Tag: divine

Chaos

The argument is often made that biblical writers ripped off much older myths and adapted them for a monotheistic faith. The problem with this is that, while creation order and chaos are indeed reflected in many of these legends, that’s basically where the similarities end.

Gary Pollard

“Chaoskampf” is a prominent theme in the myths of Babylon, Egypt, Canaan, Greece, and even the Norse sagas. It’s also in our Bible, but with obvious differences. In the Babylonian tablets collectively called the Enuma Elish, creation begins with a great battle. Marduk defeats Tiamat, a sea goddess who represents chaos. He fashions the heavens and the earth from her remains after defeating her in battle. In Canaanite myth, Baal battles Yam, the sea god, also a symbol of chaos. In Egyptian stories, Ra must overcome the serpent Apep every night—a coiling monster of darkness and disorder (and don’t forget Osiris/Seth). In Norse mythology, at the edge of the world lies Jörmungandr, the world serpent, who they said will one day rise in Ragnarök, the day of final chaos. In Greek mythology, the Titans battle the Olympians and the victors reorder the destroyed world. 

The pattern is the same: a divine being, representing order and stability, faces the chaos of the sea, often personified as a serpent. Genesis 1 is greatly simplified and much cleaner — “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” The great patriarchs were raised in these traditions: Abraham was from Ur of Babylonia, and Moses was raised and educated in Egypt. Asaph wrote, “With your great power you split open the sea and broke the heads of the sea monster. Yes, you smashed the heads of Leviathan and left his body for the animals to eat. You make the springs and rivers flow, you make the rivers dry up. You control day and night. You made the sun and moon. You set limits for everything on earth, and you created summer and winter” (Ps 74). 

The argument is often made that biblical writers ripped off much older myths and adapted them for a monotheistic faith. The problem with this is that, while creation order and chaos are indeed reflected in many of these legends, that’s basically where the similarities end. Unlike other cultures, whose myths are all about cosmic battles between gods, Moses and Asaph speak of the unchallenged power of the God who tamed the seas and chaos with just his words. 

Revelation ties this theme up nicely. John says, “Then I saw a new sky and a new earth. The first sky and first earth had disappeared. Now there was no sea. And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down from God, down from the sky.” The detail about the sea might seem out of place, but it’s not. “Sea” was often synonymous with chaos, violence, death, and fear. It was personified as a great enemy that had to be defeated. On New Earth, tehom — chaos, the abyss, Tiamat, Leviathan, the sea — is finally gone forever.

Three quick things: 

  1. Chaos is nothing to panic over. We serve the God who calmed the seas with a word (Mk 4). 
  2. God can and does bring order from chaos. Our life might feel “formless and void” but God will ultimately bring order and beauty (Rom 8). 
  3. God has already won — the sea is on borrowed time, Leviathan has lost. 

Origen’s “On First Principles” (Book 1, Ch. 2.11-13)

“The Son and the Spirit share in that same nature of divine goodness, because they come from the Father Himself. So, when anything else is called “good” in Scripture―whether angels, people, hearts, trees, or treasures―it’s called good only in a borrowed or figurative sense, not in the essential sense that belongs to God alone….”

Gary Pollard

[Editor’s Note: Gary is translating the Ante-Nicene Fathers works, beginning with Origin’s work. It is meant to update the British English of Roberts and Donaldson. What follows is part of that translation]

Thirdly, wisdom is called the radiance of eternal light. We already discussed the meaning of this phrase earlier, using the analogy of the sun and its rays to help explain it. Here, we’ll add just one further thought. Something is truly eternal if it never began to exist and never ceases to be what it is. This is what John means when he says, “God is light.” God’s wisdom is the radiance of that light―not just because it is light, but because it is eternal light. So, wisdom is the eternal and everlasting radiance of God. If we grasp this properly, we see clearly that the Son’s existence comes from the Father―but not in terms of time or from any origin other than God Himself.

Wisdom is also called the flawless mirror of God’s energy (or activity). So, we should first consider what the activity or working of God’s power is. It is a kind of living force through which God acts―whether in creating, governing the world, judging, or arranging all things in their proper time and place. Just as a mirror perfectly reflects everything a person does in front of it, wisdom should be understood as the flawless mirror of the Father’s power and actions. This is why Jesus Christ, who is the Wisdom of God, says, “The works that the Father does, the Son also does.” And again, “The Son can do nothing by Himself, but only what He sees the Father doing.”

The Son does not differ from the Father in power or action. The work of the Son is not separate from the work of the Father. Rather, both act in perfect unity―as if by one and the same motion. That’s why the Son is called a flawless mirror―to show that there is no difference at all between the Son and the Father. How then can it be right to say, as some do, that the Son imitates the Father like a student copies a teacher? Or that the Son creates material things based on spiritual patterns first made by the Father? These ideas don’t match what Scripture teaches. The gospel doesn’t say the Son does similar works to the Father―it says He does the same works, in the same way.

