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.
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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.
In his latter days, Solomon recalled his former deeds: “I made my works great, I built myself houses, and planted myself vineyards. I made myself gardens and orchards, and I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them. I made myself water pools from which to water the growing trees of the grove. I acquired male and female servants, and had servants born in my house. Yes, I had greater possessions of herds and flocks than all who were in Jerusalem before me. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the special treasures of kings and of provinces. I acquired male and female singers, the delights of the sons of men, and musical instruments of all kinds. So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 2:4-9).
Societies are governed by powers ordained by God.. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Rom.13:1-2)
As some of you know my wife and I are in North Carolina visiting my brother and his wife. We have been blessed with a safe journey so far. While driving around Wilmington I couldn’t help but notice the quantity and quality of the denominational “church” buildings.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul addresses edifying worship. The Corinthians, an extremely gifted congregation in the miraculous sense, lost their bearings in a tempest of languages and divine inspiration, thus making their public assembly a maelstrom of confusion.
In the letter to the Romans, after he had documented his own struggle with sin, Paul proclaimed, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” In the 38th Psalm David wrote, “For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” In the 40th Psalm, “For innumerable evils have surrounded me; My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; They are more than the hairs of my head; Therefore my heart fails me.” Peter told Christ in Luke 5:8, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” Paul, David and Peter- These are all men that could be described as men of faith. They were men who followed the Lord, who did His works, who kept the faith and all three lamented of their sin. Paul called himself a wretched man. David proclaimed that his iniquities numbered beyond the number of hairs on his head. Peter described himself as a sinful man.