What the (1): What the Hall is Halloween?

A couple of days ago, you would have heard the quite knock at the door with the voice of a youngster calling out “Trick or Treat”! Halloween has become an annual celebration, if you would call it that. But do you have any idea what “Halloween” is all about? Is it evil, or anti Christian or super spiritual, or just another day and excuse to eat lots of delicious junk food?

In Australia, we have many annual celebrations, which most people have no idea what they are celebrating. I am one of these people, so I have made it my mission to reveal the true meaning behind Halloween, Christmas, Easter etc.

Halloween is big business

The name “Halloween” is short for “All Hallows’ Eve”, which celebrated the evening before “All Hallows’ Day”, or ‘All Saints Day’. On ‘All Saints Day’, Christians would gather to remember the lives of famous Christians who served as good role models.

Today Halloween is big business in the U.S. with more than 75% of families giving treats to trick or treaters. There are costume parties, masks, lollies and any other fancy product that goes with this day. For adult, it is another excuse to party and drink away the night.

All Saints Day

As I explained before, ‘All Saints Day’ was about remembering the saints of the past. But, who are these saints? Just recently, we saw Mary Mackillop recognised as a saint, but who are these saints and what do you have to do to be recognised as a saint? The bible, which I hold to be the literal word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) explains that saints are those who believe that Jesus is God, who died on the cross to pay for all their sins (Romans 8:27, 15:25, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 6:1-2, Ephesians 1:1, 15-16, Philippians 4:21-22, Colossians 1:2-4, Philemon 1:5-7, Revelation 5:8). Anyone who loves and follows Jesus is a saint!

Remembering past brothers and sisters in Christ is an awesome thing. If you pick up the bible, a great deal of it is historical narrative detailing the lives of many believers, or saints in Jesus (who is God). However, there is another side to the ‘Halloween’ story.

Pagan ritual

Halloween also represents the underbelly of the spiritual world. The bible explains that there are good spirits (angels who worship God and are his messengers) and evil spirits (who follow Satan). Halloween also includes parts of Pagan ritual, which delve into witchcraft and ghosts – Satanic practice. This arose from the practices of ancient Celtic priests who lived in Western Europe around 300 BC. These priests worshipped the god of death, a celebration which commenced on the 31st October- the Celtic New Years Eve. On this evening, the Celt priests believed that they had the opportunity to connect with the spirits of dead people (demons according to the bible). To protect them from demonic persecution, the priests wore grotesque costumes to trick the evil spirits.

Door to door knocking and pumpkins

The Celtic priests would burn bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Each priest would travel from door to door requesting fuel for their bonfires. Today, this is why people go door knocking asking for candy.

I hated eating pumpkins growing up. This would scare off anyone surely, and this is why the Celtic priests placed candle sticks in these horrible vegetables. Pumpkins with horrible carvings, according to the priests would scare off the evil spirits. Additionally, modern day witchcraft symbolizes the pumpkin as an important and powerful symbol – interesting if you consider this information!

There are many good resources that answer these myth, two that I recommend: What You Need to Know about Halloween and The Facts On Halloween.

Conclusion

I’ll conclude by saying that we live in a world that has a spiritual realm, with both good and evil. Any spirit that confesses Jesus at God and saviour is a good spirit (1 John 2:23, 4:2). Halloween has roots in Christianity, which is good and witchcraft and the a-cult, which are evil. There are Christian roots in the celebration of the saints, so I recommend that if you love Jesus, then reclaim this day for the Lord. I’m dressing up as King David, and my wife is dressing up as Bathsheba. Go with your conscience and honour God with all that you do- amen!

Resource Review: The Facts On Halloween

John Ankerberg, John Weldon, and Dillon Burroughs team up to revise and update "The Facts on Halloween," a significant book from the popular Facts On Series (more than 1.9 million copies of books from this series sold). Known for their extensive research and Bible knowledge, these authors offer readers the essential facts they need to evaluate and discuss today's issues regarding Halloween, a widely popular event in which children and progressively more adults participate. The concise, easy-to-follow information helps readers answer such questions as: When and where did Halloween originate? What customs come from pagan beliefs? What should Christians know if they choose to participate in this event?

Parents trying to establish wholesome family traditions and people who are concerned about this growing holiday will find what they are looking for in "The Facts on Halloween"-easy-to-understand, factual, and relevant information.

Mass Market: 96 pages
Price: Approx. $8.95

This resource, as with all the resources promoted on this blog, are available at Koorong Christian Bookstore (please check out this hyperlink, which will navigate you to their website).

