Posts Tagged → Christianity

The Surprising Harmony: How The Reformed Christian View of Faith and Reason Offers an Integrated Approach to Life

 

In the world of Christianity, faith and reason have been a topic of debate for centuries. While some believe that faith is a purely emotional experience, others argue that there must be a logical basis for belief.

This is where the Reformed Christian view of faith and reason comes in. The approach, known as ”presuppositional apologetics,” asserts that faith is the foundation of all reasoning, and that reason must be subject to faith.

But what does this mean, and how does it impact our understanding of God and the world around us? Exploring this complex and often misunderstood topic can reveal a great deal about the nature of belief, and the ways in which we interact with our faith.

Apologetics, as it turns out, is not simply about clearing up misunderstandings or explaining away discrepancies. Rather, it’s a whole approach to faith that seeks to integrate reason and revelation, allowing for a more holistic understanding of God and the world.

And nowhere is this more evident than in the Reformed Christian tradition, which emphasizes the sovereignty of God and the importance of using our minds to seek truth. In the face of scientific discoveries and philosophical challenges, Reformed thinkers have not retreated into dogmatism or blind faith, but rather have embraced the tension between faith and reason as a means of deepening our understanding of both.

Far from being an obstacle to faith, reason becomes a tool for exploring the mysteries of God and the complexities of the world he created. So if you’re looking for a faith that is both intellectually rigorous and spiritually satisfying, it’s worth considering the Reformed view of faith and reason.

Who knows? You might find that the tension between the two is a source of surprising harmony after all.

Introduction: Faith and Reason

Faith and reason may appear as conflicting concepts, but Reformed Christianity amalgamates the two to present a comprehensive approach to life. At the core of this perspective lies the acknowledgement of human reasoning’s limitations and the ultimate reliance on God’s sovereignty.

This view recognizes the value of reason and intellectual inquiry in comprehending and interpreting God’s truths. The approach to studying scripture highlights both spiritual discernment and scholarly analysis.

Alister McGrath notes that ”Theology’s purpose is to enable us to respond to God better,” which necessitates faith and reason working together harmoniously. By adopting this integrated approach, Christians can gain a deeper understanding of the universe’s mysteries and our place within it.

This enriches both our spiritual and intellectual lives. Ultimately, the Reformed view of faith and reason offers a holistic perspective on the world and our purpose within it, accentuated by the central tenet of Christ’s redemptive grace.

 

Reformed Christianity’s View on Faith and Reason

Reformed Christianity believes that faith and reason complement each other. Though faith is grounded in divine revelation, reason is still a valuable tool to understand the world.

In our world, reason is often seen as the highest form of knowledge, making this approach to faith and reason seem perplexing. However, the Reformed view offers a harmonious approach to life.

It encourages exploring the world with reason while also valuing divine revelation and recognizing the limits of human knowledge.The Reformed view realizes that we are finite beings attempting to understand an infinite world.

By embracing both faith and reason, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, our place in the world, and the ultimate purpose of life. In a chaotic and confusing world, this approach offers much-needed clarity and hope.

 

A Brief History of Faith and Reason

Faith has been discussed since the beginning of time. As humans, we ponder our existence and purpose.

People link faith to the creation of the universe and humanity’s relationship with a higher power. Faith is used to justify what can’t be explained and to provide comfort during uncertainty.

However, some argue that faith and reason are opposites. They claim that reason always prevails over faith.

But what if a life approach allowed faith and reason to coexist in harmony?The Reformed Christian view values faith and reason equally. It suggests that faith isn’t blindly jumping into the unknown, but relying on evidence and reason.

The history of faith and reason is complicated, but the Reformed Christian perspective offers a feasible alternative. What if we could have both? What if faith and reason collaborated, providing a more comprehensive understanding of our place in the world? The idea is intriguing and warrants further exploration.

 

The Integration of Faith and Reason in Daily Life

The Reformed Christian view offers a unique way of integrating faith and reason, which may seem like opposing views. By focusing on the Bible and its teachings, followers see them as essential to daily living.

This tradition embraces intellectual inquiry through the lens of religious beliefs, attaining a holistic understanding of life that’s constantly evolving. Thus, Reformed Christians show that intellectual pursuits and spiritual calling can work in harmony.

