A suggested way to share Jesus with a Hindu

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 "Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5 For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6 yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."

Introduction

Over the years I have had opportunities here and there to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with adherents of the Hindu religion. One time I had the opportunity to sit down with a man who is a devout Hindu. In all the conversations I have had over the years with people of non-Christian religions, none have been kinder than the beautiful Indian people who adhere to the Hindu religion. However, God's issue with all unbelievers is not their niceness, or lack thereof, but that they are not right with Him through Jesus Christ. 

Today I want to share a method of sharing the Gospel that God could use in the event you ever come in contact with any devotees of Eastern religion or any worldview for that matter. I used this method with the dear man above. To my knowledge, he has not yet responded to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit would lead him and other people in the Hindu world to a saving knowledge of the truth through faith and repentance in Jesus Christ. Christian apologist Dr. William Lane Craig's definition of evangelism is an excellent reminder of Who is the true evangelist in all our conversations: "Evangelism is where we communicate Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results up to God."

Laying out four words for sharing the Bible's Gospel message with Hindus

When my friend came to me and we sat down, the very first thing I did was to outline for him the entire Bible in four words. Now before I give you the four words, I must say that when dealing with Hindus or any other adherent of any non-Christian religion, it is more important for you to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ than it is to know details about the opposing religion. As valuable as apologetics (defending the faith against non-Christian belief systems) can be and as vital as it is to have a familiarity with the tenets of the opposing belief system, it must be remembered that the Holy Spirit's effective work through the Gospel will win the soul to Jesus. 

With that said, I will list out the four words that I used with my Hindu friend in summarizing the Bible, and then briefly break them down as I did to him:

1. Creation

2. Fall

3. Cross

4. 2nd Coming

Why emphasize creation, fall, cross and 2nd coming?

Why begin with these four fundamental truths? Simply because we Christians living in America are under the mistaken assumption that everyone knows what they are and mean. Lack of spiritual vitality in our churches ought to be evidence enough to show that not everyone is as familiar with the Gospel as claimed. Furthermore, my Hindu friend had never read a Bible, nor even knew what a Bible was. Understand that this young man is highly educated and successful business owner. We all need to be reminded of and re-exposed to the four truths above everyday. 

Breaking down the Bible's salvation message in four words to show Hindus the Savior Jesus Christ

1. Creation. 

I began with Genesis 1 and creation because in the Hindu religion, there are many gods, not one Supreme, All-Powerful Creator who alone is God. Hinduism as a belief system has several versions of how the world began and in many cases, their view of the universe is that it is an endless cycle of birth-rebirth. Knowing that my friend was not familiar with the Bible, I tried to keep Bible references to a minimum. The ones I used for this first point were:

a. Genesis 1:1 This is to assert that God is the Creator of all reality.

b. Genesis 1:26 This was to assert that the God of the Bible is the Creator of humanity as well as reality

c. 1 Corinthians 8:6 This passage reaffirms the Monotheism (belief in One God) of the Old Testament and the fact that Jesus the Son shares equally in that Divine nature and is God. 

Now why did I include Christ's Deity? Because in Hinduism, there is the belief that their many gods have the ability to appear in the forms of men and animals. Nothing is unique. However my aim in sharing this with my Hindu friend was to show that the God of the Bible is unique, and that Jesus Christ is the Unique revelation of God and thus the Creator. So point one of outlining the Bible with a Hindu is: Creation.

2. Fall. 

My next point with my Hindu friend dealt with the fall and rebellion of man in the Garden of Eden. Mind you that this intelligent man had never heard of the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve nor the account of the Creation and Fall. 

To the Hindu, the whole point of their religion is to escape the endless cycle of Sanasara (some spell it "samsara") or Karma. In Hinduism, people are endlessly born, dying and being reborn as different life forms. Depending upon how morally one lives in this life and how much ritual one participates in will, in the Hindu mind, determine whether one has "good Karma" or "bad Karma". Karma is a Hindu word referring to "works or deeds" and is essentially a debt-based system of works salvation. Sansara is likened to a wheel of sorts, wherein a person keeps literally going around in circles. "Sansara" and its related concept "karma" portray a person trying to live good enough in this life to have a better spot in the next. The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to escape "Sansara" (which my friend readily affirmed in our conversation) and to achieve "Moksha" or union with the Universal Soul.

In Hinduism, the underlying principle is that you are never good enough, never will be good enough and thus you need to keep working harder and living better to escape that iron-clad law. The whole concept of "Karma" then is how Hinduism explains the evil in our world, even though in the final analysis the evil we see is not the true and ultimate reality, but what the Hindus call "maya" or illusion.

The Bible of course paints a different picture. There was a literal Adam and Eve and a serpent named Satan who came to tempt them. Passages such as Romans 5:12 summarize for us the events of the fall, namely that through one man sin entered into the world, and through sin came death upon us all. The point of bring up this detail was to show my Hindu friend that evil and sin are not illusory, but realities that intruded into the perfect creation made by God. At this point it is useful to bring out that this life is the only life you got, and that there is no "sansara" or endless wheel of Karma, birth, death and rebirth. Salvation is not escape from an endless cycle of nothingness but escape from wrath and reconciliation to the Creator. This leads naturally into the third main point of the Bible and sharing Jesus with a Hindu...

3. Cross

Why call this point "cross" rather than "salvation"? Hindus need to know that salvation is historical, personal and one-time achieved. The same God who created all things and Whose name and love was rejected by Adam and Eve in favor of a Tree is by nature obligate to show wrath but desires to show mercy. In tying together this point, I began with God's response to Adam and Eve, judgment, followed by mercy. Without going into too much detail, Genesis 3:15-21 demonstrates that Adam and Eve both looked to God in faith for their salvation. His killing of two innocent animals in their place and covering their nakedness and shame set the pattern for salvation: the shedding of innocent blood on behalf of grace led believing, repenting sinners. 

