The Consumers View of the Church

There’s no doubt about it... we are a consumer society. There are bumper stickers that say 'Born to Shop,' and shopping malls have become entertainment and cultural centers.  We are no longer patients in a hospital, we are now 'health care consumers.' 

This attitude has crept into the church. We have become consumers of religion, and we even speak of 'church shopping.'  We come to church to have our spiritual needs met; and if they are not met where we’re attending, then we will try the next church, consume their religious goods and see if they satisfy.  

Perhaps the main feature of the consumer church mentality is that the church is seen, maybe even unconsciously, as a “dispenser of religious goods and services.” People come to church to be fed, to have their needs met through quality programs, and to have the ‘professionals’ teach their children about God.

Now at first blush that may not sound so bad.  I’m certainly fed and enriched by Sunday services, and I hope you are, too.  And I think many needs are being met through the programs offered through the church.  Children and adults are being taught about God, His ways and His love. That’s all fine and good, and people should expect these things from a church. So where’s the problem?  

Well, the problem is kind of a subtle one.  It’s a problem of attitude as much as anything.  I think it comes from that perception of the church being the “dispenser of religious goods and services.”  Do you hear the mechanical overtone in those words?  A “dispenser mentality” suggests “lather, rinse, repeat,” something repetitive, cyclical, something done, then its over until the next time you do it.    Kind of like, you put a coin in the slot and the religious product comes rolling out for he taking. The religious product might be the music, or a youth group activity, or the sacraments, or even the good feeling you get from Sunday worship. Insert your coin and a product appears.  Everything’s OK for a while.  

That attitude works until you don’t get exactly the product you want.  The consumer mindset is focused on getting certain things from a church experience.  Like a gumball machine: insert your coin and you get that really sweet and tasty red gumball, but suddenly a green one comes rolling down the dispenser, not what you wanted.  You don’t like the way green ones taste.

So what do you do?  You begin to re-evaluate [this whole church thing].  Is this machine still worth “investing” my coins in if I don’t get what I want [the church]?  I might grow suspicious of the motives of the gumball company [the church].  And I’m really not so sure any more that the machine’s giving me “customer satisfaction” [the church].   And you know what?  Occasionally the gumballs get stuck in the shoot and nothing comes out.  Oops.  We all hate it when that happens.  Smack the machine around a bit.  Kick it.  Complain to the the management of the gumball company.  You get the idea.

The church is not a gumball dispenser, a supermarket or a shopping mall filled with exactly what you want, or even “pick and choose” options to please our every desire and whim.  It’s NOT a 'God store' dispensing spiritual nourishment for the masses in a wide array of flavors.  If you attend a church hoping it will meet your spiritual needs, you will be mistaken. The church cannot meet your spiritual needs.  I remind you, WE are not a religious institution. What we are, is a community of faith.  We are believers, coming together to worship God, to be edified by the Word, to support one another in fellowship and to bear one another’s burdens.  God and only God is the one who can meet our spiritual needs. The church is not a service provider; it is not a retail outlet; it is US... a community of people bound together by faith in God.

One of our greatest challenges of today is to help lead people out of a consumer mentality and to recognize the WE are part of a kingdom that is much different and far greater than any contrivance and philosophy of man.

When the church buys into the consumer approach, it may try to feed people what it thinks they want, [red gumballs] rather than trying to preach and teach God’s pure and undiluted truth, the way He wants it done for all of us. In God’s Church, there is no democracy. The idea that the "customer" is always right is a fallacy created by God’s adversary, Satan.  If the cross on the building or over the baptistry is offensive to 25% of the “clientele” would you vote to get rid of it?  

How can we overcome a culture that encourages the church to behave like a merchant, and encourages the churchgoer to behave like a shopper?  Why is a shift in attitude so important?  Non-believers should be able to look at US, the Church, and see lives that are so in tune with Jesus, so filled with grace and care for others that they would want to be around us.  We should be seen as a body of people on a mission... who gather in assembly for worship, encouragement, and teaching from the Word of God... that supplements what they’re feeding themselves throughout the week.  

We cannot be just Sunday Christians.  We must be a people immersed daily in a Christian life, who come to church not as individual consumers, but come together joyfully as the living body of Christ fulfilling the Great Commission of spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world... being the “light of truth” in our local communities.  

If the Church is not that, then an indictment against Christians looms.   An indictment that says... WE look and act no different than the secular culture around us. Could it be that one of the main reasons people aren't attracted to Christ is that those who claim to be His followers look pretty much the same as everyone else? That’s not surprising when WE the Church have a consumer mentality when it comes to the essentials of faith, worship and fellowship.

