New Year's Resolutions

Many people make resolutions with the start of the new year. They are commitments to make changes in the way they do things in order to have a better life. Losing weight and exercising are common resolutions. The benefits are obvious: we will feel better, be healthier, and live longer. If the advantages are important enough, we will make the changes in our lives to reach a positive outcome.

For example, I know someone made a resolution to make their bed every day and it really helped with their outlook on life. Their motivation was a YouTube video of a speech given by the Commander of Naval Special Forces. The Commander was giving tips for a

SEALS are among the most highly trained warriors in the
US military.

successful life to a university graduating class based on his experience of training to become a Navy SEAL. One of the his most important tips was: If you want to change the world, first make your bed.

Everyone laughed.

He got serious and explained, that when you make your bed perfectly first thing in the morning you will have already succeeded in accomplishing something. That will give you momentum to get onto your next task with the satisfaction that you know how to get things done and a little bit of healthy pride in doing a something really well. When you come back from an long day, your well made bed will welcome you home.

But there is more to it than that, because some days don't go well. You will have days when you come home exhausted and beat-up. You will feel like everything went wrong and that perhaps you will never accomplish anything. Your perfectly made bed will serve as a reminder that there are some things, however humble, that you can accomplish. Not only that, there are things that you do really well. There are days that we all need that reminder. His conclusion: If you want to change the world, make your bed.

It's not a bad resolution.

Our church's resolution

Our church is making a resolution this year: be on time, ready to worship by 10:00 on Sunday mornings. There are a lot of things we will be doing together this year, but why mention this little thing as a resolution to work on?

What are the positive outcomes of a simple thing like this? Here are fifteen positive results:

1. It honors the Lord. And honoring the Lord is part of what worship is about. It is a small way to build an attitude of worship into our lives. 
2. It honors the others in the church. Others have prepared and made the effort to be ready to worship at 10h. Arriving on time honors their commitment to serving us.
3. The earlier you arrive, the better the parking. 
4. The children have time to adjust to being at church.
5. You can have a cup of coffee.
6. You have time to shift gears before the service starts.
7. You can meet new friends.
8. You can sit wherever you want.
9. You can help. Simple tasks like setting out the Bibles need to happen every week. Doing those tasks, like setting the table at home, help you feel like you are part of the family.
10. You will be more relaxed and have time to listen to others.
11. You can be a warm smiling face for others.
12. Your children will have time to see other children.
13. You can pray. Either in your seat or join others at 9:15, prayer before the services starts is powerful.
14. You will be less stressed because you are arriving on time.
15. You will not be a distraction. We all know the awkward feeling of interrupting something that has started. Arrive on time and never have that feeling again!

The benefits of arriving on time are worth the discipline to make it happen. You will feel more connected, make new friends, and a deeper relationship with God. All this by simply making it a weekly habit to arrive ready to worship before the service starts. It's an excellent return for your investment. So make it your commitment to be there. 

But first, make your bed!

Yuletide Tragedy

https://www.flickr.com/photos/astanita/5190639922

Yesterday a truck driven by a Islamic terrorist plowed through a Christmas market in Berlin. Today I walked through one of the Strasbourg markets and it was less crowded than normal. People were subdued and I noted that they were looking at their surroundings as much as they were looking at the items being sold. You could tell that people wondered if it could happen here. And the answer to that question, unfortunately, is yes. Governments can only do so much to make us safe, and the most difficult threat is that of someone who is willing to commit suicide to carry it out. You cannot jail everyone who "might" commit a crime and still have a free society.

As I looked at a beautiful creche in the market, I remembered that the first few years of the Saviour's life were not pretty. The family of Jesus ran for their lives to Egypt. Herod killed the children in

Listen to John Piper read an excellent story about
the consequences of being the innkeeper in Bethlehem.
(With transcript)

Bethlehem in an attempt to kill the one born king of the Jews. Eventually, Rome would succeed in killing Jesus. And they killed almost all of his disciples. But it was all part of a grand plan. A plan that existed before the beginning of Creation: the salvation story.

The all-glorious God created a world filled with people who would rebel against him. To keep their wickedness at bay he caused them to be divided into nations and separated them by confusing their language. Then, at just the right moment, he sent his Son into the world. It's what we celebrate at Christmas. Eventually the death of his Son would pay the penalty for the sin of the world. And the message would go forth that sinful rebellious people could repent, believe the gospel, and be forgiven of their sins and be reunited with God. Redeemed people would carry the message to every nation of the world. And when there are believers from every tribe, nations, and language, the end will come. Jesus will return with glory. That's the divine unstoppable plan.

Satan, not understanding the plan, oversaw the death of Jesus and unwittingly destroyed his own kingdom. Now he devises schemes to try to stop the gospel from going forth. He invents great religions and philosophies as an alternative to keep people blinded from the truth of the gospel. He persecutes the redeemed or fattens them with worldly goods. He does his best to make sure that it is not easy to be a devoted follower of Jesus.

Today we live between the first and second comings of Jesus. And we are called to the task of being witnesses of the gospel message and seeing that it reaches the nations of the world. We live in an age when there are many countries where sharing the gospel is illegal. But believers are sharing it there anyway. They are persecuted and reviled for it. But sometimes the seed they sow bears fruit for eternal life. God's plan is unfolding before our eyes.

But something else is happening: God is bringing the nations of the world to us. We have the opportunity to share the gospel message with those who could not legally hear it in their own country. Some are fleeing war, but most have come to Europe seeking a better standard of living. Most are peace-loving people who, while their religion is different, want to have a good job, raise their families, and hope that tomorrow is better than today. What an opportunity God has given us!

But now, because of ongoing terrorist attacks, these immigrants find themselves living in a land where they feel unwanted. Just read the comments to news articles and put yourself in the place of a Syrian refugee whose home was destroyed or in the place of a Tunisian who is trying to create a better life for his family here. You would feel increasingly like an unwanted outcast.

As I looked at the creche there in the Strasbourg Christmas market, I noticed the shepherds gathered kneeling around the manger in adoration of the Saviour-King. It reminded me of something important.

Photo by Patrick Sweeney

Jesus was born in a tiny village. It wasn't a place to be proud of being from. It was "no-wheres-ville", but God honoured it. Near the bottom of the social order were shepherds. They smelled of sheep and their work didn't provide much income. The shepherds of Bethlehem were the "Nobodies of No-wheres-ville". Yet it was to these social outcasts that God sent an entire choir of angels so that they would be the first to hear the good news of a Saviour being born. Shepherds in Bethlehem. Who would have thought that they would be some of the first to worship Jesus?

