Author: JT Hutts

real questions: death?

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Ned Anzers: Is there life after death?

Death is a scary thing. Survey says it is #1 on a list of things that people fear. We all want to know whether there is more to life after death. In the face of death Jesus gives His followers some really comforting words, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) Interestingly enough Jesus said these words at the funeral of a friend.

If I believe in Jesus I will be resurrected live with Him. There is power of a few words. For example not too long ago I asked a good friend this question: “Will you go out me?” Lucky me, her response was, “Yes I will.”  However, there are a few other 3-word responses that she could have had that would have determined the course our relationship like: “No I wont,” “I feel sick,” “get the bill,” “ha ha ha!” 3 words make all the difference. Now there are 3 words spoken that changed the course of mans eternal destiny and hope for an after life. “Christ is Risen!” (Mt.28:6)

3 days after Jesus died He rose from the grave and was alive! It was miraculous. No one in human history has ever done this feat before or since on their own.

What difference does the resurrection make?

Well to illustrate this question a few years ago my brother and I went to Great America in Chicago. My brother had never been on a large rollercoaster before and I wasn’t going to play around the small game area all day. I coaxed him to go on the Ragging Bull. He was so nervous. As we were in line he watched thousands ride and enjoy it and they all have lived. He did it and lived to tell the story.

Just the same Jesus is the first and only person to who has ever died and overcome it completely. He will never die again. He is deaths master. He conquered the grave. And if we follow Him we too can live and be resurrected from the dead [resurrection = brought back to life].

How do I know Jesus died and didn’t fake it?

Eyewitnesses tell us that He was dead (Jn.19:31-37). You see the Roman executioners were expert killers: Broken legs, pierced side, and a heavy mummy wrap in a sealed tomb all add up to proof that there is no way Jesus could have lived through the crucifixion or 3 days in the grave.

Could the disciples have stolen Jesus body?

Sure, but he Romans were prepared for that (Mt.27:62-66), there were guards and a big stone. This question was posed in Jesus’ day too (Mt.28:11-15). No one could produce Jesus’ corpse.

Jesus rise from the dead was a hoax, right?

Not. He was seen by over 500 some people (1 Cor.15:3-8, 6). His disciples even died for their belief in Jesus after the resurrection. Even Thomas, the most skeptical of the disciples believed.

What will life after death be like?

Harps and clouds! I hope not. There is not a lot spoken about it. I suppose He wants us to live here and not be so preoccupied with its details. Isn’t it okay for God to have some secrets? What He does say is that it will be perfect, like a feast, we will have rooms within the great city—a real place, we will have real bodies and recognize each other.

Is there life after death?

From what the Bible says, yes!

real questions: forgiveness?

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Ned Anzers: Since I am forgiven, can’t I live however I want?

There is an amazing principle taught in the Scriptures in which no one is too wicked or sinful for God to forgive. God is shockingly generous and willing to forgive anytime, anyplace, and anybody. Take the two thieves on the cross for example. There are two essential truths seen in these two the story of these two criminals:

First, I must know who I really am (Luke 23:39-41)

These two men on either side of Jesus were criminals to the core. People who stole a candy bar from the general store weren’t thrown on crosses, but those who were murderers, rapists, and rebels of the Roman Empire were. There is one thing that these criminals and you have in common: we deserve the cross and punishment for our sins. I am a sinner, therefore, I deserve death.

Second, I must trust who God really is (Luke 23:42-43)

There is only one who can rescue me and forgive me of this sin that crucifies me: Jesus.

How can God forgive so easily? If I were God, I would have sent a lighting bolt from heaven and zapped every living being the moment my creation offended me. Good thing I am not God.

There is nothing easy about forgiveness. God doesn’t hand out cheap forgiveness. Our forgiveness came at a great cost. Our forgiveness came through the suffering, bloodshed and death of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. God is gregariously generous with His forgiveness.

