1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

HOW TO USE THIS MATERIAL
(Necessary information in order to understand teaching the Biblical Worldview
Seminar)
Biblical Worldview Training
In order to reach the majority of the world’s population (over half of the population are
25 or younger), the focus of the Church needs to become how we strategically meet the
needs and understanding of this population. It takes different thinking processes to
think younger and an understanding of their world. Technology has drastically changed
our younger generation as a result of major technological advances especially in the
area of social media and the accessibility to the internet and cell phones. Our young
people know better of what is happening in other parts of the world (often
instantaneously) than anyone who is older than them. This has changed the surface of
the world as today’s world is flat to them and easily accessible.
The Church needs to rise up and meet the changing needs of our youth by being
informed of their world and offer a relational, transformational Jesus Christ to them. This
Worldview material is intended to help our youth understand how Jesus fits and is
involved in all areas of their lives. They need to know not only what they believe but
also why, and know that what they believe is Truth and not at all inferior to other
worldview thinking, as that is what some people who do not hold a Biblical worldview
want a Biblical thinker to feel.
The Worldview material is a course that stands on its own. It also is part of the Wise
Intentional Leadership Development (WILD) three levels of training. The first level is
WILD’s spiritual leadership training. The Worldview material is the second level and
the final level is those who have participated in the first two levels are able and
encouraged to teach level one. This training can be ongoing over whatever length of
time so desired or it can also be taught as individual training tracks at a conference.
There is no one way that the material has to be taught.
Ten Major Components or Disciplines (Areas of Life) of
a Worldview
We will study ten areas or major components that make up a worldview. These are
disciplines that are part of all of our lives, found in every society or civilization. How
someone looks at these components affects who and how he/she deals with life on a
daily basis. On pages 10 and 11, each discipline is quickly discussed and gives you an
understanding as to why these disciplines are important to understand Biblically.
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Under each of the 10 Discipleship categories, there is a question associated with that
particular Discipline to help answer why the Discipline is included in the Worldview
material. As you study the Discipline, answering the question will help give insight to
understanding that aspect of a worldview.
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Questions with each Discipline title
Bible Verses/Passages
The question you need to ask is what does or how does this verse/passage
relate to the discipline being discussed. You want to make your students think about
how God/Jesus would view the subject being discussed and why Jesus would answer the
way according to the scriptural passage.
You will have a number of passages in the material plus additional passages in
this teacher’s manual. Answers will be given in this material. You may find additional
verses that deal with the subject even though this material does not list them. Feel free
to use the additional passages listed or ones you find to enhance the discussion and
Biblical insight on the different disciplines. Please be careful to not take a verse or
passage out of context. It is easy to do as often we are not aware of the context or
content when using the particular verse/passage.
Whatever is placed in Italics in all of the Worldview sections, is not found in
the Students Edition of the Worldview Material. There are no answers given in the Bible
passages for the Student’s Edition.
MEDIA USE IN TEACHING WORLDVIEW
WILD provides media primarily in the form of DVDs to aid in teaching some of the
disciplines (areas) of worldview. In a number of the countries WILD serves, a WILD
DVD library has been established and these DVDs are available when there is the
means to show the DVD to your students. Listed are the names, a description of the DVD
content and under which discipline the DVD would function well as a teaching tool. The
young people in many countries use this form of media in their daily lives, whether it is
in a school setting or hanging out with their friends, looking for something to do. One of
the goals of this library is to keep expending the titles available to use, so it is the hope
of WILD to keep updating this list on a regular basis.
Amazing Grace – “From acclaimed director Michael Apted, comes the inspiring story
of how one man’s passion and perseverance changed the world. Based on a true story
of William Wilberforce, AMAZING GRACE follows his courageous quest to end the
British slave trade.” The movie shows to how one person’s worldview can dramatically
affect the world.
Amish Grace – “When a tragedy takes the lives of five Amish schoolgirls in
Pennsylvania, Ida, the mother of one of the girls, faces a profound test of faith. As she
begins to feel like an outsider within her own community, Ida must decide whether or
not to stay with the Amish and her beloved husband.” This movie deals with the
struggle with forgiving and reconciliation.
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Fireproof – “Calab Holt, a heroic fire captain who values dedication and service to
others above all else (is) allowing the most important partnership in his life, his
marriage, go up in smoke. This gripping story follows one man’s desire to transform his
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Invictus – “He was imprisoned 27 years for his heroic fight against apartheid. So what
does Nelson Mandela do after he is elected president of South Africa? He rejects
revenge, forgives his oppressors and finds hope of national unity in an unlikely place:
the rugby field.” The movie clearly shows what an impact a leader has when he/she is
the example, in this case, of forgiveness and reconciliation.
life and marriage through the healing power of faith and fully embrace the fireman’s
code: Never Leave Your Partner Behind.”
Gifted Hands – “Ben Carson overcame adversity and changed the world of medicine.
This true story is about a renowned brain surgeon who overcame obstacles to change
the course of medicine forever. Young Ben Carson didn’t have much of a chance.
Growing up in a broken home amongst poverty and prejudice, his grades suffered and
his temper flared. And yet his mother never lost her faith in him…That faith would be
his gift – the thing that would drive him to follow his dream of becoming one of the
world’s leading neurosurgeons.” This movie shows also that faith and a person’s
worldview can have great impact especially in the area of that person’s abilities.
Courageous – “Four men, one calling: to serve and protect. As the law enforcement
officers, the four men are confident and focused, standing up to the worst the streets
have to offer. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly
prepared to tackle: fatherhood. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left
wrestling with their hopes, fears, faith and fathering.” Excellent film dealing with the
Biblical worldview of family, marriage and the law.
Grace Card – “After police officer Mac McDonald losses his son in an accident, years of
bitterness and pain erode his love for his family and leave him angry with God…and
everyone else…Every day, we have the opportunity to rebuild relationships and heal
wounds by extending and receiving God’s grace.” Very good movie on Biblical
worldview of family, marriage and forgiveness.
The Passion of Christ – This is the “profound story of the courage and sacrifice
depicting the final twelve hours in the life of Jesus Christ”. This film is by far the best
representation of what happened to Jesus in those final hours as you compare the many
other films on Jesus.
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What Happens When You Die? –“Few people have taken the time to consider their
answers (to the ‘What If…?’ question), and most people do not anticipate being asked
such a question. Both disarming and challenging, “What happens when you die?” is a
great spiritual conversation starter.” The Four Killer Questions are used to follow up this
first question about dying and can be excellent to help people understand their eternal
state.
1. WHY STUDY WORLDVIEWS?
(adapted from Introductions to Worldviews by Bill Jack)
WORLDVIEW
I Chronicles 12:32 says, “Men of Issachar, who understood the times, knew what
Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.” The
Issachar tribal men studied what was going on in their world at that time,
understanding what was happening, so they knew how to properly respond and
affect their environment and world for Jehovah.
How Many letter F’s do you find in this sentence –
Years of Difficult Research are the Foundation of Some Fifty
Different Kinds of Discoveries.
There are 10 F’s. Ask your audience for the number they think are in the sentence. Take
a vote when you get a variety of answers. As you will get a variety of answers, that will
allow you to discuss that we can all be looking at the same reality and each see
something different. How we perceive something and say it is truth doesn’t mean it is
truth.
Everyone bases their thoughts and decisions on some kind
of worldview. Though we may not readily be able to indicate what our worldview
is, we do have a view of life that guides us. A worldview is like a pair of glasses. You
look through the lens to see better what you are facing. Your worldview is a way of
understanding the world and your place in it. It helps us begin to understanding
God, the world, and people’s relationship with God and the world.
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It is a compass. When you are lost in woods or bush, what would you use?
Circumstances don’t affect a compass. Only one true North…There is moral truth. These
are transcendent truths. Thus when we study this material, there is one true moral
compass and that comes from the Bible.
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What is this?
Being a Christian does not automatically mean you have a Biblical worldview. It takes
time, reading the Bible, meditating on God’s Word, discussing the Bible with other
Christians and having the Holy Spirit guide us into truth, in order for a Christian to
develop a renewed mind (Romans 12:1-2).
When you become a Christian, God does not pull out your old brain and replace it
with a brand new one. Instead, God works with the brain He originally gave us and
uses His Word to penetrate our minds, challenging the thoughts we had as an
unbeliever, developing new thought patterns and ultimately changing our behavior.
God is interested in every area of our lives, and in every segment of society. He
wants us, as believers in Him, to influence the world around us as salt and light (from
Matthew 5:13-16). He has spoken about life in His Word and wants us to think like
Him in these areas of life, being the example to the world on how to deal with life in
every way.
Our Worldview Shapes Our Thinking.
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(This is a filing cabinet. What things are spiritual and what things are
secular – Unbiblical way of thinking. Nothing remains neutral – Everything has a moral
value. Everything we think, say, do, buy, - everything we touch has a moral value.)
There should be no difference between the secular world and the sacred world for a
Christian (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). God has reconciled, forgiven us by the sacrifice of
Jesus on the cross and as believers of that truth, we are to tell others that they, too,
can be reconciled (made right) in their relationship with God. Being a representative
of God, each one of us has become an ambassador for Jesus and the fact that we are
spiritual, having been made in the image of God, whatever we do has spiritual
ramifications. There is no separation between our “spiritual” life and other things we
do in life.
The roots of the tree are your worldview, how you think. The trunk is
the values and priorities of your life and the fruit and leaves of the tree are your
lifestyle, actions and values that flow from your worldview. By your fruit you will be
known. You cannot see your worldview but it comes out in your fruit.
Every idea or thought has some sort of consequence, whether positive
or negative. Think of the following two men – William Wilberforce and Adolph Hitler.
