Reality is not simply there, it must be searched and won.
- Paul Celan
Individually our circumstances and choices vary. Yet we do share some concerns. Why are we here? Where are we going? What will we do with what we’ve been given? Since we brought nothing into this world, and will leave with only how we’ve lived our lives, perhaps we should use some of our considerable resources to seriously consider these important topics.
Many argue such lofty questions are unanswerable or irrelevant. Even if we found answers, what would it change? Wouldn’t we still be who we are, doing pretty much what we're already doing?
Honestly asking the Big Questions can make a big difference. Like a ship in a vast and dangerous sea, admitting our situation is key. Only then can we realistically hope to get our bearings and set a safe course.
Yet there is so much vying for our time. Family, friends and organizations. Work, relationships and entertainment. Food, hobbies and travel. Worldliness, immorality and entitlement. Drug abuse, violence and all manner of sin. The list is endless.
But life’s not. It ends abruptly and forever. This is one of many reasons that ultimate questions deserve answering. Particularly if doing so improves our odds of finding lasting happiness, and of avoiding costly and/or repeated mistakes.
Such introspection is crucial for everyone. From the secular to religious, Catholic to Protestant, cessationist to charismatic. As well as those choosing to be 30, 60 or 100 percent invested in the Kingdom of God. Raising the question, to what degree are we casually vs. radically committed to genuinely following Christ?
Many argue that with of the tyranny of the urgent, who's got time for existential introspection? Apparently not even modern Christianity, given the vast majority can't quote ten verses in a row (most not even five outside the Lord's Prayer or maybe Psalms 23) nor stop and seriously pray ten minutes a day.
While we may be busy, we still average hundreds of hours a month online and watching TV. Wisdom strongly suggests we learn to spend at least a part of our lives exploring that which may be most important. In time and eternity...
The greatest of the great questions is how we got here? If there's no God even the Bible says to “eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.” But if God exists, there's are endless reasons to discover who He is.
The question, is faith reasonable, continues to be the most foundational issue of this or any time. It’s both the privilege and responsibility of all mankind to consider, if not answer, the ultimate questions posed by life and death. Those diligently seeking to do so soon find faith not only reasonable, but crucial, when faced with the certainty of the existence of God. In part demonstrated by the fantastic fine tuning and astounding intricacies of actual intelligent design.
Fortunately, it takes only 60 seconds to prove God exists. You won't need trigonometry or calculus. You won't need geometry, algebra or even a calculator. The great mystery of God's existence can be answered by using the simplest math formula possible 0 + 0 = 0. This most elementary of equations reflects the logical assertion that for anything to exist, it must have either been created, created itself (a logical fallacy) or possess eternal Self Existence (one of the five attributes of Divinity). A form of the cosmological argument concisely proving the necessity and reasonableness of faith.
Admittedly it takes a little longer to narrow down who God might be. Thankfully there are at lest ten Great reasons to believe in the Bible's authenticity. In addition to these are mountains of evidence supporting the Divine inspiration of Scripture. There are amazing scientific discoveries described millennia ago in Biblical passages. These include a testable model of creation that encompasses modern discoveries in the areas of astronomy and physics, chemistry and biology, human origins and understanding the universe.
The second ultimate concern is were we, and all those we love, are going? In time and throughout eternity? Might we pay a high price for failing to give such issues our full attention? With this in mind, every human being faces three essential concerns:
- How did I get here? How can a non sentient universe produce a sentient soul? How did the universe itself come to be?
- Is there a purpose to my existence? Is there meaning or relevance beyond a few years of human life?
- Where am I going? Even a lifespan of over a hundred or thousand years would merely be a drop of water in an endless ocean of time. What's to become of me, and those I love, in eternity?
Today's technology makes researching anything, including the ins and outs, strengths and weaknesses, of the varieties comprising modern Christianity, all but effortless. Identifying the seven different gospels and Protestant church models is quick and easy. Less so, is the task of weighing the claims of modern life against those of Scripture.
Here is where billions of believers have and continue to disagree. Not only amongst ourselves, but with the authority of the Word of God. First by differing interpretation and understanding. Then by lifestyle choices and levels of obedience. The nuances of which are simplified and identifiable by Biblical emphasis, particularly that of the New Testament.
By way of our combined wisdom and foolishness, half of Christendom is divided as Catholic or Protestant.
Half of Protestants are separated as cessationist or charismatic. Drilling down we find the cessationist are right to both note and object to unfortunate subtle and obtuse, unbiblical and nonsensical practices by innumerable charismatics for over a century. Nevertheless, they are equally wrong to assert Scripture forbids the seeking and implementing of genuine spiritual gifts. In fact, both are mandated pursuits required by the New Testament. A point made obvious in just a single chapter regarding the subject:
- “What I want to talk about now is the various ways God’s Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable.” 1 Corinthians 12:1 MSG
- “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: wise counsel, clear understanding, simple trust, healing the sick, miraculous acts, proclamation, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 MSG
- “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues?" Do all interpret?” 1 Corinthians 12:27-30 NIV
- “Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” 1 Corinthians 12:31 NIV
Another crucial and powerful passage in this regard, concerns itself with healing the sick:
- “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” James 5:13-16 New International Version
This may go a long way in explaining the hostile doctrines of cessationists, as well as the exaggerated claims of charismatics.
Another unfortunate division within Christendom is as important as it is subtle. Those taught to work and play, pray and worship, fellowship and live as largely distracted civilians; and those recognizing the Bible's call to become Kingdom citizen soldiers.
While you won't find it taught in many if any seminaries or churches, Conflict Theology is actually the underlying context of Scripture. Widely recognized for nearly two thousand years, the modern world long ago changed course, sailing far from puritanical definitions of repentance and morality, faith and discipleship, sanctification and holiness. The result has been the nearly wholesale substitution of assumed salvation for repentance, presumption for faith and inappropriate worship for sanctification.
Decades old, the increase of temptation and deception, has resulted in a devilishly cunning strategy of incrementalism that over time has all but uprooted millennia of spiritual and sociological gains. Part and parcel of the dramatic and disastrous deterioration in the Times and Seasons in which we live, and vastly worse on the horizon. Evidence of the spirit of the Antichrist terraforming the entire planet for the beginning of Divine judgment and Great Tribulation.
Few metaphors are as crucial as that of the Cruise Vs. Battleship analogy. If Christianity’s a cruise ship, sailing merrily from here to Heaven, then certainly Christ’s costly atonement is more than sufficient passage. The cross of Jesus is indeed all anyone could ever need. If however, Heaven and Earth are at war with fallen angels and devils, Christianity is a battleship and we must follow our Commander and Chief’s example and directives by daily shouldering our own.
Even if Christianity could be likened to a pleasure cruise, given Churchianity’s collision course with so many modern temptations and deceptions, up to an including immorality and the blood red mountainous iceberg of abortion, in certain respects might even many well intended ministries be reduced to simply arranging deck chairs on the Titanic?
So is Christianity a cruise or gunship? We must decide. And do so quickly and carefully. Military directives and drills, cramped quarters and sea rations, would be absurd on a pleasure cruise. So too, civilian itineraries and activities, opulent suites and sumptuous banquets, would be anathema during a time of war. See GB's Cruise Vs. Battleship Parable.
The above contentions raise the principle point of this article. What, in fact, is reality?
While Biblically accurate and virtually important, we nevertheless face several persistent problems with the primary tenets of the kind of Scriptures previously referenced. For starters, they are impossible. For example, tasking, much less requiring, elders of the church to regularly and miraculously heal the sick is patently absurd. Hence few, if any, seriously concern themselves with this and similar passages.
Yet, Christianity is synonymous with impossibility. From the incarnation by virgin birth to the atonement and resurrection. From Kingdom signs and wonders to the entire Book of Revelation.
Faith, to the degree it produces miracles, is by definition rare. Should mountain removing levels of mustard seed faith be common, the world would be quite a different place. Even so, the New Testament is not only replete with the miraculous, but depended on it. Both as a foundation for 1st Century Christianity, as well as a litmus test for Biblical authority and power evangelism/discipleship.
Nothing is more troubling and telling than modern Christianity’s lack of miracle producing levels of faith. Nor is anything more needed and necessary than its restoration. As the primary and demonstrable aspect of both the Kingdom and glory of God, its importance and influence is as glorious and infinite as it is eternal.
Improbable or not, failure to face difficult, or in this case impossible truth, undermines the offer of power implicit in the New Testament. Without which much is left lacking. As with any split vessel, half the Gospel holds little or no promise of living water.
