Plexit

In the UK we have been suffering through two years of Brexit, and the arguments why we should stay or leave the EU, depending on which side of the debate fence you sit on. Whichever way you look at it, at least we are talking about it ad nauseum (literally!).

At the same time, there is another referendum which is more serious, but few talk about it. Let me introduce you to Plexit, the vote we all have but few cast, on what we do to prepare for the sure and certain event called ‘Planet Exit’. I suggest that we don’t have to give it much thought, because we have been convinced that everybody goes to heaven anyway. We will make a few exceptions for some murderers and peopophiles, but other than a few exceptions heaven is a cert! Really?

If you think we are here on this earth as a result of chance, an accident of nature, or a mutation of evolution, then you should have no worry about leaving this earth, because it then stands to reason that there can be no heaven or hell. But most people agree that there is a God, whether they go to church or not. In the same manner, they have convinced themselves that this loving God would never send any of His creation to hell. Ergo, it’s heaven!! How convenient.

On the other side of the debate are the Christians who believe by faith in a glorious heaven, and know it in their heart.They are also very aware of the real existence of the devil and his hell. The Bible talks a great deal about both heaven and hell and leaves the decision to us. This is a choice we make in the here and now. We can’t change our mind when we get to the wrong place in eternity. What are we doing to prepare, because the Bible is clear?

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2Corinthians6:2NKJV

"You Shall Not" IS a Valid Choice

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbour; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:9,10 ESV

We don’t like to be told not to do something, and it affects the church too. There is more to be gained by being positive we are told, and that is true too. But let’s not forget that the 10 Commandments in Exodus 20 include several that say “Thou shalt not” and it would do us well to take note.

Jesus shed new light on the Old Testament commandments by telling us to Love God with all our hearts, minds and strength, and our neighbour as ourselves. The old law still stands. We cannot ignore any of the ten commandments even though some might think they are too negative to be modern or helpful. The Bible is full of things we are commanded NOT to do, or be involved in, and they are there for our good. God knows the things that are harmful to us as individuals, and as a society. We would be wise to take note and act on the “Thou shalt NOT” as well as the “Thou shalt”. It’s not a pick ‘n mix faith.

His Ways!

But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside. Job 23:10,11 NIV

You may have seen my recent piece where I confessed to overthinking some things, well here is one of those hoary chestnuts which I wrestle with, and have done more recently than in my early faith walk. The fact is, it was never in question, or an issue at any level in church circles until recently. The issue is the free will that God has given us to choose His way, or reject it.

The old patriarch Job had more real problems to contend with than any of us will ever face, and his faith was unwavering in spite of his friends advice, and yes even his wife who told him to ‘curse God and die’ and be done with it. The big lesson to be taken from the life of Job is his full, complete faith in a God he couldn’t see. He had no knowledge of Jesus, or God’s ultimate plan of salvation, but Job believed that his God knew the way Job would take. God didn’t decide what Job should do. The choices were Job’s to make, but it is clear that God knew the way Job would take. There is a vast difference between God knowing our path, and deciding that path for us.

An argument made by some professors and students of theology is this: Since our gift of free will is real, does this mean that God cannot know our decisions until we make them of free will, only then and not before? OR, although in free will, God does not make our decisions, but He, being God, knows what those decisions will be beforehand? The fundamental question at stake is God’s omniscience. Is He really ‘all knowing’? Do you have any thoughts on this?

I am reminded of this verse from Isaiah 55:8,9 (ESV) “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Dilemma

The definition of ‘dilemma’: “a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable.”

Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people said nothing.

1 Kings 18:21 NIV

The thing that jumps out of the page at me is the fact that the people said nothing. Can you believe it? They didn’t make a decision either way, and in today’s language they sat on the fence. I may be taking this verse out of some context, but allow me some slack here.

The easiest thing to do when faced with a difficult choice is nothing. That is especially true when either choice is not a good one, or pleasant. Why not bury our face in our hands, close our eyes, and hope it goes away? But it doesn’t, and in fact it never does. Note that Elijah says, “how long”, telling us that ultimately a choice is necessary.

