Total Depravity

Faith and humility can be rare characteristics in our world of highly successful and competent overachievers.  Who are the stars of our culture but those who are the fastest in sports, the smartest in education, the most persuasive in politics, the richest in business, the most beautiful in Hollywood and most charismatic in religion?  To promote humility in particular can be a tough sell to say the least.  To proclaim that modern man has sin is even more daunting.

Not too many Christians however would argue against the truth that man has sin and is in need of salvation in Christ.  That is the essence of our faith.  But it's not certain how many would believe that mankind is sinful, that we really are full of sin, in every aspect of our beings.  In our thoughts, intents, desires, purposes, goals, works, and in our hearts, we have sin in all parts of life.  This is what is meant by being full of sin, or being sinful.  It is being depraved, and in Reformed Theology it is described as being totally depraved.  And if it's tough to sell sin, it is even more difficult to sell total depravity.

The essence of the doctrine of total depravity is that we not only have sinful actions in our lives but we have a sinful nature.  This means that we are sinful in our essence, it is who we are in reality, we are not "good" people in God's eyes.  Jesus taught the rich young ruler in Mt 19:17, "Why do you call me good?  No one is good but One, that is, God."  By this Jesus meant that in a Spiritual aspect no one is good in comparison to God who is holy.  In our earthly estimations we may seem to have some goodness in our human nature, but in the heavenly evaluation Jesus is telling us we are not good but sinful in our essence.

This truth may not inspire many people to praise but to the contrary it often agitates or angers people to rebellion.  For me it was a watershed revelation in my faith to realize I wasn't just sick and need of help, I was Spiritually dead with no hope of my own.  I believe all people are totally depraved as we all die, we all fall short of the glory of God, we even sin involuntarily as it is in our nature, it is not just something we learn.  This truth inspired me to love God more because of his grace in Christ, and because I then realized my salvation was not dependent upon me.

The good news of salvation in Christ is that there is no goodness in man and we can only find salvation therefore from Christ.  Unfortunately many Christians teach that mankind is not really that bad, we are a little bit good.  We are not really sinful, we only have some sin, or we are hiding, and we are sick, or that we need help in our efforts to be good.  But to truly embrace the salvation of Christ we must be honest with the truth of total depravity.

John the Baptist was the forerunner to Jesus and said it well in Luke 3:7, "Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, 'Brood of vipers!  Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?'"  Brood of vipers?  What kind of evangelistic outreach is this?  Is this the language of self-help empowerment?  Is it a positive spin on a glass half full?  Later Jesus described John in Luke 7:28, "For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he."  Certainly John spoke the truth of God that we all are "a brood of vipers."  We all are sinful and even evil in our hearts.  But when we realize this truth it humbles us to our core, it causes us to fall prostrate on our face before the Lord.

Total depravity is good news for without this truth we would be deceived that we don't need salvation, or that we are at least a little good, and that we could depend on that goodness to create our own theology or our own salvation.  This doctrine is one of the most important truths for the faith, preservation and the health of the church.  We are not good in any aspect of our beings and we must call upon Christ alone for salvation.  And if we call upon the risen Jesus he will give us new Spiritual life that is truly good indeed.

Labor Pains

If you've ever seen a woman in labor you will come away with a deep appreciation of the pain that is associated with giving birth.  In a not so similar way there can be difficult pains that are associated with developing labor contracts in commerce.

In the world of business there's a clear delineation between management and labor or owners and contractors.  By acknowledging the significance of both parties there can be a solid working relationship as each group does its part.  But unfortunately there can also be times when the relationships become strained and dysfunctional, due in part from problems on either side, or both.  And the bottom line of everything in negotiating a contract is the cost of doing business, or simply put, money.

As a Christian I have discovered many passages in the Bible that speak directly to the topic of money and Spiritual treasures.  In the New Testament Jesus taught that we should pay our taxes and our tithes, Matthew 22:2, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.  Also, Matthew 6:24, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and money."  In Mark 13:45 Jesus also teaches the Spiritual value of the kingdom of God, "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it."

The Spiritual treasure of salvation into the kingdom of heaven is worth more than all earthly riches and possessions.  There are many more verses in the Bible regarding money and treasures, and the Bible itself is of great value, as we see in Matthew 4:4.  "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"  And, 1 Corinthians 1:18, "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."  The Word of God is the light to the world for salvation and truth.