The majority of Christendom, both Catholic and Protestant, disagree. On a variety of doctrinal grounds. A shared destructive habit, one most skillfully addressed by Søren Kierkegaard, of whom Wikipedia notes was a 19th century "Danish theologian, philosopher, poet, social critic, and religious author who is widely considered to be the first existentialist philosopher." Regarding our fondness for doctrinal error, Kierkegaard famously writes:
- "The matter is quite simple. The bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church’s prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament."
What is needed, and alone will suffice, is a renewed spiritual sensitivity and righteous judgment leading to an unprecedented pre-revival repentance ushering in a New Pentecost resulting in genuine and ongoing renewal, revival and reformation.
Or, perhaps more succinctly, an upgraded perception of reality?
Conflicting Reality
The initial quote of this article was chosen carefully. "Reality is not simply there, it must be searched and won." This is in perfect harmony with the metamessages of Scripture. Yet, far easier said than done.
Genuine science, becoming a rarity these days, is extremely interesting. This includes amazing recent developments in researching the mysteries of consciousness. In a TED Talk, Anil K. Seth, a British professor of cognitive and computational neuroscience addressed the interplay between our senses and brain. Lacking eyes and ears, a sense of smell and tase, as well as touch receptors of its own, the brain is a prediction engine. By combining sensory input with past experience, our brains generate a best guess scenario by hallucinating a conscious reality of the world and personal awareness. Through electrochemical impulses alone, the human mind extrapolates what is real, what is true, what is important. Yours is doing so on a variety of levels as you read or listen to these words.
Who can argue we’re drawn to what we see? All five senses are such gifts, plentiful on our privileged planet, yet possibly quite rare throughout the vast universe. Their power to shape our lives is as understandable as it is impressive. Blaise Pascal, the celebrated mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and Christian philosopher noted all things tend to either torment or tempt us. We are attracted or repelled, sometimes almost inexorably, to what we can see, hear, feel, taste and/or smell.
But is this really all we are? While fascinating, and likely true, made in the imago dei or image of God, we are far more than some of our parts. We are the extremely and intelligently designed handiwork of a Creator and Savior. Omnity! Awesome and awful in nature and intent.
Mark Twain famously noted, "God created man in his own image and man, being a gentleman, returned the favor." A mistaken purist in which modern Christianity excels. For a variety of reasons. From poor hermeneutical Biblical interpretation of leadership glaringly at odds with each other and Scripture, to the afore mentioned Biblical illiteracy and prayerlessness of our rank and file. Such a tragic condition explains why billions of uniquely blessed and pampered believers have and continue to ignore and/or misconstrue Scripture's most emphasize metamessages.
Accurately combining the context and content of Scripture generates two unwelcome yet fundamental tenets. Both as crucial as they are commonly ignored. The first: Creation is at war. The second: Life and faith are tests.
1. Creation Is At War: Careful Scriptural archeology and Biblical forensics reveals much. By stitching scores of passages together, a theological theme emerges revealing Who created the multiverse and why. The truth about Lucifer's Rebellion and how it effects Heaven and Earth. How the trial in Eternity's Supreme Court overflows into the affairs of men.
It can’t be overstated that according to the context of Scripture, spiritual conflict is not a mythical analogy, but rather eternity’s reality. In fact, in a variety of ways, a myriad of Biblical passages attest to the unpleasant fact that all creation is at war with (alongside or against) God. There is no neutral territory.
Down through millennia Scripture continues to whisper and shout there is far more going on than is immediately apparent. This is why the Bible warns that God’s promise of reward is reserved for those diligently, rather than casually, seeking Him. With Hell to loose and Heaven to gain, could even Omnity provide greater motivation? Primary reasons for both Old Testament narratives and the New Testament's call to arms.
Yet, for a variety of reasons, the overwhelming vast majority of modern Christians refuse to accept Biblical insight and warning. Nevertheless, comprehension of the context of Scripture is vital to understanding its content. While no longer in vogue, Scripture's context is most certainly one of spiritual and physical warfare. Past, present and future.
Like the whodunnit story of Job, considered by many to be the oldest Book of the Bible and perhaps its key codex, conflict between God the "Lord of Hosts" (angel armies) and Satan the "prince of the power of the air" (god of this world), provides the backdrop to Job's story. And much, if not all, the entire Old and New Testaments.
2. Life And Faith Are Tests: For some, the ancient adage, "Life's a test" is more obvious than for others. Nevertheless, this universal truth is Biblical in nature. Even for those fortunate enough to live in the modern world, were life’s battlefield may seem far removed. With technological advances all but conquering basic challenges, we savor the ease of victory. We not only enjoy, but daily take for granted, an incredible array of blessings. Including the privilege and responsibility of instant access to Scripture and millennia of Christian history. While life and faith are most certainly tests, thankfully for us they are open Book tests!
On the flip side, Jesus warned, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." An even more crucial concern with spiritual conflict at an all time high. Subtle as it is certain, challenges to Christianity abound. While woefully one-sided, the Church is at war. From ubiquitous levels of demonic temptation and deception, to devilish apathy and inverted morality. Both inside and outside the camp. An ever increasing number of serious threats are creating a culture of billions of spiritual refugees. With far more on the way.
The New Testament succinctly warns we will each give account of all we've done or failed to do, every idle word and perhaps our every thought. Such exacting standards, with no less than Heaven and Hell at stake, provide compelling evidence of an examination with everlasting consequence.
Like many final exams, Scripture explains eternity's test has several components. When it comes to salvation, Christ and His apostles placed their greatest emphasis on living faith. The only two times Jesus is directly asked how to get to Heaven, the Good Samaritan and the Rich Young Ruler, He explains the best way to love God is by caring for the poor and needy. The same holds true in regards to the Sheep and Goats, as well as the Rich Man and Lazarus which provides the only Biblically recorded conversation between humans in the afterlife!
Conflict theology is a primary explanation for God's gracious compassion in emphasizing loving our neighbor, particularly the deprived, above all else. More than any, Omnity is aware Earth's not only a spiritually cosmic war zone, but an occupied planet with most of its citizenry held captive by the god of this age to do his will.
Should the above assertions be Biblically accurate, and they most definitely are, once again a glaring problem arises. There is little or no room for them in either our definition, or our daily experience, of reality.
Here lies the greatest inflection, if not choke point, in the journey towards maturity of every Christian. To what degree should we believe and exalt what we can see and experience above the clear and concise revelation and promise of Scripture? Billions of spiritually anemic and powerless believers, throughout the annals of Christian history, evidence the difficulty of such decisions.
Hundreds of passage attest that Scripture agrees with the adage, "Good is the enemy of great." The most relevant for our purposes are found in a plethora of Jesus' harsher sayings. Particularly His last direct instruction to the Church found in the opening of John's horrendous Book of Revelation. Here, the "disciple whom Jesus loved" fell as dead before the resurrected and glorified Christ, Who spared no punches in His judgment against the Church He purchased with His own Divine blood.
To each of the seven churches Jesus revealed Himself differently, divulging an unique aspect of His glorious nature. Throughout His critique, He offers varying compliments and complaints, commands and rewards. Yet His last words are the same for all seven: “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches."
A crucial command to be sure, issued to all, then and now, including to three of the seven churches Jesus threatens with extinction and/or even damnation, should they fail to fully repent. Of particular interest is Christ's warning of the downfall of Revelation's last of the seven churches, Laodicea. Believers representing not only existing Christians in that day, and a tragic mindset throughout church history, but the final church age. Which may well be our own. To whom He warns:
- "Write to Laodicea, to the Angel of the church. God’s Yes, the Faithful and Accurate Witness, the First of God’s creation, says: “I know you inside and out, and find little to my liking. You’re not cold, you’re not hot—far better to be either cold or hot! You’re stale. You’re stagnant. You make me want to vomit. You brag, ‘I’m rich, I’ve got it made, I need nothing from anyone,’ oblivious that in fact you’re a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. “Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see. “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors! “Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches." Revelation 3:14-22 MSG
So, in such crucial passages, what exactly is Jesus challenging? His church's perception of reality. Rather than being wealthy and need of nothing, He assures them, in no uncertain terms, that the very opposite is spiritually true.
That's a massive and devilish deception. An incredible disconnect, by 1st Century Christians, for the most part dedicated and persecuted believers, who's principle claim to fame was the love of not only Jesus, but truth.
A deception far greater among 21st Century Christians, in both quantity and quality.
Oddly enough, in their case and ours, it seems likely that our shared deception was and is steeped in reality. We enjoy unprecedented levels of blessings, most daily take for granted, via a variety of factors. Through the wealth of technology we have the equivalent of a thousand personal servants waiting on us hand and foot. A modern grocery store alone would seem miraculous from the experience of 99.99% of all those who've ever lived. It's as if we inherited the answered prayers of all generations and them some.