Christians must be people who realize that the church is not just about getting our individual needs met, but instead its about giving glory to God and offering hope and love to our fellow human beings.  Do you hear the difference?  It’s not about what “I” can get, but about what “we” can do.  Did you get that?

Are Christians really Closed Minded?

The way a Christian thinks about the world is important.  The sources of information that shape the thoughts and views of the Christian mind are critical to building and sustaining a balanced and Godly view of the world.  The question then... does such a "God influenced" view of the world make you closed minded?

A world view is a set of presuppositions and beliefs that someone uses to interpret and form opinions about his humanity, purpose in life, duties in the world, responsibilities to family, interpretation of truth, social issues, and so on.  A Christian should view all these things, and more, guided by the light of truth as found only in the Bible.

The Bible has much to say about the nature of man, the world, purpose, truth, morality, etc., and so does the world. More often than not, the secular world view is in conflict with the biblical world view.  For example: Where the world asserts that man evolved, the Bible says he was created and ultimately responsible to God.  Where the world says that morals are relative, the Bible says they are absolute.  Where the world says that there is no need of salvation and redemption, the Bible clearly states that all people are in need of deliverance from their sin.  The contrast is obvious and profound.  Both cannot be true.

The secular world exalts man to the apex of evolutionary development, the sovereign over all he dominates.  God is relegated to the belief systems of the uneducated and superstitious.  Such opposing views are polar opposites.

Christians are frequently singled out and criticized for being narrow minded.  You hear a lot about having an "open-mind" and being flexible and adaptive to social and cultural change.  Being “opened minded” is one of the biggest fallacies of secular humanistic societies.  People who think they have an open mind, are actually very closed-minded to real truth. 

The fruit of the secular world view can be seen all around us . As we observe society, it is evident that not all is well.  Television has degenerated into a bordello of violence, soft-pornography, anti-family sit-coms, commercials that appeal to immediate gratification, and senseless children's cartoons that are full of violence, occultism, and disobedience to parents.  It often portrays religious people as insecure, ignorant, inflexible and bigoted.

The Media is extremely biased and when speaking in areas where religious and secular morals collide, it uniformly presents information with loaded words.  Instead of "pro-life" we hear "anti-abortion rights."  Instead of "conservative" it is "right wing fundamentalist."  Other words are used such as "Bible thumpers," "censorship," "intolerance," "bigoted," and many more slurs for labeling the closed minded.

As one considers the way a Christian thinks about non-biblical things, you must always consider the subject matter. A Christian ought to be narrow minded toward the secular philosophies of men and broad minded toward the truth of God found in His Word. Further, a Christian ought to be open minded toward the doctrine of Christ and closed minded toward the doctrines of men, which are in fact self-willed deviations from the truth of the Bible and therefore heresies.  A Christian ought to be conservative when it comes to a “Thus saith the Lord” and liberal minded when it comes to giving of ourselves and our means to spreading the gospel and caring for those in need. 

The Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:8 speaks to a Christian about the kind of things we should think about. He said, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”  Just as important, is how a Christians thinks about things that do not explicitly involve true doctrine and faith. How you react to things of the secular world and live your life will shape how others see you... as narrow or broad minded, open or closed minded, conservative or liberal minded.

There is life in truth.  There is security in being loyal and faithful to genuine truth.  There is only one truth in this universe and it comes from God.  If you consider me closed-minded because I believe that the Bible is God's Word and the source of all truth, and that Jesus is the only Christ, then so be it.  I’m okay with being viewed as narrow-minded when it comes to believing and living on God’s truth.

There's not a more closed-minded group of people today than those who have adopted the thinking of moral relativism and the many facets of New Age teachings.  Most people today have been infected with New Age thinking and don't even realize it.  If you believe that there are many paths to God, then you are seriously infected! People who stubbornly refused to let go of the notion that goodness, kindness and sincerity is all that matters, are truly infected.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  

The Bible was written for humanity... to guide our lives and save us!  God's will is revealed in His Word.  Yet, so many people today foolishly think that God will honor their sinful self-righteousness, false religion, and misguided sincerity.  Such thinking is delusional, as Matthew 7:22-33 warns, Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’  Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

People who are truly open-minded will accept the possibility that Jesus Christ just might be the ONLY way to salvation.   An open-minded person would eagerly investigate the possibility that God is leading you to His truth. To deny this is the epitome of being closed-minded.  Most people today are very close-minded, and hostile towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Someday, the world will be caught off-guard and unprepared to face the reality of real truth.   Closed mindedness toward the Word of God is an ever pressing danger. 