Resource Review: What You Need to Know about Halloween

This is a funny and quirky resource, which is informative and easy to read. I enjoyed this product and it answered my questions about Halloween.

Quick Reference Guides offer practical, biblical, and timely insights on today's most important topics with concise facts and user-friendly writing. Attractive, affordable, and applicable, these serve as ideal resources for personal and church reference. Even though many are familiar with the trick-or-treating, witches, pumpkins, and scary costumes of Halloween, few people know its true history. Biblical scholar and apologetics expert Ron Rhodes tackles the difficult questions and exposes the myths: Why is it important to know more about this topic? Should Christians avoid having anything to do with Halloween? Which activities are spiritually safe? Rhodes gives readers historical, cultural, and biblical information so they can approach Halloween with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.

Price: Approx. $4.95

This resource, as with all the resources promoted on this blog, are available at Koorong Christian Bookstore (please check out this hyperlink, which will navigate you to their website).

Resource Review: Know the Truth

“What is truth” (John 18:36-38), asked Pilate to Jesus. I ask you, is there truth and is it fixed and attainable? According to the bible, truth is fixed and attainable. In this excellent book by Bruce Milne, he details the core teaching of the bible. I recommend this book to those who have a basic understanding of the bible and are interested in Christian doctrine.

'You will know the truth,' said Jesus, 'and the truth will set you free.'

Christians have already begun to know God and his truth. This handbook assists in that liberating knowledge, as it opens up the great themes of God's Word and shows how they fit together.

Each chapter deals with one aspect of biblical truth and encourages further study with Scripture references to

look up, questions for discussion, and books for additional reading. The main sections conclude with practical reflection on how the Bible's teaching challenges us and moves us to adore the living God.

This new edition of Bruce Milne's widely appreciated Know the Truth has been extensively revised and updated to ensure its ongoing relevance and value as an excellent introduction to Christian doctrine.

384 pages Hardback
Price: Approx. $9.95

Who was Jesus (5): Jesus Claimed to be the Absolute Truth

I will again apologise as I am deviating from my initial plan of writing on the resurrection of Jesus. Rather, I want to continue what I started in the previous article by delving deeper into the notion of absolute truth. If you missed the last article here is a link (Part 4).

Post modernists purport that one cannot possess absolute truth because it does not exist. A person or people group may hold to a truth but this truth does not nullify another people groups truth. Take for example, ones beliefs. To say that one particular belief is the only correct belief would be incorrect and ignorant, according to the post modernist. This obviously causes some major problems with those who hold their belief system to be the absolute truth. Therefore, in the post modernist’s eyes, absolute truth does not exist.

What do you think about these claims? Can or does absolute truth exist? I want to point out here that to say that absolute truth does not exist in itself is an absolute truth claim. To say that all beliefs are true is an absolute truth claim, which post modernist do (see more at Religion vs Gospel Part 2)! How ironic don’t you think? This is a brief explanation to a huge topic, which I will leave for later. For now, I want to continue exploring the notion of truth and where we can find this truth.

Finding meaning and truth

We all in some way or another are searching for the meaning and purpose of our lives. People have dedicated their life to studying literature and science to extrapolate this meaning. The conclusions to these ventures often come up with empty explanations that leave us depressed and hopeless.

The meaning of my life four years ago was to drink and eat up, play as much cricket as I could and use and abuse as many girls as possible! Sounds terrible I know so praise Jesus for saving a wretch like me! Obviously not everyone has these goals- some seek meaning in work, others in sport and so on, so I’ll let you fill in the blank.

The bible, which I hold to be word of God, claims that the meaning of life is found in the truth. This brings us back to our first problem, so what is the truth? Jesus, in John’s gospel explains:

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)

Jesus declares that by knowing him and following him, or better put, living in light of his teachings will enable us to know the truth and the meaning of life. At this point, you are probably even more confused about the truth then before!

Why don’t we know the truth?

We were all created to live in relationship with God. We have a natural disposition to worship God, which because of sin, the object of our worship has been altered (see Christians Believe Part 2). The bible puts it this way:

Because they [us] exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen (Romans 1:25)

Rather than worshipping God, we worship created things, like sport, food, work etc. This is consistent with what I explained earlier, which is that we find meaning in different things, which is a result of our brokenness and rebellion from God. We are programmed to worship God, and if this does not take place the implications are destructive. For example, when people worship work rather than God, you see marriage break ups, health issues, depression etc. You can do the same with sport, people, money and so on.