We often look at God like this cosmic Easter Bunny or Santa Claus that should give us everything at the moment we ask for it. We sarcastically say things like, “Opps, I sin. God, please forgive me.” Note to self, I do not deserve His forgiveness at all. In fact, I do not deserve anything from Him. Yet He gives His forgiveness so freely.

Since God gives forgiveness so freely, doesn’t that mean I can live however I like? I mean, live now and ask forgiveness later, right?

Jesus met these kind of question seekers everyday. There is a story in the Bible about Jesus getting asked to a dinner party at a really religious mans house (Luke 7:36-47). That night through awkward circumstances Jesus taught on the power of forgiveness.

Jesus tells the dinner guests a story about forgiveness that is both a parable and real life. You see in their midst was so called religious people and an uninvited prostitute. By the worlds standard these people were complete opposites, but in the eyes of God both loved. That is the response of one forgiven: love. Forgiveness clears our huge debt. A debt only God could clear of debt and its guilt. The lesson learned that evening: A person forgiven by God will never again live any way they want.

Take a quick comparison of these two individuals:

What say you: Who are you more like? Are you forgiven? Are you living like you are forgiven?

10 reasons why Rubber Chickens make great pets

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1.    They’re House Trained
2.    They don’t eat much
3.    You don’t have to walk them
4.    They love to travel
5.    It’s easy to train them (to play dead)
6.    They make a great conversation piece
7.    They’re cute and they love to cuddle
8.    They don’t make noise or wake you in the middle of the night
9.    You’ll never have to take them to the vet
10.  Chicks love them

real questions: kill Jesus?

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Ned Anzers: Did Jesus have to die? And why did Jesus have to die?

We often forget that these questions were posed the day Jesus died (Matthew 27:37-43). That horrid Friday afternoon Jesus was taunted and mocked before his death to come down and save Himself. Yet Jesus did not come down. He died that day.

There are 2 possibilities of why Jesus didn’t save Himself, either He could not or He chose not to do it. Which you believe depends on who you think Jesus is. This is what I believe:

1.  Jesus could have saved Himself.

Jesus could have stopped His arrest (Mt.26:52-54). During His earthly ministry Jesus did chose to save Himself multiple times from death. He escape from kill-hungry mobs: throw Him off a cliff (Lk.4:28-30), stone Him (John 10:39), and strangle Him (Jn.7:30), but no one could touch Him for it was not time…He would disappear into the crowd.

2.  Jesus chose not to save Himself.

Jesus went to Jerusalem knowing that His enemies were there ready to kill Him (Mt.16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19). In fact, Jesus knew the kind of death He was going to face (Ps.22:7-18) This prophecy was given hundreds of years before there was such a thing as the Roman crucifixion.

3. Jesus chose to die as the ransom (Mt.20:28).

When we hear the word ransom we think of hostages being held captive by bank robbers or terrorists. They have a note demanding payment or the hostages will die. In the days of Jesus it was similar. Ransom was often paid to release people from slavery. All because of sin I am guilt as charged.

The verdict: sin (Rom.3:23)
The sentence: death (Rom.6:23).
The prison: hell
The Judge: God (Rom.5:8a)
The Ransom: Jesus (Rom.5:8b)

How is Jesus death a ransom? Jesus came to release us from spiritual slavery. Sin has a serious price tag. No amount of money or stockpile of good deeds can meet the demand of the ransom. Jesus death paid my ransom. A sinful man cannot die for another sinful man. But Jesus was sinless. Jesus took my place. He chose to die for those who hate Him. Sometimes we wish God would just keep out of our business, but God made our sin His business. It was something He was born to do. He lived to die. Jesus was the perfect plan to pay my ransom: God’s justice demanded a ransom (punishment for sin), and God Himself is the ransom (payment for sin).

real questions: hell yeah?

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Ned Anzers: Why would a God of love send anyone to Hell?