Now we turn to what it means that the Son is the image of His goodness. This, I believe, is similar to what we just said about the image in a mirror. God the Father is the original source of goodness, and the Son is born from that goodness. Because the Son fully reflects the Father, He can rightly be called the image of His goodness. The Son doesn’t possess some separate kind of goodness; His goodness is exactly the same as the Father’s. This is why the Rescuer says in the Gospel, “No one is good except God alone, the Father.” This statement shouldn’t be taken to mean that Christ is not good―but rather that his goodness comes entirely from the same source: the primal goodness of the Father.

The Son and the Spirit share in that same nature of divine goodness, because they come from the Father Himself. So, when anything else is called “good” in Scripture―whether angels, people, hearts, trees, or treasures―it’s called good only in a borrowed or figurative sense, not in the essential sense that belongs to God alone. To talk about all the titles of the Son of God―like true light, door, righteousness, sanctification, redemption, and many others―and to explain the reasons behind each one would take too long here. Since we’re content with what we’ve already said, we will continue on to the next part of our discussion.

Going The Distance

Neal Pollard

In her fascinating book, The Bloody Bozeman: The Perilous Trail to Montana’s Gold, Dorothy Johnson includes an interesting anecdote as she chronicles life in the territory of Montana in the 1860s. As the population in the territory grew, the people felt a need for a newspaper, more organized law enforcement, a legislature, schools, churches, mail service, stage coaches, and mail service. They also sought forms of entertainment like they enjoyed back east in the United States. On January 2, 1865, Virginia City held a historic prize fight between Hugh O’Neil and Con Orem. O’Neil was 34 years old, 5 feet, 8.5 inches tall and 190 pounds. Orem, a tee-totaling saloon keeper, was 29 years old, 5 feet, 6.5 inches tall and 138 pounds. Johnson summarizes it with incredible understatement: “The fight went 185 rounds, lasted three hours and five minutes, and was declared a tie. It was stopped by mutual consent of the backers” (149). Both men wore snug buckskin gloves without padding and pounded on each other round after round. Neither would give up!

I’m not sure what you make of that curiosity, but it struck me. The Bible depicts our individual lives as a spiritual fight. Especially Paul illustrates life in this world as a battle. We are in a fight with the devil. In Ephesians 6:12, Paul, having said that we must “stand firm” against the “schemes” of the devil, says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood…” The word he uses there means “engagement in a challenging contest” (BDAG, 752). The Greeks used the word originally to describe wrestling, then all fights and battles (ibid.). Zodhiates adds that it was “a wrestling, struggle or hand-to-hand combat. It was used of the wrestling of athletes and of the hand-to-hand combat of soldiers both of which required deftness and speed. It denoted the struggle between individual combatants in distinction from an entire military campaign” (np).

The devil’s positions, principles, and pursuits are in direct conflict with God’s. As His followers, we must fight the devil. We are not in physical combat with people, as Paul points out. But we are to “resist” and “stand firm” (Eph. 6:11,13,14). We cannot yield or forfeit that fight.

But there is another fight we are in, and Paul describes this one as equally formidable. The opponent is our own flesh. Every day, we go to battle against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). Paul depicts this graphically in Romans 7:14-25). As James points out, we can get “carried away and enticed by our own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” (1:14b-15). 

Yet, it is a far from a foregone conclusion that we are doomed to lose! Not at all. Paul tells us that we are spiritual prizefighters. We must be prepared to go, not 185 rounds, but round after round, day after day, moment after moment. Here is Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians 9:26-27. He says, “I box (“fight with the fist,” Swanson, np.) in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” Your opponent, be it the devil or your own flesh, will land some punches. At times, you may even hit the deck. Through His Word, God is cheering you on and calling, “Get back up! Keep fighting! Don’t give up!” He believes in you. He is in your corner, giving you perfect instructions for defeating your bigger and stronger opponent named “sin.” Even if your lying on the floor, you can get back up. Through God’s help, you can win the fight. Remember that with this battle, eternity is in the balance. You can go the distance! 

Meaning

Gary Pollard

Among the dozens of the-most-commonly-asked-questions Carl compiled for me, most fall into one of maybe three fundamental categories. Most of them also betray a sense of chaos in how people view reality. How do I know something is true/accurate/best practice? Is it always true? What about when a person stops being alive? Is it all nothingness? What is happiness? Is it quantifiable? What is my responsibility to other people? Do I have one? What makes me different from non-human life? Is there a significant difference? What is real? How do we know? Is it possible to be absolutely positive? What is my destiny? Do I have one? Why am I conscious? Am I, or is this a construct? 

