Analysis of Christianity Part 3 - "Basics"

(Previous: Part 2 - “Believing in God is Only Logical”)

Due to the inevitability of religion being imperfect, Christianity functioning as a religion is not perfect.  There is no perfect Christian church.  And due to this imperfectness, Christians have different ideas on Christianity and are not able to agree with each other on ALL the doctrines and concepts.  That’s why there are divisions.  That’s why there are plenty of Christian denominations and churches.

But, still, even if there are disagreements, ALL Christian churches share the belief on a set of important doctrines or concepts of Christianity.  These important beliefs are the core of Christianity, that if a church does not agree in just one of these, then it is very probable that that church is not really a Christian church even if they claim that they are. 

 

What are these basic beliefs that all Christians agree to?  I will use the Apostles’ Creed as a guide to discuss these basic beliefs, since they are already organized and summarized in it.

First, a brief background on the Creed…

The Apostles’ Creed – contrary to the name might imply – was not written by the Apostles or any Apostle.  It is known as such because the clauses are in accordance with the teachings of the Apostles.  The origin of the Creed is not easily determined.  But it is the common creed by the early Christian Church (circa 2^nd century A.D.).  It had been used during those days for catechisms, as a comprehensive set of reminders, for instructions, for reference, and a material to use when defending the faith against heresy and attacks.  Since then, the Apostles’ Creed’s contents were the common denominator of all Christians’ beliefs.

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I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth

Christians believe in the existence of God.  Not only does the belief in God is established, but three other things about this God are established as truths to be believed: a) the Father person of the Godhead or Trinity; b) He is Almighty – sovereign, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent; and c) God is the Creator of Creation. In Part 2, I had already discussed extensively about the existence of God and that He had created all things so I don’t need to say much about this.    

And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.  He is the Son (or Word) person of the Godhead or Trinity.  And that He is the Head of the Church (…our Lord).  There are those that say that Jesus was just a mere man, a prophet, a good rabbi, denying that he is God.  This claim is unbiblical, and once an organized religion or church say that Jesus is just a man, then it is a clear indication that such church is not a Christian one.

Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of Man.  He is God incarnated as man.  100% God and 100% human simultaneously (a mystery).  As stated in the gospels, Mary did not have any sexual intercourse with anybody when she got pregnant with Jesus.  It was the Holy Spirit that put him in her womb.     

Why did God need to be incarnated as Man in the first place?  He needed to be able to become a Second Adam, a qualified representative of mankind, just as Adam was the representative in mankind’s behalf in Eden.  Mankind can only be represented by a Man.  As Adam brought curse to mankind, Christ, as the Second Adam, meant to bring hope and salvation.

Suffered under Pontious Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried

To wash the sins of mankind (or, rather, specifically speaking, His sheep), Jesus took it into himself to be humiliated, tortured, beaten, spat, ridiculed, slandered, abused, and to be crucified and killed on the cross.  He endured the hell of a suffering (pun intended) that was meant for mankind as punishment for sin.  He became clothed with mankind’s sin.  And he took the curse upon him (“Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree,” as the Scripture declared).  And he died.

He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead

Jesus descending to hell is just a matter of poetical semantics.  The English word Hell was taken from the Greek word Hades (since the New Testament was written in Greek).  Hades might mean Hell, the place for eternal torment, but it can also mean Death or the realm of the disembodied spirits (hell, but the letter “h” in lower case).  Death happens when the spirit is separated from its vessel in the flesh, and when Jesus died, his spirit had really left his body (“You’re your hands I commit my spirit”).   Thus, “descending to hell” merely means that Jesus’ spirit left his body and passed into the abodes of the spirit.  This merely emphasizes that Jesus’ death was as human as it can possibly be; that there was a real death that happened.  This is in context with the second part of the clause.

The second part states, “the third day He rose again from the dead.”  So, Jesus was under the power of death until the third day.  The empathic reality of his death magnifies the empathic reality of his resurrection.  Indeed, Christ’s resurrection is very very important.  His death would have been meaningless if He hadn’t risen from the dead.  Christianity would have, in the Apostle Paul’s words, in vain.  The resurrection was an essential part of the completion of Christ’s mission in saving us from our sins.  When he rose again, he had gotten victory over death and his claims of being the Son of God and of being the Messiah are affirmed. 

He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty

Forty days after his resurrection, in plain view of his followers, he ascended to Heaven.  Christ’s Ascension completed the Resurrection.  Now, He is glorified and honored by the Father.  In Men’s custom, being in the right side is the place of glory, honor, and power; therefore to sit on God’s right is the place of highest glory, honor, and power, which Christ now enjoys as a reward for his accomplished mission.  And now sitting on the right side of the Father, the Son is now in the perfect position to have His Father’s ear all the time, to mediate and plead for His sheep since he is our High Priest.