We need to be “open–minded” like the Bereans who received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, to see for themselves whether the things they had heard were true (Acts 17:11).  When they heard teaching, they examined it thoroughly, they proved it to be truth, accepted it and lived by it.  

Therefore, let us consider our own state of mind which can be best examined by our reaction to the truth when it is shown to us. How do you react when confronted with real truth?  Are Christians really closed–minded people... or just convinced that their minds are shaped by the only knowledge and wisdom that matters, God’s Truth?

Transforming the Mind and Heart

Romans 12:2...  Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  NIV

2 Corinthians 3:18... And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV

The goal of a Christian is to become like Christ. Just what exactly does that mean? What characteristics of Christ are we supposed to develop?  Becoming Christlike is a transformation... changing from one sort of person to another.  Is it our work or does it transcend us to a power beyond our control?

Our conversion from sinner to child of God includes a change of mindset. One of the first steps in becoming Christlike is to adopt the mindset of Christ. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus...” (Philippians 2:5) When we choose to surrender our lives and our will to God, we take a first step on the path towards developing a fully functioning Christlike mind. What does this mean?  Simply stated... we are using our will to intentionally choose God over the world, just as Christ did when He went to the cross for our sakes.  Many of the characteristics of Christ, like kindness, goodness, patience and obedience, will be easier manifest in our lives by first using “our will” to make a decision to change.

Once we make a choice to become more Christlike, the Holy Spirit begins the work within us of transformation. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” NASB  (2 Corinthians 3:18) First, we surrender by our willingness, and the Holy Spirit begins the transformation of our spirit to a Christlike spirit. His work in us is what makes the transformation possible.

Total commitment to Christ is what makes it possible for the Holy Spirit to transform us into Christlike beings.  Look at the example of Matthew: “As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man called Matthew, sitting in the tax collector’s booth; and He said to him, “Follow Me!” And he got up and followed Him.” (Matthew 9:9) While the other disciples had professions they could return to if they needed, Matthew was a tax collector and when he left his booth to follow Christ, he left behind his ability to earn a living. That took total commitment and faith and that is the kind of commitment we must make to be truly transformed.

Choosing discipleship to Christ was Matthew’s way of expressing his total commitment. The point of discipleship is to become like the teacher. “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.” (Matthew 10:25) While Matthew was able to follow the human Christ, we also choose to be disciples by following the teachings of Christ. In these teachings we learn what our teacher was like and as His Spirit is revealed to our spirit, we become more like Him.

Matthew’s commitment shows us that he made a significant sacrifice to follow Christ. We too may find ourselves in circumstances that requires such a sacrifice some day. “For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:35) This is where the rubber meets the road and our true commitment to Christ is fully revealed.  Think of it as the ultimate in spiritual transparency... nothing is hidden from full view.  

In the U.S., we have not had to make many sacrifices to be Christians, but in many other countries, Christians have been terribly persecuted for their dedication to Christ. It bears thinking about how much we are willing to sacrifice for Christ. The answer will reveal a great deal about your commitment and how far you have come in the journey to become Christlike.

What characteristics reveal Christ in us? Humility will probably be at the top of the list. “and whosoever wishes to be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:27) God came to us on earth not as a richly robed king but as a humble servant. He suffered shame and degradation for our sakes. Are we willing to suffer the same for His sake?

If we are, it will show in our love for others. Jesus suffered for us because He loved us. He asks us to love each other in return. “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12) The progress of our transformation can probably be best gauged by our love for others. And, not just the people that are easy to love, but our love for those who have hurt us.

Loving those who have hurt us requires forgiveness.  That is a huge intentional choice. Christ came to us to make forgiveness for our sins possible. We didn’t earn or deserve forgiveness on any merit of our own.  He gave it to us because of His love for us. He had every right to not forgive us but he forgave us anyway. He is our example of how we are to forgive. “bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you.” (Colossians 3:13) Even if we have every right to not forgive, we must do it anyway... to be truly Christlike.

Christlike behavior includes spreading the gospel. Jesus came to save us but He also came to teach us. “And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) He passed on the responsibility of teaching to us. Spreading the Gospel everywhere to anyone, carries on His work and makes us more like Him.

As we teach we also learn and grow till we no longer find the old dead spirit in us but see Christ in us. “who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself” (Philippians 3:21) The change will be gradual and we will slide backwards sometimes. It will not be complete on earth, either, but we should strive to become as much like our beloved Savior as we can while we are in this world. Only in heaven will the work be completed in us... “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” (1 John 3:2)

We cannot make ourselves Christlike, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to do that work. Our job is to be willing to change and to live in the changes the Spirit makes in us. We must be committed to change completely. When we are, the love of Christ will shine from us and we will become forgiving and humble teachers of the Gospel. 