Chaos and the abyss were frequently described in the ancient world as having nothing below and nothing above. You can’t look up/forward to some goal, and you had no solid base to stand on. No fixed point to compare something to. No metric to organize information into a usable hierarchy. It was conceived of as the worst possible existence, all of hopelessness and despair realized. It was seen as the destiny of those who deserved the most severe punishment, as no experience could possibly be worse than this. 

Ironically, the “freedom” promised by social/moral liberation proponents almost immediately devolves into this nightmare. People in general seem to feel lost and unable to know what’s real. Even much of our humor is now dark, existential hopelessness! So many are addicted to short-term euphoria, and each crash is a fresh wave of meaninglessness. We look everywhere for answers, but don’t always know if we can trust those answers because they’re so often subjective. There are too many threads to chase and knots to untie, and we don’t even know where to start. 

To a seeking person, the division so prevalent in Christianity can be discouraging. How can anyone trust something that no one seems to agree on? Where people are, problems are. That’s true of literally every human enterprise, and doesn’t warrant discounting it entirely. And most of those disagreements are because of ignorance, not because of faulty source material. 

So if you’re looking for meaning and hope, give the Bible a chance! This might seem reductive or cliche to non-believers, but its teachings have brought so much good to the world. That alone makes it worth pursuing! Most importantly, it gives tangible hope for the future and a solid, reliable base to stand on. It helps us understand reality like no other source! At the very least, give it a shot.

Here are some (hopefully) helpful tips for beginner Bible readers: 

  1. Bias is impossible to avoid entirely, but keep an open mind (believer and non-believer alike). An open mind prevents legalistic or liberal extremes, which are no bueno. Come to the text with questions and a desire for accurate answers. Be willing to adopt, adjust, or discard your beliefs when the narrative requires it. 
  2. If you haven’t yet done a deep dive into its divine origins, presuppose absolute reliability. You’ll come to that conclusion anyway, and this lessens anxiety when seeing something that challenges a current belief. 
  3. Stick with the New Testament at first, and avoid commentaries like the plague (I’m writing one, don’t read it). Don’t give up on a passage that’s hard to understand — try harder. Use a good, easy-to-read modern translation primarily, but have a couple others on hand too. I love the ERV, but also use NIV, GW, and NET Bible. 
  4. Look for the narrative in each section you’re reading. What main idea does everything else seem to support or illustrate?
  5. John’s writings are a great place to start if you’re looking for the most fundamental building blocks of meaning. Don’t just read the words, look into the concepts he presents. 
  6. Ask questions. So many answers to the fundamental questions listed above are in the scriptures. They work so much better than any of the subjective secular answers offered today. 
  7. Highlight, underline, and otherwise mark up the text. Look for connections and for ways to bring out each concept. You’re not looking for a code or some kind of religious experience, you’re looking for meaning. It will eventually become the lens you look through to understand reality, and the hope you have of humanity’s destiny. You will gain a deep appreciation for who God is and what he does for humanity and what he will give us when he comes back!  
  8. Read all of it. It’s all good stuff — and there’s nothing wrong with starting at what resonates most with your interests or questions! Those interests only become more interesting once you have a better understanding of all the other stuff, too! 

Divine Dependence

The Paradox of Freedom in America’s Founding and Faith

Brent Pollard

Every year on July 4th, Americans come together to commemorate their liberation from the rule of Great Britain. However, though we praise the Declaration of Independence for emphasizing self-reliance, it can also be seen as a testament to the deep reliance on a Creator God.

Reflect upon the opening line, “When in the Course of human events.” This statement establishes a benchmark that surpasses the power of any leader. It implies the existence of a higher law, a natural law, originating from a divine source.

This fundamental document declares that some rights are “self-evident,” i.e., they are part of the human condition and not something a king or queen can grant. This fact suggests that these rights come from a source beyond the control of any human government.

The famous passage “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” clearly recognizes the divine source of these fundamental rights. They are not merely gifts from rulers; a higher power has bestowed them upon us.

The second paragraph concludes by appealing to the “Supreme Judge of the world” and recognizing the significance of considering others’ perspectives. This reverence for humanity’s perspective is rooted in a collective faith in a superior ethical framework.

The revolution is fully justified because the king broke the sacred laws governing nature and the divine. The colonists were not rebelling against a rightful authority but rather against a ruler who violated the sacred law.

This perspective highlights the importance of relying on a higher power in various significant ways:

• Origin of Rights: Our rights are not self-derived but instead bestowed upon us by a higher power, implying that we must preserve and protect them.

• Limits of Government: The government aims to safeguard these inherent rights rather than diminish them.

• Emphasizing Accountability: A higher law applies to rulers and the ruled, fostering a more just society.

These concepts shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with how people express their dependence on God in the Scriptures. Also, God’s word reminds Christians that God has given them freedom; it also guides them by principles of lawfulness and expediency, which prevent them from indulging in their desires without restraint (e.g., 1 Corinthians 10.23).

