06 December 2011
28 November 2011
15 November 2011
04 November 2011
01 November 2011
19 October 2011
Can An Organization Be “Christian” At Vanderbilt?
How have these organizations run afoul of the interests of nondiscrimination? The campus newspaper reports that, “The noncompliance issue is the same for all three groups. Each group’s constitution contains a clause which restricts leadership positions to individuals who share the group’s core religious beliefs.”** This is shocking indeed! Who would have thought that a Christian campus organization dedicated to biblical traditions and teachings would want to restrict leadership in their organization to … Christians! Associate Dean Patricia Helland said that the university administration initially instructed all of the organizations to remove the offending articles from their constitutions. Then they were confronted with an amazing alternative point of view. Ms. Helland relates that “People have come back to us and said ‘what do you mean? This is faith based. This is our values. If we change that, we are not who we are’, so what we’ve done is we’ve listened … We are looking at what all the issues are to make a decision.” *** Apparently, it had never occurred to the brilliant educators and administrators at Vanderbilt that having Buddhists, Hindus or atheists in charge of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes might actually cause people to question whether it really was Christian in any meaningful way. In all seriousness, it is hard to believe that anyone could be so oblivious on such an obvious point. Several members of the U.S. Congress seem to share my incredulity. Earlier this week, the congressional caucus on prayer sent a message to Vanderbilt’s President pointing out that, “Selecting leaders that best represent a student organization’s mission is not discrimination; it is common sense.”**
It appears that common sense is in precious supply on the campus of my beloved alma mater … or perhaps there is something a tad more insidious going on here. It seems likely to me that the school is much more troubled by the mission of these groups than that they are by their organization. I say that because there is a reason that Vanderbilt, a university that is almost 200 years old, has suddenly become so concerned about the organizing documents of on campus religious organizations. The university began reviewing the constitutions of all such organizations at the beginning of the year, after allegations surfaced last November that Beta Upsilon Chi (BYX), a Christian fraternity on campus, asked an openly gay member to resign due to his sexual orientation. The administration appears to favor a campus climate in which no distinctively biblical judgments can be made on such issues … even in private and voluntary religious organizations. Professor Carol Swain who teaches political science and law at Vandy shares my concern when she writes, “Evangelical Christians are increasingly under attack for their biblically-based worldviews … Universities and colleges around the country are increasingly seeking to impose secular ideology upon religious organizations under the guise of political correctness.”**** In short, there may come a day in which we have to proclaim the gospel to college campuses without being allowed on college campuses.
* The probation is officially called “being given provisional status”. This means that they can still carry on normal activities while their ultimate fate is being decided.
** http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/18192
*** http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/9238
**** http://www.carolmswain.net/2011/09/vanderbilt-universitys-dangerous-flirtation-with-religious-suppression/
12 October 2011
“Who Are You To Judge?” by Erwin Lutzer
I recently finished reading Erwin Lutzer’s book, Who Are You To Judge?, which discusses how Christians can learn to distinguish between “truths, half-truths and lies”. It contains eleven chapters in which Lutzer explores the principles that should guide godly judgments. In the latter half of the book Lutzer demonstrates how these principles should be applied to making discernments about subject such as: false prophets, miracles, entertainment, appearances, fantasy and ghosts. He concludes the book with an appeal to his readers to aspire to Christ-honoring conduct and character. It is 247 pages long.Here are some excerpts that I found most interesting or helpful:
“We have lost the ability to judge the world because we have lost the ability to judge ourselves. We affirm certain beliefs and then act as if they don’t matter.” (p.16)
“Our tolerance must be based on truth, just as much as our intolerance must be based on truth. In the end, our judgments must come down to truth questions. The problem is that we are often intolerant where we should be more tolerant; and often we are tolerant where we should be intolerant.” (pp. 22-23)
“According to a recent Barna survey, ‘only four out of every ten born again adults rely upon the Bible or church teachings as their primary source of moral guidance.’” (p. 41)
“We are commanded to judge teachings and conduct; we are commanded to judge sinful behavior and attitudes; but motives belong to God and are beyond the realm of our knowledge and jurisdiction.” (p. 48)
“Danger comes when doctrine divides people who ought to be together. But when it comes to the doctrine of salvation, it is much better to be divided by truth than to be united by error.” (p. 59)
“We must keep in mind that the Jesus we want is not necessarily the Jesus we need.” (p. 94)
“The power of Christianity is best seen in the gospel, not in physical miracles.” (p. 117)
“Your friends can only take you up to your potential; only your enemies can take you beyond it.” (p. 239)
This book is a good read for Christians who are trying to grow in the area of sharing truth in a loving way. In a society that is increasingly hostile to biblical truth claims, believers need to think through the legitimacy of what they believe and be prepared to graciously but firmly stand by those beliefs. This book helps guide the reader through that process.
19 September 2011
14 September 2011
Looking Like Jesus
Upon further reflection, however, I think that it is an excellent question for us to keep in the back of our hearts, “Am I Jesus?” Or to put it more delicately, does what I am doing look like Jesus? The Bible tells us that God’s children have been “predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8.29) To be conformed to His image implies that we will look like Him. If an image is a very good one it will even sometimes give the impression of being the original. The goal of our discipleship as a church, in fact the very reason we exist, is to pursue the life-changing power of the cross and empty tomb that transforms us from marred paintings to portraits painted by the Master’s hand. May we pray and hope that God’s handiwork is so evident upon us that many will be induced to wonder: “Isn’t that Jesus’s generosity? Isn’t that His courage? Isn’t that His passion? Isn’t that His patience?”
Doesn’t that look like Jesus?
