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mourning

Ask Roger

Where Did Jesus Go Between the Cross and the Resurrection?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

 

Dear Roger,

My question is where did Jesus go for the 3 days and 3 nights? Did He in fact go to hell and take my sins. I shudder to think that would have happened as being without His Father on the cross with my sins laid on Him is so painful, I just can’t comprehend He had to spend that time in hell to save me as well. On the other hand did He spend this time in Heaven with God to get Him ready for the 40 days on earth? I have heard it explained both ways.
God Bless you and Julie

 

Dear Victor,

No one knows for certain where Jesus was the entire time during the three days between His crucifixion and resurrection. We know for certain where he was part of the time––in Paradise. But an enigmatic verse in 1 Peter about, “preaching to the spirits in prison” opens up other possibilities.

FIRST, WHAT WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN. JESUS SPENT TIME IN PARADISE.

 

Jesus was crucified between two criminals. One of them mocked him. The other one asked Jesus to include him in his kingdom.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43).

 

Where and what was Paradise?

 

I believe that we can safely assume that the word “Paradise” refers to Heaven. However, since the word is used only three times in Scripture, need to take a close

 

In Revelation 2:7, addressing the church at Ephesus, Jesus described Christians in Paradise as eating from the Tree Of Life. In context with the other church letters in Revelation 2-3, the Tree Of Life is obviously located in Heaven.

 

“To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the Tree Of Life, which is in the paradise of God.

 

In 2 Corinthians 12:1-4 Paul mentioned being taken up to the third heaven, which he identified as Paradise. The third was known as the place where God lived. 

“I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. And I know that this man was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.” 

So, we know that Jesus spent some time in Heaven during those three days.

However, Jesus also spent time with spirits in prison.

SECOND, NOW WE SPECULATE ABOUT JESUS PREACHING TO THE SPIRITS IN PRISON. 

A rather enigmatic passage in 1 Peter 3:18-20 gives a confusing and convoluted insight:

“For Christ died for sins once for all … to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built….”

 

Preaching to “the spirits in prison” intimates that the people who died before the crucifixion (especially the people who lived in the days of Noah) were given a second chance to repent!

Another verse or two in the Bible corroborating and expounding upon Peter’s statement would be nice. But, since Peter is the only one who refers to this idea, I don’t believe a definitive declaration is possible.

The earliest reference outside of the Bible regarding what Jesus might have been doing during those three days and nights was formulated in the 4th century A.D. when the Apostles’ Creed was agreed upon by the church leaders. The Apostles’ Creed attempted to simplify the basic truths of the Christian faith. I have shared below a copy of the Apostles’ Creed so you can be aware of its existence. Notice the reference to “He descended into hell”. This obviously comes from 1 Peter but leaves much to the imagination.

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:
“Who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
“He descended into hell.
“The third day He arose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty, whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead.
“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”

By the way, thank you Victor, I have never heard the idea that Jesus spent the three days and nights in Heaven getting ready for His next assignment of 40 days on earth before His ascension.

By the way, if Peter truly means that some received a second chance then Hebrews 9:27-28 will need some explaining: “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, … “

Incidentally, a careful reading of Romans Two is interpreted by some to mean that Paul is describing the way to Heaven for people who die without ever hearing of the gospel of Christ.

The idea in Romans Two seems to be that some will be judged according to how well they have lived up to the “Light” that they did have.

Finally, I grieved with you as you described your personal feelings about the suffering of Christ for our sins. The pain He suffered in that divine transaction is incomprehensible. While we grieve for Him, we also feel a deep-seated sense of gratitude for His work on the cross and for whatever else He was accomplishing during those three days.

I hope this helps.

Love, Roger

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Articles

Grieving Your Mother on Mother’s Day

by Larry Barber
written by Larry Barber

It would soon be Mother’s Day again, and I was dreading it. I wasn’t dreading the day for myself, but for my children who had lost their mother Cindy and two-year-old sister Katie after a traffic accident.  Every Mother’s Day after my wife’s death had been shear torture for my family as in church services the congregation took out time from worship to honor the mothers, grandmothers and great grandmothers attending the service. I didn’t begrudge the families that special time honoring their mothers, but each Mother’s Day ceremony was just another reminder of the tremendous losses my family endured. I knew it was a painful flashback to my wife’s sudden and tragic death.  But I still had my mother at the time, and I could only imagine how painful it was for my son and daughter as they watched a carefully crafted, loving collage of photos of other mothers and their children.  To make it worse, the barrage of pictures had a soundtrack of “sappy” music meant to evoke an emotional response.  My gut response was to grab my children and exit the church sanctuary, flee into the parking lot, load up the car and head for the shelter of our home, but I didn’t.   I just endured the experience.

Some Mother’s Days my family had just stayed at home to avoid the experience.  I was tempted to play hooky from church again, but one Sunday before Mother’s Day something in me told me that I needed to let the church leadership know how I and my children felt on Mother’s Day without our family’s mother.  Surely there were others who had lost their mother and felt the same way.  Maybe we could honor mothers in a different way that was less distressing for those mourning the loss of a mother.

I saw the minister walking to his office after the service, and I knew what I had to do. I stopped him and asked if I could request a favor.  “This Sunday could we do something special for those who don’t have their mothers with them anymore?” I asked.

