Human Government: Good or Evil? | True Worldview Ep. 31

Human Government: Good or Evil?

Most Americans and most American Christians view government as basically good, ordained by God for the good of the nation and its citizens, and as having the God-given right to lay down just about any kind of law as long as it doesn’t violate the commands of God in scripture. Some would add that said laws must have some kind of support from the people perhaps the judiciary. The problem is that the bible doesn’t teach such a view. Surprisingly, one is hard-pressed to find human government cast in a positive light in scripture. On the contrary, human government is evil, oppressive, and beastly according to the scriptures.

God’s Warning About Earthly Kings

When Old Covenant Israel was a theocracy under direct rule from God, they decided they wanted to be like the pagan nations around them and demanded an earthly king. Samuel knew such a demand was evil and took the matter to God who told Samuel the people have no rejected you but Me. He told Samuel to give them an earthly king, but He also told Samuel to warn them.

This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots. He will appoint captains over his thousands and captains over his fifties, will set some to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and some to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. And he will take the best of your fields, your vineyards, and your olive groves, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and your vintage, and give it to his officers and servants. And he will take your male servants, your female servants, your finest young men, and your donkeys, and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your sheep. And you will be his servants. And you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, and the Lord will not hear you in that day (1 Sam. 8:11-18).

The consequences of human government were disastrous for Israel, and the same is true of nations today. If David, a man after God’s own heart, drafted and taxed the people, confiscated their property, took Uriah the Hittite’s wife and murdered him, what kinds of things will kings, parliaments, and congresses comprised of a mixed multitude do? Think of marauding kings through the Old Testament, of Ahasuerus abducting our-hundred women including Esther to be sex slaves, or Nero persecuting Christians mercilessly. Think of all the evil things governments throughout history have done. Think of the evil things our own government has does and continues to do. It’s hard to argue with biblical and historical evidence flashing like a neon sign.

God’s Kingdom and Rival Kingdoms

Daniel is instructive here. He prophesied of four evil kingdoms over a 490-year time period (seven sevens): Babylon, the Medo-Persian Empire, the Greek Empire, and the Roman Empire. In the midst of the Roman Empire another kingdom would be established: one made without hands, unshakable, righteous, and eternal – the Kingdom of God. With the birth of Christ this kingdom was inaugurated. Daniel tells us that this kingdom will smash the other kingdoms in pieces. He implies that these kingdoms and indeed all earthly kingdoms are rival kingdoms to the Kingdom of God. King Jesus will destroy them all with the brightness of His coming at the consummation of His kingdom.

God’s Description of Human Government

And then we have Revelation 13 and the beast. Whether you regard the beast as Nero-Caesar, the Roman Empire, or human government in general, that’s just the point, the human government in general is the beast – empowered by Satan. The bible does not present human government in a positive light.

God’s Means of Human Flourishing

Of course, many will ask about Romans 13. It’s common to assume that Paul is giving a theology of government and what it should be. But he’s not. It doesn’t even make sense for him to do such in that letter. What he’s doing is encouraging persecuted Christians to endure Nero because God has ordained him for their good: their spiritual good that is – their sanctification. It’s a practical admonition that flows from his point in Rom. 8:28 and following. Space won’t allow a full treatment of that text here; we’ll deal with that in a future post. But substitute the word Nero for the word authorities in Romans 13, and some light will be shed. Read it in the context of Romans 12 and the last part of that chapter, and the light will get brighter. 

The point is that human government is not ordained by God for the good of the nation and its citizens. To see that as the role of government is to confuse it with the role of the church and the gospel.

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Separation of Church and State | True Worldview Ep. 30

Separation of Church and State

There aren’t many phrases abused or misused more than the phrase separation of church and state. For example, “A Rutgers University-New Brunswick professor told a student that he should not quote Bible verses in essays because of the ‘separation of church and state.’” “The professor also added that the Bible ‘may not be for everyone,’ and its use in academic papers may be offensive to some, including ‘a Muslim or Jewish person.’”

Confusion is the Norm in our Culture

A couple of comments on my way to the main issue. First, quoting the bible in an essay or academic paper is not an issue of separation of church and state. Second, the point of an academic paper is to draw conclusions based on research. Whether the sources or conclusions offend anyone is irrelevant. It’s not a concern. Moreover, why would someone be offended at a quotation from a supporting source? We’ve become so politically minded, victimized, and offended as a culture we can’t think straight. It really is spiritual blindness. 

But it gets worse. It turns out the paper was “an autobiographical paper assigned” to the student. Frankly, one can say anything in such an essay. Of even more concern perhaps is the state of education in our country when a college professor wallows in such ignorance. The professor actually told the student he shouldn’t quote “scripture in academic papers unless you are commenting on scripture.” While one doesn’t offer personal opinion in an academic paper, remember, this paper was autobiographical, not academic. At the same time, there are any number of reasons scripture might be quoted in an academic paper. The bible is tremendous source material for historical and philosophical background in any number of ancient cultures for example.

Church to be Protected from the State

But the real issue is separation of church and state. The student said “his right to free speech and religion has been violated. He also argued that the separation of church and state . . . is supposed to protect the church from the state.” True.