The answer – the truth

Jesus, who obviously isn’t a post-modern, claims that the truth and the meaning of our life is found in him:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6) and,

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him (John 4:23)

Our meaning is found only in God, which comes through Jesus, the God man. The meaning of life is that we worship our God, who is Jesus, the creator of the world. Sadly, we worship other things which enslave us (John 8:34), so to absorb the punishment for this rebellion and free us from this slavery (John 8:32), Jesus gave his life on the cross. Truth, well the absolute truth is Jesus. Anyone who claims to have or know truth that is contrary to the real Jesus (which is solely found in the bible) is a liar.

Please don’t settle for something that is less than your sole design, which is to worship your creator and saviour, Jesus Christ. Don’t waste your time in vague spirituality or religion but find completion in Jesus. Don’t dedicate your life to the pursuit of happiness, which is fleeting anyway as you will one day leave this world, but rather find fulfilling joy in Jesus. Only in Jesus and him only will your life find meaning and purpose. You will experience the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in your life! Let Jesus into your life today!

Who was Jesus (4): Great business man, brilliant teacher or something more?

A better title for this article would be ‘who is Jesus’, but to maintain continuity in the series, I will retain ‘who was Jesus’. This is now the fourth part in the ‘Jesus’ series. If you have missed the first three articles here are links to these (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3). Initially, I was going to write about the resurrection (see Christians Believe Part 4 if you can’t wait), which I will do in the next article, but I thought it be good to wrestle with the notion of absolute truth.

As I have already stated in previous articles, I studied at University. At uni, I learnt that modern philosophy has experienced a push towards post-modernism, which purports that there is no absolute truth. I, like many of my peers, simply accepted this understanding without surveying the vast amount of literature, which clearly argues against this theory. In time, I learnt through the bible and other great philosophers like C.S. Lewis that there is truth and we can possess this truth. I found that the claims of post-modernismists, i.e. that there is no absolute truth, are in actual fact making absolute truth claims, which they claim doesn’t exist – think about it! Is there absolute truth; absolutely yes!

The Jesus of today

Jesus, who lived about 2 000 years ago, made many massive claims which have changed the world. One of the popular views held today about Jesus is that he is one of the greatest teachers of all time. What do you think about this view? Jesus taught many great things, these would include loving your neighbour, turning the other cheek and so on. But is that it? What does the bible have to say about this?

Can we trust the bible?

Before we examine what the bible has to say about Jesus teachings, I want to address some of your presuppositions towards the bible. Firstly, the bible was written between 10 to 70 years after Jesus lived. That is easily within memory range for the authors to accurately remember the events of Jesus. Secondly, the bible is one of the most, if not the most reliable historical document on earth today. The historical events addressed in the bible align with ancient history. The shear amount of manuscripts, historical data and archaeological evidence available to scholars make it virtually one of a kind. Thirdly, our English transitions of the bible a fantastic. The bible was originally written in Hebrew, Aramaic (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament). The English bible has been translated directly from the Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek manuscripts. You can even buy copies of the Hebrew and Greek bibles. The bible is sound and very reliable from a historical point of view. Even scientifically, the bible is solid (check out Science and Jesus Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5).

Jesus the great teacher or something more?

So, let’s return to the principle argument, was Jesus simply a good teacher? In my opinion, the major problem with this view is that Jesus makes many massive claims. Firstly, he claims that there is absolute truth and secondly, that he is that very truth. Therefore, if you hold to the philosophy that there is no absolute truth, then Jesus, in your opinion cannot a good teacher. Take for example, the discussion between Jesus and Pontius Pilate in John’s gospel (John 18:33-38):

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?" Pilate answered, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?" Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

Crunch time for the truth

At this point in the gospel, Jesus had been arrested and put on trial by Pilate, who was the Roman governor in Jerusalem. Pilate eventually sentences Jesus to be crucified on a Roman cross. The point that I am trying to make by using this passage is that Jesus claims three massive things:

• Firstly he claims to be God -
  Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." (John 18:36)
• Secondly, he claims to have come into the world to be crucified –
  "You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born (John 18:37), and
• Thirdly, he claims to bear witness to the truth,
  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world--to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." (John 18:37)
• Finally, the very same author of this text adds that Jesus is that very truth he came to bear witness to
  For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17)

Sadly, in this discourse, Pilate makes a massive error, which is the very same error that modern day philosophy makes, that truth is transient and not fixed. Jesus is clearly in opposition to this notion when he says “I came to bear witness to the truth”, as he firmly teaches the existence of truth, which is found in him only!

Do you still think Jesus was a good teacher because if you do, I want to challenge you with the four points listed above. Jesus clearly taught that he is the truth and that he was crucified for this. So what is this truth? Jesus, who is fully God, came into human history to die for broken sinners like you and I. As a result, his death cleanses us from all our guilt if we trust in him and live for him. Was he a good teacher? My answer is a firm yes, because he is my life! So, I challenge you to put your trust in Jesus, who is the truth!