The minister’s softened as he said, “Well, I don’t know, Larry. Let me talk with the staff and see what we can do.”  The minister knew our story because he had spoken at Cindy and Katie’s double funeral

I walked away feeling relieved that I had let someone know how I felt. Maybe things would change, and maybe they wouldn’t.  At least I had made my needs known.

On Mother’s Day much to my dismay the traditional college of pictures of mothers and children and the “sappy” music began. I have to admit that I was disappointed.  The usual painful feelings and the hurt for my children returned.  Maybe I had not given the minister and the church staff enough lead time to make a change in how we observed Mother’s Day.  The pictures and the music seemed to go on forever.

Then the pictures and music stopped. Before my family could get seated, the minister stepped up to the pulpit and said, “Now I would like to ask all those of you who no longer have your mother with you in this life to please stand as we say a prayer over you.”

“Dear Father God,” the minister said as we and others around the sanctuary remained standing. “We thank you for the blessings of mothers in our lives. At this time though we pray a special blessing and care for those standing now who no longer have their mothers in their lives…..”

As I began to cry, my knees buckled, but I made an extra special effort to remain standing in honor of my children’s mother and my wife. I looked over as my children’s heads were bowed in prayer.

The minister continued, “Be with them today and watch over them. Let them remember the wonderful gifts that their loving, sacrificing mothers have given them.  Fill their hearts with gratitude for their mother as they review the special memories of their mother’s life.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen.”

That was the best Mother’s Day I had experienced in a long time.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

Written by Larry M. Barber, LPC-S, CT author of the grief survival guide “Love Never Dies: Embracing Grief with Hope and Promise”  available online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Christianbook.com.

www.griefminister.com.

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Devotionals

Finding Hope in Despair

by Julie Barrier
written by Julie Barrier

Self-help manuals might get you through a bad mood or a rough patch. But does God have a word for the dark nights of the soul?

He does. The promise begins with this phrase: “Weeping may last through the night” (Psalm 30:5).

Of course, you knew that much. Weeping may last through the night, and the next night, and the next. This is not new news to you, but this may be: “Joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5). Night might delay the dawn, but it cannot defeat it. Morning comes. And with it comes joy.

Do you need this promise? Mary Magdalene did.

In the forest of the Bible, she was the weeping willow. She had seven demons (Luke 8:2). Maybe she’d been abused, abandoned. Perhaps she was a recluse or a prostitute. The number seven is sometimes used in the Bible to describe completeness. It could be that Mary Magdalene was completely consumed with troubles.

But then something happened. Jesus stepped into her world and when he spoke, the demons fled. From that day forward, everywhere Jesus went, Mary Magdalene followed. She heard him teach. She saw him perform miracles. She helped pay his expenses. She was always near Christ, even at his crucifixion.

On that Friday, Mary Magdalene watched Jesus die.

On Saturday, she observed a sad Sabbath.

When Sunday came, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb to finish the work she had begun when they lowered Jesus from his cross. She knew nothing of the empty tomb. She came with no other motive than to prepare his body for burial and say goodbye.

When she arrived at the tomb, the nightmare of the last three days grew even darker. Mary Magdalene “saw that the stone had been taken away” (Jn 20:1 nkjv). Assuming that grave robbers had taken the body, she hurried to find Peter and John.

They ran to the tomb, found it empty, then left to tell the rest of the disciples on what they had seen. We expect the camera lens of the gospel to follow them. After all, they were apostles, future authors of epistles. But, it doesn’t. The story lingers with Mary.

Her face was awash with tears. Her shoulders heaved with sobs. “As she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain” (vv. 11–12).

Mary Magdalene mistook the angels for men. She had no reason to think angels would be in the tomb. Bone diggers? Maybe. Caretakers? Possibly. But her Sunday was too dark to expect the presence of angels. Her world had officially hit rock bottom.

Have you ever had a moment like this? A moment in which bad news became worse? In which you came looking for God yet couldn’t find him?

Maybe Mary Magdalene’s story is your story. If so, you’re going to love what happened next. In the midst of Mary’s darkest moment, the Son came out.

“Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away” (vv. 14–15).

She didn’t recognize her Lord. So Jesus did something about it. He called her by name, and when he did, Mary recognized the voice that had first called her to freedom. In the time it took for Jesus to say “Mary”, her world went from hopeless to hope-filled. Of all the people to whom he could have spoken, Jesus went first to Mary- the weeping, heartbroken woman who once had seven demons.

Why her? As far as we know, she didn’t become a missionary. No epistle bears her name. Perhaps, Jesus wanted to send a message to all the heavyhearted people: “Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Watch for it. Expect it as you would the morning sunrise or the evening twilight. Keep coming to Jesus. You’ll be tempted to give up and walk away. But don’t. Even when you don’t feel like it, keep walking the trail to the empty tomb. Open your Bible. Meditate on Scripture. Sing hymns. Talk to other believers. Place yourself in a position to be found by faith, and listen carefully. That gardener very well might be your redeemer.

Darkness comes, but so does the morning. Sadness comes, but so does hope. Sorrow may have the night, but joy comes in the morning.

