The Protestant Reformation is rightly viewed as a reaction against the theological, doctrinal and moral abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. Many educated members of the Latin church applied reason and scripture to what they witnessed in the common European religion of the day and saw that not only was the papacy and the bishopric corrupt, but it was also unscriptural.
The Gospel Saves Posts
“I have faith, I just don’t believe in organized religion…” Wasn’t sure what to think when I heard this for the first time. A close friend of mine made this statement after listening to a long and lively classroom discussion on religion. This wouldn’t be the last time I would hear something like this. Another friend later said, “I go to church, but I’m not a member anywhere… Christianity is about a personal relationship with Jesus, not an affiliation with a specific church…” Each person had a very different approach to their faith, but they were equally disillusioned toward organized religion by past religious experiences.
With regard to the subject of life, the psalmist writes in Psalms 90:10, “The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.” The strength, or boast, of this earthly life is labor and sorrow. Then we die. These are sobering words, to read that even in our best years we can expect nothing more than labor and sorrow.
“Then God said, `Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness …” (Genesis 1:26). “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being”(Genesis 2:7). “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him…” (Genesis 1:27). God imagined man, incorporated him, and imbued him with life. On the day of man’s making, God blessed the capstone of His creation (Genesis 1:28), teaching us that He who “…forms the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1) counts His creation valuable. This truth was further communicated in His declaration to Noah: “Surely for your lifeblood I will demand a reckoning; from the hand of every beast I will require it, and from the hand of man. From the hand of every man’s brother I will require the life of man. Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:5-6). Clearly then, life is sacred, and its taking no small thing.
In the world, confidence is placed in the credentials of professionals. An honorable society of men and women bestow accolades upon their peers and those who join their ranks, giving them a standing. For the most part, we count on this when committing our affairs into the hands of others. It is generally wise to consult and do business with those who have some form of recognition in their field of expertise.
As you know the winter Olympic games are being held in Vancouver. Around this time the word unity is bandied about quite a bit. This cry for unity is not new and it is not unique. In Genesis chapter 11 mankind joined together in the kind of utopic harmony modern ideologues only dream about. People came together to build a city and a tower to ensure the continued unity of mankind.
In the ancient world, humanity often concluded that matter is eternal, that divine beings took of what already existed and fashioned the world around us. Epicurus wrote, “the sum total of things was always such as it is now, and such it will ever remain,”. This idea persists today in beliefs like the “Big Bang Theory” which propose that what we observe is the product of what has always existed. Hebrews’ author clearly refutes such ideas by reiterating the Bible’s.
Unless the Lord comes first, we will all face death. For some, death comes in their youth- a tragic accident or a deadly disease. Others will live out a long and fruitful life dying quietly in their sleep. None of us know how or when death will take us but we all know it will- “For the living know they will die…”
Undoubtedly, this concept is especially pertinent to Christianity and the Bible. Why believe the Bible over other holy books and texts? The Bible makes some very extraordinary claims about salvation and even the creation of the universe, but why should we believe it? When we read the Bible, can we trust it to be reliable, accurate, and credible?
Daniel Defoe makes an interesting observation through the eyes of Robinson Crusoe when he describes the “Savages” that had come to the island. These intruders, he finds, had encroached upon his turf for the past 20+ years, but he had no notion of their existence. Upon realizing how often he had not recognized them, he remarks that the mind is only afraid when it recognizes the dangers that lay ahead. Though a danger exists, it is not until we recognize danger that we become fully aware of its potential hazards for our life. It is no wonder then that Christ warns us in Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.” Christ makes it very clear that we do not know when He will return again for judgment, but we must always be watching.