 

Benefits of an Integrated Approach

The debate on the balance between faith and reason is divisive. The Reformed Christian view, however, provides a solution by integrating both logic and spirituality.

Research shows that this approach leads to better mental health, productivity, and overall happiness. Theologians like C.S. Lewis recognize the value of this holistic understanding of the world.

By embracing this approach, individuals can fully participate in both the intellectual and spiritual richness of life, leading to a fulfilling and meaningful existence.

Common Misconceptions of Faith and Reason

The age-old debate between faith and reason still rages on. In this context, R.C. Sproul, a prominent Reformed Christian thinker, offers a surprising perspective.

Despite misconceptions about the compatibility of faith and reason, Sproul argues that they can work together to offer a more integrated approach to life. Through his teachings, Sproul dispels the myth that faith requires abandoning reason.

Instead, he highlights the complementary nature of faith and reason, which leads to a deeper understanding of the world and our place in it. Although some may still scoff at the idea, Sproul’s approach provides a thought-provoking framework that challenges traditional thinking.

It offers a new way of looking at the world.

Conclusion: The Beauty of Harmony.

In a chaotic and confusing world, finding harmony can seem impossible. But what if there was a way to make sense of the seemingly senseless? That’s where Reformed Christian apologetics comes in.

Proponents of this view believe that faith and reason can coexist, creating an intellectually rigorous and spiritually profound worldview. This approach encourages curiosity, evidence-based reasoning, and a deep appreciation for the divine mystery.

It reminds us that the pursuit of truth is a lifelong journey, requiring humility, openness, and a willingness to engage with difficult questions. In a polarized and cynical time, this integrated approach offers hope and possibility.

 

Closing Remarks

In conclusion, the Reformed Christian view of faith and reason is a complex, layered, and thought-provoking topic that requires careful examination and scrutiny. While some may view faith and reason as two separate and distinct entities, the Reformed Christian perspective emphasizes their inherent connection and interdependence.

From the early church fathers to contemporary theologians, the Reformed tradition has championed the importance of both faith and reason in shaping our understanding of God and his plan for humanity. And while there may be those who dismiss the Reformed view as outdated or irrelevant, its enduring influence on Christian thought and practice remains undeniable.

Ultimately, the Reformed Christian view of faith and reason challenges us to think deeply and critically about our beliefs, and to embrace the richness and complexity of the Christian faith in all its glory.

Weekly Thoughts | A Personal God

The God we worship is a personal god. Day in and day out, He reveals Himself to us through the infinite number of ways that we can meet Him. You see, God exists beyond time and space. When we read the Bible or pray, we are reading about the Infinite One who has already come to meet us in our time of need. Whether you believe in Christ or not, He offers you a personal relationship that no one else can. For many people, this might seem like such an obvious thing to say about God. After all, it’s something that every single Christian believes, right? But how many times have we heard people speak negatively about their experience with God? That’s because true connection with God isn’t something that happens automatically – it takes hard work and constant self-examination. And if you’re ready to begin your journey towards true connection with your Creator, keep reading!

The God we worship is a person who wants to know us personally.

The idea that God exists beyond time is a surprisingly new concept to most people. In fact, many people believe that God doesn’t exist at all outside of themselves! Because people are so focused on the creation of themselves, they tend to forget that they are created in the image of a Creator who is far beyond the limitations of space and time. This fact is crucial to understanding the nature of God. God wants to know us personally. He loves us, and He desires to know our desires, our hopes, our dreams, and our fears. But the problem is that we (humans) don’t know ourselves very well. We tend to be blind to our own shortcomings and limitations. We are also so busy creating our own lives, we tend to miss out on the opportunity to learn from our Creator.

Belief in a personal god is not the same thing as belief in God.

Belief in a personal god is a foundation of faith. People who claim to believe in a personal god but also claim that this god doesn’t exist are missing the point. The concept of a personal god is simply a way of explaining the difference between the human and divine perspectives. Humans, who exist in a limited context, see things in terms of our own limitations – but God sees everything from the infinite perspective of infinity. When we pray, God doesn’t just understand the words that we speak. He sees our thoughts and our desires, but we don’t see these things because we are too busy focusing on our own existence.

The God we worship is a holy and righteous person.

