Wednesday, December 30, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 6 of 20--Knowledge, truth, theories, and opinions

Author: Kurt Koppetsch, Publisher, Shepherd News Trust

PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Shepherd Blog is to help people secure quality of life--freedom, truth, justice, peace, health, shelter, economic independence--by resolving the 2 major social concerns that overwhelm people and nations: (1) The economy and (2) human stress as the acute spiritual problem.

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. Crisis by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent us from realizing our true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehood such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures of God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE:
Each series of the book I.D. Crisis will conclude with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God cares about our lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstance. Hope is making the impossible come true.

This week's topic:
KNOWLEDGE, TRUTH, THEORIES AND OPINIONS

No models exist in the world to demonstrate inspiration. Even Christ's parables give only glimpses as to what heaven is like. Through them Christ just barely touches eternal truth to make things understandable. Whereas other people must speculate about what is important in life, in spiritual vision God invites believers to share divine inspirations.

Spiritual matters cannot be comprehended in terms of conventional knowledge. Only the Holy Spirit of God can guide believers properly through moments of visionary truth whenever God's creation waits prepared to unfold it panoramic splendor.

When Christ told the disciples, "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now" (John 16:12), he was telling those who believe that there is no way for them to grasp and retain all at once what there is to know about the truth of the Word of God, but that the truth about God is given through continuous revelation by the Holy Spirit.

We must recall that as instruments of the Holy Spirit, we are the means of God's grace to fill specific needs. Thus, we must be faithful and obedient in our service of making known the living God to all people in the world.

God has not created humans to be intellectual geniuses or speculative philosophers. The mission of Christian discipleship is defined as faithful and obedient service. Believers are like light for the world and bring glory to God.

But the curiosity in human nature always wants to venture out in search of answers. We are quickly intrigued by far-out subjects. There is no limit to fantasy.

Despite a genuine desire to gain knowledge, we have less interest in a deeper appreciation of God's obligation for mankind. Faithfulness and obedience to God, therefore, are looked at from a distance.

There is a general problem with organized religion. Throughout history, doctrines and dogmas were used as tools to force the membership to conform to church policy. And ecclesiastical theology has intimidated many gifted minds in the search for truth.

It was quite common in history for the church to dictate truth. Sometimes those in control even compromised their spiritual dependence on God for the sake of satisfying personal ambition.

History reveals the repudiation by the church of Copernicus' heliocentric theory. The events of that time specifically highlight the agony felt by gifted people, like Copernicus (1473-1543), who in addition to being an astronomer and mathematician also was a devout churchman.

About a century later, Copernicus' propositions precipitated the clash between science and the church. Religious groups extracted Biblical "evidence" to back their claims that God had worked the creation of the universe according to a geocentric blueprint. The Roman Catholic Church rejected Copernicus' proposals. His writing "Revolutions" was declared as "false and altogether opposed to Holy Scriptures" and it was blacklisted in the church's "Index Librorum Prohibitorum."

Copernicus' courage opened the way for in-depth study of truth which has carried over to this day as evidenced by scholarship in academia and objectivity in our dealings with everyday issues. But as with all acts of greatness, the fight against ignorance is also costly. Copernicus and works after him had to risk life, fortune, and exposure to ridicule.

Such impact was felt by Galileo (1564-1642) who suffered the brunt of the church's wrath when he dared to stand up for truth. This practical man and a genius of mechanics was the perfect complement to the theoretical Johann Kepler (1571-1630) who, among other laws, also had formulated the harmonic law of planetary motion. Galileo's precision in experiment and observation confirmed him a champion of truth. But this dedication cost him dearly. In a statement prepared for him, he was forced to denounce his accomplishments before a tribunal of the Inquisition.

These events in the development of planetary theories deserve our attention today because they exemplify the need for perseverance in the search and defense of truth. This is how freedom through knowledge is gained.

Whenever the combination of knowledge and truth is manipulated, there is a tight control over the lives of people. Suffering and death because of poverty and starvation is the fruit of ignorance that is caused by ruthless individuals in control of so-called truth and right opinions. Economic pressure is used as a common tool to enforce conformity.

But this is not the only problem in the world. Another form of chaos is generated by some people who are best described as preoccupied "scholars". These thinkers will influence social behavior with new speculations about the purpose and meaning of human life.

Yet the life-long obsession of freethinkers has seldom produced a lasting contribution to society. If anything, their substitute for God's demand for faithfulness and obedience has impeded harmony among people.

The freethinker is a modern product of sophistication and false teaching. Whenever human imagination stresses the truth about God, and subsequently insists on these ideas as doctrine, people will respond as skeptics, agnostics, and nonbelievers to question that particular ideology.

Freethinkers live as if God did not exist--sometimes this also is true of people who claim to be Christians. Therefore, in terms of social behavior, the dividing line is not clear. Some freethinkers will consent to the existence of an "ultimate power" and unwittingly work the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) with greater ambition than the lipservice of some "Christians". But the fact is that freethinkers live only for the satisfaction of earthly goals and then die.

When those around us fail to see God in Christ, this is an indictment of Christian witness. Truth is further clouded by some "Christians"--mostly sectarian in character--who insist that their teaching is the only correct way of believing. Even the assertion about the infallibility of the papacy and worldly religious councils is diluting truth. As a modern concept, therefore, atheism will exist as long as there is an audience (2 Timothy 4:3)--and idolatrous Christianity keeps building the stage by neglecting sound doctrine (Titus 2:1-3:7).

The Psalmist writes, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God' " (Psalms 14:1), thereby pointing to the rejection of God as the highest folly. We must help people overcome this foolishness, for God is always near to take sinners back. Fear commonly prompts moments of truth. Soldiers tell us in stories about battlefield conditions that there is never an atheist in a foxhole.

The failure of human ideas as a substitute for belief and trust in God is exposed in Marxist theories and their brand of socialism: Totalitarian governments must use force to subdue people in order to make communism work.

Each generation has its share of imaginative people. There is never a shortage of dreams. But when unproven methods start to influence people, confusion is further compounded.

We are reluctant to really seek the truth about God. We are too slow to increase in spiritual stature.

Christ has clearly stated: "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:31-32) But somehow it appears that the laws governing the ecclesiastical affairs of a Christian church have more power over people than the truth about God.

As Christians we already know whose we are and what we once were. It behooves us, nevertheless, to refresh our memories concerning the truth of the Word of God. The writer of Proverbs offered advice to young men that is appropriate for all children of God: "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

He then continues to make truth applicable to real-life situations: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As we experience the love of God that is grace, the wisdom literature from Proverbs projects eternal truth as the reality of life: "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights." (Proverbs 3:11-12)

But such simple truth is not always satisfying to people. Human nature is more intrigued about the complex. Whatever sounds more complicated is more appealing. Far-out concepts invite speculations.

Therefore, people will readily venture into classical philosophy in search of answers for their lives. This is done despite the fact that classical philosophy must be viewed within the framework of its ancient culture. But this is not at all upsetting to those who feel satisfied to borrow tidbits of information here and there and make certain catchwords their new theme.

Against all these spiritual alternatives stands the Word of God. Its only demand is that we lose ourselves in Christ if we want to avoid an identity crisis in our lives.

There is constant danger that we all may become exposed to spiritual degeneration at some point in our lives. Therefore, we must train ourselves to recognize pitfalls that could make us sin. The fact is that sin--missing the mark in our relationship with God--destroys spiritual discernment in the lives of people.

Sin brought about the downfall of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Sinful behavior also permeated the apostolic church. This happened despite the fact that the charge was clearly defined: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified ... And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Act 2:36, 4:12)

Christianity, therefore, is not immune to attacks, even though Christianity is a covenant relationship with the living God. This new covenant was consummated by God at Golgatha and its essence is preserved for all posterity in Cross and Gospel.

As Christians, we are individually responsible to carry on Christ's witness to make known the living God to all people in the world. In evidence of commitment and dedication to God, we must live a life of truth. Failure to do so carries dire consequences.

Even though we recognize the essence of Christianity as the one eternal truth and the one universal salvation, ecclesiastical religion, partly due to factionalism, has many times failed to live up to God's expectations. this is visible in the world whenever Cross and Gospel are separated in witnessing and teaching.