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead

Christians believe in a “D-Day”.  Which is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  There is no exact date stated in the Scriptures on when will it be (“Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not angels of heaven, but my Father only.”).  But Christians are instructed to live each day as if it was the last since Christ will come unexpectedly (“like a thief in the night”).  During his first coming, he came humbly, born in a smelly manger.  But in this Second Coming, he will come in all glory and power.  He will come as a Conqueror, with the Mighty Armies of Heaven with him and his saints (the Christians) by his side.  He will also come as a Judge of mankind.  All humans throughout history shall stand before the Judgment seat, where the righteous – those that are made righteous by Christ’s blood – and the wicked will be separated.  The righteous will come into the glorious joy of the Master, while the wicked – along with Satan and his angels – will be dismissed to eternal damnation in the Lake of Fire (Brrr. Always gives me goosebumps when thinking or talking about this).

I believe in the Holy Ghost

Christians believe in the Holy Ghost person in the Godhead or Trinity.  Some claim that the Holy Ghost is a mere “energy” or “force” and not God.  This is, of course, false and unbiblical.  The Holy Ghost is God.  He was the promised “Comforter” by the Son, the One that will replace Him as the day-to-day Companion of his disciples, before he ascended to heaven.  Christians also believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in every Christian’s heart and works on him and through him.

The Holy Catholic Church, the Communion of saints

Firstly, the label of “holy” on the Church means, not because its members are now without flaws, but it is holy because its Head – Jesus Christ – is holy and he had made his Church holy.  And someday, the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying process would completely make all of the Church’s members perfect. 

The Christian Church is expressed as “The Holy Catholic Church”.  This was not intended to mean as the Roman Catholic Church at all.  The word “Catholic” means universal.  The Christian church is universal, meaning it is not exclusive to any race or culture, which would require submission to an earthly citizenship or cultural traditions as a condition to join, but it is open to every tongue and nation. 

Just as the Church being “Catholic” means that it is universal, not dependent on race or culture, it is also universal in the sense that it is not exclusive on any denomination.  The Church does not mean as something limited to organization.  Indeed, there are plenty of Christian denominations.  But the Church means the Christians as a whole.  And though Christians are divided by denominations and by their personal opinions and interpretations of biblical doctrine, they are one as a Church, because the Church is the Body of Christ, Christ being the Head.  Christians are one in Christ. 

The word “saint” means someone set apart, and thus, all Christians, who are set apart for Christ, are saints.  And “the Communion of the saints”, means the united, harmonious and sacred fellowship of Christians, regardless of their differences and lack of agreement on all doctrines.  All Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ and fellowship among them is very imperative.     

Now, considering all the things mentioned above, it also means that a membership to a church does not make you a Christian or grant you salvation.  Only with a personal encounter with Christ will one have salvation and be a truly sincere Christian.  Thus, any church or religious group that claims that they are the only “true” church and only those that are members of their church will be saved is a sure giveaway that they are not a true Christian church.

The Forgiveness of sins

After the Fall of Man in Eden, mankind was under the bondage of sin.  And the consequence of sin on mankind is being separated from God, because being holy, He hates evil and can never associate with it.  Because of sin, there is death (“the wages of sin is death”).  We might be breathing and walking physically, but in the eyes of God, since we humans are destined for death (and Hell), we are dead already.  We are spiritual zombies.          

But because of God’s grace and intervention, He had sent His son to save us from our sins (already discussed above).  And, by this, Christians believe that Christ is their Savior, by his blood they are cleansed from sin and clothed with his righteousness, making it possible for them to be reconciled and have a personal relationship with God.  Moreover, this allowed those that are forgiven to be free from being slaves of sin, allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell in them, making them holy, and enabling them to live lives that are pleasing to God.     

The Resurrection of the body

As already mentioned before, all of humanity throughout history will stand before Jesus Christ when he returns to be judged.  Thus, there will be a resurrection of all dead – righteous and wicked – in general.  The resurrection will not only be limited to our souls, but our bodies as well.  We will rise with the same bodies that our souls had left when we die.  We can never tell how can this be brought about, but in God, all things are possible.  There will be two types of resurrection: for the wicked and the righteous.  The resurrection for the wicked will be of shame and eternal revulsion.  Their bodies and souls shall be thrown to the Lake of Fire, but though their bodies will be annihilated by the fire, their souls or consciousness will remain, and they will suffer the burning for all eternity.  On the other hand, the righteous, though their resurrected bodies will be the same as that in which the soul have dwelt in, will undergo transformation into glorious and beautiful spiritual bodies.  Christians believe that Jesus is not only the redeemer of the soul but is also “the Savior of the body.”  Thus, there will renewal of the body (after its resurrection) as well as the spirit of someone that is of Christ.  And, blameless before God, they will be received by Him to enjoy eternity in His presence.            

And the Life Everlasting

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Thus, all deserve to die.  But because of Christ, instead of death, Christians received the gift of immortality instead. 

God gifted life to man for one purpose: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  But after the Fall, in which the curse of death replaced the gift of life because of sin’s entrance, man lost this purpose.  However, God sent His Son, that through Him, by grace, we would receive Eternal Life, destroying the hold of the curse of death, and we would find our purpose once more.  Eternal Life is the great gift in which will enable us to perform the purpose why God had created us: to glorify God and enjoy Him FOREVER.  Though Eternal Life will climax once eternity begins, the gift of Eternal Life, however, starts as soon as one receives Christ in his life, and not only after the resurrection.  Thus, performing our purpose can start as soon as on that point, which will carry on in eternity.  Eternal Life is having the privilege of being able to enjoy the happiness of Heaven, as this immortality will be spent in basking in the overwhelming glory and splendor of God forevermore.      