God is holy. He cannot be tempted by evil. He cannot be jealous or envy others. He cannot be angry. He cannot be a person who is proud or self-righteous. He cannot be a liar or a cheat. He cannot be a thief. He cannot be selfish or greedy. He cannot be disrespectful towards others. He cannot be wasteful. He cannot be a person who is lazy or who is too busy living their own life without looking outside of themselves to see the needs of others. Yes, God is holy. And yes, he is just. God is a righteous person.

Conclusion

The God we worship is a person who wants to know us personally. The God we worship is a caring person. The God we worship is a holy and righteous person. So, what does all this mean? The God we worship is a personal god. He exists beyond time and space. He wants to know us personally. He is holy and just. He isn’t too busy living His own life, but rather He sees us as important and worthy of His time and attention. So what does this mean for you? It means that you have the opportunity to meet a person who only wants to know you and love you. You have the opportunity to experience unconditional love, and it doesn’t cost you a thing. You have the opportunity to experience all of these things without any effort on your end, because God is a personal god. You don’t need to earn God’s love. It’s freely given.

Weekly Thoughts | Random Chance

Random chance is a concept that has been around for centuries. It is the idea that events and outcomes are determined by luck or fortune, rather than by skill or intelligence. In the Christian worldview, this idea is fundamentally wrong because it fails to take into account the sovereignty of God.

The Bible teaches us that God is in control of all things. In Proverbs 16:33, we are told that “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” This verse is clear in teaching us that God is ultimately in control of our lives and the outcomes of our decisions. We may think that chance or luck are at work in our lives, but God is always at work.

God has a plan and purpose for our lives. He has a specific plan for each of us, and He uses all things to accomplish His will. Romans 8:28 says “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” This verse tells us that even though we may not understand what’s happening in our lives, God is using it all for our good and His glory. We may not always understand why things are happening, but we can rest assured that God is using it all for His good purposes.

Random chance also fails to take into account the power of prayer. We may think that random chance is what determines events and outcomes, but the Bible teaches us that prayer has the power to shape the course of our lives. James 5:16 says “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” This verse tells us that when we pray, God is listening and will act on our behalf. We may feel like random chance is in control, but we can be sure that God hears our prayers and answers them according to His will.

Finally, random chance fails to take into account the power of faith. We may think that luck and chance are what determine our outcomes in life, but the Bible teaches us that faith has the power to shape our lives. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” This verse tells us that when we have faith in God, He will work in our lives in ways we cannot see. We may not understand why things are happening in our lives, but we can trust that God is at work behind the scenes, shaping our lives according to His plan.

Random chance is a concept that has been around for centuries, but it fails to take into account the sovereignty of God, the power of prayer, and the power of faith. These three elements are essential components of a Christian worldview and should be taken into account when considering random chance. Ultimately, we can trust that God is in control and He will use all things for His good purposes.

Weekly Thoughts | The Importance of Church Attendance

Attending church regularly is essential for Christians to experience the fullness of their faith. It is not just an opportunity to worship and fellowship with other believers, but also provides a number of spiritual benefits. Regular church attendance offers a number of advantages, including developing and nurturing a relationship with God, creating a sense of community, staying focused and disciplined in our faith, and allowing us to stay accountable to God. Through regular church attendance, we can deepen our understanding of God and His plan for our lives, grow in our faith, stay grounded in our faith, stay motivated and energized in our spiritual journey, and feel supported by those who are also on their spiritual journey. For Christians, attending church on a regular basis is an essential part of their faith journey.

First, regular church attendance allows us to develop and nurture a relationship with God. Worship services provide an opportunity to learn more about God and His Word, as well as to spend time in prayer and meditation. Regular worship also allows us to grow in our faith and deepen our understanding of God and His plan for our lives.

Second, regular church attendance provides a sense of community. Going to church provides a safe and welcoming environment where believers can connect and build relationships with others. This helps us to stay grounded in our faith and encourages us to grow in our relationships with each other.

Third, regular church attendance can help us stay focused and disciplined in our faith. We can become easily distracted by the world and its temptations but attending church can help keep us focused on God and His will. Additionally, hearing a sermon or participating in a devotional can help us stay motivated and energized in our spiritual journey.

