, that's right out. I know. Church size. Clearly the size of your church indicates its success, right? So getting people in is the best way to win this game. Any way you can. Entertain, shorten sermons, change musical styles, really pep things up. Right? I mean, we're told to be building up the church, aren't we? Or ... oh, I know. Converts. Like World War II aces, we could stamp a mark on our cars to indicate how many people we've led to Christ. I mean, we're told to spread the gospel, right? That's a pretty solid measure of success right there. Or ... is it? Although lots of people think that way, it doesn't work biblically. We aren't told to make converts. We're told to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20). And that process isn't one that can be counted because it's ongoing, continuous. "Teach them to observe all that I have commanded ..." So, no, not a numerical value. And not a function of converts. And we aren't commanded to build up the church. We're commanded to build up the body of Christ, to equip the saints, to attain unity and maturity (Eph 4:11-14). Another ongoing, continuous command that never ends and can't be counted.
We're not supposed to be making converts; we're supposed to be making disciples. We're not supposed to be building the church; we're supposed to be building up believers. We can get so mixed up with worldly standards that we make worldly programs to meet worldly goals ... for divine commands. It doesn't work. We need to obey, not make up metrics. We're supposed to sacrifice ourselves for God's work (Rom 12:1-2), not build up better systems. We so often seem to be missing the point ...
Sunday, March 09, 2025
Allegiance
I was listening to a conservative news station as it explained the news of the day. Every piece of news regarding Trump's actions were reported with gusto about how wonderful he was. Over against that, the liberal news station had nothing but evil to say of anything Trump did that day. Why is that? It's a matter of allegiance. To whom are you allied?
We all operate on allegiances. Allegiance is loyalty or devotion to a person, group, cause, etc. All of us have loyalties to various things or causes. They inform our perspectives. In the case of Trump, we have something called "TDS" -- Trump Derangement Syndrome. It may refer to those so allied with Trump that they cannot see anything wrong with Trump. It may be those so dedicated to opposing Trump, that they can't see anything right with Trump. But our allegiances typically run deeper. Perhaps our allegiance is with the party -- Republicans for the GOP or Democrats for the Dems. Perhaps it is with the nation -- Americans for America. Others are for their race or their culture or their family or ... well, you get the idea. You can see how their response to, say, what Trump does might vary based on their allegiance.
Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). That's it, the same question. Where is your allegiance? Is it with Trump (or the other side)? Is it with your party or your nation? Is it with your spouse or your money? Or is it Christ? You see, your allegiance alters your views and reactions. If your allegiance is with anyone other than Christ, your reactions will be seriously flawed. So, give that a thought. Are you reactions to life aimed at an allegiance to Christ, or to something ... less? Anything other than Christ is called idolatry.
We all operate on allegiances. Allegiance is loyalty or devotion to a person, group, cause, etc. All of us have loyalties to various things or causes. They inform our perspectives. In the case of Trump, we have something called "TDS" -- Trump Derangement Syndrome. It may refer to those so allied with Trump that they cannot see anything wrong with Trump. It may be those so dedicated to opposing Trump, that they can't see anything right with Trump. But our allegiances typically run deeper. Perhaps our allegiance is with the party -- Republicans for the GOP or Democrats for the Dems. Perhaps it is with the nation -- Americans for America. Others are for their race or their culture or their family or ... well, you get the idea. You can see how their response to, say, what Trump does might vary based on their allegiance.
Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt 6:21). That's it, the same question. Where is your allegiance? Is it with Trump (or the other side)? Is it with your party or your nation? Is it with your spouse or your money? Or is it Christ? You see, your allegiance alters your views and reactions. If your allegiance is with anyone other than Christ, your reactions will be seriously flawed. So, give that a thought. Are you reactions to life aimed at an allegiance to Christ, or to something ... less? Anything other than Christ is called idolatry.
Saturday, March 08, 2025
News Weakly - 3/8/2025
(Sorry about the brevity. I've been traveling this week.)
Say No to Moms
In case you hadn't heard, Wisconsin is pushing to eliminate mothers. Well, to redefine them as "inseminated persons." In order to be "more inclusive." Thus, "father" and "husband" and "wife" are also out. Gotta be "inclusive." So, remember, "Mother's Day" is out this May 11. Happy Inseminated Person's Day. And say goodbye to rational biology.
Values Clarification
Michael Moore is upset because deporting illegal immigrant children might be deporting someone who could have cured cancer. Given his strident stand on abortion, apparently none of the children killed in the womb could be as important.