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Articles

Process Your Depression and Loss God’s Way

by Neil Anderson
written by Neil Anderson

One critical key to overcoming depression is to process your losses. A loss can be real, threatened or imagined, which is often a negative thought or lie that is believed. Either one can precipitate a depression. How we respond to any loss or crisis will determine how fast we recover. The following steps will help you overcome your losses:

1. Identify each loss

Concrete losses are easier to recognize than abstract losses. Changing jobs and moving to a new location can precipitate a depression even though it could improve your social status and financial base. The move may mean the loss of friends, community, and church. It will take some time to build new friendships and become part of a new church family. Many losses are multifaceted. For instance, the concrete loss of a job and wages may be accompanied by the abstract losses of self-respect, sense of worth, or collegial relationships. People don’t react the same to losses because they have different values, and different levels of maturity. In order to get beyond denial and into the grieving process, you must understand what it is that you are losing or have already lost.

2. Separate concrete from abstract losses

Concrete losses are tangible while abstract losses relate more to personal goals, dreams and ideas. Abstract losses relate deeply to who we are, and why we are here. Many concrete losses, such as the loss of a job, are contaminated with abstract loses. You may find a new job next week, but remain depressed because you feel the pain of rejection and wrongly believe you are a failure. That is another reason why it is so important to understand who we are in Christ and find our acceptance, security, and significance in Him.

3. Separate real, imagined, and threatened losses

You cannot process an imagined or threatened loss in the same way you can a real one. In a real loss you can face the truth, grieve the loss, and make the necessary changes that make it possible to go on living in a meaningful way. A lawyer heard a rumor that his firm was going to be sued for services he performed. He thought, “I’m ruined. The firm is going down and it is all my fault.” Such thinking led to a major depression and anti-depressant medications. I saw him a year later and the company wasn’t sued. It was just imagined.

4. Convert imagined and threatened losses to real losses

Imagined loses are distortions of reality. They are based on suspicions or lies that we have believed, or presumptions that we have made. The mind doesn’t like vacuums and will make assumptions when we don’t know the facts. Seldom does the mind assume the best. We don’t always act upon our assumptions, but if we do we shall be counted among the fools, because through presumption comes nothing but strife (Proverbs 13:10). People ruminate various possibilities and consequences in their minds until they are depressed. The answer is to verify these assumptions and then follow Peter’s advice, “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:7,8).

Threatened losses have the potential for being real losses. They include such things as the possibility of a lay off at work, or a spouse who threatens to leave you. Such threats can precipitate a depression. I find it helpful to think what the worst-case scenario may be and then ask myself the question, “Can I live with it?” The answer is always, “Yes.” Essentially you are processing the threat in your mind as a real loss. The threat no longer has any power over you, and in that way you are not letting any person or event determine who you are, or keep you from being the person God created you to be. So when someone threatens you, respond the way Peter advises (1 Pet. 3:13-17):

Who is eager to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. But do this in gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God’s will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

These are growth issues, not terminal issues if you understand life from an eternal perspective. Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, said, “My depression forced me, at the age of forty-five to stop and, for the first time in my life, examine my life.”

5. Facilitate the grieving process

The natural response to any crisis is to first deny that it is really happening, then get angry that it did happen, then try to alter the situation by bargaining with God or others. When that doesn’t work you feel depressed. You cannot bypass the grieving process, but you can shorten it by allowing yourself to feel the full force of the loss. The fact that certain losses are depressing is reality. It hurts to lose something that has value to you. Your cannot fully process your loss until you feel its full force. That is probably what Jesus had in mind when He said, “Blessed are those who mourn: for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4).

6. Face the reality of the loss

Only after you have faced its full impact are you ready to deal with the reality of the loss. This is the critical juncture. Are we going to resign from life, succumb to the depression and drop out, or are we going to accept what we cannot change and let go of the loss? We can feel sorry for ourselves for the rest of our lives, or we can decide to live with our losses and learn how to go on in a meaningful way. A prolonged depression signifies an over-attachment to people, places and things that we had no right or ability to control.

7. Develop a biblical perspective on the loss

The trials and tribulations of life are intended to produce proven character. We suffer for the sake of righteousness. We can potentially come through any crisis a better person than the one we were before. Losses are inevitable and they are not intended to destroy us, but they will reveal who we are. People have discovered or deepened the awareness of who they are in Christ as a direct result of losses. Each subsequent loss only deepens that reality, perfects our character, and prepares us for an even greater ministry. We are all going to be victimized by losses and abuses. We can drown in our own pity, blame others, claim that life isn’t fair, and stay depressed the rest of our lives. Whether we remain a victim is our choice. “For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh” (2 Corinthians 4:11).

www.ficm.org. Used by permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Articles

Which Words Are Comforting Words?

by Don McMinn
written by Don McMinn

Where have you been? the mother demanded. The little girl replied, “On my way home, I met a friend who was crying because she had broken her doll.” “Oh,” said her mother, “then you stopped to help her fix the doll?” “Oh, no,” replied the little girl, “I stopped to help her cry.”  