We live in a world in which anything and everything offends somebody. Many are labeled, censored or sued because they are racist, sexist, or intolerant. Especially, Christians are labeled as biased bigots. I wonder what people today would think about Jesus’ words on “hell”?

Hell today is not seen as much as a real place as it is a fill-word like: “Hell yeah,” “Get the hell out of here,” or “Go to hell.” I do not think we would say such a thing if we really knew what hell was. When Jesus mentions hell it is not a joke. His words are not judgmental or bloodthirsty, but chocked with tears. He loves and cares for people so much that He takes a lot of time in His teaching to warn us to avoid it.

When Jesus speaks about hell it is often graphic and vivid. He relates to hell as a place of eternal punishment, eternal fire, the fiery furnace, the darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, a place reserved for those who rebel against God. As we come to the Bible, Jesus shares with us a story about two men who have very different ends to their lives. From this story we gain a lot of insight about hell:

1.  Hell is a real place (Luke 16:19-23a).

Hell is not a land-of-make-believe for those who are more evil than Mr. Rogers. “Hades” is a real place. So real is hell that Jesus talks about it a lot.

2.  Hell is not a fun place (16:23b-24).

Hell is not a party or place that anyone should desire to go. The rich man in Jesus’ story says “in torment”, “I am in agony in this fire.” I love Billy Joel’s music, but it is ignorant to say that “I would rather party with the sinners than cry with the saints.”

3.  Hell is eternal separation from God (16:25-26).

It is a wonderful comfort to know that at any moment, place and time God is with us. He is our Immanuel. I could not imagine being in a place without God, but that is how hell is described, “between us and you a great chasm has been fixed…none may cross from there to us.”

4.  Hell is for those who reject God (16:27-31).

The rich man pleads for his family who are still alive that someone would warn them. Yet he does not remember, and chose to forget, that many had warned him. If he or his family does not listen to the warnings from God’s teachers, like Moses and the Prophets, they will not listen to a dead man.

A parent’s greatest fear is that their children would get hurt. That is why they say, “look both ways before you cross the street,” “don’t stick your figure in a light socket,” “Do not drink Drain-O.” This is what Jesus is saying when He speaks about hell. Jesus is pointing out the road signs of clear and present danger. He doesn’t use the scare-tactic, but speaks plainly as parents who care often do when warning their children of matters of life or death.

Love is what motivates Jesus to talk about hell.

Jesus wants us to listen to Him and avoid it. We often misunderstand Gods love. We all know verse that say, “God is love.” (1 John 4) But just because God is love doesn’t mean He loves everything. What is something God doesn’t love? (sin: pride, injustice, murder, lying, etc) God hates sin (Ps.5:4-6).

Hell is a loving necessity.

It is a place where evil is to be locked up. God created hell to deal with evil. He made it to be a final, inescapable prison where all evil, rebellion against God will be confined never to poison men again. Given all the evil in the world today it is a great assurance to know that God notices it and has a plan to do something about it. God does not over look evil.

Hell seems unreasonable when we do not have a good understanding of what sin is against God.

God is holy, and without sin. Sin cannot go unpunished from a perfect God. God’s holiness and our sin are infinitely great, therefore, the greater the crime, the greater the punishment. Sin is an eternal offense against God therefore it deserves an eternal punishment. Sin against God is treason. If you were to disobey a king in the Middle Ages you were receive the death penalty. Thus it is so with the King of the Universe who seeks to care for His creation (Rom.3:23; 6:23).

Rather than asking why God would send anyone to hell, we must ask: How can you allow anyone to go to heaven?

go brewers

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The last time a baseball team from Milwaukee made it to the playoffs I was just becoming potty trained and mouthing my first few words, “Robin Yount!” Ah, those were the days!