In many ways, the unbelievable and escalating quality and quantity of modern blessings allows humanity’s abilities to rival those of mythological gods. Even on the individual level, time would fail to list all the marvels we've been given. From affordable food and housing to smart phones and appliances. From advanced health care and social programs to police and military protection. From freedom of thought and expression to instant access to the sum of human knowledge. From a thousand choices of entertainment and travel to astounding insights into infinite and infinitesimal aspects of creation.
Add to this the riches of what was once a godly society built on the foundation of millennia of Christian history and influence, bequeathed by such gifts as the canonization of Scripture and the collective insight of the Christendom's best and brightest. Shining lights of wisdom and righteousness, instantly available at our fingertips.
So the question is, which reality is true? Are we wealthy and in need of nothing fiscally and religiously, or threadbare and spiritually blind? In true quantum fashion, the answer is both.
For the moment, modern Christianity is truly blessed. Yet time quickly passes. Historically, even the greatest civilizations collapse under the weight of their entitlement and sin. Not to mention demonically designed temptation and deception orchestrated by devilish strategies forwarded by diabolical sociopolitical agendas.
Still, truly great things have been accomplished! To our credit we’ve come a long way. From Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages to Middle, Modern and Contemporary periods. Will wonders never cease? Myriads of today’s blessings are the fruit of wise, resilient and courageous accomplishments. Results of the labor, exploration and dreams of extraordinary men and women. Often in spite of difficult, if not disastrous circumstance.
Human plasticity is impressive. From blank slates, time and the influences of often radically different circumstances of nature and nurture combine to form individuals and whole societies. Together, with limited yet lively free will, we shape ourselves and environments, becoming both products and producers of continuance and change.
Yet something’s amiss. Quantum adaptability presents as both virtue and vice. The same trait allowing for rapid adaptation to challenges and opportunities responsible for greatly multiplying creativity and expression, has and can continue to easily metastasize into inhumane pain and suffering. On an individual and global scale. For example, the incredible achievement of splitting the atom's having provided previously unimaginable resource, while simultaneously unleashing the destructive power to destroy all earthy life in a matter of hours.
The again, there's also the eternal reality of Christ's timeless warning, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Which Story?
The choices before us are many. Some with serious implication in time and/or eternity. We all want to be happy. Those who aren’t want to believe they soon will be. Those who are want to believe it will always last. To this end, the whole of mankind pursues a kind of waking dream. When circumstances are favorable, it’s easy to relax and enjoy life. When conditions are challenging, happiness is more difficult to imagine.
For this and other reasons, we each develop an inner monologue. A running account of not only our present, but past and anticipated future. Drawing from experience, we craft an image of ourselves. A tale of our relationships and place in the world.
Psychologists, and philosophers, cosmologists and even theoretical physicists have posited we are all part of and/or telling ourselves a story. With thousands of thoughts to sort through daily, this is hardly surprising. We need a way of organizing and dealing with our perceptions and emotions, attitudes and actions. As well as those of others. We also need to make sense of the precarious and fleeting nature of our mortal existence. Billions seek solace in religion. The wisest of these turn to the God of the Bible, thus raising two important questions:
1. With so many competing narratives vying for our attention, is there evidence the Bible’s authoritative?
2. How similar is our story to that of Scripture?
We’re born knowing bupkis. In time, via our senses and situation, once clean slates begin to fill with information demanding interpretation. As more stimuli is stored, by necessity its assimilation and consideration produces an individual’s sense of self or plot. Over time, interaction with the cares of life and the storylines of others augment and amend our own.
This has never been more true than today. Life within developed nations is not only overflowing with input, but trillions of dollars are spent to manipulate mankind as a marketable audience. Sadly, many of modern media’s most lucrative works are heavily laced with immorality and worse. Synergized by the 1960’s sexual revolution, such a strategy has revised the internal and external dramas of billions. In a single generation all but dissolving traditional bonds of family and friends. Too often in favor of the original sin of entitlement and Me-ism.
The situation is further complicated given that God’s narrative is at odds with worldly wisdom:
- “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 NIV
- “But the natural, nonspiritual man does not accept or welcome or admit into his heart the gifts and teachings and revelations of the Spirit of God, for they are folly (meaningless nonsense) to him; and he is incapable of knowing them [of progressively recognizing, understanding, and becoming better acquainted with them] because they are spiritually discerned and estimated and appreciated.” 1 Corinthians 2:14 AMP
- “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:1-12 NIV
- “Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” Matthew 16:24-26 MSG
- “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stand by and be devoted to the one and despise and be against the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in).” Matthew 6:24 AMP
Few today concern themselves with such matters. A primary reason is our having been taught to substitute presumption for faith. After all, if we're going to assume salvation because of simple belief (demons also believe) or saying a special prayer (warned against by Jesus), why not go all the way?
Revealing a fuller meaning of Christ's warning is as easy as plugging words into Jesus' equation. First, let's summarize all that mammon might mean into a more common and expansive word like wealth. Next, just do the algebra. There are two options:
- "...he will either hate wealth and love God, or he will be devoted to wealth and despise God."
- "...he will either hate God and love wealth, or he will be devoted to God and despise wealth."
Which Reality?
Choosing between such compelling yet competing realities ranks as mankind's most difficult decision. So much so, Jesus identifies it as the very work of God:
- “Jesus answered, I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.' Then they asked him, 'What must we do to do the works God requires?' Jesus answered, 'The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.'" John 6:26-28
In this and a myriad of passages, Jesus, along with all New Testament authors, are addressing the supreme challenge of identifying and embracing what can be and often are diametrically opposed realities. An understandable point of confusion and contention throughout modern Christendom.
Was not the guarantee of salvation by our costly atonement through the cross of Christ a marvelous and unconditional free gift beyond compare? Have we not devoted a substantial part of our lives to Jesus and the tenets of modern Christianity? Have we not given of our minds, hearts and wills? Have we not converted much of our thoughts, words and lifestyles? Have we not redirected many of our aspirations, attitudes and actions? Have we not invested significant portions of our time, talent and treasure to fellowship, discipleship and evangelism?
In many respects we truly have, and in return secured testimonies of the gospel’s lift frequently blessing, often changing ourselves, family and friends. At least to some degree.
Hundreds of millions of modern Christians can attest they are far from who they once were, yet we are equally far from the radical disciples and entirely new creations we are called to become. Preliminary transformation equates to only partial fullness of the Spirit, in light of Christ’s command to cultivate all the Kingdom’s fruit and gifts, such as dependably and miraculously healing the sick. Taken together, our oversight and neglect equates to failure to become the glorious beings we are meant to be. Hence Jesus’s lament, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Why? Because too few chose to fully answer His call.
Without the fullness of the miraculous fruit and gifts of the Spirit, there can be little to no power evangelism and discipleship; the very foundation and hallmark of 1st Century Christians. Ordinary men and women who’s costly and absolute dedication and complete transformation produced the glorious New Testament and brought the Roman Empire, then the world’s greatest military, political and religious culture, to its knees.
Exactly the kind of Prophetic Christians so needed today. All the more as the times and seasons quickly deteriorate and "you see the Day approaching." Understanding Earth is a besieged planet, such men and women invest their time, talent and treasure recruiting, training and deploying Biblically astute Kingdom citizen soldiers. They spend their lives wresting humanity from the past, present and future grip of Heaven's angelic rebellion. An insurrection that, having marred the history of eternity, has and continues to reshape our own. Through Bible study and strategic prayer, radical discipleship and disciplined sacrifice, they don the full the armor of God. They understand we "wrestle not with flesh and blood" when struggling to rescue others from Satan's wisdom and demonic resistance, who, again, as "the god of this world" holds mankind "captive to do his will." Inside and outside of modern Churchianity.
From this perspective, both the challenge and promise of Christian commitment takes on new layers and depths of meaning. The Chinese word for crises 危机 is composed of two characters. Some translate their meanings as "danger" and "opportunity." Since all investments of time, energy and money contain various amounts of risk, regardless of the etymology of this word the concept is sound. This is certainly true of modern Christianity's current condition. Without God's will and power continually evidenced through His presence and power, provision and protection, the world and even the Church is nearly defenseless against today's onslaught of doubt and temptation, entitlement and sin. Even so, were believers to fully realize and appropriately respond to Kingdom reality, a new day for Christianity might quickly dawn.
Following Christ is both an event and process. More the latter than the former. As with physical existence, so to the reality and vitality of spiritual life must be maintained and nourished, examined and exercised. All the more for those seeking to not only spiritually survive but thrive from infancy into maturity.