When someone is hurting, do not respond with:

  • Advice/instruction – “Let me tell you how to solve the problem.” Or, “The next time that happens you should…”
  • Logic/reasoning – “Let me analyze the situation and tell you why it happened.” Or, “I think the reason that happened was because…”
  • Pep talk – “You’re a winner! You’ll make it through these tough times!” Or, “I’m sure tomorrow will be a better day.”
  • Minimize the incident – “Sure it hurt, but get things into perspective; there’s a lot going on that’s good.” Or, “Aren’t you being overly sensitive?”
  • Anger – “That makes me so mad! They shouldn’t get away with that!” (Angry at who caused the hurt.) Or, “I’m so upset that you keep getting yourself hurt.” (Angry at the one who is hurting.)
  • Martyr’s complex – “I had something similar happen to me.” Or, “After the kind of day I had, let me tell you what hurt really feels like.”
  • Personal fear/anxiety – “I’m afraid that’s going to affect my life too.”
  • Mr. “Fix it” – “I can’t believe that salesman talked to you like that. I’m calling the store right now and talking to his boss.” Or, “I know you must have been scared when you had a flat tire on that lonely road. Tomorrow I’ll take the car in and get a whole new set of tires.”
  • Spiritualizing – “Well, you know that God will work all this out for your good.” Or, “Remember what Joseph said when his brothers mistreated him: ‘They meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.’”

The best antidote for hurt is comfort. Comfort is an emotion, not a cerebral commodity. It is also very simple; if we make it complicated, we’ll miss the mark.

We can comfort others through gentle words, appropriate touch, and our quiet presence.

Gentle words

While there are many words in the Oxford Dictionary, only about 40-50 words qualify as comforting words. The “vocabulary of comfort” includes phrases like these:

  • “I’m really sorry that you’re hurting.”
  • “It hurts me that you’re hurting because I love you and care for you.”
  • “It saddens me that you felt _________ (embarrassed, rejected, belittled). I know that must have hurt you.”

When comforting someone, the fewer words spoken, the better. If we say too much, we will inevitably move into the cognitive, rational realm, which will be counterproductive.

When speaking words of comfort, it’s also important that our tone of voice be complementary to what is being said. Words of comfort should be spoken gently and with compassion.

Appropriate touch

Proper and tender acts of physical affection can also minister comfort. Depending on the relationship, a warm embrace, a hug, holding hands, or a kiss can help communicate care and concern.

Quiet presence

Sometimes, just being with a person who is hurting is helpful. When I was a young minister, I wasn’t sure what to say to someone who had just lost a loved one. A wise mentor taught me that the “ministry of your presence” is powerful and effective. Just being physically present communicates care and concern.

So when you encounter someone who is hurting, do not do the nine items listed at the beginning of this essay. Do extend comfort. You’ll be amazed at the outcome.

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Ask Roger

Can My Mom Hear Me In Heaven?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,

My mom passed away a few months ago. Can she hear me in heaven when I talk to her?

Sincerely, Brian

Dear Brian,

No one can answer your question with any degree of certainty. As far as I know, the Bible never gives a definitive answer.

Nevertheless, the Bible does give some insight into the matter. In Revelation 6:9-11, a group of Christian martyrs are pictured under the altar in Heaven watching death blows rain down upon Christians who are alive on earth during the Great Tribulation. These men and women are obviously aware of the events on earth and are pleading for God to get even with the persecution perpetrators.

Acts 7 records the stoning of Stephen for the “crime” of preaching the Gospel. He was the first Christian martyr. Just before dying he saw Jesus leaning over the ramparts of Heaven looking on him with compassion and concern: “When they heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. ‘Look,’ he said, ‘I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, dragged him out of the city and began to stone him” (Acts 7:54-58).

In Matthew 17, Moses and Elijah clearly already knew the events going on when they appeared with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration. In Luke 15 Jesus speaks of rejoicing in the presence of the angels, not BY the angels but in their presence, whenever a sinner repents, suggesting God’s people in heaven rejoice at God’s work in lives on earth. To rejoice at it, they obviously must be aware of it.

Some view Hebrews 12:1-2 as evidence that Christians in Heaven can observe activities occurring on earth. The Heroes of Faith are pictured in Hebrews 11 as standing in a great stadium as they cheer for Christians who are running the “race that is set before them.” I don’t particularly agree with this interpretation. I think that the writer to the Hebrews was simply using them as encouraging examples to us that our faith can result in victorious living, too!

On the other hand, Julie and I listened with rapt attention as one of our missionary friends from the Middle East described the raid on her family by the secret police of a nation that often persecuted Christians. Her skull was split open by an axe. Her husband was beaten mercilessly. God miraculously protected their children. She was air evacuated to Vienna and miraculously survived with all her mental and motor skills intact! Her husband fully recovered. She wept as she described the horror of the attack; however, moments later her lips curled up in a soft smile as she told of the vision she had during the attack of the saints of Hebrews 11 cheering her on in her pain.

While these examples might hint at your mother being to hear (and see) you on earth, they are certainly not definitive. My opinion is that—I just don’t know the answer. But, maybe the following story can put things in perspective.

When our baby daughter, Jessie, died in our arms, Julie and I said, “Good bye,” and then knelt to pray. I remember asking God to tell Jessie that we were her mommy and daddy and that we loved her more than words could tell. I asked God to relate to her how glad we were that she finally had a working body with which to enjoy the delights of Heaven. I prayed for God to tell her that we were looking forward to seeing her again soon!