As we approach our conclusion, we want to highlight various statements from the Bible that show our dependence on God. These scriptures highlight different aspects of our reliance on God, including our need for His guidance, power, wisdom, protection, and existence. They stress the limits of human understanding and ability, contrasting them with God’s all-knowing and all-powerful nature.

Jeremiah 10.23: “I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.” (NASB95)

This verse acknowledges that humans lack ultimate control over their lives and require God’s guidance.

Acts 17.28: “For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His children.’” (NASB95)

Paul underscores that we are entirely dependent on God for our very existence.

John 15.5: “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (NASB95)

Jesus employs a metaphor to vividly demonstrate how we rely entirely on Him for spiritual productivity.

Proverbs 3.5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (NASB95)

This passage encourages reliance on God’s wisdom rather than our limited understanding.

Psalm 127:1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.” (NASB95)

This verse powerfully underscores the uselessness of human endeavors without God’s participation.

Philippians 4.13: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” (NASB95)

Paul admits that his capability to deal with his economic circumstances originates from God, not himself.

2 Corinthians 3:5: “Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.” (NASB95)

Paul reiterates that all our abilities come from God, not within ourselves.

James 4.13-15: “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” (NASB95)

This passage highlights our inability to control the future and our need to submit to God’s will.

Psalm 46.1: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (NASB95)

This verse vividly depicts God as our ultimate source of protection and strength, particularly in challenging times.

Isaiah 41.10: “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (NASB95)

God assures us of His presence, strength, and support, indicating our essential need for these divine provisions.

The principles of independence remind us of a profound paradox: our reliance on a higher authority closely connects us to true freedom. The Declaration of Independence acknowledges our freedom from earthly rule and dependence on divine providence. We find this sentiment throughout Scripture, continually reminding us of our reliance on God for guidance, strength, and even our existence. As we celebrate our national independence, let’s also embrace the humility and wisdom that comes from recognizing our ultimate dependence on the Creator. In doing so, we honor the enduring principles that have guided our nation since its beginning and continue to shape our understanding of freedom and equality.

Planning Like Prophets

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

Dale Pollard

Vision: The ability to think about or plan for the future with imagination and wisdom. 

 In the book of Revelation we read of seven churches that needed to develop different areas of weakness in order to be the church Christ needed them to be. 

The Old Testament is also filled with valuable information and strategies to help congregations develop and execute their visions. Each church family will differ and since that’s the case, each congregation needs custom vision.

Here are two Old Testament passages that give us some insight into the mind of God on the subject of vision planning. 

  1. A Good Vision Is Visible 

         Habakkuk 2:2-3 

Though Habakkuk’s message was concerning the the conquest of Babylon, this text is invaluable for us today. 

Here we read God’s strategy for successful/effective planning. 

“Write down the revelation 

It should be tangible
    “and make it plain on tablets”

It should be precise 
    “so that a herald may run with it.”

It should be effective. A vision without legs won’t go far. 

“For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
    it speaks of the end
    and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
    it will certainly come
    and will not delay.”

 A vision should be lasting. When God spoke to the prophets they would often record things that would happen years in the future. With these future events written down, the following generations could plan accordingly. God is coming back and eternity is coming, we must create a plan so that we and those after us can continue to prepare. 

  1. If It’s Not His, It’s Hopeless 

          Jeremiah 23.16 

“This is what the Lord Almighty says:

God must have a voice 

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you;

The ungodly shouldn’t have a voice when it comes to planning a vision for God’s people
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions from their own minds,
    not from the mouth of the Lord.”

God must have a voice because the vision shouldn’t be born from the mind of man!

The Pressing Property Of The Power!

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

Neal Pollard

It has been a good year for tomatoes in our garden. We’ve eaten them, given them away, and preserved a lot of them. In addition to canning them, Kathy decided to use our dehydrator to save time and space in preserving them. A few days ago, she filled the machine with several rows of sliced tomatoes. She would set the temperature and time, then come back when it was done. The fruit would still be wet and tacky. After this happened a few times, she was concerned that our appliance was malfunctioning. It was then that she noticed she had not pressed the tiny start button on the far right side. She pushed it, and after eight hours she came back to perfectly dehydrated tomatoes. All the prep and planning were futile without the power.

How often do we conduct our lives that way? We meticulously make plans and we do our part to try to make them happen, but we neglect to access the power that makes it all work? Do we ever forget what Paul reminded Philippi, that “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (2:13)? Paul also said that while we may have a variety of gifts, ministries, and effects, it is “the same God who works all things in all persons” (1 Cor. 12:4-6). We’re told that it is God who will “equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight…” (Heb. 13:21).

How do we hope to do God’s work without God’s help? We need His guidance, His wisdom and instruction, and His help. That necessitates skillfully laboring in His Word (2 Tim. 2:15), leaning on Him in fervent, faithful prayer (Phil. 4:6; 1 Th. 5:17), and relying on His providence in setting our direction (Rom. 8:28). It makes all the difference when we tap into God’s power. Let’s not overlook the one thing that is always essential in everything we undertake! 