* * *

Take note of the fact that there are churches that claim to be Christian churches but are NOT, and there are those who belong in Christian churches but are NOT Christians.  That’s why knowledge of these basic and universal beliefs that are shared across Christianity is useful since it’s an effective determinant if one is a true Christian.  A true Christian believes all of these truths.  Though believing in all of these is not a “requirement” to get saved or be born again, belief in them, however, is a “proof” that one is saved or born again.  

As mentioned several times already, Christians however do not share an agreement on other doctrines.  These debated doctrines are “irrelevant”, in the sense that they will never put a Christian’s authenticity as a Christian on doubt, considering he believes in the core beliefs.  These separations and disagreements happen because of good ol’ flawed human nature.  Humans are stubborn, proud, tend to rely on personal wisdom and ability, and give importance to personal conveniences.    

Of course, Christians function with a desire to glorify God and as lovers of truth.  So if a Christian does err in some of his doctrinal beliefs, then it is not because he is malicious and intentionally motivates himself to cause confusion or separation, but it is because he sincerely believes that his erroneous doctrinal beliefs are the “truth” and they “glorify God”.  And stubborn as he might be in holding on his doctrinal beliefs, if discussion or study will show him that he was wrong with his doctrinal opinions – the Holy Spirit opening his eyes – then he will acknowledge his wrong understanding and would now believe in the true doctrine.  Because, again, Christians desire to glorify God and find the truth.

(I think the most popular or “hottest” of doctrinal debates is the “mechanics” of salvation between the Reformed view against the Arminian view.  Personally, I believe that the Reformed view is the correct biblical view.  That’s why it’s what I will discuss next: Part 4 - “Salvation and TULIP”)        

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Analysis of Christianity Part 1 - "Introduction: The Logic Behind Faith"

I have been planning to write an essay about everything about Christianity for some time now.  But in the draft inside my mind, the mental manuscript is long for an essay.  That’s why I keep on postponing.  Too lazy.  But I finally decided to start it.  In a piece-meal basis.  Since it’s too long for one essay, I’ll do it in installments.  By writing in parts, it would allow me to write and leave it off when I tire off, and then pick it up again when I get motivated to continue.  I could start and stop at my convenience.     

So, let me start it…

 

Christianity has always been a fascinating subject to me.  Maybe because I had grown up in a Christian environment and it became my religion.  However, I am wary to call it a religion.  Religion, for me, is a human invention.  I even dared once to call it evil.  Religion is invented by humans to serve as a medium or tool to articulate worship in a way that would be convenient or beneficiary to them.  Therefore, there are many religions and many invented kinds of gods, because different people design a religion to be in sync with their own interests – to justify the actions they want to commit or to obtain benefits like power and money.  Even if morality exists in a religion, it is more so for the reason of convenience or practicality of the order brought by morality and not because they know and love the truth.                      

Christianity is more than a religion.  It was never designed to be man-centered but it was designed to be God-centered.  God himself authored it.  It is only concerned with the Truth and not convenience.  Of course, Christianity, to be able to be organized for humans, has to be practiced through the flawed mechanisms of Religion.  Therefore, throughout history, Christianity was vulnerable to being treated like other religions – mere tools for some people’s interests and convenience.  But the core message of Christianity is Truth.  And Truth will always prevail.  The Christian churches can become flawed, but God is unflawed.  So if we focus on God, since Christianity is God-centered, the light of the Truth will go through the darkness of the flaws and distortion that organized religion could bring and had brought.  

My intention, then, on writing about Christianity is to argue the point that it is not a mere religion.  That it is something more.   And that its message is the Truth.   This “Analysis of Christianity” is Christian apologetics in some sense, but I want to consider it as a series of essays that would – as what the title suggests –analyze Christianity.  This early on, I will note that this is my analysis (or parts of analyses) of Christianity and might not be the approach or interpretation or idea of some other Christians.  But this is what I believe in and what I perceive Christianity to be.  And I will write about it my way – Bernel-style.  I might err (if ever) in my arguments or analysis but I hope this would not be taken against the message of Christianity.  Christianity’s message is truth, and it doesn’t mean that if someone fail in making a concrete case for an objective truth, then the truth becomes false.  No.  Objective truth remains truth, even if someone fails to prove it.  But I will definitely do my best to be concrete and correct, and not err.  For this, I would use two basic foundations in my approach in discussing Christianity: to be biblical and logical.   

The Bible is the Word of God.  There is no higher authority than the Word of God.  It is the basis of every true Christian belief, philosophy and doctrines.   And how can we be sure that the Bible is indeed the Word of God?  The greatest proof we need is… well, because the Bible says so!  “Every Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16).  And since the Bible is God’s Word, and since there is no higher authority than God’s Word, the affirmation for itself is valid.  It seems to be a “begging the question” logical fallacy and appears to be a shallow or an ineffective argument in the eyes non-Christians, but, really, if the Bible would need its affirmation from an outside source, then it is no longer the “highest authority”, and therefore is not God’s Word.   So, by proclaiming itself that it is the Word of God, the Bible indeed proved that it is the Word of God. 