At her funeral I prayed for Jesus to tell Jessie that we really wished she were still here on earth us, but that we did not begrudge her one bit the great time she was having in Heaven.

Brian, I find myself still quietly praying those prayers still today—thirty-eight-years later. I don’t know if Jessie can observe or hear from me directly; on the other hand, I know that God can, and that makes me confident that Jessie knows as well. Ask God in prayer to tell your mom whatever you want to tell her. It just may be that God passes the message along.

Thanks for the question. I hope my thoughts are helpful.

Love, Roger

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Ask Roger

Predestined to Hell?

by Roger Barrier
written by Roger Barrier

Dear Roger,

Did God predestine people to go to Hell?

Sincerely, PH

Dear PH,

 

Let me begin with an overview of predestination as envisioned by John Calvin. Calvinism teaches, in essence, that God chooses beforehand (predestines) who goes to Heaven and who goes to Hell. Arminianism is the antithesis of Calvinism. Arminianism teaches that “whosoever will may come”—anyone can be saved by simple faith in Christ!

 

 

PH, I have written a rather long and detailed answer to your question. I needed to because your questions has implications far beyond whether or not God predestines people to Hell. I hope my answer is helpful.

 

 

However, let me say to you or to anyone else reading my answer, if this is more answer than you want to read, then at least read Charles Spurgeon’s practical insight in the last paragraph. I think that what he has to say sums up everything!

 

 

John Calvin initiated the Calvinism vs. Armenianism debate that has brought much discord among Christians for the last five centuries. John Calvin, along with Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, were the fathers of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Reformation was a rejection of the Roman Catholic Church practice of selling indulgences (forgiveness of sins). Since the Roman Church had a corner on the religious market, there were no other options for the penitent desiring to obtain personal forgiveness except to pay a “bribe” to the priest—and thus gain a place in Heaven.

 

 

The Protestant Reformers reacted violently to this practice and strongly emphasized that forgiveness of sin comes only through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Their teaching was based on the Biblical teaching that “the just shall live by faint.”

 

 

John Calvin was a prolific writer who composed the first set of New Testament Bible commentaries. Calvin looked at Biblical terms like “predestination”, “election”, and “foreknew” and interpreted these verses to mean that somewhere in eternity past God elected, or predestined, some people to go to Heaven and some to go to Hell. Individuals had no say-so in the matter of their eternal destiny.

 

 

Calvinism has five main points. The five points were put in logical order by the early followers of Calvinism. Over the years they have been reordered to correspond to the acronym “T.U.L.I.P” for easier memory. The five points deal with total depravity (original sin), unconditional election, limited atonement, irresistible grace (effectual calling), and the perseverance of the saints.

 

 

Total depravity means that everyone born is infected with the disease of sin. The term “total” means that every part of a person’s life is totally affected by sin. No one naturally turns to God, everyone turns, “to their own way” (Isaiah 53).

 

 

Unconditional election means that God’s choice is not based on any goodness, merit, or right behaviors by those who are elected. God’s choice is based totally on His over abounding grace.

 

 

Limited atonement acknowledges that Jesus’ death on the cross was definitely and totally effective in paying the price for mankind’s original sin. However, since God knew precisely who would be chosen, the atonement is effective only for those whom God has predestined for eternal life. God could have elected everyone and used Christ’s sacrifice to atone for all. But, He didn’t.

 

 

Irresistible grace means that God will eventually overcome any resistance by those He has elected. When God sovereignly decides to save someone, that individual will eventually be saved. He or she is unable to resist God’s grace and calling.

 

 

The perseverance of the saints declares that since God is sovereign, and that His will can never be stymied or frustrated, those whom He has elected will continue in faith until the end. Those who apparently fall away either never had true faith to begin with or will return.

 

 

The Biblical foundation for Calvinism basically rests on five New Testament terms: “elect”, “predestined”, “foreknew” “chosen”, and “called.”

 

 

The term “elect” occurs nine times in the New Testament. For example, Paul wrote in Titus 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness …”

 

 

The term “predestined” is used four times in the New Testament. For example, Paul wrote in Romans 8:28-29: “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son …”

 

 

The term “foreknew” is used only once—in Romans 8:28 above.

 

 

The term “chosen” is used nine times to refer to God’s people. For example, Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:11: “In him, we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will …”

 

 

The term, “called”, is used scores of times in the New Testament. I would suggest that about fifteen times “chosen” is used to refer to those individuals who are called into the realm of the elect in eternity past. For example, Paul wrote in Romans 1:6: “And you also are among those who are called to belong to Christ.”

 

 

Now, PH, let’s look at Arminianism. Arminianism is the name given to the Biblical-theological construct which stands in direct contrast to Calvinism. Arminianism may be summarized in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him might not perish but have everlasting life.” In other words, anyone can come to Christ for salvation at any age, at any time or in any place.

 

 

Many Christians can quote John 3:16. On the other hand, most have no clue what Jesus said two verses earlier in John 3:14-15: “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, even so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life.”