This year the Brew Crew barely squeezed into the playoffs as a wild card. I am excited and proud to say that I am a Brewers fan. Though I do not support the binge-drinking associated with Miller Park, I am a big fan of the sourkraut filled brats and the 7th inning stretch Weiner Race. Go Polish Sausage! And let’s go Brewers. Roll out the barrell and get another win for Bernie and the gang.

real questions: good?

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Ned Anzers: Don’t all good people go to heaven?

Most people think that they are good? But by who’s standard are they judging their goodness?

I was not a very bright kid. In fact, I was in the special class and took the short bus to school. One thing I was good at was art. I like to draw and I like to write. Now I thought, I was pretty good at these skills, but when I compared my art to Van Gogh or Rembrandt, and my writing to Shakespeare or Steve King I was quite humbled. A lesson I learned very early in my life: How good I think I am teeter on who I compare myself with.

Have you ever been there?

How good is good enough? And don’t all good people go to heaven? You know, there was a man in the Bible who had the same question for Jesus. He wants to go to heaven (who doesn’t), and he assumes there is something he must “do”. We will spend the rest of my answer jumping into their conversation…

1.  No one is good, except God (Mk.10:17-18)

Now, I know lots of people that are good. In fact, I know some really good people (give lots of money to charities, help the elderly, etc.), but they do not have a relationship with Jesus. Surely, they are good enough, right?

Now I challenge you to make 2 lists. On the first list write down all the good things you have down. On the second list write down al the good things God has done. There should be no comparison. When we compare ourselves to God we seem really bad. Remember, How good I think I am teeter on who I compare myself with.

2.  No one is good because we do not measure up to God’s standard (vs.19-20)

This man thinks that he is good. Good enough to get to heaven. Jesus rolls out the standard. He shares with this man the 10 Commandments; only he leaves out a few (Ex.20). What this man doesn’t realize is that he has broken all of them, and will do it again soon.

3. Goodness = gladly obeying what God says (vs.21-22)

Jesus lovingly and patiently shows the man that there are some commandments he has not obeyed. In essence, when He asks the man to sell all and give all He is getting at the man’s heart. The commandment this man is breaking is, “You shall not have no other gods before me.” The man’s money has become an idol. God says, “You shall not make for yourselves idols.” If this man really wanted God, He would have gladly obeyed.

What would you have done if you were in this mans shoes? What treasure on this earth would keep you from heaven?

So do I have to give everything away (like money) to get to heaven? No.

4. Goodness = putting nothing before God (v.21)

Jesus did not say we go to heaven because we give to the poor, but because we do not give a second thought to God. The heart problem is I put things before God. The man loved things, more than God. Therefore, he is no good at all. He walks away from God sad, what a tragedy. The god He has created becomes greater than the God who created Him. This is sin. At the heart of man is evil (Mk.7:21-23).

What is your idol that you put before God? Cash, sex, status, getting A’s, sports, boyfriend or girlfriend?

5. Goodness = giving God the credit where credit is due (Mt.22:36-38)

Is there hope for me to become good? Yes. The only goodness I have has been merited to me from God. He is good, and I am not. But I can have a good standing based upon God’s goodness through Jesus Christ. God wants the credit, glory and love. God’s love is infinitely awesome and yet our sin is infinitely horrifying.

i learned a new joke

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Some people accuse me of being corny. I think it’s because they just don’t get my humor. Seriously, I have a hard time remembering jokes. I have a storehouse of about about 5 jokes I use on a rotation (that I stole from other people):

1. Knock knock? Who’s there? Duane. Duane who? Duane the bathtub I’m drowning!!

2. What happened to the guy who farted in church? He had to sit in his own pew (my only religious joke)

3. What do you call 2 Spaniards on the back of a fire truck? Hose-A and Hose-B. (not meant to be a racial slur)

4. What do you get when you breed together a Rhinosurous and an Elephant? Elephino (my only dirty joke)

5. Why did the chicken cross the kitchen? to-eat, to-eat, to-eat (this is my new joke learned from PBS Kids last Saturday)

real questions: fairytale?