The slaying of innocents in the Garden of Eden would serve to point to the ultimate slaying of the innocent Son in His humanity. For my friend, Romans 5:8 served quite well for this point: "God demonstrated His own love for us in this that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In Hinduism, the many deities they worship view human beings a pawns on the chessboard of fate, sources for their amusement. The many deities of Hinduism range from being impersonal forces to deities that are as subject to failure as we are. A major "honor/shame" theme runs through all the many varied forms of the Hindu religion. The Gospel is unique in that it is underscored by a "Grace/forgiveness" theme, meaning that God chooses to save whomever He wills based entirely upon His desire to love. God wants to save as many people as possible. Nothing we can do can earn His favor. Period.  

All who believe on Jesus do so because of grace, calling them and keeping them until they are in Heaven with Him. All who persist in unbelief and die and go to hell do so because of their own doing. 

The cross utterly smashes the Hindu system because it asserts that God who made everything became nothing so that we who are nothing could by grace through faith become more valuable than everything He made. So we have creation, fall and cross, but there is one more point in this suggested way of sharing the Gospel with a Hindu...

4. 2nd Coming. 

My Hindu friend at this point is listening very intently and as I am sharing with him I am praying the whole time. At points along the way when I did mention something about Hinduism, I would ask him if what I shared was correct. This is done for two reasons: to make sure he knows I am trying to get to know him and secondly, to make sure I am operating in the realm of truth rather than lies. 

One of the things we have repeated in this post is how much Hindus view reality and life as an endless cycle. 

It has been noted that when Jesus came to this world, he took mankind's cyclical view of life and stretched it out to be one line with a beginning, middle and end. The beginning is creation, of which Jesus is the very embodiment thereof. The middle is the cross, upon which He died and then conquered death in His resurrection. Why? Due to the fall that took place near the beginning and to be the redeemer of all men, especially those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:10). The end point is of course Jesus' second coming. Hinduism knows of no end to history or life. However Jesus' second coming underscores the fact that He who is the Author and Finisher of faith (Hebrews 12:1) is the Author and Finisher of everything. How you are related to Him (faith or unbelief) will tell you your destination. 

My friend of course was unfamiliar with Heaven and Hell, judgment and heaven. To ensure that such truths were not just abstract ideas, centering the end of the conversation on Christ's second coming enables the conversation to end where it really began: upon Jesus Christ.

Final thoughts:

I wish I could tell you that the Hindu man to which I had spoken readily responded to the Gospel. For five minutes he sat in stunned silence. I gently said to him: "I can tell you are thinking over what was said, what are your thoughts?" The man told me that for him, we are all the same. The only response I could give him was: "dear friend, your response and the look upon your face tells me you believe otherwise. We are indeed quite different". Politely he got up and shook my hand and I never saw him again. I would ask you to pray for that man and for the Hindu world of over 1 billion Hindus. Let me close with Isaiah 55:10-11 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

The uniqueness of Christian Theism

Acts 28:28-31 "Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”29 [When he had spoken these words, the Jews departed, having a great dispute among themselves.]
30 And he stayed two full years in his own rented quarters and was welcoming all who came to him,31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered."

Introduction:
In yesterday's post we began considering various worldviews and focused particular on theism. We noted that "theism" is simply referring to belief in God. After considering some detailed explanations of "theism in general", we concluded by noting how "theism in general" is based upon four key ideas about God: 

1). Creator 
2). Eternal 
3). Providential 
4). Miraculously revealing

When doing evangelism, the Christian presents not just "theism in general", but a specific type of theism - namely Christian theism. Among the world-religions, three (and sometimes a fourth) are included under the umbrella of "theism". In a moment we will look at Christian theism (the focus of today's post) and show how its uniqueness sets it apart as the only worldview that can be consistently presented by the Christian and withstand assault from would-be attacks. It will be proposed in today's post that Christian Theism's uniqueness in comparison to other worldviews is what it sets it apart among its would-be contenders. 

The uniqueness of Christian Theism as the mark of its genuiness and effectiveness as a worldview
Let's briefly consider the three other worldviews that people place under this general designation of "theism". 

1. Judaism. 
2. Islam.
3. Mormonism.

Now the question is, how do these proposed versions of "theism" compare to Christian theism? I would propose that unlike the other three - Christian theism's uniqueness is what sets it apart from the other three. I will show this by considering the four traits of "general theism" above and seeing how Christian theism and the other three perform.

1. God as Creator.
In the discussions we saw yesterday, God as an Eternal, changeless, spaceless, self-sufficient, all powerful, all knowing and necessary Being is the first premise of standard Theism. The "self-sufficiency" of the Eternal God - whereby God was in no need to create the universe and would not had been different if He hadn't - cannot be maintained without considering the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinititarian doctrine asserts that the Father, Son and Spirit have perpetually related with and within one another. God as One God exists with the Three Persons. A Self-relating God has no need for creation - and has maximal freedom to choose whether or not to create. None of the other worldviews claiming to be theistic contain the doctrine of the Trinity.

Hence Christian Theism, with its unique doctrine of the Trinity - alone and consistently asserts the true and living God of Theism. Within Judaism and Islam, God has no way of relating within Himself. Mormonism does not assert Monotheism (belief in One God) but is more akin to polytheism (belief in multiple Deities), with their version of the "Father" being one deities in a long line of deities. Hence Mormonism would technically not even be considered true Theism by definition. Only Trinitarian Christian Theism can consistently, reasonably and thus uniquely declare the True and living Creator God.