Each had ideas stemming from their worldviews but opposite effects on the world.
Recall what the worldviews of 19 young Muslim people had on the world on
September 11, 2001.
(What you and I think really matters.
Good ideas =
good consequences. Bad ideas = bad consequences.
William Wilberforce – Believed slavery was wrong and fought for years to abolish
slavery in England. Eventually the parliament voted to abolish slavery and that decision
affected the United States 40 years later. Adoph Hitler believed that the Jewish people
were not to be considered as humans worth living and as a result of his thinking, over six
million Jews died because of his worldview. September 11, 2011 - Worldviews
slammed into the
Trade Center with the thinking that “Infidels go to Hell, I as a Muslim, go to heaven.”)
Two Questions Everyone Wants Answered
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(These two questions shape your worldview)
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WHAT IS THE NATURE OF GOD? &
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF MAN?
All worldview fall into Four Basic Categories:
Atheism
(Marxism)
Pantheism
(New Age, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American, African
Traditional Religion)
Polytheism
(Ancient Greeks, Mormonism)
Theism
(Judaism, Islam, Christianity)
Do not be fearful , some truth will come from each category. Truth is
God’s truth. If it is true, it will always be true because it comes from God.
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Black Mamba
God wants us as believers in Jesus to be dangerous to Satan. If you live biblically,
you will live a black mamba, a very deadly snake found in Africa. Live a life where
you never are challenged spiritually or willing to live a godly life; you won’t get hurt,
there will be no challenges and you will not be a courageous Christian. Rather live
your life in such a way that brings glory to God and you are impacting your friends
and society for Jesus so that one day He will say to you, “Well done, good and faithful
servant”, when you get to heaven.
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Worldviews like Islam, Secular Humanism, Cosmic Humanism and Postmodern are
working to persuade Christians to think and believe in something other than Biblical
Christianity. It is a spiritual fight to capture the minds of young people for their
viewpoint (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). Scripture indicates we are to think on the things
from God and to believe in what God has said, with every part of our being. Satan
does not want us to be thinking that way. Getting a Christian to think in something
other than Biblical Christianity is a victory for the enemy.
2. Awesome (Black Mamba) Questions
to Use to Impact a Conversation
(from Bill Jack)
“Non-Christians seem to have the advantage in our cultures. We, as Christians, are
sometimes intimidated by or even afraid to talk with many atheists, new-agers, Muslims
and evolutionists. Too often, we fear we will not have the answers to their tough
questions. Be encouraged.
As Francis Scott Key, the author of the United States national anthem wrote, “ I do not
believe there are any new objections to be discovered to the truth of Christianity. Men
may argue ingeniously against our faith, but what can they say in defense of their own?”
You can learn how to engage people in conversation without fear. You can learn how to
ask them to give you a reason for the hope they say they have. These four questions
will help to destroy the secular thinking that is encasing the minds of friends, relatives
and others. Learn to destroy sloppy, secular arguments without destroying the person.”
Bill Jack
You may want to practice having your audience share these questions with each other.
They are simple, thought-provoking questions that will challenge the thoughts and
understanding of what many people simply take for granted because they never truly
thought through what they believe. These questions are tools to help people ultimately
think about Christianity.
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3. Who Will Teach You
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When you are having a conversation with someone and the person brings up a term
or an idea that stems from their worldview perspective, ask any of the following
questions. By asking these questions, you are in control of the conversation. One
question leads to another question and if the person becomes angry, simply stop
asking questions.
1. What do you mean by…? OR What you are saying, when you say…?
2. How do you know…?
3. What difference does… that make in your life? Or so what?
4. What if you are wrong about what you believe… and you die?
This story reveals that someone or something will teach you a worldview through
which you will look at life potentially that way the rest of your life.
“In the 1400’s a weakened Christian culture found itself under constant attack by a
growing Muslim culture. As Amurath I, ruler of the Ottoman Empire, conquered
more and more territory, he decided that if one-fifth of the spoils of battle were the
Emperor’s share, he should also have a right to one-fifth of the captives. “Amurath
instructed his troops to choose the smartest and strongest of the sons of Christian
families he had captured. These boys – as young as seven years of age – underwent
training in everything from agriculture to statesmanship.
“Many Christian parents voluntarily turned their sons over, treating such slavery as a
‘scholarship’ that would guarantee food, supervision and education to their children.
What they didn’t seem to realize – or just ignored – was that the young men were
being indoctrinated in a fanatical ideology and shaped into a brutal fighting force.
They were called the Janizaries.
“Over time, the power of the Ottoman Empire grew, while that of eastern Christianity
declined. In 1453, hordes of Muslim Ottoman Turks surrounded Constantinople, the
seat of the Eastern church. Sultan Mehmet II, a ruthless and shrewd commander just
23 years old, led the siege with 100,000 troops, including 70,000 trained infantry and
cavalry, 20,000 skirmishers known for their love of raping and looting, and 10,000
Janizaries. “A mere 7,000 troops rallied to the defense of Constantinople. They were
well-trained and desperate to protect their families, but weeks of pounding attacks
made Mehmet’s victory inevitable.
“Just as the exhausted defenders steeled themselves for Mehmet’s final onslaught,
they were frozen by the blood-curdling screams of thousands of young voices:
Mehmet had unleashed the elite Janizaries. These young warriors swarmed against
the walls, found a breach and charged through, wreaking havoc and slaughter. “The
Janizaries had no idea – or didn’t care – that their swords were drenched with the
blood of their own families.
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Your worldview shapes how you look at everything in life and truly affects your
decision making processes. The reason why Nebuchanezzar took the young Hebrew
boys (Daniel 1), the Communists pursued young people and why Muslims have built
schools in Africa and Asia is your young mind is moldable, transformable and
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“Someone will train the next generation. The questions is who, and for what
purpose?”
HANDOFF - Jeff Myers
impressionable so that the ideas and viewpoints of that particular worldview will
change how you think and ultimately affect how you behave in every area of your life,
just like the Janizaires.
Christians need to mentor you in ways to understand why you believe what you are
suppose to believe as Christians. Over half of the population of Africa are people 25 and
younger. Whatever worldview captures their minds will control Africa in this next
generation as the young people will soon be the ones in control of government, law,
education, medicine and business. The Church of Jesus must rise up and aggressively
and intentionally pursue the young people if we want to see their generation won for
Christ. You cannot just help lead a person to salvation, we must disciple them to help
them renew their minds and be controlled by Jesus, by the Holy Spirit.
4. First Three Chapter of Genesis
The Christian worldview stands or falls on the accuracy of the Bible. Actually, if you
could destroy or disprove the first three chapters of Genesis, the rest of the Bible
would fall apart, and be simply a good story book!
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Ten Disciplines in the First Chapters of Genesis (p11 - Thinking Like a Christian,
Teaching Texbook, 2002, David Noebel )
•
Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” – is
value-laden with theological and philosophical ramifications;
•
Genesis 2:9 – “the knowledge of good and evil” – contains ethical ramifications;
•
Genesis 1:21 – “according to their kinds” – biological;
•
Genesis 2:7 – “the man became a living being” – psychological;
•
Genesis 1:28 – “be fruitful, and multiply, fill the earth” – sociological and
ecological;
•
Genesis 3:11 – “I had forbidden you” – legal;
•
Genesis 9:6 – “Whoever sheds man’s blood” – political and legal;
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Ten disciplines or areas of study in life are found in the first chapters of Genesis.
These are the areas we will discuss over the next portion of this material. In each
discipline we will look at the Biblical response or view of that area, then contrast the
Biblical view to the Islamic, Secular Humanism (Atheism), Cosmic Humanism
(Buddhism, Hinduism, African Traditional Religion, Native American Spiritism and
New Age) and Post Modernism. This study will help you to understand how
Christians are to think in these areas and then also understand how and why people
of other worldviews look at life. You will see the differences between Biblical
thinking and the rest of worldviews and why Christianity offers hope, peace and
ultimately salvation, the forgiveness of sin and the hope of eternal life.
•
•
Genesis 1:29 – “This will be food for you” – economic;
Genesis 10:1 – “These are the family records of Noah’s sons: Shem, Ham and
Japheth. . .” – historical.
After working our way through a systematic analysis of the ten major components of a
worldview, our studied conclusions are that:
• In theology, the evidence for the existence of a personal and holy God, a designed
universe, and an earth prepared for human life far outweighs any argument for atheism
or pantheism. In theology, Jesus Christ is “the entire fullness of God’s nature”
Colossians 2:9.
• In biology, the concept of a living God who creates life fits the evidence better than
any notion of spontaneous generation and evolution. In biology, Christ is “the true
light” (John 1:4; 11:25; Colossians 1:16).
• In psychology, understanding people as inherently sinful beings in need of a Savior
far outweighs thinking of them as inherently perfectible and guilt-free. In psychology,
Christ is “Savior” (Luke 1:46-47; Titus 2:13).
• In ethics, the concept that right and wrong are absolutes based on the nature and
character of a personal, loving, just God is far superior, both theoretically and
practically, to any concept of moral relativism. In philosophy, Christ is the logos of God
(John 1:1).
• In sociology, the biblical family of father, mother, and child transcends any
experiments in trial marriages, homosexuality, and the like. In sociology, Christ is
“Son” (Luke 1:30-31; Isaiah 9:6).
• In law, the notion that God hates the perversion of justice is far superior to any theory
of legal relativism or positive law. In law, Christ is lawgiver (Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:7).
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• In economics, the concept of stewardship of private property and using resources
responsibly to glorify God is more noble than the notion of a society in which common
ownership destroys individual responsibility and work incentives. In economics, Christ
is Owner of all things (Psalm 24:1; 50:10-12; I Corinthians 10:26).