In God's plan for human salvation, the Cross of Christ is the redeeming element of grace. Its reality is also the means by which God reminds believers that the curse of the law (Deuteronomy 21:23) is transformed into a blessing of faith. To this truth Saint Paul gives testimony: "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, 'Cursed be every one who hangs on a tree'--that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (Galatians 3:13-14)

The Gospel is the vehicle for proclaiming this truth and extends an invitation to all people to assemble beneath the Cross so that believers may by its light and shadow give proper witness in service to God and people. Saint Paul speaks of the power of the Cross: "Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)

Christ suffered and died for the forgiveness of sins. And Christ died for the sins of people once and for all. This is the truth of the Cross. And the truth of the Gospel is the glorious Easter message in which God has declared that all who believe in Christ share through his death on the Cross his resurrection in the hope of eternal life.

Any confusion created by overzealous ecclesiastical religion is due to the emphasis placed primarily on the Gospel. Apparently that is the easier sales pitch. People want everything that has to do with their well-being, without having to be reminded that the Cross made the Gospel possible in the first place.

In other words, idolatrous Christianity wants to bask in the Gospel on Sunday without having to carry the Cross from Monday through Saturday.

Under this set of circumstances, Christianity is courting idol worship. Christianity is drawn into this problem because of people who say they are Christians since they happen to go to church each Sunday. Yet during weekdays these people serve themselves instead of glorifying God in Christ.

Christian conduct means that we are prepared to help people in need. If this is not so, we expose Christ to ridicule and scorn. Sometimes this is the case especially in the competitive atmosphere of the workplace. The sheep of Sundays are raving wolves on weekdays. In every instance where faith is not practiced, Christianity is victimized by hypocrites. As human needs are then satisfied by nonbelievers, worldly humanism gains and the Kingdom of God loses. Therefore, let all confessing Christians beware! Christ projects condemnation for our failure to take care of needy people (Matthew 25:31-46)

This problem has existed throughout the ages. And it will not easily go away, however hard Christians may try in witnessing to the truth of the Word of God.

God's charge to the prophet Ezekiel firms up the charge regarding our involvement in witnessing: "If I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you will have saved your life. Again, if a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die; because you have not warned him, he shall die for his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood I will require at your hand. Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you will have saved your life." (Ezekiel 3:18-21)

Thus, Christians are individually responsible for the truth in witnessing and teaching. Christ said: "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!" (Matthew 18:6-7)

Whenever the truth of Cross and Gospel is split and our witnessing only emphasizes the truth of the Gospel, then the power of the Word of God is reduced to a weak appeal. An indecisive witness to the grace of God in salvation will mislead people by giving them the false impression that once the Gospel is received, people now have a license to do what they want because they believe that the grace of God is working for them. Nothing is further from the truth!

To be sure, salvation is by grace through faith alone "and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) But we must understand that this truth of the Gospel is dependent on the Cross. We find the combined truth of Cross and Gospel summarized in the prophecy of Ezekiel to the Israelites: "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, says the LORD GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions which you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of any one, says the LORD GOD; so turn, and live." (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

And Jesus Christ confirmed the call of repentance by John the Baptist, saying: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15) And Christ, indeed, has come to fulfill both Law and Prophets.

Now we need not speculate further and follow ancient ways of thinking as passed down by classical philosophy, for the Holy Spirit of God is living among us to reveal the truth about God. Nor do we need a philosophy of human conduct--including the much-honored precepts of classical ethics--for the personal relationship of the redeemed with the living God has the Law of God imprinted on the believer's hearts in the form of the Cross.

Therefore, with regard to human knowledge, let us use the mind to further the glory of God and be "like light for the whole world." We have the God-given obligation to be ambitious in the full development and utilization of God's power in creation through all the channels of science--physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, etc.--or industry in farming and manufacturing or life-supporting endeavors like medicine.

Yet, in all these efforts, we must remember that the spirit has superiority over the flesh, for "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24)

Thus we remember that our spiritual being started with Adam and was confirmed in Abraham. The Father of Many Nations, Abraham was the first to receive what God has promised, and he indeed is the father of faith for the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. "And he believed the LORD; and he reckoned it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6)

But the evil in human nature is prominent whenever the truth about God is manipulated by worldly intelligence. These unfortunate happenings are truly trying moments for those dedicated to God as individuals or the church as the fellowship of believers.
RAYS OF HOPE AND FREEDOM
My life was in chaos.
Darkness clouded my senses.
My heart trembled in fear.
I prayed to God:
"Father, help me!"
And God transformed my life.
The world is still the same.
But I am now secure:
Christ is my Savior!
His love fills my heart,
His faith is my faith.
Rays of hope now light up my soul.
Rays of hope and freedom
Show me the way to God,
And where Christ lives I too will live.

Copyright Shepherd News Trust (c) 2009. All rights reserved.
(Excerpt from the book I.D. Crisis by Kurt Koppetsch, published by Shepherd News Trust, Inc.--www.shepherdnewstrust.com)
NEXT, January 4, 2010:
The Economy

Sunday, December 20, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 5 of 20--Surviving trials and temptations

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent us from realizing our true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehood such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures of God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Each series of the book I.D. CRISIS will conclude with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God cares about our lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstances. Hope is making the impossible come true.

This week's topic:
SURVIVING TRIALS AND TEMPTATION

There are no substitutes for faithfulness and obedience to God. Nevertheless, God has ordained universal salvation--the return to the proper place of eternal fellowship with God for all people--as a gift of grace. No one, therefore, will have valid reasons to try to outdo another person, deny equality to any people, or feel compelled to labor for salvation.

All Christians are children of God through union with Christ. Since the foundation of divine grace is the righteousness of God, Jesus Christ is like a cornerstone in the believer's heart. Christians now have the perfect opportunity to build their faith and grow in the hope of eternal life.

As part of potential and growth, we have the Holy Spirit of God living within believers. The divine Helper supports all efforts in faithfulness and obedience. Without the guidance from the Holy Spirit, faithfulness and obedience is more like a curse. It will enslave people in "good works".

So let us remember that life in the presence of God--through Christian discipleship--is a matter of faith and trust in God alone. As we practice our faith in God, faithfulness and obedience prove a blessing.

The Christian approach to life is faith and trust in God. We then follow up with good works, because we know to whom we truly belong.

But there are definite expectations that God has of Christians. Demands of faithfulness and obedience as contained in the Law of Moses were not done away with. When Christ confirmed their continuity in the Great Commandment, he elevated faithlfulness and obedience to God to the highest level in relationships: "You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37) Christians are charged to live and work under the banner of love. Christ has given faithfulness and obedience a new meaning within the context of God's message in the Gospel. Christ's teaching about the Word of God now guides believers for attaining new heights in our appreciation of Gods's work.

The meaning of truth within the Word of God is a matter of constant revelation by the Holy Spirit. We will receive guidance for specific needs as they arise--God has never been limited by time or place.

Biblical literature provides continuity. It is the tool used by the Holy Spirit to make known the truth about God.

But to share the Holy Spirit's revelation of divine truth demands a firm commitment. We must acknowledge our dependence on God the Spirit in order to overcome trials and temptations.

Failure to recognize our spiritual oneness (John 14:20-26) with God only proves that a faith relationship with God has not been established. It shows that God is not acknowledged as the authority of all that exists.

This sad condition, so prevalent among many people in the world today, relegates the subjects of faithfulness and obedience as abstract ideas to different schools in philosophy. But abstract thought has neither place nor value in the relationship with God.

Thus, faithfulness and obedience are rewarding and meaningful only when confessing believers start and finish daily activities in full realization of spritual dependence on God. Any "good works" will automatically take on substance because we strive to bring glory to God.

The meaning of faithfulness, obedience, trials, and temptations must therefore be viewed in light of God's message in the Gospel. Within this setting, we have a new "context story" about human behavior in spiritual encounters with the living God. New Testament writings in the Bible describe for Christians expectations and involvement.


The Bible details the dynamic relationship of a righteous God and sinful people. Christians live in obedience to the Holy Spirit, who alone can make known the truth of the Word of God for the specific need at hand.

Because the interaction with God is an individual matter, Christians need not feel obligated to supply proof of faith to other people. Nor is there a need for Christians to explain their spiritual dependence on God for life and support. It suffices to state that the spiritual reality between God and believer is demonstrated in prayer, where matters of importance are dealt with on the basis of personal faith and divine promise.