The Apostle Paul also teaches great truths in particular in Ephesians 5-6.  Here we see the Christian relationships between the Lord and the church, husband and wife, parents and children, and employers and employees.  In Ephesians 6:5-9 Paul says, "Bondservants (employees), obey your earthly masters (employers) with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ."  Here he gives us instruction in a context of faith, that a Christian society has certain structures and forms, so that there will be functionality as everyone serves the Lord.  Employees are to serve their employers with subservience and excellence as "serving the Lord."

It is also important to note that employers are under direction from God to treat their employees with fairness and justice, just as they are under their Master in heaven.  In Ephesians 6:9, "Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him."  In the same way we see in James 5:4, "Behold the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts."  Here is the principle of paying adequate wages, which corresponds equally to the principle of an honest day's work for an honest day's pay.  We see for Christians that both management and labor are called to serve the Lord faithfully in whatever functional role they have.

One of the most significant teachings in Scripture on money however is the potential it has to corrupt our hearts.  Money can be the source of many tangible pleasures in this world.  It has the power to purchase power itself, and it has the insidious nature to be worshiped.  In Luke 12:15, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."  In this section on trust and money Jesus concludes in 12:34, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  We can quickly trust in money if we are not careful, but we must acknowledge as Christians the uncertainty of riches, and that riches cannot be trusted.  God is sovereign over all and calls us to honor him in all aspects of our lives, and this includes how we use the money and talents he has given to us.  Our true happiness and certainty can only come from God.

So why all this review of the biblical teaching on money and labor and management?  Because I'm experiencing the pains as a flight crew member in the negotiating process of another labor contract.  Call me an idealist, maybe.  But I disagree with the union philosophy of a "level playing field" with my employer.  Also, I oppose taking job actions against my employer due to not receiving pay raises as demanded.  Even more I do not support the liberal politics that are often associated with unions.

I do believe however my employer should provide the best work environment possible (for all employees, but in particular for pilots) with work rules and compensation that promote all aspects of safety, legality and professionalism.  Complications exist in that flight crew members are restricted by their seniority lists and the federal laws that govern labor contracts.  But a labor contract is good business just as good fences make for good neighbors.  The employer has the obligation therefore to provide a fair and equitable contract with its employees, and to uphold that contract in all situations.

It is incumbent upon management in this way to lead in righteousness with labor, and especially in acknowledging the unique aspects of aviation.  The issues of fatigue from flight and extensive scheduling are particularly difficult over a long duration of many years.  The recourse however when there are conflicts is first to appeal to management with a reasoned argument for contractual integrity.  But then, if issues are not resolved, to appeal to government authorities that regulate all safety practices.  And, if necessary and as a last resort, to leave and find employment elsewhere knowing that God holds the final court of appeal.

As a Christian and a crew member, I am caught between a rock and a hard place as I support a labor contract for good business, but I disagree with unionism.  And there can be no contract, no "collectively bargained agreement," without a labor union.  These are the horns of the dilemma.  But without the Bible I would only be left with the secularistic world view of egalitarianism that prevails in our culture.  This perspective in unions brings animosity and insubordination and do not glorify Christ.

With the truth of God's Word we find a new standard and purpose to live by in glorifying God.  This is the Christian's calling, to seek the truth of Christ in all things so as to glorify God.  We are called to be the best employees we can be and that means to be subservient in all aspects of a contract to our employer.  But we can support a contract as good business, without greed, covetousness or contempt, as a 'necessary evil because of evil.'  A legally binding agreement for labor is necessary in a broken world, but the philosophies and practices of unionism are not.  We must bring the light of the gospel of Christ into every aspect of life, even for negotiating and supporting a legal labor contract.

Spiritual Truth

Have you ever thought you understood something and then along comes a new perspective that changes that understanding completely?  This happens from time to time when we study the Bible.

In the gospel of John we see numerous times when Jesus taught Spiritual truth and his audience was thinking he was teaching about something natural.  In John 3 we see Nicodemus speaking with Jesus in private to inquire about the nature of his teaching, whether it was from God or not.  John 3:3, "Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."  This was not what Nicodemus was expecting and he questioned how a person could enter into his mother's womb and be born again.  Jesus of course was speaking about a Spiritual birth not a physical birth.