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Ned Anzers: Isn’t the Bible just a fairytale?

What if the Bible were not true? Everything a Christian believes would be a farce!

At the moment I am studying two dead languages that no one speaks anymore, but they are essential to understanding the Bible. As I have studied these languages I have learned a valuable lesson: the importance of accents. Not the accents you use while speaking like British or Jamaican, but the accents placed over letters when you write. They often look like dots, dashes, little rainbows or carrots. They are often missed when reading because they are so tiny. Jesus says something really amazing about these little accents (Matthew 5:18). He says this Book; all of its big and small parts are powerful because it comes from God.

Is Jesus’ view of the Bible really important? As we saw in the last question, Jesus words carried some authority, He calmed a storm, healed the sick, predicted the future, and was even there at the beginning to create the universe.

Jesus never questioned the authority of the Bible; in fact, He considered it authority.

The Bible always has the last word on all sides of the playing field whether in defense or offense. Look at these examples from the life of Jesus: during temptation of Jesus in the desert (Mt.4), and when talking to religious people about His miracles (Mk.12:26-27). Jesus often quoted the OT to expose the wrong-thinking of the religious of the His day. There is no smart comeback line for the Bible!

Jesus even affirmed the Bibles history as true: God created the world (Mt.19:4), Noah and the ark was not a fable (Gen.6-9; Mt.24:38). Rather than a book full of errors, the Bible keeps us from a life of error (Mk.12:24).

My first and only haircut from my mother. When I was about 8 years old I received a haircut from my mother. Needless to say it was the only haircut my mother ever gave. About 3 cuts in, her fourth cut was into my ear. Now it was a little cut, but it did make me a little uncomfortable (more  that she could not stop laughing). Now this story has evolved over the years, and at family outings it has become quite exaggerated. You might hear something like: My mother the beautician was styling my hair when all of a sudden a centralized earthquake appeared in Wisconsin. My mothers hand slipped and cut off my ear. Blood was gushing everywhere. Mom in a hysterical panic called 911. They struggled to save my life. After hours of fighting and a two-month long comma Justin miraculous recovered. He now has an ear skin graphed from a giraffe.

Now some of these documents might be true and people were there to back up some of the facts, but anyone can see this story is an exaggeration. Many have this same view about the NT. Yes, Jesus was a real man that walked this planet. He was a good teacher, moral example, and memorable character, but couldn’t he have been so loved by those closest to Him that stories about Him drifted further from the truth as time went on? Sure. But listen to what Jesus says about this (Jn.14:26; 16:13). He promises His disciples long after He is gone, the Spirit would remind them of His words and lead them in “all truth” as they wrote the NT.

Jesus’ disciples (followers) were no bozo’s.

Luke, was OCD about details. He was a doctor. He wrote 25% of the NT (Lk.1:3-4; 2:1-2, note the details about people/places). Paul, was a history buff and a man of the law. He wrote 50% of the NT and goes on to explain that every disciple (follower) writer was an eyewitness of Jesus. They did not write down hearsay or secondhand information, rather they experienced and saw what they are writing down and they were not alone (1 Cor.15:6, after the resurrection). How could hundreds of people all have the same story?

The Bible is not written like a fairytale, but HIStory.

The Bible is quite unlike any other book. It is a book that has changed lives for centuries, and gives hope for eternal life. It is 66 different books (stories, poems, songs, letters, etc.), written by dozens of authors most of who never met each other, over 5000 years, and yet the Bible has one central theme: Jesus Redeems! God says I can trust all of it even its dots and dashes (Matthew 5:18).

The Bible is backed by archeology, history and prophecy.

It has made predictions of which are 100% truth so far (300 about Jesus). People have put His Word’s into practice and have been changed!