Now that we establish that the Bible is God’s Word, then it is a very sound foundation or source of evidence to support the points I will make in this series. 

As for being logical, well, faith is actually based on some form of logic.  The general assumption is that faith and logic does not mix well.  But I don’t think so.  C.S. Lewis said that faith requires both rational thinking and imaginative ability.  That is because faith is both a matter of logic and emotion.  There’s no such thing as “blind faith” for a Christian.  Remember that Christ does not “blind eyes” but “opens eyes.”  Leap of faiths made by Christian have logical bases.  They jump because they know that God can/will catch them.  With the fact of God’s strong arms as basis, Christian does not fear taking a leap to the unknown. 

I believe that logic is a valuable but limited tool for analysis and other thinking functions.  Limited in a sense because it is dependent on the perfectness of the premises of its argument.  Thus, if premises are false, it would usually give a false conclusion.  That’s why logical mathematical fallacies and logical errors exist.  It may follow a logical form, but it gives false conclusions.   Logic, in its design, is perfect.  It only commits errors because of any errors of the factors it is dependent upon and its wielder.  And humans, being imperfect, can err in wielding logic.  I believe that even if an argument follows a logical method, but if it follows a false premise, the argument should be dismissed as illogical.  Logic – as it’s designed by God – should always operate in correct premises, because its aim is to find truth. 

This world perceives Christians as “illogical” because they believe in an invisible Being, but those who criticize Christianity are actually the ones that function “illogically” since their premise is wrong.  Those that “logically” dismiss the Christian faith as ridiculous and illogical are actually functioning in a false premise of the denial of God’s existence, or the denial of the Bible (the Christianity’s foundation of its beliefs) as God’s Word, or both.  Christians, however, operate in the correct basic premise in their logic that God exist and that the Bible is the Word of God.  But how can I be sure that a Christian’s premise is correct and complete and theirs – the ones who dismiss Christianity or deny God’s existence – is not?  Well, it all comes down to the fact that it is God who opens eyes, and only when God opens someone’s eyes would it make sense to him or her.  And it is God who “opens the eyes” of Christians that enabled Christians to – not only believe – but to KNOW the Truth.  Non-Christians can’t really dismiss this claim: that Christians know that what they believe in is true because of a personal encounter with God.  How can they dismiss it when they haven’t encountered it?  It's like two men - A and B - that think that vanilla is the best ice cream flavor in the world.  Then, A got a taste of "cookies and cream" flavor and discovered that it's the best flavor in the world.  Now, A insists that "cookies and cream" is the best, but B still thinks it's vanilla.  The only way for B to objectively dismiss A's claim - that the "cookies and cream" flavor is superior to vanilla - is for him to have a taste of "cookies and cream" first before passing judgement.  In the same way, the only way to invalidate the Christian premise is for non-Christians to have the same “encounter” that Christians claimed to have experienced and then after it, they were not able to see the truth of the Christian premise.  There was never a case of someone having the encounter of getting his or her “eyes opened by God” but failing to see the correctness of the Christian premise.      

Let me give an illustration:

There’s a community of people that are all color-blind and has no concept or knowledge that they are color-blind.  They think that everything is just gray, white, and black.  One day a stranger – an eye surgeon – arrived in that community and he picked a man and told him, “I will give you a normal sight; you will no longer be color blind.  You will be able to see colors.”   And so the surgeon did operate the man’s eyes, and then left him. 

After the operation, the man finally saw and realized that the world is not black, white, and gray.  But it is red, blue, green, yellow, pink, etc.  He was delighted and excited and went to his friend and told him the story.  He took a flower and said, “Look at this sunflower!  It’s colored beautifully yellow!” 

But since his friend is color-blind, he dismissed it, “You’re ridiculous.  It is definitely gray.  How can you say it’s a color called yellow?  And what surgeon?  There is no surgeon.  I don’t need surgery, I’m seeing the sunflower just fine.” 

Now, the truth is the sunflower is indeed color yellow, but the friend would not be able to see this, and he’ll not be able to grasp the concept of yellow since he never encountered or saw it before.   His concept is the colors that only exist are white, gray, and black (the flawed logical premise), when there are actually many different kinds of colors (the correct logical premise).  Moreover, he doesn’t believe in a surgeon or that he needs surgery since his eyes are “just fine” (just like how a spiritually blind person functions) according to him.
 

How can the man make an argument to prove to his friend that the sunflower is yellow?  His only option is to use the premise of someone that can see colors (which is the correct premise) - that, indeed, there are many kinds of colors (even if the friend thinks otherwise) and that the sunflower is yellow.  The man can’t abandon that premise since it’s a truth.  So, his arguments would be based from that premise, even if it seemed ridiculous to his friend.

But the friend will not see the validity and truth of this until the surgeon reveals himself to him and perform surgery on him to give him normal eyesight.  And when he finally can see colors, then he would see that the sunflower is indeed yellow. 

This may sound ridiculous, illogical and biased to the ears of non-Christians.  But that’s just the point, they will never really get the logic of it until the Surgeon operates on his or her eyes for them to see that the premises – Christian principles – that Christians use are correct. 

You might not be convinced by the arguments, but this is how this will work in this series: a logical discussion WITH Christian truths as premises.