The makeup of the total person is the delicate combination of flesh and spirit. To understand ourselves more clearly, we must evaluate each other's contribution to overall well-being. When this is done in light of Christ's teaching, we will arrive at the conclusion that the spirit is in control despite selfish claims of human nature that only physical substance has meaning in the world.

As practicing Christians, let us not fall victim to false appetites of satisfying only physical existence. A strictly worldly outlook on life will make people selfish, greedy, proud, arrogant, conceited, and boastful.

Undoubtedly, there will always be huge audiences in the world to admire and applaud succesful achievers--independent of the cost of success. But the Word of God is clear that success in the world is worthless, and people oriented only toward materialism are an eternal failure spiritually. This message is given in Jeremiah's prophecy against Moab: "We have heard of the pride of Moab--he is very proud--of his loftiness of his heart. I know his insolence, says the LORD; his boasts are false, his deeds are false." (Jeremiah 48:29-30)

Because uncommitted people already swim in everlasting despair--though physically this horror is masked by worldly comforts and pleasures--they have no remorse. Since there is no conscience left, pain and agony about straining the spiritual relationship with God do not exist. A relationship had either never been formed in the first place, or was destroyed when pride and arrogance hardened the grooves of sin.

The temptation is there for our efforts to become diluted by arguments in logic or emotional issues. When this happens, our faith is on trial, and we must demonstrate what we believe. Friendships with humanistic-type people can be devastating to those who are weak in faith.

Humanism and materialism are not the only concerns. Because of the false assumption that all outward human expressions are an indication of inner beliefs and commitments, Christianity has suffered its share of wolves in sheep's clothing. Even seeing a person going to church each Sunday and performing great religious theatrics in speech and manner during the week does not necessarily set that person apart as a Christian saint. Hypocrites have always existed. They were scorned by John the Baptist in the call to repentance, and they were condemned by Christ.

Therefore, life in the real world is in constant danger. Foremost among them is lack of confidence. We are too polite in presenting those around us with God's truth in Cross and Gospel. And, of course, there are the hypocrites, who always manage to profess what they are not.

But all is not lost as long as we recognize ourselves as Christian saints because of God's righteousness and grace. Then, by the power of God, we will survive all onslaught of evil in the world. As we additionally realize that we are real people in the world and not perfect saints, our humility as struggling sinners will help prepare the way for God's forgiveness and love.

As long as there is a world, the people living in it will always be the explosive combination of saint and sinner.

History has already proven this as a fact of life. Any realistic view of life, therefore, requires that we accept what we are, yet always remembering that we owe it to ourselves to strive for the better way of life ordained by God.

Because the makeup of human beings, good and bad alike, is all part of God's creation, people will be able to achieve a spritually satisfying life in the presence of God despite the sinfulness of human nature. God made this possible through a life in union with Christ.

But this newness of life that God has based totally on divine righteousness and provided as a matter of grace nonetheless demands our response and a firm commitment.

Thus, whenever we find ourselves at the crossroads of life, we must resolve the personal challenge of declaring our allegiance, similar to the call for allegiance that God had demanded through Moses of the Israelites in their journey to the promised land: "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice, and cleaving to him; for that means life to you ...." (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)

But once the commitment to God is made, then trials and temptations will also start to set in. Satan, as a foe of God and the accuser of mankind, is determined to break the bond of restored fellowship with God, and prove to God, once again, that the sinfulness of mankind is not any different from the spiritual sinfulness of the first man Adam.

There is no worldly comparison for a person's spiritual anguish of trials and temptations. For example, we may hear other people talk about being tempted to go to the races or finding themselves on trial because they have overspent their budget. All such concerns deal with temporal life. As Christians, however, we know that we exist beyond the immediate and don't belong to ourselves. When we leave this world, we live on because we are God's children. Trials and temptations involve us as a matter of doing what God wants.

The makeup of the present day saint-sinner is similar to that of ancient mankind. But our spiritual opportunities are different, because of what God through Christ did 2000 years ago.

For example, we see in Genesis that Abraham was an ordinary man. He put to use his multiple talents in the handling of many conflicts. But the truly outstanding feature in the life of Abraham was a wholehearted commitment to God.

This gave him strength to cope when deciding many choices. It guided him in handling the boundary dispute with his nephew Lot (Genesis 13:8-9); it gave him courage to rescue Lot and his family from a raiding party (Genesis 14:1-6); it proved him compassionate as he bargained with God to spare the people of Sodom (Genesis 18:16-33); it gave him vision to see God in the visitation of three angels (Genesis 18:1-5)

But in his weaker moment of a morality lapse, Abraham compromised Sarah in his dealing with the Egyptian Pharaoh to save his own life. God did not condemn Abraham in the Bible, but he uses the Abraham story to assure us that despite our moral weakness we are his children and, despite our character warts, God will forgive us as he forgave Abraham.

The highlighted events in Abraham's life resemble the general nature of the conflicts which all generations commonly experience. We also have the best of intentions in overcoming evil and hardship, but we are not always successful in achieving this goal. And many times we must struggle to keep our priorities straight; undoubtedly Abraham must have felt similar frustrations.

Yet, as Christ's followers, we live in the hope of eternal life, as God is presiding over the miracle that alone is capable of redeeming the worst of sinners.

Therefore, let us thoroughly understand the nature of our being within the environment that God has placed us in, and examine our existence in terms of Cross and Gospel. Doing so will help us to better cope with the stress that any proof of our faith may force upon us.

A thorough review will soon reveal that any direct involvement in trials and temptations is not necessarily a sign of weakness in faith or character of the person exposed to trial's anguish. Like Job in his trial, Christians may also find themselves just like an article of trade in the enmity between God and Satan.

We must remain steadfast in our faith despite the cosmic conflict around us in which the forces of light and darkness battle for the souls of people. We will fail in our commitment whenever we decide to rely on our own strength to win the victory over trials and temptations.

Thus, we must constantly keep before us the blessing of God's grace. Boastful self-reliance only proves our foolishness and will make us unfaithful and disobedient toward God. We will receive strength to survive trials and temptation by seeking God's help under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 4 of 20--Life in the world despite the other person

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent us from realizing our true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehood such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures of God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Each series of the book I.D. CRISIS will conclude with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God cares about our lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstance. Hope is making the immpossible come true.

This week's topic:
LIFE IN THE WORLD DESPITE THE OTHER PERSON

God has created the human race as the means by which the Holy Spirit can work his will on earth. Therefore, as people of God, we are instruments--in a real physical sense--of divine power for implementing and bringing about God's purpose for creation.

Within this context, the most important issue concerning life and status in the world is remembering the fact that we are dependent creatures of God. We are mortal beings. We experience life as a gift. God who created life in us with the holy breath of His Spirit, continues to sustain this life as a matter of grace. Creation and redemption are God's mark of ownership.

God cares for each person individually. There are no collective bargaining units in the Kingdom of God. Each soul must give its own account for stewardship in life.

The intimate relationship between God and people is a personal matter. Responsibility and accountability is strictly an affair between an individual and God. God's expectations of faithfulness and obedience rule out apologies for poor performance or lack of faith. We will not get away with excuses like overwhelming pressures, overburdening circumstances, or pesty people to explain our ill behavior.

The record book of life on earth does not have margings for qualifying our actions, for life is a gift from God. We must use it! Lamenting about unfortunate circumstances that may have "forced" us to react in a certain way will not work.

At the Day of Judgment, Christ will review our life's journey in the world on the basis of our faith alone. When we receive the invitation to the eternal feast in heaven, only then will we know that our life of faithfulness and obedience has been blessed for the return to its rightful place among the heavenly host. The life we then will experience is restored fellowship with God.

In the moment of our salvation, God's claim on our life is permanently secured. We have not earned this privilege. It is ours because of God's righteousness. It will be bestowed because we have lived by grace in the steadfast promise that God through Christ will save us.

The fact of eternal peace in the presence of God rests on the promise by Christ that faithful believers already are united with him. Our presence before Almighty God is secured, for that is where Christ dwells.

Our hope for eternal life, and the reality of a living relationship with God on earth, is anchored in the revealed truth of the Word of God that is made known to us in Cross and Gospel.

