MBS 107 - Christian Theology 2

THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE

The Bible teaches that man was created in the image of God and this act of creation is seen a positive event. God would not create something in His own image and then call that creation bad, as that would be opposite to what God stands for. Unfortunately, some people do not see human life as sacred. They go against what God has intended for man and regard human life as unimportant and unholy.

When it comes to the topic of human life, there are many different theories as to what life really means. The atheistic view states there is no God; therefore man was not created by a higher being. So humans are nothing more than molecules in motion or evolved animals. Pantheism states that humankind is a part of the universe and not separate from it. Suffering is the only way to escape the cycle of reincarnation and when you do eventually release your spirit, it becomes one with the cosmos.

But the only accurate view of life is the theistic view. This is the view held by the Christian church. Genesis states God said "Let us make man in our image and let him command over all living things." This shows that human life is sacred because God created us in His image and not out of random molecules or other animals. We were created to fellowship with God, worship Him, and try to understand His truths. This was not a random act as the atheists believe but a deliberate act on the part of the Lord.

Genesis 3 tells the story of the fall of man and how our perfect image was corrupted. We were created perfect but sin and temptation ruined our fellowship with God. But even though mankind was found to be with sin, he still retained enough of what God created to keep the idea of the sacred.

Genesis 9:6 tells the story of God giving mankind permission to kill animals for food. But God states that humans should not kill other humans, or by man his blood will be shed. This command was the beginning of the first earthly government. Noah and his family were charged with the command of not killing others. This shows that if mankind was not worth protecting, then God would not have put this law in place. But the fact that He did state man was not to kill man, then obviously we are to be seen as important beings.

When it comes to the idea of when human life actually begins, the pro-life and pro-choice movements have differing views. The Bible is very pro-life and there are many different passages stating why this is so and why this is how life is to be treated. Psalm 51:5 states "I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." In this passage, the Psalmist is stating that all mankind is sinful and he was sinful at birth and even at conception. If a fetus was not a human, than it could not be a sinful creature.

Luke 1:41 states that when Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leapt for joy. Again, this shows an unborn baby can have feelings, just like a human being can. As well, the author called the unborn child a "baby" and not a fetus, showing that it is a living being. Luke 2:12 states "You will find a baby wrapped in clothes in a manger." In the original Greek, the word used for baby is the same in Luke 1:41 and Luke 2:12, again showing an unborn child is equal to a baby already born.

Exodus 21:22-25 states that if a man hits a pregnant woman and there is no injury to the baby, then the man should pay a fine. But if there is serious injury to the baby, then the punishment should be equal to the damage done. If there is a miscarriage, then a life for a life must be taken. This Old Testament law also shows the importance of an unborn child in society. If the fetus is hurt or dies, the same punishment must be inflicted on the person who caused this to happen. This is the same law that was in place for an adult who was hurt or killed, making an unborn baby no different.

Other passages in the Bible also show the sanctity of human life. Proverbs 6:16-19 states that the Lord hates lying and hates hands that shed innocent blood. Psalm 106:37-38 states that Israel sacrificed son and daughters to gods and shed innocent blood. Job 1:21 says "Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I will return, the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away." 1 Corinthians states that we should believe our bodies belong to the Lord because Christ has paid for us in full and we are His.

Proverbs 31:6-7 tells us to give strong drink to someone who is in pain to help their pain but we are not to kill them. This shows that euthanasia for humans is morally wrong. Because we were created by God, we must follow His rules. The Bible states that killing for any reason is wrong and if we disobey God then we will suffer the consequences.

Today, medical evidence shows that life beings at birth for all beings. With any type of animal or other being, science states life starts at conception. The only debate which arises is when human beings are involved, because emotions then come into play.

When it comes to debating the sanctity of human life, Christian priorities will always remain the same. The Bible teaches us to worship God, pray, study the Bible, and evangelize to the unsaved. Matthew 6 tells us to put the Kingdom of God first and everything will fall into place. James 1:27 tells us to help the helpless, such as unborn babies and the sick and dying, so that God’s commands will be adhered to. We should also partake in peaceful only protests, vote responsibly when it comes to laws regarding human life, commit no violence, and preach the Gospel. If we do these things as the Bible teaches, then perhaps we can make a difference and teach others about the sanctity of human life.