Resource Review: The Prodigal God

To order this product:

Click Here 

Timothy Keller’s “The Prodigal God” is without doubt the best book that I have ever read! It is very catchy and easy to read, short and succinct while delving greatly into the issues raised by Jesus’ teaching in the gospel of Luke.

The book follows Jesus’ parable in Luke’s gospel about the interaction of two sons with their father (to read the Parable in its context click here). Timothy Keller’s insightful interpretation brings out clearly the nature of the loving God who created us and yearns to have a full and loving relationship with us. I guarantee that you will be moved by this book!

Christian or not, I recommend this book to everyone. I will even buy you a copy if you are interested, it is that good! All the terrible misrepresentations of true Christianity and false religious nature of the human heart are smashed to pieces by Jesus in this parable, which are so clearly explained in this book. ‘The Prodigal Son’ is must, particularly for those of you who are seeking a deeper understanding of God. I published a previous article that ties in closely to this book (see The Metaphors of God Part 1).

In The Prodigal God, New York pastor Timothy Keller uses the story of the prodigal son to shine a light on the central, beautiful message of Jesus: the gospel of grace, hope and salvation. Keller argues that the parable of the prodigal son, while Jesus' best-known parable, is also his least understood. He introduces the reader to all the characters in this timeless story, showing that it concerns not just a wayward son, but also a judgemental older brother and, most importantly, a loving father.

This short but powerful book is a reminder to the faithful, an explanation to the seeker, and finally an invitation to all - both older and younger brothers - to enter in to the 'unique, radical nature of the gospel': the reckless, spendthrift love of God.

Paperback, 144 pages
Price: Approx. $14.95

This resource, as with all the resources promoted on this blog, are available at Koorong Christian Bookstore (please check out this hyperlink, which will navigate you to their website).

The Metaphors of God (1): Dad’s Global Reconciliation Project

Let me open this exciting new series by asking, what is your view of God? The bible is rich in metaphors for describing the characteristics and qualities of God; these include King, creator, shepherd, judge and so on. Over the period of about 15 articles, I would like to examine these metaphors with the hope of generating a wider and deeper understanding of who God is.

By way of preface, we need to understand that the only way we can know God is through his Son Jesus, who is God in the flesh (John 1:1-2; John 1:18). However, he now lives in heaven ruling the world so it is rather difficult to see God, but the bible is clear that it reveals Jesus to us perfectly, for it was written about and by him (Luke 4:18-21; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 3:15-16). So, what does this ancient text have to say about God?

God is likened to as a Father

God is a Trinity – one God, three persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19)! This is a mysterious claim, which is rather hard to rap your head around but there is ample evidence for this teaching throughout the bible (I will write more on this core doctrine in a future series). Jesus, who is God the Son and the second member of the trinity, can be seen calling God his Father. So, what does this mean for us? I am going to leave the heavy theology of the Trinity to a later date and focus in on God as our Father and what this means for us.

We all have an earthly father. Some of us have a loving and caring father who provided for us, protected us and looked after us very well. Others have had a rather unsavoury experience with their father, whom may have left them at a young age or was abusive. Our earthly fathers, according to the bible, are meant to reflect the love of God to us. God, like a father, perfectly provides for us, disciples us and protects us (Matthew 7:9-11; Luke 11:11-13). He loves us without a shadow of a doubt and wants to have a relationship with his children. The safest place for us to live is under the protection and guidance of our Father in Heaven.

Shafted from the family

So, whats gone wrong? I have heard a few heart breaking stories of young kids running from their families. Just last year, I met a 16 year old boy who had left his family because he loved heroin over his parents. He expressed to me that he firmly regretted deciding to run away from his parents rather than giving up his addiction and felt that he could never face his parents again. Tricked by the thrill of drugs, he spent his nights sleeping in internet cafes and youth hostels. See, we have decided to run away from home and as a result, we have all decided to run our own lives apart from our Father in Heaven (God) in the pursuit of the cheap thrill.

I can see in my own life this brokenness and pain. I have run at full speed away from God and as a result, I lived separated from him (Romans 5:12). Additionally, there is so much evidence of this rebellion and brokenness in our world – wars, greed, disease, death, starvation and so on. Here is a sad fact; to have diarrhoea in some African countries is virtually a death sentence! Here in the western world, we have plenty of access to medication to fix the problem easily. Then why is there this issue in Africa? Simple answer is greed! We live in a world that has run away from its father. We are in desperate need of help from God! Surely from this you can see that the world is not the way that it is supposed to be?