As Christians, we are God's instruments to witness to the world about what God has done. In this mission, we are "like light for the whole world," and are told to let this "light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

There is nothing magical or mysterious about human life on earth. Nor need this life be confusing or darkened by fear or doubts. Spiritual needs and physical necessities are provided for by God. And the conditions for rewarding spiritual performance have been successfully demonstrated in the model of the godly life of Jesus Christ.

As additional guidance, we benefit from Christ's summary of God's expectations. The essence of the two Great Commandments imply the commitment of love, faithfulness, and obedience: "You shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself." (Luke 10:27)

But the harsh reality of worldly existence proves life different from God's expectations. Unfortunately, only a few faithful and obedient believers remain for being chosen as instruments of the Holy Spirit. These will have to shoulder the load of giving continuous witness to the grace of God.

As dedicated Christians, we are spiritually set apart from the rest of the sinful world, although physically we are an active part in the world. But we are not alone. God is fully supportive by providing means and message through the Holy Spirit. Therefore, we can survive the hazardous environment of the world. Endurance is the key.

Christ forwarned the 70 disciples about hardships they would encounter in their witness on behalf of God's Kingdom: "I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves." (Luke 10:3) This realistic assessment serves as a warning. It corrects any anticipation we may have about glorious self-satisfaction when we let the Holy Spirit work the will of God through us.

Living in the world today is not that much different from 2000 years ago when the Son of God walked the earth. The wickedness in the world continues despite the repeated lessons in history. Even though the world may violently reject our life of witness to the truth about God, we must remain steadfast and live in the fear of God and not be afraid of people.

Therefore, let us always remember that we exist in the world to bring glory to God. And we must do this despite the other person.

In our work of witness, we have only one obligation and that is to be completely faithful to the Lord. The rest of the unbelieving world is also God's creation, but as servants of God we have neither authority nor any need to speculate about God's purpose for other people around us. Preoccupation with personal views on life must not interfere with the work God wants to get done.

The evil in human nature always compels people to search for answers that are really none of their business; Christians are no exceptions. We also feel the urge to satisfy our curiosity by questioning God why "he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:45)

Christ puts a stop to this by reminding us that a Christian's way of life deals with faithfulness and obedience to God. Toward this end Christ supports the believer with guidance: "You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)

But such straightforward spiritual truth may not always be satisfying to human beings. In an attempt to vent frustrating emotions, people will press on with unwarranted demands to have a more decisive voice in God's plan for the universe. Sin is more enticing than recognizing the purpose of our creation and yielding to God in faithfulness and obedience.

And this is precisely the dilemma of Christians, who are also emotionally charged human beings. Only when we as Christians realize that faithfulness and obedience to God implies that people have no choice in the matter of God's generosity and grace will personal frustrations and feelings of injustice vanish. Then within the fellowship of believers, we have ample cause to rejoice that God has chosen to treat all people equally.

But our reluctance to witness to sinful people about the grace of God in Christ Jesus can complicate matters. The prophet Jeremiah bemoaned this particular problem: "Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?" (Jeremiah 12:1)

Christianity is not immune to attacks by ruthless people who work the rule of injustice, wickedness, and dishonesty. Therefore, as disciples of Christ we must speak out against these evils in the world. God demands our obedience by living the Gospel in a way that does not leave room for confusion but clarifies God's expectations in an affirmative way.

Failure to proclaim Cross and Gospel as an inseparable entity--the way God has intended it--only adds to the severity of today's identity crisis. The real working relationship with God is undermined whenever ecclesiastical theology chooses to emphasize primarily the Gospel portion of God's redeeming grace without pointing to the Cross, which made the glorious Easter message possible in the first place.

In Christ's call to follow him, the promise of new life depends on repentance, giving further proof of the Gospel's dependence on the Cross. Jesus Christ cried out: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel." (Mark 1:15) With the command to believe the Good News, we are specifically told to rid ourselves first from all sins so that we can become free in the Spirit, and then enjoy to our pure heart's delight the blessing of restored fellowship with God.

Saint Paul addresses this specific issue of repentance and the subsequent commitment of faithfulness and obedience to God: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life ... So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions." (Romans 6:1-4, 11-12)

As we specifically look at the problem of the other person, we soon will learn that the "other person" really comprises all the forces of darkness. Rampant evil and raw sinfulness are only a few of the hindrances that Christians in the world must overcome in proving their steadfastness in the faith. Some of these barriers are prejudice and pride within ourselves, and we are confronted with the challenge to break them down.

Or, as with the prophet Jeremiah, we may be asked to witness to the grace of God to all people, despite injustice, wickedness, and dishonesty.

Christians have a duty to help correct these and other social ills. But we must also give support when integrity and dignity are attacked by ridicule, sarcasm, and scorn. And we are available to help ease the pain when relationships explode because of broken trust, rumors, or insinuations.

We can go on with an endless listing of general examples, for evil does not recognize boundaries or limits. Some mental cruelty or physical abuse defies the vocabulary, as there are no words in existence to describe the evil that strains the human spirit to the breaking point.

In all situations of human stress, the only constructive recourse in dealing with "the other person" is to remember that as Christians we live in the world by the grace of God despite the other person. Elisha's prophetic declaration of confidence in God is appropriate in the face of doom: "Don't be afraid ... we have more on our side than they have on theirs." (2 Kings 6:16)TEV


RAYS OF HOPE AND FREEDOM

My life was in chaos.
Darkness clouded my senses,
my heart trembled in fear.

I prayed to God:
"Father, help me!"
And God transformed my life.

The world is still the same.
But I am now secure:
Christ is my Savior!

His love fills my heart,
His faith is my faith.
Rays of hope now light up my soul.

Rays of hope and freedom
Show me the way to God,
And where Christ lives I too will live.


NEXT, December 21:
Surviving trials and temptations


(Excerpt from the Book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch, published by Shepherd News Trust, Inc.--www.shepherdnewstrust.com).

Monday, December 7, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 3 of 20--Christianity, nice people, and the real world

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent us from realizing our true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehood such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE:
Each series of the book I.D. CRISIS will conclude with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God cares about our lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstance. Hope is making the impossible come true.

This week's topic:
CHRISTIANITY, NICE PEOPLE, AND THE REAL WORLD


Christianity provides a working relationship between God and people.

Only within this framework is Christianity of value in the affairs of daily life. Christianity represents the new covenant, whose foundation is God's grace and righteousness.

This covenant takes on substance when, by the power of God, faith moves people to share with God the opportunity of restored fellowship. Spiritual newsness of life is then experienced as togetherness with Christ.

All groups of believers will be successful whenever Jesus Christ is at the center of activities. With their confession of faith, believers acknowledge God's concern for people. The public creed proclaims Jesus Christ as God's appointed Savior.

Christianity represents the new form of life where God's gift of grace is openly welcomed. At the same time, restored fellowship with God is also faithfully practiced.

As confessing Christians, we actively respond to God's offer of life. We do this by dedicating the total self to bring glory to God. Our whole being must become a demonstration that God's plan of salvation applies to all humanity.

According to God's plan, Jesus Christ is the cornerstone. On Christ we build; and together we grow in faith. The authority of Jesus Christ over our lives is ordained by God. Christ's life has been established as the model of the godly life. As the living Word of God, Christ is the teacher of truth. Through the Holy Spirit, Christ lives in us as the source of revelation for the truth about God.

Christianity is not an invention of the human mind. It was by the Holy Spirit of God moving among the people of the ancient Church that Christianity's meaning was established. As a fellowship of believers, we live out the powerful interaction of a righteous God and sinful people.

The purpose of Christianity--as ordained by God--is described by Christ in terms of eternal life: "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3)

The vehicle available to God for bringing this point across is then the fellowship of believers, better known as the Church of Christ.

Though God uses people in this work of witness on behalf of God's Kingdom, the propagation of truth remains definitely a matter of the Holy Spirit. This is not at all the activity of the human mind.

Human intellect is prone to manipulate truth through interpretation--even the truth of the Word of God. Therefore, God does not select people to become witnesses to the good news about the Kingdom according to cleverness and charisma. God chooses and calls believers on the basis of faith. Faithful and obedient people already have dedicated themselves for service to God. Only then can the Holy Spirit work God's will through them.

Saint Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, defined the authority of Christ's Church and exemplified its mission: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified ... And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 2:36, 4:12)

In a historic sense, Christianity traces its roots to a specific event in time and place, as God has chosen to reveal Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ came, died, and was raised back to life for the purpose of redeeming sinners. God intervened in human creation to give all people the hope of eternal life.