The power button is just to the right of the frame of this picture.

Comfort For The Hurting

Tuesday’s Column: Dale Mail

dalejanelle2021

Dale Pollard

 
Many emotions run through different individuals when faced with the loss of a loved one or dealing with intense pain. These emotions can present themselves as questions: 
  • Confusion: “Why did this happen?”
  • Sadness: “How will I go on?” 
  • Anger: “Who allowed this to happen?” 

Who can answer these questions? 

Who can provide comfort? 

Who can guide your heart through the heartbreaking moments in life? 

Is it not the Creator?

 Here’s a quick reminder to help give those who are dealing with loss and tragedy some perspective. 

Though “end” is a very human term,  

100 years from now I’ll be alive and so will you. 150, 200 years from now I’ll be alive and so will you. 

Since we are made in the image of God, that means… 

  1. When God breathed into you the breath of life He gave you a piece of Himself called the soul which will live forever…somewhere. 
  2. When God created you in a more intimate way unlike the beasts of the field and the birds of the air He gave you free choice. 
  3. He gave you the ability to reason.
  4. He gave you the ability to contact Him and be contacted by him. 

How sad and how tragic it would be to live your life with no hope. God offers wonderful and comforting news even at times where such news seems to be missing. 

God loves you more than anyone can. 

God loves you more than you can comprehend.  

Though many cry for and with you when you hurt, that love falls short of the one who expresses His love in a way that’s perfect and unfailing. 

You will and perhaps you currently experience feelings you can’t put into words, but God feels them and understands them. 

God can walk you through the hurts. Life doesn’t have to be impossibly tragic and void of purpose. 

God created the heart. He can heal yours. God created the mind. He can sort yours out. God made the soul. He can save yours. God created the body. He can give you rest. God created the eyes. He can wipe your tears away. God created the shoulder, but His are the only shoulders capable of bearing the weight of all those who lean on them. 

Facts About Jesus From John One That Many Deny

Monday’s Column: Neal At The Cross

preachingatPBL

Neal Pollard

Perhaps it is inevitable that someone as well-known as Jesus Christ would be subject to so much misinformation. Think about how things are said about Jesus that are not true. John’s gospel begins in a different way. His audience was wider than just Jews, just Romans, or just Greeks. His was truly a universal gospel, so he was writing to the whole world. In just the first several verses of his gospel, he affirms several things people subsequently denied about Him.

  • He is eternal (1-2)–“In the beginning was the Word” (see also 1:15,30).
  • He is deity (1)–“The Word was God” 
  • He created everything (3,10)
  • He became flesh (14)
  • He came to show us God, the Father (18)
  • His coming was to take away the sins of the world (29)
  • He is the Son of God (34)

There are those even in religion that say Jesus was a created being rather than being co-eternal as God. There are those who would reject the idea of the worship of Jesus being acceptable, though He is expressly called God. There are those who say that everything came into being by the process of evolution rather than Moses’ record (Gen. 1-2) being carried out by the Word (Col. 1:16-17). There are those who say God could not become flesh, since flesh is evil. There are those who deny the inspiration of Scripture, and thus would deny the New Testament actually records Jesus showing us the Father or otherwise communicating His will. 

It is incorrect to say that we can accept the biblical record of Jesus without faith. He existed eternally before becoming flesh. He was born of a virgin. He lived a totally sinless life. He died a death that satisfied God’s justice as a substitute for our sins. He was buried in a tomb, but was raised from the dead to live forevermore. He appeared to many of His disciples over forty days before ascending to heaven from which He will some day come again to judge the entire world. How can we say it takes no faith to follow Jesus? Instead, we should say that it takes more faith to embrace any competing explanation. The leading candidate to rival the biblical account is godless evolution. Try examining that with any level of care without discovering the infinitely greater amount of faith to explain how random chance and mindless, amoral matter produces the meticulously orderly, complex universe filled with intelligent life. 

Sometimes we are benefited by going back to basics. John one is written so simply and straightforwardly, yet it contains some of the biggest, broadest truths which so many reject. May we reflect carefully on the power of those truths so that it causes us to live better and differently! 

Traditional Traditions Transitioned

Thursday’s Column: Carlnormous Comments

carl-pic

Carl Pollard

 
Say that three times in a row. Now that you’ve done that, let’s focus on a very important question. Are traditions splitting the church? To answer this we must look at the source of our traditions. As a church we follow both divine and man-made traditions. The ones from God must be followed and taught in the church, but the ones from man have no authority from God.
 
So, are traditions splitting the church? The word “tradition” means to “pass something down.” Galatians 1:14 says, “and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions.” Were the traditions that Paul was learning about passed down by man or by God? He labels them as being his “ancestors’ traditions.”
 