Different stages of spiritual life equate to different forms of Divine love and comfort, education and discipline. Unlike the physical model, spiritual maturation is not linked to time. Christians can grow, or refuse to, throughout their church years. Five, ten or even fifty years sometimes reflects faithful spiritual development, yet more often than not represents only a single year or two of progress repeated over and over again. As the author of Hebrew's laments:
- "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." Hebrews 5:12-14 NKJV
First, to reprimand Christians for failure to mature into the fullness of Christ.
Second, to contrast spiritual milk vs. meat. It's also a perfect example of the previously referenced second fundamental tenet of Scripture. "Life and faith are tests. Thankfully for us they are open Book tests." To the careful observer, Hebrews 5 and 6 reveal a pop quiz, where the necessity of spiritual meat is reinforced without ever explaining what it is. An omission that has led the vast majority of preachers and teachers to confuse Biblical milk with meat.
Third, to establish the principal that there is far more to Scripture and faith than meets the eye.
All of which reinforce a fundamental truth. Crucial aspects of salvation and living faith, such as doctrine and lifestyle, require a continual reassessment of what is most truly real.
As previously mentioned, for the average modern believer, differentiating between reality narratives is best demonstrated by a pair of competing world views. Is Christianity a cruise of battleship? Do Biblical commands and opportunities, often prematurely considered promises, belong to Christian civilians or Kingdom Citizen Soldiers?
While many Scriptures lend themselves to both perspective realities, the Church Militant reflects them all. There are scores of passages that point to a much deeper life in the Holy Spirit than we care to admit, since doing so points out a pair of massively inconvenient truths:
1. There are heights to the Kingdom of God on Earth that few if any have reached in this or for countless generations. At least in the developed nations. There, the Lord's presence and power, provision and protection flow like rivers of water springing up into eternal life. Where fiery lightening dances on the heads of believers, and multitudes from every nation are instantly saved. Where Divine healing is the children's bread, wrapped in handkerchiefs and shadows. Where the fruit and gifts of Spirit are abundant, and miracles are performed by table waiters. Where buildings shake when churches pray, emboldened without fear. Where chains fall away at midnight worship, praises knocking prison doors off their hinges.
2. The admittance price for such passage is as steep as the glorious terrain. Our All for God's. Not a window's mite less. No massaged doctrine or faulty traditions of men, no intimate worship or imagined relationship, no half hearted prayers or mega church budgets can or will ever grant access.
To introduce the subject, let's start with some passages addressing Kingdom citizen solders. Excellent verses for Prophetic Christians to employ in meditation and intercession. As I do in my daily strategic prayer:
“Cause us to judge with righteous judgment. To believe that You are and that You’re a rewarder of those who diligently seek You. To number our days and enter Your rest. To fully embrace the wisdom from above and reject the wisdom from below which is earthly, sensuous and demonic. To have godliness and contentment, which is great gain. With food and clothing to be content. To rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ concerning you.
“That we would find faith, hope and love displacing fear, anger and sorrow. Particularly for those who’ve learned that godly fear is the beginning wisdom. Though quantumly not necessarily its end. For he that fears is not perfected in love. For fear has torment. And perfect love casts out fear.
“That we would count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations knowing that the trial of our faith works patience. That we would let patience have it’s perfect work that we might be entire lacking nothing. That we would make no provision for the flesh and redeem the time for the days are evil. That we would present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable, which is our reasonable form of spiritual worship. That we would not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds. That we would approve and prove what is the good and acceptable will of God.
“That we might even enjoy buffeting our bodies as extreme spiritual athletes, for profit both in this life and the life to come. That we would be crucified with Christ, nevertheless live, yet not us but Christ living in us. That the life that we now live, we’d live by faith in the Son of God, Who loved us and gave Himself up for us. That we would be risen with Christ. Seated with Christ in heavenly places. And our lives would be hid with Christ in God. That we would set our affections on things above, not on things on earth. Practicing hospitality. Remembering prisoners as if chained with them."
While every verse above continues to be routinely minimized or marginalized by modern Christianity, a few deserve special attention. Not just for the sake of importance, but rather because they are hard, if not impossible, to pretend to obey.
1. To have godliness and contentment, which is great gain. With food and clothing to be content. Paul makes no no mention of shelter or furnishings, healthcare or insurance, revenue or retirement. Nor an endless list of fabulous blessings and incredible technologies we not only demand but take for granted. Truth be told, only a soldier deployed in an active combat zone is content with so little. Thus, civilian Churchianity completely ignores this directive, as if it were for a select few.
2. That we would make no provision for the flesh, redeeming the time for the days are evil. We not only make many provisions for the flesh, but spend the bulk of our time doing so. As for redeeming the time, squandering thousands of hours in various harmless and harmful entertainments and pleasures is more like it. This includes massive hours watching TV, listening to modern music, browsing social media... All wasted and worse, by Kingdom citizen soldier standards.
3. That we might even enjoy buffeting our bodies as extreme spiritual athletes, for profit both in this life and the life to come. Paul directed "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling," explaining "I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." Again, we've conjured dozens of doctrines insulating and extracting ourselves from such Scriptures and serious concerns. False Biblical narratives, from eternal security to a pre-tribulation rapture. As for profit, Jesus often encourages developing a robust eternal portfolio. All the while warning, “Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”
4. That we would set our affections on things above, not on things on earth. An honest handling of our time, talent and treasure reveals our earthly interests and investments outweigh our heavenly ones at least ten to one. Even then, our eternal pursuits are often fraught with fraudulent doctrine and lifestyle choices.
5. Practicing hospitality. Jesus cautioned, "But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Who makes a practice of doing this among the rank and file of modern Christianity? Or any of the other points mentioned above or below?
6. Remembering prisoners as if chained with them. All the serious Scriptures and challenging issues raised thus far hinge on, and are yet routinely muted by, a single word. Degree. "We're already doing that," we argue, yet to what degree? Here, the Holy Spirit through Paul, not only leaves no wiggle room, but reinforces the previously mentioned Divine exchange rate of our All for God's.
While widely unrecognized, Christendom does schedule an International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Of course, "Day of Prayer" translates to a few minutes, if that. In quantity and quality, this meets about a millionth of the Biblical mandate conveyed by the phrase, "as if chained with them."
Uriah the Hittite, betrayed and murdered by King David after his adulterous affair with Uriah's wife, provides a shinning example of this Scriptural directive. When Bathsheba found herself pregnant, David summoned Uriah from the battlefield, coaxing him to enjoy his home and wife, hoping to hide his sin. Instead, Uriah slept on the palace entrance. In the morning David asked why? Uriah replied, “The Chest is out there with the fighting men of Israel and Judah—in tents. My master Joab and his servants are roughing it out in the fields. So, how can I go home and eat and drink and enjoy my wife? On your life, I’ll not do it!" Getting Uriah drunk and trying again produced the same results. For which Uriah was rewarded by Scripture's only warrior, psalmist, prophet and king, a man after God's own heart, arranging his premeditated murder.
This stunning passage displays three essential truths. First, how throughly even God's anointed can be deceived. Second, what true empathy for those suffering looks like. Third, embracing the rigors of the church militant (Uriah), rather than the pleasures of civilian entitlement (David), is what the reality of the Bible's context of Conflict Theology requires.
Such a partial, albeit extensive list of Scriptural passages and principals reveals the disconnect and conflict between the Bible's mandate of diligently vs. casually seeking God. Yet in all honesty, who has or wants to invest the resource (time, energy and money) to live up to such lofty ideals? Modern families and congregations are busy chasing the Christian/American dream. Intellectually and emotionally, spiritually and monetarily.
For most, it takes an inordinate effort to buy and maintain homes and cars, possessions and lifestyles in keeping with that to which we are accustomed. There's little resource left over for spiritual speculation.
Similarly, Churches spend 95% of their funding on themselves, leaving 5% to invest in fulfilling even the normal aspects Christ's Great Commission. And none whatsoever on recovering the Kingdom power demonstrated by the miraculous gifts of the Spirit necessary for the Gospel of Mark's version.
Some estimate the average overhead cost of producing and maintaining an individual Christian in the modern world is as high as $3,000,000 compared to $8,000 for undeveloped countries. Such budgets require seeker friendly messages and ministries capable of producing large and dependable revenue streams. Another major reason against reviewing, much less questioning, the spiritual status quo. Continuing business as usual is simply a reality.
Prayer Meetings
Such necessary facts of life compete with the kinds of Biblical narratives previously referenced. As well as scores of others. And while implementing all the more demanding New Testament commands wholesale would be costly indeed, even the most arduous journey is begin with a single step.