Remember “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 1:6)

America... a Nation Established Under God

"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity." - John Quincy Adams

America became a free country on July 4, 1776, however, what many may not know, or forget, is that America is also a nation established “under God” founded on Christian principles.

Fifty-four of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were Christians, 27 of the signers held theological degrees. Many went on to form Bible societies involved in establishing churches, spreading the gospel through Bible printing and distribution and sending missionaries throughout the world.

The signers intended the document to officiate the separation between America and Great Britain. However, they based the Declaration which has served as a foundation to the beginnings of the American nation upon a greater foundational belief that God, or as written in the Declaration “Creator”, was the source for men’s irrevocable rights.

Samuel Adams, who signed the historic document and writer of the Rights of the Colonists (November 1772), once said, "Just and true liberty, equal and impartial liberty, in matters spiritual and temporal is a thing that all men are clearly entitled to by the eternal and immutable laws of God and nature, as well as by the laws of nations and all well-grounded and municipal laws, which must have their foundation in the former."

Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration, also believed "God who gave us life gave us liberty.”

Two of the Continental Congress’ first actions were to hire military chaplains and to purchase 20,000 Bibles to remedy a national shortage.

Although America was already a free nation during the presidency of George Washington, the first president of the United States, he suggested that only religion could uphold its morality. During his farewell address he said, "And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

Even if America’s roots were traced back to its primitive stages, the marriage between the early inhabitants of the land and Christianity are inseparable. The Pilgrims clearly stated the purpose for their voyage even before stepping off the Mayflower: “...undertaken for the glory of God and the advancement of the Christian faith...”

The U.S. Supreme Court also identified America as a Christian nation in 1892, after 10 years of examining hundreds of documents on the foundation of the country. The justices came to the unanimous conclusion that the documents undeniably "add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a religious people, a Christian nation."

John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, summed up the historic event that led to America's independence best when he said, "The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: that it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity."

The conviction that God cannot, and should not be moved from the social and governmental construct of America echoed in the mind and heart of one of America’s the most revered leaders.

The late Ronald W. Reagan, the 40th President of the United States, spoke these sobering words... "Without God there is no virtue because there is no prompting of the conscience... without God there is a coarsening of the society; without God democracy will not and cannot long endure... If we ever forget that we are one Nation Under God, then we will be a Nation gone under."

As we pause to reflect on and celebrate the greatest of human pursuits... freedom, may this 4th of July serve as a reminder that we in America are part of a nation, with a great history, wonderful privileges and important responsibilities that extend beyond our borders... to the entire world.   May we never forget that the truest freedom, lasting freedom, comes only from God through His son Jesus Christ.  

May our legacy live on as we cleve to the Godly values and principles of our founding fathers.

Why the Big Universe, with nothing but us on tiny Earth?

According to the Bible, the transcendent Creator of this universe made humans in His own image as the focal point of His creation. Skeptics of a biblical worldview point to the vastness of the universe as evidence that humans cannot be the focal point of a theistic creation.

The famous astronomer and author, (and atheist) Carl Sagan put it this way: “Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.”  

Famous physicist (and atheist) Stephen Hawking wrote, “Our Solar System is certainly a prerequisite for our existence . . . . but there does not seem to be a need for all these other galaxies.”

In other words, why would God create this huge universe, if He was primarily interested in His relationship with one species occupying a tiny planet?  Why did God create such a vast universe, placing us on a single small planet with no reasonable hope of ever traveling beyond our solar system?  Does the size of our universe run counter to a biblical worldview?

God, after all, as the Creator of the universe has unlimited resources.  We can hardly speculate on the thoughts in God’s mind when he created all things, but maybe he did it for us, for humanity. Why not create a vast universe for us to discover and explore, and through that experience, come closer to knowing and comprehending the nature and character of our Creator?

If God so precisely, carefully, lovingly and amazingly constructed a mind-boggling habitat for his creatures, then it would be natural for him to want them to explore it, to measure it, to investigate it, to appreciate it, to be inspired by it – and ultimately, and most importantly, to find him through it.  To give him credit for all of it.  “Yep... look at what my God did... He’s a really really big God don’t you think?”

In the words of Psalm 102:25: “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” As Romans 1:20 says, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

Jay Richards, coauthor of The Privileged Planet, speculates... “Because the universe was designed for discovery, we need something to discover. The universe is vast and we’re small, but we have access to it. That’s what is so amazing. We can see background radiation that has come from more than ten billion light years away.”