The first amendment starts this way: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” There are two clauses there: the establishment clause and the free exercise clause. The essential meaning is that government can’t establish a state religion or force religion on anyone. Neither can the government prevent people from exercising their religion. As long as one’s religious exercise doesn’t infringe on the rights of others, he is free to exercise his religion as he pleases. That means that students may pray or read their bibles on school grounds when they’re not in class. They can talk about God to their classmates or teachers. It means that people may invoke God in the public square. It means that political leaders may be sworn in by placing their hands on the bible, the Koran, or any other religious object. You can’t pray loudly in a movie theatre any more than you can yell “fire” in such a context. But confusion abounds over such a simple issue. That reality is destructive of liberty. It’s deadly. It’s a culture killer. Ultimately, it’s a people killer. When religious freedom goes, all freedoms go. What that happens, the state can and will kill whenever it sees the need.

Wall of Separation between Church and State

Let’s wrap this thing with another important and abused phrase: wall of separation. Most interpret this well-known phrase to mean that God and the public square can’t meet. Again, no God-talk in government assemblies and the like or even public space in general. Of course, such interpretations couldn’t be further from the truth. The phrase actually comes from President Thomas Jefferson. In the early days of America there were state churches, and true religious freedom didn’t exist. In the midst of the battle for that freedom, Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptist Association (Danbury Ct.) in response to a letter from them outlining their concerns in their struggle for religious freedom. He wrote to assure them that they had said freedom, and that there was a “wall of separation” between the state and the church such that the church was protected from the state. The separation of church and state means just that today: that the state may not establish religion or hinder the free exercise thereof. May the clouds of confusion be rolled back like a scroll, and may freedom ring from sea to shining sea.

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Practical Help for Bad Feelings | True Worldview Ep. 28

Practical Help for Bad Feelings

No one wants to be depressed or anxious or fearful or worried or even angry. The good news is that we don’t have to be. And yet, how not to be often eludes us. How can we overcome such feelings? Is there practical help for bad feelings?

Know That Faith is Active – So Act

Here’s something to chew on: our faith is not passive but active. When plagued with bad feelings, too often we think a little prayer will do the trick. We think God will snap His fingers, or whatever He does, and our anger, or fear, or lust will be gone. When that doesn’t happen, we wonder about God and even ourselves. The truth is that God is the one who gives us the power to do something about bad feelings and sinful thoughts or attitudes, but there’s something we have to do as well. God works it in but we have to work it out (Phil. 2:13). We have to fight. We have to actively flee sinful thoughts (1 Tim. 6:11), fight the fight of faith (1 Tim. 6:12), and put on the battel armor of God (Eph. 6:11). The language of Scripture is active. It goes on offense. It’s not passive.

Know You’re in a War – So Fight

Think about what Paul says in 2 Cor. 10:4-5: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” Note first the language of battle: “weapons of our warfare.” Note second the active nature of what we must do: cast “down arguments.” Further, bring “every thought into captivity.” That’s not only an active phrase but a wartime phrase. We are to take enemy thoughts captive like enemy combatants. And then note thirdly that “every” thought is to be taken captive. God gives very real power to deal with whatever thoughts, feelings, emotions, or attitudes that assault us.

Know You Need Some Intel – So Analyze

So, what’s the practical help for bad feelings? How do I fight? Well, here’s an ABCD guide. Think about what’s going on in these terms: Affections (feelings), Behavior (actions), Cognition (thinking), and Desire (wants). And remember two things here. First, desire is the root cause. It’s what’s in your heart that drives the affections, behavior, and thinking. Second, be brutally honest with yourself; your heart is ugly. 

Now, think in terms of putting off the sinful ABCD’s and replacing them with God-glorifying ABCD’s. If I’m feeling (affections) anxious, angry, or worried, I need to fight to replace those affections (feelings) with peace, love, or rest. If my behaving badly in the form of laziness, cursing, or yelling, I need to replace those behaviors with diligence, edifying words, and gentle speech. If I’m thinking how could he do this to me, or I hate her, or I’m worthless, I need to think instead that I can be forgiving, I can love, and God loves me. If I crave control, attention, or things I don’t have, I need to replace those desires with a desire to consider others better than myself, a desire to exalt God and not me, and a contentment in God’s providence for my life. 

Practical help for bad feelings comes in the form of taking the word of God and analyzing what’s going on. What are my ABCD’s here? What should my ABCD’s here be? Then I actively seek to take every thought captive. I pray, make a decision, memorize Scripture, work on it, fight it, and seek to glorify God in all things. I set my mind on things above. I refuse to allow myself to wallow in these sinful and debilitating thoughts and feelings. When my sin punches me in the face, I punch back, only harder. I kill the deeds of the flesh, and when I do that, God gives me love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal. 5:16-26). 

Dealing with Heart Issues | True Worldview Ep. 27

Dealing with Heart Issues

There’s one thing we have to get right if we’re going to deal with heart issues. More on that momentarily.

Learn to Think Biblically

We face a variety of temptations every day and all day. It’s easy to ignore what we might call little sins like impatience, anger, frustration, pride, gossip, etc. But even the little sins are still sin, and they plague us.

At the same time, so often we think or act like certain sins are mere feelings, that they just happen, and that we have no control over them. I might feel unhappy, angry, or anxious, and I might feel as though I can’t help it. I might feel depressed, and I feel I can’t help it.