We must be careful to determine if a tradition that is being taught is divine or was instituted by our “ancestors.” For example, serving the Lord’s Supper from the front of the auditorium on a table that says, “Do This in Remembrance of Me”, and using brass plates are man-made traditions. This is not found in scripture.
 
There’s nothing wrong with practicing this tradition. The problem is when some try to enforce this and say “if you don’t do this for the Lord’s Supper then you haven’t really done what has been commanded.”
 
This teaching of tradition can split the church and we must be careful that we are enforcing God’s tradition and not our own. To do this we should ask, “Is it a violation of Scripture, or is it a tradition?” It’s okay to go along with traditions, but it is not okay to bind human traditions as a salvation issue.
 
There are some in the church that have taken their man-made traditions to heart. So we must ask ourselves, are we binding man-made traditions on others for salvation? Do we get upset if someone changes up the order of worship? Maybe we get mad when there are only two songs between the opening prayer and the sermon?
 
Divine traditions are what we must follow, and we must not force man-made traditions. Galatians 1:8-9 says, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” Paul’s point is this: “Who did you receive it from?”
 
1 Corinthians 15:1-3 tells us, “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures.” It is important that we check to see where the tradition came from.
 
Paul got his teachings from Jesus Christ. That is the divine source we must use. Not your preacher or the old wise man. This tradition was divine. Even if it is a tradition that has been around for many years, this does not automatically make it a divine tradition.
 
We must always keep in mind two facts when it comes to tradition.
  1. Divine tradition is binding while man-made is not.
  2. Look for the source of the tradition in order to clarify fact number one.

Learning A Lesson From A Lantern

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

I’m a big fan of old fashioned lighting, especially old kerosene lanterns because they’re simple. I went to light one of my lanterns and the flame wouldn’t stay alive for more than a few seconds. I thought, “Maybe the vent is covered in carbon and there isn’t enough oxygen for the flame.” So, I took it apart, cleaned it out, and put it back together. I was sure it was the vent.

To my chagrin, the flame died within seconds even after the lantern was cleaned. Next I trimmed the wick because it seemed too dark; perhaps having a fresh wick would allow the flame to stay alive. It wasn’t a stopped vent, so it had to be the wick. Sure enough, the flame died even with a fresh wick. At this point I was stumped. 

The next day it occurred to me whilst putting gas in my car: the lantern was just out of kerosene! It was obvious to the extreme. I knew Chelsea would never let that one go. When I got home I put the kerosene into the lantern which, of course, was the solution to a simple problem that I overcomplicated.

This is a mundane example of a profound truth: we make mistakes as humans. Worse yet, some people put words in God’s mouth that He never used. “My God is a God of love – He wouldn’t condemn me just for this one little sin.” “God doesn’t care if we live the way we want.” Some use phrases like this with great confidence while overlooking an obvious truth: God has told us what He does and does not care about in His word.

If we aren’t in the word listening to God and allowing Him to change us, our solutions will end in failure. There was only one solution to keep that flame going in my lantern. There is only one right way to follow God, and He’s told us how to do that! Life will be so much easier for those who look to God for answers before relying on their own wisdom.

welcome-home

Fantastic Fact About Forgiveness

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

Gary III

Gary Pollard

When we forgive someone we usually do not forget what we forgave. Unless there is an underlying condition, our minds do not automatically or immediately delete irrelevant information, like something we no longer hold against another person. Because of this, it can be hard to understand what God’s forgiveness means for the Christian. We’ll think, “I know He has forgiven me, but there’s no way He’s forgotten about it. Maybe it will ‘cloud’ His decision to forgive me next time I ask.” 

This is a very common mindset, and one that I struggle with daily. When we look at scripture, though, it paints a very different picture of what God’s forgiveness really does! 

Forgiveness is the word ἀφίημι (afiemi). It has several definitions, according to Bauer: 

1. To dismiss or release someone from a place or presence. 

2. To release from a moral obligation or consequence, to cancel, remit, or pardon. 

3. To move away with implication of causing a separation, to leave or depart from. 

(BDAG 155)

Knowing this, we should look at Hebrews 8.12, “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will not remember their sins anymore.” We understand that context is geared toward contrasting the old and new covenant, but it at least gives us insight into the process behind forgiveness. 

When we get forgiveness from God, that sin is eradicated. It no longer exists, it will not affect our relationship with God anymore. “Remember” in Hebrews eight is, “To call information to memory.” It’s not only that God no longer holds a sin against us, it’s that it ceases to exist in His mind. How awesome is that? 

When we ask God for forgiveness, let’s approach His throne with humility, yes, but also with confidence that He has the power and desire to make that sin disappear from our account forever. 

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WHY DO YOU BELIEVE?