Consider the matter of prayer in general, and prayer meetings in particular. Regular and even lengthy sessions and seasons of intercession were a hallmark of families and churches for generations. Far and wide, Christians recognized the necessity of routinely investing their time and effort in petitioning Heaven for earthly assistance. Often to great effect, as reflected by the First, Second and Third Great Awakenings. Massive renewals through which leaders like Jonathan Edwards, John Wesley and Charles Finney reshaped Protestant Christendom. Later moves of God, such as the Welsh Revival and Azusa Street, produced and were products of prodigious prayer, then challenging the day to day reality of millions. Reinvigorating spiritual experience which gave rise to Charismatic Christianity, currently numbering 584 million worldwide.
Such "times of refreshing" were birthed by baptisms of prayer, particularly the prayer of anguish. An expensive form of faith, no longer welcome in our pampered age. A persistent spiritual impasse, reflected by the Revival Hymn video, and noted by infamous Leonard Ravenhill quotes such as, "If you can live without revival, you will" and "God doesn't hear prayer. He hears desperate prayer."
Progressing along the path from daily tossing up a few prayers, to regularly engaging in intense and lengthly intercession, is a true reflection of compassion and care. Evidence of genuine grace, exemplified by the level of our diligent and appropriate response:
1. Wishful Thinking: This introductory style of prayer is largely spontaneous. It knows little of Scripture or spiritual experience. Disappointment in this arena accounts for billions prematurely deciding Biblical authority and faith is unreasonable. Thus signaling both the beginning and end of honestly pursuing the answers to life’s ultimate questions.
2. Prayer On the Go: The next incremental investment for most of Churchianity might loosely be described as phoning it in. Nearly synonymous with windshield time, it’s basically little more than wishful thinking expressed with slightly more quantity and quality.
3. Pausing For Prayer: Hundreds of millions recognize the need to at least treat God with the respect due a stranger. Rather than daydreaming on the run, these pause for at least a moment now and then, pitching a prayer heavenward hoping it will stick. Unfortunately, this level may exemplify, or even exceed the commitment level of the average modern Christian.
4. Attaching A Scripture: Those interested enough to admit steps 1-3 rarely work often try increasing their odds by adding a Bible promise. Unfortunately the vast majority of Christians remain basically prayerless, stopping to pray less than ten minutes a day. Adding to our dilemma is massive Biblically illiteracy, the inability to quote, much less correctly understand 10 verses in a row. Most, adding a Scriptural promise to lukewarm prayers, do so with little or no concern as to the corresponding conditions of such passages.
5. Occasional Intercession: The next common waypoint along the path of developing a committed prayer life is the occasional investment of 30 minutes or so practicing the art of intercession. When answers are more miss than hit, believers are left with 3 options. (1) Give up: Some go so far as to create mistaken doctrines like cessation to justify spiritual failures. (2) Pretend: The favored choice of hundreds of millions, charismatic or not. (3) Seek God’s Face: The serious study and whole hearted implementation of Scripture.
6. If My People: God’s perfect plan for repentance is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Those putting this simple algebraic formula into practice soon develop the spiritual insight to become Prophetic Christians on their way to judging all things.
7. Scheduled Intercession: Upping the ante can be done individually or collectively. Nevertheless, as with nearly all Christian disciplines, efforts are far more effective when done in concert. Corporate meetings should reflect a quality and quantity of prayer indicative of the difficulties being addressed.
8. Sanctification: Devotees interested in learning to pray effectually soon feel the need for growth in radical personal and corporate sanctification and discipleship.
9. Pressing In: When prayer still largely goes unanswered, the committed soldier on, doubling down through triple fasting; i.e. food, prayer and good deeds. An hour a day is the minimum ante at this level. As reflected by Christ's question reverberating down through the millennia, "So, could you not wait with me one hour?"
10. Praying Through: When all is said and done, those refusing to take no for an answer redouble their efforts with semiweekly, if not daily, extended times of prayer. Practicing 1 or more of the 7 prayer modes, they major on being still and waiting on God through the prayer of silence. Such rare men and women give God no rest, day and night, until they and those for whom they pray are demonstrably filled with both the fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. They remain committed to travailing in prayer to the point of prevailing with men and circumstances, Satan and God.
A dwindling percentage of Churchianity practice, or even understand the purpose of regular (weekly if not daily) and lengthy (hours not minutes) intercessory prayer. Those who do realize that, as Paul explains, Biblical Christianity is no walk in the park but a life-or-death fight to the finish:
- “And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon.” Ephesians 6:10-17 MSG
- "In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. And don’t forget to pray for me. Pray that I’ll know what to say and have the courage to say it at the right time, telling the mystery to one and all, the Message that I, jailbird preacher that I am, am responsible for getting out.” Ephesians 6:18-20 MSG
John Wesley is credited for rightly noting, “Without God, man cannot. Without man, God will not.” With this mind, believers may do well to rekindle the Holy Clubs or Mission Societies of yesteryear, such as that of Wesley and Whitfield or even William Wilberforce's Claphman group. These and countless others over the centuries, up to and including the founding members of the Azusa Street Mission and subsequent revival, are shinning examples of the kind of radical commitment to both the cause of Christ and one another that may be able to brake the downward cycle of presumption and apathy, worldliness and entitlement, temptation and deception in which we find ourselves and those we are called to love.
One might well image family prayer and prayer meetings would enjoy a modern resurgence with the all but undeniable onset of the Great Reset. Devilish sociopolitical engineering ushered in by the Iron Triangle of global politics, media and corporations. Exemplified by such modern woes as career felon George Floyd's sainthood and efforts to undermine criminal justice. Antifa and BLM riots and violence. CRT and orchestrated racial tensions. C19's plandemic and global government overreach. Sheltering in place and shuttered churches, social distancing and mask mandates worldwide. Medical interference and harmful vaccines. Woke agenda and transgenderism. America's boarder invasion and drug cartel fentanyl and carfentanil crises. Biden's malevolent war on Ukraine and America's economy. With even worse gathering on the horizon.
Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Even after churches were allowed to reopen, it was business as usual. Up to an including continued refusal to bend the knee to overwhelming evidence for the crucial need of family and corporate prayer.
While the reasons are many, some are more nefariously than others. The nearly universal lack of regular and lengthy prayer speaks volumes as to its current ineffectiveness. Truth be told, prayer seems to work like a broken clock. Right only twice a day. Yet the New Testament places special emphasis on the power of prayer to transform individuals and circumstances. Often in miraculous ways. A theme attested to by many of the 650 prayers listed in the Bible, along with approximately 450 recorded answers.
As noted, the clergy and lay leaders of half of Christendom (cessationists) deny that miracles such as healing are for today, and the other half (charismatics) claim to daily walk on water and twice on Sundays. Who then is left seriously seeking to recover the fullness of the miraculous fruit and gifts of the Spirit? Hence the New Testament's priceless offer of attaining the glory of God's presence and power, provision and protection goes unacknowledged, much less realistically pursued.
Even with the need for answered prayer at an all time high, rather than embarking on risky spiritual ventures, leadership has a vested interest in exonerating the clergy and placating the laity. Embracing, rather than challenging reality, by crating and reinforcing doctrinal narratives that serve to divert a plethora of questions that might open a Pandora’s box of unwanted attention.
Tragically, such positions negate the need for pre-revival repentance, indispensable to the processes of seriously seeking God for a New Pentecostal outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Absolutely necessary to face today's all but insurmountable challenges. And more so tomorrow's.
The topic of the article identifies an even more entrenched obstacle. Realty itself. Mankind is understandably fascinated and concerned with that which is, and in hand. The reality of our innumerable achievements attest to fantastic capabilities to reshape and repurpose resources before us. Tangible supplies give way to modern homes and skyscrapers, jets and satellites. Intangible materials are discovered and reshaped to do our bidding through molecular and atomic, cellular and DNA manipulation. We seem to have little need for greater spiritual investigation and/or speculation than that afforded by our current models of pleasant and casual Christianity.
But what of the reality of our innumerable failures? Alongside those referenced, just the shortlist of grave concerns include the global specters of violence and war, abuse and slavery, immorality and abortion, poverty and economic inequality, climate change and nuclear holocaust, all presenting current and future threats. As do viral pandemic and artificial intelligence, cyber tech and bioterrorism fears. Issues reseting the 2023 Doomsday Clock of Atomic Scientists to 90 seconds to midnight. Closer than ever before.
Then there's a host of spiritual concerns, from evangelism to discipleship. As well as others already addressed. Many of which believers today claim to hold dear. Yet, as the old adage goes, "When all is said and done, there's a lot more said than done."