2. God as Eternal
In this definition of eternity is included the idea of God being a Necessary being - meaning that if God did not exist, nothing else would. To put it another way, God is His own explanation for why He exists and thus is also His own standard for what is Good, is timeless and changeless. Islam declares that "Allah" wills what is good or evil, and thus such designations are not a part of His eternal character. Judaism again asserts God as being Eternal, just like Christianity, however the fully self-relating concept of God as existing within Three-interrelating Persons is not included in Judaism's standard definition of God's eternal existence. Mormonism, again, conceives of a string of greater and lesser deities that independently are not eternal. Once more, Christian Theism most fully articulates this point of God's eternality. 

3. Providential
Can God regularly intervene in the affairs of His creation? Islam and Judaism are silent on this score. Mormonism claims a version of this intervention - however with their concept of the Deity as really being a string of "deities", the doctrine of God's intervention and preservation of history to an intended end cannot be logically and consistently maintained. 

In Christian theism, we see the Spirit of God working in the active sustaining of creation and the moving forward of history (Romans 8:21-25). The Son is also included in the preservation and holding together of all things (Colossians 1:16-17). Then the Father exercises His will to bring together whatsoever comes to pass (Ephesians 1:11). The One God of the Bible exists equally and Eternally in all three Persons, with each Person perfectly expressing the fulness of Deity and the glory of the other two Persons. To put it more clearly - God's providential involvement in Christian Theism is Highly Personal and interpersonal. This uniqueness once again sets Christian theism apart.

4. Miraculously revealing
Christian theism has been seen to be unique and  set apart from its competitors due to the unique Trinitarian nature of the One God. In this final point, the miraculous work of God and thus His revelatory activity are uniquely revealed in Christian Theism in ways unheard of in the other versions. For one thing, Judaism and Islam no nothing of an incarnation. Furthermore, both (in different ways) do not focus their belief systems around Jesus. Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ is the full revelation of God in human flesh (John 1:14). The Person of the Son has assumed flesh and truly reveals God because He is God (Colossians 2:9). Mormonism's version of Jesus assumes a body, however since they do not believe in Monotheism, the Mormon Jesus cannot be considered an incarnation of God - but only some sort of lesser deity or spiritual being. 

The second unique trait of Christian theism in regards to God's miraculous revelatory activity is the resurrection of Jesus. Islam denies Jesus ever died on the cross, and has nothing substantive to say when it comes to the resurrection. Judaism conceives of resurrection as something that will occur at the end of history, and thus the idea of any resurrection occuring beforehand is foreign to their worldview. 

Mormonism tends to focus more on alleged appearances of their version of Jesus in the Americas than his resurrection. Also, unlike the Biblical Christ, the Mormon accounts of their version of Jesus appearing in the Americas cannot be corroborated by historical investigation. Moreover, the Book of Mormon is silent on details such as the empty tomb and the discovery of such by the disciples. 

Thirdly, the Bible itself is unique in that it has verified fulfilled prophecy. Neither the Quran nor the book of Mormon has any examples. 

We could go on, but in this post we have explored Christian theism from the standpoint of its uniqueness. When engaging in dialogue with other non-Christian worldviews, we must be sure that when asserting and defending Theism - that we specify Christian Theism. 

Introducing the worldview of theism

Acts 17:23-27 "For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore whatyou worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you. 24 The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; 25 nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; 26 and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determinedtheir appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, 27 that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."

Introduction: Understanding the significance of worldview discussions (i.e how you view the world and why?) 
Anytime we discuss matters worldview, we are in effect explaining how we view the world, and why we view it as such. Worldview discussions aim to answer major questions like: 

1). Where did we come from? 
2). Why are we here? 
3). How did the moral conditions of our world arise? and 
4). Where is our world heading? Such types of questions undergird practical everyday life. 

Whenever we talk to different types of people, it is very clear in our discussions with non-Christians, the approach to such issues as truth, morality, the nature of reality and art is driven by one's worldview. Christian Apologist Doug Powell's book "Holman Quick Source Guide to Christian Apologetics" lists eight different worldviews that describe every belief system on our planet. I'll briefly define each and then zero in on the last one - which is the focus of today's post:

1). Atheism = there is no God
2). Agnosticism = we can't know there is a God or not
3). Pantheism = everything, including the universe, is Divine
4). Panentheism = All the universe is contained in the Divine (as a soul in a body), and hence the Divine and the universe are indistinguishable
5). Finite Godism = The is a god, however He is limited either in power or in goodness
6). Polytheism = belief in many gods
7). Deism = God wound up the creation, like a clock, and then left it to run on its own.
8). Monotheism (or Theism) = belief in One Personal, Eternal, Immaterial, Creator God that created all things, sustains all things and interacts with his creatures. 

The final worldview in Powell's listing, "Monotheism", will remain the focal point of today's study. Monotheism ("mono" = "one" and "theism" meaning "God") will be from hereon described as "Theism", since in theological and philosophical discussion, to be a "theist" is in most cases refering to "monotheism" and vice-versa. 

Why "theism" in general, and "Christian theism" in particular are relevant to the Christian?
Today's post aims to understand what is meant when we talk about "Thiesm" and more specifically, "Christian Theism". The reason why this is so important for the Christian is due to the need to communicate the Gospel to unbelievers and to answer the objections raised by critics of Christianity - specifically the so-called "New Atheism". Christianity rests upon the New Testament's presentation and explanation of the arrival, ministry, death and ressurection of Jesus of Nazareth. New Testament passages such as John 1:14 and 1 Timothy 3:16 assert that Jesus is no less than the incarnation and revelation of the True and living God of the Old Testament. Christianity's focal point is Jesus Christ and He being truly God and truly man. Without consideration of Christian theism, the Old and New Testaments are rendered unintelligible and all that Jesus claimed to be and achieved cannot be grasped apart from this fundamental truth of Christian theism. 