 

 

Jesus refered here to an incident recorded in Numbers 21 when the Israelites were complaining to both God and Moses about the poor diet God was providing for them in the wilderness. They hated the food, didn’t have enough water, and were disgusted with God’s care. They wanted to return to Egypt. In response to their murmurings God sent venomous snakes which bit many Israelites and many died. The people quickly repented and begged Moses to ask God to remove the snakes. In response God instructed Moses to fashion a large bronze snake and lift it high on a pole. God then told Moses, “Anyone who is bitten can look at the snake and live.” Moses then wrote an editorial comment in verse nine: “Then anyone who was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, then he lived.” Notice all were free to look, and it took only one look to receive healing.

 

 

The bronzed snake was a foreshadowing (or a “type”) of Christ. Jesus used this story as an illustration that anyone can look at the uplifted Christ on the cross and by faith receive full pardon for sin. Only one look of faith is needed to receive the spiritual antidote for the poisonous bite of the snake of sin.

 

 

The Bible is filled with pictures of an open-armed God the Father who is longing for the Lost to return to Him. All who come will receive full welcome and reprieve. Luke 15, for example, has three parables which picture God as searching for the Lost in order to bring them safely home: the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost son.

 

 

Basically, Calvinism declares that the only ones who can be saved are the ones God has already chosen in eternity past. On the other hand, Arminianism puts no such restrictions on receiving God’s love, salvation and grace. The foundational teaching of Arminianism is: “Whosoever will may come.” Salvation is not the domain only of the Elect. Salvation is a free gift—offered now in the present—to all who believe in Christ by faith.

 

 

Now, PH, let me make several observations regarding the Calvinism-Arminianism debate.

 

 

Those who ascribe to Calvin’s teachings do so to different degrees. Hard-core followers imagine God’s election to be completely arbitrary. Others say that election is explained by the idea that God looked into the future and saw who would one day believe in Christ anyway. Many discussions ensue among Calvinists as they sort the many implications of their beliefs. Countless volumes are still being written to argue the issue.

 

 

For the sake of clarity, lat me reiterate that Calvinists define “elect” as a group composed of those whom God has chosen beforehand for salvation. Arminians identify the “elect” or “chosen” etc. as a group of all those who have freely received Christ as their Savior and Lord.

 

 

Finally, PH, allow me to make several personal observations.

 

 

First, you need to know that my bias is in favor of Arminianism.

 

 

Second, in interpreting Bible verses, I always look for the simple explanation first. Calvinism is a complex system; there is nothing simple about it. Simple is not always right; but when it takes a complex interpretation whose validity can be debated at every point, I tend to go with the simple every time. I thank God that He made the gospel so simple that even children can understand it.

 

 

Third, it seems to me that “whosoever will” is a better reflection the Biblical picture of God’s heart than the idea that He made arbitrary choices to determine the eternal state of certain individuals before the foundation of the earth.

 

 

Fourth, considering all the issues involved, I arrived at the following conclusion: “Before the foundation of the universe God predetermined that the “elect” would be a group, composed of all who freely received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, who were predestined to ‘be conformed to the image of Christ.’”

 

 

PH, notice that predestination is not an issue of Heaven or Hell. It is an issue of maturing to look like Jesus. The only question now is who makes up the “elect”. Personally, I like the “whosoever will may come” interpretation. Calvinists would take the “God chose some and not others” viewpoint as those who make up the “elect.”

 

 

Fifth, while Calvinism and Armenians stand at opposite ends of the spectrum. Many wonder whether it may be possible for both to be true simultaneously? The obvious answer is, “They can’t both be true. Pick one or the other.” But, what if they are both true? What if they are two sides of the same coin? In our limited world of time and space, we see three dimensions plus time. It is now becoming obvious that our universe actually exists in ten dimensions. This is spiritually exciting because, mathematically, when transitioning into the eleventh dimension, everything comes together in a single point. I often wonder if this is where God lives—in the eleventh dimension of our universe? This certainly explains how God could be omnipresent. Those things we see as polar opposites may come together quite nicely in God’s eleventh dimension. One day in Heaven, after hearing God’s simple explanation to our question, we will probably say something like, “Oh, that is so simple. That makes sense. Why didn’t we see that before!?

 

 

Sixth, I have spent quite a number of years struggling with the Calvinism-Arminianism issue. Not only is it intriguing, it has profound implications for the nature and character of God and for such theological issues as Evangelism, Christology, Soteriology and Eschatology. In fact, as I think about it, every theological discipline is impacted by how we interpret these two theological constructs. I feel like my time spent in study here is quite worth it.

 

 

Finally, Charles Spurgeon was one of the most influential preachers of all time. His sermons were read weekly all over the world and are still relevant today—some 150 years later. He leaned strongly toward a Calvinistic view of the Bible. Early in my ministry I read in one of his sermons how he dealt practically with the Calvinistic-Arminianism debate.

 

 

Spurgeon said, “I wish God had painted a red stripe down the back of the elect. I would spend my time lifting up shirt tails; but, since He hasn’t, I will preach the gospel to every creature.”

 

 

Well, PH, I hope my answer sheds some light on your question. Thanks for asking. Ask me another one.

 

 

Love,

Roger

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Articles

Online Etiquette: 3 Ways to Be a Better Christian Hypocrite

by Jon Acuff
written by Jon Acuff

I’ve been wrestling with the issue of online hypocrisy. That might surprise you a little bit, that the way a Christian acts online doesn’t line up with how they describe themselves online, but it shouldn’t.