The global reconciliation project

With all this mess increasing, God would be justified in leaving us to sort out our own mess. However, like a loving father who loves us dearly, God stepped out of heaven and into human history, lived a perfect life and died a rebels death in our place to rescue us eternal hell (see Ephesians 2:1-10). This all culminated in Jesus, the God Man (for more please see Christians Believe Part 3, Who was Jesus Part 1 and Part 2). My only hope is for my Father in heaven to intervene in my life, which he does in Jesus.

Jesus, who is God the Son in the flesh, reconciles us to his Father through his death on the cross and resurrection. Jesus tells a parable which describes our situation so beautifully and how our Father responds when we come to Jesus (Luke 15:9-24)!

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.

And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate.

It is time to go home

The bible describes God like a Father who wants to involve himself in our lives. We all have been separated from him by our rebellion, but in Jesus, he seeks to restore our relationship with him. It is now time for you to go home by turning to Jesus and trusting him (Luke 15:21). You will find completion and fulfilment in Jesus, and you will be welcomed in by the loving arms of God (Luke 15:22-24).

Salvation belongs to the LORD; your blessing be on your people! (Psalm 3:8)

Religion vs Gospel (3): Unreligious Jesus for the Religious

Seven years ago, if you had asked me whether I was a religious person, I would have answered with a sharp “NO”! I considered myself a Christian because I grew up in Australia and had some vague connotation of a deistic god who loved me when I was good, but I wanted nothing to do with church, bible reading and Jesus. I guess strangely, I still consider myself very unreligious and today, I would like to explain why.

Deepak Chopra was quoted recently saying that society needs to get rid of the guilt and shame caused by religion. What do you think about this statement? Additionally, Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church added that Jesus despises religion and makes fun of religious people.

Thus far in the Religion vs Gospel series, I have written about how Christianity is not a religion (Part 1) and the overwhelming differences between Christianity and a few of the other major world religions (Part 2). Today, I would like to build on both by contrasting the message of Christianity against the message of religion, and in the process, identify whether you are a religious person.

What is Religion

Are you a religious person?

American pastor and popular theologian, Timothy Keller, recently published in his new book (Gospel in Life) a fantastic diagram, which clearly details the differences between religion and the gospel, which Jesus and his followers preached.

According to Timothy Keller (2010) these are the characteristics of a religious person - I am:
• Accepted by God because I obey and therefore expect to get things from God,
• Motivated by fear and insecurity,
• Angry at God or myself when times are hard, as I believe that good people deserve a comfortable life,
• A good person, so any attack of my self-image must be destroyed,
• A diligent prayer in times of need as my prayer life is based on controlling my living situation,
• Confident, proud and unsympathetic when I am living up to my standards, but useless and a failure when I am not living up to those same standards.
• A hard working person, as this is where my identity and self worth are founded on. I look down on anyone who I perceive to be lazy or immoral.

The Jesus centred person

According to Timothy Keller (2010) the characteristics of a person who has Jesus at the centre of their life will look something like this - I am:
• Accepted, so I joyfully obey,
• Grateful for Jesus love on the cross and his mercy as he reigns today as king, which motivates me,
• Obedient to God because I delight in reflecting his love and mercy,
• Assured when I go through struggles in life as I know all my mistakes are covered by Jesus and that the tough times are allowed by God, not as punishment but as training (I will write more on this in a future article),
• Hurt when people criticize me, but I know that it is not essential for me to look like a ‘good person’ because my ‘goodness’ is found in Jesus,
• A friend and child of God, which is why I talk to him in prayer. This consists of praise and thankfulness,
• Humbled that Jesus died for me when I was evil and that he loved me so much in this act- this is the platform of my self image,
• Identified by Jesus, who loves me above all things, which is my self worth – the creator and most powerful being in the universe loves me!

Religion is against the message of Jesus

Emphatically, the bible states numerous times that religiosity is destructive because it leads to arrogance and self righteousness (Luke 6:2-5; James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). The message of religion is starkly antithetical to the message of Jesus. The bible clearly states that we all have disobeyed God (Romans 3:9-11) and only through the free gift of Jesus death on the cross can we receive eternal life and paradise (Ephesians 2:1-4; Hebrews 4:16). Therefore, there is nothing we can offer God to appease his anger to sin, this includes ritualistic religious practices, but instead we must humble ourselves and trust in Jesus death on the cross for our salvation (Psalm 18:27; Psalm 25:9; Psalm 149:4; James 4:10).