Before we talk about Christian theism in particular, let's first define what we mean by "theism" in general. 

Defining Theism in general
The word "theism" derives from the Greek word translated "God", namely -"theos". Simply put - a "theist" is a person who asserts belief in God. It is interesting to note how much "theists" and "theism" are discussed among Christian and secular literature. Two examples will suffice to demonstrate this point and also to expand upon what is meant by the worldview of "theism". 

First, Christian Apologists Norman Geisler and Peter Bocchino in their book: "Unshakable Foundations", page 60, offer the following explanation of general theism: "They (theists) believe in the existence of God and see His existence as an essential component of the theistic worldview. Theists are convinced that the universe had a supernatural First Cause who is infinitely powerful and intelligent. An infinite God is both beyond and manifests Himself in the universe. This God is a personal God, separate from the world, who created the universe and sustains it. Theists believe that God can act within the universe in a supernatural way." 

Secondly, The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Volume 8, page 97, offers a similar definition of theism to that of Geisler/Bocchino (mind you, the Encyclopedia was written 30 years prior to Geisler/Bocchino): "signifies belief in one God (theos) who is (a) personal, (b) worthy of adoration, (c) separate from the world but (d) continuously active in it."

If we were to summarize these two definitions of theism, we can say the following:

1). God is the Creator. Theists in the strictist theological and philosophical definition believe there is One God that by nature is an immaterial, all intelligent mind that is infinite in His abilities, perfectly good and the Creator of the universe.

2). God, the Creator, Eternally self-sufficient and thus distinguished from the universe, His creation. This One God necessarily exists - meaning that He is His own explanation for His own existence, is uncaused and exists with or without the universe. The universe, on the other hand, requires this One God for its existence and thus had a beginning. Hence, the God of Theism is to be distinguished from the universe.

3). The One Creator God, Eternally Self-Sufficient, guides all things by His Providence. This One God of Theism who is the infinite, personal Creator can and chooses to interract with the universe He made. This same God also sustains the universe and guides it to its intended end - to make visible and plain His infinite perfection (i.e His glory). All of these activities fit under what theologians call God's "providence". In other words, "providence" refers to God's "foresight" and exercise of His power in guiding all that He has made to His intended end. This practically expresses how the universe and life itself contains meaning and has purpose. 

4). One Creator God, Eternally self-sufficient and Providential, can also intevene and reveal Himself miraculously. Since this One God of Theism is the Creator who Providentially guides the universe and all of history to their intended end, we can add that this implies the possibility of the miraculous in the universe. A miracle is an infrequent act of God whereby He enhances or alters the known physical laws in a religiously significant context to make known His specific will and identity. 

Therefore we see "general theism" or "theism in general" predicated upon four key truths about God: 

1). Creator 
2). Eternal 
3). Providential 
4). Miraculously revealing.

Ingredients for Godly living

1 Corinthians 4:1 "Let a man regard us in this manner, asservants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God."

Introduction:

We live our lives before men and before God. A Christian's speech will not be given audience until they first have demonstrated that they have actions to back up their claims. I can recall my dad working at a company among non-Christian people. Except on rare occassions, none of the other employees gave him the time of day until roughly 1 year into the experience. They knew he was a Christian - however so many other people making such claims had turned out to be poor examples. God in His grace had enabled my dad to gradually gain their respect, and in time they would seek him out for counsel and advice. Godly living is so crucial in a godless world. The Apostle Paul was attempting to convey to his readers the ingredients necessary for Godly living and ministry. Such ingredients were vital - since Paul aimed to be an example among a people who questioned his ministry and people who were trying to undermine what God was doing at the church of Corinth. Today's post aims to list out in short order five ingredients necessary for Godly living.

1. Servant's heart. 1 Corinthians 4:1

In this opening verse of 1 Corinthians 4:1, Paul tells his readers to regard he and his companions as "servants of Christ". The Greek word translated "servant" brings to mind an "under-rower". These slaves were in the bottoms of galley ships, chained  to the floors and were situated in rows of benches - rowing in unison to provide propulsion to the Roman ships. If the ship went down - so did they. A servant of Jesus Christ in this manner will serve Him no matter what. So to be Godly, we must have a servant's heart. Notice secondly...

2. Stewardship of faithfulness. 1 Corinthians 4:1

In this instance we are not speaking only of the handling of tithes and offerings (although such practices fit under the principle laid out in this text). On  broader level, we are speaking of how the godly person views their life relative to God. In Jesus Christ I am taken out of ownership and put into management. How well are you and I taking care of what God has given us? Godliness includes being a good steward of the sphere of influence He has given us. So to be Godly, we must have a servant's heart, be stewards, then thirdly...

3. Awareness of God. 1 Corinthians 4:2-4

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:2-4 "In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. 3 But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or byany human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. 4 For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord." The last phrase of verse 4 brings together everything we have said thus far - namely "the one who examines me is the Lord". To know that I am in God's presence and that He knows every thought I say, every word I speak changes (or at least should affect) how I live my life. Walking with God entails cultivating a continual awareness of Him. You and I may not consciously think of the oxygen we breath. However if the amount of it were to alter - we would notice! To know that He is the source of my strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and to know He never leaves me nor forsakes me (Hebrews 13:5) enables me to walk out the Godly life. So in Godly living, I aim to serve, be a good steward and cultiivate an awareness of His presence. Notice what else is needed for Godly living....