But full appreciation of the Gospel demands spiritual comprehension of our total heritage. Divine truth in Old Testament and New Testament alike is God's blessing for each day. Biblical literature, like the Book of Genesis, therefore, must be read and understood in terms of the Gospel. Similar considerations apply also to the prophetic writings and the Psalms.

Our status as redeemed people is sustained by God's grace through Jesus Christ. Believers in Christ can claim this blessing because of God's righteousness. As part of God's steadfastness, grace is constantly renewing sinful people.

This universal truth is captured in Christ's answer to Peter's question whether seven times seven is a good limit to forgive those who wrong us. Christ's reply, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22), points to the limitless love of God. Christ now wants believers to share this truth with other people. As we forgive those who have wronged us, in like manner will God forgive us our sins.

But there are problems with this truth in the world. The act of God's grace is being tied to human performance. The merciless sarcasm of non-believers wants to indict God's chosen people as not being worthy of their calling because the fellowship of believers should consist only of "nice people".

This is nothing but an evil diversion. It dilutes all effectiveness of the grace of God. It ridicules the love of God that is constantly working the spiritual regeneration of sinful people.

As Christians, we must not feel intimidated by worldly opinions of people who are outside the fellowshiip of believers. Yet, it is a Christian's duty to witness to these people, even though they may reject our witness to God's truth by showing greater interest in the frailty of our human nature than for God's message in the Gospel.

The evil in humanism surfaces when specific shortcomings among Christians are singled out as the reason for rejecting God's message of the Gospel and ultimately rejecting God.

Christians live in the world to be "like light for the whole world" and not for satisfying worldly intellectual concepts or personal ambitions. Christ's teaching is clear on this subject. The charge is precisely stated that a Christian's "light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) Thus, commission for Christian witness originates from God through Christ.

Only uncommitted people, like those with a totally humanistic view of life, will want to shy away from making the necessary commitment of dedication to God. So they will select only those priorities that are to their liking.

Jesus has told us that "each tree is known by its own fruit." (Luke 6:44). This message helps in identifying true believers, for Christians are set apart--even in the jungle of life that is the real world--as children of God.

"The good man out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil man out of his evil treasure produces evil; for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45)

Out of a fellowship of a few believers has grown the largest religion in the world. This was possible because the early Church served God in the unity of the Spirit. The Apostolic Church overcame "isms" and overwhelmed religious cults because it relied on Jesus Christ as its Lord and submitted to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Different isms and even more sinister cults challenge Chrstianity now. Indeed this has been the case throughout the ages ever since the days at Antioch, for "in Antioch the disciples were for the first time called Christians." (Acts 11:26) As confessing followers we have no choice in the matter of faith.

God has ordained spiritual salvation and restored fellowship for all mankind. With it a love relationship has been established between God and people in its most perfect and simplest form.

But what had started out to be perfect and simple soon turned out to be very complicated. People started intellectualizing Christianity. Soon sophistication permeated the affairs of daily life. Concepts of "true philosophy", "correct way of life", "humanism", and more recently "fundamentalism" became like a non-functional appendix in the relationship of God and people.

The present dilemma is frightening but definitely not hopeless. God already has acted. As believers, let us therefore refresh our memory as to whose we truly are. Then let us find refuge in the divine promise that Christ is with us. This is the only way we can learn to rely on God's message of hope.

Ecclesiastical religion--acting strictly on the authority of its own doctrines and dogmas--has constantly been more eager to denounce and condemn rather than to demonstrate the truth of the Gospel. Even quite recently a theology professor from a major Christian tradition discussed the problem of fundamentalism in a way that focuses on exposure of the wrong instead of englightening people in the truth. (Fundamentalism: A Pastoral Concern. Fr. Eugene LaVerdiere, S.S.S. The Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota, 1983) But the overriding issue in Christian witness is truth. Only truth can enlighten people.

For example, ecclesiastical theology teaches human wisdom. It makes people appear wise and pious in the eyes of the world. But in divine wisdom God says, "Know that I am God and have faith. Faith makes a believer act to bring glory to God.

Faith--the human response to God's grace--has been neglected for centuries as church doctrine placed greater emphasis on worldly accomplishments of good works. This and numerous other religious decrees--by the authority of councils or boards--had as their objective the control of the membership instead of concern for the Kingdom of God. Faith is a timeless relationship of trust with the living God.

In other instances the church, as an ecclesiastical institution, has dictated scientific truth. And even today there are Christian groups who insist on teaching creation according to the Genesis account, despite best available knowledge that the planet earth has existed for 4 1/2 billion years.

People are conditioned not to question anything declared sacred by the church. Because the general membership further assumes that its clergy have greater knowledge about church precepts, they dare not question what is being taught. History has shown that ecclesiastical rules have favord the church as an institution instead of addressing the needs of people and their relationship to God.

Smoke screens conceal decisive issues. The world is full of programs that water down the truth. Somehow "nice people" do not wish to show their own true colors, as this declaration may demand a commitment of consequence. People prefer to hide behind a superficial image of neutrality with regard to their own affairs.

But these very same people will manipulate and pull strings, as long as they don't have to show themselves during the process of exposing others. The "modus operandi" is to bring the point across by thoroughly exploring the other point of view. Subsequently it will be discussed in ways that generate confusion and doubt. Such behavior is typical of people who suffer spiritual agony.


Genuine search for truth respects other points of view. This is how foundations for deeper understanding are built. But at the same time we must beware of presumptuous teaching and claims which lack reality and evidence. This warning also applies to religion, where issues must be examined in light of Scripture and reason. Therefore, let us discuss new concepts, like fundamentalism, and not fear proliferation or division in Christianity because of them.

God constantly reveals Himself through the activity of the Holy Spirit who, Christ says, "will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you." (John 16:14) Thus, the truth about God is a daily revelation.

In this revelation of the truth about God, the Bible is a tool of the Holy Spirit. In its true spiritual sense, the Bible is a God-and-people book that relates the interaction of a righteous God and sinful people.

The truth of the Word of God is so important that its purpose is made known by the Holy Spirit for any specific need at hand. This precludes all human ambition to manipulate Biblical literature for speculative purposes. Nor should it become a mechanism to control faith in people.

Quite often, the sacred term "Word of God" is used interchangeably for Biblical literature. This substitution is wrong. The Word, or Logos, is the creative and sustaining Spirit of God as revealed in Jesus Christ (John 1). The Word of God is supreme. Within the doctrine of the Word, Biblical literature has a fourth-place position after the reality of God, Jesus Christ, and the revealed and spoken Word. For example, the Word of God demands faithfulness and obedience of people; Biblical literature tells about the results and God's intent in future dealings because of humanity's disobedience.

Minor ecclesiastical problems--like fundamentalism--only point to the much bigger problem that affects the personal relationship between God and people. The overriding issue at hand is an identity crisis. This is a spiritual problem.

We cannot hide from it by clouding the issue. Individuals, families, and even society as a whole have been reluctant or afraid for too long to find out the purpose of existence in light of whose we truly are.

As long as people choose to live in a state of aimless drift, confusion will persist. This becomes further complicated when groups within the Christian confession fail to stand up and declare their faith in Christ or, worse yet, do not live up to what they confess.

The relationship of God and people is not an issue of lofty philosophical precepts, but is a way of life for all people, as God has ordained it in creation and confirmed in redemption.


RAYS OF HOPE AND FREEDOM

My life was in chaos.
Darkness clouded my senses,
My heart trembled in fear.

I prayed to God:
"Father, help me!"
And God transformed my life.

The world is still the same.
But I am now secure:
Christ is my Savior!

His love fills my heart,
His faith is my faith.
Rays of hope now light up my soul.

Rays of hope and freedom
Show me the way to God,
And where Christ lives I too will live.


NEXT, December 14:
Life in the world despite the other person.



(Excerpt from the book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch, published by Shepherd News Trust, Inc.--www.shepherdnewstrust.com)

Monday, November 30, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 2 of 20--Are we existing in an identity crisis?

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent us from realizing our true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehoods such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures of God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE:
Each series of the book I.D. CRISIS will conclude with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God cares about our lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstances. Hope is making the impossible come true.

This week's topic:
ARE WE EXISTING IN AN IDENTITY CRISIS?


We live by priorities.