 

We now have one of the greatest opportunities to be hypocrites in the history of mankind. Think about the scale of our hypocrisy these days. Thirty years ago, your Dad interacted with maybe 200 people in a given month. He knew people at work, in his family, his town and in his church. If he wanted to be a jerk to large groups of complete strangers, it was pretty difficult. I guess he could have printed up a newsletter of called a radio show but even then, that would take a lot of effort.

 

Now, though, in the time you and I occupy, it’s so much easier.

 

We can proclaim Christ with out (digital) lips and then deny him with our (digital) lifestyle faster than any other previous generation and to more people than our parents would have ever dreamed! (Head nod to Brennan Manning and DC Talk’s What if I stumble.)

 

If this concerns you at all, it should. The damage we Christians can do with the internet is unbelievable.

 

I’d love to think this blog post will radically change the world, but I am making my own images these days and they are just horrible. (A sunset has nothing to do with this post. Just ridiculous.)

 

Not everyone who reads this will give up their hypocritical ways.

 

So, if you want to be a hypocrite online, at least do these three things:

 

1.    Strip your Christianity from your profiles.

 

My friend had an ichthus magnet on his car. Eventually, he felt bad about his driving habits, as he was prone to speeding and cutting people off. So he took the Jesus fish off his car because it was a bad witness. Could he have instead, driven better? Might that have been the better long-term solution? Definitely. But maybe you’re not ready for that. Just promise me you’ll fire Jesus from your twitter bio and Facebook page. Get rid of the following words: “Love, Jesus, God, faith, grace, brokenness, forgiveness, etc.”

 

2.    At least admit you don’t know the person.

 

A Christian recently emailed me to tell me he was unfollowing me on Facebook because he no longer liked me. His short, rude message caught me off guard, which finally prompted me to respond and ask, “Have we met before? It seems like you really don’t like me and most times if someone is mad at me, I’ve done something stupid to them. As a Christian, it’s on me to apologize if I did something that personally attacked you as an individual.”

Just so we’re clear, it was certainly possible that I had met him and was a jerk. I am an idiot, often. (It will not be difficult for you to find some way that I have been a hypocrite.) But as it turned out, I hadn’t, which he confirmed when he responded and continued to tell me how lame I am. We hadn’t met. We hadn’t talked on the phone. We hadn’t texted. We hadn’t Skyped.

But the dirty thrill of the internet is that it gives you the opportunity to be mean to people you’ve never met. Why? Well, Jimmy Kimmel summed it up nicely. “In person people are nice, because you can punch them in person. Online they’re not nice because you can’t.” If you’re going to write something mean about someone online, at least preface it with, “I have never met this person, talked with them or had any personal engagement with them despite the personal attack I am about to launch.”

 

3.    Just be consistent

 

In the first year of writing Stuff Christians Like, I didn’t really understand the difference between mockery and satire. Here’s what I’ve come to understand six years later. The goal of satire is to share humor with a purpose, the goal of mockery is to cause a wound. Mockery always has a victim and sometimes not a point other than pain. Granted, mockery is a fast way to get a laugh.

Read some of the old posts on my site. I was definitely writing more from a place of mockery. But what I learned was that mockery is a great shortcut to a laugh now, but it removes you ability to speak in love later. And the love later mattered more to me. (Also, God is pretty clear about His feelings about mockery in the book of Proverbs.) That’s why I try to write about issues, not individuals.

When I write about issues, folks show up and have a rich discussion from a lot of different angles. When I write about individuals, sharks show up at the smell of blood in the water. Are you going to make mistakes at this? Sure. But know this, you’ve got a choice. You can attack people or you can love people. Just be consistent.

 

I hope these tips help if you decide to go deeper into the wondrous world of hypocrisy. Or you can do the opposite and just be kind online. Hopefully, you’ve never even bumped into someone mean online. I know people like that.

 

I’ll have conversations with friends that go like this:

 

Me: This guy said something really horrible to me online.

Friend: Just do what I do, ignore it!

Me: You’ve had some haters at some point? On Twitter?

Friend: No, I have about 800 followers and most of them know me personally.

Me: Oh, you have a job that people publically criticize you for? Like being an author, musician, blogger, pastor, etc.?

Friend: No, I’m an accountant.

Me: So then, you’re kind of telling me to do what you do when responding to haters except you don’t have any and haven’t had to ignore a bully since 8th grade?

 

The majority of people who try to Frozen me and say, “let it go” with haters never really seem to have any. If you grew up in the desert you wouldn’t tell someone who grew up by the ocean to quit thinking about sharks.

 

The waters are full these days, I just wish less of them kept telling people they were Jesus fish.  

 

 

 

 

 

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Articles

The Sweet Song of the Second Fiddle

by Max Lucado
written by Max Lucado

For thousands of years, the relationship had been perfect. As far back as any one could remember, the moon had faithfully reflected the sun’s rays into the dark night. It was the greatest duo in the universe. Other stars and planets marveled at the reliability of the team. Generation after generation of earthlings were captivated by the reflection. The moon became the symbol of romance, high hopes, and even nursery rhymes.