A Biblical Perspective of Humankind and the Vast Heavens

If God is the Creator of the universe, and the Bible is revelation directly from God, then accurate observation of the universe will ultimately prove to be consistent with His revelation. By combining the general revelation of science with the special revelation of the Bible, we should be rewarded with a greater understanding of the nature of our Creator and His intentions for mankind. That’s a big assumption... can it be true? 

First let’s consider what God’s special revelation for us, the Bible, has to say about the vastness of the universe. The Bible often refers to God’s creative work in “stretching out the heavens” and filling it with stars (e.g. Job 9:8, Zech 12:1). A review of Bible passages on the stars and the heavens reveals a number of reasons why a vast universe is consistent with humans being the most significant part of God’s creation. 

We need to realize that creating a vast universe is not harder for God than creating a smaller universe. God brought the universe into existence out of nothing... ex nihilo. He had no limits on the amount of matter and energy available to him for his creative adventure. Consequently, it is meaningless to say that it would be a tremendous waste for God to create so many lifeless galaxies. The concept of waste only applies when there is a limited supply. When there is an unlimited supply, you can use all you desire; there is plenty more where that came from.

Within this vast universe, God placed earth in potentially the only place in the universe capable of supporting advanced life.  Of course he created the life-sustaining environment we enjoy.  There are many aspects of the universe that are hidden from the casual observer, but the vastness of the heavens is not one of them. God created the earth and positioned it in an ideal place so that humans could observe the vastness of the heavens and the enormous number of stars. The Bible points out at least five purposes for humans observing this vast universe:

To reveal His majesty and power. Job refers to this understanding as he reflected on his sufferings by stating what he has observed and thereby believes about God... Who commands the sun not to shine, And sets a seal upon the stars;  Who alone stretches out the heavens, And tramples down the waves of the sea; Who makes the Bear, Orion and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;  Who does great things, unfathomable,  And wondrous works without number.  Were He to pass by me, I would not see Him; Were He to move past me, I would not perceive Him. Were He to snatch away, who could restrain Him? Who could say to Him, “What are You doing?” (Job 9:7-12).

Later, God confronts Job with His lack of understanding the full power and majesty of His Creator:  Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell Me, if you have understanding, . .  Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades, Or loose the cords of Orion?

Can you lead forth a constellation in its season, And guide the Bear with her satellites? Do you know the ordinances of the heavens, Or fix their rule over the earth? (Job 38:4, 31-33).  As this passage suggests... God intentionally did creative, wondrous works without number, so that we could see and appreciate His greatness.

To emphasize our insignificance without God. The vastness of the heavens highlights how insignificant humans are apart from God’s concern for us. The primary lesson that Job learned through his experience was that we are in no position to critique God’s actions over His creation. God’s creation is so vast that any significance we have comes solely from God’s choice to be concerned with us. Job stated it this way: “Behold, I am insignificant; what can I reply to You?” (Job 40:4)

King David was the most significant person in Israel during his reign, but when he considered the vastness of God’s creation he acknowledged our insignificance:  When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him (Ps 8:3-4)?

As a measure of His loving kindness toward us. God uses the vastness of the heavens to help us understand the magnitude of His love for us, stating, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him” (Ps 103:11). God’s love for us is greater than the billions of light years which separate us from the most distant galaxies.

As a picture of His faithfulness and forgiveness. In a similar way, God uses our inability to completely grasp the breadth and depth of the universe to emphasize spiritual truths. Through Jeremiah, God promised a new covenant where He will remember our sins no more. God used the vastness of the heavens to convey His promise to never cast those in the new covenant away from Him with these words, Thus says the LORD, “If the heavens above can be measured And the foundations of the earth searched out below, Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel For all that they have done,” declares the LORD (Jer 31:37).

Even today astronomers recognize that the universe we can observe is much smaller than the state of the universe as it exists today. Due to the finite speed of light, it is impossible to directly observe the current size of the universe or count the exact number of stars. Just as the heavens can never be measured, God will never cast us off, hence the reason humanity is the focus of his attention.

As a reminder that our understanding is limited. Our Creator understands the universe from one end to the other and from the beginning of time to its end. As humans, we are just beginning to probe its mysteries. So, God reminds us, “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:9).

It is clear that God intended us to observe and study the stars and the heavens. As a part of God’s general revelation, the magnitude of the universe speaks to His greatness. Through God’s special revelation, we see God using the vastness of His creation to teach us lessons about who we are and how we relate to Him. For a Creator who was willing to sacrifice His only Son on the cross for our redemption, it would be child’s play to create a vast universe solely for our instruction. With this understanding, the vastness of the universe becomes a testament to our importance to God rather than evidence of our insignificance.