(Before we move on to topics on Christianity, let us first prove the validity of the basic premise that God exists.  So, next in line: Part 2 – “Believing in God is Only Logical”)

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Why is identifying oneself as "Christian!" not definite enough?

Personally, I don’t like the term “Born Again Christian.”  (Blame Charles Colson for popularizing the term.  Kidding, Chuck.) 

It’s redundant.  One can’t be a Christian, without being born again in the first place.  Thus, a Christian will always be and should be “born again”.  Look it up in John 3, the famous conversation of Jesus and Nicodemus.    

I put a resounding “Christian” on every basic info that has the item that asks my religion.  Yes, “resounding”, as in if an exclamation point is allowed, I would also add it at the end of “Christian”.  Like “Christian!!!”  - yup, with three exclamation points.  “Born Again Christian” is not a religion.  It’s more of a term that determines a broad scope of Christian denominations, which is, in my opinion, inappropriate in a “religion” fill-up blank.  Even putting the denominational orientation, like Baptist or Presbyterian, would be inappropriate, since being a Baptist or a Presbyterian is not a religion. 

At least in Facebook, the item to be filled is not “religion” but “religious views” (wise move by Facebook), thus one can put his denomination or religious philosophy or inclination there.  And “Born Again Christian” would be acceptable (but would still remain redundant).

Back to “Born Again Christian” and being a Christian… I think the problem is that the concept of being a Christian is just too shallow now in the present time.  Christian as a religion is being treated as the same weight as the essence of a nationality.  That if one is born in the Philippines and of Filipino parents, therefore his nationality is arbitrated as “Filipino” without any question.  But is the same model applicable to becoming a Christian?  That being born in a Christian church and of Christian parents, would make one a Christian automatically?  Definitely not.  Regardless of belonging or growing up in a Christian church or being born of Christian parents, one is not “made” a Christian by those facts.  Being a Christian is always a personal encounter.  True, growing up in a Christian family and community would have the perfect healthy environment for someone to have that encounter, but that’s just what being born in a Christian church and of Christian parents can bring.  

This present society thinks of Christianity as just a traditional identity that could be inherited.   Now, since plenty of people treat Christianity as mere traditional and inherited identity, plenty of people identify themselves as “Christians”, though they are really not.  This created the conditions for the real Christians the need to identify themselves with the redundant “Born Again Christian” since a resounding and proud classification of “Christian” per se is not enough. 

Example, if I’m asked of what is my religion, I would simply reply my usual proud: “Christian!”

Sometimes, the person that asks this, not being satisfied, would follow up with, “What do you mean ‘Christian’?  We are all Christians here, aren’t we? Can you please specify?” 

Under my gritted teeth, I would be muttering to myself, “All Christians, eh?  Yeah right.  If you know what ‘being a Christian’ really is in the first place, you wouldn’t ask.”  But, of course, I would have to “specify”, so I reply, “Uh – Christian.  Evangelical Christian.  And Reformed leaning…” 

“Evangelical?” the asker would continue to ask, “What do you mean?  What church?”
By this time, I would be tempted to say, “Moron!” but that would be not good, so it only happens in my mind.  I would continue elaborating, “Evangelical Christian...  My church is (insert the church’s name).  It’s a Presbyterian denomination.” 

A blank look from the asker, then he or she would brighten up and he or she will say, “Uh, you’re like a Born Again or something?”
I grit my teeth once again (to avoid exclaiming “Yes, you moron! I said I am a Christian, so I am definitely born again.”  This may sound un-Christianly harsh in my part, but I’m just being honest.  I’m not perfect, I still get these thoughts… even sometimes completely articulating them in a retort) and reply with a shrug, “Y-yeah.  You got it.  Protestant.  Born Again.  Whatever.  That’s it.  Christian…”         

I find it both sad and ridiculous.  

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Appreciating God's Grace and Election

We all agree (I am assuming those who will bother to read this essay are Christians) that salvation is not possible by human deeds. Good works would never save us from Hell. It is clear in the Bible that one can only be saved “by grace through faith alone.” We Christians are saved because of God’s grace. We Christians know this as basic truth. What is grace? It is a gift we do not deserve nor earned. It is unconditional. Salvation of unmerited favor.

The doctrine (rather, the truth) of election shows how God really loves us. Consider… We were set apart from the rest of humanity. He chose us regardless of sex, color, race, status and other categories - not because we are the best of the best or we have less sin than others, but because of His grace and saving us gives Him glory! Before time started, He predestined and chose us to be saved (Romans 8:29). We were so dead meat because we were doomed for an eternity in Hell and we deserve this, but, still, God picked losers like us to be saved and be part of His winning team. The Creator of All Things, the Biggest and Most Significant Being in the Universe predestining and choosing and saving unworthy wretched insignificant sinners like us. We don’t deserve these, but that’s just what makes it grace. Isn’t this fact worth appreciating and rejoicing over?