Could it be that the people we think are least likely to hear the gospel are actually the ones who are most ready? We dream of great leaders coming to faith. God's priorities are with the shepherds and the outcasts. Could it be that the acts of terror which frighten us offend the immigrants as well? Could it be that they are now more open to the love of Christ than they have been in centuries? Could it be that is why God has orchestrated their being here?

So take time this Christmas to pray for the people of nations of the world all around us who do not know the Jesus. Pray that Christians would love them and share the gospel with them. Take time to get to know them yourself. Pray that God would open the door to tell them about Jesus. Pray that God would open their eyes, just as he opened the eyes of those shepherds long ago.

May the result of this great movement of people be evangelism. May each act of terrorism increase the receptivity to the gospel and multiply the boldness of Christians in sharing it. May hundreds of thousands come to faith in Christ. May their testimony be "I came here looking for a better life and received more than I could ever dream of: I found the Saviour."

Wouldn't that be the merriest Christmas of all?

The Electoral College - It Makes Sense

Today Donald Trump won the presidency of the United States by being elected by the Electoral College. I am still getting questions about the US system so I thought I would right a brief blog about the system. It isn't all inclusive or exhaustive, but gives my thoughts about the electoral college system in the US, especially in light of the recent election. 

The Main Benefit of the Electoral College system

One of the reasons that the Electoral College system exists is to keep one part of the country from dominating the election. It forces those running to build a nationwide coalition of supporters which is a good thing for the overall country. At its inception, the former colonies, now states, wanted to make sure that the President represented a broad spectrum of of the states. They didn't want one or two states, even if they had a large population, to be able to elect the president all by themselves. So they devised the electoral college. Each state gets to send a certain number of delegates based on its population. It limits the influence of each state in the overall election process.

Think about France for a moment. Paris dominates the political landscape, but the country is much bigger than just Paris. An electoral college system would force politicians to win in other parts of the country as well as Paris in order to secure the presidency. The system would work to ensure that the President reflected the will of more of the country than simply Paris. It makes sense, and usually the person who wins the electoral college will also receive the most total votes.

How it works

In the US, each state gets a certain number of electors based on population. Win the state and you win those electors. There are a few states that divide the electors proportionally, but generally it is a winner-take all system for each state.

Win a majority of the votes in the electoral college and you win the election. The election is determined by winning the electoral college.

Those are the rules. And under those rules, Donald Trump clearly won the election.

But Secretary Clinton Got More Votes. She Should Be President!

This is the most common complaint I hear, both here in France, but also from Clinton supporters in the United States. Senator Clinton won the popular vote therefore she deserves to be president. But those weren't the rules of the contest. A popular election is a COMPLETELY different contest.

Let's compare it to a Grand Slam tennis match. You have to win three out of five sets. To win a set you need to win a minimum of six games and you must win by two games. To win a game, you must score at least four points and win by two points. Like them or not, those are the rules. If you compete, those are the rules.

Consider this scenario:

In the first set Donald Trump loses 6-0. When the first four games got 40-15 he decided to conserve his energy and in the final two games, he hardly tried figuring the set would go to Clinton. In the first set he manages to score a total of 4 points.

The same things happen in the second set. Clinton leads 2-0. Clinton smells victory

But then the conditions change. The sun goes behind a cloud and the wind picks up. These conditions favour Trump. Suddenly each game is close, but Trump wins each game by two points. He wins each set 6-0. 

Trump wins, 0-6, 0-6, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0. Even though Clinton won 84 points and Trump only won 76.

Fair? Yes. Because those were the rules, each player competed knowing the rules, and their strategy reflected the rules.

Not only that but...

No one knows what the outcome would be if the rules were different. Remember Trump "rested" in certain sets because he knew he could not win the set. He focused his energy on sets he could win because his goal was to win three sets. If the match was about winning the total number of points, he might have employed a different strategy. 

In the same way, candidate Trump did not focus much energy on California because there was no realistic way that he could win there. He basically chose not to even return serve in there. He conceded California's 55 electoral votes and focused elsewhere. Losing by a little or by a lot in California didn't matter. He was going to lose that set and he wasn't playing for a point total. He was playing to win the most sets.

And the vote differential in California was the vote differential in the national election. Had Trump needed to win the national vote, he might have used a different strategy in California. In fact, if you take away the two major states of California and New York, Trump won by three million votes, just like he scored more points in the final three sets of the tennis match. But the number of total votes or total points doesn't matter in either a Grand Slam or the U.S. Presidential election.

Or a different analogy

If tennis scoring is confusing, let's try basketball. The championship is a best of seven series. One team could win four games by games by 2 or 3 points each, and lose three games by 20 points each. They would still be the champions, even though they scored fewer points. The objective was to win four games, not score as many points as possible over seven games. Change the rules of the tournament, and both teams will play differently. You cannot say, "the loser really won because they scored more points".


So there is no way to tell what the outcome would have been in a "total national vote" election because that was't the game being played.

So Donald Trump won the game that was before the two candidates. And there is no way of knowing what the outcome would have been in a game with different rules.

Remember:

The rules were set to force politicians to build a broad-based coalition that represented people from many parts of the country. Like having a House of Representatives and a Senate, the founders of the US sought to provide a mechanism that would help the Chief Executive to be a person that listened to a wide variety of people rather than the people of one or two heavily populated states. 

The system works.

The Christmas Blues

We live in the capital of Christmas. The smells of vin chaud fill the air and thousands of lights dazzle the eyes as we walk down the streets of our city. It is like living on a movie set that was created for the ideal Christmas. In addition, the television advertisements are filled with pictures of people giving exactly the right gift and children squeal with delight or lovers kiss in joy as they receive it. The photography is so warm and inviting you can almost smell the cookies baking in the kitchen. This, it appears, is the way Christmas should be. Perfect people experiencing a perfect holiday in a perfect setting.

Christmas is not like that for many people. In fact, that perfect Christmas is a fantasy. There are bills to pay, diapers to change, family squabbles, and the flu is going around. The contrast between the "ideal" Christmas and reality is one reason that pastors around the world notice an increase in seasonal depression. It is called the Christmas blues.

In the majority of cases, the solution to the Christmas blues is to readjust our expectations. Simply recognising that the ideal Christmas holiday is a creation of marketers trying to get us to buy their product in order to have the perfect Christmas is enough to send the blues fleeing. The first few birthday celebrations for Jesus were spent as refugees in a distant land (Matt 2:13). Hardly the perfect Christmas! A reminder of "the real reason for the season" sets our hearts in the right place to enjoy the celebration of Christ's birth.