Wednesday’s Column: Third’s Words

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Gary Pollard III

I believe that God exists. I believe that He communicated with His creation by direct contact, messengers, and a series of ancient texts. I believe that He wants His human creation to be with Him after they die. I believe that He expects those who claim to be His to act within the guidelines He set in those ancient texts. I believe that there is life after death and that where we go depends on whether or not we follow this God.

Why do I believe this, though? What reason do I have to believe in something I cannot experience with my senses? I was not there thousands of years ago when the prophets and Hebrews talked to God. I was not there when God came among men and taught. I was not there when the Spirit-inspired authors of the original texts delivered their writings to the early church. The ancient texts translated into English sometimes do not effectively communicate the emotion of the words and concepts in the original language. So why do I believe these things? Why do you believe these things?

Think about this carefully.  From Genesis to Revelation the message is clear; God wants His people to exist with Him after time is destroyed. This message was communicated to an impossible variety of people, sometimes separated by hundreds of years, thousands of miles, culture, kingdom, race, and language. There are tens of thousands of manuscripts of these ancient texts in many, many different languages. There are some 25,000 New Testament manuscripts or fragments that are separated by about a thousand years, at least 8 different languages, hundreds (if not thousands) of miles of geography, and many different cultures. Yet, they are at least 95% accurate to each other. The remaining 5% do not contain a single contradiction; rather, they are spelling errors, slips of the pen, writing on the wrong line, or minor variances (“God said” vs. “He said” or “and” vs. “but”).

Of the rich libraries we have of ancient literature, none can hold even the dimmest candle to the profound accuracy and unity of the scriptures. They could not have been produced by man alone. There had to be Someone not confined by time supervising each person as they wrote. Keep in mind, these ancient cultures did not have the advantage of modern communication. They were almost totally isolated from each other and would have known little of the others’ existence, much less what they experienced or wrote from God. Our Bible has supernatural origins and its contents reveal the nature of our Creator. What I believe comes from this book because I know it is God’s message to mankind. I encourage those who have not already done so to do an in-depth study of the origin of scripture. It is one of the most faith-building studies anyone could undertake. When you know with certainty that what you are reading contains the actual thoughts and desires of God, it bolsters your faith in ways I could not begin to adequately describe.

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Uncial 220 (fragment of Romans 4:23-5:3)

What Vision Is

Neal Pollard

It is the ability to see what a thing could be. A carpenter, looking at a tree, sees with a trained eye much more than others can see. With his expert shaping, appropriate tools, and seasoned patience, he can make out of that tree what was once only in his mind. The Lord needs people, from the leadership down, who look at the community, each other, their income, and their abilities and see what could be done. It takes no effort, emotion, or education to say, “It can’t be done!” That’s what is expected. Vision sees what could be.

It is the ability to not obsess over what a thing has been. Due respect is owed to the labors of the past, and due recognition is owed both its successes and failures. The past, however glorious, will have ample samples of both. Yet, the people, plans, and programs of today and tomorrow should not be shackled and chained exclusively to was has been. Vision is not always settling for being “has beens.” “Will be” is what Paul seemed more focused in pursuing (cf. Phil. 3:10-12). Biblical vision recognizes that doctrine cannot change, but methods, technology, tools, and people invariably do. Vision asks how people living in the present time can best reach people living in the present time and prepare them for an endless eternity.
It is the ability to trust in what God can make it be. No plan would succeed without God’s hand in it. I love the prayers where brethren plead, “Help us in the things that are right and defeat us in the things that are wrong.” Among the Bible’s heroes are those who factor God into the plans and say, “We are well able” (Caleb, Num. 13:30). “I can do all things” (Paul, Phil. 4:13), “There is nothing too hard…” (Jeremiah, Jer. 32:17), and “No good thing does He withhold” (the sons of Korah, Psa. 84:11). Our vision can be bold when “our” is God and us! Since God made the sky, the limit exceeds even that! Our giving, our ambitions, our goals, and our sights should be set to reflect our belief in that fact.
Where will we be this time next year? In five or ten years? Vision plays a role in that. Vision attempts to see the unseen, forget the past, and trust the One who holds past, present, and future in His all-powerful hand. With those truths factored in, let us dream big dreams!

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The Church Is Perfect, But It Isn’t

Neal Pollard

After a weekend full of lessons which built our appreciation for Christ’s church, I have a renewed appreciation for the incredible institution God premeditated from eternity.  The Ephesian epistle paints the picture of the church as Jesus’ bride, army, body, inheritance, and family.  This exalted picture is at odds with many, from a surprising variety of sources, who have such a low view of the church and her members.  Because the church belongs to and is so intimately associated with Christ, we should be most circumspect about the various criticisms we lob at her.  When we evaluate specifics regarding the church, we must remember that the church is perfect.  Yet, the church is also most imperfect.  The “Divine Side” could not be improved.  The “Human Side” always could be.