Grace is so amazing because of election. And without election grace can never be grace. If we take away election, this would be the scenario: Christ death was for all and that his death only made salvation possible, so all have equal opportunity to find salvation, thus, Christ’s death did not secure anybody’s salvation, but it is still up to the person’s free will to bring his or her salvation to fruition by making Jesus as his or her Savior (more or less, this is Arminianism). If this is so, this means that God is not perfect because he did not finish what he started, and this is impossible since God is someone who do everything by detail, does what He promises, and finishes what he starts (Philippians 1:6). Not only is it an insult to God’s sovereignty and will if we accept that salvation is up to a person’s choice and not up to God’s choice, but it also makes salvation conditional if it is up to a person’s action, by saying “Yes” to Jesus, to finally be saved. And when it ceases to be unconditional, it ceases to be grace. Though, indeed, it is necessary for one to accept Jesus as his or her Savior to be saved, this action can be only enabled by God. One’s will cannot be separated from his or her nature – same as a cat can not bark or a dog can not mew because of their nature. Thus, our old sinful nature would never allow our will to say “Yes” to Jesus. But when God’s grace opened our eyes and changed our nature, by our own will, we were able to say “Yes” to Jesus. So, the credit of saying “Yes” can’t be ours because it is God who enabled us to say “Yes” to Jesus. Again, our salvation is not up to us, it is up to God! Michael Horton puts it perfectly: “The fact that God would choose, redeem, call, and keep a great number known only to him is amazing grace indeed and of infinitely more comfort than the idea that Christ’s death actually secured the salvation of none, only making salvation possible, depending on the ability of those who are ‘dead in trespasses and sins’ to make the right moves to God.”

Years ago, in a youth summer camp, a worship leader once said in his prayer, figuratively speaking, “Thank you, God. In the 100 steps to get saved, you took 99.” Back then, I was impressed by the creativity of the statement, still thinking that the “step” that is still up to us to make is by making Jesus as our Savior. Now, I know better, grace is amazing because God did not only take 99 steps out of a hundred, but took all 100 of them to get me saved.

Another thing we should dismiss is the argument of “God elected and predestined me because he knows that I would choose him.” If this is so, then what made God choose someone is his foreknowledge that he or she would respond to him. Again, if this is so, this ceases to be grace. It becomes conditional – the ultimate factor that made God choosing someone is based on him foreseeing one’s action of acceptance. Grace is not based on any actions of man, including the action of response, but based on the action of God. Romans 8:29 goes, “For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His son.” Looking at the text carefully, it clearly talks of the individuals and not what the actions of the individuals would be. “Those he foreknew” – it means before time, God has certain individuals in mind he elected to be saved to show His love and glory.

If we continue to think in our human-centered mentality rather than a God-centered mentality, we would say, “If it is true that God elects those he wants to be saved, then it is unfair. All was settled. God should not blame people and doom them to Hell for what had already been predetermined.” (If you hadn’t read my prior essay, entitled “Is God’s election unfair?”, to this one, please do so.) Let us be reminded that all things God does is for the purpose of glorifying Himself (this is not at all arrogance or selfishness, but because this is His right and to do otherwise would be idolatry because there is nothing above God), we cannot ever question God’s actions. Us, Christians, instead should be very thankful of His grace – of God electing and predestining and saving us, opening our eyes, enabling us to say “Yes” to Him, and making us enjoy His presence. All for His glory.

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Is God's Election Unfair?

Isn’t the blood of Jesus Christ so precious that it is more than enough to save all humanity – past, present, and future – from Hell?  Then, why would He just elect some people for salvation and not all? Isn’t that unfair?

Hmmm. First let us make it clear what is fair. Fair means getting what we deserve. So, what do we deserve? Do we deserve to be saved? No! Because of our sins, we deserve eternal damnation in Hell.

There is this parable in Mathew 20:1-15…
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Now when he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing idle, and said to them, ‘Why have you been standing here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right you will receive.’
“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’ And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius. But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius. And when they had received it, they complained against the landowner, saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to is who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’ But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as you. Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’”

Clearly, it is the right of the landowner to do what he wants to do with his money, his right to show favor to those he wants to. Likewise, God has the right to do what He wants with His grace. All deserves God’s wrath anyway, so who are we to question Him why He chose others and saved them while leaving the rest to go to Hell.

Election and grace could not be separated. Denying election is denying grace. Discounting God’s gracious privilege to elect those he wants to show mercy is an insult. Christians are not saved because of any good deeds they’ve done or who they are, but because they are chosen by God to experience his glory, grace, love, and mercy.

You might accuse me that I can comfortably say that God elects those He saves and allow others to destruction because I am selfish and arrogantly satisfied that I am saved. You are right, my personality is selfish and does not have much amore for my fellow men (but God enables me to “love others as myself”). But, that is not so. I am comfortable in saying that God elects because it is a biblical truth and I had appreciated grace and my salvation more because of it.

We really cannot question God why he elects and why there are still those who will go to Hell. Paul wrote in Romans 9:18-21: “Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who resists His will?’ But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes ands some for common use?”

Charles Spurgeon, the legendary British evangelist, said, “What amazes me is not that God did not choose everybody, but rather he chose me.” My sentiments exactly. Sometimes, the thought that I was meant for Hell, to burn for all eternity, still gives me the chills. But I was saved from that fate. Not because I am a good person (I am definitely not… I am evil as evil can be), but because God elected an undeserving insignificant sinner like me to have my sins washed away by Christ’s blood and to enjoy ultimate pleasure and happiness in Him for all eternity.