The routine of daily life is subject to value judgments. Our decisions have far-reaching consequences on personal behavior and relationships. The quality of life on earth depends upon a successful balancing of priorities--with God and one another.

Choosing priorities requires people to exercise their God-given freedom. Any outcome will necessarily be influenced by personal convictions and views about life. People decide to make materialistic greed or spiritual hunger their priorities. Blessing or curse of life on earth depends upon a thorough appreciation of the purpose of our creation.

To help us live by the right decision requires that we become fully aware as to whose we truly are.

Therefore, in light of God's purpose for human creation, let us ask: "Do we have an identity problem?"

Because of its serious implications, this question certainly merits attention. So let us look at the problem with genuine concern and examine the quality of daily life. Let us expose all the consequences that result from spiritual neglect. Thus we must make our review a matter of personal involvement.

As we commit ourselves to the search for truth, we seek to find the answers to understand the secrets of life. And any truth uncovered will hopefully guide us back on the right path of faithfulness and obedience.

A potential crisis can be turned into the better way of life. Our quest for purpose and meaning on earth will also lead to a deeper appreciation of the nature of our being. A dedicated search will lead us to fundamental truth and point the way to whose we truly are.

We are God's people!

God's mark of ownership is the divine act of our creation. And on the strength of God's righteousness alone, this claim on our lives was renewed. God made it permanent through the divine act of redemption.

God acted despite the sinfulness of people. Redemption--life in union with Christ as God's anointed savior--offers all people the opportunity to live by grace in the newness of life. It further secures for the faithful and the obedient a place of restored fellowship in the presence of God. For as grace and faith combine, then all people who believe in God's plan of salvation will experience the oneness that identifies human beings as the image of God.

If our behavior in thought and deed is not in harmony with God's expectations for the purpose of our creation, then, we are in the center of an identity crisis. Our behavior--together with the fruits of our labor--is all the evidence needed to indict us.

Whenever people as individuals, families, or societies that make up a nation continuously miss the mark of realizing the life-giving relationship ordained by God, God's expectations of faithfulness and obedience have become sidetracked. When this happens, devotion as well as service to God degenerates into a purposeless ritual. People will go to church once a week solely to satisfy the ego. The absence of any genuine sign of repentance will serve as additional proof that pride and arrogance have combined forces with selfishness and greed.

Neither families nor societies benefit from the spiritual decay of their members. Satan is the only one to gain from any degeneration of the human race. Therefore, Satan will offer help to the wayward in making the final break from knowing God by severing any remaining strains of conscience. Thereafter evil can claim victory over the conflict in man.

Sheer physical existence becomes the new order of the day. Without hope, life has already been shown to be very harsh. People compete for self-esteem, increase greed to remain above average, and excel in empire building to maintain an image.

For people who live without hope, the world is nothing more than a jungle. This type of world consumes--energies and people. In it people will fight and kill in order to survive.

Within it, people will tend to live in their own ocean of self-righteousness. Only the choking from the corrosive atmosphere of hate and greed will make them aware of spiritual blindness. Missed opportunity to overcome this way of life lead to deathbed despair in which the dying see the horizons closing in for the final curtain call.

People have created their own death trap when they make the world a place in which ruthless ambition is the order of the day. In it we will constantly see people working extra hard to outsmart and outdo their fellow men.

As people fight for supremacy, the tenderness of conscience becomes dulled in proportion to the fierceness of worldly struggles. Eventually the wayward will also become insensitive to the pain of slow spiritual death. As they compensate for this painless loss with overindulgence in the pleasures of materialistic gains, Satan waits prepared to reap the harvest in a field full of people who have lost all spiritual identity with God.

Because human beings were created to be dependent creatures of God, an identity crisis is really upon us. We simply have failed to appreciate divine truth as the message that alone can satisfy the hunger of starving souls.

What must we do?

This is not just a cry of desperation of the humanly frail and physically weak. There are moments of truth in all people--good and bad alike. These times of root awakening are opportunities to change. It can be the beginning of the better way of life.

Unfortunately, not all people will take advantage of the chance for a new beginning. We all know that the shedding of bad habits is good for us and there is even some honesty to our hidden desire for change. Yet this is seldom pursued with sufficient impetus to make a fresh beginning the new routine of daily life.

We are not alone in this tragic situation. We share this dilemma with multitudes of people around us.

Because pride makes us cry for even greater independence, we are slaves of our own pride. It makes us want to dictate the ground rules for communion and fellowship with God.

Thus, the sin of rebellion, defiance, and independence is compounded by the greater sin of pride. Even though this conflict is harsh, let us not become overwhelmed by the fierceness of our own problems. Nor must we let ourselves become intimidated by the evil around us. There is nothing in the world that can destroy what God has ordained.

At the same time let us also recognize that there are no alternate or substitute ways for God's plans for our spiritual well-being. For on the basis of God's righteousness alone, grace is the divine gift that secures salvation through Jesus Christ. Thus, the only proper reaction to God's offer of grace is to take refuge in God our Redeemer.

Life in today's world is a mixed blessing. Aimless drift and apathy is a predominant problem among the well-to-do. Hunger, disease, and death darken all signs of hope for the less fortunate. Though present in different ways, despair can touch rich and poor alike. Nonetheless, life continues to run its course because God sustains it.

This world is the proving ground for Christian faith. The faithful and obedient are given the opportunity to live the faith that we as Christians have so readily professed. Life must be shared with zealots, opportunists, the confused, and even those who reject everything, including themselves.

Yet the presence of God is evident. For from within this unlikely bundle of people, God continues to use individuals in many ways to accomplish divine purpose.

Through his grace, God is providing ample help. Christians can draw on the power of God to let the Holy Spirit work his will through them. Thus, we do not live for ourselves but to the glory of God.

Christ's prophetic words in the Sermon on the Mount serve to identify followers and their mission: "You are the light of the world ... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14,16)

For a better understanding of "good works," let us keep in mind the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). God is glorified when we recognize the other person also as a child of God and give of ourselves.

If Christians--as the body of Christ--are really concerned about their mission and work, they need not defend or be apologetic about their witness to the good news of the Gospel: Jesus Christ came, died, and was raised back to life for the forgiveness of sins--for even the worst of sinners.

To end the identity crisis, we must yield to the Holy Spirit, who alone will reveal the truth about God.

The flourishing of falsehoods--such as religious cults--during an identity crisis is alarming, but should not come as a surprise. Whenever people feel spiritually destitute, they will accept even their own manipulation for the sake of temporary relief.

But false teaching will go on. Saint Paul mentioned that this will continue as long as there are people who like to promote human ideas: "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths." (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

As people of God--our true identity through creation and redemption--we live in the world by the grace of God.

This rules out all clever manipulation by the human mind to become giants in intellect and develop our own methods of pleasing God. Restored fellowship was provided by God two thousand years ago--despite sin--as a gift of grace.

God has acted. We now must respond, faithfully and obediently, and live out God's plan of salvation.


RAYS OF HOPE AND FREEDOM

My life was in chaos.
Darkness clouded my senses.
My heart trembled in fear.

I prayed to God:
"Father, help me!"
And God transformed my life.

The world is still the same.
But I am now secure:
Christ is my Savior!

His love fills my heart,
His faith is my faith.
Rays of hope now light up my soul.

Rays of hope and freedom
Show me the way to God,
And where Christ lives I too will live!


NEXT, December 7:
Christianity, nice people, and the real world



(Excerpt from the book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch, published by Shepherd News Trust, Inc.--www.shepherdnewstrust.com)

Monday, November 23, 2009

I.D. CRISIS--Series 1 of 20--Introduction

BACKGROUND:
The book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch deals with the spiritual, intellectual, and social conflict of people in modern times. Confusion about the past and uncertainties in the present prevent us from knowing our true nature. As a direct consequence of such confusion, visions of the future are clouded. Some of the diversions that prevent people from realizing their true identity as children of God are philosophies, politics, economics, and falsehoods such as religious cults. The solution is remembering that human beings are dependent creatures of God.

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE:
Each series of the book I.D. CRISIS will conclude repeatedly with the poem "Rays of Hope and Freedom" to assure readers that God is in charge of human lives and we are his children of hope. Hope is the From/to process at work in the modern Era of Faith repairing life and circumstances. Hope is making the impossible come true.