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• In politics, the Christian belief that human rights are a gift from God protected by
government is more logically persuasive, morally appealing, and politically sound than
any atheistic theory that maintains human rights are a largess of the state. In politics,
Christ is “King of kinds and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16; 1 Timothy 6:15; Isaiah 9:6;
Luke 1:33).
• In history, the veracity of the Bible and its promise of a future kingdom ushered in by
Jesus Christ are far more credible than vague, utopian, global schemes dreamed up by
sinful, mortal human beings. In history, Christ is “the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation
1:8).
(p170 – Thinking Like A Christian)
A VIEWPOINT ABOUT THE CHINESE INVOLVED IN AFRICA
“The Chinese are Our Friends”
From the book, Dead Aid
“Revealingly, despite some of the negative headlines about China’s emergence in
Africa, in surveying some ten African countries (Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya,
Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda), the June 2007 Pew Report
(entitled Global Unease with Major World Powers) finds that the balance of opinion
regarding China is decidedly positive, reflecting, to a large extent, the widespread view
that ‘China’s growing economic power has a positive effect on respondents’ own
countries, especially in the developing world’. More specifically, four important points
emerge from the surveys on how many Africans view the Chinese.
“First, across the continent, favorable views of China (and its investments in Africa)
outnumber critical judgments by at least two to one in almost every country. In Ivory
Coast and Mali, more than nine in ten have a favorable view of China, and positive
opinions dominate negative ones in Senegal and Kenya, where 81 percent view China in
a good light. Three quarters of those surveyed in Ghana and Nigeria hold an approving
view, as do two thirds of Ethiopians. In Uganda, twice as many have a favorable view of
China as unfavorable (45 percent to 23 percent, respectively) In terms of trends, in just
the past year, favorable attitudes towards China in Nigeria rose 16 percentage points
from 59 percent to 75 percent.
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“Third, across Africa, China’s influence is seen as growing faster than America’s, and
China is almost universally viewed as ‘having a more beneficial impact on African
countries than does the Unites States’. For example, although the vast majority of
Ethiopians see both China and America having an effect on the way things are going in
their country, China’s influence is viewed as much more positive than America’s. By a
61 to 33 percent margin, Ethiopians see China’s influence as benefiting the country,
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“Second, in nearly all African countries surveyed, more people view China’s influence
positively than make the same assessment of US influence. Majorities in most African
countries believe that China ‘exerts at least a fair amount of influence on their countries’.
In Ivory Coast, Mali and Senegal significantly more notice China’s influence than
America’s (79, 83 and 72 percent for China, versus 65, 66, and 54 percent for the US,
respectively).
whereas America’s influence is viewed as more harmful than helpful, with a 54 to 34
percent margin, respectively. The margins are even more pronounced in Tanzania,
where 78 to 13 percent believe Chinese influence to be a good thing, while 36 percent
view America’s influence as a good thing versus 52 percent a bad.
“Even where countries view both Chinese and American influence as beneficial, China’s
involvement in Africa is viewed in a much more positive light than that of the US. For
example, 86 percent in Senegal say China’s role in their country helps make things
better, compared to America’s 56 percent. A similar pattern is noted in Kenya, where 91
percent believe China’s influence on their economy is god, versus America’s 74 percent.
“A final point worth highlighting is that, across much of Africa, China’s influence is
already as noticeable as America’s, and is increasing at a much more perceptible pace
than America’s. In Senegal, 79 percent see China’s influence as growing, as opposed to
America’s 51 percent. Survey results are similar in Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Mali.
“Indeed, not only are the benefits of China’s African presence acknowledged, but they
are also being spread more widely. Traditionally, China was narrowly focused on
resource interest, benefiting only a few. However, as discussed earlier, in recent years
China broadened its investment horizons (now encompassing other sectors) and people
are benefiting from the trickle-down effect of its resource investments – employment,
housing and better standards of living. For many Africans, the benefits are too real –
there are now roads where there were no roads, and jobs where there were no jobs.
Instead of staring at the destructive desert of aid they can, at last, see the fruits of
China’s involvement, the latter clearly a factor in Africa’s posting a 5 percent growth rate
in recent years.”
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THE MATERIAL ON THE FOLLOWING AREAS IS FROM
“UNDERSTANDING THE TIMES” by DAVID NOEBEL, 2006,
REVISED 2ND EDITION and “THINKING LIKE A CHRISTIAN” by
DAVID NOEBEL, 2002, BROADMAN & HOLMAN PUBLISHERS,
NASHVILLE.
THEOLOGY
Is there a God, and what is God like?
For a discussion on Christian theology, you have BASIC THEOLOGY 101 that can be used
to discuss the Christian faith. It is not in the Student material because not every group
will need to go through this. It will depend on where your audience is at in their
spiritual growth. Also as you go through the other Nine Disciplines, there will be a great
deal of Christian theology incorporated in the discussions. If you are not sure where
your audience is spiritually, it would be then wise to share this BASIC THEOLOGY with
them.
Also for Islamic Theology, the section toward the end of this manual, titled, ISLAM VS
CHRISTIANITY will offer some very good insight to Islamic theology. Also going through
the other Nine Disciplines, will offer a fair amount of this theology.
The Bible. Written by not less than 36 authors, over 1,600 years, inspired by
God to write down the words of God. The Bible is the only written revelation
which God has given to man; holy, infallible Word of God – II Timothy 3:16.
2.
God.
A. Always existed – Genesis 1:1 B. Nature of God.
1)
Spirit – John 4:24 –
2)
Person – Exodus 3:14; Matthew 11:25 –
3)
One God – I Timothy 2:5 –
4)
Trinity – Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; II Corinthians 13:14;
Romans 1:7; Hebrews 1:8; Acts 5:3-4 –
C. Attributes.
1)
Omnipresent – Jeremiah 23:24 –
2)
Omniscient – Proverbs 15:3; Matthew 10:29 –
3)
Omnipotent – Matthew 19:26 –
4)
Eternal – Psalm 90:2 –
5)
Unchangeable – Malachi 3:6 –
6)
Holy – Proverbs 15:9, 26; Isaiah 59:1-2 –
7)
Just – Psalm 119:137 –
8)
Love – John 3:16; I John 4:8 –
3.
Christ.
A. His deity.
1)
Attributes:
a)
Preexist – John 17:5 –
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1.
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BASIC THEOLOGY 101
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
4.
Holy Spirit.
A. God – Acts 5:3-4 –
B. Lives in believers – Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 3:16; Acts 1:8 –
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C.
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B.
b)
Omnipresent – Matthew 28:20 –
c)
Omnipotent – Revelation 1:18 –
d)
Omniscient – John 21:17 –
e)
Unchangeable – Hebrews 13:8 –
2)
Works of God performed by Christ:
a)
Created all things – John 1:3 –
b)
Upholds the universe – Colossians 1:16 –
c)
Raised Himself from the dead – John 2:19 –
3)
Titles:
a)
God – Hebrews 1:8; John 20-28 –
b)
Demons recognized Him as God – Mark 1:24 –
c)
Declared Himself to be God – John 10:30 –
His incarnation.
1.
Predicted in Old Testament – Isaiah 7:14 –
2.
Conceived by Holy Spirit – Luke 1:35 –
3.
Born of a virgin – Matthew 1:23 –
Truly man with a body (Hebrews 10:5), soul (Matthew 26:38), and spirit
(Luke 23:46) –
Came as human to reveal the Father – John 14:9 –
Destroyed sin by the sacrifice of Himself – Hebrews 9:26 –
Destroyed the works of the devil – I John 3:8 –
His Work.
1)
Death:
a)
Necessary – John 3:14 –
b)
Eternal purpose – Hebrews 10:7 –
c)
Provide salvation for man – Ephesians 1:7 –
d)
Was a substitute for us – I Corinthians 15:3 –
e)
Was sufficient – I John 2:2 –
2)
Resurrection:
a)
Completed the work of the cross – Romans 4:26 –
b)
Resurrected body was real – Luke 24:39; John 20:27 –
c)
Appeared at least ten times after resurrection –
500+ witnesses – I Corinthians 15:6 –
3)
Ascension – Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9 –
His offices:
1)
Prophet – John 1:18 –
2)
Priest – Hebrews 4:14-16 –
3)
King – Psalm 72 –
5.
Man.
A. Created by God – Genesis 1:1, 27 –
B. Nature – body, soul, spirit – I Thessalonians 5:23 –
C. Free will –
D. Man is sinful – Genesis 3 –
6.
Sin.
A.
B.
C.
D.
Origin – Isaiah 14:12-14 –
Result = Death – Romans 3:23; 5:12-18 –
Penalty – Romans 6:23a –
Remedy = Jesus – Romans 6:23b; paid the penalty – John 3:14-16;
I Peter 2:24 –
7.
Salvation.
A. Free gift – Ephesians 2:8-9 –
B. Needed because of man’s sin – Romans 3:10-12; 5:12, 18-19; 6:16;
8:5-8; Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 17:9 –
C. God is holy (Isaiah 6:6; I Peter 1:16) and no unrighteousness can be in
His presence (Exodus 34:6-7).
D. How to receive this gift:
1)
Believe – I John 5:9-10; Romans 4:5 –
2)
Repent – Luke 13:3; Acts 17:31, 20:21 –
3)
Acceptance – John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; Romans 10:9-10 –
4)
Assurance – Romans 5:1, 8:1; I John 5:13; John 10:27-30 –
E. Eternal life – John 17:3; and peace with God – Romans 5:1 –
8.
Heaven and hell.