THE TOWER OF BABEL

Genesis 1:26-28 is a passage which speaks about God first creating mankind. He says "Let us make man in our image and let them rule over the beasts of the earth," and for man to "be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it." In this scripture we see God making man and giving him direction for his life. God states man should be fruitful and multiply and to subdue the earth. So God is saying that man should spread out upon the earth and make the earth his home. God knew if humans would all gather in one area then there would be problems, so He commanded Adam and his descendants to travel the earth and inhabit it.

By looking at God’s wishes, we can see that He is opposed to a one world government. If all of mankind were to gather in one place then there would only be a few people leading everyone else. One world governments do not work because there is no one to turn to if something goes wrong. With a multi-world government, each nation keeps the other in check if something goes wrong. But with limited leadership, man cannot seek a higher earthly power.

Mankind eventually became so wicked that God had to wipe out the earth with the power of the flood. Only Noah and his family were allowed to survive. Again, God told mankind through Noah to be fruitful and multiply and to fill the earth. Because humankind became too wicked before the flood, God decided to give us another chance to do as He commands. But somewhere in the order of 100 to 300 years later, man decided to ignore God and started gathering together in Babel. Genesis 10:6-12 speaks of Nimrod ruling over all the people of Babel, which was essentially a one world government for the people at that time.

Genesis 11:1-4 speaks about all the people of the earth at that time speaking the same language. They built a Tower and a city to make a name for themselves so they would not be scattered throughout the earth. Basically, they decided to disobey God’s command of multiplying and filling the earth by all gathering in one place and building a Tower to make a name for themselves. This shows they wanted to place focus on man and not God, which is always a bad decision.

In ancient times, certain large Towers were called ziggurats. They were created as a part of idol worship and were popular around Babylon. Secular history speaks about a cult forming around Nimrod and his family. This cult eventually turned into a mother and son type of worship which can still be seen in the Catholic Church today.

At Babel, the one world government then turned into a one world religion. Genesis 11:5-7 states that the Lord saw the city and the Tower and realized nothing would be impossible for mankind at that point. So God decided to confuse their language so they could not understand each other and this made sure they could not communicate effectively. Even though God created confusion among the people and the Bible tells us that God is a God of order, He did this for the greater good. God only wants people united in the truth and not in false worship. If the people were allowed to remain at Babel, there would have been no one to protect the people if the government went bad. This story of the Tower of Babel shows that an increase in technological knowledge will only lead to destruction without submission to God in the process.

Today, the idea of a one world government is becoming more popular in many countries. The UN is presently at the forefront of the one world government philosophy. It believes that only one military should exist and that is the UN military. This could create many future problems if this becomes a reality. One such issue is that with only one military, civil war could break out, and many civil wars are much more destructive than other types of conflicts. The single world military could also be used against the people they are supposed to protect; similar to what has happened in Russia and China.

Revelation 13 speaks about the new world order that is to come about in the end times. Any person who does not go along with this government will be put to death. As well, if anyone does not get the mark of the beast, which is a symbol of the one world government, they will not be able to buy or sell without it, thereby giving total control over to the world powers.

Many people feel that a one world government would be a good thing that would bring about peace and change. But the Bible tells us that this type of government is not what we should be wishing for. The book of Ephesians 6:12 states that our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual realm. We should not look to our own devices to solve our problems but we should trust only in God. Titus 2:13 says that our hope is not in the wisdom of man but in the wisdom of Jesus. Psalm 118:8-9 tells the reader that it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.

In conclusion, the Tower of Babel was not a good thing the first time it was created. God saw that mankind was trusting only in himself and not in the Lord. As a result, God scattered the people and confused their languages. Today, we are seeing a revision of the Tower of Babel. Man is starting to push toward another one world government and is not trusting in God but in his own power. The Bible tells us there will eventually be a one world government, but that will be in the end days and during that time God will defeat Satan and this government will fail. As Christians, we should not be pushing for such things. We should put our faith in God and follow His commandments as the Bible instructs. This is the only way to avoid creating a new Tower of Babel.