We think this way because the world thinks this way. The world tells us that depression is a psychological problem to be coped with in one way or another. Some will say you need some non-directive counsel in the form of understanding and affirmation. You might be given some coping techniques that may or may not make you feel better. Others will say you have a chemical imbalance in the brain and what you need is medication. You may have a chemical imbalance, you may not. They don’t know. But they do know that psychotropic medication doesn’t relieve depression symptoms in as many cases as it does, or that in countless instances it makes persons feel worse and is often a catalyst for suicide. Of course, if you’re on medication, don’t stop taking it without your doctor’s supervision. That could be deadly as well. Regardless, there’s something spiritual going on if you’re depressed.

Christ is the Answer

The truth is that we have two kinds of problems: spiritual or physiological. There is no third set of problems the world calls psychological. In fact, we get the word psychology from two Greek words put together. It literally means a word about the soul, or the study of the soul. Who better to deal with the soul than God? Psychological problems are spiritual problems and in the Scriptures we have everything we need to deal with those problems (2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16). And it’s that reality we have to get right if we’re going to deal with heart issues.

Understand the Real Problem

But what about overlap? Aren’t there things that affect our mood like hormones for example? Yes indeed. A woman’s hormones are out of balance after she’s given birth. A person with diabetes will have sugar and insulin issues. These are physiological dynamics that often affect the spiritual dynamic. We think of mood swings in postpartum mothers and diabetics. However, the anxiety or anger these individuals may experience are not caused by the hormonal issues. The anxiety or anger is already in their hearts. Postpartum conditions and diabetes are like a barking dog outside your window when you’re trying to sleep or a person screaming in your face. They don’t cause your irritation but only stir up the issues already in your heart. Remember, out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). 

Now, here’s the point. He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 Jn. 4:4). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22). Your postpartum state, your diabetes, or whatever you face cannot keep the Holy Spirit from bearing His fruit in you. The truth is that depression and anger are rooted in faulty thinking: sinful thinking. But the good news is that Christ came to deliver us from our sin. He came to enable us to overcome our sin. In Christ we can have peace and joy (Phil. 4:4; Jn. 16:33). 

Fight the Real Battle

You can deal with heart issues. It may not be easy. It may take time. It will take time. It will take effort. You’re in a spiritual battle, and the battlefield is your mind. You have to recognize that, and then you have to decide to fight the battle – long term. You have to constantly make a decision to stop thinking sinful thoughts and replace them with godly thoughts. You do that through the renewing of your mind (Col. 3:8-17). You meditate on God’s word, memorize it, and call it to mind when you are tempted in one way or another. You fight your flesh with God’s word. You fight your sinful inclinations with truth. Let me say it one more time; if you want to deal with heart issues you have to fight. And fight some more. But remember, the battle is the Lord’s and He will give victory (Eph. 6:10-20).

Helpful Chart for Dealing with Heart Issues

Easily make your own chart by remembering ABCD. Start on the left side and make your way to the bottom. Ask yourself what am I feeling, and write them in box A. Be brutally honest because the heart is messy. Next, examine your behaviors or actions, then your thinking, then your desires or wants. Once you’ve identified your root desires, move over to the right side and start at the bottom and write how you will replace your wrong desires with proper, biblical, godly desires. Then work your way back up to your affections or feelings.

Is There a Gay Gene? | True Worldview Ep. 26

I often quote Lady Gaga; “I was born this way.” I’m usually referring to total depravity: the biblical reality that all of us are born dead in sin. We’re not as sinful as we can be, but we’re sinful in every aspect of our being: totally. But that’s not what Lady Gaga is talking about, though she does invoke God: “’Cause God makes no mistakes, I’m on the right track, baby I was born this way.” She’s right about God not making mistakes, and she’s right about being born this way, but she’s wrong about being on the right track. And she’s wrong about what it means to be on the right track – essentially loving yourself for who you are. And who are you? “No matter gay, straight, or bi, Lesbian, transgender life,” says she. Lot’s of confusion.

Dr. Lisa Albright is Professor and Chief of the Division of Genetic Epidemiology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine and is a researcher in the areas, among others, of cancer and predisposition gene identification. She and her team discovered a statistical correlation between certain genetic markers and risk for breast cancer and developed the BRCA Test. A number of years ago, she told me there is no such thing as a gay gene, nor could there be. Of course, Lady Gaga and many in the gay and lesbian community believe otherwise. That’s what they mean when they say “born this way.” They can’t help being who they are. A lot of people assert that something is universal, objective truth based on how they feel or what they personally experience with no scientific or theological basis for such assertions. Such is the nature of being born totally depraved.

The reality is that slew of factors play in to why people are the way they are. On one side of my town most of the folk like country music and pick-up trucks, while those on the other side of town like BMW’s and preppy clothes. While there is no pick-up truck gene, and while some might argue they were born to love F-150s, they just can’t help themselves, it’s fairly obvious to most that one’s preference for F-150s has more to do with where you’re born than how you’re born. Katy Perry said a mouthful when she announced that she kissed a girl and liked it. As our culture drifts from God, more people are willing to try things because of that culture than persons in previous generations. Depravity produces openness to sinful ideas and behaviors, and that same depravity allows some to enjoy those behaviors once experienced. Some girls like F-150s and some girls like kissing girls. But neither were born that way in the Lady Gaga sense.