As a follower of Jesus, I do Christian things like church, pray, read my bible and so on, not to make God happy with me and earn his favour, like religion would have you believe, but rather I do these because I want to get know my creator and saviour, and his people more each day. Don’t be fooled by religion but come and see the saving love that is offered in the living King of the Universe, the Lord Jesus Christ!

So, what does Jesus have to say about all of this?

He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:

"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee [a very religious person - note: this is my addition], standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'

But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14)

Resource Review: Gospel in Life

Timothy Keller is a fantastic author, Pastor and theologian. I found this book easy to read, which thoroughly addresses the basics of Christianity and the importance of fellowship.

Join author and pastor Timothy Keller in an eight-week video-based study of the gospel and how to live it out in everyday life. In week one you and your group will study the city, your home now, the world that is. Week eight closes with the theme of the eternal city, your heavenly home, the world that is to come. In between you'll learn how the gospel can change your heart, your community, and how you live in this world. The Gospel in Life Participant's Guide is designed to help you and your group engage with and discuss the topics presented on the Gospel in Life DVD.

Session titles:
* Session 1, City - The World That Is Session
* Session 2, Heart - Three Ways to Live
* Session 3, Idolatry - The Sin Beneath
* Session 4, Community - The Context for Change
* Session 5, Witness - An Alternate City
* Session 6, Work - Cultivating the Garden
* Session 7, Justice - A People for Others
* Session 8, Eternity- The World That Is To Come

Book:
240 pages
Price: Approx. $14.95

DVD:
Price: Approx. $29.95

Life (3): You are worth more than a Trillion Dollars!

The previous articles on ‘Life’ (Part 1 and Part 2), alongside the ‘Owned’ series (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) have been very popular! I want to continue delving into the human psyche by examining - how having a relationship with God can be fulfilling, even in times of challenge and hard ship. However, before we engage with this topic, I would like to talk about the notion of ‘significance’. As an adult living in a major city, it can be hard to see yourself as a significant human, don’t you think? I am one of millions of people roaming around the busy streets of Sydney. It sometimes feels like I am a little insignificant ant serving the queen. Can you identify with me?

There is a growing epidemic of depression, suicide and self medication (alcohol, drugs etc). As I stated in my previous post (Part 2), the emotional wellbeing of Australians and Americans is under the hammer. I stated that we need to make Jesus the ultimate person in our lives and not other things. Today, I would like to explore a second facet to why we are so down in the dumps - why do we feel like little fish in a great big pond full of whales (significant people).

The source of significance

Let me begin by posing you a question – what makes you a significant human being? In the Western world, capitalism reigns (which I am not against). Our worth is measured by our bank accounts, where we live, what kind of job we have, who our friends are and so on. We conform to these measures by setting up frameworks for building significance in our lives. This is then fed by the media, who preaches to us daily on how we can attain significance and be like the stars. It is one gigantic system that either feeds our pride or leads us into depression.

So what if you fail to meet up to the criteria of significance? This may lead to us questioning our identity and our worth. We are led into a spiral of depression and ultimately, if fully generated, a destructive lifestyle. Not everyone meets this down fall but, according to the statistics (see McGraw-Hill, 2004) we all face emotional turmoil at some point in our lives. Please note, there are obviously more causes of depression then the two that I have covered in my last two posts, but these two causes (possessions and significance) are very significant in most people’s lives.

How can anyone love me, including God?

I want to delve a little deeper now into this notion of significance. Life can feel like a roller coaster ride at times as we work to build significance. According the bible, God created the entire human race in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). Additionally, scripture claims that God has carefully and lovingly knitted you together while you were in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-17; Job 10:11). He loves us above all things that he created. We have all been created to reflect God in his world, which he did because he loves us. God looks down from heaven and counts us all as significant and important. In God’s eyes you are worth more than you can imagine!

Alright, then what has gone wrong? Why are we all looking for significance elsewhere? We all, according to the bible, have chosen to worship other things rather worshipping God (Genesis 3:5-7), which was our initial design. As a result, we forget God and live for ourselves, which leads to us to be driven to find significance in things that aren’t designed to give us this need. We build frameworks to give us security, which feeds our significance:

They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass (Psalm 106:20)

I’m not saying that you have built an ox, but instead we build careers or relationships, which drive our life and give us significance rather than God. Our problem is not that we need more acknowledgements, but rather we need God.