4. Eternal perspective. 1 Corinthians 4:5-6

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:5-6  "Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. 6 Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other." Why do we sometimes find ourselves wanting to get out of the saddle so-to-speak? One word - impatience. Like the little child who cannot see beyond their nose - Christians get impatient in their walks with God. We use this world as our reference point - rather than God. Henry Blackaby has often noted how the Christian life is to be radically oriented around God. As we seek first His Kingdom - all other things will be added in their proper order and time (see Matthew 6:33). 

Patience comes with proper perspective. An eternal perspective on things understands that the rate of circumstances is exactly the way God wants them. Focusing on the things above gives perspective as to how to live out among the things here below (see Colossians 3:1-3). So to be Godly, I need to serve, be a steward, be aware of God and have an eternal perspective. Now lets notice one final trait....

5. Dependance on God. 1 Corinthians 4:7

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:7 "For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?" If we would see our selves as insufficient - and Christ as all sufficient - so would end our preoccupation with ourselves. Human autonomy is a lie, for only One is Autonomous, Self-sufficient and the source of His own being - God. Everything in our lives has been granted directly or indirectly by God. Godly living embraces this principle. 

Thus to realize that I own nothing is to have everything. To enjoy everything in life means that I own nothing. This is not a word-play - this is Gospel truth! Godly people find competiveness and comparison with other people to be a waste of time. God and God alone is their source. Would it be in my pursuit of Godliness that service to Him, stewardship, awareness of Him, eternal perspective and dependance upon Him be found in increasing measure.  

The practical areas over which Jesus Christ exercises His Lordship in Luke 6

Luke 6:46-48  - “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, thetorrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built."

Introduction:
Yesterday we ended our post on defining Christ's Lordship with how His authority transforms the hearts of those yielded to it. Certainly we may well begin with the attitude of obedience or an "I have to" approach to our Christian life.  However as we become more closely acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ, He has a way of turning my "have-to's" into "want-to's". What begins as a duty of obedience becomes a delight of surrender. As you and I wave the white flag of surrender to Jesus Christ's Lordship, we are really waving the flag of victory in the Christian life. Today's post aims to understand certain matters that are touched upon by Christ's Lordship. Luke 6 both begins and ends with reference to Jesus Christ as Lord. Anyone who has ever had issue with Christ's rulership, their responsibility to Him and His right of Lordship has done so in at least one of the following areas mentioned in Luke 6. When we read about Jesus Christ's Lordship in Luke 6, we can note the following areas or matters touched by His Lordship...

1. Jesus is Lord of my rest. Luke 6:1-5
The Pharisees confronted Jesus and His disciples over their eating of some grain plucked from a field on the Sabbath day. In their dispute, they referenced their own traditions in indicting Jesus' disciples of being lawbreakers. However Jesus referred back to David and his men in 1 Samuel 21:6 to show that what they were doing was not unlawful. The power of precedent coupled with the fact that David and his men had been granted permission to partake of used bread designated for the priests cancelled out the Pharisees accusations. Then Jesus asserts His ultimate Lordship over the Sabbath day, referring back to its institution by God in Genesis 2:3-4. In short - Jesus is declaring Himself as God in human flesh and Lord of all. The Lord alone can grant rest or true contentment. 

2. Jesus is Lord of my health. Luke 6:6-11; 17-19
As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus exercised His Lordship in a second area - healing. In Luke 6:6-11 He heals a withered hand and in verses 17-19 He exorcises demons. The first asserts His right to perform that which is good in reversing the effects of the fall. It must be remembered that the Sabbath was instituted pre-fall and points forward to what will be the ultimate rest we look forward to as Christians in eternity (see Hebrews 4). The second set of verses demonstrate Jesus' Lordship over the demonic realm. There were several people who claimed to perform exorcisms - however Jesus is the only One who actually did them. True exorcism was unprecedented until Jesus came. All types of diseases were overuled by Christ's Lordship.

3. Jesus is Lord of my salvation. Luke 6:20-26
This third area of Lordship deals with spiritual matters. We know from passages such as Romans 10:9 that confession of Jesus' Lordship is central to saving. A new convert may not yet possess the clarity of understanding concerning His Lordship. Nevertheless, the new convert will at bear minimum recognize Jesus' authority to forgive sins. Jesus as Savior and as Lord cannot be separated. Like the bonds of two Hydrogen Atoms and one Oxygen Atom in a molecule of water, we cannot have the true water of life - Jesus Christ - without His Saviorship nor Lordship. 

4. Jesus is Lord in my relationships. Luke 6:27-36
Interestingly Jesus spends time instructing on loving one's enemies. We know we have taken to heart Jesus' Lordship when were able to exercise Christ-likeness to those who badly treat us. If we can express such Christ-likeness to enemies, moreso then to our family and friends.

5. Jesus is Lord in my finances. Luke 6:37-38
This is the area that many Christians tend to draw the line. Jesus can have any area - but my money is my money. The error in this thinking lies in the idea of us owning rights to anything. When we become Christians - God takes us out of ownership and puts us into management. Jesus' Lordship over our finances is the cornerstone of Biblical stewardship. Other passages such as Proverbs 3:7-9; Malachi 3:6-10 and 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 all assert God's right of ownership and expectation of us to take care of what He has given us. 

6. Jesus is Lord in my obedience. Luke 6:39-49
This final section all has to do with obedience. Building the Christian life on obedience to Christ's Lordship is like building a house upon a rock. some may recall that old children's song that was sung in Sunday School regarding building a house upon the rock vss building a rock upon the sand. I know when I sang that song as a child, little did I realize it was a song predicated upon the Lordship of Jesus Christ. 