 Darrow Miller notes, “Now science has said that there is no merit in the LGBT claim that sexual orientation is rooted in biology. A 143-page report published by two John Hopkins University scholars, Lawrence Meyers and Paul McHugh, asserts that ‘The belief that sexual orientation is an innate, biologically fixed human property — that people are ‘born that way’ — is not supported by scientific evidence. … Likewise, the belief that gender identity is an innate, fixed human property independent of biological sex — so that a person might be a ‘man trapped in a woman’s body’ or a ‘woman trapped in a man’s body’ — is not supported by scientific evidence.’” Further, “The largest study to look for the ‘gay gene’ drew a similar conclusion. The research, published in the August 29,, 2019 edition of the esteemed journal Science, was performed on almost half a million people. A large ‘international consortium’ cooperated for this comprehensive project. The study’s lead author, Andrea Ganna, a geneticist at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, concluded: “There is no ‘gay gene.’”

Aside from the science, we’re all born dead in sin, and we all have differing tendencies when it comes to sin. It’s no surprise that while some are born with tendencies toward murder or greed, others are born with tendencies toward same-sex attraction. That doesn’t mean there is a gay gene or they can’t change. And, even if there is a gay gene, God says they’re responsible to change. He provides the way of change through the gospel. 

There’s a move in evangelical circles to adopt the world’s stance on these issues, at least to some degree. But we have the word of God, the ultimate authority on the subject. “9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11). It’s the gospel that overcomes our sin. It’s the grace and power of God. May we love others enough to tell them the truth and point them to Christ. And remember, the real question is not whether you were born this way or that, but whether you’ve been born again (Jn. 3:1f).

Did Chick-Fil-A Cave? | True Worldview Ep. 20

I had breakfast at Chick-Fil-A this morning. It was as good as ever. I’m disappointed though in their recent charitable policy shift. After donating to more than 300 charitable organizations this year, they will instead focus on three initiatives with one accompanying charity each: education, homelessness and hunger. They’ll be breaking ties with The Salvation Army, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Paul Anderson Youth Home. Matt Walsh put it this way: “one of the last remaining large companies to stand in defiance of the P.C. police and the LGBT rage mob, has suddenly and inexplicably caved. Chick-fil-A President and Chief Operating Officer Tim Tassopoulos announced that the company will no longer donate to certain Christian charities that the pc crowd deems “anti-LGBT.”

This move is disconcerting, not because we hate the LGBT community, but because the LGBT community has a militant agenda and won’t rest until everyone bows to their worldview. Christians are called to love, but that doesn’t mean allowing the world to define us, determine our values, or set our agenda. In the aftermath of Chick-Fil-A’s move, the head of GLAAD said that certain Christian groups like Focus on the Family exist to do harm to the LGBT community. That statement is as dishonest as it is hateful. And that’s part of the problem.

It’s not our business as believers to form adversarial relationships with people or groups. Nor should we force Chick-Fil-A or anyone else to bow to our values or agenda. But neither can Christians support the LGBT agenda.

Some of the issues in play here are these: 

1-Prior to this point, by not bowing to the LGBT agenda, Chick-Fil-A was standing for freedom for everyone in our society. The LGBT folks don’t believe in freedom. They are in the business of bending others to their will. 

2-The LGBT community is redefining terms like love, hate, marriage, and freedom.

3-Critical Theory, the worldview behind the LGBT political movement, is hypocritical. They claim to be an oppressed group that simply wants oppressor groups to cease their oppression so that all can live together in harmony. It’s obvious that’s a lie. They want to be the oppressor group. Their agenda is a form of violence and oppression any way you look at it.

4-You can’t compromise the truth to appease people. Once you try, you end up on a slippery slope and ultimately affirming sin. You end up changed. Not only is that spiritually dangerous, it dishonors God.

5-Matt Walsh got it right: “You cannot appease the mob. It doesn’t matter if you give them what they want. It doesn’t matter if you fall to your feet, confess your sins, and beg forgiveness. All your self-abdication will do is empower and encourage your critics. They will not forgive you (not that Chick-fil-A needed forgiveness). This is an age of scalp-claiming, not mercy. Now they will happily take yours, celebrate the victory, and move on to the next target. You aren’t their friend now, or their ally. You’re just a trophy on their shelf.”

We could go on. What we’re dealing with is spiritual blindness. It was just last week that Ellie Goulding threatened to pull out of the halftime show of the Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game because of the NFL’s association with the Salvation Army. She changed her mind, but how insane is it to protest the Salvation Army? According to Newsweek, a Salvation Army spokesman said, "We serve more than 23 million individuals a year, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, we believe we are the largest provider of poverty relief to the LGBTQ+ population.” So, you want to shut them down, because they’re Christians, despite the fact that they are the largest provider of poverty relief to the LBGTQ+ community in the world. Well, the Salvation Army is a good example of what Christians do. Ellie Goulding is a good example of what those in her group do. We need to pray for her and all those who are blind to their need for Christ.