Be ‘awe’ inspired at the vastness of the universe

Psalm 19:1 tells us a major reason why the universe is so vast... The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork.  There are many similar passages in Scripture. They help us understand who God is and how powerful He is.

It reminds us that the more we discover about this incredible universe, the more we should be in awe of the One who made it all.  Rather than looking up and wondering who or what else is out there... wondering if those fictionalized aliens we’ve never seen might be real... we should instead be in awe and wonderment at the very One who made it all.

ET, are you out there?

What a fascinating topic of discussion and debate... highly advanced, intelligent “alien beings” from other planets of the vast universe.  Have they, or more precisely, do they visit earth?  Are they and their crafts the UFOs often reported by not so crazy people?   Speculation on this topic can be endless and takes on dimensions we can hardly imagine or comprehend.  Where did they come from and of greater importance... who made them, if they exist?

The Scriptures do not directly address the question of alien beings.   The Bible does not explicitly confirm or deny the existence of intelligent life in other parts of the vast universe. However, while the subject is not addressed explicitly, does the Bible implicitly weave together evidence that would suggest that the only beings God created with intelligence, are the angels in the heavenly realm, humankind and the animals on planet Earth?  

There is a tendency among all people, both Christian and non-Christian, to search out what is unknowable and ignore or neglect what is knowable.  The “unknown” is fascinating, mysterious and alluring.   So the question becomes, are we capable of understanding something God has not explicitly revealed?  Can humans, through a careful examination of His entire revelation to man, the Bible, comprehend the nature and essence of something God’s has not spoken?  

Man has certainly constructed a vast library of theological presuppositions based on what we believe to be God’s implied intent to transmit what is deducible from what He has revealed to us. In other words, if the Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us about something, it doesn’t mean it is impossible to know.  Scripture encourages us with these words from Paul’s first letter to the christians in Corinth... But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9,10 ESV

It would seem reasonable that God expects us to dig into the deeper things, especially those things knowable.  This of course will require a bit of effort and study with reasoned logical deduction to arrive at sound conclusions.  There are many things we have learned about God and His creation in this way.  For example....  

We can deduce that the Earth is young not millions of years old.  It is important to recognize that the stars and planets were not created millions of years before Earth.  According to the Bible, Earth is not the result of millions of years of stellar evolution during which many other planets were also created. Earth was created before any other planet or star existed. Earth came into existence on the first day of Creation (Genesis 1:1). God withheld the creation of the Sun, Moon and stars until the fourth day (Genesis 1:14-19). So it seems, Earth is unique and holds center stage in all of God's Creation. 

The Bible does not suggest or infer that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the vast universe. Although the all-powerful God could have created such life had He desired, it seems obvious from Scripture that He did not. The timetable for this present universe is measured by God's dealings with us. It appears from scriptural evidence,  that God created the intelligent human race, on planet Earth, as the sole beneficiary of His creative acts. This fellowship is of such a unique design that we are told that God's only true extra-terrestrial creations, angels, are eager to observe “things of earth” in action. Given all that has happened since God created the first man and woman and placed them in the special Garden home called Eden, we humans do seem from the Biblical revelation to be the “center of God’s attention” in a vast and wonder-filled universe.

So people wonder in puzzlement about extra-terrestrial intelligent life, aliens visiting earth, UFOs and the like.  Just because the Bible only teaches that God created intelligent life on Earth, why couldn’t He have done so elsewhere?   After all, Scripture does not discuss everything; such as automobiles, airplanes, space travel, computers, and most of the modern conveniences invented and used by man.   

However, the biblical objection to life forms in other parts of the universe is not merely an argument crafted from silence on the subject. Automobiles for example, are not a salvation issue, but we believe that sentient, intelligent, moral-decision-capable beings are, because it would undermine the authority of Scripture if it were not so.  In short, understanding the big picture of the Bible and the Gospel message allows us to conclude with a high degree of clarity, that the reason the Bible doesn’t mention extraterrestrial life is that there isn’t any.   Surely, if the earth were to be favored with a visitation by real extraterrestrials from a galaxy far away, then one would reasonably expect that the Bible, and God in His sovereignty and foreknowledge, to mention such a momentous occasion, because it would clearly redefine man's place in the universe.