As LaVar Burton of Reading Rainbow used to say, “Of course, you don’t have to take *my* word for it.”

you’re weird

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You know Christians are weird! That almost sounds like a sermon I heard this Sunday at church!? Thanks Kenny for shooting down my already avalanched pride. It was a great message though. The central theme was taken from 1 Peter 1:2 which speaks to the awesomeness of our salvation. I am weird because Christ has changed me.

I desire to be weirdly different than the world around me. Yet I do not want to be different because of silly sacred practices (like bumper sticker evangelism), rather an insatiable desire for satisfaction in Jesus Christ. I came to have a personal relationship with Jesus at the age of twelve within a conservative Bible church and quickly learned that there are things that are uniquely funny about the Christian community. God and living for Him, it was all new to me.

Thanks to a good friend I have located two very funny links that express some of the stange practices of the Christian community (Stuff Christians Like & Whirled Views). I can relate to a lot of these. Enjoy some laughs on me. I hope I am not that weird!

real questions: prove it?

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Ned Anzers: God if you are real…why don’t you prove it?

If you were to draw a picture of God what would He look like? No one really knows what God looks like. Billions of people down through history have tried to paint God in the shape of an animal, as fire or water, in the stars or sun, as distant gods, inner gods, peaceful gods or fearful gods. Some even say there is no God. Almost everybody has a different view of God from each other. Wouldn’t it be nice if God decided to reveal Himself once and for all? Imagine what it would be like to see God, talk to Him, touch Him, sit down and eat with Him.

Jesus says something very amazing.

“Any one that has seen Me has seen the Father.” (John 14:1-14) Many thousands of people saw, touched, talked and ate with Jesus. They kept record of it so that people would know that God does exist. As we read the Bible people tell us over and over again, “God does exist. We know because we met Him.”

Couldn’t these people make this stuff up? Jesus never claimed to be God, did He? In fact…

Jesus claims to be God more than once.

Jesus claimed to be equal with God got people mad (John 10:30-33). He also puts Himself on equal terms with God:

  • John 8:56-58 (Ex.3:13-14) “I AM.”—Jesus claims God’s name as His own.
  • John 8:12; 9:5 “I am the Light of the world.”
  • John 6:35, 48 “I am the Bread of Life.”
  • John 15:1 “I am the True Vine.”
  • John 10:10-11 (Ezek.34:11,14) “I am the Good Shepherd.”
  • John 11:25 “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
  • John 14:6 “I am the Way, the True, and the Life.”

These are stunning words from Jesus, but they are also dangerous words. It would be like going into Ross Aid Stadium and saying I am a Badger fan.

Anyone can claim to be God, can’t they? Yes. Muhammad Ali said, “I have wrestled with an alligator! I tussled with a whale! I handcuffed lightning, threw thunder in jail! Only last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalized a brick. I’m so mean, I make medicine sick! I am the greatest!” Ali knew that if you are going to talk this way that you better back it up or else you will be the laughing stock of the world.

Jesus did what He said.

He controlled the weather (Luke 8:24 “stopped a storm”, handcuffed lighting and threw thunder in jail)

Impressive, but that couldn’t it have been a coincidence? Sure. Yet everyone around Jesus agreed that He did amazing things. He feed 5000 people with a boys school lunch box, He walked on water, He cured sickness, paralysis, blindness, deafness, and brought the dead to life. When Jesus walked the earth, it was as if He owned the place. Well, He did create it (John 1:1-4).

Couldn’t He have tricked people into thinking He was who He was? What Jesus did were not tricks. There was no David Copperfield or CGI. Jesus enemies could not expose Him as a fraud. Jesus did not use His power for wealth, status, or fame. In fact, Jesus was prophesied about hundreds and thousands of years before He was born (where He was born, how He would die, etc.). He fulfilled every prophecy.

Jesus did what He did to prove that God exists.

When Jesus walked the earth that He proved God is real.

a thinker

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I was reminded and began thinking about these two questions today:

What if…God never does another thing for you, should you cease to worship Him?