As we see in chapter four Jesus spoke with a Samaritan woman about water at Jacob's well.  When Jesus asked her for a drink of water, she questioned him about why a Jew would ask her for a drink, for it was not their custom to be associated with one another.  But Jesus did not respond to the question of a drink of water.  John 4:10, "Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.""  Jesus was speaking of Spiritual life and not the refreshment that comes from physical water.  He was speaking of the Holy Spirit that quenches a parched soul.

Jesus performed many miracles which affirmed his message that he was the promised Messiah of the Jewish people.  After miraculously feeding the five thousand Jesus referenced the miracle of manna bread given to the Israelites in the desert in John 6:32-33.  "Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."  We all need food for nourishment to stay alive and give our bodies the necessary energy to work.  But, there is also a Spiritual food that we all need to feed our souls so they too can come alive and receive Spiritual nourishment.  This food is the Word of God.

There are many Spiritual truths throughout the Bible where we see that the physical realities are not the only realities.  In John 6:63 Jesus taught, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all.  The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."  And even more in John 12:46, Jesus teaches us, "I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness." The light is the truth of Christ who gives light to the world.

Jesus in fact is the manifestation of the greatest Spiritual reality, he is the incarnation of God, the visibility of the invisible God.  There are many other manifestations of Spiritual reality in the world as we all know we have a soul and we all have a human spirit.  In our consciences we know we are not alone, we seek for meaning and purpose in life, and relationships with each other.  We all seek to understand what happens when we die.  And we all want to know how we can live the best life now.

Jesus teaches in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."  The Spiritual life is the abundant life.  It may not appear on the surface that living for God is the greatest life but the Spiritual truth is that we need Christ and we are created for him.  The Spiritual truth of God in Christ is the greatest truth that brings the greatest life.

A New Law?

The Bible is divided into both the Old Testament and the New Testament.  That's pretty clear and most Christians wouldn't have any disagreement with that truth.  However, there is a pretty big debate on how the Old and the New relate with one another and how they are different.  Central to that discussion is the Law of God, or the Moral Law.  Are the Ten Commandments in particular still effective for the New Testament?  Do we have to obey the Decalogue in order to be saved?  My short answer to these questions is Yes to the first and No to the second.  Let's take a look at Scripture.

John 1:17 is a good place to begin.  "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."  The Law in the OT is often referred to as the Mosaic law but here we see John describes the law as coming through Moses.  This is a good distinction to be sure, for it is God's law that was given on Mt. Sinai, not Moses' law.  The Decalogue is the Moral Law of God, it reveals his moral character, so that the people of God can live like the people of God.  This Moral Law of God is still in effect just as God is still in existence.  He has not changed nor has his moral law changed.  The Moral Law can also be seen as the will of God for the people of God.

But the OT law was not just the Moral Law, it also included the civil and ceremonial law of God for the nation of Israel.  As the people of God grew from being the family of Israel into the nation of Israel, they were introduced to the civil laws of their nation that set them apart from all other nations.  They were a chosen people and nation that had covenants and customs different from all others.  They also had ceremonial laws as the people of God that were necessary to make sacrifices for their sin.  But their sacrificial system came to an end when the Messiah gave himself as a final sacrifice for sins.  And their civil laws were not effective on Gentiles when the gospel was sent out to make disciples of all nations.

In the second half of v. 17 we see that Jesus is described as the "grace and truth" of God.  This is the description of Jesus whereby in his grace he became the atonement for the sins of God's people.  And he was the truth of God in that he was the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ, the only begotten Son of God that would atone for sins.  Christ is both the grace or forgiveness of God and he is also the truth or light of God in all matters of salvation.

The important clarification of John 1:17 is that both the law of God and the grace of God are in effect today.  The grace and truth of God does not supersede or replace the law of God, they are built upon it, as Jesus came "not to abolish the law but to fulfill it".  Also Jesus teaches in the NT that the Law of God, the Moral Law, can be correctly understood as something that must be fulfilled from the heart.  The Law of God however cannot be fulfilled from external observances while the heart still longs for all the things God forbids.  The Sermon on the Mount expounds upon the Law but it is not a new law.  It is a new understanding of the extent of the Moral Law.

Jesus also taught the same Shema prayer that was found in Deut 6, "To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."  And, "to love your neighbor as yourself."  He also taught, "a new commandment I give to you," particularly, "to love your neighbor as yourself" and even "to love your enemies."  This again is expounding upon the exact same moral Law that was given in the OT.