The Bible says that the whole creation groans and travails under the weight of sin (Romans 8:18–22). The effect of the Curse following Adam’s Fall was universal.  Otherwise what would be the point of God dealing with the whole creation by bringing forth a new heavens and Earth (2 Peter 3:13, Revelation 21:1)? Therefore, any ETs living elsewhere would have been (unjustly) affected by the Adamic Curse through no fault of their own as they would not have inherited Adam’s sinful nature.  Or, even more improbable... all other planets inhabited with intelligent free-will life forms would be in the same predicament as humanity on this Earth.  Is that not illogical for a God of order and purpose, especially one who can’t make mistakes?  

When Christ (God) appeared in the flesh, He came to Earth not only to redeem mankind but eventually the whole creation back to Himself (Romans 8:21, Colossians 1:20). However, Christ’s atoning death on the Cross cannot save these hypothetical ETs, because one needs to be a physical descendant of Adam for Christ to be our ‘kinsman-redeemer’ (Isaiah 59:20). Jesus was called ‘the last Adam’ because there was a real first man, Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22,45) not a first Vulcan, Klingon, etc..  In God’s perfect plan for redeeming His creation... a sinless human substitute (propitiatory sacrifice) takes on the punishment all humans deserve for sin (Isaiah 53:6,10; Matthew 20:28; 1 John 2:2, 4:10).  This substitutionary sacrifice “humankind's stand-in” does not need to atone for any sin (non-existent) of his own (Hebrews 7:27).

If you believe in God, His plan of redemption, and you also believe in the possible existence of life in others parts of the universe, then you will need to find a way to explain that Christ’s sacrifice would need to be repeated elsewhere for other beings who have also sinned. There’s a major problem with that notion... Christ died once for all (Romans 6:10, 1 Peter 3:18) on the Earth for humans who have sinned.  While the Bible does not speak of ETs, the illogical nature of the argument borders on the absurd.  Christ is not going to be crucified and resurrected again and again on other planets (Hebrews 9:26). This is confirmed by the fact that the redeemed (earthly) church is known as Christ’s bride (Ephesians 5:22–33; Revelation 19:7–9) betrothed in a divine marriage that will last for eternity.  Again, for a perfect God, with no capacity for mistakes, errors, or deception, Christ is not going to have many brides from other planets.  The Bible makes no provision for God to redeem any other species, any more than to redeem fallen angels (Hebrews 2:16).  

A big nagging question does emerge ... would our faith be shaken if one day we discover life somewhere else in the universe?  Based on what God has revealed to us and what we can learn by digging deeper,  would not the act of withholding something like “other life in other places” in the universe be a lie of omission?  God cannot lie or deceive.  

The Bible is silent on this issue, because the Bible as revelation is an epic love story between the Creator God and His creation – humankind.  Since the beginning of time as we understand it, the whole focus of God has been on redemption, restoring man’s relationship back to Himself through the sacrifice of His own son, Jesus, who died so that we would have hope and the prospect of life eternal.   Could God have created other creatures on some distant planet in some far-away galaxy?  Since the Bible doesn’t give us an answer, I have to say perhaps, maybe.  However, I am not sure what the point of that would be in God’s redemptive plan for humans on Earth, or how we and God would reconcile such knowledge... it would seem to be a lie, a cosmic deception.

I for one, and since I can’t conclusively prove otherwise, doubt there is life anywhere else in the universe but here on Earth.  Here’s my reasoning. First, this realm was created especially for us. By “realm” I mean this space-time universe we live in. Second, if there are other intelligent beings, they too, like Adam, would have fallen and sinned, and thereby became separated from God.   Why does that have to be so?  Because there is only “one” God, one vast sum of Angels and one Devil, Satan, and the fallen angels who follow him.  

Would Jesus have to die again for those ETs somewhere else in the universe? How many times would Christ need to give his life to redeem other civilizations?  Each time he would have to become that species since that is the very reason he became man and not something else. Biblically Jesus Christ is the only Savior, and His death was done once as the only perfect sacrifice for sins ever offered in the universe (Heb. 9:23-28; 10:12-14). The scriptures over and over repeat the reconciling of humanity all through Christ that occurs on planet earth. Christ died only once and would never be repeated for another species. (Eph.1:7,10 Phil.2:10 Col.1:2 Rev.5:9,13) 

The scripture speaks of the gospel preached to all of the world, not to all the universe! I believe he died once for all mankind, so this notion of other life forms in other parts of the universe is not logical.  While intelligent beings on another planet in some far-away galaxy makes for interesting science fiction, in reality, I do not believe such beings exist. 

Mankind’s adversary, Satan is another reasoned proof that the existence of ETs is not logical.  When Satan was cast out of heaven, he comes to earth; it is on this planet that the battle has been waged for 6 thousand years and it is here on this earth where God will bring an end to Satan's influence on mankind.  The Devil, all his minions and the power of death over man were effectively defeated by the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus here on planet earth.  Satan will face his eternal doom for his hatred and wickedness done to the goodness of God here on this earth.