This week's topic:
INTRODUCTION


I.D. CRISIS was written to alert all people everywhere about a better way of life, God's way. The purpose of the text is to help diligent readers get started on the personal road of discovery to eternal truth and universal salvation.

No writing, however eloquent, can prescribe a step-by-step procedure for this search. People must learn to appreciate for themselves the way of truth. Such is the beginning of an everlasting relationship.

And the authority for guidance belongs to God. In human ideas, what may be totally acceptable to some is highly objectionable to others.

Even though attitudes and behavior may vary from culture to culture, the essence of life, nonetheless, is changeless. The model of the godly life has been given to the world. The message about the Kingdom of God and the will of God is clear in Christ's teaching.

Much confusion is nourished by ignorance. And evil enters in when theories are declared as facts and dogmatic pronouncements attempt to protect doctrines and traditions. This is typical when ecclesiastical organizations feel threatened and try to perpetuate themselves. But such defensive moves are not always necessarily in the interest of truth.

There is no need to speculate concerning the truth about God. The teaching of Christ is God's summary. The message given explains the Kingdom of God and the will of God. Nothing more is required for the short human pilgrimage on earth of seventy years more or less.

Christ affirmed God's expectations of faithfulness and obedience. The call to worship and service--the ancient Shema Yisrael--is confirmed for all people everywhere as a primary event in everyday life: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." (Matthew 22:37)

No additional explanations is needed. The human race is the height of God's creation. And God has definite expectations of people.

Eternal truth is further enhanced by Christ summarizing the historic Law of Holiness and Justice. This divine command stands as the foundation of all human relationships: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)

Prior to Christ's confirmation of these standards for human behavior, God's prophet Micah provided the divine reply to the age-old question as to what God requires of people. The subject again concerns holiness and justice: "He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8)

The direction is straightforward. There are no hidden meanings.

Yet Abraham Lincoln, one of the greatest Americans, lamented about the sad condition of ecclesiastical religion. The prophet Micah's detailed summary to "walk humbly with your God" was compared by Lincoln to the workings of the institutional church.

This is how Lincoln saw the problem: "When any church will inscribe over its altar, as its sole qualification for membership, the Saviour's condensed statement of the substance of both Law and Gospel, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor, as thyself' that church will I join with all my heart and all my soul."

What otherwise may appear as sarcasm on the part of non-committed people are actually cries of desperation--sometimes even calls for reform. The vacuum within an empty soul is the greatest imaginable abyss. It is as consuming as the bottomless pit.

--Where is God in times of war?
--Why all the starvation in the world?
--Why do people suffer?

These outcries are real. Death and suffering are in the world. Where is God in all this trouble? Assuredly, with the faithful believer! God is right in the center of war, starvation, and suffering to support and uphold the faithful.

Faithful believers live in the world according to divine promise. What God ordains, God also sustains. This message of hope has been given many times. But it must be repeated again and again.

God has already demonstrated his perfect record of performance. He has proven to be faithful and steadfast. Therefore, any demands for new themes in the teaching of eternal truth are mere tactics of arrogant people. With their demands they wish God's creation to march to their tune. Anyone more concerned about the ways of the world than the Kingdom of God does not have a working relationship with the Living God at heart.

Biblical writings are sufficient evidence about the concerns of a righteous God for sinful people. The Bible, indeed, is a text on relationships. It is a true God-and-people book.

But eternal truth is a matter of revelation by the Holy Spirit. The written word, indeed, is human, but its inspirational message is divine.

God inspires believers by means of divinely ordained channels. The Bible is the means by which the Holy Spirit makes known the truth about God.

Education is a continuous process of learning. But somehow people have conceived the unfortunate notion that formal education ends the learning process. Nothing is further from the truth.

A worse situation exists in religious education. It is truly sad to see children elated at having been freed from the burden of learning about God at the day of their confirmation. They have learned fast to follow the example of elders.

With the exception of some sporadic programs, no responsibility has been exercised by either teachers or adults to maintain the learning process of knowing all the truth about God.

Good behavior is a matter of faithfulness and obedience to God. The quality of our response to God is not subject to human consideration, for the will of God is the purpose of our being. Christ taught and demonstrated God's intent for people. When people live and act accordingly, they have achieved true greatness. Then they also have something to boast about--because of what God through Christ has done--and not brag about worldly achievements.

The Word of God in Jeremiah encourages our concern for the Kingdom of God. "Thus says the LORD: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says the LORD.'" (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

RAYS OF HOPE AND FEEDOM

My life was in chaos.
Darkness clouded my senses,
My heart trembled in fear.

I prayed to God:
"Father, help me!"
And God transformed my life.

The world is still the same.
But I am now secure:
Christ is my Savior!

His love fills my heart,
His faith is my faith.
Rays of hope now light up my soul.

Rays of hope and freedom
Show me the way to God,
And where Christ lives I too will live!


NEXT, November 30:
Are we existing in an identity crisis?

(Excerpt from the book I.D. CRISIS by Kurt Koppetsch, published by Shepherd News Trust, Inc.--www.shepherdnewstrust.com)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

The economy and the power to make things better--Part 5 of 5--A National Prayer

Prayer by the power of the Holy Spirit is the most powerful force in bonding people and God; we pray to God for his presence, healing, spiritual renewal, and economic independence. Prayer awakens the conscience to become conscientious in our relationship with God.

Dear God and Father:

Jesus commanded us to pray in his name. Let your Holy Spirit guide us in everything you want done. Help us with confession and commitment, strengthen our faith and keep us united.

You have made us a nation of peers, rich in resources, and overflowing with talent. We decided to change all that.

And now many unresolved ills are tearing us apart, straining the social fabric. We have acted willfully and tarnished our opportunities to excel in service to you. At times we are even harsh toward ourselves. You have given us humanity, yet we manage to treat family and strangers less than humanely.

While you expect of us faithfulness and obedience to your will and the purpose of our creation, we have been busily building our own empires in a society of institutions. On these we depend to take care of us.

We have exchanged the attributes of equality for all human beings--individual rights and personal obligations--in favor of a system of collective agents in our institutions. They are no substitutes, even though we believed these to be better qualified to handle our relationship with you and the relationships with one another.

We let ourselves become saturated with information based on the bottom line of selling papers and air time, and we have neglected searching and listening to your Word.

We have become complacent when financial opportunists deal away our economic independence.

We export manufacturing and import investments. We do nothing to prevent the prospects of our children becoming servants of foreign masters in their own land.

We have relegated trust in you to a meaningless imprint on money, but as money decays, so will we, unless we change and return to you.

These are crucial times. We cry out to you to awaken a slumbering giant. Renew our spirit and help us to seek the only peace of value, your peace, where the human spirit is at peace with you and one another in a world of uncharted space to allow for the expansion of tolerance, compassion, and the blessing of your promise to take care of us.

O Lord, our God, act with haste and save us. Be once again our refuge and strength, for you are our God, and we are your people. Prepare for us your way to transform challenges into opportunities so that toward the end your name will be glorified in a new era in America, the Era of Faith.

In Jesus' name we pray: Your kingdom come. Your will be done. Amen.

Monday, November 9, 2009

The economy and the power to make things better--Part 4 of 5--Hope and promise

Great things always happen when we work the Golden Rule according to God’s plan for human life, be it in economics, finance, jobs, health care, education and respect for the other person. Let the power to make things better now be our commitment to work hard and do what is best in dealing justly in economic and social matters, for the world revolves around the economy. Yet we are not alone in this arduous task toward physical satisfaction and spiritual wellbeing. God inspires us with hope and the promise of his presence, and he expects us to apply the gift of hope to the fullest in evidence to show that we are truly his children of hope.



Next: A National Prayer

Monday, November 2, 2009

The economy and the power to make things better--Part 3 of 5--The spiritual point of view

God looks with compassion at modern America, and he suffers with the victims of economic abuse. With scorn he addresses today’s arrogant and inexperienced managers, the “Paper Barons” of modern times, as well as impulsive politicians: “You have become too big for your breeches. All the world’s resources are mine. Your greedy appetite and lust for power are wasting what belongs to me and all my people!”