How I recognise this truth. Stuck between two thoughts, beliefs, or opinions and staying quiet, in the forlorn hope that the situation wasn’t there. But it is, and eventually I need to make a decision. No matter which way I choose, there will be disappointment and possibly hurt feelings, if not mine then someone else’s.

I have argued with myself for too long. How I wish I had someone to talk to. It’s time to decide and live with the consequences. I know understanding will be in short supply, and criticism will follow, even from friends. But what is more important? Saying nothing and continue to stew, or take a stand for conscience and getting rid of this burden?

Choices

Sometimes it’s the little decisions which eat away at you, and take their toll as you try to think through all the consequences. Big problems require big decisions, and usually the answers are obvious, so making that right choice can be easier to see.

You visit the doctor because you are breathless, and he tells you to cut out the cigarettes or you are in danger of contracting lung cancer. You know what you are told makes sense, and all you are left with is the choice. Quit smoking or carry on regardless and risk the consequences to your health.

Perhaps it’s a visit to find the cause of the body tremors you are experiencing, and after a full medical examination the doctor tells you to reduce the alcohol intake, or cut it out altogether. Again, you know it makes sense and you are left with a choice. Quit drinking alcohol or carry on regardless and risk the consequences to your liver.  

I find the small, almost insignificant decisions are toughest. Let me be honest. It’s Facebook. So, what’s the problem I hear you say? It’s not like the end of the civilised world if you don’t log on, and you further suggest that I could always ‘unfriend myself’, ie delete my account. Of course these pieces of advice are good and make sense. We know that Facebook is a window into our head, and gives lots of hints and clues as to the kind of person we are, and most importantly how we think. Like you, I warm to those who are like me, and can become cool to those who have differing views on some things I see as important.

There is a wise old saying that we should not discuss politics or religion with friends, and with good reason. These subjects above all others touch us where we are most vulnerable and can  make us react in an unkind way. I confess to being guilty of sitting on both sides of that fence, and as a result hurting others, and also being hurt as a consequence. Maybe you can see my dilemma (if you have followed me this far). So, it all comes down to this: Do I listen and adopt the sensible choice, or do I carry on regardless risking the consequences to my inner health, and possibly the relationship of dear friends?

If things go quiet from my end, whether it turns out to be temporary or permanent, you will hopefully know and understand why. In the words of the age old relationship breakup line, “It’s not you, it’s me”. Either way, it doesn’t signal the end of the world, right?

A Choice or Chosen?

This debate and discussion has been going on for centuries. It has never been resolved and there is no sign that it will stop anytime soon. Talking about it is ok as long as the opposing parties are civil as they present their convictions and interpretation of Scripture. Unfortunately, that seldom happens and the heated arguments mostly come from one side who take an elitist approach. They usually ask, why can’t you see what is so obvious in the Bible? It is now my turn to enter the drama with (hopefully) some balance.

First and foremost, being a Calvinist, or an Arminian will not keep you out of heaven. It is not a matter of sin, more a matter of opinion and personal judgement. Sin can only enter into it when we become proud, hostile, unloving, critical, unforgiving, arrogant, and the list could go on. Let’s provide a very brief summary of the two belief systems, because I find that most people who attend church, do so because the gospel is preached, and those folks who become our friends, show love one to another which is a commandment from Jesus.

The Calvinist basic belief can be summed up that God chooses those who are saved, and once chosen, they cannot and will not ever be lost, no matter what happens to you, or what you do. You have no choice in the matter, and it is binding in this life and the next. John Calvin developed Luther's doctrine of justification by faith alone, into an emphasis on the sovereign grace of God and centres on the doctrine of predestination. Thousands have come to faith through the preaching and teaching of Godly Calvinist men and women.