That is grace. Amazing – and outrageous – grace.

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Fear God

The following is my sharing in our church’s Wednesday night meeting, May 6.

* * *

Good evening.

In our Living Life text for today, Psalm 76:1-12 (entitled “Victory is the Lord’s”), let me use verses 7 and 10 as my key verses. Verse 7: “You alone are to be feared. Who can stand before when you are angry?” Verse 10: “Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained.”

Just as we should appreciate that God is a God of Love, we should also be able to appreciate that God is a God of Wrath and worthy to be feared.

If we truly know and see the character of God, our response would be spontaneous: to love, to enjoy, to worship, and the fear Him.

We our sinners. We deserve to suffer God’s wrath. Hell is our destination because that is what is just, and God is a God of Justice.

Let us imagine that we are not Christians. Internalize. Imagine it as if is a truth. Now if this hypothetical imagination is reality, we are doomed. Ultimate despair. Why? Because we are objects of God’s wrath. God, with all his power and glory, would bring eternal damnation upon us, just like what He does to His enemies. Scary indeed.

But instead of His power and glory manifesting this way (by letting His wrath upon us by letting as burn in Hell forever), He instead showed His power and glory by choosing us and saving us. Instead of glorifying Himself by giving us damnation, as we deserve, He glorified Himself by giving us grace – grace that we do not deserve at all.

Because Jesus died on the cross, He shielded us from the Wrath of God. He absorbed the punishment for us. And now, we are no longer “the objects of God’s wrath” but the apples of His eyes!

Thus, as we see God’s glory, our response is not only of love and gratitude, but also of fear. Fear, because we know His power. What He can do. What destruction He can bring to His enemies.

We should indeed fear God. But not because we fear of His wrath coming upon us and of us being sent to Hell. No, because of His grace, we are assured of salvation.

Then, what does it mean to fear God as a Christian? Even the devil and his minions fear God – His enemies fear Him. But this is the kind of fear mentioned by Master Yoda in Star Wars Episode I, “Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, and hate leads to the Dark Side.” The devil’s fear is a fear with hate. We, Christians fear God with love, joy, and awe.

The beauty and majesty of God goes hand-in-hand of Him being worth fearing.

Let me illustrate. When I was a young boy, we went for a trip to Mt. Isarog. There, I first saw my first waterfalls (three of them). Of course, I admire the waterfall’s beauty. But the largeness of it, the loud roar of the falls, and its manifestation of its “power” also inspired fear in me. My heart beat fast. But that fear was hand-in-hand with awe - seeing the beauty and majesty of Nature. And this fear of the waterfall also gave me a smile.

Just as Nature’s beauty – the Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, Mayon Volcano, Lightning Storms, etc. – inspire this fear with awe and admiration, a fear that also brings joy, in some way is the same with how God inspires fear to us Christians.

With the same power and glory God manifests to punish His enemies, this same power and glory is instead manifested by delivering us from our troubles and granting us undeserved favors and blessings. Thus, we don’t need to fear anybody or anything in this world because only God is worth fearing, and God is on our side. There is nothing bigger than God. And it is sure that He will show His glory – not by punishing us - He will show His glory by delivering us from our enemies and problems.

In response, we should continue to glorify Him, by praising Him, enjoying Him, and fearing Him. Indeed, victory is the Lord’s (just as the title of today’s reflection says), and we have the victory. Because having our Lord in our lives is our victory.

Amen.

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Peter, Faith, and Grace

Ah, Peter. His life, like of all Bible heroes’, was very dramatic. A fisherman who was called by Jesus to be “fishers of man” instead. An “act now, ask questions later”-type of guy. A tendency to do much “talking” but not much “walking” in his early years – kind of like most of us.
Of course, Peter was imperfect. All God’s chosen heroes are. But God showed Peter (like the other heroes) grace and made him great. (How great is our God! He picks up the losers and put them on the winning team… His team!) That’s one of the lessons we could learn in the story of Peter. But this is a lesson we could also learn from the stories of the other Bible heroes. What about a lesson exclusively unique in Peter’s?
Okay... here is one of my Bible stories favorites. And if you can still remember your Sunday school lessons, you are probably familiar with it.
This was the dramatic story of the disciples having a lot (a lot!) of trouble at sea due to a terrible storm that, without warning, suddenly hit. The wind was so strong and the waves were big that the ship of the disciples was in great threat of being destroyed. They were all in terror. Then they saw a figure walking on water towards them. A ghost! So they thought. But it was really Jesus and he reassured them that it was he and not a ghost.
Then comes the climax of the story. Peter said, “Lord! If it really is you, tell me to come to you!” Jesus Christ replied, “Come!” And Peter did. He was very courageous at that point... Or very foolish, the disciples might be thinking. What if the man on the water was not really Jesus? But fortunately it was indeed Jesus. Peter jumped from the boat and started walking towards Jesus Christ… on water!
But later on, he got scared of the big waves that he lost his faith and started to sink. He cried, “Lord! Save me!” Jesus replied, “O Peter, why did you doubt?” Jesus rescued Peter, and they both reached the boat as the wind died and the sea calmed.
If you can’t see the beauty of the story – and the deep epicness in it – maybe you should read again the full story in the Bible.
The lesson was faith. In our lives, there will be bad storms and big waves – problems, temptations, etc. – that we will face. The waves and storms would knock us down or terrify us. But if we fix our eyes on Jesus, put our faith on him fully, like Peter did, we would walk on water, too! Because if we focus on him and walk towards his direction, surely, even if there will be waves and storms, he would make us walk through them. The waves and the storms are too big for us to face alone. We can only beat them, do the impossible through Jesus.
But that’s not the end of it. The most beautiful part is to come. In case we start to doubt, and be afraid, and feel that we are sinking, like Peter, we should call, “Lord! Save me!” And Jesus will. Our faith is imperfect. Like Peter, we often sink of doubt because of the big waves of life. But Jesus is perfect and gracious. He will pick us up, lead us back to the boat, and calm the storm and the waves. That is grace.
Our own “faith” is feeble. True faith exclusively comes from Him alone. His grace made it all possible.
In God, I will walk on water. Amazing grace.