Women's Rights
Because of our inability to separate "sex" and "gender" and can no longer define "woman," our government keeps working hard to strip women (actual women) of their just rights and protections. Science leaves no question that biological males and biological females are biologically different, but the Senate blocked protections for female athletes by insuring biological males (sex) who identify as females (gender) can continue to eliminate women's sports. "Thinking themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom 1:22).
Your Best Source for Fake News
Recent writings discover that Paul had so many shipwrecks because he failed to pray for traveling mercies. That explains a lot. In international news, Germany is committing to 100% electric vehicle terror attacks by 2035. And in medical news, a doctor says he'll be able to make a better diagnosis after he reviews a scan ... of your insurance benefits.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Say No to Moms
In case you hadn't heard, Wisconsin is pushing to eliminate mothers. Well, to redefine them as "inseminated persons." In order to be "more inclusive." Thus, "father" and "husband" and "wife" are also out. Gotta be "inclusive." So, remember, "Mother's Day" is out this May 11. Happy Inseminated Person's Day. And say goodbye to rational biology.
Values Clarification
Michael Moore is upset because deporting illegal immigrant children might be deporting someone who could have cured cancer. Given his strident stand on abortion, apparently none of the children killed in the womb could be as important.
Women's Rights
Because of our inability to separate "sex" and "gender" and can no longer define "woman," our government keeps working hard to strip women (actual women) of their just rights and protections. Science leaves no question that biological males and biological females are biologically different, but the Senate blocked protections for female athletes by insuring biological males (sex) who identify as females (gender) can continue to eliminate women's sports. "Thinking themselves to be wise, they became fools" (Rom 1:22).
Your Best Source for Fake News
Recent writings discover that Paul had so many shipwrecks because he failed to pray for traveling mercies. That explains a lot. In international news, Germany is committing to 100% electric vehicle terror attacks by 2035. And in medical news, a doctor says he'll be able to make a better diagnosis after he reviews a scan ... of your insurance benefits.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
Friday, March 07, 2025
The Fruits of Marriage
A friend of mine is the manager of the produce section at the local grocery store. He has a lovely fiance and I asked him when they planned to be married.
"Well, we cantaloupe because I have a honeydew list that would kill a kiwi. Besides, I think we could berry get by on what I make. I would get a second job, but I have to ask myself, 'How far should a mango?' I have some collectible books that are in cherry condition I could get rid of, so maybe after I visit the book celery might consider saving up for a wedding. I mean, she's a real tomato and we make a wonderful pear. She's been a great date. I'd have to be out of my gourd not to marry her. I'd have to be some kind of a nut. And all that stuff about 'You have to be ready' is a bit corny to me. Besides, I don't really give a fig if we're rich or anything, so we'll be wed someday, kumquat will. I'll come up with the cabbage somehow. Something will turnip. If we didn't marry, I'm pretty sure it would make artichoke. He's going to be my best man, you know. So I yam sure we'll get married soon. But I gotta get to work, so, when we get married, orange you going to come? If so, I'll cashew then. Lettuce catch up then, okay, Herb?"
I didn't have the heart to tell him my name wasn't Herb. And I should have known better than to ask in the first place.
"Well, we cantaloupe because I have a honeydew list that would kill a kiwi. Besides, I think we could berry get by on what I make. I would get a second job, but I have to ask myself, 'How far should a mango?' I have some collectible books that are in cherry condition I could get rid of, so maybe after I visit the book celery might consider saving up for a wedding. I mean, she's a real tomato and we make a wonderful pear. She's been a great date. I'd have to be out of my gourd not to marry her. I'd have to be some kind of a nut. And all that stuff about 'You have to be ready' is a bit corny to me. Besides, I don't really give a fig if we're rich or anything, so we'll be wed someday, kumquat will. I'll come up with the cabbage somehow. Something will turnip. If we didn't marry, I'm pretty sure it would make artichoke. He's going to be my best man, you know. So I yam sure we'll get married soon. But I gotta get to work, so, when we get married, orange you going to come? If so, I'll cashew then. Lettuce catch up then, okay, Herb?"
I didn't have the heart to tell him my name wasn't Herb. And I should have known better than to ask in the first place.
Thursday, March 06, 2025
Wars and Rumors of Wars?
I've heard more and more people telling me, "I just don't watch the news anymore." A few are because of the obvious and unavoidable bias ... from all sides ... but mostly, "It's just too disturbing." Climate crisis, pandemics, fighting, wars, killings, insane policies, outrageous governments, and far too much "What were they thinking?" And, I get it. I do. But ...
David writes, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!" (Psa 37:1). "Okay, Dave, fine ... easy for you to say." But ... it is ... and for us, as well, if we see his reasoning.