What if…all you ever know about God were what you know right now, would you still know enough to worship Him forever?

It would be too easy to give a simple “yes” as an answer.

deep

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I cannot believe that our summer has already evaporated. Where did it go? Tonight, we kick off our FUEL school year. I am so excited. This is going to be a great fall!!

Our theme of getting DEEP has its roots in Colossians 2:6-7, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

I am reminded of the willow tree in my grandparents backyard in Greendale or the tree stand my dad and I would hunt out of in Presque Isle. These trees were ginormous. It is said that trees have as many roots underground as there is tree above ground. It takes a lot for big trees to stand upright especially through storms and seasons. I am particularly drawn to lonely trees that tower above empty fields. They have to weather the elements. Their roots must be strong and deep.

As children of God we also must have deep roots. The world is full of doubts and questions about God and Christianity. Is there any truth? Is faith reliable? Can I trust anything? Over the past few months I have seen in many of our young people desire to know the truth and live a substantial faith. We all want answers to deep questions, but more so, we desire answers that affect the way we think and live. I desire answers that keep me rooted when the storms of doubt hit hard like a hurricane.

This fall we will be answering real deep questions about the faith. If you could ask God one question what would it be?

DEEP: getting deep with God & God getting deep in me.

listen and obey even on a rainy day

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I love rainy days. Why not jump in a puddle when you are already wet? Didn’t your mom tell you not to jump in puddles as a kid?

The majority desires to be told what to do; yet only a minority has no desire to actually do what they are told.  It is a peculiar contradiction that leaves many floating without a purpose on a sea of self-devistation.  Many have said, “I have committed my life to Jesus my Savior, but what do I do now?”

The answer is simple.  It is simple, but not necessarily easy.  You see simple rarely equals easy.  That is why many have such a disparagement for simplicity.  So, what do I do now?  Listen and obey.  Listen and obey what? God’s Word; hear and do what God says. This answer almost always produces a volatile response.  It robs me of excuses.  It breaks down my defenses.  It leaves me completely vulnerable.

James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

Dueteronomy 13:18 if you will listen to the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all His commandments which I am commanding you today, and doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.

Listen and obey, that’s it? Some ask for a formula or creative checklists take the heart out of the equation.  We crave a formula.  We want our 10 steps to spiritual success, 5 easy steps to an “on fire” relationship with God, 3 “P’s” for purity, and a quirky acronym for GOSPEL. I’d buy that because I desire a nice, safe, cute Christianity that is non-offensive and void of power.  Rather just give me something measurable, something that I can get my hands around and then store on a shelf for a rainy day. Not! A rainy day theology means that I want my faith on stand by, just in case there is an emergency.

Sad to say, it doesn’t work that way. Following Jesus is not a one-size-fits-all proposition.  Listening and obeying is risky.  It leaves room for human error: Is it really God speaking to me? How do I know it is God not the spicy Indian food I ate the other day? This is the point: I can communicate with Him and ask questions, and He answers through the Bible. Hear, His voice is right at our finger tips in His written Word. Just listen and obey.  Rarely is it all that complicated.  We argue.  We contemplate.  We ask three friends if they think it was really God’s voice and the moment passes.  We don’t obey.  And we miss out on the divine.

Listening and obeying must be done.  I cannot rely on someone to listen to God for me.  It doesn’t work. In a world where everything is prepackaged, Christianity doesn’t seem to work.  It is too difficult.  Many are far too busy to do something so silly as listen. You cannot purchase God’s plan for your life at your local Christian bookstore.  They don’t have it.  He doesn’t come prepackaged. God knows the outcome of our obedience:  Obedience changes the world, and disobedience perpetuates the ho-hum (Micah 6).

real questions: 3 in 1?

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Ned Anzers: The idea of the Trinity seems farfetched. How can three persons be one God?