A. At death, if a believer, soul and spirit go to heaven – II Corinthians 5:8;
Philippians 1:21, 23 –
B. At death, if not a believer, soul and spirit go to Hades/hell –
Luke 16:19-31 –
C. Hell:
1)
Lake of fire – Revelation 14:11; 20:11-15; Mark 9:43-48 –
2)
Own choosing – John 3:17-20; Romans 5:6, 8 –
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D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
Bears witness of being a believer – Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:6;
I John 3:24; 4:13; 5:6 –
Teacher – John 14:26; I Corinthians 2:13; I John 2:27 –
Guides into all truth – John 16:13 –
Leads believers – Acts 10:19-20 –
Called Spirit of Truth – John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; I John 4:6 –
Called Comforter – John 15:26 –
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C.
D.
9.
Heaven – Genesis 1:8, 17; II Corinthians 12:2-4; Isaiah 14:13-14;
Luke 24:38-39, 51; I Peter 3:22; Hebrews 1:3; Revelation 21:4, 10-27 –
Unity of believers.
A. Jesus is the head of the church – Colossians 1:18-19; Ephesians 1:22-23
B. All believers are members of the Body of Christ – I Corinthians 12:12-17
Secular Humanism
Atheism denies there is a supernatural God. According to Humanism, people are the
highest of all beings and truth. Knowledge rests in science and human reasoning.
Humanist Manifesto – There were three papers (Manifest I (1933), II (1973), III
(2000)) written that laid out the secular humanist worldview with the key theme in
each being, there is no belief in God. No deity will save us; only people can save
themselves. The understanding of science and reason will drive people away from
the Christian point of view of creation. Man sets himself up in place of God but this
view takes away all sense of purpose, no justice in the end, no promises of eternal
life. Life here on earth is it.
BLIND FAITH
by
Bill Jack
Everyone has faith.
II.
A few things the atheist must believe on faith.
They separate faith from reason.
1. That there is no God. “It is reasonable to believe there is no God.”
2. There are no absolutes. Outside of man there are absolutes, whereas
within man there are no absolutes. 1 Samuel 15:29.
Three places an atheist can look for morality:
a.
Society – “look to the majority opinion”
b.
Within oneself – I change and so my morality changes.
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I.
17
When you meet someone who says that he/she is an atheist, there is checklist an
atheist must follow to be a true atheist. If the person disagrees with one of these
points, then the person is not a true atheist and more like an agnostic, a person that
does not really care that there is a God and has no interest in learning about God.
Help atheists be consistent atheists because all other worldviews will break down.
Help them think through the logical progression. They will begin to see their
worldview (hopefully) fall apart. This is proactive – Offensive apologetics – Ask
others to defend what they believe. Get the bad worldview off the person before
letting them see the good worldview. Create reasonable doubt.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
III.
B. F. Skinner
Skinner was a psychologist who studied people’s behavior. He
believed in behaviorism, that your environment dictates your behavior. This
means that your physical environment triggers a physical response in your
brain (synopsis firing). You rob a store because of your environment. Don’t
jail the person, simply reeducate him and put him in a new environment.
Manipulate the environment until you change. Remember there is no free
will so there are no choices involved.
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4.
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3.
c.
Nature – 1) Survival of the fittest. Whoever is the strongest,
survives. This is pretty messy which is the highest law of nature.
A woman named Margaret Sanger said certain people are human
weeds (stupid non-white). Some people are not fit to reproduce, just like
Adolph Hitler’s thinking. She agreed with the Third Reich regarding
euthanasia with the Jews.
2)
Morality changes as nature changes.
Denies an afterlife – no heaven, no hell, no angels, no demons. An
atheist relies on the five senses for knowing things.
Life has no purpose – Chance is the way life is, like rolling dice. You
embrace a positive view of evolution to survive in this view. Why do we
pursue meaning to our lives? Just eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow
we die. Heroism should get thrown out with an atheist. Why take on
suffering, why suffer for something if no meaning, why sacrifice? Why
get into a monogamous relationship, pay bills, etc.?
No miracles. - The only thing you experience is with your five senses.
Atheism states that the 500 people who saw Jesus resurrected were
either lying or delusional (deceived).
Man has no soul. Humans have emotions like love but these are simply
chemical responses by hormones.
Man has no conscience. Your parents or your environment told you
that there is right from wrong, not what the Bible says (Romans 2:14).
Then again with atheism, there are no absolutes so there is no right from
wrong.
Mind and thought are not real. This raises the mind/body issue. Is there
something that animates you? According to atheism, what happens in
the brain is we have synopsis firing which cause chemical releases and
so we do what we do according to chemicals being released. Therefore,
we are not really responsible for our actions because it is simply
chemicals in our brains that cause our actions.
Free will and dignity are thrown out.
One problem with this thought is you are assuming what is right because, as
a behaviorist, you can’t say what is right and wrong. It may not be wrong to
rob stores (no absolutes). What difference does it make? Another good
question.
A second problem is I don’t have a free will either, so I can’t decide what the
right environment is. We are simply products of our environment. Freedom
and dignity don’t apply anywhere.
IV.
What to take out of this:
You cannot keep faith and reason separate. Also we need to take our faith
everywhere and everything we think, see, listen to and learn must be put
through our worldview glasses. If you take your faith with you, you will face
persecution!!
Cosmic Humanism (New Age Movement)
The value of Christianity, Islam and Secular Humanism is nothing but hot air. For
cosmic humanists, everyone is a god and god is every individual. This is tied into
consciousness. By achieving unity of consciousness, all people can be brought into
harmony of all the power available to us as we will all be gods. This worldview
promotes Pantheism which says everything is God and God is everything. There
are lots of gods everywhere.
The view of Reincarnation is everyone’s soul was present in other form like an
animal, person, plant earlier in history, and that it will become some other form once
this present body dies. The soul strives for godhood in other bodies and we keep
coming back until we reach that godhead.
Postmodern
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As for the Emergent Church, this is a fairly new Christian movement which is
incorporating elements of postmodernism within their theology. For example, some
common emerging characteristics include (1) a critique of the negative aspects of
modernism; (2) strong emphasis on community; (3) strong emphasis on putting one’s
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This worldview is a reaction against Marxism violent revolutions and a continuation of
Marxism as far as atheism, socialism and punctuated evolution. Yet recent
philosophers of postmodern have softened up on strict atheism and allow theism
(belief in a god). Religious Pluralism says we should be tolerant of all religious
beliefs because no one religion can be true. Religious beliefs are simply private
preferences so there is no absolute truth, only preferences. That way all religious
preferences are covered. Reality is what it is whether one prefers that reality or not.
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faith into action; and (4) a reminder that not all truth is propositional – for example,
the story of “the good Samaritan” expresses the same truth that is found within the
proposition “love your neighbor.” On the other hand, several troubling traits are
also emerging: (1) a denial of the Bible’s inerrancy; (2) a skepticism of foundational
knowledge; and (3) an orthodoxy that is perhaps too generous.” (p82-83 –
Understanding the Times)
ETHICS
What is right?
Biblical
You cannot separate Ethics from theology because Ethics is grounded in God’s
character. Ethics is the study of good and evil, right from wrong. When you study
Biblical ethics, you are studying the nature of God and His attributes. External moral
order is a reflection of God Himself.
Moral absolutes illustrate there are absolute ethical standards that exists for all
individuals, for all places regardless of culture, and true for all time. See the material
on Absolute Truth. Rejecting moral absolutes means you are rejecting God as each
absolute draw us to the character and nature of God.
When you reject moral absolutes, you are also saying morals are situational. I am
justifying my actions. It’s an excuse to do what we want, saying it is moral. What is
good for me may not be for you. We bring morals to a level of opinions, yours versus
mine. Leaders can quickly abuse and misuse their power. My “tribe or people
group” is superior so we will exterminate your “tribe or people group”.
It does not matter what rules of good we put into place. Those will not be used when
we deal with judgment from God. God’s absolutes show us where we Sin. That is
where Jesus comes in. He is our salvation. The Bible shows us we cannot attain moral
perfection by ourselves. By showing our imperfections to us, at the same time, God
gave us the solution – Jesus.
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(As you read through these passages, you want to answer the question, “What is right?”
and also discuss how does this passage of scripture affects or impacts the understanding
of ETHICS in today’s world.)
21
“Muslims believe that moral norms are arbitrary, a product of God’s decree, and
therefore can change as God chooses. Marxists and Secular Humanists rely almost
exclusively on their economic or naturalistic philosophy to determine ethics.
Postmodernists argue for a morality based on shared “community” values, and Cosmic
Humanists assume that everyone acts morally by following inner truth determined on an
individual basis. Christians, on the other hand, believe that moral norms come from
God’s nature or essence. Rather than believing in some passing fancy bound to
society’s ever-changing whims, as Christians we are committed to a specific moral
order revealed to us through both general and special revelation.” (p128 –
Understanding the Times)
Genesis 1:26-31 – God created humans in His image and to rule over God’s creation.
Exodus 21:22-23 – There has to be consequences to doing wrong.
Psalm 139:13-16 – God created each one of us and actually formed us. What does this
say to the discussion of abortion?
Matthew 7:12-13 - Do to others what you would want done to you. Ethical relativism
leads to destruction.
Romans 1:18-32 – When your focus of worship is anything but God, you can easily
develop a depraved mind and things get worse from there. God will give people over
to their sinful lusts.
I Corinthians 6:9-20 – Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and not meant for
sexual immorality. (Also see the discussion of this passage in Sociology.)
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Islam
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Additional passages
Genesis 9:6 – If you murder, there is retribution.
Genesis 19:1-19 – Perversion of sexuality is wrong and God will deal with it.
Exodus 20:1-17 – Ten Commandments
Leviticus 18:22, 20:13 – Homosexuality is wrong.