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION

To be able to understand the Christian philosophy of education, one must first break down the different terms. Philosophy can be defined as the pursuit of wisdom. Education can be seen as teaching others life preparation skills on how to live within society. So a philosophy of education should be defined as the study of different views of education.

When it comes to the philosophy of education, this type of thought can take on two different views. The Biblical view of education states that it is the parents’ responsibility to educate their children. Their children should not be taught by non-believers in the faith. This equates to having the blind leading the blind, as the non-believers are not rooted in the Word so they cannot teach the children to live by the Word. The Biblical view stresses teaching people right from wrong so they are able to live peacefully in society and get along with others.

The other view of education is Plato’s view. He said that the state should be in charge of educating the children. He also felt the state should choose the profession of the children depending on their strengths or what is needed.

During the Reformation there was another view of how children should be educated. During that time they felt the church should be in charge of educating believers and non-believers. This type of philosophy professed the Bible should be taught to everyone and all children should learn to read the Bible.

The American founding fathers of the 18th century had their own feelings on how children should be educated within society. They said that the government should have no say in the format of education. This way the government’s power would be limited so it was not possible for them to control everything. They felt that parents should have a say in how their children are educated and not have to do what the authorities tell them to do.

Carl Marx also backed up Plato’s view of education. Marx gained popularity when he wrote the Communist Manifesto. He thought the state government should raise and educate the children under their control. He felt that parents were a bad influence and that they should have nothing to do with educating their children.

John Dewey had his own feelings on how society should teach our children. He backed the idea of a one world socialist government. He taught that the state should use the educational system to indoctrinate the children. This idea amounted to nothing more than brainwashing all those in the school system. Dewey felt that society would be better off with skilled workers who were under educated. That way industry would flourish but no one would cause any problems because they would not know any better.

In today’s society, the educational system is in a state of being influenced by worldly things. It is being greatly influenced by New Age thinking and views. Right now, Seattle is the new age capital of the U.S. Because it is on the west coast, it is one of the first places where immigrants from the Middle and Far East land and bring their new age religions to the U.S. Because of the influx of immigrants, their ways are being let into the school system.

The Ten Commandments had to be taken out of all schools but it is okay to teach meditation or Native American rituals. When Christianity is taught, people say that religion should not be taught in schools. But when new age philosophies or Native American culture is spoken about, that is seen as learning about other cultures. Many schools now promote worshiping the earth as a great creator, instead of teaching that God created the earth and He is the one who should be worshiped.

There is also confusion on what values to teach within the school system. No longer are Christian morals and values taught to children. Instead, everyone is of the opinion that what is right for you is okay and what is right for me is okay. So there is no right or wrong unless Christianity is being talked about, then that is considered wrong. It is a double standard but no one seems to be standing up for the rights of the Christians.

Much of what is taught in the school system teaches the kids to be global citizens. All the good points of the earth worshiping cultures are promoted but the bad things are left out. Again, this is religion that is being taught, but as long as it is not Christianity, then no one is complaining.

Our education system should not be religiously neutral. We have to pick sides in what we teach our children. They are getting mixed messages from school and from church. Some schools will teach evolution while the churches are teaching creation, or evolution that was part of creation.

We should also be teaching our children the 5 W’s so they are able to discern for themselves what is right and wrong. If we don’t teach our kids to think for themselves, then they will never be able to make a choice on what to believe. Because money is so important today, children should even be taught good economic theories, so they can effectively survive in the new economy. But all these things should be taught within a Christian framework, so the children know right from wrong, but are still able to learn everything that will enable them to grow in an ever changing society.

In conclusion, the state of today’s educational system seems to be moving more towards new age thinking and away from Christian traditions and values. Our lawmakers and educators are being swayed to keep Christ out of the schools but at the same time allow new age thought to creep in. All Christians should do their best to educate their children so they are able to become mature adults with a good knowledge of the Bible and how to function within society.