If the OT and the NT are divided such as to say the Law of God was in the OT and the grace of God is in the NT, we do serious damage to the Scriptures.  However, if we see the OT as the promise of the coming of the Messiah and the NT as the fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah, as the giving of the Law and the fulfillment of the Law, as the grace foretold and the grace fulfilled, we do well.  Jesus said his sacrifice was the New Covenant in his blood, and so we know the NT describes a new covenant of grace.  There is a new covenant, but there is no new Law of God.  There is only a new understanding of the exact same Moral Law.

The Moral Law of God is also the righteousness of God that is imputed to our hearts through grace, for this righteousness cannot be earned through works, it can only be given to us as a gift from God.  And we now understand that we break the Law of God if we sin in our hearts and not just externally in word and deed.  This is what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount.

The Law of God also points us to God to see his holiness and our sinfulness.  We can never keep the Law because of our sinful nature.  Thus it points us to the need for a Savior, who is Jesus, full of grace and truth.

So, Yes, the Law is still in effect today, but, No, we cannot in and of ourselves keep the Law of God.  Through the grace and truth of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit we can walk in God's will and uphold the Moral Law.  But we can never keep it perfectly.  In this way the moral Law also points us in the path of sanctification as we grow to become more like Christ.

Memorial Day

Yesterday we celebrated Memorial Day in our country and honored the many people in our history that have served in the military.  It is usually a time where we also celebrate the beginning of summer with a three-day weekend and barbecues at the lake.  But it should always be a time to remember the high cost of sacrificial service and make somber reflection of the cost of freedom.

The freedoms that we Americans enjoy have always been costly simply because freedom is never free.  Every nation in history that seeks freedom must do so at the expense of the ones who enjoy that freedom.  This cost of freedom can only be attained if we understand that mankind is “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”.  We know this because in each of our consciences we understand an innate sense of truth and justice and a longing to be free from oppression and tyranny.  This desire to be free and its acknowledgement as a right “endowed by their Creator” is what has made America the greatest nation in the history of the world. 

The phrase “endowed by their Creator” however has nearly been forgotten in our postmodern American culture.  Could it be that in our freedom we have lost sight of the ultimate source of our freedom?  Or is it that in our freedom we have deliberately sought to be autonomous altogether?  It can be a short step between autonomy and tyranny.  But it is only from a Christian worldview that a transcendent understanding of freedom can be accepted, as Christianity teaches unique doctrines of man and of God.  Left to ourselves we cannot be free because we lose the unalienable rights endowed by the Creator.  Without acknowledging the Creator and the potential for our own tyranny we forget our history and we lose the freedom that has been so sacrificially given to us. 

Memorial Day therefore is also a time to give honor to the truths upon which our nation was founded.  If we can remember the tyranny of a misguided English monarchy that oppressed our first colonies, let’s remember the “unalienable rights" endowed by our Creator that give us our national freedom.  Let us also recognize the potential for tyranny in each of us and a misguided democracy that has forgotten that Creator and his “unalienable rights”.  

No man has the right to impose personal beliefs upon anyone else.  But by calling upon the Creator and his unalienable rights to all mankind, we do not impose oppression upon others, we acknowledge a universal truth that gives freedom in a Christian worldview.  Jesus gave the ultimate expression of truth and sacrifice in his own life to provide a salvation from tyranny and death.  He is the Creator that gives both the “unalienable rights” of national freedom and he is the truth that "will set you free” (John 8:31-32) in personal salvation, if we call upon him.  He is the one who can set us free indeed, and he is the one that can bless a people with national freedom.  

Existentialism

Do you have a philosophy virus?  There are plenty of them in our American culture and it's likely that you have one or many.  Perhaps the worst of the worse could be Existentialism.

Existentialism is the philosophy of individual existence, experience, or brokenness and chaos.  It is the philosophy of anti-system because it also sees all knowledge and data disconnected and random, and it does not recognize a system or logic or design and champions individualism.  It leads to a purposeless world and existence, and eventually to despair and nihilism, or nothingness.  Friedrich Nietzsche was the father of Existentialism who coined the phrase, "God is dead."

I hate Existentialism precisely because it celebrates individuality and autonomy in the randomness of existence, but also because that would mean there is no design or purpose to live for.  Christianity is the opposite in that is teaches creation, order, design, logic and purpose.  There is a reason to live, a good reason, in that God exists and he has created all things for his own glory.  We can be reconciled and redeemed in Christ to be all that God created us to be in wholesome and meaningful lives.  We are called in Christ to live for his purposes and design if we will simply accept him.