The solution

Let me say, no matter how hard you work, you will never be satisfied with the things that you build, which are there to give you significance. Why? We aren’t programmed to find significance in these areas. Do you feel this in your life, like something is missing? We are all missing a full relationship with God, which can be mended. God who loves you demonstrates his love for you by providing a cure to this problem: God, who is perfect and all powerful, stepped off his throne in heaven and came down as the man Jesus and died on a cross to take away all of your brokenness and rebellion. Jesus came to earth to give us back our significance in this life. You and I are made significant in God, which can be found only in his Son Jesus, who is our Lord and Saviour.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him (John 3:16-17)

If this has impacted you, why not turn to Jesus right now. Acknowledge that you have found significance in things other than Jesus. Ask him to teach you how to live for him. Lay down your life in the hands of Jesus. Only there will you find significance. Life will still have troubles and hard times, but you will now the one true living God, who made you in his image.

Science and Jesus (5): All Scientists are Athiests...... Aren’t they?

I hope you have enjoyed the previous articles on Science and Jesus (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4). In today’s article, I would like to examine a notion that has been purported by prominent atheist, Professor Richard Dawkins. Professor Dawkins claims that science and faith (particularly in Jesus) are very much at polar opposites and this is reflected in the beliefs in the scientific community.

I would like to ask the question – are all prominent scientists atheists? Has science destroyed the need for a belief in a creator God, particularly a God that interacts with his creation? It has been suggested that science has advanced to a stage now that exposes the lie of a creator God. Atheists like Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and Professor Daniel Dennett (a philosopher and cognitive scientist) have gone so far as to say that faith, in light of science, is poison to culture and the progress of humanity. They have also suggested that the only logical and rational conclusion, in light of science, is the view of an atheistic worldview – no god!

Ok, with the notion that science points to atheism, with careful examination, we must find all modern day and renowned scientists holding atheistic beliefs, right! I will, enthusiastically, point out that this is most definitely not the case. In actual fact, we find an enormous amount of scientists holding firm beliefs in Jesus as the creator and saviour of the universe. But, with Dawkins and Dennetts claims, how can this be?

The ever growing arrow

I would like to start by saying that I am no expert in science. However, I do hold an unyielding passion to exploring science and thoroughly enjoy reading scientific material and listening to scientific debates. I actually enjoy listening to and reading material from scientists like Richard Dawkins. But I would like to explore what I call “The Arrow of God” (creation points to a creator God). The Apostle Paul states:

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse (Romans 1:19-20)

Paul, in this passage is explaining that we can all see in the world signs of a creator. We see that there is order, rhythm and language in creation. We see that the world has the finger print of God in it. I have found, through reading texts by prominent scientists, that through a careful study of cosmology, astrology, physics and even biology, science is in fact pointing to a creator God, which is in stark contrast to Dawkins beliefs.

Modern science acknowledges that nothing cannot create something. For example, when we observe a car, we will notice that the car has been designed using various materials and carefully put together to work. We acknowledge that different groups of people worked together to produce a car. Similarly, when we look at our world, we will notice that we live in a vastly complex universe, which came from somewhere. Scientists continue to investigate further into this, but to be honest, the origins of the universe a firmly pointing towards a creator!

Let us return to the original argument, which is examining whether all scientists are atheist. I can list many prominent scientists who hold a faith in Jesus. These would include, Professor John Lennox, Professor Simon Conway-Morris, Professor Denis Alexander and Professor Wilson Poon, to name only a few for sake of brevity. However, I would like to focus on two well renowned Professors – Alister McGrath and Francis Collins (for more see Real Scientists Real Faith).

Professor Alister McGrath (D.Phil in Biochemistry, D. Div)

From an early age, Alister McGrath had a passion for science. He was particularly interested in observing the stars and planets through his telescope. McGrath was raised in a strict atheistic family, who strongly emphasised that a belief in God was futile thinking. As a result, McGrath was an atheist. This was confirmed as he studied science at university, where he derived the conclusion that scientists had no need for a God who creates life.

Prior to his doctoral studies at Oxford, McGrath began reading deeply in science and philosophy as a means of developing counter arguments to the inferior belief of God. It was during this time of study where he stumbled upon the argument that science has its limits, in regards to the purpose and meaning of life. This is where McGrath met the God who creates and sustains this universe.

McGrath transformed from a staunch scientific atheist into a firm Christian who loves science by a means of understanding how God’s world works. McGrath hold a doctoral degree in theology and is a prominent Christian theologian.

Dr. Francis Collins (Ph.D in Chemistry and is a qualified physician)

Francis Collins was raised in a non-Christian household. Both his parents held learning in high esteem and his father was a drama professor. Collins interest in science came from his Chemistry teaches in high school and he soon progressed to university, where he studied every chemistry, physics and mathematics course available to him.