Closing thoughts
I would encourage readers to take a closer look at Luke 6 and discover how Jesus functions in each of these areas. We must evaluate ourselves everyday as to how much we truly practice what we say we believe about Jesus right of Lordship over our lives. To the degree we aknowledge His right to tell us what to do will determine how much we grasp His rulership and thus our clear responsibility to follow Him. 

Understanding the meaning of Jesus' Lordship

Luke 6:46-48 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, thetorrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built."

Introduction
All the time at our house we tell our children that if they will do as we say, they will have a much more enjoyable experience than if they try to do it their way. The Christian's relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ operates on similar principles. To love Him is after all to do as He says. (John 14:21) Whenever we make Jesus Christ's Lordship our priority, there will be peace. 

Three words to think about when understanding Jesus Christ's Lordship or authority
Luke 6 begins and ends with the assertion of Jesus Christ being Lord. We've already established that Jesus Christ's Lordship is directly connected to the obligation and ultimately, the desire of the Christian to obey what He says. Lordship is ultimately about authority. We can summarize such authority by way of three words: rulership, responsibility and right. 

Rulership. When I say that Jesus Christ is Lord - I am referring to His authority of rulership. The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, page 700, explains further this concept of Christ's Lordship as it is found in the New Testament: "So a title whose basic thrust is to assert Jesus' present power and authority in the church and in the world leads the church to recognize that the authority is direct, not mediated, authority of God Himself. Jesus as Lord speaks not only of His work but of His person also, a fact made clear by the way the various NT writers use the OT." This is immediately demonstrated by Luke's record of Jesus' self-reference in Luke 6:5 as being "The Lord of the Sabbath". Amazingly this title used by Jesus ("Lord of the Sabbath") is an allusion to the first time we see the Divine name for God (Yahweh = LORD) used back in Genesis 2:3-4. It is in that text we see God/Yahweh asserting His absolute authority over the creation and instituting the Sabbath day as a commemoration of that fact. In short - when Jesus refers to Himself as "Lord of the Sabbath", He is saying in effect that He is God in the flesh (compare John 1:14; Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16).  

Responsibility. The second word we can use to understand the authority of Christ's Lordship is the responsibility all people have to heed Him. All people are responsibile to bow the knee in surrender to Jesus Christ - however not all willingly do so. Philippians 2:9-11 tells us that upon Jesus' ascension into heaven - the Father reinstated the title of "Lord" that expressed what He has already been from all eternity. From the perspective of unbelieving humanity - the jury is out on whether or not Jesus is Lord. Satan and the demonic realm refuse to acknowledge what they know to be the fact of Christ's Lordship. Regardless of what unbelievers, the demons and Satan may think - Jesus' Christ's Lordship is an uncontested reality. In heaven the Lordship of Jesus Christ is without question. In the church here on earth many confess its reality but of course not everyone yields consistently under His authority. Nonetheless what is a "not-yet" recognition of the "already" reality of Christ's Lordship will at the end of history and at His appearing be universally asserted. Unbelievers who die in their sins, the demons and Satan will bow the knee out of obligation. This is why it is so vital in the here-and-now to assert by grace through faith that "Jesus is Lord". We are responsible to Him - whether we delight in it or not. 

So we see that Christ's Lordship entails His rulership and our responsibility to Him. There is one final word we can use to complete our discussion of this important truth, namely...

Right. Does Jesus Christ as Lord have the right to tell you and me what to do? The right of Jesus Christ to have unlimited rulership in our lives and our responsibility to Him come to head in His right to be Lord. I am convinced that unless the Christian has had issue with the concept of Christ's Lordship on any level - Lordship's implications have not yet been grasped. Unless we are confronted with the rights He has over us, and unless we yield to that right - Christ's Lordship will be viewed as a fetter more than a friend.

Closing thought
Certainly we may well begin with the attitude of obedience or an "I have to" approach to our Christian life.  However as we become more closely acquainted with the Lord Jesus Christ, He has a way of turning my "have-to's" into "want-to's". What begins as a duty of obedience becomes a delight of surrender. As you and I wave the white flag of surrender to Jesus Christ's Lordship, we are really waving the flag of victory in the Christian life.

Introducing the Classical Method for doing apologetics

1 Peter 3:15 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, alwaysbeing ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yetwith gentleness and reverence".

Introducting the Classical method for doing apologetics
With the mandate made clear from yeaterday's post regarding the importance of apologetics, the next important area has to do with how to go about doing apologetics.  Several methods of defending the Christian faith have been proposed through the more than 2,000 year history of the Christian church. Today's post focuses on one of those methods - so-called "Classical Apologetics". The reason why this method is called "classical" is because it represents in one way or another the manner in which Christians have defended the Christian faith since the centuries following the Apostles. At the heart of this method is the notion that Christianity is the only reasonable worldview - hence faith and reason are viewed as friends rather than foes. 

Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner of Liberty University of the following description of classical apologetics:"the unbeliever is offered evidence of the existence of God, and the supposition is that the unbeliever can reasonably ascertain that this hypothesis is rational and cohesive". 1  Hindson and Caner then explain further the second area general covered by classical apologetics, namely: "The classical apologist further argues for the reliability of the special revelation (The Bible) as a reliable and authoritative word from God."2  

Author Doug Powell has this to say about the classical method: "The emphasis of classical apologetics is on reason. Christianity's logical soundness and internal coherence is exploited in this method. As a result, tests are developed and proofs are given that demonstrate the truthfulness of Christianity and the irrationality of competing worldviews."  Powell later adds: "The classical method is so called because it traces its roots back to the second century and the earliest apologists."3

When defending the Christian faith through the method of classical apologetics, at least two and sometimes three steps are followed in the course of the presentation. 