My last concern is that this move signals something bad for the future of Chick-Fil-A. Whether you like chicken or not, there is no comparison between Chick-Fil-A and any other fast food restaurant. They are clean, friendly, efficient, proactive, techno-savvy, next-generation oriented, etc. There is no more pleasant fast-food experience than Chick-Fil-A, and it’s all owing to the Christian worldview of their founder. I’m afraid in five, ten, or twenty years, they’ll be just like McDonalds. I’ll eat there, just like I eat at McDonalds. I’ll be okay with the food, for the most part, just like I am with McDonalds. But much of the experience will leave something to be desired. 

Smartphones: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

A group of students at Adelphi University gave up their smartphones for one week in an effort to break them of their near universal addiction. It was an experiment conducted by their professor that yielded some predictable results. The students talked about getting sounder sleep and increased productivity along with improved relations with their friends. They saw the world in a different way than normal; they experienced their surroundings in a way they had not prior to their smartphone fast. 

Certainly, smartphones are one way we’re pushing back the fall. God told us before and after the fall to image Him, take dominion over the earth, and create. That’s what He does, and we do the same, although in a different way. We have speed limitations, so we create bicycles, cars, and jets. We have communication limitations so we create mail, telephones, and smartphones. The younger generation has much less appreciation for the astounding things a smartphone can do. I talk to people all over the world, access information all over that same world, conduct business, pay bills, purchase goods and services, listen to music, watch football, trade stocks, read books, power giant televisions and speakers, and so much more.

Of course, smartphones offer certain opportunities for sin in various forms. Smartphones give us great opportunity to waste time, ignore persons with whom we could otherwise be engaged, miss the beautiful diversity of God’s world as it goes by without our notice, and so much more. Bad can turn downright ugly when one uses his smartphone in a voyeuristic, invasive, or combative way. We can fall into the trap of comparing ourselves to others in a haughtiness that works both ways. We either gloat over our successes or become jealous of the good fortune of others.

Be Smart with Your Smartphone

The simple fact is that we just need to be smart about our smartphones. Such a statement is no mere piece of practical advice, but rather a principle rooted in the call of God upon our lives. We’re to do all that we do for the glory of God. How we use our smartphones and how much time we give to them matters to God. Here are some foundational precepts that will help us to do that – to be smart for the glory of God.

First, make sure you redeem the time. We need to distinguish between a legitimate use of time vs. an illegitimate. That doesn’t mean we can’t use our device for entertainment some of the time. But it does mean that we can’t use it for entertainment most of time. There are many, many things God has given us to do, and appropriate time must be allocated for each one of them. Think of those things as spokes on a wheel. Each spoke represents something we must do as we live in God’s world. At the center of the wheel if the glory of God. How do I do this thing that I’m doing for God’s glory? That’s your question.

Second, be present when you’re with others. Not only do you miss out on what’s real, or the enrichment of relating to a loved one, but you hurt those you ignore. You say to them your phone is more important. And then when you wake up down the road, whether its weeks, months, or even years, the regret can be overwhelming. God’s grace is sufficient for even that, but you don’t want to miss out on what’s best regardless of how good your web surfing may be.

Third, enjoy God’s world to the max. Don’t miss out on the beach, the mountains, or a sunny day in the park. Don’t miss out on that concert, that evening walk, or the tennis outing with your doubles partners. Don’t miss the fullness of God’s multifaceted, vibrant, and stunning world. 

Now, that’s smart.

Resources: 12 Ways Your Phone is Changing You by Tony Reinke

Is College for Everyone? | True Worldview Ep. 18

I don’t like jumping through other people’s hoops, and I don’t think you should either. I don’t like it, not because I’m a curmudgeon, but because I want to do all that I do for the glory of God, and part of that means understanding the world in which we live, something the Bible refers to as the world, as in the evil world system. We have to live in this world, but that doesn’t mean we have to like the evil part of it nor do we have to embrace it. On the contrary, we’re to transform it, but that’s another issue. 

I don’t like jumping through the world’s hoops in any area, but I especially don’t like jumping through their hoops when it comes to education. And I’m not speaking as someone who doesn’t have an education. I have four earned degrees including two masters and a doctorate. I say that not because I’m proud of it, but because I want you to understand I’m not just throwing apples from the cheap seats. I may throw an apple or two, but it’s cost me a lot to be able do so.

Forbes is out with a piece saying that college may not be for everyone. Many college grads end up earning less income than those who never go to college. In fact, half of all college grads have an average income right out of school of only $28,000 per year. Some real concerns are raised including the fact that persons are strapped for years with heavy debt, in many cases upwards of $200,000. An increasing number of college graduates work in a field different from their degree. In short, more often than not, college has become a great time and money waster.

For Christians, the concerns are even greater. College is a rite-of-passage in American culture. To put it nicely, it’s one long break from reality. The put it accurately, it’s one long drunken orgy with a little bit of study in between. And speaking of study, students take a lot of interesting classes that have nothing to do with fostering one’s ability to earn an income. Beyond that, philosophically speaking, there is no neutrality. Every class, every professor, and every word spoken in those classes by those professors comes from a worldview that is, way more often than not, diametrically opposed to God and a true worldview derived from Him. Christians, and people in general, are forced to take classes that some progressive group deemed to be important – more important than the vast store of knowledge that could be pursued if college were structured differently. Those are the referenced hoops. No hoop jumping, and no degree.