But there are others for whom the solution is not that simple. For them the blues cannot be chased away at all. In fact, "blues" is hardly the word to describe what they are feeling. It is more like thinly covered agony. Every Christmas tree lit and every carol sung hurts. Any reminder of Christmas seems like salt on an open wound. They may smile, but behind the smile is the agony of grief. I call these people the people of the empty chair.

For some people, there is an empty chair at the table because of death. Holidays are a reminder of their absence. If the death happened around Christmas, the holiday becomes even more difficult. I know. The funerals for my father, my father-in-law, and my grandmother were all held in church sanctuaries that were decorated for Christmas. Christmas has never been quite the same.

For others the empty chair is caused by distance. In an international church like Trinity, this is incredibly common. There are many people in the church who will be far from home for Christmas. It is too far and too expensive to give more than a passing thought of going back to celebrate. Even if they have moved here permanently and they call France home, there is someplace else that is calling their name. There is another place where Christmas is "perfect". They are celebrating a family holiday in a foreign land. It hurts. I know, because it describes me as well.

So how do you survive Christmas as a "person of the empty chair"? The advice that helps most people makes sense, but it doesn't seem to help you. What are you to do? Let me give you some thoughts that have helped me.

First, it is okay to grieve. The empty chair means someone you love is missing. The pain you feel is the price of love. If you did not love the person, there would be no pain in their absence. So feel the pain, but don't stop there. Turn the pain into thanksgiving. Thank the Lord that he brought someone into your life that causes your heart to ache because they are gone. This is part of what it means to give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18). It does not make the pain go away, but it brings a perspective on the pain that makes it manageable.

Second, acknowledge the people who are in your life. We just finished studying 1 Corinthians and I noticed something in the final chapter. Paul writes, "I rejoice at the coming of Stephan's and Fortunes and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence (1 Cor 16:17). While the pain of the empty chair is real, the Lord has placed people in your life today to bring refreshment. So watch for, and acknowledge, each act of kindness and love during this season. A few years ago I was feeling particularly blue when someone gave me a gift for Christmas. It was a simple gift, but the person who gave it to me had very little to begin with. When they handed it to me, they looked me in the eye and said simply, "Merry Christmas." It would have been easy, given my emotional state, to simply nod thank you. Instead, I opened the door of my soul and was refreshed by the gift of a new friend.

Third, admire the beauty. After the first Christmas with an empty chair, the pain seems to lessen. Or perhaps we just get used to it. In any case, we can do something besides feeling the pain. A good place to start is to simply open our eyes to the beauty around us. Try see cultivate a sense of wonder about the world around you. Look at the patterns of the Christmas ornaments for a little longer than you usually do. Stop to admire the craftsmanship of a nice nativity set. Allow yourself to appreciate the simplest of things: like the latte art performed by the barista at your favourite coffee shop. Give thanks for the beauty around you.

Fourth, invite others to the table. If there is an empty chair at your table seek to invite a bunch of new people to gather around the table. If Christmas finds you far away from home, find others in a similar situation and invite them to share Christmas Eve with you. As you do, you are not filling the empty chair. I don't think it can be filled. Instead, you are being a blessing to others. And there will be laughter and fun. And at some point in the evening you will say to yourself, "This is good. And if the person I miss so much were here, they would agree." You will realise that while life is different it is still good. That will be a cup of cold water to your parched and weary soul.

Most importantly, turn to God. Remember that Christmas is supposed to be focused on the incarnation. God became man and dwelt among us (John 1:14). He came because we needed salvation. He came to set us free. We were a people living in a land of darkness and he came and brought light (Isaiah 9:2). He is the God of all comfort (2 Cor 1:3) and he will comfort us. Even though now we grieve through the trial of the empty chair, there is within us a greater and abiding joy because we know the end of the story (1 Peter 1:3-7). So be refreshed and renewed in Him.

God is Not Silent

This week I read an article posted on Facebook by TICOS friend Timothée Davi. The article, written by theologian Roger Olson, spoke of a disturbing trend that is now a reality in western society: the absence of objective truth. Reading this article coincided with my reading of Psalm 19 in which the voice of God is celebrated as the source of truth. These are my reflections on that psalm.

Creation's Declaration

We are surrounded by fantastic artwork that continually showers us with messages from its Creator. The glory of God is revealed in the creation around us. His power and majesty is on display. The creation is not God, but his fingerprints are unmistakable. The creation does not speak with words but pour forth speech that everyone can see.

The psalmist speaks of the heavens declaring the glory of God (Psalm 19:1). In the opening pages of the Bible we read of God creating the universe in which we live. Scientists are left speechless and the incredible vastness and teeming fullness of space. Its distances are beyond comprehension and contains innumerable galaxies. Unlike humanly formed things, the immensity of the universe created by God displays his infinite nature.

In another corner of the scientific world, the scientists rarely look up because they are looking down into the smallest of things. And over the last century they have continually discovered ever smaller things. Consider for a moment that around 1900 scientists presumed the atom to be the most basic building block of the universe. The term "atom" come from a Greek word meaning "unable to be cut". The very existence of atoms was controversial until 1910. By the 1930s the electron and proton had been observed and assumed to be elementary. Today scientists speak of quarks and bosons. The world appears to be both infinitely large and infinitely small. The nature of God on display for all to see.

Science itself is is based on the idea that there are rules and principles by which the creation operates. We do not live amidst chaos, but it a realm governed by order. This order can be explored and discovered. This, too, points to the nature and character of the Creator. Creation pours forth speech pointing to the Creator.

God has Spoken

God is not silent. Not only has he made himself known in the creation, he has also spoken into it. The Bible is the Holy Spirit infused record of those words (2 Timothy 3:16-17). These words are pure and flawless. They have power beyond paper and ink, they can refresh the soul. They can make wise the simple. They can guide us in the path of life (Psalm 19:7-8). They, even more than the creation, lead the way to the Creator.

Written by many men over the span of centuries, the pages of the Bible speak with a common voice. There is a divine authorship that gives the Bible its own unique authority. God has spoken. His words are truth. They correspond with reality. To ignore or reject what it says is like turning off your GPS and trying to find your way in a strange city on a foggy night. The direction you take may seem right, but it won't correspond to reality. You may be able to travel a great distance or with amazing speed, but you will wind up in the wrong place.