13 September 2011
23 August 2011
11 August 2011
Longing For The “Good Ole Days”
Even though the Bible declares that “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning”, (Lamentations 3.22-23) we still sometimes find ourselves feeling very “old” spiritually. We can remember the warmth of times when we sensed God’s presence more closely, the newness of learning certain truths about God and the fullness of former seasons of fervent prayer. But those memories can haunt us when we feel spiritually cold in the present. If we are honest, there are times when God’s mercies do not feel very new. The devotional below is an excerpt from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning By Morning in which he talks about how we are tempted to dwell on the mercies of the past rather than looking forward to God’s new mercies:
"How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me.” Job 29.2
Many Christians view their past with pleasure, but are dissatisfied with the present. They look back on days gone by when their communion with the Lord was the sweetest and the best they have ever known, but see the present as though it is clothed in a dark coat of gloom and dreariness. Once they lived close to Jesus, but now they feel that they have wandered away from Him, and find themselves saying, "How I long for the months gone by.” They complain that they have lost assurance of their faith, they have no peace of mind, they no longer find enjoyment in the ways of grace, their conscience has lost its tenderness, or they lack their former zeal to glorify God.
The causes of this sad condition are many. It can arise due to neglecting prayer, for a neglected prayer closet is the beginning of all spiritual decline. It can be the result of idolatry when the affections of the heart have been focused more on things on earth than on the things of heaven and God Himself. A “jealous God” (Exodus 20.5) will never be content with a divided heart, for He must be loved first and above all else. He will withdraw the sunshine of His presence from a cold, wandering heart. Or we may find the cause to be self-confidence and self-righteousness, for when pride is at work in the heart, self is exalted instead of being humbled at the foot of the cross.
Dear Christian, if you are not as you once were in “the months gone by," do not be satisfied with simply wishing for a return to your former happiness. Go at once to seek your Master, and tell Him of your sad condition. Ask for His grace and strength to help you to walk more closely with Him. “Humble yourself before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4.10), and He will once again allow you to enjoy the light of His countenance. Do not sit down only to grieve and cry, for since the beloved Physician lives there is hope – more than that – there is a certainty of recovery for even the worst cases.*
There is both challenge and encouragement in Spurgeon’s words. We are to be thankful for God’s past provision and for memories of precious experiences of His goodness, but our greatest provision is always ahead of us. Philippians 3 reminds us that we are pressing on toward a heavenly prize. That is an upward goal. God always gives us more not less than we ask … He never gives us left over mercies. They are new every day.
* Look Unto Me: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon.Zondervan (October 7, 2008). p. 224.
02 August 2011
26 July 2011
19 July 2011
Seeing God’s Greatness Through Troubled Waters
The following devotional is taken from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning By Morning. It reminds us that often the only way we can truly appreciate the greatness of God is as we behold Him in the tempests of life.
Someone whose life is nothing but a smooth and easy path will see very little of the glory of the Lord, for he will have few opportunities for self-emptying and, as a result, will be unfit for being filled with the revelation of God. They who only navigate narrow streams and shallow creeks, know little of the God of storms, but they who are “merchants on the mighty waters" see “His wonderful deeds in the deep" (Psalm 107.23-24). Among the huge Atlantic-waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah, because we sense the smallness of mankind.
Therefore, thank God if your road has been rough, for this is what has given you the experience of God's greatness and loving-kindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a wealth of knowledge not gained in any other way, for your trials have been the “cleft of the rock” where Jehovah has put you, just as He did His servant Moses, that you too might behold His glory as it “passes by” (Exodus 33.22).
Praise God that you have not been left in the darkness and ignorance that continuing prosperity may have brought you. Instead, through the great “furnace of affliction” (Isaiah 48.10) you have been given the capacity to behold the shining of His glory in His wonderful dealings with you.”*
May we cherish the opportunity to see the work and presence of the Lord more than we relish the comfort of having a trouble-free life.
* Look Unto Me: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon. Zondervan (October 7, 2008). p. 201.
20 June 2011
16 June 2011
“The Holiness Of God” by R. C. Sproul
I just finished reading The Holiness Of God by R. C. Sproul. It has eleven chapters wherein Sproul makes observations on what it means for God to be holy and how that holiness affects those who truly encounter it. Examples include individuals such as Moses, Isaiah, Martin Luther and the apostle Peter. It is 265 pages and contains questions for discussion at the end of each chapter.
Here are some of the quotes that I found most interesting:
"The God we worship is the God who has always been. He alone can create beings, because He alone has the power of being. He is not nothing. His is not chance. He is pure Being, the One who has the power to be all by Himself." (p. 13)
"Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that He is holy, holy, holy, that the whole earth is full of His glory.” (p. 32)
“The more faithful preachers are to the Word of God in their preaching, the more liable they are to the charge of hypocrisy. Why? Because the more faithful people are to the Word of God, the higher the message is that they will preach. The higher the message, the further they will be from obeying it themselves.” (p. 41)
“The primary meaning of holy is ‘separate’ … things that are holy are things that are set apart, separated from the rest.” (pp. 46-47)
“Sinful people are not comfortable in the presence of the holy. People have an appreciation for moral excellence, as long as it is removed a safe distance from them.” (pp. 69 & 71)
“In two decades of teaching theology, I have had countless students ask me why God doesn’t save everybody. Only once did a student come to me and say, ‘There is something I just can’t figure out. Why did God redeem me?’ We are not really surprised that God has redeemed us. Somewhere deep inside, in the secret chambers of our hearts, we harbor the notion that God owes us His mercy. What amazes us is justice, not grace.” (p. 150)
“This is the essence of idolatry: replacing the reality with a counterfeit.” (p. 230)
It is surprisingly accessible and easy to read for a book on this subject. I highly recommend it. If time is a consideration, then the first four chapters are the most helpful.