So here we are. At least those of us paying close attention. Stymied by the spiritual impasse of an unmovable object (earthly reality) at the convergence of an unstoppable force (eternal reality). A red herring, unnecessarily raining on our parade of pleasant messages and occasional prayer, bolstered by intimate worship and friendship evangelism. Or so says and sings modern Christianity.
Yet the Bible tells a different tale. One were God's people, more often than not, are out of bounds and offline. Where the seen and unseen effects of sin above (the Devil and his angels), sin about (temptation and deception) and sin within (fallen human nature), go frequently unrecognized and underestimated. Requiring Divine adjustment, if not judgment. Where the competing realities of Christian civilian vs. Kingdom soldier, cruise vs. battleship analogies prove disastrous for the former and formidable for the latter. As Peter warned the 1st Century Church, and by extension all Christians:
- "For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 1 Peter 4:17-18 NIV
Choose This Day
One one hand, their appears to be a dichotomy of reality between general revelation (creation) and special revelation (Scripture), beginning with the Bible's insistence of the presence and superiority of a super-natural world.
On the other hand, the grandeur and intensity of the cosmos, combined with the intricacy and synergy of the infinitesimal, clearly attest to Omnity's fantastic fine tuning.
Both of which begin to reveal the full extent of the fearful and wonderful nature of mankind and the whole of creation. From galaxies and black holes to the mysteries of life and conscienceless. Rather than incongruent, the Bible insists everything seen and unseen, known and unknown, clearly displays the glory of God.
Nevertheless, the enmity between Divine and human reality continues unabated. The widening gulf between what is considered most real within modern Christianity is a reoccurring theme throughout Quantum Christianity and within my daily strategic prayer.
Many aspects of this internal and external debate are reasonable. Earthy reality seems constant and objective. Heavenly reality seems fleeting and subjective. At least for now. Yet another crucial Ravenhill quote provides eternal clarity, "Five minutes after you die you’ll know how you should have lived. We will wish that we had sacrificed more!!! Wept more, bled more, grieved more, loved more, prayed more, given more!!!"
A crises and opportunity all the more concerning as the times and seasons quickly deteriorate and "you see the Day approaching."
So what's to be done? Prophetic Christians provide a bridge between the best and worst Protestant gospels and church models. Embracing the gravity of life and weight of eternity, they grapple with rather than minimize, crucial concerns. Prayerfully exploring subtleties, such as the difference between Abraham (man of God) and Lot (godly man), they learn to discern who, where, when they are, as well as what God's about to do.
Prophetic Christians "brace for impact," mindful that the Jews had about two millennia from the Exodus to the Exile to muck things up, and given a similar amount of history Churchianity has done the same. Even worse, reflecting our abysmal behavior, many signs point to the prophesied end of the time of the Gentiles. Intensifying with the demise of the pseudo Christian/American dream. As well as the onset of judgment and tribulation.
Prophetic Christians recognize that given our place in history, the Old Testament warnings and advice, complaints and laments from the Exile ring truer today than promising verses regarding the Exodus from Egyptian slavery into the promised land. Particularly since, up to now, our slavery to temptation and deception, worldliness and sin, is self imposed. Even so, a passage from Joshua reflects our situation:
- "But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15 NIV
Clearly we are nearer the end of the story than those before us. Paul and Peter, James and Jude all warn that many will join and end time trend of too quickly assuming salvation and thereby largely replace Biblical faith with presumption. Paul the Apostle of Grace, cautions that in some, if not many instances, last day Gentile believers will go so far as to "abandon the faith…” Even to the ruinous point of the deadly sin of profanity, falling away and/or following the Antichrist.
How will Gentile believers abandon the faith? Like almost everything else, such apostasy will likely take place in various stages and by varying degrees. Many have rightly suggested today's worldliness and worse, both without and within modern Christianity, are signs of just such times. While bad news to be sure, there is hope in the knowing. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. At least for those with the eye's, ears and hearts willing to see, hear and understand.
While discussing end time events, during His Olivet Discourse Jesus explains, "See, I have warned you about this ahead of time." In regards to the last days, Christ's cautions are clear:
- "This is going to be trouble on a scale beyond what the world has ever seen, or will see again. If these days of trouble were left to run their course, nobody would make it. But on account of God’s chosen people, the trouble will be cut short." Matthew 24:21-22 MSG
- But be on your guard. Don’t let the sharp edge of your expectation get dulled by parties and drinking and shopping. Otherwise, that Day is going to take you by complete surprise, spring on you suddenly like a trap, for it’s going to come on everyone, everywhere, at once. So, whatever you do, don’t go to sleep at the switch. Pray constantly that you will have the strength and wits to make it through everything that’s coming and end up on your feet before the Son of Man." Luke 21:34-36 MSG
- "I’m going to make a clean sweep of the earth, a thorough housecleaning.'" God’s Decree. 'Men and women and animals, including birds and fish—Anything and everything that causes sin—will go, but especially people.'" Zephaniah 1:2-3 The Message
- "So get yourselves together. Shape up! You’re a nation without a clue about what it wants. Do it before you’re blown away like leaves in a windstorm, Before God’s Judgment-anger sweeps down on you, Before God’s Judgment Day wrath descends with full force. Seek God, all you quietly disciplined people who live by God’s justice. Seek God’s right ways. Seek a quiet and disciplined life. Perhaps you’ll be hidden on the Day of God’s anger." Zephaniah 2:1-3 The Message
- "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith." Hebrews 11:7 New International Version
Like it or not, devilish times and seasons are the new normal. Now, more than ever before, Scripture's portents of Last Days/End Times woes confirm open war is upon us. Still most refuse the burden of truth, which along with honesty, are the spiritually quantumly entangled virtues God desires most.
The Lord of the Rings describes the harrowing journey Frodo Baggins must take to Mount Doom, accompanied by his faithful Hobbit friend Samwise Gamgee. Into Doom’s fires Frodo must throw the odious ring that has brought trouble not only to its wearers but to all of Middle Earth. This harsh, even detestable task fell to Frodo. It's been noted that his responsibility was perilous and emotionally exhausting. To fulfill this mission was in many ways psychologically damaging for him, though character-shaping in others. He loathed the burden of carrying the ring, which seemed to tear him apart inside. Yet Gandalf the Wise reminded him, "We cannot choose the time we live in." As to Frodo's experience of overwhelming regret, Gandalf assures, "So do all who see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to do is decide what to do with time that is given to us."
Not an easy decision, when in many ways, our experience of realty seems to conspire against us. Then again, this all makes perfect sense, in light of Scripture's two great metamessages: 1. All creation is at war alongside or against God. 2. Life and faith are tests. Thankfully for us they open Book tests.
Additionally, the ends would seem to justify the means, with Hell to loose and Heaven to gain.
Scripture's chief critique of modern Christianity is not just our tenuous grasp on essential Kingdom truths, but our glaring lack of effort. Satisfied to the point of defending the status quo, our apathy and presumption, worldliness and worse mark us a the ultimate rendition of Laodicea. Rather than obeying the glorified Christ's advice to "Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from me so you can see, really see" we continue "storing up wrath against the day of wrath" all the while hoping to fellowship and sing our way to Heaven.
The need to at least recognize and begin putting an end to such madness is clear enough, then again, as the famous Blaise Pascal noted, "Men are so inevitably mad that not to be mad would be to give a mad twist to madness." He also noted that in Christ's Garden of Gethsemane, "All Jesus' enemies were awake and all His friends asleep. It is the same to this day."
Confronting our dualism and double-mindedness, a handful of Ravenhill quotes describe some of the difficulties in wrestling with combating realities:
- No man is greater than his prayer life.
- Are the things you are living for worth Christ dying for?
- The early Church was married to poverty, prisons, and persecutions. Today, the church is married to prosperity, personality, and popularity.
- You know, we live in a day when we are more afraid of holiness than we are of sinfulness.
- Paul never glamorized the gospel! It is not a success, but a sacrifice! It’s not a glamorous gospel, but a bloody gospel, a gory gospel, and a sacrificial gospel!
- The true man of God is heartsick, grieved at the worldliness of the Church, grieved at the toleration of sin in the Church, grieved at the prayerlessness in the Church. He is disturbed that the corporate prayer of the Church no longer pulls down the strongholds of the devil.
- How can you pull down strongholds of Satan if you don’t even have the strength to turn off your TV?
- God doesn't hear prayer. He hears desperate prayer.
- If you’re going to be a true Christian, I’ll tell you one thing amongst others: it’ll be a lonely life. It’s a narrow way and it becomes narrower and narrower and narrower.
- If there are a million roads into hell, there’s not one road out.
- "If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Wherever the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battlefield besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that one point."