The psalmist describes the Bible using a variety of terms: the law of the Lord, the testimony of the Lord, the precepts of the Lord, the commandment of the Lord, and the rules of the Lord. These phrases seem hard and cold, but the impact in the lives of those who follow them is incredible. Through the Bible, our thirsty souls are revived. There is a hunger in our souls that only the Word of God can satisfy. We were made live by Word of God and when it is absent, we languish and whither. Through the Bible, we gain wisdom. We live in a confusing world with innumerable options and voices trying to influence us. The Bible is designed to act as a GPS to help us navigate through the maze of life. It gives us true wisdom. Not only do those who follow it make better decisions, they discover a relationship with God. This relationship is what they were designed for and the discovery fills their souls with deep and lasting joy.

Our Response

The psalmist recognises that there his own life falls far short of glory found God's revelation. He knows that the study of the Word will show him more ways that he has violated it. Therefore he prays that God would forgive him for his "hidden" sins (Psalm 19:12-14). He goes on to pray that he would be kept from "presumptuous sins". These are sins that stem from pride. The presumptuous person thinks that they are wiser than God and can ignore or disobey what he has stated in his word without consequences. The result is is always disastrous. Simply put: you cannot outsmart God. The psalmist knows this and has written to remind himself and others of the value of God's Word.

Michelangelo's David is the "ideal man"
rather than an accurate representation
of the biblical David.
He is uncircumcised.
Photo by Jörg Bittner Unna
- wikipedia commons

There is another response that is mentioned by the apostle Paul in Romans 1. There he reaffirms that the creation bears abundant testimony of the nature and character of God. There is so much knowledge of God pouring forth from the creation that the only appropriate response should be thanksgiving and worship. But many have rejected God. In Paul's words, "claiming to be wise they became fools." They replaced God with something else. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator. In fact, they have not only exchanged the truth, they actively suppress it (Romans 1:19-21).

In Western civilisation, this replacement has not resulted in the worship of objects made of stone or wood, but rather in the worship of man himself (Romans 1:22). The rise of humanism (as opposed to theism) placed man at the center and created an imaginary "ideal" man/society which was to guide life. Truth was "out there" and could be found and discovered through careful study and observation. Humans were smart and could discover this truth on their own. They threw off any other authority than themselves.

Reformers such as Luther and Calvin are sometimes called humanists, but this is not really accurate. Man was not their center. They boldly declared that God is the center and God has spoken and his objective truth was to be found in the Bible. Their careful study of the Bible was grounded in this conviction. They rejected the authority of the Roman Church, because they rightly saw that the its doctrine was not in agreement with the objective truth of the Bible.

There were others, though, that rejected not only the Roman Church but the authority of the Bible as well. The Bible became merely a interesting and perhaps useful historical document. Its teachings were freely rejected in the search for the ideal man/society. These are the "secular" humanists. It is this force that slowly gained the upper hand in Western civilisation. They believed that truth was "out there" and could be discovered, but they reject the Bible as authoritatively true. Man is to be the authority.

Roger Olson's article reflects what is happening in our society today: people now feel that there really is no such thing as truth. Or rather, people are increasingly basing their lives on feelings rather than facts. Truth has become irrelevant. The culture of West has become post-modern or post-truth.

I think this is the result of two things. First, after centuries of trying to define objective truth, there has been little consensus...the search is ongoing and the humanist's "truth" is ever changing. Second, the "information age" that is upon us deluges us with millions of statements claiming to be true which frequently are not. Just think about the "fake news" stories that flood the internet! People now filter by what feels good rather than searching for objective truth. Put another way, all truth has become subjective. Facts are mere opinion.

The secular humanist turned off the GPS of biblical truth and determined to find their own way through the fog. But now they have reached the point of despair. There is no "right" direction. Perhaps there is no real destination to find! Each person is told that whatever direction they head in the fog is acceptable. Just head in any direction you want. Whatever feels right in the fog is right for you. The worst thing a person can do in our current culture is to tell someone that they are heading in the wrong direction. Because there is no objectively "wrong" direction anymore. So just be nice and try not to bump into people.

This is true both in secular society, but also increasingly true in churches. We are living in a "post-truth" culture. As Dr. Olson puts it, "Many Christians who, so it seems to me, simply don’t care about truth as much as they care about feelings. If a doctrine, for example, doesn’t feel right, then it is at best unimportant. If an ethical stance seems hurtful (e.g., “not nice” or “intolerant”), it must be wrong." The standard of rightness becomes a person's feelings rather than truth. An increasing number of Christians reject what the Bible says if it doesn't "feel right." The Bible is no longer the objective standard of truth. They presume to know better. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, they follow their feelings rather than the Word of God. They choose to ignore the GPS and follow their feelings into the misty night. The church is supposed to be the pillar and foundation of the truth because it should reflect accurately the truth of God's Word (1 Timothy 3:15). Unfortunately, many who claim to follow Christ are wandering in the fog.

God has spoken. His creation declares his glory. He spoke through the prophets and then he spoke through his Son. His Word reveals objective truth. And one day people will stand before the throne of God and he will ask, "Did you listen?"

Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.
Chicago Statement on Biblical Hermeneutics.

Physical Intimacy: What God Does God Say? Porn

This is the third in a series on what the Bible says about physical intimacy. Before you read this, it is important to read the first two posts. Post One. Post Two.

What Does the Bible Say?

Internet pornography was not a problem in Bible times because there was no internet. But that does not mean that the Bible is silent. We saw in the second article that the Bible teaches that sex outside of marriage is sinful. Jesus goes on to say that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart (Matthew 5:27-30). And that is what you are doing when you view porn. It is sin.

Let's Be Clear About What It Is

The internet has turned every computer and
cellphone into a potential 24/7 adult
video theatre with unlimited offerings.

Pornography is filmed prostitution. A person (or people) agree to pose or act sexually, usually in exchange for money. That's prostitution. They are filmed and those images are then distributed. In the 1970s Playboy and Penthouse led the way in the United States and the major distributor was the local convenience store. Then it became cable TV and the video rental store. Today the internet is the major distributor. And the amount of porn being distributed is astonishing:

• One major porn site boasted that it 2015 it received over 21 billion hits and streamed over 75GB of data a second. Put another way: that year it streamed enough porn video to fill 175 million 16GB iPhones. 
• In 2014, 7 of the top 20 Google search terms were for pornographic material. 
• According to the Huffington Post:
• About 30% of all data transmitted on the internet is porn.
• Porn sites are visited more than Amazon, Twitter, and Netflix combined.
• CNBC reports that the porn industry is thought to generate $14 billion  in sales in the United States alone. By comparison, the National Football League revenue is about $9 billion. The 2014 FIFA World Cup made $4 billion in global revenue.
• Customers are not all men. It is estimated that 30% of users are women. And many studies are finding that the average age of first exposure to porn is 11.