God is in control, always has been, even over the dominion of Satan.  God determined the plan to redeem man;  God set the boundaries of Satan’s control and influence over man; God determined the limits of his realm... and it was planet earth.   God’s great adversary, one of His own creation, possessing free will, decided on rebellion over obedience and began the cosmic struggle that is being played to its Biblically foretold conclusion... here on earth. 

If other types of morally responsible life existed elsewhere in the universe they would have been created in the “image of God” just like humans here on planet earth. They too would have been created with the right of choice just as Adam was, just like all creation of God would be created.   A righteous, just and holy God could not create intelligent life, designed to worship Him, their creator, without giving them the right to choose to love him.  And if they made the wrong choice they would require salvation just as Adam’s descendants did. They would need redemption by believing in Christ for salvation. Sin would have affected their worlds as well as the universe just like Adams did.

The Bible seems to clearly indicate that this earth is the only place of its kind in the universe. This is why it is written in Genesis that “In the beginning God made the heavens and the earth.” We do not have to be left to our own postulations that come from our fallen human condition. 

God has clearly spoken through His word.  He left many things that nag at our determination to understand Him, unsaid, unrevealed.   Unless we believe from Genesis to Revelation, unless we believe that we humans are the singular focus of all God’s restorative and redemptive work in the universe, we will be trapped by the ultimate deception of the ages... ET where are you?

Overcoming Anger towards God

So you’ve been harboring a beef with God.  You’ve been angry at Him for something that has happened in your life. You’re frustrated that He didn’t prevent bad things from happening to you, family or friends. You are not alone. In fact, many people get angry with God from time to time.

It's normal to sometimes feel anger towards God. Just don't stay trapped in your anger.  Although we may think it’s a normal thing to feel, it’s a real shame when we get angry with God, for he is our best friend.  Yet since we are imperfect people, it happens.

People who get mad at God, often feel guilty about their anger and may even think their anger makes God angry with them. Their guilt sometimes drives them to feeling condemned.  Feelings of anger towards God will make you feel distant from God.

How do get past feelings of frustration and anger towards God?  Last week I mentioned three things you need to face and assimilate into your mind and heart:  First, God is always and only good, no matter how strange and painful his ways with us may seem.  Second, God does NOT do things or setup scenarios in our lives to make us angry with Him. His providence can be difficult to comprehend, but we should trust that He is always working for our best interests. Third, to know God, is to love and trust him.  Maybe you don’t know him like you think you do.  Go beyond your self-generated views of who you think God is, and find out who He really is. 

One thing we should always appreciate about God is that we can be real with him. If you are angry with God, be honest about it instead of trying to hide it or act "religious." To get a sense of how you can be open, honest and frank with God, read the Psalms, about times when King David openly expressed anger and frustration with God.

David, lived a tumultuous life in serving God.  As King of Judah and Israel he experienced many things that raised his levels of frustration and anger with God.  Every time David expressed complaints toward God, – he laid his heart before Him, expressed his feelings, fears and inadequacies and ended up praising God. That’s a good resolution to our anger... praise and thankfulness. 

Read Psalm 22: 1-6... David voices his complaints... yet in verses 22-31, he praises God.  It was that kind of intimate and trusting relationship with God that bound them together in such a way that God called David “a man after his own heart.”  (Acts 13:22; Psalm 116:1-2; Psalm 119)  God never spoke of any other man in that endearing way, as he did David.  

I'm not saying it's a good thing to get angry with God. However when we do, we are showing how little we understand his love, his goodness, and his purpose.  We need to face our frustration and anger towards God and deal with it, as David did.   The better you know God, and the longer you walk with him, the less likely you are to be angry with him. But, if you do get angry, be confident that he understands and helps you come to a place of repentance if you but open your heart and communicate your feeling to him.

In reality, being angry with God is sinful.  He knows our struggles in life will from time to time frustrate us to a point we feel alone, abandoned, confused and ultimately become angry with Him.  While we may think it normal, it is never right to be angry with God.  But if you do sin in this way, don't compound it by hypocrisy. Tell him the truth and repent.  

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people (Psalm 22:1-6).

I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him—may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn—for he has done it. (Psalm 22:22-31).

I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (Psalm 146:2; Psalm 63:4; Psalm 104:33)  

No matter what happens in your life, never forget who you are, and who HE is.

Always and forever... be at peace with the God who loved you all the way to the Cross!