I don't actually know how others do it. How do they look at the news and cope? How do they manage the vagaries and tragedies of life and keep going? How do they make any sense of the world? For me, it's beyond me. Which is, precisely, the point. He's above me. He's in charge. And He wins. So ... I take refuge in Him.
David writes, "Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!" (Psa 37:1). "Okay, Dave, fine ... easy for you to say." But ... it is ... and for us, as well, if we see his reasoning.
Trust in YHWH, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in YHWH, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to YHWH; trust in Him, and He will act. (Psa 37:3-5)Psalm 37 is a study in contrasts, with evil on one hand and God on the other. Evil is short and fleeting while God ... wins ... every time. And by "wins" I mean He accomplishes His will and does good for His people. Not merely "gets by" or "doesn't lose." "YHWH helps them and delivers them; He delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in Him" (Psa 37:40).
I don't actually know how others do it. How do they look at the news and cope? How do they manage the vagaries and tragedies of life and keep going? How do they make any sense of the world? For me, it's beyond me. Which is, precisely, the point. He's above me. He's in charge. And He wins. So ... I take refuge in Him.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "YHWH reigns!" (1 Chr 16:31)
Wednesday, March 05, 2025
Silly Humans
I was raised in an exceptional Christian home. I was Bible-immersed as a very young child, went to Bible-based churches, attended a Christian school at my Bible-based church ... all very good stuff that has helped me in life. I remember, though, when I came across the doctrine of Election. You know the one. God chooses whom He will save. Well, I found that one difficult to swallow. But, literally over several years, I became convinced by Scripture and evident reason that it was unavoidable. Election was in the Bible whether I liked it or not. From Abel to Abraham, from Noah to Israel, from David to the 12 disciples and beyond, over and over God chose without regard to human deeds or will. Mind you, how Election works could be in question, but that it is true is not. It's interesting, in retrospect, thinking about the primary reason I resisted it so long. It wasn't because it was unclear in Scripture. It wasn't because competing voices had other equally compelling arguments. It was ... people. My thinking went something like this. How could a good, loving God choose to save some and not others? I mean, doesn't "good" and "loving" necessitate "save everyone"? Like good parents owe their children the best, doesn't our heavenly Father owe it to us? And, after all, isn't an eternity of damnation excessive in view of a temporal life of sin? I was, as it turned out, practicing the very thing that made God angry (Rom 1:25). I was serving the creature rather than the Creator.
It's a kind of a killing of God, if you think about it. I was trying to set God aside if He didn't correlate to my values. If He didn't meet my standards, He was really in trouble. I forgot that He was God. I was actually suggesting that if God didn't see humans as important as I did, He was wrong. I was asking the question upside down. Does Scripture say He chooses? Absolutely, without a doubt. Then don't shake my fist at Him for doing so; try to understand and realign my thinking. We know He has a great love for humans, but He certainly does not "feel warmly" for His creatures more than He loves Himself. That would be ... idolatry. So a just God must apply justice to a sinful race. Becaue He must be true to Himself. And, let's face it, attempted murder of God should be punishable by eternal death. If God is seriously concerned about His glory and we sin, falling short of that glory (Rom 3:23), it's not a minor problem. It's an eternal one.
We have a real hard time with this. We develop our own "good" ... even though Scripture says our hearts are deceived (Jer 17:9) and we're not good (Rom 3:12). Then we expect God to agree with us. If He doesn't, it's a problem. And most people are not willing to say, "The problem is with me." So we defend sinful Man against a Holy God and think we're doing a good thing. Silly humans.
It's a kind of a killing of God, if you think about it. I was trying to set God aside if He didn't correlate to my values. If He didn't meet my standards, He was really in trouble. I forgot that He was God. I was actually suggesting that if God didn't see humans as important as I did, He was wrong. I was asking the question upside down. Does Scripture say He chooses? Absolutely, without a doubt. Then don't shake my fist at Him for doing so; try to understand and realign my thinking. We know He has a great love for humans, but He certainly does not "feel warmly" for His creatures more than He loves Himself. That would be ... idolatry. So a just God must apply justice to a sinful race. Becaue He must be true to Himself. And, let's face it, attempted murder of God should be punishable by eternal death. If God is seriously concerned about His glory and we sin, falling short of that glory (Rom 3:23), it's not a minor problem. It's an eternal one.
We have a real hard time with this. We develop our own "good" ... even though Scripture says our hearts are deceived (Jer 17:9) and we're not good (Rom 3:12). Then we expect God to agree with us. If He doesn't, it's a problem. And most people are not willing to say, "The problem is with me." So we defend sinful Man against a Holy God and think we're doing a good thing. Silly humans.
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