So What's the Harm?

Let's leave out the harm of supporting the prostitution/pornography industry on the people in the industry (a "nice" version of what that is like is here) and focus on the harm done to the viewer.

You are in trouble with God. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell." I am not making that up. Read it for yourself in Matthew 5:27-20. Jesus points out the extreme danger of looking at women with lustful intent. We could paraphrase the last phrase "if the internet causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better to not use the internet than to spend eternity in hell."

You need to understand that a "little bit of porn" is a big deal because of what it does to you, to your relationships, and to those in the industry. Almost every list of sins in the New Testament starts with sexual immorality. If you think that it is no big deal, that you can be a "fine Christian" and watch porn, its is a sign that you are sin drunk. Sin has affected your perceptions and you are not thinking clearly. 

You are probably going to become addicted if you are not already. Studies show that pornography is highly addictive. It follows the same patterns as drug addictions. More and more time and attention will be spent on the habit. Sacrifices in friendships and perhaps even work will be made to pursue porn. Its similarity with drug addiction includes the issue of tolerance. Simply put, the porn that satisfied last year doesn't satisfy this year. You need something different, edgier, more "out there" than before. What once would have turned your stomach becomes the only thing that satisfies. No one sets out to become an addict. They think that the rules don't apply to them.

You are living in a fantasy world. That person looking seductively at you on the screen isn't looking at

Watching porn to satisfy with lust is like pouring water on
on a grease fire. Momentarily exciting, perhaps.
But it is never a good idea.

you. They are not even thinking about you. They are looking at a camera, probably being held by some bored fat ugly dude and you are watching the fourteenth take of that smile. They did it fourteen times to finally get one that seemed "real". Everything about what you watch on the screen is unreal. It has about as much in common with reality as Star Wars. The problem is that the porn you watch slowly reprograms your body to respond to the fantasy world rather than real life. You are actually changing the way your brain functions.

You are setting yourself up for disappointment. Like all sin, there may be a short term buzz, but the long term consequences are high. The intimacy that you so desire with your spouse will prove illusive. Neither you nor your spouse will ever be able to live up to the fantasy world that you have burned into your brain. Even worse, that fantasy world is a mirage to begin with. And your desire for the mirage will cause you to miss the true oasis with its cool pure water that God designed you to enjoy.

The dangers of porn are becoming increasingly evident to both the secular and Christian world. There are even TEDx talks about "the Great Porn Experiment" and "Why I Gave Up Porn" that demonstrate that this isn't just a "Christian hang-up". Unfortunately, the porn industry, like the tobacco industry, has slick and powerful advertising and lobbying arms that works to keep these dangers from being known and their customers hooked.

Getting Free

Getting free requires the realisation that there is war going on for your very soul (1 Peter 2:11). It takes a war-time dedication to the battle. It takes a long-term commitment. It is easy to decide to go on a diet after your belly is full from a feast. But are you committed enough to diet when your belly is screaming like a spoiled child demanding to be fed? Are you willing to say this: I will never look at porn again for the rest of my life? It is where you must begin. 

• Repent of your sin. If you can say "no more porn...ever" it is a good indication that the process of repentance has begun. Turn to Jesus for forgiveness. No sin is beyond forgiveness. Regardless of how far into sexual immorality you have fallen, Jesus can forgive you. 1 John 1:8-2:2; Psalm 51.
• Commit your life wholeheartedly to Jesus Christ. True satisfaction in any area of life can only be found in a relationship with Him. 
• The battle against the sinful nature can only be won through a relationship with him. We must learn to put the sinful nature to death. Romans 6:12-18.
• Resist the devil. Immersing ourselves in pornography can open the door to demonic influent. You must learn to walk in the victory that is Christ and stand against the enemy. At times, you may need to seek out a person with the gift of discernment to help battle the forces of evil. James 4:7-8.
• Deal ruthlessly with sources of temptation. Get good filtering software. If you cannot get software that works on your phone, get rid of the data plan. You can live without data, I promise. Remember, this is war! 1 Corinthians 6:18. Covenant Eyes and xxxchurch both offer good filtering software.
• Find an accountability partner. Talk to someone in your small group. Talk to your pastor. Find someone who will pray for you and ask you tough questions. 
• Don't give up. Overcoming sexual addictions is hard work. Keep at it. Don't quit!

What Happens When You Quit Porn?

How Do I Escape?

Pornography and Virtual Infidelity

Physical Intimacy, What Does God Say? Part Two

This is Part Two of a series. Please read Part One first. 

God's Plan

In Part One of this series, we discovered that far from being offended by sex, God actually is the one who thought it up and designed us for it! Of course, part of his plan is procreation. But his intention is greater than reproduction. In his plan, sex is meant to help unite two people together physically, emotionally, and spiritually in a lifetime bond of commitment and love. It is designed to be pleasurable. His longing is for us to experience the fullness of his purpose for us. It is very good.

This Helps Explain Something

Because God is good and loving and has our best interests in mind, he not only describes his intentions for us, but he also lays down some rules. These rules, while at a particular moment may seem restricting, are designed to lead us to something greater. Rather than being the harsh laws of a cruel dictator, his rules are actually gifts of love that will lead us to most excellent place. If we violate the laws we will experience less that he desires for us and we will inevitably suffer the consequences. 

An Important Passage:

Hebrews 13:4 tells us that "marriage is to be honoured by all and the marriage bed kept pure." To honor something is to hold in high esteem and regard. This vision of unity in marriage with all of beauty is to motivate and inspire us in life. We are to keep the marriage bed pure and holy. The verse goes on to say that God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 

Two Key Words:

Adultery - This is the one of 10 Commandment fame: "Thou shalt not commit adultery." But what is adultery? Adultery is sexual intercourse between a married person and someone who is not their spouse. Remember God's design: A man and woman enjoying unity for their lifetime. If one of them breaks that unity by having sex with another person, that relationship is adulterous. Adultery destroys marriages and ruins families.

Sexual Immorality is a the translation of the Greek word porneia. It is used for all sexual relationships outside of marriage. A standard biblical Greek dictionary defines it this way: illicit sexual intercourse including: adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals, etc., sexual intercourse with close relatives, or sexual intercourse with a divorced man or woman. Sexual immorality is also sin. We are commanded to turn away from sexual immorality many times in the Bible. 