Collins, at this point considered himself an agnostic, but soon fell in love with atheism. He keenly participated in debating people of faith, particularly Christians. After completing his Ph.D, he worked in medicine. This is where he met the full force of death and the meaning of life. This experience forced him to question the atheistic worldview he had held onto for so long.

Collins began reading many sacred texts, including the bible. Christianity appealed to him and soon he was consumed by the works of Christian Philosopher, C.S. Lewis. This is where Collins met Jesus. This changed his life. As an enthusiast in genetics, Collins served as the Director of the Human Genome Project. He holds strongly a faith in Jesus Christ. He is also the author of The Language of God.

Conclusion

Lets conclude by saying that there are many great scientists who hold a faith in Jesus. Scripture is emphatic on God as the creator of the universe (Genesis 1:1, Psalm 8:3-4, Psalm 19:1-2, Psalm 33:5-9, Psalm 104:5-9, Isaiah 40:25-26, John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 11:1 to name a few). A Christian faith sits very well within the framework of science. Let me close with:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made (John 1:1-3).

Resource Review: The Language of God

This is an excellent book by one of the world's leading scientists. Francis Collins explains how it is possible to believe in evolutionary biology and Jesus. Collins carefully interacts with the claims of staunch atheist Richard Dawkins. His beliefs are influenced by C.S. Lewis, who was a fine Christian Philosopher and quotes him extensively making the text very easy to read. No unnecessary big words.

The Language of God has been highly acclaimed by many major book providers. As head of the Human Genome Project, Francis Collins works at the cutting edge of the study of DNA. Here he explains his journey from atheism to faith, taking readers for a stunning tour of modern science that shows how physics, chemistry, and biology can all fit together with belief in God and the Bible. This book is essential reading for anyone who wonders about the deepest questions of faith.

Paperback, 304 pages
Price: Approx. $29.95

This resource, as with all the resources promoted on this blog, are available at Koorong Christian Bookstore (please check out this hyperlink, which will navigate you to their website).

Resource Review: Real Scientists Real Faith

I have found this book fascinating. I recommend this book to those of you whom enjoy science and are either asking question about or have a solid faith in Jesus. The testimonies are easy to read with minimal scientific jargon.

The science / faith debate rages on. Yet many leading scientists have an active Christian faith. Here 17 scientists, all esteemed by their peers, tackle two questions:

1. What difference their faith makes to their scientific practice;
2. What difference their science makes to their understanding of their faith.

Contributors include:

• Francis Collins, Director, Human Genome Project
• Joan Centrella, Chief of the Gravitational Astrophysics Laboratory, NASA
• Bob White, Professor of Geophysics, University of Cambridge
• Alister McGrath, Professor of Theology, King's College London, and molecular biologist
• Wilson Poon, Professor of Physics, University of Edinburgh

Paperback, 288 pages
Price: Approx. $9.95

This resource, as with all the resources promoted on this blog, are available at Koorong Christian Bookstore (please check out this hyperlink, which will navigate you to their website).

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 2

"For the Love of God" Volume 2 is a fantastic read. I found this book easy to read and it accompanied my bible reading well. I strongly recommend this book to those who would like to enrich their reading with some short but easily accessible devolution's by Don Carson. Below is a short blurb about the book:

As with Volume 1, Volume 2 of Don Carson's reworking of McCheyne's Bible reading system includes reflections on each day's scripture passages. Read through the New Testament and Psalms twice and Old Testament once in a year.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

416 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95

Resource Review: For the Love of God Volume 1

Don Carson has reworked the classic Robert Murray McCheyne Bible reading system (schedule for reading the bible in one year) for easier use, guiding you through the New Testament and Psalms twice, and the Old Testament once in the course of 365 days. This is an invaluable resource, which includes a one-page explanation of the text and devotional comments for each day.

Here is a brief summary about the author:

• D. A. Carson (Ph.D., Cambridge University) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and he has also served as a pastor. His areas of expertise include biblical theology, the historical Jesus, postmodernism, pluralism, Greek grammar, Johannine theology, Pauline theology, and questions of suffering and evil.
• Dr. Carson has written or edited more than 45 books, including The Sermon on the Mount; Exegetical Fallacies; Matthew (Revised Expistor's Bible Commentary), New Testament Commentary Survey, 6th ed.
• His book, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism won the 1997 Evangelical Christian Publishers Association Gold Medallion Award. Recent works include Christ and Culture Revisited; The Intolerance of Tolerance; Galatians and Revelation (Pillar New Testament Commentary); Hebrews (Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament) and 1-3 John (New International Greek Testament Commentary)

400 pages
Price: Approx. $19.95