True freedom comes from God when we are regenerated in and sanctified to Christ, the one for whom and through whom all things were created.  Colossians 1:16, "For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.  All things were created through Him and for Him."  Amen.

What's Your Hermeneutic?

If we were to count the number of different interpretations to the Bible in our modern world they probably would be as many interpretations as there are people.  Everyone has an interpretation, everyone has a perspective.  But the big question that arises for interpreting the Bible is what is God's perspective?  If it's God's Word, we must seek his interpretation.

To determine God's perspective we must seek after objective truth instead of subjective truth.  His perspective is absolute and eternal, ours is subjective and temporal.  But is it possible to achieve an objective interpretation?  I believe it is possible, but I also believe it can be difficult.  There are some parts of Scripture that are meant to be vague and mysterious as God chooses not to reveal all truth to us here and now.  But, there are many places in the Bible that are clear.

The goal I believe should be a 'Biblical' interpretation of the Bible.  That may sound redundant, but it's important.  Many Christian denominations take a preferential interpretation of the Bible so as to reinforce and defend their denominational party line.  This may be convenient and pragmatic, but it short sheets the bed on other important doctrines.  We must never put personal preferences or doctrines above the Word of God, as God's perspective alone must always be above ours.  Our biases can be difficult to identify as we all grow up with particular presuppositions and perspectives.  But it's imperative that we are honest with ourselves as we seek the truth of Scripture.

As an Evangelical I became a Christian through an Arminian perspective of faith.  As I studied the Bible I was more and more convinced of a Calvinistic perspective of the faith.  The Arminians tend to emphasize the free will of man in faith and a dispensational view of Scripture.  And the Calvinists tend to emphasize the sovereignty of God in faith and a covenantal view of Scripture.  They each can find Bible verses that support their perspective and promote their confidence that they have the true faith.

But, what's most damaging to faith is the methodology of making one particular preference the hermeneutic of all of Scripture.  If we take the free will of man and make that the overarching hermeneutic we will miss the sovereignty of God.  And if we take the sovereignty of God out of context we will miss the legitimate doctrine of the freedom of the will.  Also, if Dispensational or Covenantal Theology becomes a hermeneutic, the Bible can become restricted by man's interpretation instead of man being restricted by the truth of the Bible.

This practice of preferential interpretation has been exercised by countless other faiths to disprove Christianity.  After all with Darwinian presuppositions we can twist science to become secularistic, and with DesCartes' assumptions we can only exist if we think.  With Mormon doctrines we can easily interpret the Bible to be the prequel to the Book of Mormon.  And without being taught by Catholic teachers we will be unable to understand Roman dogma.

The truth is that the truth of Scripture is not bound by the perspectives of men, it speaks far above them.  God is the hermeneutic of God's Word.  He is eternal, omniscient, omnipotent, holy, immutable and sovereign; and he is the Creator and Savior of all who truly believe.  Most importantly in the work of hermeneutics, God is truth, he is the Truth, and all interpretations must be measured against his character and will.  Man must receive truth with open arms.

Thus, we cannot begin with an Arminian or Calvinistic perspective and make this our paradigm or hermeneutic of Scripture.  Nor should we assume our personal preferences in our premises, we must let Scripture speak openly in every occasion to gain a Biblical interpretation.  I do believe Covenant theology is the best structure for understanding Scripture, but, it is not the paradigm for all doctrines.  God not only works in a covenantal way, he works sovereignly.  And, God sovereignly chooses to give mankind a limited free will to have a faith relationship with Him, whereby he is glorified if we live in a devout and genuine faith for him.  He also says, Ga 6:7, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap."

Truth is greater than all of us combined, and the conclusion must not be in the premises for a truth hermeneutic of Scripture.  For truth must interpret our perspective of Scripture, and truth is the reason why Scripture interprets Scripture.  This can be seen as God gives us the gift of faith in Christ, but we must be born again, we must receive this gift, and we must live out this faith in good works.  God is sovereign and man is responsible.  God is covenantal, and Jesus is the New Covenant.  The truth of God is the 'Biblical' hermeneutic for interpreting all doctrines.  As we seek God's perspective we must remember, "God is his own interpreter, and he will make it plain," William Cowper, 1747.