Why does God say this?

Remember, God takes this area of our lives seriously because it is important. He knows what is best for us. If we follow his commands we will discover that the result is beautiful. He wants us to follow him, trusting that he is wise and good. There may be times when the temptation is strong to break his commands, but cannot break his commands without first saying, "God, I know better than you do what is best for my life. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, I choose to reject you and your ways." That is sin. And God rightly takes this rebellion and rejection of him seriously. But there is another reason that maybe you haven't thought about.

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7) 

This passage tells us that God wants us to avoid sexual immorality and practice self-control. But there is something hidden in these verses: we are not to "wrong our brother in this matter." What does that mean? Let's say Jean-Luc and Elisabeth are dating and decide to violate God's command and have sex. Jean-Luc is actually taking something that rightfully belongs to Elisabeth's future husband. He is wronging him. And Elisabeth is actually stealing from Jean-Luc's future wife. She is wronging her. Because of the high view of sex and marriage that God holds, he takes this theft extremely seriously.

If you have sex with your boyfriend, you might enjoy pleasure for a moment, but you are stealing something that is not yours. You are hurting someone who is not even in the room: their future spouse. You are hurting your boyfriend. And you are hurting yourself. Too many people are hurt too deeply for God to simply ignore sexual sin. This is why God says he will judge the adulterer and the sexually immoral person. And he doesn't say it once. He says it from Genesis to Revelation. He is serious.

If "we love one another" and are "committed to each other" is it okay to have sex?

No. Sex is reserved for marriage. The Biblical view of marriage goes back to the Garden of Eden where Adam and Eve were joined together for a lifelong relationship. This type of relationship is a covenant before God and others. A covenant is a commitment made to another that cannot be broken. Unlike a contract which can be broken if the other person fails to live up to the terms of the agreement, a covenant is a commitment to the relationship regardless of the what the other person does. Outside of that level of commitment, sex violates God's commandment. In other words, you really are not committed if you are not married. 

Today it is common to hear people say things like, "I wouldn't buy a car without taking it for a test drive" or "How do I know if we are compatible if we don't live together first?" People who think such things are really saying, "I am not sure if this person will satisfy me and make me happy so I better ease into the relationship." While it sounds wise, it is actually selfish. It demonstrates that the person will be committed to the relationship as long as the other person adequately meets their needs. For them, the other person is very much like a car. As much as they might "love" the car at first, but eventually the car will need expensive repairs and begin to rust. When it does, they will trade it for another car that they "love". Living together or having sex together rarely changes the basic orientation of the relationship. 

The commitment of marriage is different. Marriage is a commitment to love and care for the other person for the rest of their life regardless of whether they meet your needs or make you happy. Instead of being like a car that you "love", the other person is like your arm or your leg. If it causes you pain, you care for it. When it develops arthritis you protect it. You would never think of just cutting it off because it is a part of you. You are "one flesh". When a couple marries, they are making the most radical commitment there can be between humans. They are promising to love, care for, and be faithful to the other person regardless of what life brings. Through the stresses of child-rearing, the financial struggles, or the medical challenges, they promise that their commitment will hold firm. There could be an accident in the first year of marriage leaving their spouse paralysed and it would not matter, because they are committed to being there for the rest of their life.

Such a commitment is a big deal. It is to be made before God and witnesses at a ceremony called a wedding. Weddings do not have to be big elaborate events. It is the vows, after all, that are the most important part. Once those vows have been made before God and witnesses, then sex becomes a celebration of the marriage unity between you and your spouse. Understanding the importance of sex and marriage leads to a commitment to reserve sex for marriage. Outside of marriage sex is sin.

A Sobering Thought

Driving schools teach about the dangers of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Billboards, Facebook posts, and our mothers warn us not to drink and drive.

Question: So why do so many people drive drunk?

Answer: They think they can handle it. 

They think that the alcohol isn't affecting their reactions or their judgment. They think, "It may affect other people, but I am fine. No problem. I've got this. I've only had a little to drink." If someone tries to take away their keys they become defensive and insist on driving, sometimes with tragic results.

But this post isn't about alcohol or driving under the influence.

Paul writes, "Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning" (1 Cor 15:34). 

Sin works like alcohol in our lives. Sin clouds our judgement. Sin muddies our perception. Sin changes our reactions. Sin causes us to become defensive when confronted. Sin damages our relationship with God. Sin damages our relationship with others. 

Let's take the example of the person who refuses to forgive and their unforgiveness has soured into bitterness. You probably know someone like that. Bitterness distorts their whole view of life. They are under its influence, but they will not admit it. They are sin-drunk.

We became Christians by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. We experienced the forgiveness and cleansing that is available from Him. We've been taught and warned about the consequences of sin.

Question: So why do so many Christians live "sin-drunk" lives?

Answer: They think they can handle it.

They think, "Sin won't affect me. It isn't much sin. I can handle it." 

"My anger? No big deal." 

"My 'little' lies? Not a problem."

"My jealousy? I only want what is rightfully mine."

"My porn? I can handle it."

"My greed? It's only natural."

They think it does't affect them, but it does. Like the drunk driver, they are under the influence and are barely conscious of it. Their friends probably sense it. God certainly sees it. But they themselves are sin-drunk and barely notice anything is wrong.

Hebrews 3:13-14 warns that we may be "hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" with devastating results. 

Dear Christian, are you living with sin in your life? It isn't a little thing. You are under its influence. It is affecting your reactions, your judgement, your opinions, your speech, and your decisions. It isn't improving them. It is making them worse. 

You are sin-drunk.

You know better. 

Sober up. Do what is right. Repent. Put away your sin and receive forgiveness from Jesus. Live in the true freedom and true joy that comes from Him.

Ephesians 4:17-24
2 Corinthians 11:3

Hebrews 12:1-2

1 John 1:5-10

Physical Intimacy. What Does God Say? Introduction

A Starting Point

We live in an information age. The amount of information at our fingertips is amazing and overwhelming. When we want to know something, a simple Google search yields thousands of results and we scan through the hit list looking for what we want. It can be a real blessing! At the same time, it can be confusing, because there are so many different opinions and voices giving advice that it can be difficult to know what is true. In addition, we have a tendency to listen to "experts" that confirm our ideas and tune out those that contradict our thinking. With thousands of opinions to choose from, it is easy to find people who agree with what we think or find rationalisations for what we want to do. It is a sometimes dangerous mix.