Of course, while that degree might be necessary in some fields, and important in others, it’s not as important in many fields as it once was. With the advent of innovative business models, the demand for different lifestyles than previous generations, and new modes of education, an increasing number of people don’t need to go to college. The truth is, for the reasons outlined here, and a wealth of others, most of us really shouldn’t go to college, and that goes double for the saints.

How ‘bout them apples?

Overcoming a Splintering Culture | True Worldview Ep. 17

Human beings have always been divided. It’s because of human sin of course. But people are more divided than ever in our culture, and there are a multitude of forces contributing to that situation. Things like hate groups, race-baiters, those who have embraced critical theory in one form or another, and sadly, those who are merely influenced by such groups because they have no critical thinking skills of their own. They are part of the herd and they simply follow.

One of the dynamics that contributes not only to the herd but also to its enlargement and proliferation throughout our culture is the rise of numerous social media platforms. There’s an interesting paradox in that context. One would think that social media would allow persons of all stripes to interact with one another in a productive exchange of ideas. However, just the opposite has occurred. Certainly, people who identify in particular ways connect with others who identify in those same ways, yet they do not interact with news, persons, or ideas outside of their own group. The result is an increasing division in our culture and animosity toward those who are not part of our group. Our culture is splintering in ways it’s not done so before and the result can only be described as cataclysmic.

There’s a sense in which the splintering aided by the instantaneous and widespread connectivity of social media culture demonstrates the power of social media itself. Not only can individuals connect easily but groups can organize effortlessly as well. Too often, they organize for evil.

But, there is good news. Social media technology is one of those cultural goods that Christians can redeem. It’s one of those social goods that we can utilize for the advance of the gospel if we would only see its power and organize for the cause of Christ as opposed to merely utilizing those platforms for personal connection with others, or in far too many cases, for narcissistic self-aggrandizement. We need to be reminded t’s not about us; it’s about Christ and his kingdom. It’s about others.

No one would deny that there are Christian ministries utilizing social media in an effective way for the gospel. But we need to get this right at an individual level as well as a para-church level. Somehow, someway individual Christians need to see the power of social media, organize, and take personal responsibility for unified gospel proliferation. May we begin to think more and more along these lines, and may God grant us wisdom to engage. In the end, it’s the gospel that overcomes, and we want to be part of that.

Christians Creating Culture | True Worldview Ep. 15

It’s not uncommon to hear Christians talk about cultural engagement. Our understanding of such a dynamic usually resides in the arena of what are called culture wars. There’s something harmful in the culture, and we go to work to combat it. Abortion would be a good example; we war against it, as well we should. At the same time, we should also recognize that cultural engagement is not only about what we’re against.

The question of how we believers should relate to culture, the culture in which God has placed us – for a reason – is not new. In his seminal work Christ and Culture, H. Richard Niebuhr highlighted five possibilities. The first he called “Christ against Culture,” illustrated in the abortion issue above. Generally speaking, in this view, Christians live in opposition to culture. The second view is “Christ of Culture.” Here, Christians submit their understanding of Christ to the values and attitudes of culture. Third is “Christ above Culture,” a view in which both the Lord and culture are taken seriously. However, a compartmentalization routinely takes place. Faith is often divorced from everyday life. Niebuhr called the fourth view “Christ and Culture in Paradox.” Here, the kingdom and the culture exist along side one another, and Christians seek to be faithful to their respective roles. One must submit to both without sinning against God. Fifth, “Christ is the Transformer of Culture.” Here, cultural realities, goods, and structures can be restored or redeemed by Christ. All areas of life are submitted to Christ and transformed for His glory.

Certainly, one may see truth in each of these positions. And surely, we all agree that Christ is indeed the transformer of culture, as He transforms persons who then play their part in the dominion mandate (subdue the earth), the cultural mandate (salt and light), and the Great Commission (make disciples). And yet, culture is not static. It’s not static when we transform it. Neither is it static when we add to it. Yes, we’re born into an existing culture, but it’s an ever-changing culture, not just through transformation, but through the creation of new culture.

God has called us to be culture engagers and culture transformers, but He’s also called us to be culture makers. Building on work by Ken Meyers, Andy Crouch unfolded this concept in his book — cleverly entitled – Culture Making. Cultural goods that are bad should be eliminated or transformed. Those that are good should be preserved. But Christians should also strive to create new cultural goods that glorify God and benefit others for the sake of the gospel. We image forth God in that endeavor, as we do in others. We put His creatorship on display. Cultivation yes, but also creativity is part of the dominion mandate. Creativity is also part of the cultural mandate and even the Great Commission. In one sense, new creatures in Christ are new cultural goods just as new objects, new methods, and new modes are new cultural goods as well. 

It’s good to help a man who’s been beaten and left on the side of the road as did the Good Samaritan. It’s also good to build hospitals as certain Christians have done. And it’s good to serve in the name of Christ in those hospitals. These are seminal thoughts as we seek to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ.