“Shine on, harvest moon,” the people would sing. And he did. Well, in a way he did. You see, the moon didn’t actually shine. He reflected. He took the light given to him by the sun and redirected it toward the earth. A simple task of receiving illumination and sharing it.

You would think such a combo would last forever. It almost did. But one day, a nearby star planted a thought in the moon’s core.

“It must be tough being a moon,” the star suggested.

“What do you mean? I love it! I’ve got an important job to do. When it gets dark, people look to me for help. And I look to the sun. He gives me what I need and I give the people what they need. People depend on me to light up their world. And I depend on the sun.”

“So, you and the sun must be pretty tight.”

“Tight? Why, we are like Huntley and Brinkley, Hope and Crosby, Benny and Day…”

“Or maybe Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy?”

“Who?”

“You know, the man and the dummy.”

“Well, I don’t know about the dummy part.”

“That’s exactly what I mean. You are the dummy. You don’t have any light of your own. You depend on the sun. You’re the sidekick. You don’t have any name for yourself.”

“Name for yourself?”

“Yeah, you’ve been playing second fiddle for too long. You need to step out on your own.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean stop reflecting and start generating. Do your own thing. Be your own boss. Get people to see you for who you really are.”

“Who am I?”

“Well, you are, uh, well, uh, well, that’s what you need to find out. You need to find out who you are.”

The moon paused and thought for a moment. What the star said made sense. Though he had never considered it, the moon was suddenly aware of all the inequities of the relationship.

Why should he have to work the night shift all the time? And why should he be the one the astronauts stepped on first? And why should he always be accused of making waves? And why don’t the dogs and wolves howl at the sun for a change? And why should it be such an outrage to “moon” while “sunning” is an accepted practice?

“You are right!” asserted the moon. “It’s high time we had a solar-lunar equity up here.”

“Now you’re talking,” prodded the star. “Go discover the real moon!”

Such was the beginning of the breakup. Rather than turning his attention toward the sun, the moon began turning his attention toward himself.

He set out on the course of self-enhancement. After all, his complexion was a disgrace, so full of craters and all. His wardrobe was sadly limited to three sizes; full-length, half-cast, and quarter-clad. And his coloring was an anemic yellow.

So, girded with determination, he set out to reach for the moon.

He ordered glacier packs for his complexion. He changed his appearance to include new shapes such as triangular and square. And for coloring he opted for a punk-rock orange. “No one is going to call me cheese-face anymore.”

The new moon was slimmed down and shaped up. His surface was a s smooth as a baby’s bottom. Everything was fine for a while.

Initially, his new look left him basking in his own moonlight. Passing meteors would pause and visit. Distant stars would call and compliment. Fellow moons would invite him over to their orbits to watch “As the World Turns.”

He had friends. He had fame. He didn’t need the sun—until the trends changed. Suddenly “punk” was out and “prep” was in. The compliments stopped and the giggles began as the moon was slow to realize that he was out of style. Just as he finally caught on and had his orange changed to pinstripe, the style went to “country.”

It was painful poking of the rhinestones into his surface that caused him to finally ask himself, “What’s this all for anyway? You’re on the cover of the magazine one day and forgotten the next. Living off the praise of others is an erratic diet.”

For the first time since he’d begun his campaign to find himself, the moon thought of the sun. He remembered the good ol’ millenniums when praise was not a concern. What people thought of him was immaterial since he wasn’t in the business of getting people to look at himself. Any praise that came his way was quickly passed on to the boss. The sun’s plan was beginning to dawn on the moon. “He may have been doing me a favor.”

He looked down upon the earth. The earthlings had been getting quite a show. They never knew what to expect: first punk, then preppie, now country. Odds-makers in Las Vegas were making bets as to whether the next style would be chic or macho. Rather than be the light of their world he was the butt of their jokes.

Even the cow refused to jump over him.

But it was the cold that bothered him the most. Absence from the sunlight left him with a persistent chill. No warmth. No glow. His full-length overcoat didn’t help. It couldn’t help; the shiver was from the inside, an icy shiver from deep within his core that left him feeling cold and alone.

Which is exactly what he was.

One night as he looked down upon the people walking in the dark, he was struck by the futility of it all. He thought of the sun. He gave me everything I needed. I served a purpose. I was warm. I was content. I was…I was what I was made to be.

Suddenly, he felt the old familiar warmth. He turned and there was the sun. The sun had never moved. “I’m glad you’re back,” the sun said. “Let’s get back to work.”

“You bet!” agreed the moon.

The coat came off. The roundness returned, and a light was seen in the dark sky. A light even fuller was seen in the dark sky. A light even brighter.

And to this day whenever the sun shines and the moon reflects and the darkness is illuminated, the moon doesn’t complain or get jealous. He does what he was intended to do all along.

The moon beams.

 

http://www.upwords.com. Used by permission.

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Sermons

Mourn and Comfort

by Brie Barrier Wetherbee
written by Brie Barrier Wetherbee

We all have up and down days. God wants us to rejoice together and comfort each other when we are hurting. Comforters come uninvited, openly express the depths of their feelings, listen intently and walk with others through the darkest times. Pastor’s Wives conference.

Team sermon with Julie Barrier and Brie Barrier Wetherbee.

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