When it comes to sex and relationships, there is no shortage of messages and experts giving advice. In general, our movies and entertainment glorify sex and see it as a wonderful thing for consenting adults. Our grandparents and great-grandparents probably thought that sex was reserved for marriage.  We, filled with desire, seek release and wisdom. Where do we turn? Who is speaking the truth? Are we looking for truth or a rationale to do what we want?

These are important questions and I hope to provide point in a direction that you will follow to sort through them.

There is Wisdom to be Found if We Look

God has spoken and he has given us everything we need to live a happy and fulfilled life in relationship with him. It is my contention that the Bible is God's inerrant Word and it will give us all of the wisdom we need in this area of our lives. This wisdom goes deeper than a list of commands or rules. Instead, it deals with our desires and the depths of our longings and provides loving guidelines regarding sexuality. Because He is the all-knowing God, his wisdom is perfect and right and good. Because he is loving, his guidance always has our best interests in mind.To ignore what he says is to claim to be wiser or smarter than God!

God's wisdom is found in the Bible. We owe it to ourselves to carefully study what the Bible says. As we study, we need to be constantly aware of what we are dealing with: God's Word. It is deigned to renew our thinking. It will challenge us and sometimes seem contrary to the culture around us. So as we approach our study, we must be certain that we realise that God is all-knowing and loving. Obedience to what he says is always the best path regardless of how difficult it may seem.

Over the next several weeks I am going to write about sex and relationships with the intent of spelling out what the Bible teaches. Consider me to be a helpful guide, but the real important work should be done by you. That's why I have included a list of the primary passages that deal with sex and relationships along with a list of definitions of the common biblical words. It is important for you to become familiar with them. Do your own study!

Why do I say this?

Our minds learn things from our environment. Our opinions
and values are shaped by the things that we focus on. We need
to consciously decide to listen to God and allow him to transform
our thinking. That's what it means to not be conformed to the
pattern of this world. See Romans 12:1-2.

Because there are many voices that are clamouring for your attention. You need to discover for yourself what God says. He is the wisest and most loving counsellor you will ever have!

I will warn you that much of what the Bible says goes against our culture and currently fashionable thinking. It is important for you to realise that this has almost always been the case. The dismissal of what it teaches has been going on for centuries because people would rather do what they think is best. This usually involves rejecting the wisdom of God. In effect, they claim to be wiser than God. Frequently this is placed in terms like, "society has evolved" and "God wants you to be happy". Sound familiar? This desire to jettison or adapt what the Bible says to make it more agreeable to our way of thinking has been around a long, long time.

This thinking has also influenced many churches. Wanting to make God "acceptable" to a "modern and sophisticated" audience, they cast off any part of the Bible that doesn't fit with current cultural trends. It is popular. "God is love" becomes the mantra and the rationale behind rejecting his wisdom. It is a human-centered way of thinking rather than God-focused. In other words, it is a way of thinking says that our human ideas are smarter than God's ideas.

Because this thinking has infected some churches, it important to study the Bible for yourself. You may find it to be odd at first because it is different than what world around you has taught you. It may be different than what you heard a religious leader say. Keep at the study. There were come a "eureka!" moment when the beauty of God's design and purposes take your breath away.

The Bible has always been counter-cultural. It is powerful. It's wisdom will inform and transform our lives and as a result our culture. So carefully study the Bible for yourself. Listen to what God has to say.

I'll share with you the fruit of my study, but I encourage you to look up each passage I mention. Look at the study page and dig into the Bible for yourself!

God Has a Plan

Let's begin by debunking a myth: God is not against pleasure. Often people think that God "doesn't want us to have any fun". Nothing could be farther from the truth. He thought up tastebuds and strawberries. Our world could be black and white, but God invented the colours of the rainbow. He invented sex. It was his idea!

In the opening chapter of the book of Genesis, we read that God created mankind male and female. Created in the image of God, Adam and Eve were made for each other. He blessed them and he told them to have children. Lots of them. "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth." That's a lot of kids! Now, if you don't know where babies come from, stop reading this and ask your parents! My point is that holiness and sex are not opposites. Sin was not yet part of the picture and still sex was good. In fact, at the end of the day that created man and woman and told them to be fruitful and multiply God declared that what he had done was not only good, it was very good (Genesis 1:26-31)!

The Bible goes on to say that Eve was made from Adam. She was to be a "helper fit for him." And when Adam saw her he delightedly cried out, "At last! This is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bone!" The Lord then tells us "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife and they shall become one flesh." The creation of Adam and Eve serves as the model for God's intention for all of us. Just as Adam and Eve were united by God and became one, so we are to be united to another and become one with them (Genesis 2:18-24). Sexual intercourse is a part of this oneness. More than a biological act, there is a spiritual component to it as well (1 Corinthians 6:16). Adam and Eve enjoyed this relationship. They were "naked and unashamed" (Genesis 2:25). This is the pattern for us: A man and woman united together for life celebrating and experiencing union through their sexual relationship with one another. Sex is not inherently sinful. In the Garden of Eden it was completely without sin.


The Genesis story continues and Adam and Eve disobey God. They break the only command and eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This tree had been placed there out of love, for the Lord knew that true relationship must be based on choice. For Adam and Eve to have real love  for God, the possibility of rejecting him needed to exist. Unfortunately, they chose rebellion, thus destroying the relationship they had with God and having incredible consequences on their relationship with one another.

Genesis 3:7 tells us that after they ate of the tree "the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths." Their sin impacted their marriage. Where once there was innocence and joy, now guilt and shame dominated the day. The married couple hid themselves from one another. Sin made their relationship complicated and difficult. The Lord tells them that there will be consequences for their sin. Increased pain in childbirth and thorns and thistles will be the result of labor. Just as significant, the relationship between men and women will be difficult. Adam will seek to rule and dominate Eve. Eve will seek to devour Adam. Adam's initial "pre-Eve" desire for companionship remains, but now their relationship...including sex...has been become complicated by sin.

I left out another character in Genesis 3: Satan. Satan sought to destroy the relationships in the Garden of Eden. He hates God. And he hates those who are made in God's image. So he spun web of lies that appeared to make sense to Eve and to Adam. But they didn't get what he promised them. The fruit of listening to Satan rather than God was destruction. It did not make their lives better. Sure, they now knew what the fruit tasted like, but the cost of the that knowledge was devastating to them. Satan's character has not changed: he still seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Neither has God's character: he still seeks that we would have a full and abundant life. Satan still whispers in our ears. Listening to him rather than God still has devastating results.