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On Religion

Through centuries of human history, humans developed and had adopted different religions. It might be because religion has been a human need. Maybe humans turned to religion to explain the unknown, or to appease their fear of the afterlife or the supernatural, or to justify their practices, or to have a system of values, or just to have to believe in a Greater Power… whatever the case, religion has been an integral part of human life.

One should realize that religion is often a taboo topic. Any religious discussion often flare into bloody debates. People have different religions, religious interpretations, and religious beliefs. Moreover, people believe in different deity, or deities. Sure, many believe that that deity is God, but of course, there are also many different interpretations and beliefs of “God”.

Maybe the reason that people had different religions and sects is because they try to manipulate religion to suit their needs and beliefs. And since people’s opinions vary, religions also vary. Since religions and beliefs differ, debates arise. Points made and flaws pointed out are ignored by opposing parties in religious debates. Someone who zealously follows his or her religion is greatly biased. Nobody really wins religious debates.

Wars had been fought because of religion. Religion has been an instrument for bloodshed and domination – an example is the Crusades. Of course, religious zealots is prepared to fight to death for the cause of his religion, because they believe they fight for the right and when they die they will be rewarded in Heaven.
However, what if they’re wrong?

* * *

Religion has been used to obtain power and money. Religion has been manipulated by many so it can suit their own interests. Some people market religion, believing that they would make a lot of money from it. Often enough, they were right, they got rich through religion.

That’s why preachers has been often branded, by this judgmental world, with the likes of con-men, hustlers, social climbers, phonies and the sort because of this people who “sell” religion, or exploit their congregation. The good guys are judged quickly and included with the category of the bad guys. Worse, sometimes the bad guys are thought to be the “heroes”, and the good guys the “villains.”
And the bad guys laugh…

But didn’t the Good Book said, I think over in Matthew 6:20, that it is better “to store treasures in Heaven”?

* * *
Religion and politics are thought to be separate. Separation of Church and State, and all that jazz. But religion is political.  It has effect on secular matters and can push its weight around.

Religion greatly manipulates politics. Religion may deny it. The government may deny it, and even we, ourselves, may deny it. But it’s true; religion has great political power and influence. And ambitious people use religion as tool for political ends.

Religion meddles in many affairs, not only in the governance of the people and the state, but in other fields as well, like Science (ever heard of Galileo?). Throughout human history, religion is like that. But, hey, let us not look far in the past, we could clearly see it at work at modern times.

* * *

With all religion’s flaws, many are blind and ignorant of them. Many choose to be blind and ignorant – pretending they do not see the flaws. And still there are many who see the flaws, but deny the fact and force themselves to believe that there is nothing wrong. And there are also those who see the flaws and hypocrisy, but became atheists or agnostics – which is as bad as being too overly religious.

People settle to a religion because they grew up in it, their parents are of that religion, or because they are mandated, or because they were brainwashed. People begun to worship religion itself. People concentrated more in religious propaganda, traditions, church enrichment, dogma, and such. They forget the important things like God, grace, principles, love, peace, and goodwill with fellow men.

Which came first? The chicken or the egg? Religion corrupting people, or people corrupting religion? Whatever the answer, it is clear that religion is corrupt. Religion is imperfect. Religion is a mask. Religion is grotesque. Religion has been the cause of many pain and confusion. Religion – may I dare say it? – is evil.

* * *

Religion is an interesting and fascinating study, but per se, I don’t really like religion. Religion is complicated and distorted. But I will make it clear that I am a Christian.
Wait. Wait. You might say that Christianity is a religion, so how can I say that I am Christian if I don’t like religion. Well, maybe, Christianity is religion, but it is more than a religion. Of course, subject to religion’s flaws, Christianity is also infected by distortion, too. But these distortions are the fault of men (and the evil forces in this world) and not of Christ. Christianity’s meaning and essence is noble and beautiful – because it centers on Jesus Christ, and not religion.
I am not really a theology expert, but simple as I am, I find Christianity as good and true. It’s a way of life. An experience. A communion. It is difficult to explain. I admit that I don’t know many things about Christianity, but I appreciate its meaning and essence and message. Of the Savior, of grace, of the Holy Spirit, of God’s promises… If Christianity is a religion, I’m glad it’s my religion.

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