1. First, reasonable arguments are given to show the reasonability of the Christian faith. Such arguments include:

a. Showing God's existence from observations in the universe and science (i.e the cosmological argument)

b. The existence of objective moral values (i.e the moral argument)

c. How God is necessary for anything to exist (i.e the ontological argument) 

d. The evidence for design in the universe (also called the telelogical argument). 

2. The next phase will usually entail demonstrating the reliability of the Bible from the transmission of its words through the thousands of existing manuscripts to the archaeological evidence supporting the accounts we read in the Bible.

3. Usually the final phase will then be showing how the God of the Bible exists due to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Some classical apologists will combine this step and the defense of the scriptures, whereas others may only focus on either one. 


Endnotes:
1. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 64.

2. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 65.

3. Doug Powell. Holman Quicksource Guide to Christian Apologetics. Holman Publishers. 2006. Page 356. 

Briefly Defining Christian Apologetics and its value for the Christian

Acts 17:10-11 "The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went intothe synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."

1 Peter 3:15 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

Defining the term "apologetics"
In the opening text of today's post we see the mandate given by the Apostle Peter to defend the Christian's hope.  In fact the word translated "defense" is the Greek word "apologia" (a-po-lo-gee-a), from whence we derive the name of the branch of Christian theology called "apologetics".  When a Christian engages in apologetics, they are not saying they are "sorry" for being a Christian, rather they are given reasons to skeptical onlookers as to why they are so full of hope in an otherwise hopeless world.  Dr. R.C Sproul in a sermon entitled "apologetics" gives this definition of apologetics: "A well reasoned defense of the truth claims of the Christian faith." Any well rounded Christian should not only know "what they believe" but also "why they believe". 

In as much that apologetics deals with the defense of the Christian faith, it functions in an equal capacity of enriching the faith of those who already believe. The Bereans in Acts 17:11 we known as those who "searched the scriptures with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Think about it. The Bereans were young Christians who lived among pagan people. They had learned early on to exercise discernment when listening to anyone. They knew the scrolls of scripture that would have been circulating around at that time. No one could fool them and undoubtedly their faith was enriched as a result of constant sharpening in the things of God. Apologetics has immense value for both evangelism and Christian growth. 

Understanding the creation of man, his fall and need for salvation

Genesis 1:26-28 - Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;male and female He created them. 28 God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Introduction

Today's post aims to summarize what the Bible teaches about God's creation of human beings, their fall into sin and the hope of salvation. 

God made human beings

God made man out of the dust of the ground and endowed him with the capacity for a relationship with him. The former expresses man as a living soul in a physical body that expresses himself volitionally, emotionally and mentally (Genesis 2:7). The latter part of this statement is described in Genesis 1:26-28 as man being made in God’s image and likeness and endowed with the capacity for relationship, exercise of dominion and thus God’s co-regent here on earth (Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8). 

This creation of man did not derive from the mechanism of biological macro-evolution, natural selection or genetic mutation of interrelated species of monkeys and apes. Rather, the original Man and woman were unique creations of God that were spiritually unique from the rest of the animal kingdom. All subsequent generations are descended from Adam and Eve and still bear the image of God with respect to their still being accountable to Holy God despite the fall of our original parents.

Man rebelled against God, resulting in spiritual separation from God and the need for salvation

The fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden stands as ground zero for the entry of sin into the human race (Romans 5:12-21). All of Adam’s posterity has inherited his original disposition to think and act contrary to God’s will in favor of their own. When we speak of “nature”, we are referring to the manner in which a living being expresses its existence. 

When sin was introduced into the human race, the chief mode of expression would go from being “able not to sin” to that of “unable not to sin”. Another writer has noted that prior to the fall, man was morally and spiritually curved outward towards God, with Adam’s sin resulting in us becoming curved inward to ourselves. David describes this situation as having been conceived in iniquity or “a long-standing sin-pattern” in his mother’s womb (Psalm 51). Numerous times we read in the books of Kings and Chronicles of certain kings or peoples doing the sins of their fathers. The New Testament echoes this emphasis of inherited sin by classifying a non-redeemed state as having a “worthless way of conduct handed down to us by our fathers” (1 Peter 1:17-18). 

The whole race of humanity is morally, spiritual and intellectually compromised and dead to the desire for God (Romans 3:10-13; Ephesians 2:1-2, 12). Mankind is incapable of redeeming itself and chooses to exchange God for anything else in the created realm and pursue their own desires (Romans 1:18-31). Though each man is responsible for his own sin (Ezekiel 18:20-24; Acts 13:46-47), it is clear that the pattern and propensity to sin derives from our original parents as a result of God’s curse (Genesis 3:17-19).

When man sinned – three problems or crises resulted – namely  moral, legal and spiritual ramifications that define what it means to be separated from the life of God. With respect to the moral crisis brought about by our inherited and preferential dispositions for sin over God – we cannot do anything to morally make ourselves appealing to God. The most common words for sin in both the Old and New Testament both refer to “falling short” or “missing the mark” (Romans 3:23). God is too holy to condone and look upon sin (Habakkuk 1:13). Lest God intervened, there would be zero chance for man to cross the vast chasm between himself and God. In addition to our moral predicament, there is clearly a spiritual crisis that compounds our separation from the life of God prior to salvation. Human beings in their natural unredeemed state balk at God’s Word (1 Corinthians 2:14); have no hope in this world or the next (Ephesians 2:12); are darkened in their understanding and are sons of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-2) and choose to run from God (Romans 3:10-13).