One of the most common lies that Satan uses is that listening to God regarding our sexuality will result in our "missing out" of something wonderful. Satan will tell us that God does not know best. That God does not what us to enjoy ourselves. That his plan is out-of-date and incompatible with life today. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. God wants us to fully enjoy who he created us to be. When it comes to sex, he knows the best path toward that fulfilment: using and expressing our sexuality the way he intended.

Think God doesn't understand the pleasure to be found in sex? Consider that there is anentire book of the Bible, inspired by the Holy Spirit, that is a celebration of wonder of the physical union of a husband and wife. It is beautiful. It is pure. It is bliss.

Just listen:

You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride;

you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace. 

How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride!

How much better is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! 

Your lips drip nectar, my bride; 

honey and milk are under your tongue;

the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 

A garden locked is my sister, my bride,

a spring locked, a fountain sealed.

Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates

with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, 

 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,

with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes,with all choice spices—

 a garden fountain, a well of living water,

and flowing streams from Lebanon.  

- (Song of Solomon 4:9-15)

How beautiful are your feet in sandals, O noble daughter!

Your rounded thighs are like jewels,

the work of a master hand.

Your navel is a rounded bowl

that never lacks mixed wine.

Your belly is a heap of wheat,

encircled with lilies.

Your two breasts are like two fawns

twins of a gazelle... 

- (Song of Solomon 7:1-3)

So Why Did God Do This?

So is there a reason beyond procreation, union of husband and wife, and pleasure that God created us as sexual beings? Amazingly, the answer to that question is "yes".

Throughout the New Testament we read about what theologians call the "mystical union." Don't be afraid of the word "mystical" here. They use it to refer to something true and experienced, but ultimately indescribable. Perhaps the related word "mysterious" would feel safer to some than the word mystical. We read that Jesus is in us and we are in him (John 17:22-23; 1 Cor 1:30, etc.).

The pure overwhelming love that God designed to experience in marriage is a foretaste and a picture of something greater: our relationship with Him. Paul writes in Ephesians 5 that when he describes the marriage relationship he is also describing the relationship that the Lord has with us. We are the bride of Christ. He designed marriage to be a reflection of the depth of love, devotion and intimacy he desires to have with us. Charles and Joyce Penner, in their wonderful book The Gift of Sex write, "It would seem that the total way in which two people get involved with each other in a sexual experience is a symbol of the way in which we can be intensely involved with God. We are totally open and vulnerable with each other. God would have us give ourselves to him with the same abandonment."

Of course, it is important to underline the word "symbolic" in that quotation because our minds go astray if we view the physical relationship of marriage as a literal representation of our relationship with the Triune God. It does, however, point to the intensity of devotion and the incredible delight and joy that is possible in our relationship with God.

So you can see that the God-designed purpose for our sexuality is glorious. It is to be expressed and delighted in the marriage relationship. It is pleasurable. It produces children. It unites a husband and wife physically, emotionally and spiritually. And it is a reflection of God's intended love-relationship with us. With all of these incredibly good intentions for us, is it no wonder that the Lord tells us what to do and what to avoid in order to experience all that he has for us? Is it any wonder that the enemy would seek to destroy the beauty of God's intention?

We will look at some of things that God says in the coming weeks. But we must always have God's vision for us in mind as we do.

The Trap - Part 2

In my last post I wrote about "the trap". It is a scheme of the evil one that ensnares many believers. He tempts the believer and seductively lures us into sin and then viciously attackers when we sin. It is a strategy designed to keep the believer from from following after God. 

There were two reactions to the article. Some people thanked me for exposing the trap. They realised that they had experienced themselves. One person even realised that the trap described exactly what they were experiencing. The image helped them get back on their feet spiritually and start walking with Jesus again. There was grace and forgiveness to to be found in Christ.

Others were concerned that I was somehow condoning sin the life of the follower of Christ. They reasoned that people would understand my article to think that sin was somehow okay and we should tolerate it in our lives. Nothing could be farther from the truth. "Sin is okay" is yet another trap of the enemy. It's a lie that he whispers to keep us from experiencing the freedom of a holy life. 

Two Key Truths

There are two key truths that Paul says make up a "sure foundation". They are both extremely important.

The first is this: the Lord knows who are his. 

The mystery of God's choosing is shrouded in his will. We were chosen before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight (Eph 1). Jesus said that he knows his sheep and that his sheep know the sound of his voice. When we come to faith in Christ we are sealed with the Holy Spirit, who is guarantee of our inheritance.

If you have been born again by the Spirit of God, you have been adopted by Him. You are a son or daughter of the Most High.

You don't become a Christian by being born into a Christian family. You become a Chrisitan, in the biblical sense, by regeneration. You have to be born again. We experience several things as we are born again: repentance and faith. We repent of our sins and we believe the gospel. Jesus, the Son of God, died for our sins and rose from the dead.

You will never be an more "his" than when you were born again. However, we need to remember that  regeneration (being born again) is, like physical birth, only the first step of a life with the Lord. And just as a baby grows and becomes like their parents, we are to grow and become more like Jesus.

That brings us to the second key truth:

Those who call on the Lord must turn away from wickedness.

We are called to live holy lives. Sin and rebellion against God are never okay. They diminish our fellowship with God, rob us of joy and peace, spoil our spiritual fruit, and damage relationships. We are called to be holy. We must remember that!

We are to put off the old man and put on the new. We are to get rid of sinful attitudes and actions. We are to learn to live lives of love. Read Colossians 3:1-14; Ephesians 4-5; 1 Peter 1:13-16. 

There is a great deception in the land: salvation without holiness. There are people who point to some past event and say to themselves, "I've got that heaven thing taken care of so I don't have to worry about that. I might as well 'enjoy life' and live like the devil!" Some point to their infant baptism and others to a "salvation prayer" at a crusade as their "get out of hell free" card. But in either, their true hearts are exposed: they are not saved. The redeemed desire to live lives of holiness! Don't be deceived: Those who call on the Lord must turn away from wickedness!

For those that build their lives on these truths the transformation can be amazing. Drugs and alcohol lose their grip. Greed turns into generosity. Anger into patience and gentleness. Despair turns to hope.

But sometimes we fall. When we do, the enemy wants us to believe that our sin has ruined our hope of heaven. That's the trap I wrote about.

But heaven was never based on our performance. We are saved by grace through faith. Our relationship with God is based on the finished work of Jesus Christ. He died for our sins. He offers us grace and mercy.  From beginning to end, our salvation is based on grace. When we sin, we need to repent, receive forgiveness, and and continue to walk the highway of holiness.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

 (Hebrews 12:1-2)