DANGERS WITHIN EVANGELISM

The term "evangelical" comes from the Greek word for "good news", which can refer to the good news of Christ and the Gospel message. The group of Christians who call themselves evangelical often subscribe to a strict belief with their faith. Most evangelical Christians will profess to believe that salvation through Christ can only come about if three caveats are met.

The first requirement is through grace alone, meaning that we can only be saved through the saving Grace of Christ and God. The second one is through faith alone. By having faith in Christ’s saving power, we are able to be saved from our sins. Thirdly, evangelicals believe in being saved through Christ alone. Only Christ is needed to save us from our sins and not any sort of good works or other means.

When it comes to God and His saving grace, different evangelical churches have different ideas about how this doctrine can be applied. Some Christians believe in the idea of universalism, which states God intends to save everyone eventually, so no one is left out. There is also the idea of pluralism, which says all religions teach the same thing and all these religions lead to God. Inclusivism teaches that salvation comes through Jesus Christ but you don’t have to actually know Christ to be saved, you just have to be a good person. Finally, there is the doctrine of exclusivism, which says there is only one way to salvation and that his through Christ. It is this final teaching that should be expressed within all churches.

Some evangelical movements also ascribe to other non-Biblical ideas that can lead them down a path of sin. Certain churches teach the idea of denying divine eternity, meaning that God is limited to time and space just as we are. But the Bible teaches God exists outside of time and eternity because he created these things. Some theologians will state God is in the past, present, and future, instead of believing He is outside time and not restricted by it. Time did not begin until God created the first beings and it was created for our use and not His. As well, if God was limited by time, then He could not be considered omniscient, which most Christians state He is.

Other evangelical churches will deny that God infallibly foreknows future free choices and will put a limit on what He can do or know. God is all knowing and all seeing and this enables him to know all things throughout eternity. Certain movements will teach that God knows all things in the past and present, but cannot know the future. One reason given for this line of thought is because some feel if God knew you would reject Christ and end up going to hell then God would be unjust for letting you come into existence. But the argument to this is that God may know what we’re going to choose, but we still have the free will to choose or reject Christ and this is up to us to decide and not for God to make us do.

Certain evangelicals are adopting a more Eastern approach when it comes to Christianity. Because of the growing popularity in new age thinking, more of it is creeping into evangelical circles. Some now believe in the idea of Panentheism, which is the belief that the universe is God’s body. This belief has gained popularity with the rise in scientific knowledge, as we now know the universe is constantly changing, so it is thought the universe is God and both are changing and growing. But this is against Biblical doctrine, as the book of Hebrews states that God does not change but He always remains the same.

To make Christianity more popular, evangelical churches have started to promote the idea of the annihilation of the wicked. This is similar to the Jehovah Witness teaching which says those who are not saved will not be tormented after they die but will simply cease to exist. This puts a happier spin on things so more people are likely to come to the faith. But the Bible teaches in the book of Revelation that the wicked and unsaved will go to hell and be punished for all eternity. Christ stated that they will go to where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. Some scholars have debated the meaning of hell and they are divided as to whether it is just a separation from God or an actual place of torture. Either way, hell is not a desirable place to go.

Other evangelicals have come to deny the bodily resurrection of Christ. The Jehovah Witnesses teach that Christ’s spirit was raised but not his body. But the Bible tells us that John prophesied Christ’s body would be raised and his apostles as well as over 500 others saw the risen Christ after he was crucified. Some have even denied the inerrancy of the Bible. They will say it can’t be wrong when it comes to spiritual or moral issues, but there could be mistakes with its science or history.

Some Christian sects will preach the health and wealth heresy, which is belief that if you are a good Christian, then God will make you healthy and wealthy. This can be a big selling point if one is trying to get people through church doors. This theory is easily rebuked by looking at the story of Job, who was God fearing but had his health and wealth taken away from him. God will make you spiritually wealthy if you let him but don’t count on material things if it is not in His will.

Some other ideas taught in evangelical circles is the consumer is king mentality. This is the thought that one should preach to keep people happy and this will make for good economics in the church. If people hear that they are sinners, they may not come back and give donations. This goes hand in hand with the modern view of success, which is bigger is better. So the larger the church, the more important people will see that church is and the more likely they are to attend.

