Salvation Archives - Page 7 of 11

Christmas Story: From Cynic To Saint

December 17, 2013 by EnnisP Leave a Comment

Ritual Means Little
If The Heart Hasn’t Changed

As I mentioned in a previous post, the phrase “Christmas Story” encompasses far more than just a nativity scene. There are other related events and people that add a lot of color and meaning but receive nothing more than a passing glance. Leaving them out means we get only a partial picture.

Zacharias Is A Good Example

One person connected to the birth story that gets very little attention is Zacharias. His story is found in the first chapter of Luke and takes place six months before the conception of Jesus.

Let me share his experience.

Serving But Possibly Cynical

The story opens with a few background details about Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth.

He is a priest and they are described as righteous and blameless (upstanding) but childless. They are also well beyond their child bearing years. Not a happy state since children were believed to be a sign of God’s blessing. Culturally it was considered shameful not to have kids.

At the time of the story Zacharias is in the Temple burning incense and something very unusual happens. An angel appears and tells him very matter-of-factly that his prayers have been heard. He and Elizabeth will have a son whose name will be John.

There couldn’t have been a more appropriate time for the angel to appear. Incense was symbolic of prayer and this is obviously something for which Zacharias and Elizabeth had prayed. His response, however, was anything but believing. Instead of humbly accepting this good news and being thankful he was skeptical. His response: [Read more…] about Christmas Story: From Cynic To Saint

Christmas Story: The Big Picture

December 16, 2013 by EnnisP 1 Comment

A Camel Passing Through
The Eye Of A Needle
Is Nothing
Compared To The Incarnation

When a person says or hears the words “Christmas” or “Christmas Story” what usually comes to mind? The answer is obvious. A manger scene, including: a barn stall, feeding trough (with hay), a baby, a new mother, a few shepherds, maybe the wise men and a collection of farm animals.

That picture is “Christmas.”

Well, that may be the public’s favorite part of the story but it certainly doesn’t cover all the details. It is only one moment in a long chain of events.

Several other things happened before and after the actual birth of Jesus, over the space of several months and involving people not included in the nativity, which are significant also, albeit not as publicly appealing. The list is long.

Along with Joseph, Mary, the wise men, the shepherds and Herod the Great, there is also:

Zacharias (father of John the Baptist) – a priest who comes across as bored and possibly cynical about his part in Temple ceremonies.
His wife Elizabeth
Simeon
Anna
And John the Baptist

Since Jesus was born in a barn only because there was no room in the Inn we don’t need to mention the Inn Keeper. He never appears in the nativity but his part is represented in the stories that accompany the scene. He isn’t a neglected or forgotten element to the story.

Long List of Miracles

And the same thing could be said about miracles. Even though the Virgin Birth gets most of the attention there is a long list of other miracles some of which are never mentioned:

The incarnation
Joseph’s dream
The appearing of angels to Zacharias – they announced the conception of Zacharias’ first child, John, which he refused to believe without an additional sign. The angel wasn’t enough.
The muting of Zacharias – the sign he got.
The conception of John the Baptist (his parents were very old)
The re-enabling of Zacharias’ speech.
The vision and prophecy of Simeon
The discernment of Anna
The angels’ announcement to the shepherds
The Christmas star that guided the wise men to Judea
And the sparing of Jesus’ life till he was safely established in Galilee

But there is one miracle, the biggest of all, that is rarely discussed. That is the miracle of transforming God the Son into the form of a human. [Read more…] about Christmas Story: The Big Picture

Rob Bell: What We Talk About When We Talk About God

April 18, 2013 by EnnisP 1 Comment

God Is “Fundamentally
Beyond Words,
Phrases And Forms”

In What We Talk About When We Talk About God, Rob Bell intrigues us with a perspective that seems to flaunt both religious and scientific tradition. Not just religion and not just science but both. Not the basics of either system, not the validity of either and certainly not God.

Tradition he implies, is restrictive whether it be science or religion. Both run on well worn conversational tracks that leave huge gaps in the dialogue and Tradition’s natural tendency is to ignore the questions glaring out through those gaps.

For example, Rob mentions several scientific observations that contradict established theory and makes one wonder just how precisely nature can really be defined.