Deuteronomy 32:39 – God gives life and takes life.
Job 42:1-6 – What God does is right and His ways are beyond our understanding.
Psalm 12:8 – The wicked are greatly tolerated and proud when evil is honored.
Proverbs 14:12 – There is a way that seems right to a person but it only leads to death.
Proverbs 16:25 – (Like Proverbs 14:12)
Proverbs 24:11-12 – Let those who are perishing know that they are perishing.
Isaiah 5:20-23 – Woe to those who call evil, good and good, evil, pervert justice, etc.
Jeremiah 1:5 – Like Psalm 139:13-16.
Amos 5:15 – Hate evil, love good.
Mark 1:41 – God wants to take care of us, including, sometimes, physical healing.
Romans 12:9 – Hate evil, love good. ( Similar to Amos 5:15)
2 Corinthians 4:18 – We focus on what is unseen and eternal.
I Timothy 1:10 – Sin is contrary to sound doctrine.
Hebrews 5:14 – Distinguish right from wrong.
James 1:27 – Take care of those who truly need help, like orphans and widows.
James 2:14-17 – Actions must accompany your faith.
Historically, Muslims derive their ethics from the Koran and Hadith. The Koran
contains commands Mohammad followers must obey. The Hadith presents
Mohammad as an exemplary human, whom Muslims must imitate. He was
commissioned by God to teach God’s word and lead an exemplary life, being Islam’s
best role model in piety and perfection.
Morality comes from Mohammad’s actions so whatever he did was right. The Koran
teaches God cannot ultimately be known, contrasting the Bible basing morality in
God’s character. In Islam actions are good because God chooses to call them good.
Moral goodness comes from God’s decrees and can change as God chooses.
Five Pillars are the basic moral obligations of Muslims –
A.
Confession of Faith – there is no God but Allah and Mohammad is his
prophet.
B.
Prayer – five times per day, facing Mecca, Muslims are to pray. Prayer
brings a daily rhythm to a Muslim.
C.
Fasting during Ramadan – During light hours, Muslims are to refrain from
food, tobacco and sex.
D.
Almsgiving –give at least 25% of annual income to poor, which goes to
Muslims, promoting a generous lifestyle.
E.
Pilgrimage – expected to make one journey to Mecca in your lifetime. Thus
everyone is equal before God.
(In addition)
F.
Jihad – battle against temptation and sin – self-control, and second battle is
against any who oppose Islam (the infidel). Die in Jihad and you are
guaranteed Paradise and scores of perpetual virgins.
There is a final judgment and your deeds will be weighed in a balance. Good
deeds are to help tip the scale. Hell awaits those whose scales tip negatively. Thus
Jihad, a very good deed, is a very attractive solution to the final judgment!
Secular Humanism
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Morals are relative to the individual and situation because there are no absolutes.
Chaos can quickly result! Rights and wrongs are determined by the situation you are
in. What is the most beneficial course of action to take? Being the loving wonderful,
self-centered people we are, I will most often chose what will benefit me. In the
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Man makes the rules, not God, because there is no God. Secular philosophy says we
treat all morals as relative, but the truth is secular society treats some abstract values
(such as justice, love and courage) as consistent morals. They abhor the Nazi
holocaust, abuse of children and the genocide in Rwanda and Burundi.
truest sense there is no standard whatsoever for right and wrong. Even if a humanist
says something is good, can it really be good? Again, there is no standard, so truly
there is nothing good. Help atheists be true atheists! (See Blind Faith)
There is nothing to encourage or guide people to act responsibly. Everything is
relative. (Yet all rules and laws come from some moral truth or absolute). There is
no standard by which we can judge our actions. Why be nice, why pursue the best
for our lives, why desire to be intelligent? It doesn’t matter! Whoever is in charge
gets to determine what is right (even though there is no right or wrong!)
Homosexuality and abuse (sexual, verbal, physical) are fine because of no moral
absolutes. Sexual experimentation, pre-marital sex and even those who are of the
best genes (who determines “best”?) to have sex for procreation is encouraged.
Cosmic Humanism
Morality is allowing each of us to listen to the “God within” to determine our own
ethical system, but holds no one accountable to our system. The only wrong is
judging others’ moral beliefs and actions. Free will is realizing that you are divine.
Moral relativism means no one may decide whether another’s actions are right or
wrong. Do not judge people’s beliefs or actions. Be tolerant. Ethics is relative to the
truth within us. Create your own reality according to what you feel is right for you.
Karma is the total effect of a person’s actions and conduct during each phase of a
person’s existence, determining the person’s next identity. Assume everyone acts
morally by following inner truth. If only what is right or wrong exists according to
personal truth, then there is no absolute right or wrong.
The New Age concept of unity is if all is one, then good and evil are one, no
difference between cruelty and non-cruelty (right and wrong). What may appear evil
in this life could be the reverse in a reincarnated existence.
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Cultural Relativism means truth and morals are relative to one’s culture. Morals are
based on “shared” community values. Members of a particular community govern
the moral choices its members are allowed to make. These standards are decided by
coercion and consensus. Morality is not connected to God so these morals
determined by the community can change and evolve according to the group like
abortion. For many years societies detested it. Now secular governments and its
people feel it is fine.
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Postmodernism
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25
A society abusing morals - For over 15 years, British physician and psychiatrist
Theodore Dalrymple cared for the poorest people in London’s slums. When free,
immoral sex was encouraged and promoted, it had profound effects on poor people.
“If anyone wants to see what sexual relations are like, freed of contractual and social
obligations, let him look at the chaos of the personal lives of members of the
underclass. Here are abortions procured by abdominal kung fu; children who have
children, in numbers unknown before the advent of chemical contraception and sex
education; women abandoned by the father of their child a month before or a month
after delivery … and serial step fatherhood that leads to sexual and physical abuse of
children on a mass scale.”
(p158 – Understanding the Times)
SOCIOLOGY
The study of how societies function. So then, how should a society be structured?
Biblical
How do we combat AIDs, poverty, unwanted pregnancies, drug abuse, influence of
other religions and spiritual cults, and crime? These are daunting questions many
people and governments are facing today. History has proven that if the family unit is
strong, a country or civilization will be strong. Start by developing the family
because family is most common and important structure of people. In the Biblical
worldview, an individual is more important than any institution or society. Everyone
is valuable and capable of making an important contribution to society.
C.S. Lewis a Christian writer felt atheists think a nation or civilization has to be more
important than individuals because, “the individuals live only seventy-odd years
each, and the group may last for centuries. But to the Christian, individuals are more
important, for they live eternally; and races, civilizations and the like, are in
comparison the creatures of a day.” (p95 – Thinking Like A Christian)
We have been created to be relational, social beings and thus need societal
structures to function. There structures (institutions) include marriage and family,
work (labor), government (state) and the Church. These structures have been
ordained or established by God.
According to the Bible, you are accountable for your actions because what you do
affects the society you live in, but also impacts the kind of society you want to live in.
We influence all the structures mentioned in the last paragraph. For example, gun
control is only as effective as the brain (person) pulling the trigger. In order for a
society to function well, we have to be responsible for our choices. That is called
accountability. Simply being a product of your society or the product of chemical
reactions in your brain takes away accountability and encourages chaos and anarchy.
Being created by God, we have been given a free will AND responsibility to choose
between right and wrong. How we handle our responsibility affects many others.
Thus, you are a valuable contributor to your society.
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Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “It is God’s will that there shall be labor, marriage,
government and church in the world; and it is His will that all these, each in its own way,
shall be through Christ, directed towards Christ, and in Christ. . . .This means that there
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In the following societal structures God has established, consider what is the Biblical
response for the family, (marriage, sexual roles & children), work, government and
the Church?
can be no retreating from a ‘secular’ into a ‘spiritual sphere.” (p97 – Thinking Like A
Christian)
Family (Marriage& Children)
Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-25 – God created men and women (in His image) to
procreate, have authority over the earth and be good steward over the other living
things of the earth. God saw that the man (Adam) was lonely so God created a
woman (Eve) for the purpose of companionship, procreating and establishing the
family unit. This union between a man and woman is just not sexual but also
emotional, social and spiritual, with the concept that Christians should marry other
Christians plus have a similar heart attitude toward serving God.
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Ephesians 5:21 – 33 – The marriage relationship was designed by God to be
symbolic of the spiritual relationship between Christ and the Church. We are told to
submit (willing to obey, be put under obediently) to each other in verse 21. So both
the husband and wife are to make the other spouse more important than themselves
(following the Philippians 2:3-5 passage) in their reverence and obedience to Jesus
Christ. Yes the wife is to submit to their husbands for the husband is the head of the
family, which means much more accountability for the husband before God when we
each give an account of what we did in our lives (Romans 14:9-12).
Then the vast majority of that passage focuses on how the husband is to love his wife.
Husbands are to love their wives just as Jesus loved the Church. He died for the
Church, making every need we had more important than any of His or even Himself.
Does that mean we are to die for our wives? It may not be physical death we are
called to but we are to put to death (lay aside) our wants and needs for the needs of
our wives. We need to make our wives more important than ourselves. This
passage says we are to love our wives as we love ourselves…and we love ourselves.
We want what is best and safest for ourselves. We want our needs satisfied first.
Thus we are to place our wives ahead of our own desires. If you do not know how to
love your wife, ask her. Make her more important than your work, ministry or fun
activities!
We are to treat our wives as the most important person in the world, doing whatever
we can for her, just like Jesus did for the Church, for us. Husbands are to cherish and
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Matthew 5:27-32 – Committing adultery, even in just your mind, is a great offense.