Finally, regular church attendance can help us stay accountable to God:

We can be challenged to live out God’s Word and be held accountable for our actions. Additionally, we can be encouraged by others in our congregation and gain a better understanding of what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ.

Through regular church attendance, we can develop and nurture a relationship with God, create a sense of community, stay focused and disciplined in our faith, and stay accountable to God. We can also deepen our understanding of God and His plan for our lives, grow in our faith, stay grounded in our faith, stay motivated and energized in our spiritual journey, and feel supported by those who are also on their spiritual journey. By attending church regularly, Christians can live out their faith in a way that honors God and serves as an example to others.

The Divinity of Christ at Christmas

Introduction

Christmas is a time for celebration, joy, and peace. It is a time for families to come together and to reflect on the beauty of life and the people in it. It is a time to take stock of the things that matter most, like love, faith, and hope. The Christmas season also serves as an important reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ and God’s plan for the world. The Christmas story begins with the promise of a Messiah who would be sent by God to save the world from sin and bring salvation to mankind. This promise is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe to be the one and only son of God. The divinity of Christ has long been a source of debate among theologians and scholars. However, when one looks at the biblical accounts and other historical evidence, it becomes clear that Jesus was always intended to be more than just a moral teacher or prophet – he was and is God himself. In this essay, I will make a case for the divinity of Christ by discussing the prophecies of his coming, the fulfillment of those prophecies in his life, his miracles and other supernatural acts, his ministry on earth, and his resurrection from death.

Prophecy Fulfilled: The Coming of the Messiah

The prophecy that God would send a messiah can be found throughout both the Old and New Testaments. As far back as Genesis 3:15 there are predictions about a savior who will set humanity free from sin and death: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” In fact, there are over three hundred prophecies in Scripture that detail events in the life of Jesus Christ before they occurred. These prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus’s life in remarkable ways. He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), descended from King David (Isaiah 11:1), lived a sinless life (2 Corinthians 5:21), performed numerous miracles (John 10:37-38), was rejected by his own people (Isaiah 53:3), was betrayed by one of his own disciples (Zechariah 11:12-13), was crucified (Psalms 22:16-18) and rose from the dead (Psalms 16:10). Each one of these prophecies concerning Jesus’s life were fulfilled in him, making it impossible to deny that he was indeed God’s chosen Messiah.

Miracles & Supernatural Acts

Throughout Jesus’s ministry he performed numerous miracles – from feeding five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21) to raising Lazarus from death (John 11:43-44). These miraculous acts are evidence that Jesus had divine power over nature, an ability that only God could possess. Additionally, he had knowledge about things only God could know – such as what people were thinking (John 2:24-25) or who was going to betray him (Matthew 26:21-25). Moreover, Jesus claimed to be equal with God in other ways too. He said he could forgive sins (Mark 2:5-10) which only God has authority to do, he claimed authority over death (John 8:51-57), and he said that anyone who had seen him had seen the Father (John 14:9). All this provides further evidence that Jesus was much more than just a teacher or prophet – he was truly divine.

Ministry on Earth

Jesus did not come simply as a teacher or prophet; he came as Savior and Redeemer. He preached about love for others, mercy towards sinners, forgiveness for wrongdoings, hope for those who are lost, compassion for those in need, faith in God’s goodness, humility towards one another and so much more. He also healed countless people, cast out demons and inflicted justice where it was needed throughout his travels on earth. By doing all these things Jesus showed us how we should live our lives according to God’s will. Not only did he preach about it but he also practiced what he preached through his ministry on earth. These acts are further proof that Jesus is more than just a man – he is indeed divine as well.

Resurrection

Perhaps most importantly of all is Jesus’s resurrection from death after being crucified on the cross. His resurrection serves as proof that God accepted Jesus’s sacrifice for our sins which means we are now able to have everlasting life with him in heaven if we accept him as our Lord and Savior. In addition to this biblical evidence of this incredible miracle there is also evidence from non-biblical sources such as Jewish historian Josephus Flavius who wrote about Jesus Christ around 95 AD which serve as further proof that Jesus really did rise from death after being crucified on the cross.