In conclusion, some evangelical churches today have moved away from preaching the Gospel and have become one with the ways of the world. Many dangers can exist within an evangelical framework and one has to be careful what a particular church is offering. Christians should always test what they see and keep what is good and throw away the bad.

EVIL AND SUFFERING

Evil and human suffering are two things that every person must deal with some time in their lives. For some people it will make them stronger and bring them closer to God. For others, they will become bitter and blame it on the Lord for letting it happen. Either way, evil and suffering will befall everyone and how we handle it will make a difference in our relationship with God.

Because evil and suffering exist in this world, arguments have been made that God cannot exist if these things do. Some feel that a God who is all good would want to destroy evil. As well, an all powerful God could destroy evil because He is all powerful. But the problem lies in the fact that evil and suffering are not destroyed, therefore an all good and all powerful God must not exist. This leads people to conclude that God may not be all powerful, or He may not be all good, or that He simply may not exist at all.

Some others may have an emotional problem when it comes to evil and suffering. A person who has just lost a loved one may not believe in God. They may also blame Him for a tragedy that has taken place in their lives.

There is also the intellectual problem with evil and suffering. A person involved with these types of issues may not be thinking clearly or listening to advice from others. The Bible states to deal with people like these in a Biblical and rational manner.

When it comes to the topic of evil and human suffering, not everyone turns to God for their answers. Many different ideas have been put forth to help those deal with their issues. While some may be well-intentioned, any answer that does not include God is not going to work.

One such solution is the belief in atheism. Some people cannot believe that an all good, all powerful God would allow evil and suffering. So they just choose not to believe in God at all. Instead of blaming God for the bad things in the world, they reason there is no God and bad things happen simply because they happen.

The Christian Science and new age movements deal with the problems of evil and suffering stating that evil is simply an illusion. There is no such thing as good or evil. Everyone has the right to make up their own ideas about what is right and wrong. So what is evil for one person may be normal for someone else.

The health and wealth heresy states that if you’ve done something wrong then you must deserve suffer. The problem with this argument is that Job in the Bible was blameless in the eyes of the Lord. Yet he suffered and lost everything in his life.

Others have blamed evil and suffering on demon paranoia and blame the world’s troubles on demons. They feel the spiritual realm is to blame for all the bad things which happen. Satan and his minions cause the bad things to happen while God and His angels fight back and help mankind with their problems.

Dualism states there are two gods who exist in the world with one being evil and the other one good. These two gods are in constant battle with each other for mankind. Another religion which believes in this sort of teaching is the teaching of Zoroastrianism.

Some also believe that God does exist but He is simply a cruel and evil being. They do not feel He is a just and loving God. He does not help mankind and is just there to make us suffer.

The Bible has the simplest answer in the debate of evil and suffering. The good news of Christ is the solution to evil. The issue with false solutions is that is places a time limit on God but the Bible tells us that He is currently in the process of defeating evil. The Bible tells us to focus our attention and God and we’ll realize there is more to life than the here and now and that a greater reward exists for us in Heaven.

Evil came into existence based on human free will. Adam and Eve chose to eat of the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Evil is the lack of good that should be there and evil exists because of the fall of man. Otherwise mankind would still be perfect. We give into evil when we turn our backs on God and do not follow His commandments.

Christians believe that God allows evil for the purpose of a greater good. In His wisdom He will use suffering for a greater purpose. Because we are limited in knowledge about His ways, we will never understand God’s mind. James 1 states that God can allow us to suffer until we reach the end of our rope. But then if we turn to God and He brings us back, then we can use our faith to help others in the same situation. As well, without evil there would be no courage in the world and courage is seen as a positive thing. Also, we could not love our enemies as Jesus taught if there was no evil and no suffering taking place on earth.