The sexual union between a husband and wife is made to be very special and unique
to that couple. (The section on sexuality in Absolute Truth gives some great positive
protective uniqueness’ to a marriage that God intended.) In Moses’ time, due to the
attitude of the people’s hearts, it was easy to divorce one’s wife and that carried
through to Jesus’ time. Jesus clearly indicated that except for unfaithfulness of your
spouse (and abandonment), divorce is not acceptable and if you divorce then and
remarry, you will be committing adultery.
nurture our wives, just like a mother bird hovers over her new babies, protecting
them from the weather and danger elements, providing for their needs and tenderly
and gently caring for the baby birds. When we treat our wives with tenderness,
gentleness, love and placing her needs ahead of our own, husbands will get the
respect from their wives that we so desperately seek and desire.
If husbands purse this with their wives, their families will be stable and fathers will
treat their children correctly and show them the example of how Jesus loves them.
Ephesians 6:1-4 - Children are to obey their parents even when they do not want to.
God has made it clear that children need to honor and respect their parents, as the
parents pursue raising their children honoring and positively fearing, respecting
God. Notice the warning is for fathers in verse 4. Dads are not to exasperate or
provoke (enrage or cause to get them angry). Make your children more important
than your work, ministry or play. When you have only rules and no relationship with
your children, you are pushing them to rebellion. Fathers must intentionally purse
building relationships with their children to where the children know that that their
fathers love their mothers and love them, primarily by spending time with the
children and often doing what the children would like to do. You need to get into
their world, listen to them, show them affection and be there for them when they
need you.
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I Timothy 3:1-9 – Though this was written for instructions for an overseer or bishop
in a church setting, the qualities discussed in this passage should apply to all males
and also women should pursue the same qualities. This discussion is not intended to
cause arguments from various viewpoints on some of the qualities. Rather search
your heart and seek whether you are intentionally pursuing to develop godly
qualities in your life. Ask yourself the questions that below and simply be honest
with yourself so you can develop in your personal holiness.
a. 1st qualification - blameless or above reproach
1. Why blameless? (Philippians 2:14-15) – Blameless does not mean sinless
but rather when you do sin, you make things right as quickly as possible. That
means seeking forgiveness from God for the sin (repentance) and when
necessary, to seek forgiveness, reconciliation and possible restitution with the
people you offended or sinned against.
2. What is a definition for integrity? Am I a person of character, of integrity?
Do I do in public what or how I live in private, when no one sees me? During
Jesus’ day, hypocrite was a theatrical term - big mask carried by the play actors
in Caesarea Philippi. That is what we are if we do not act or live in public the
same way we live privately
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Colossians 3:20 – Similar to the Ephesians 6 passage
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
3. Studies clearly show that the highest attribute people seek in their
leadership is integrity. How is my reputation among people? 1 Tim 3:7 - Do I
have a good testimony or am I not above reproach, lacking integrity with others
and thus fall into the devil trap, the trap that so easily ensnares a Christian
(Hebrew 12:1)
When it talks of “a husband of one wife” (3:2) – Polygamy was popular at the
time of this writing, so the question can be asked whether you have one spouse?
Yet it goes deeper than that. Emotionally or socially, do I entertain thoughts of
another woman or man? Do I have an emotional affair with someone other than
my spouse?
How do I handle the “little people” in my life? Do I take advantage of those under
me at home or at work or at school? Am I hospitable, fond of others, friendly,
approachable, putting others ahead of self (1 Tim 3:2).
At home - how do I treat members of my family (spouse, children, parents)??
With gentleness, care, compassion, (3:2 - not violent but gentle)
Do I manage my family well, (3:4), how important are they to me, do I build them
up, are their needs more important than mine?? Do I treat my children with
dignity and respect so they want to obey me; in other words, do I have a growing
relationship with them?
Is my behavior respectful of others; (3:2) Am I self-restrained with family, friends,
workers; not easily flying off the handle?? Am I reasonable with them, taking
seriously my responsibilities (sober - 3:2)? Am I demanding? Do I show
preferential treatment?
Do I admit wrong doing without being asked or pressured? What level is my
forgiveness (Matthew 6:14-15)? Do I quarrel and argue easily when I don’t get
my way? Is my attitude one of I am better than the other person? Can I keep my
mouth shut or know when to quit? (1 Tim 3:3)
Am I transparent and vulnerable, willing to be accountable to others from thought
life, to how I treat family member to workers to fellow students?
Do I cheat God with my money and talents (3:3)? Am I a lover of money, by
holding back because you never have enough or my goal is to have as many nice
things as possible? My possessions, are they God’s or mine?
When I have problems do I go to God for direction and help or “get medicine
right away” including alcohol (3:3), pornography, other drugs?
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Additional passages Exodus 20:12 – As part of the 10 Commandments, children are to respect and honor
their parents.
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Why does God speak about sex and marriage the way He does? (Check out the
section on Absolute truth.)
Numbers 1 – God had a census taken utilizing the family unit, stressing the importance
of the family
Psalms 68:5 – Family is very important to God as He says He will be a father to the
fatherless and defend the widows.
Psalms 112 – A man (or woman) who has a reverent respect and fear in the sense that
God is a holy, right, good judge of your life is blessed and will develop that relationship
with Him. He/she will pursue God with all their heart and greatly desire to honor, obey
and serve God the best way one knows how.
Proverbs 1:8, 6:20-24 – Listen to your parents
Proverbs 13; 13:24, 23:13, 29:15,17 – You as the parent need to gently and lovingly
discipline your children
Proverbs 31:10-31 – Though a wife need not do everything that is mentioned in this
passage, a wife who diligently keeps her family going and is a productive member of
the family is to be highly treasured!
Malachi 2:14-16 - God hates divorce and a broken home was never His original design.
1 Corinthians 6:15-20, 7:1-11 – Each of us is a temple of the Holy Spirit and as a result
has been bought with a high price, Jesus’ life. So when you get involved in sexual
immorality, you are sinning against your own body because of what the sexual union
does to a person physically, emotionally and spiritually. Getting involved immorally
damages what God originally intended for sex between a man and woman.
Colossians 3:18-19 – Wives, build up your husbands. Husbands, truly love your wives as
discussed in Ephesians 5.
I Timothy 5:4-7,9-14 – Families should be the first group of people to try to provide for
the needs of those in their families. If you do not or will not provide for you family and
closer relatives, you are not being obedient to scripture. If you are unable to provide
due to such things physical or economic issue, is not what is being discussed here. A
widow who is younger should be encouraged to remarry for reasons mentioned in the
passage.
Titus 1:7-9, 2:6-8 – Similar to 1 Timothy 3 passage. Older men should mentor the
younger men.
Titus 2:3-5 – For women, older women should mentor the younger women. Wives
should show respect and honor to their husbands.
Hebrews 13:4 – Marriage is very sacred to God and those who cause immorality to
destroy the marriage will be judged firmly by God.
1 Peter 3:1-7 – Wives, let your inner beauty, who you really are, woo and draw your
husband to you. Husbands, treat your wives with utmost respect, care and gentleness.
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Genesis 3:17-19 - After Adam and Eve sinned, God let Adam know that he and all
humans after him, will work and toil in order to feed ourselves. Work will not always
be easy and we will face adversity.
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Work, Labor
2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 – Essentially everywhere Paul traveled on his missionary
journeys, those with him and he worked for their food. They did this to be an
example to those they were ministering to. As Paul said, “If you don’t work, you will
not eat.” Again there are some situations where people are unable to work due to
sickness or natural disasters but the great majority of people in the world, should
work. Perhaps if we followed Paul’s advice and let people feel the pangs of hunger,
they would be much more motivated to work.
(More passages and discussion can be found under the ECONOMIC discipline.)
State, Government (Nation) Romans 13:1-7 – God has established all governments and we are to respect and
submit to the laws of the government. Government was set up by God to carry out
the laws and if you break the law, then you will face the consequences of your
wrongdoing. If you do right, you should have nothing to fear with the government.
Unfortunately that has not nor is now always the case. God will allow evil or bad
leaders of government to be placed into power because He will allow the choices
and decisions of the people of that nation to affect them, essentially face the
consequences of their choices. Governments have established laws that are contrary
to Scripture. At that point you must choose whether you will serve God or the
government and face the consequences from the government. (We can take an
example of obeying God over the government in Daniel’s life, found in Daniel 6).
Paying taxes is part of keeping a government operating, so we need to pay taxes.
I Peter 2:13-17 – This passage is very similar to Romans 13 passage. God has
established the governments to punish wrongdoers and encourage and commend
those who do good. Freedom is not free, there is responsibility that comes with
freedom. We are to serve each other and treat one another with respect.
Additional passage –
Psalms 33:10-11 – God is in control of all nations and He easily can change the plans of a
nation (whether that nation is godly or ungodly) for His purposes and plan will be
carried out.)
(More passages and discussion can be found under the LAW & POLITICS disciplines.)
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John 17: 20 – 23 – Jesus’ prayer for the Church is unity, oneness between believers
in Christ so that the world see the love we are to show to one another and the world,
then the world will also believe in Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-16 - The Church need to be the role model of true living and
community for the world to see. Through Jesus Christ the Head of the Body, the
Church makes all things happen. Those in spiritual leadership responsibilities here
on earth need to prepare God’s people to serve so that all Christians would be
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Church -
Islam
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spiritually developed and together we would be one in Jesus. Our goal then is to
mature in our faith and become the influencers and impacters in the world that Jesus
created us to be.
Colossians 1:13-20 – Jesus Christ is God and the head of the Church. Everything
exists and flows through Him. He has given us eternal life. He is the head, the leader
of us who have been forgiven of our sins and believe that He died and rose again for
us, being the only way to heaven reconciling us to a holy, perfect God. He created
all things and always existed. Jesus is our supreme God. He is all powerful and in
control of all things.