Conclusion

When viewed together all this evidence serves to strongly support the case for the divinity of Christ. From prophecy fulfilled in his life to his resurrection from death – we see clearly how Jesus is not just another prophet or teacher but truly divine as well. This truth is fundamental to Christianity and at no time is it more apparent than during Christmas when we celebrate Christ’s birth into this world – a birth that marked not just an event but a turning point in history as well. So let us take this season as an opportunity to remember this incredible truth – that Jesus was always intended to be God himself – so that we may forever keep faith in his love and grace for us all!

Current Events | A Glorious Risposte

A little birdie has sent me this wonderful comment to the left made by a gentleman (it is not my job, nor my place to shame people so he will remain anonymous) and it’s unsurprising. I really wanted to be done after my last post before the holidays, but that unfortunately can’t happen. This is meant to be a post of encouragement and warning at the same time. Christ told us “If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you” (Jn 15:18, ESV) There is coming a time, soon, where this man’s sentiments will be the prevailing zeitgeist against all professing, true Christians. Anyone who professes salvation in Christ, being led by the Spirit, will be persecuted.

Now, I have heard the issues you all are having in your respective organizations, and I hear your anxiety and frustrations. I am not here to tell you it is going to be easy. Our King, while incarnate on this earth even told us it wouldn’t be easy. There will be many that think they can speak for our King, they can’t. There are many more that think they know what we as Christians are supposed to do, say and how we are to act (as you all have seen). They DON’T know this. What then do we say in response? What is our riposte to their unbelief?

The Lord has put everyone with a religious exemption using their faith in the Spirit and salvation through Christ on a pedestal for persecution and humiliation. Let this be your ministry just as I write to you now. Peter told us “Have no fear of them or be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to ANYONE [HR, Supervisor, vile coworker included] who asks you for the reason for the hope that in in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect“

So what answer do we give? What defense is our hope?

WE GIVE THE GOSPEL

I know some of you may feel pressured to lie or to finagle your way out of it. Stand firm on your foundations! Peter also told us “That those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” Likewise Paul said he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Rom 1:16). We must realize we are coming to a point, and some of you are starting to feel the pressure, where we must stand for our King or the very mere mortal existence we have. Christ put it plainly that if we are ashamed of Him on Earth, He “will be ashamed of them when He comes in his father’s glory with the holy angels” (Mark 8:38).

Like it or not, when you decided to use your credentials as a servant of Heaven as an excuse (while valid) not to take this vaccine, God had a plan for you. That plan did not involve lying about your vaccine status when solicited rather, that plan was for you to spread the Gospel of our King.

If people want to jest or act like they know our faith, let them; however, give them a taste of what our faith is, in love. It’s not faith in men, politicians, corporations or science, it’s faith in an eternal God and Lord of creation, who came as a man to sacrifice himself as the final payment for our fallibility, that that God could finally spend eternity with his Creation once again.

The world will treat you differently, as an outcast, that I will promise. However, our Savior said it best, “Take Heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33, ESV)

The time is near, stand for Heaven. Soli Deo Gloria.

Current Events | A Divine Direction

I sit here to write this and I firmly grasp the world has been thrown into turmoil. I know that we are in a different place than we were even a year ago, and while concerning to see how the world is moving at record breaking pace, we now know we cannot trust in man. As I explained in No Terrestrial Help, we cannot continue to look to religious leaders to provide anything. We have been entrusted by God to follow His word and His Spirit. While the Church at large is biblical, it has largely failed and the body of believers have chosen to follow men, men which we are told are fallible (Romans 3:23), liars (Num 23:19) and deceivers in their religious pomp (Jn 8:44).

Continue reading →

Current Events | No Earthly Mandate

To vax or not to vax, this is the question surrounding Christians everywhere. I’ve kept largely silent on this issue in public. Privately I’ve made my opinion quite clear. Speaking to Christians, I am going to say this, the action itself doesn’t matter. Just like any action we take, we must be honest with ourselves and with God. As the late evangelist and minister Ron Hamilton once said, “There are two choices on the shelf, pleasing God or pleasing self.” This is the whole point of Christianity and the Christian life, we must wake up every morning and we must decide that we are going to do everything to please God or to please our flesh. 