In conclusion, the topic of evil and human suffering is one which everyone has an opinion on. Depending on your experiences in life you may have different theories as to why these things happen. But one should realize that no matter why these things happen, Jesus Christ is the solution for all the evil and suffering which takes place in the world. We must believe in him and know that all evil and suffering will come to an end one day.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

The popular culture is filled with myths regarding spiritual warfare and what this means. These fallacies are not based on scripture and have worked their way into Christianity with negative results. There are two main errors being promoted today with regards to this topic. One such error is the means we have for spiritual warfare and the second is in regards to when Christ will claim final victory over Satan.

There is a myth which exists in society that states we can cast out demons in today’s age. The New Testament is filled with stories of Christ casting demons out of people. As well, Christ’s disciples were able to do this too. They were given these abilities in order to prove Christ was the Son of God and the Messiah, just as they were able to perform healings in His name. But just as the apostolic age ended, so did the ability for man to cast out demons. God has chosen to limit this ability to the New Testament age as the proof for Christ has been completed.

It is also a fallacy to think that having a demon cast out is a means to salvation. The only way to be saved is through Christ. The reason Christ freed people from demons was to show his power over Satan and to prove he was the messiah. After this was done, the freed person was given the choice whether to believe in Christ or not, which would be the deciding factor for their salvation.

There is also a tradition which states were are able to bind Satan. This comes from the story of Christ showing his power over the devil in the book of Matthew. This is not a how-to of the way to bind the devil, but a recounting of how Christ was able to do it. During the last days, Satan will be bound once again, but this will not be done by human means. God will send an angel to subdue the devil. At this time, all one can do is resist Satan with the help of Christ Jesus.

A myth also exists that we must rebuke Satan if possible. This rebuke would then lead to immediate victory over Satan. But the Bible does not teach this method and tells the believer to endure in the faith and resist Satan, not rebuke him. Only Christ may rebuke the devil and Christians are told to rebuke a fellow brother who has sinned.

We cannot inherit demons through our ancestors either, as some would believe. Those who attest to this theory say demons can be passed down through family members from one who was evil and was demon possessed. This is an idea which has become popular but has no scriptural basis.

There is also a notion people can be possessed by a demon because of an inanimate object. Some would argue an item used in an occult ritual could be possessed by an evil spirit. So to protect the people who could come into contact with the object, the item is supposed to be destroyed so as to destroy the spirit. Paul states in 1 Corinthians that idols used in pagan worship mean nothing and meat used in pagan ceremonies may be eaten by anyone without the fear of being demon possessed. The reason God forbids idol worship is because it is false worship and no glory is given to Him. It is not forbidden because of the fear of being overtaken by a spirit.

There are even myths which exist that state demons cause people to sin or appear because someone has sinned. Other preachers even give names to compulsive habits or sinful practices, making them seem more lifelike. But the Bible never links sin with demon possession. Christ freed people from demons so they could then ask for forgiveness for their sins. He never once linked the two issues. Although Satan may tempt us to sin, just as he tempted Christ, it is up to us whether we want to refuse the sin, or give in to it.

Territorial spirits are also another issue which is often debated. There is a school of thought which states we can defeat these types of demons. Some scholars have theorized the reason some areas have lower conversion rates than others is because the territorial spirits keep this from happening. But the only territorial spirit the Bible speaks about is Satan and his territory is the entire world. The book of Revelation tells us God will defeat Satan in the final days, so it is not our job to fight this spirit, only to resist his temptations.

Others hold to the idea that saying a certain prayer is effective when dealing with evil spirits. They feel that if the certain prayer is said out loud, the demon will be able to hear it and will know we have power over him. But the Bible gives no reference about praying particular words to remove demons. Christ taught us how to pray to God and Romans 8 says when we need to know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit will guide us.

In actuality, true spiritual warfare is not a battle against evil spirits or demons, but a fight against the temptation of sin. Satan has built a world around us filled with temptations we must ignore. We must resist him at every turn and remain as sin free as we possibly can.

In conclusion, though many will attest to the fact there are demons which exist that can be dealt with by man, this theory of spiritual warfare is not Biblically sound. The Bible teaches that Christ and his apostles cast out demons during their time but this practice has since ceased. The job of Christians is to resist the worst spirit of all, which is Satan. If we can refrain from the vices he offers us, then this is the best form of warfare that we can wage.