The Arminian basic belief is that God gave the human race free will to accept or reject His gift of salvation, and that the gift is binding for as long as you continue to believe in Jesus as the author of your salvation, have confessed and repented of your sin and turned your life around to follow Him. Therefore it is possible to reject the gift, and later accept it while maintaining a firm belief in God’s grace and sovereignty. Arminianism is based on the beliefs of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius who lived at the same time as Calvin. They knew each other but Calvin forcibly dismissed all other theological views to the cost of Arminius’ health, who died a broken man. John Wesley notably advocated this theology and preached it across the country bringing many souls into the Kingdom as have many others since.

Both sides can and do present Scripture verses which support their own view which in essence are poles apart in theology. So, what to believe? In many ways it can come down to your own reading and understanding of Scripture. All of Scripture that is, and not selective verses. Of course, that means making your mind up, by reading and studying the whole Word of God. It is wrong to take a position based on the say so of someone else’s opinion of what the Bible means to them, no matter how sincerely they present their view. These are only opinions, and we are all allowed to have those, and still maintain our salvation.

So, Calvinist or Arminian, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and bear His name. We should do so with care and grace because we are collectively under scrutiny by the world who already know what a Christian should look like. I pray we are all worthy of His name.

Therefore, my beloved, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. Philippians 2:12

Not a Word

And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word. 1 Kings 18:21

The ‘Message’ version says it this way: Elijah challenged the people: “How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it’s Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!” Nobody said a word; nobody made a move.

Decisions and choices. We face them every day and usually we deal with them quickly and without a fuss. In fact, other people will never know most of the decisions you make, and rightly so. They are a part of everyday life.

It is possible to be torn between two good things, and the outcome can only be a good one, but you waver over which is BEST. I would that we had more decisions to make like that, but the choices we wrestle with most, are the tough ones. Those which affect ourselves, others, or institutions we love. As a rule, the longer we waver over something, the bigger the consequences we will face, if not immediately, then further down the road.

Elijah put the question right where it belonged. A choice between good and evil, God or the devil, and when our decisions are placed in that context, we are more likely to make the right choice. I say mostly, because the verse tells us that when the people of God were faced with the question they fell silent. When faced with hard decisions in our faith walk, and church life, do we weigh it up quickly and say like Samuel, “Here am I Lord“, or do we go quiet, look around, and shuffle our feet?

So it all comes down to choosing between two real people. God or the devil (Baal). If we don’t choose God, then we are really voting for the devil. There is no middle ground, and that is a scary concept. Do you accept that idea, or do you think there is a third way?

The following extract is taken directly from the writings of Dr Charles Stanley. I think it helps us focus on the real choice we all face:

“We must make the Lord our priority everyday. We must start our day with Him, praying about our schedules, asking for His guidance, reading His word for instruction, and worshipping Him with grateful hearts. We must learn to practice these things every day. If we put these actions into practice, then we will find ourselves following God, without faltering. God knows our hearts and He wants us to want Him more than anything else. He wants us to stop choosing the what in our lives and start choosing the Who, Jesus Christ. Start your day with the Lord and ask Him to guide you. Beware of choosing to serve the false gods of this world. The Lord will help you if you just ask Him.”

Your Choice

I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. Jeremiah 29:11 The Message

It is here! A new year is on us all, and it will contain lots of shocks and surprises through until December. Some we will be able to cope with easily, and some we will struggle badly with. The good news is that the verse confirms that God has only good plans for us, not just for the year, but always. It’s not God’s fault if our year doesn’t work out the way we wanted.

We are not so good with our own plans or intentions, are we? When we think about it, many of the problems in our lives are self inflicted, and a direct cause of our own decisions, both bad and good. So instead of thinking about resolutions at the start of this year, how about thinking ahead to next New Year, DV, and looking back at the things we wanted to achieve, and those we could have done better? Maybe then with God’s help, we will be better people, and have made a difference. I like the way the Old Testament prophet says it: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland. Isaiah 43:18,19 NIV

Happy New Year, and may it be filled with God’s Love and Blessings!