So I will start here. Our primary command in life is to love God (Matt 22:37), and we love him by keeping His commandments (1 John 5:3). Before He left the Earth, Christ told us two things. The first was a promise, to send the Great Comforter (John 14:16), the Holy Spirit. Second, was a divine mandate, He commanded us to go out into all the world and preach the gospel to every living thing (Matt 28:16-20). 

What does this tell us? 

Well, first in the book of Isaiah, God tells Israel something we all should keep in the back of our minds constantly, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying ‘this is the way, walk in it’, when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.”(Isa 30:21) So because of this, we know that God directs us in everything we do that we might do them for His glory. 

Second, we know from the Great Commission, God’s plan is to lead as many to salvation as He deems necessary. Therefore, we can assess that anything we are told to do by the spirit is through His will and is necessary for the furtherance of the gospel. My fencepost position on the vaccine itself is this, it is a decision made (hopefully) through soul searching and prayer in following what God wants specifically for you. The passport and other things associated with that will be discussed later on, right now I am focusing on helping the academically and theologically weak church. 

We are coming to a point not only in Western Culture but also in Christianity itself that will give us the privilege and opportunity to stand for our faith. Realistically though, how do we do that? How do we go to an employer or the government and tell them here is my conviction? What do we do when we lose everything over our conviction? 

Standing for something is scary, especially standing for something when one doesn’t know the possible outcome. God wants you to stand for Him, as stated above, the point of being a Christian is to spread the gospel, and if you lose every earthly possession in the process that is God’s will. Christ on this earth told us specifically that if we lose everything on earth, we will gain our soul in heaven (Mk 8:36). It is easy to profess to be a Christian, it is easy to speak what God wants you to say and to follow rules, read the Bible and go to church. It is something else entirely when your livelihood and life is threatened. 

So what do we do? Do we deny Christ and the Spirit leading us and therefore deny His saving power or do we follow and have faith in Him. That is the choice ahead, is money, wealth and even food our concern or is following the only true God in defense of His truth and our kingdom of Heaven. 

When you go before your employer with a religious exemption, do not use mortal arguments about stem cells, or conspiracies or whatever, use the power of the gospel of Christ Jesus. Tell them that the Spirit of God Himself has directed you not to take the vaccine and that He is the one that should be listened to, not man. If a mortal argument is used, they can deny that a lot easier, than denying the gospel. 

See, 60 percent of the U.S. Still identify in some sort of way as Christian. For them to deny that God could be ministering in your heart, then they will not only face an identity crisis of faith but spiritual judgment. We have been warned we will be delivered up to government and kings for our faith, however, our arguments will not stand, the only argument that will is the argument that is given by the Spirit (Matt 24:9). That specific argument by and through the Spirit will always end up being the gospel. 

The same power of creation is the power of the gospel itself. Your testimony, the Gospel, and the Spirit will get you through this. Once again, I will warn everyone if you’re actually doing this for selfish or non-spiritual reasons, please do not use your testimony. It will only bring pain and suffering as that is not the will of God. So please, when you are faced with a decision do it in prayer and thanksgiving so the will of God may be known in your life.  Remember, let your answers to questions about this be “yes” or “no” whether this is to your employer or to your government. To all who read this, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all even unto the end of the age. 

Society’s Assumptions | Christianity = Spiritualism?

I was sitting with a friend the other day, whom many may define as a good person.  He told me “You know Mike, I’m not sure I could have gone through what you’ve gone through without your Spirituality, It’s a good thing you have it.” This is interesting, simply because I don’t consider myself a spiritual person. I don’t consider Christianity, God, Christ, good or evil spiritual things. I consider them just as tangible as you or I. The reason I believe in God is the same reason I believe in trees, or water, or the sky, no I can’t touch him, but I can see His work. I can’t hear Him, yet I can read His words. I can’t see him, but He knows where I go. 

Likewise, Christ was a real man. He is still God. Many of historians from antiquity have written about Christ and the Christians or “followers of Christ”, so I know He isn’t just a myth. The same can be said for good and evil. Human beings, since the beginning of time, have considered whether there is good and evil, and what that looks like. They question such things as “Are humans substantially more evil than good?”, “Can people choose good without a benefit?”, or my favorite “Why is there evil if there is a benevolent, all-powerful, diety?”. 