Kingdomizing: Discipling Whole Cultures | True Worldview Ep. 14

Here’s a word about the Great Commission and full-orbed discipleship. We’ve certainly deepened our understanding of the Lord’s command over time -- it’s not a command to merely go, but to make disciples as we go; it’s not a command about discipling geo-political states, but the myriad people-groups that make up the world -- things like that. But Darrow Miller takes another step forward. He talks about discipling whole nations. It’s not that we’re to disciple people out of every people group, though we are, but there’s more to it. Disciple-making spreads as new disciples are made; it spreads throughout entire cultures. Beyond that, disciple-making is not merely about evangelism, teaching doctrine, and teaching to obey, it’s also about inculcating a thorough-going biblical worldview in the hearts and minds of Jesus’ disciples.

We can apply these principles to numerous life-situations, not the least of which is missions and relief. Missionaries and relief workers have a heart for God and people; they work hard at spreading the gospel and helping others. However, by way of example, sometimes they adopt less than biblical worldviews to help impoverished persons. Evolution says there’s nothing more than the physical world and the limited resources it contains. When Christian relief workers blame a lack of resources for generational poverty and sometimes write whole countries off, they buy into such a worldview. They buy into the same worldview as those calling for population control or the Elon Musk’s of the world desperately seeking a way to move to Mars when our planet is used up.

Others adopt a Marxist approach to aid rooted in wealth redistribution or Critical Theory. Woke Culture has slipped into the church as calls for a re-ordering of the social structure reverberate throughout the evangelical world.

Then there are those missionaries who want to save souls and merely feed the hungry along the way. They give them fish, a good thing, but they’re not interested in training them to catch fish. Why bother with such when Jesus is coming soon? Certainly, we recognize dispensational underpinnings here. At the same time, there’s a sense in which, at a worldview level, a sort of neo-animistic understanding has taken hold. If evolution says ultimate reality is only physical, animism says that ultimate reality is only spiritual. An animistic influence is at work when we downplay the importance of this world’s connection to the kingdom and focus solely on Heaven.

God’s word presents a different vision. Contra evolution, God has given us resources of which we’re unaware at the present time. He’s also given us minds for creativity and innovation. Subduing the earth takes on new meaning in light of that reality, particularly when it’s connected to the Great Commission. Contra Marxism, that reality also militates against evil redistribution and/or revolution schemes that contradict biblical principles including the goodness and necessity of work; biblical justice as opposed to so-called social justice; as well as compassion and mercy to name a few. Contra animism, this world and its people are important to God, the kingdom is to be brought to bear in the here and now, and certain cultural goods will last into eternity. Therefore, as Miller says, our goal is nothing short of a radical reorientation of a person’s life. As this reorientation spreads, whole cultures are discipled. I would describe it as the creation of a kingdom citizen who has kingdom understanding and kingdom goals and engages in, to borrow another word from Miller, kingdomizing activities. We’re talking about people who take seriously the words of our Lord when He taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Truth Transforms Culture | True Worldview Ep. 13

Most Christians agree that lies enslave and truths transform. At the same time, many believers fail to grasp the significance of such a reality. Darrow Miller points out that lies not only enslave individuals spiritually, mentally, and socially, but those same lies enslave entire cultures in the same ways. For most, it’s probably a new concept to think at such a macro level. The implication is that entire cultures could be set free from certain things if enough persons understood and were committed to the truth God has revealed.

The Lord Jesus said the truth will set us free. The primary emphasis there, of course, is the fact that Christians are set free from enslavement to sin, Satan, and death. Beyond that, their minds are set free. By virtue of the Word and Spirit, Christians uniquely have an ability to see what’s real. They understand the reality of God, His world, our problem, and His solution. But they understand more than that as well. By way of example, there are certain intellectual and/or spiritual commitments that enslave entire cultures in poverty, instability, and hopelessness among other equally devastating dynamics. When it comes to the issue of poverty, only the truth of God will enable persons and indeed entire cultures to overcome their impoverished state. Too many are enslaved by Satan’s lie that poverty is the result of a lack of resources or infrastructure. God’s reality is otherwise. He has given us minds to overcome seeming limitations with innovation, development, and so much more.

But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, it all starts with the gospel. Individuals are transformed when they come to know Christ. They then begin to learn the truths of who God is, what He’s about, who we are, and what we’re about. Others move beyond the basics of the faith and are discipled in a greater way. They learn to take the truths of Scripture and apply them to their hearts. They shed old, destructive habit patterns and adopt new, life-giving habit patterns rooted in God‘s reality. But we need to go even further and help others do the same. We must help persons grasp a full-orbed, biblical worldview to combat the multitude of lies Satan throws our way through a host of cultural avenues. We must carry the Great Commission to its full conclusion. We must not only make disciples from all the nations, but as Miller would say, we must disciple entire nations. It is that dynamic that takes the implications of the gospel and the inaugurated kingdom to its fullest extent, as it should: thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Join Christi and Paul as they discuss these issues and more.

Racism, Privilege, and Power | True Worldview Ep. 11

So, here’s just a little something extra on racism, privilege, and power. Critical Theory is all the rage today; it sounds so compassionate, so equitable, and so plausible. Oppressor groups have indeed oppressed oppressed groups. Of course, the leap from that fact to the notion that all persons in majority groups are racist -- or whatever evil du jour -- simply because they are members of the majority group is, in a word, oppressive.