Additional passages:
Matthew 18:15-20 – When someone has done something against you, you go to that
person and see if they will seek forgiveness. If that person does not, take one or two
others with you and lovingly confront the person. If the person is still unrepentant, then
bring the person before the church and if the person is still defiant, then the church
needs to disavow any association with the person.
Acts 2:42-47 – The early Church showed us that we need to pray, discuss the Word of
God, to worship and fellowship together. We are to help those in need (both those in
the Body of Christ and also unbelievers).
Acts 20:28 – Spiritual leaders need to keep watch, protect the Christians we have
responsibility to and shepherd, guide the Christians to help them grow and develop
correctly in spiritual truths.
I Corinthians 5 – Christians are to discipline those who are involved in sinful activities
and not willing to change their behaviors (repent) to pursue and obey the character and
nature of God. Christians need to carefully carry out these measures, being mindful of
the motives or reasons we have in doing the discipline. We need to have pure motives.
1 Corinthians 11:17-26 – When a church offers the Lord’s Supper, people taking the
bread and drink need to realize that if there is ongoing sin or a wrong attitude toward
others, you can bring judgment from the Lord upon oneself. Performing the Lord’s
Supper needs to show great reverence and respect for what Jesus did for us as He was
willing to die for all of our sins.
1 Corinthians 12:4-31 – As a believer in Jesus Christ, each believer has at least one
spiritual gift that the Holy Spirit has given to the believer. How the Christian has been
gifted is important for all Christians are part of the Body of Christ. We Christians have a
responsibility and commitment to share and use our gift(s) to glorify God and also to
help the body of Christ function well. No Christian has all the spiritual gifts and so all of
us believers have an important role, carrying out our responsibilities not only to God but
also to other Christians. No one gift is more important than another gift. We need each
other.
Islam believes holds everyone personally accountable to God and guarantees the
fundamental rights of the individual. The Koran says men and women are spiritual
equals before God. Yet Islamic apologists say men are to care for women, not that
women are essentially inferior. A passage in the Koran 2:282 says that for testimony
sake, if you have a situation with one man and another person, if that person is a
woman, you need two women to testify with the one man. A tradition in Sunnah
describes women as less intelligent.
Marriage can be broken by divorce, mainly initiated by men. Men can have up to
four wives, plus unlimited concubines. Modern Muslims feel polygamy should not be
practiced. Mohammed had at least nine wives. No instance in the Bible dealing with
polygamy turned out well. God created monogamy with Adam and Eve. He also
prohibited Israelite kings from this, but many did not listen (Deuternomy 17:17, Jesus
and the Church – one bride (Ephesians 5:31-32).
Islam has a male dominated society or Patriarchalism, where women are to have
children, and her importance increases when able to produce males. Islam is a
comprehensive reality, meaning the state (government) is to be as much Islamic as is
the local mosque. Islam is a religion, but also a government. Turkey is Islamic, but
secular as a government. This does not sit well with some Islamic leaders throughout
the world.
Secular Humanism
Society is evil, humans are good, but this worldview cannot explain existence of evil
in society. Thus the society is insane and has corrupting influence on individuals.
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State-run child-care and policies are used to influence this worldview, encouraging
non-traditional family legislation with no Christian influence. The government
Classroom is the perfect way to teach that there is no need for the traditional family
and that in this classroom setting, the government will teach its value system and
what values can be tolerated and what ones cannot be tolerated.
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Humanists are intolerant of the Biblical view of family. Traditional marriage is
prime example of failure of Christian culture to provide freedom, encouraging human
potential and growth. Heterosexual monogamy is social slavery and no longer
useful. The feminist movement says the traditional family is outdated. Therefore the
Non-traditional family viewpoint encourages open marriage, trades, group marriage,
same-sex marriage, part-time marriage, and pre-marital living arrangements.
Non-traditional Churches can be set up to provide functions and services of a
traditional church but does not have the beliefs of the Christian Church. A great
example of this type of church structure is found in China.
Cosmic Humanism
Marriage and family is outdated. Divorce is an event where each person grew to
the point where they no longer needed its old form (marriage). Your sexual
preference is neither good nor evil. This is simply your evolvement of moving
forward toward godhead or higher consciousness.
In the Education field, many humanists are teachers. They want to reach the young
minds. This is where the worldview will win over the minds of the next generations.
Post-Modernism
Due to the fact that there are no absolutes, this worldview promotes that all Sexual
preferences or practices are equal and based on preference and sexual identity, not
physical characteristics like male and female. “Free love” is one of their main
features. Do whatever you feel is right and good for you, no matter what. Perverted,
deviant, abnormal sexual behavior is a personal preference. No moral judgments
are allowed. Marriage and the traditional family are no longer needed.
Educationally, the key is to focus on achievements of non-whites, females and the
poor. Be open to alternate ways of knowing. All truth is relative, the values of people
are subjective. You will find a lot of education focused upon themes of race, sex and
gender – non-traditional ways. Christianity is viewed with contempt and ridicule.
Christians are losers, suppressing people with archaic beliefs.
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In Society, it is necessary to get rid of God. The theme is “new ways of living.” We
are sexual animals and live as such so do whatever you want for you are an individual
and freedom does not include responsibility to others.
LAW
What is the basis for law?
Biblical
When a society does not consider law to be sacred, selfish desires quickly become
part of those laws. Every law ever written reflects either God’s or a person’s
morality. The Biblical view of law produces a legal system that doesn’t toss in the
wind of opinion and preferences. This system is constant, just and right. In order for
laws to be objective, the foundation of that law has to have a reference point that is
outside of us, which is from God. He is the absolute standard. When you put together
God’s general (revealed by nature and life) and special (Bible) revelations, we have
a structure for a legal system that is independent of human wisdom.
There are laws called Divine Law which comes from the character of God. The
problem comes when a judicial court moves away from instituting justice and
become a legislating body either by coming up with their own laws or allowing their
own selfish desires to wrongly interpret divine law. Then the court system is no
longer carrying out their duties following divine law.
(Have the students answer the passages in bold and below are listed additional verses
that you can use.)
The moral order proceeds from and reflects the character of God – His
holiness, justice, truth, love, and mercy. God’s moral order is as real as the
physical order.
3)
We are created in God’s image and so we are significant. Our life is not an
afterthought or an accident. God established human government to protect
human life, rights, and dignity.
Romans 13:1-7 – (See explanation in the Sociology Discipline)
1 Peter 2:13-17 - (See explanation in the Sociology Discipline)
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2)
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The foundation of Christian Law consists of five basic precepts
(p287 – Understanding the Times):
1)
The source of all divine law is the character and nature of God.
Psalm 19:9-11 –God’s laws are sure, you can totally trust them and they are of
the greatest justice and mercy.
4)
When Jesus Christ took on human form, human life assumed even greater
significance. God the Creator became God the Redeemer (John 1:14).
5)
God through Christ will judge the whole human race according to His standard
of good and evil.
2 Corinthians 5:10 - We will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and
will receive what we deserve for what we have done here on earth. Losing one’s
salvation is not an issue. It will deal with how faithfully we lived our lives.
“Noah Webster, great American politician from the 1800’s, ‘The moral principles and
precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions
and laws. . . All the miseries and evils which men suffer from – vice, crime, ambition,
injustice, oppression, slavery and war – proceed from their despising or neglecting the
precepts contained in the Bible.’
Webster explains the effects on human rights of ignoring divine law: ‘But as there is a
God in heaven, who exercises a moral government over the affairs of this world, so
certainly will the neglect of the divine command, in the choice of rulers, be followed by
bad laws and a bad administration; by laws unjust or partial, by corruption, tyranny,
impunity of crimes, waste of public money, and a thousand other evils. Men may devise
and adopt new forms of government; they may amend old forms, repair breaches, and
punish violators of the constitution; there is, there can be, no effectual remedy, but
obedience to the divine law.’” (p288- Understanding the Times)
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The Bible says judges should not hastily condemn an accused person. Due to our
sinful condition, it is possible to make human error in judgment. Restitution needs to
be made to the offended person when this happens. A Biblical legal system should
attempt to legislate morality only when order is needed to be maintained and human
rights protected.
Genesis 9:6 – Murder is wrong and a murderer must pay.
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Human rights have to be built from the Bible and tied into Biblical justice. With
freedom through Biblical rights comes responsibility to others. The moral
principles from the Bible are able to form the foundation for all constitutions and laws.
Any evil and misery someone inflicts on another is a direct neglect of Biblical laws
and rights. Whenever you neglect to follow divine law there will be corruption,
waste of money and lives, unjust laws and other terrible things because people make
laws then to suit their selfish ambitions.
Deuteronomy 1:16-17 - Hear the disputes between people and judge fairly
and respectfully.
Additional Passages
Deuteronomy 4:5-6 – Israelites were to follow the laws God gave them.
Deuteronomy 5 and 6 – Follow the Ten Commandments and loving God because of who
God is.
Deuteronomy 19:15-21 – Witnesses are necessary for justice.
Exodus 18:13-16 – Moses had taken care of all disputes as the judge of Israel.
Exodus 23:1-8 – Laws of justice and mercy.
2 Chronicles 20:6 – God rules over all the earth.
Psalm 1:2 – Delight in God’s laws and meditate on them.
Proverbs 29:2 – When the wicked rule, people groan. People rejoice when righteous
thrive.
Zechariah 8:16 – Speak the truth and render sound judgment in your courts.
Nahum 1:3 – The Lord is slow to anger, great in power and will not leave the guilty
unpunished.