Dictionary.com gives us more modern interpretations of words and how they are used colloquially or in other words, as common words in  conversation. The site defines “Spiritual” in definition 6 as “of or relating to the spirit as the seat of the moral or religious nature.” And I would have to agree in this use of the word, as many people, especially my age may define themselves as “Spiritual, but not religious”. As a Christian, I should be neither spiritual nor religious in my beliefs. If I define Christianity as a tangible faith, then how could either of those (religious or spiritual) bring me closer to my Creator? 

Neither of them can. Religion, is a system made of rituals and practices associated with worship. Christians should not practice religion. God doesn’t require us to sing or do anything except love him. As I went over in my love series, that means being the best ambassador of Heaven on Earth. We are to study about Him and read His word. We are to pray and talk to Him, just like any relationship, and we can embark on artistic ventures about Him if we want to, in order to worship him, such as music or artwork; however, if we aren’t talented like that, we should worship Him with diligence in doing “all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10:13)

God doesn’t even require us to have corporate worship, we however are commanded to gather with likeminded believers as that encourages us in our faith, but that doesn’t mean we have to go to church. God requires a personal relationship with us first, and then by that relationship we will want to spend time worshipping and fellowshipping with other like minded individuals. 

So what’s the issue with someone calling us Spiritual? It seems harmless doesn’t it? It’s all about pluralism. Pluralism allows someone to serve two masters. It separates innate curiosity of the divine from the animalistic instincts that keep us from perfection. It allows us to follow man-made principles in satisfactory fashion allowing for our superficial concern over eternity to be quenched, but also allows for humanity to continue endulging in vices, questionable morals, and blatant rebellion without much consequence if any. People who are spiritual may believe in “God” as a higher power, but also subject themselves to eastern ideas such as Karma and Nirvana. They may even call themselves Christian, but when tasked with explaining their faith they can’t expound on it much more than being raised in a church. 

People who are Spiritual consider themselves good people, and they have a morality that they believe to be right; Christians on the other hand cannot consider themselves to be good people, because we know we aren’t deserving of the title as sinners.

The whole point of this blog is to pierce right through what the church has neglected in so many years. Churches have gotten hung up on being “Spiritual” focusing on music, worship teams, and nice messages about how being good will please God, and following God’s rules make you a good Christian. As Christians we really need to take a stand against what society thinks of us and correct them. We are not spiritual, we simply serve a very real being who cannot be seen because of His holiness, who cannot be touched but can change lives in a very real way, and cannot be heard but has written down His word in a guidebook for our lives. 

We are Christians, because we follow the Son of the being, known as God, who was sent to tell us exactly how His Father thinks, as He and the Father are one. We don’t follow Him because of His good ideas, or His compassion, or His Death. We follow Him because He is God. 

Out of all this, the takeaway is Christianity isn’t spiritual, it’s not religious, it’s faith; a faith that is very real based on personal experience with a divine being who reached out to choose us to love Him and follow His plan on this Earth. While other religions espouse that they received their words from angels or men, We and our Jewish brethren are the only ones who can say we’ve received word directly from God himself. 

We are Weak

Humans are meant to go through pain and suffering. As much of a terrible thing, that is to say, we are imperfect beings living in a perfect reality, with perfect laws. Moreso as Christians, we ought to remember that we will feel pain, sorrow, and sadness. We will be weak because our Father in Heaven expects us to continue on in His perfect peace.

In Proverbs 6:6 we are told to “Go to the ant, you sluggard.” The Ant toils away no matter the pain, the cost, or the stress. It doesn’t stop for anyone or anything (as many of our kitchens can testify to). We are not meant to become lazy or to avoid pain. Pain is necessary to rely on God.

When we look at pain, and stress, and trials we tend to want to just ignore it. The pain is a lot to bear. However, Paul writes in Corinthians that our realization of our weakness and selfishness is necessary to becoming not only a better Christian, but having an “easier” life over all.

We are always told that God does not give more than we can handle, and that is false. God always gives more than we can handle, because He wants us to give it to Him to handle. While Paul prayed to Christ to take away a burden, and the final answer he received, is the answer we all knew from the beginning of our Salvation. “My grace is sufficient”.

As quoted last week, “He will put him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” But why does He trust in God? Because He knows that God’s “Grace is sufficient” throughout all life’s troubles.