The spiritual separation from the life of God is a direct result of mankind’s preference for darkness rather than light (John 3:17-19). Henceforth in addition to man’s moral and spiritual predicament we come to the third crisis of human beings that defines their separation from the life of God – namely their legal crisis. The Bible affirms that human beings are not right with God – i.e unrighteous (Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:23; 6:23). 

The only solution to reconciling a fallen human being to God - redemption by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone

The law of God is God’s written revelation of His absolute righteousness – which alone makes anyone acceptable in his sight. No one can measure up to such an unreachable standard – which is why God chose to send His Son into the world to die for sinners (John 3:16). As unreconciled people, sinful man needs reconciled to Holy God through the shed blood of Jesus Christ by saving faith. To reject God’s provision and not to receive such by faith renders the individual condemned already (John 3:36). 

Today is Reformation Day - let's celebrate the light of Jesus Christ in the Gospel

Romans 4:1-3 What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? 2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. 3 For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Note to Readers: You are invited to listen to a podcast on Reformation Day at the Growing Christian Resources Podcast site: http://gcrpodcast.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/podcast-reformation-day-a-cause-for-celebration/ and to read a post on three reasons to celebrate Reformation day, and what it is at the other blogsite at: http://biblicalexegete.wordpress.com/2014/10/31/happy-reformation-day-2014/

Introduction:
Yesterday I began a two part series on what Reformation Day is and the three reasons to celebrate it. As we think about October 31, all Bible believing groups, including Southern Baptists, are deeply indebted to what God did through the Protestant Reformation that began on October 31st, 1517. In a 2007 sermon, South Western Baptist Theological Seminary President Dr. Paige Patterson noted the following about Reformation Day for Southern Baptists link: http://www.swbts.edu/campus-news/news-releases/patterson-celebrates-baptist-heritage-during-reformation-day-chapel/

“If you want to be faithful to the Book, and if you want to be faithful to that part of the Reformation that died on every hand (for teaching believer’s baptism) … then stop being ashamed of being a New Testament Christian and a Baptist,” Patterson said. “You are not judging anybody else’s eternity. Many other folks who are not a part of our movement are born-again believers. Praise God for that. All we are saying is that the best way to be faithful to the Lord Jesus is to keep the whole of the Great Commission.”
Today's post is aimed at issuing forth two direct challenges to Southern Baptists and all other Bible believing groups about Reformation Day, October 31st: A rejoicing challenge and a take back challenge. 

The Rejoicing Challenge: 3 reasons to rejoice on Reformation Day, October 31st 
So why rejoice over Reformation day, October 31st? First of all, the root or formal cause of Luther's call for Reform had to do with ultimate authority in the Christian life and church.  The big question Luther needed to answer was: is the Pope and his statements concerning who went to heaven and who did not the ultimate authority for the church, or is it sacred scripture that God alone revealed to communicate matters pertaining to this life and the one to come? As Martin Luther wrestled over such questions, his conclusion was - Scripture alone! 

The second reason to rejoice over October 31st and Reformation Day is due to the fact that the Gospel of Justification by Faith Alone was recovered. In contrast to the man-made traditions of the Roman Catholic Church of the Middle Ages, Luther and those after him re-asserted the Biblical truth that faith alone is both the necessary and sufficient means of receiving the gift of salvation.  Thus Justification by Faith Alone became the central doctrine or material cause driving the vehicle of the Protestant Reformation.  The doctrine of scripture alone (sola scriptura) was Luther's fuel in the engine that drove His call for reform - Justification by faith alone (sola fide).  Luther himself noted that Justification by Faith is the one article upon which the church rises or falls.

Then the third reason to celebrate Reformation Day, October 31st, is because the Biblical concept of the church was recovered. As Martin Luther denounced the Catholic Church's system of indulgences, a second question emerged: how is a man or woman made right with God? A church that does not derive its authority from the scriptures nor teaches the Biblical concept of the Gospel - justification by faith alone, cannot be deemed a true church. Roman Catholicism of 16th century Europe, as well as today, communicates faith to be necessary for salvation - however it teaches that faith by itself is not sufficient.  According to Rome, one must participate in the Roman Catholic church system of baptism, confession, penance and Mass to be deemed right by God and to stay right.  The Gospel in the Reformation's recovery of the church shined forth not as a candle but as a brilliant sun, outshining all other would be contenders. If God had not raised up men like Martin Luther to spark the Reformation movement, then perhaps I nor you would be here celebrating the revival of Biblical authority, justification by faith in the Gospel and the necessary truth of the local church committed to both those truths.

So we need to answer the challenge to celebrate Reformation day due to what God did in calling us back to the Bible, the Gospel and the Church. But now let me issue a second challenge, a take back challenge if you will...


The Take Back Challenge: Let's take back October 31st and celebrate God's Word, the Gospel and Jesus' mission for His church
It is time to take back October 31, and use this day to proclaim the truth of scripture and the reformation, sparked on October 31, 1517. Truly the message of the Reformation is a message about "after darkness, light" (post tenebras lux).  Gospel Light, not darkness, should characterize our lives as Christians.  October 31st has been for years by Wiccans and people of the Pagan/Witchcraft worldview to observe one of the so-called "spirit nights" on their yearly calendar.  Rather than promoting a day of darkness and wickedness, witches, ghosts and goblins, Christians need to take a God-centered event like the Reformation and remind themselves of how God led His church back to the Bible and salvation through faith alone in Christ alone.  

The Reformation was about calling forth people from spiritual darkness into the light of Jesus Christ.  Someone once said: "It is more effective to light a candle than merely curse the darkness".  Lets light the Gospel light and shine the glory of the Gospel.  As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16 - “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."