We once new and did better. As illustrated from a quote by Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing:
- "Life is a hard fight, a struggle, a wrestling with the principal of evil, hand to hand, foot to foot. Every inch of the way is disputed. The night is given us to take breath, to pray, to drink deep at the fountain of power. The day, to use the strength which has been given us, to go forth to work with it till the evening."
Eternal Perspective
Clearly the Bible was not written topically. The predominate reason generally given is its authorship by as many as 40 different persons over a period of perhaps 1,500 years. While such considerations would make a topical manuscript difficult, Omnity specializes in the impossible.
In actuality God's Word is indeed issue driven. From creation to Creator, salvation to Savior all necessary information is provided. As are insight ranging from daily to eternal life. The problem is Scripture's wisdom is not presented topically, but rather scattered throughout 66 Books.
Why? Because as mentioned, life and faith are designed as tests. For a variety of reasons, including the fact that all creation is at war against or alongside our Creator. In fact, an essential element of faith’s test is to what degree we appropriately comprehend and respond to the context of Scripture being that of Conflict Theology. The understanding of which is a necessary component to correctly interpreting the Bible’s massive content. As well as discerning Scripture's perspective of reality.
Ramifications of Biblically based spiritual warfare are extensive. The nearly universal refusal to fully admit this simple fact accounts for a myriad of unnecessary confusion and misunderstanding. Such ongoing denial deeply affects such crucial issues as repentance and salvation, Bible study and prayer, worship and discipleship, fellowship and church, entitlement and worldliness, immorality and sin. To name but a few.
In this regard, a vast majority of misguided and misinformed doctrines stem from misunderstanding one the Bible’s core, yet all but unrecognized tenants.
Simply put, it’s not all about us. Not yet. At least not in the way we think.
While Christ’s incarnation and costly atonement achieved a variety of purposes, a primary objective was to put an end to Lucifer’s angelic rebellion. As the New Testament explains, “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” Again, most reject or at least significantly downplay this premise.
Thankfully, in this and all cases, the best way to accurately judge doctrine, up to and including Conflict Theology, and Biblical or even modern prophecy, is by reviewing Christianity’s most fundamental tenants.
Scriptural archeology and Biblical forensics reveal many spiritually quantum truths. Among them is that in a certain sense, the physical universe, and our place in it, may be an eternal afterthought. The apostle Paul explains that he had been caught away to the “Third Heaven” or abode of God. Thus the First and possibly Second Heaven, may be representative of the physical Universe, and/or passage between, and as such currently hold a lessor place in Scripture’s multiverse.
In the same way that the life of a gnat scarcely compares to our own, our fallen and fleeting mortal existence is hardly on par with the quantity and quality of life enjoyed by the angelic. Fallen or otherwise.
Seen in this light, once again Job’s behind the scenes bet between God and Satan appears to be not only the oldest Book of the Bible, but its codex.
An example of such quantum reasoning is demonstrated by the very stars in the sky. A source of constant assistance and wonder, for millennia they’ve proved both useful and inspiring. From furnishing navigation and exploration aid to providing twinkling and romantic backdrops for lovers. Yet science reveals that while helpful and appropriate from our current reference point, simplistic earthy perspectives disguise their true power and stature, age and majesty. Understanding of which is crucial to the progress of science, or general revelation.
So too, mortal and earthly life hardly holds a candle to the immortal and eternal. Comprehension of which is critical to the interpreting of Scripture, or special revelation.
Stop and consider how and by Whom angels were directly created. Ponder the extraordinary nature implicit in their quality of existence and inconceivable life spans. Imagine the vast knowledge and stunning society they’ve enjoyed for ages beyond time.
By comparison, the entire human race was born yesterday and dies tomorrow.
In Heaven, life must be shared in ways impossible here on Earth. Forever unfolding in an eternal now experienced without hinderance or interruption. By and for everyone. Individually and corporately. Communally, the light of eternal life must fill all in all. Time casts no dark shadows. Its holy populace knows no emptiness or isolation. No misunderstanding or betrayal. No pain of separation or death.
Such perfect community must serve to strengthen personal identity. Free of fear and disappointment, individuals and relationships blossom under an eternal springtime sun. Not just here and there, but everywhere and with everyone.
Even so Heaven is under siege, its perfection marred since Lucifer’s insurrection. Unparalleled bliss mingles with devilish disfunction as its citizenry rejoice, enjoying God and everything good, while grieving over the fall of perhaps billions of their brethren.
And over their continued presence as well. To its citizens dismay, darkened angels now share its transparent streets of gold and hallowed sites with their faithful, unfallen counterparts.
As well as with a growing community of earth’s redeemed.
Given Scripture’s heavenly narrative, and in keeping with Job’s scenario, could the human race be the result of and immersed in a heavenly whodunnit? As referenced in Eternity... The Wager, might mankind’s very existence be a result of angelic conflict theology?
As noted, Scripture explains, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” How? By His inconceivable incarnation and lowly birth, humble family and life, meek ministry and miracles, costly crucifixion and atonement, unprecedented resurrection and ascension, heavenly intercession and Second Advent:
- “He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death—his death on the cross. For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name. And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees, and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:6-11 GNT
Sound preposterous? Take another moment to contemplate the implications of an insurrection of unimaginably powerful and eternal beings within the perfection and holiness of Heaven itself. Ponder the significance of the untold eons of an angel’s lifespan in comparison to yours and mine. Remember to add the brilliance and glory implied in angelic majesty:
- “He is especially hard on those…daring even to scoff at the Glorious Ones without so much as trembling, although the angels in heaven who stand in the very presence of the Lord, and are far greater in power and strength than these false teachers, never speak out disrespectfully against these evil Mighty Ones.” 2 Peter 2:10-11 TLB
- “…laughing at those in authority over them, even scoffing at the Glorious Ones. Yet Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, when he was arguing with Satan about Moses’ body, did not dare to accuse even Satan, or jeer at him, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.” But these men mock and curse at anything they do not understand, and like animals, they do whatever they feel like, thereby ruining their souls.” Jude 8-10 Living Bible
For many reasons.
First, even in Heaven, God must at least partially veil His glory. After all, only Omnity can fully appreciate Omnity. This would partially explain Lucifer and his angel’s anticipation of some sort of imagined victory. And once again, the Bible reveals no previous occasion for the angelic to have experienced their Creator’s wrath. Therefore a show of unequaled Divine grace and mercy seems necessary prior to eternal judgment and damnation:
- “They wondered what the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about, for he told them to write down the events which, since then, have happened to Christ: his suffering, and his great glory afterwards. And they wondered when and to whom all this would happen. They were finally told that these things would not occur during their lifetime, but long years later, during yours. And now at last this Good News has been plainly announced to all of us. It was preached to us in the power of the same heaven-sent Holy Spirit who spoke to them; and it is all so strange and wonderful that even the angels in heaven would give a great deal to know more about it.” 1 Peter 1:11-12 TLB
Before rejecting Humanity’s downgrade from the imagine focal point of creation, consider the glorious and eternal benefits Christ offers mankind. While far from anthropocentric, our place in Omnity’s plan is astounding. Through Jesus’ costly full price atonement, redeemed mankind shall be gloriously transfigured:
- “For our earthly bodies, the ones we have now that can die, must be transformed into heavenly bodies that cannot perish but will live forever. When this happens, then at last this Scripture will come true—“Death is swallowed up in victory.” O death, where then your victory? Where then your sting? For sin—the sting that causes death—will all be gone; and the law, which reveals our sins, will no longer be our judge.” 1 Corinthians 15:53-56 TLB
- “But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.” 1 John 3:2-3 MSG
- “Don’t you know that someday we Christians are going to judge and govern the world? So why can’t you decide even these little things among yourselves? Don’t you realize that we Christians will judge and reward the very angels in heaven? So you should be able to decide your problems down here on earth easily enough.” 1 Corinthians 6:2-3 TLB
- “Are not all the angels ministering spirits sent out [by God] to serve (accompany, protect) those who will inherit salvation? [Of course they are!]” Hebrews 1:14 AMP
- “To everyone who overcomes—who to the very end keeps on doing things that please me—I will give power over the nations. You will rule them with a rod of iron just as my Father gave me the authority to rule them; they will be shattered like a pot of clay that is broken into tiny pieces. And I will give you the Morning Star! “Let all who can hear listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 2:26-29 TLB
- “That is what is meant by the Scriptures which say that no mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 TLB
- “For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.” Romans 8:19-21 NIV
- “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” Romans 8:22-25 NIV
The Way Forward
If we've overlooked or minimized the fact that Conflict Theology is the very context of Scripture, what else might we be missing? How about giving many, if not all the passages quoted thus far, a fair hearing? In this regard, another seemingly insignificant passage also speaks to discerning and responding to what is most real:
- "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show his works by his good life in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, do not boast and do not lie against the truth. This wisdom descends not from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, and devilish." James 3:13-15 MEV
- "Let God be true, and every human being a liar. As it is written: 'So that you may be proved right when you speak and prevail when you judge.''” Romans 3:4 NIV
One takeaway could be that given Omnity's attributes and Heavenly vantage point, even should much or even all of human thought and experience strongly suggest otherwise, God and the truest nature of reality, should be viewed in accordance to His Word.