Time is relative. It’s consistency is a persistent illusion.
Every nine years our bodies are renewed – the material our bodies are made of literally becoming the substance of other bodies and things – but in spite of that you still remain you.
He quotes Jeffrey Kluger who says scientists are now “grappling with something bigger than mere physics, something that defies the mathematical and brushes up – at least fleetingly – against the spiritual.”

Rob also points out a few religious ideas that don’t add up.

The statements religious people make that imply God is somewhere else, rather than everywhere, and shows up on the odd occasion to do some particular person a favor.
The modern religious idea that leads one to think that “spiritual” describes only non-material, non-tangible objects. It only applies to things not in this world.
The tendency for religious people to oppose peace, causing trouble in the process.

Both sides say and do things that don’t make sense.

But to be clear, Rob isn’t vying with tradition, he’s just trying to fill the gaps.

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And again, like his other books, particularly Love Wins, he makes us think.

Be warned though. Rob isn’t trying to prove anything absolutely or make you agree with him. In fact, his ideas, though clearly illustrated, point more to the inability of humans to box truth in. Truth, like God, may be immutable but our ability to know it all, understand it accurately and articulate it exactly is in question. [Read more…] about Rob Bell: What We Talk About When We Talk About God

Believer vs Christian vs Religious

January 28, 2013 by EnnisP 3 Comments

Christian Character
Unlike Salvation
Requires Time

The words “believer,” “Christian” and “religious” are often and wrongly used interchangeably.

If we want to know if a person is a “believer,” we ask if he or she is a “Christian” when neither term guarantees the other. Being apparently “Christian” doesn’t guarantee one is a “believer” and becoming a “believer” (saved) doesn’t guarantee a full, immediate and irreversible changeover to only Christian ideals. These terms are not synonymous.

It also doesn’t help that any person referred to as “religious” is generally assumed to be both a believer and Christian-like. Even believers, the ones who should know better, get the tags mixed up, which only adds to the confusion.

These terms are similar, yes. They overlap in some ways, yes. But the differences are significant.

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There is no guarantee a person will live a Christian life or get involved in religion just because they believe.

Some believers – good salt-of-earth types – never go to church or adopt the lingo associated with church goers. Their problem isn’t with God or truth but with church and the people who attend.
They are Christian-like in the sense they are honest, reliable, generous, patient and so on, but don’t make in-your-face claims about how Christian they are.

Even though we hate to admit it, we know this is possible based on what the Bible teaches.

Attempting to display Christian qualities (being a good person) or engaging in religious activity is neither the means nor the proof of salvation. The opposite is also true. Lacking certain qualities or failing to engage religiously may baffle us but it doesn’t rule out the possibility a person is a true believer.

The person who is genuinely saved won’t always be overtly Christian or religious. Belief is a separate issue to Christian living and both are separate to religion.

We know this to be true but still use the terms without distinguishing one from another. It’s been done this way so long, people do it without thinking. Semantic confusion at it’s worst. Fortunately we are sensible enough not to do this in other areas. Fishing equipment is a good example. Even though fishing poles, seines and spear guns have a common purpose no one mistakes one for the other. The terms are never used interchangeably.

But mention the words “believer,” “Christian” and “religious” and things get blurred. Please allow me to explain why that should change. The differences are bigger and more significant than you might think. [Read more…] about Believer vs Christian vs Religious

Love Wins – Faith vs Works vs Religion

March 29, 2012 by EnnisP 2 Comments

Shouldn’t Faith Produce Works
Shouldn’t Religion Encourage It

In his book, Love Wins, Rob Bell mentioned several things Christians should do. Many of those “do’s” involve social, charitable, environmental, and ecological activities and he was accused of teaching salvation by works because of it.

A first reading might give that impression but once you get over the initial “whaaaat?”, and you’ve had a chance to investigate further you realize Rob said nothing of the kind.

In fact, he made it quite clear that salvation is strictly a unilateral proposition. God’s part only, no human part required, except, of course, repentance and faith.

A couple of quotes to whet your appetite: [Read more…] about Love Wins – Faith vs Works vs Religion