It’s fair to say that God hates racism, and therefore Christians should too. All persons are created in the image of God and have essential worth, dignity, and honor. Slavery, hatred, making fun of, and numerous other forms of demeaning persons because of their race or orientation is not only an attack on those persons, but an attack on God Himself. I trust you see the logic. An attack on a human being is an attack on the image of God in that human being, and therefore is, in some sense, an attack on God.

But here’s the rub: just because someone calls something racist doesn’t mean it’s so. I actually went to a Hispanic Appreciation Dance at a local college and danced to a number of Hispanic tunes. Not one of the Hispanics there accused me of cultural appropriation. They seemed to appreciate the fact that I was at the appreciation dance to appreciate them. Yet, despite the sensibleness of all that mutual appreciation, there are those who would disagree. But let’s not kid ourselves; the world sees and defines all kinds of things differently than God does. While God grants the liberty to a same-sex couple to call themselves married, they in fact are not married regardless of what they, the culture, or the state says. God is the one who defines marriage. And God is the one who defines racism, not the academy.

Indeed, there are those who are privileged for one reason or another. God is ultimately in charge of that. And with privilege often comes power. It’s our responsibility to use that privilege and power the way God would have us to. He’s our authority, not the culture. Our mandate is to glorify God and do good unto others. If we do that, we might get accused of cultural appropriation from time to time, but in God’s estimation, we’ll be serving in a way that’s culturally appropriate.

Woke Culture: The Rise of Critical Theory | True Worldview Ep. 10

It’s a new normal in American culture: a culture in which seismic upheavals in terms of worldview and resulting legislation are wreaking havoc. A major segment of academia, a large segment of political pundits, and a growing segment of the population now believe in some sense that white persons are racist simply because they are white. More specifically, because they are the beneficiaries of white privilege, they are racist by necessity whether they realize it or not. As Stephanie Wildman declared, “all whites are racist in this [systemic] use of the term because we benefit from systemic white privilege.”

As with all things, there’s a worldview behind this new normal. In popular parlance it’s referred to as Cultural Marxism, while in academic circles it’s referred to Critical Theory. Neil Shenvi defines Critical Theory as “an ideology that divides the world into oppressed groups and oppressor groups and seeks to liberate the oppressed.” He points out that “it is currently the reigning theoretical paradigm in academic disciplines like gender studies, critical pedagogy, critical race theory, anthropology, and queer theory, and forms the ideological foundation for large segments of the secular social justice movement.” The oppressed as well as the oppressors must come to see the so-called truth of the situation. They must be “woke.”

Certainly, racism is wrong. But is one a racist simply by virtue of being white or anything else for that matter? The testimony of scripture is no. God is the one who made us who we are.

Accordingly, a primary need for Christians is to think at a worldview level. These issues are not mere differing political opinions. They’re issues rooted in a worldview diametrically opposed to Christ and his gospel. These are in fact gospel issues in a sense. Certainly it is the gospel that saves, but the gospel has implications for civil society and God’s program for humanity. God’s kingdom is brought to bear when persons come to know Him, but it’s also brought to bear when those who know Him influence society for His glory and the good of those in that society. It’s part and parcel of being salt and light, and It’s time for Christians, not to become woke, but to be awakened for the task.

Join Christi and Paul as they discuss these issues and more on today’s episode of True Worldview.

Cultural Engagement in Music: Consumerism vs. Creativity | True Worldview Ep. 9

Christi and Paul move beyond their reflections on the coming deaths of nearly every Rock legend to contrast their music with pop music today. They touch on consumerism vs. creativity as competing forces behind music production, which leads to some thoughts concerning biblical, cultural engagement rooted in the beauty of God and our call to image Him.

The Religion of Our Culture | True Worldview Ep. 7

On today’s episode Christi and Paul talk about the religion of our culture. There’s a common idea that one can come to a subject from a position of neutrality; that we can leave religious issues at the door and simply talk in terms of science, or the latest political “truth” of our day. But every idea has a worldview behind it. Listen in as Christi and Paul debunk the idea of neutrality and highlight certain cultural religious elements along the way.

Racism, Culture, and the Transcendence of the Gospel | True Worldview Ep. 6

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, came under fire recently after a photo emerged of him wearing blackface to a party when he was 29. Christi and Paul tackle this head on and ask questions like "What is racism?" They discuss the political climate of the Civil Rights Movement vs. when the photo was taken and compare it all to our current culture. How should Christians respond? Listen in for more.

Marriage and Social Equality | True Worldview Ep. 5

Paul and Christi finish their discussion on "The Not so Great Reason Divorce Rates are Down." What does God say about social equality, and is it the same thing as equal rights? Listen in for more. 

Do Mature People Make Happier Marriages? | True Worldview Ep. 4

If you wait until you're older to get married, will you have a happier marriage? Just how pervasive is selfishness in marriage? Christi and Paul discuss these issues and more in this episode. Tune in now.

Marriage, Career and the Cost of Having it All | True Worldview Ep. 3

Can women, or any of us "have it all," or "do it all?" That's part of what Christi and Paul get into in this episode. They also deal with the issue of marriage and declining divorce rates among other items. How does a biblical worldview inform our decisions on when to marry, why to marry, when to have children, or how to balance a career and home-life? Listen in to their discussion.