  • The Church’s Organization Is Perfect, But Her Overseers Aren’t.
  • The Work Of The Evangelist Is Perfect, But Those Who Do That Work Aren’t.
  • The Purpose And Mission Of The Church Is Perfect, But The People Tasked With It Aren’t.
  • The Plan To Reach The Lost Is Perfect, But Soul-Winners Aren’t.
  • The Pattern Of Worship Is Perfect, But The Worshippers Aren’t.
  • The Call To Love One Another Is Perfect, But We, The Called, Aren’t.
  • The Commands For Christian Living Are Perfect, But We Are Imperfect.

It is easy to forget this as we set expectations for others.  We may even set a higher standard for others than that by which we would wish ourselves judged.  As we level our various criticisms at the church, we must evaluate our motives and intentions while being careful not assign to others’ motives and intentions what may simply be their inevitable if unpalatable imperfection.  We should always strive for perfection—maturity and completeness—but keep in mind that only God’s design, desire, and direction for the church is perfect. We must put away sin, jealously guard our candlestick, and root out sin in the camp. Yet, we are also directed to bear with one another in love, being kind, not behaving rudely, being courteous, sympathetic, and gentle. These biblical mandates will temper our tantrums and cushion our criticisms.  We will be able to look at the church not only as it is, but as something we, imperfect as we ourselves are, can encourage to be better.  Since none of us are, thank God His Son is perfect.

“No Doubt You Are The People, And Wisdom Will Die With You!”

know-it-all

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neal Pollard

This is, in my estimation, the most withering of Job’s comebacks to those miserable comforters introduced to us as his friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar (2:11).  The statement is made by Job in Job 12:2 at the end of the first cycle of speeches by these friends, in all of which are accusations and insinuations that Job was suffering due to sins he had committed.  They were wrong, but they were certain they were right.

Aren’t there more than a few Eliphazes, Bildads, and Zophars today?  There are those who act as though they believe civilization has been holding its collective, bated breath in great anticipation of their arrival.  So many complexities, mysteries, and intellectual quagmires have sat stubbornly, mystifying their forebears, but pliably come forward as mere child’s play for them.  Or perhaps they purport themselves to be experts, demonstrating academic or professional credentials in support of such.  They may even move or speak with the air of unmistakeable confidence.  It might be that they have substantial followings and impressive venues to spout their philosophical triumphs.  

But, as the case was for Job, the proof is in the pudding.  God’s Word proved these men wrong.  Job 42 shows that their claims and theories, however confidently asserted, were at odds with His mind.  They spoke words of man’s wisdom.  It may have sounded right on the surface, but it wasn’t right.  

Consider Paul’s message to Corinth.  He speaks of preaching, the foolishness of God, coming in the wake of men’s inability to grasp His wisdom.  Then he writes, “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are,  so that no man may boast before God” (1 Cor. 1:25-29).

Humility, teachability, and submission are three indispensable quality traits we must possess when it comes to the Bible.  Our theology must be formed by the latter (the Bible) and our character is formed by the former (the quality traits).  Let us forever be less concerned with being judged right by others and be consumed with a desire to be right with God.

 

Staying On The Rails

Neal Pollard

Without A Belief In The Bible’s Inspiration…

  • Why would I read, meditate upon, or study it daily (or at all) to guide my life?
  • What will be the paradigm for directing and shaping my life?
  • From where will I draw my understanding of Who Jesus is, what He did, and how I must relate to Him?
  • How do I form my understanding of where I came from, why I am here, or where I am going?
  • Why would I trust or follow what it says to do in even a single case, circumstance, or verse?
  • What logical, ultimate constraint do I have from any behavior or act I desire to do, no matter how aberrant or outlandish society finds it?
  • How do we evaluate the content of any word, attitude, or action for rightness or wrongness?
  • On what basis would I accept absolutes, which I must (even if I absolutely deny the existence of absolute truth)?
  • Who or what will be my standard of authority?

One of the most famous movie scenes of all time depicts Dr. Richard Kimble, played by Harrison Ford, desperately running, orange prison jump suit, shackles, and all, as a derailed train caroms out of control, rapidly gaining on him, and threatening his life. The videography is spectacular, cutting quite an imposing figure.  A multi-ton mass of metal off the rail and out of control promises nothing but damage and destruction.  As long as the train is on the track, its weight and speed do not pose a threat.  If it is not, the prospects are frightening.

The premise that the Bible is the Word of God from the mind of God through men provides an answer to all the above, weighty questions.  If one refuses to accept the Bible is what it claims to be (1 Cor. 2:11-12; Gal. 1:6-9; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; Jude 3; etc.), then of necessity he or she must choose an alternate guide for life.  It is fair to evaluate that alternative with equal criticism and scrutiny.  Wisdom would seem to suggest choosing what best explains the whole picture–our complex design, moral compass, appreciation for beauty, universe’s order, and more.  What we are talking about are the very biggest issues of life! They deserve our deepest thought and wisest choice.