Though the word “Trinity” is not found anywhere in the Bible, the theology behind it is seen throughout. The Trinity does not follow logic, but we must understand that theology is not always logical. In mathematics 1+1+1=3, but in the Theology Proper 1+1+1=1. John Wesley once said, “Tell me how it is that in this room there are three candles but one light, and I will explain to you the Trinity.”

I believe in one Triune God, eternally existing in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—co-eternal in being, co-identical in nature, co-equal in power and glory, and having the same attributes and perfections. (Duet.6:4). The Trinity is the doctrine that God is one essence in three co-eternal, co-equal persons (Mt. 3:13-17; Mt.28:19-20; Gen.1:1, 1:26; Jn.1:1, 20:28; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor.13:14).

The Bible clearly states that God is One (Ex.20:2-3; Duet.6:4; 1 Cor.8:4). I do not believe in Tri-theism (three separate Gods), but only one God. However, it is correct to say that there are three members of the Godhead. First, God the Father is God (Eph.1:3; 1 Cor.8:6). Second, God the Son is God (John 1:1-14; John 8:58; John 20:30-31; Phil.2:6-8). Third, God the Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-5; 1 Cor.3:16). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are united together as One as is seen in the Great Commission (Mt.28:19-20) and the baptism of Jesus (Mt.3:13-17).

In conclusion, God eternally exists as three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and each person is fully God, and there is one God. Broken down, this amounts to three propositions: God is three persons. Each person is fully God. There is one God. In addition, it’s helpful to elaborate on the fact that when we say, “God is three persons,” we mean that he is not just one person, and that the persons of the Trinity are not to be confused. So we can also say: The Father is God. The Son is God. The Holy Spirit is God. The Father is not the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is not the Father. The Holy Spirit is not the Son, and the Son is not the Holy Spirit. The Son is not the Father, and the Father is not the Son.

Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 226

The diagram is adapted from Answering Islam: The Crescent in Light of the Cross by Norman L. Geisler and Abdul Saleeb

agree to disagree & the exploding lawnmower

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Last night, I was mowing my lawn. I love to mow the lawn, seriously. While mowing, my lawnmower unexpectedly and ferociously exploded. Metal shrapnel flew from its side. The funny thing is that I did not tuck and roll away, but I just stood there in shock and awe. In actuality, the explosion wasn’t all that powerful, I just like exaggerating the story for dramatic effect.

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Gaining a right perspective isn’t always easy. As the old saying goes, “There are always two sides to every story.” There were two blind men were describing the same elephant. One described a short, skinny trunk while the other was certain the tail was long and fat. Truth is, the men were holding opposite ends of the elephant. While their descriptions were accurate, their facts were flawed. Both men were correct in their assessment but wrong in their conclusion. The men were both unwilling to accept the other’s perspective.

How is it possible that two honest people can describe the same experience in categorically opposite ways? Take Solomon for example. He was a real wise guy, and he understood the power of having a right perspective. When two women claimed the same baby as their own, he offered to help by cutting the child in half. One of the mothers decided to save the baby because seeing the baby live became most important. Solomon’s offer was more than a compromise. This was the ultimate test for this mom. For her, having nothing was better than having something. She was willing to give up her baby in order to give it life, and the end she prevailed.

Most disagreements are rooted in selfishness (James 4:1-2). We fail to acknowledge other valid perspectives. Some who disagree are not capable of differentiating between opinion and truth, and often exaggerate their stories to fit their perspectives. We must continually ask ourselves: have I objectively listened to all sides of the story? Am I responding biblically?

Disagreement is an opportunity to gain broader perspectives, important insight and respect for the opinions of others. Disagreements can serve as a way to demonstrate compassion, genuine interest in others as well as build bridges. Though consensus may never come, and compromise may not be accomplished agreeing to disagree may be all that is possible. Nonetheless, I Peter 3:8 serves as an excellent guide when approaching one another with conflicting perspectives. “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.”

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Well, I am off to shop for a new lawnmower!!