All the more given mankind, including modern Christianity, is embroiled in, if not a casualty of, continually battling temptation and deception, worldliness and sin. Leaving us dazed and confused at best. At worst, spun sideways, backwards and/or upside down. Given the obvious and worsening condition of both the world and Churchianity, clearly our judgment is limited and compromised, to say the least.
The Bible explains that both personally, and as a species, mankind faces the deadly foe of sin on three fronts. Sin within, resulting from individual and inherited fallen natures. Sin above, in the form of devilish and demonic forms of temptation and deception. And Sin about, the collective and cumulative effect of sin within and above.
With the odds stacked against us, the Scriptural way forward remains as clear as it is challenging:
1. We must recover the genuine grace and truth of 1st Century Biblical Christianity, that we might be entirely reconciled to God. "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
2. We must completely commit to seeing the miraculous fruit and glorious gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as the children's bread of signs and wonders, fully restored. Particularly that of routinely healing the sick.
It begins simply enough, with willingness by clergy and/or laity, hopefully both, to relearn how best to honestly and diligently seek God. The next step is prayer. Not what largely passes for prayer today, but rather perseverance in pressing in with the objective of praying through James 4's Prayer of Anguish into the vastly undiscovered country of James 5's miraculous power. Up to and including experiencing the answer to Paul's glorious prayer that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge!"
While most of Christendom would be wise to adopt such a radical course adjustment, given the persistence of human and devilish resistance, as well as the variety of difficulties involved, a small task force seems more likely.
A spiritual platoon, a tactical unit of Prophetic Christians, must become willing to shed themselves of the last vestiges of worldliness, sanctifying and tooling up to reclaim the most contested of all spiritual high ground. Men and women adopting the rigors of radical discipleship, similar to the mindset of the modern martyr Jim Elliot who noted, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot loose." Home missionaries, with the military objective of fully embracing not only Christ's costly cross, but our own. In this case, not to spread the message of gospel abroad, but to help return to it at home. As well as to fully recover Kingdom power and glory. All of which would greatly benefit every aspect of Christianity.
Such endeavors are necessary purists in acquiring and developing our most holy faith, as Paul himself exemplified:
- " For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." 1 Corinthians 2:2-6 NKJV
- “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of words but of power." 1 Corinthians 4:20 GNT
Like Tolkien's Fellowship of the Ring, such a journey of recovery would be arduous. Particular by the overindulged standards of modern life. But might those tasked with such a retrievial mission find the potential benefits outweigh the risks? Just envision hundreds, millions, even billions rejoicing here and throughout eternity at having encountered and become filled with "all the fullness of God!"
When it comes to experiencing the Kingdom of God in ways that exceed knowledge, imagine thankfully declaring with the Apostle John:
- " From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!" 1 John 1:1-4 MSG
Of course, all the above is not only improbable but impossible. Then again, so was Christ's debut miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana. Among other things, likely typifying all of Christian history. During the lengthy wedding feast, representing the time between Jesus' 1st and 2nd coming, the celebrants ran out of wine. As have we, in regards to the free flowing and intoxicating presence and power, provision and protection of the Holy Spirit. Jesus then transformed the remaining religious ceremonial water into the best wine of all!
But only in response to the insistence of Mary's perfect dedication and intercession.
Still the original problem of competing realities exists. Churchianity's been taught to believe everything's fine. All the more given our natural inclination to judge ourselves by those around us. Compared to our fellow modern Christians, we're doing well. Compared to billions far more worldly and worse, we're doing great!
Yet compared to our full potential we're doing poorly. Without the fullness of the Spirit, we continually fall short of our mission parameters; an acceptable state aboard a cruise ship. A disastrous state aboard a battleship.
So where are the biggest areas of weakness in regards to welcoming the rigors of discipline in the arenas of obedience and training? These break down into elementary, intermediate and advance issues. Foundational issues include learning and adherence to the basic requirements of salvation and following Jesus, Bible study and prayer, worship and fellowship. For churches, identifying their gospel among the current seven church models would be a good start. Prayerfully developing correct Biblical instruction and lifestyle choices can provide an initial litmus test.
Having illustrated the fact that even we Christians are all telling ourselves a story, a question arises. How accurate is our narrative to Scripture's requirements? The following graphic emphasizes that knowingly or not, all who have heard the story and claims of Christ are somewhere to be found on the continuum from inappropriate to appropriate response. To which most believers rank ourselves more highly than we ought:
It's been said, "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results." Quantumly, this is also the definition of perseverance. The difference being the wisdom of what is being done and why. While few today are seeking, much less expecting the results of renewal, revival and reformation noted above, modern Christianity well might should they we given compelling reasons to believe the impossible is not only possible, but the Biblical norm.
Another form of insanity is withholding our best effort with both time and eternity at stake. Even if our efforts fall short. Again, "It's one thing to fight and fail. Quite another to fail to fight." Thankfully, in many respects, the timing to move along the continuum of Christian response may never be better. Consider the following shortlist of reasons why:
1. The gospel lift and blessings, provided by the authentic message and miraculous power inherent in Biblical Christianity, is need more now than ever to meet the growing challenges and opportunities of daily life.
2. The honors of Heaven and horrors of Hell are literally on the line for ourselves, all we know and love. As well as 8 billion across the globe.
3. Through the blessings of technology, modern Christians enjoy the equivalent of a thousand personal servants. It's as if we've inherited the answer to the prayers of all past generations, and then some. Adults, particularly those without children to raise, have an inordinate amount of disposable time and resource. Redirecting much, if not all our pursuits and/or wealth is less costly today than ever.
4. The times and seasons are swiftly degenerating, as clearly evidenced since 2020's introduction of the Covid plandemic and global government overreach, deadly clot shots and a dozen other unprecedented events.
5. Many signs point to the prophesied end of the time of the Gentiles. A dangerous spiritual and sociopolitical era intensifying with the demise of the pseudo Christian/American dream. There may soon be much less to distract us. Yet, are we be ready and able to pass such a demanding final exam?
6. With the onset of judgment and tribulation pending, learning to more fully walk in the Spirit may soon become a necessity rather than luxury. In regards to both physical and spiritual survival, for ourselves and others.
7. Given Scripture's Before Principle, established by a myriad of passages including Jesus' terrible parable of the 10 Virgins, the time to prepare ourselves and others is now. After may be too late.
8. The window of opportunity to transfer from Christian Cruise to Kingdom Battleship may be closing.
9. God's patience with Laodicean Christianity's resistance to the spiritual discipline of obedience and training may be wearing thin.
10. That which we cling to, rather than dedicating to the cause of Christ, may well be taken from us by force in the near future. Including many, if not all aspects, of wealth and freedom.
The preliminary reasons referenced thus far strongly suggest the time is now for many, if not all of us, to make a dramatic change. Christian adults, particularly the young and old, are well positioned to reinvest our time, talent and treasure into seriously seeking renewal, revival and reformation. What might shedding our spiritual losses, and achieving such gains, be worth? Owning or renting a smaller home? Reducing luxurious lifestyles? Older cars and tech? Few if any vacations? Less or no retirement?
When it comes to the overwhelming blessings of technology, most such considerations were and/or are out of reach for 99% of mankind. Yet many living with far less have been and/or are far more thankful. Even when facing far greater levels of what seems today as austerity and even deprivation. Not to mention persecution. So much so, Christ's challenge to the lifestyle expectations of Christians has almost become laughable:
- "A student doesn’t get a better desk than her teacher. A laborer doesn’t make more money than his boss. Be content—pleased, even—when you, my students, my harvest hands, get the same treatment I get...." Matthew 10:24-25 MSG
With so much in hand, even should we redirect vast quantities of our resources, compared to previous generations, we would live as if every man were a king and every woman a millionaire. Would not Heaven yet judge us far wealthier than the unfortunate Rich Man in the story of Lazarus? An eternal reality check that ended horribly for him.
Furthermore, for those paying the price of loving God and His Kingdom over worldly comforts and pleasures, might the Lord sweeten the deal? Consider reacquiring both the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Surely just the first three, Divine love, joy and peace are infinitely and eternally priceless! Restoring and being filled with all nine would seem as Heaven itself!
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