And God continues: “I have made America the bastion of free enterprise. You have eliminated your competitors by swallowing them up one by one, not with your own money but at the expense of my people. You have borrowed money and then passed on the cost of your insatiable growth to the consumers. They carry the burden of your grandiose schemes through higher costs of the market basket or smaller food packages. In your grandiose plots you start new ventures with borrowed money and then fold them up when things do not work out. Who do you think is absorbing the loss? Surely it is not your financial backers. They are even greedier than you are. They are in business to make money no matter what. And look at your accounting schemes. Suddenly you play the fool, claiming that you do not know what is happening. You know how to give yourselves huge salaries, bonuses, and generous pensions. My people must pay for them by your denying jobs, health coverage, and pensions for my hard-working people.”

God’s voice now thunders: “By what rules do you gamble the hard-earned savings of my working people in 401(k) plans? Who decides that you have the right to declare a stock under value or encourage companies to dilute the number of shares? Who do you think is picking up the tab when your schemes fail? Unscrupulous institutional managers of the public trust are the great evils in modern times. A lot of money is changing hands without control and without consideration of the needs of the owner.”

Furthermore, God says: “You pay obnoxiously high salaries in professional sports. Whose money is it that you are wasting? You recover every penny through advertisements of the products my people must buy in order to live. But it is my people who must swallow with each spoon of food the bitterness of your schemes. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

God says: “My wealth in America belongs to the American people. It is my gift to them.” God admonishes America’s leadership—business leaders and politicians alike—concerning job losses: “When you scorn the American workforce as an expense that is prohibitive, you are attacking the foundation of the American dream that I put in place for a bright future of job stability and family income. You are attacking me when you take work away from my people. Your cheap labor tactics are now the cause of many social ills in America. Your greedy appetite is placing the American family in jeopardy. Your greed is a monster that gnaws at the hopes and dreams of my people. And that is not all. You now sell in America for dollars what you have manufactured offshore for cents. Your exploitation of cheap labor markets is slavery. Your greed is responsible for hatred and wars because exploited people feel the injustice done to them. You are fools if you think that I will let you get away with it. Beware of your greed. Greed is a killer. I will not stop your greed, for eventually your own greed will destroy you in due time. Repent therefore. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

Thursday, October 29, 2009

The economy and the power to make things better--Part 2 of 5--Past and present realities

In the past, families envisioned great times as industries grew and so did employment, and the future was promising. Enlightened entrepreneurs looked protectively after workers; those leaders less inclined to share the wealth were obliged to sign labor contracts through unions. In either situation industry and the American workforce was a viable partnership, each partner benefiting through benevolent relationships. Even when work was slow during recessions or depressions, local employers cared for struggling families.

Unfortunately, it took wars to perk up sagging economies. Two world wars lifted industry out of the doldrums. During each national crisis the American workers were ready to pitch in and do their part. They did not debate. They simply helped. A job needed to be done, and they were there to do it.

Enlightened entrepreneurs remembered that each worker had to support a family, so they compensated their workers fairly. Quality of life in the early period of America’s industrialization consisted of family, the church, and an unyielding faith in God. As the family enjoyed income security, they had time to share. And they shared laughter, often in the company of friends and neighbors. Because the employers were benevolent, there was great respect for business leaders. Business ethics were crowned with an unwritten commitment to look out for each other at all times. Accounting was simple and free of tricks. Honesty and fairness fostered respect in the workplace. God was happy because his people were satisfied.

Industrialization was conceived to make life simpler, more abundant, and more secure. America was producing things in large volumes to make them affordable. America had a sound manufacturing base, and America was making money. Sunrise and sunset defined the day for work and shopping. Evenings were for the family, and Sundays were days of rest for fun and laughter. God was the center of family life.

Subtle changes gradually appeared on the horizon. “Efficiency experts” entered the scene. There were shifts away from the personal relationships workers enjoyed with entrepreneurs. Professional managers—“Paper Barons”—appeared to run the business on a new and impersonal platform. The new focus was on the bottom line. Ethics was put into the back seat, and the once-vital work ethic slowly faded into oblivion. The 1960s saw the beginning of the end of manufacturing in America.

This shift to a service economy broke the backbone of the American family. Cheap labor overseas overpowered the American workforce with the approval of management. The American workforce in textiles, shoes, and eventually high technology was hung out to dry by its business leadership. Besides the loss of jobs, America is losing all rights to genuine American technology. Business leaders claim to need the technology transfer to manufacture American-brand products overseas. God is troubled.

Sunday, October 18, 2009

The economy and the power to make things better--Part 1 of 5--Assessment of contemporary life

The world revolves around the economy. Today’s economic and social ills—jobs, financial chaos, health care, education, lack of respect for the other person—raise havoc with the economy; correction requires spiritual renewal—i.e. we must do extremely well in service to God and country and work ethics as the Golden Rule; relying on the government to handle what are personal obligations will not do. Americans, like other members of the global economy, suffer an identity crisis as human desires and lust for power have overtaken us. To overcome the identity crisis, we must live according to whose we truly are; we are God’s people and his children of hope. God supports us; therefore let us make ample use of his presence in our lives. The spiritual connection is the most powerful force on Earth and is indispensable for overcoming human greed and lust for power. We believe that the current harsh and adulterated economic conditions demand changes in attitudes and behavior beyond ordinary means.

We need divine help. Two devastating wars and unresolved conflicts in Palestine continue to drive the resources of America to the breaking point. Compounding America’s situation even further is a health care crisis that remains unresolved, and the outsourcing of jobs further complicates the economic hardship—this despite the fact that America has an abundance of talent.

Helpful guides for achieving economic independence:

1. Identify the shortcomings.

2. Make the commitment to adjust attitudes and behavior.

3. Explore solutions to overcome the problem of man-created disasters.

4. Devise the plan for change and improving the current dire conditions.

5. Provide the resources to implement the plan.

6. Persevere. Since conquest in resolving overwhelming issues call for a firm commitment, let us ask: “Am I willing to make the necessary commitment to handle the present economic crisis and social ills?” Only a positive response will guarantee America’s future of hope.

7. Important considerations for implementing changes

7a. Many economic problems today are the result of lack of government scrutiny of questionable activities because laws, rules, and regulations to control irresponsible human behavior are not in place. Many lawmakers favor a free market economy, but a free-for-all greed and lust for power is not a free market economy.

7b. Ultimately, economic issues are moral issues. And like all other moral situations, economic problems also call for spiritual solutions.

7c. Therefore, it is up to us as spritual beings in the modern world to address moral decay and expose morally deficient leaders in business and finance: bankers, 401k managers, hedge fund operators, venture capitalists, private equity manipulators, and all others who deal with the resources of the general public in irresponsible ways. A 5% investment in a company by a venture capitalist will guarantee takeover and subsequent abuse of the public trust by cashing in the equity value of companies because irresponsible bankers and 401k managers, the pencil pushers of modern times, are partners for a fee with greedy takeover manipulators.

7d. Let one thing be certain: Anyone more interested in personal greed and lust for power rather than the common good does not deserve the respect and the honors associated with ethics in active community life.

7e. Good human conduct is watching out for the community and each other. This is the necessary first step in the healing of social ills as well as in providing a spiritual solution to today's economic ills. God expects us to build bridges for making the world a better place through job creation; thus we join forces, locally and globally, to condemn economic greed and personal lust for power. As we cry out for divine help in the present dilemma, God will surely guide us in working our economic needs to help families become economically independent. We believe that the solution to the moral decay that is responsible for current job losses through outscourcing demands a spiritual solution. And God is waiting to hear our prayers to help restore the job security of American families.

7f. He will inspire and encourage seekers of truth for the common good with visions for solving our job woes. But we must act, locally, and collectively as a nation, to plan the future that will make us a better people.

In this writing, past conditions and future expectations are looked at in detail in Part 2, 3 and 4, with Part 5 being A National Prayer seeking divine intervention. In every instance, the emphasis is on unity; unity alone will make certain a successful solution and prevent further damage to the American Spirit. Part 3 is especially important, for it shifts the current burdens into God’s hands where they belong; business leaders and ruthless politicians for too long have manipulated what rightfully belongs to the kingdom of God on Earth and all his people. The time is here and now to stop the hijacking of God’s wealth and overturn arrogant ideas about human greatness; disastrous wars already indict the falsehood of self-centered ambition, greed, and lust for power as the ongoing egocentric behavior keeps consuming resources and energies to serve God and country; therefore, only when we yield to God will things improve. Part 4 presents a future of hope as God’s way for quality of life. Part 5: A National Prayer