Micah 6:8 – Act justly and love mercy.
Acts 17:31 – God will judge the world someday.
Romans 1:26-27 – Man will one day pay for the perversion due him.
Romans 2:12 – You sin under the law, you will be judged by the law.
Romans 2:16 – God will judge everyone someday.
I Timothy 1:8 – Law is for those who break the law.
Islam
Islamic law or Shari’ah Law is derived from the Koran and Hadith and applied to the
public and private lives of Muslims within Islamic states. These laws govern day-today life. Shari’ah Law does not come from Allah’s nature or character, unlike God’s
laws.
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Islamic law tends toward dictatorships and as a consequence, a lack of personal
freedom. Countries that have the highest regard for basic human rights and the rule
of law are not Islamic, but where Christianity has had the influence. Rarely have
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Fiqh is the human goal is to understand and apply these Shari’ah laws. From four
sources the laws are taken. The Koran is the foremost source and deals with food,
legal issues, family law, criminal law, rules about witnesses and contracts. Many
statements are ambiguous and addressed to specific historical situations. The Hadith
contains records of Muhammad’s practices and customs, or Sunnah. Muslim legal
scholars use the Sunnah to discern Shari’ah law when the Koran does not address
some law questions. The Ijma is from the first three centuries of Islam and one issue
the Ijma deals with is circumcision. Finally from the Qiyas, legal situations that the
Koran and Hadith do not address are dealt with in the Qiyas like alcohol consumption.
The Sunnis and the Shi’ites have separate legal traditions or schools.
Muslims had the freedom of expression. Other religions are restricted or prohibited
in their practices. “Malaysia is often upheld as the ideal model of a moderate Islamic
society, abounding in cultural and religious tolerance. But the façade of tolerance
disappears when ethnic Malays decide to convert from Islam to another religion.
Local, state and federal authorities regularly harass, arrest, kidnap and imprison
ethnic Malay Christians in an attempt to stop the growth of Christianity among
Malays. Five years ago, there were fewer than 200 Malay Christians among the
population of 28 million, and today there are thought to be at least 1000…., the
evangelism of Muslims is an offense punishable by fine, imprisonment or
both….Islam is more than a religion for indigenous Malays; it is their national identity.
And Muslims who try to leave Islam are subjected to many hardships, including
imprisonment in rehabilitation camps. The government considers any dilution of
Islam a threat to national security. (p 3-4, February, 2012, The Voice Of the Martyrs)
(For other stories of people being persecuted for their faith and to find out which
countries are very restrictive with Christianity, contact The Voice of the Martyrs)
Secular Humanism
Secular humanism legal theory is based upon no existence of God and humans are
perfectible evolving animals. Laws are produced by our own reasoning and
judgment. In addition, the environment is the cause of any evil we do. There is no
absolute moral code to be obeyed. Morality is continually evolving. Real animals
should enjoy the same rights as humans, meaning for some humanists, people are not
much above, or at all above animals (Hitler’s view of the Jews). For others, natural
law is basic and instinctive in human beings because we are evolving social animals.
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“To fit their evolutionary beliefs, some Secular Humanists simply redefine natural law as
an inner guide. Yet to maintain consistency between their worldview and their legal
theory, they must fully embrace legal positivism, which centers the creation of law within
the state. Alistair Hannay explains the dilemma of a theory of law that rejects the
Lawgiver: “Humanists naturally want to believe that we have moral obligations, duties in
some virtually legalistic sense, but not the product of arbitrary legislation, to one
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Legal Positivism approaches law from a belief in human reason. That means laws
are rules made by humans and that there is no inherent or necessary connection
between law and morality (even though all laws have some standard of morality in
them). We make our own set of rules. We are products of our societies. The
government is the ultimate source of legal truth since it is the government that
carries out laws, not people. Real problems result when governments take
advantage of their positions as the ultimate source of legal truth and power, acting
like a god, placing people at their mercy (like communism). Secular Humanism
cannot say that all people are created equal and were given certain rights by God.
another. But on what can the belief be based?” Because its base is evolutionary theory
(and the whims of the state), legal positivism results in an arbitrary legal system that
discourages obedience and grants the state virtually unlimited authority.”
(p301 – Understanding the Times)
Cosmic Humanism
Self Law is the legal perspective that actions are lawful if they come from the God
within and unlawful if imposed by an outside authority. Once we all achieve
collective consciousness, we will act as co-creators of reality. Everyone works by
their own authority, because God is in us and all good comes from God. Following
rules other than inner truth (from outside authority) we sacrifice our godhead.
Postmodernism
Western law grew out of Christianity and the Enlightenment reflecting a white man
bias. These laws hide or disguise the white man’s bias. Women are totally taken
advantage of. So it critical to determine what the bias is, finding the subjective
meaning no matter what the law’s objective is. This is called the Critical Legal
Studies Movement.
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Feel free to share this story if your students have heard of global warming…
“One current issue that illustrates the Postmodern use of stories is global warming.
Although empirical scientific data show no significant temperature increases worldwide,
pressure from the radical left has been exerted on the United States to sign an
international global warming treaty. Some of the pressure comes from creating stories
that appeal to the emotions. For example, the film The Day After Tomorrow is an
emotion-charged story about what will happen when global warming gets out of control.
The film does not deal with facts about whether global warming is an actual threat to the
planet; it simply assumes it is and builds the story from there.” (p314 – Understanding
the Times)
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Work to figure out how the law contributes to unequal power for race and gender
issues. Then take out the absolute truth from the law, so you can use law to get what
you want. Laws are no longer God-ordained objective standards by which to judge
behavior and maintain order, but a devise to get what you want. Focusing on race,
gender and cultural politics in a legal system opens that system up to any whim.
Logic and reason are white male bias. Facts and empirical data mean nothing. Story
telling is a major tool used as this opens up multiple points of view and varied
interpretations using rhetoric, not logic.
POLITICS
What is the purpose of government?
Biblical
Government is an institution established by God for the primary purpose of
promoting justice for its citizens and protecting the innocent from aggressors and the
lawless, punishing the guilty. The government is to protect and preserve the rights of
all people against our sinful tendencies to destroy those rights. Without some
legislating or order, people would push their rights, infringing on others.
Everyone is created equal by God. He is the absolute standard and guarantor of our
unalienable (not to be taken or given away) rights as humans because our rights are
based on God’s moral law, His character and nature.
Jeremiah 27: 5-12 - God made the nations, the powers. All nations serve Him
and He can take anyone out of power and put someone in.
Romans 13:1-10 – God establishes all authorities (governments). You rebel
against authority, you rebel against God. Rulers should hold terror only for those
who do wrong. Be afraid if you do wrong, so there has to be consequences for
wrong-doing. Paying taxes are a part of having a government. Governments
need to promote loving your neighbor as yourself, for God is love and a
government that stresses love is living out the nature of God.
Power corrupts, so it is important that power is dispersed to many people creating
checks and balances or disaster results. Some governments follow a three-branched
model. Christians should welcome opportunities to be involved in government with
the goal to influence the government to follow God’s will and design. Government
should not interfere with freedom of religion, control family size, nor interfere with
raising children or control the economy. If our governments are not governed by
God, they will be ruled by dictators.
Isaiah 33:22 – Some governments like the United States, Zambia, Uganda
Namibia and Liberia follow the three branched model set forth in this verse
(judge – judicial, lawgiver – legislative, king – executive)
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We must be responsible for our own actions even though we have freedom. With
freedom comes responsibility to respect others and their rights. We need to
determine what is best for everyone within the parameters set in Scripture. It is not
wise to blindly follow government leaders. They are not like God who is perfect.
That is one reason why voting is so important and a fundamental right. When it
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I Timothy 2:1-2 – Pray for those in leadership and power over you.
comes to obeying God’s laws versus men’s laws, we must follow God. Make sure that
man’s law does violate God’s laws before you take such a bold step to choose
between the two.
Daniel 6:1-16 - See notes from chapter one of Spiritual Leadership material.
One of the prime ministers (he being a foreigner) still sought God, no matter the
consequences.
Acts 4:1-20 - There are times God’s laws and man’s laws collide – choose God
like Peter and John did.
Additional Verses –
Exodus 18:19 – God wants order when dealing with disputes.
Psalm 103:19 – God has established His throne in heaven and rules over all.
Psalm 127:1 – unless God assembles the house, it will come crashing down.
Proverbs 11:11– People are blessed by the upright, wicked destroy.
Proverbs 29:2 – Like Proverbs 11:11
Daniel 2:20-21 – follows Jeremiah 27 passage
Matthew 22:15-22 – Believers are to respect governments and pay your taxes. The
struggle comes when the government uses the funds for ungodly purposes.
Acts 14:40 – everything must be done orderly.
Hebrews 13:17 – those over you must give account, obey them.
I Peter 2:13-14 – submit to authority for they are to carry out justice.
Islam
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There are four elements to why Muslims believe in this. First, Allah created the
world and Adam was a prophet of Islam. Though Adam and Eve ate the forbidden
fruit, their mistake was forgiven. Since then Allah has wanted to bring the world back
to the original Islamic state. Second, Allah has always provided prophets for all
nations, attempting to draw the people back to him, submitting to Islam through the
Koran and Hadith (Mohammad’s teachings).
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Islam has the vision to encompass the entire world through Jihad bringing all nations
under the Koran and Shari’ah law. The goal is to have a global Islamic world and
will set up national governments (or states) under the rule of Allah’s divine sanctions.
Though some Muslims have tried to soften the impact of Jihad, Jihad is aggressive
and offense-minded, pursuing this initiative through peace or force. Jihad is
Muhammad taught his disciples to conquer (by force) anyone who opposed them or
refused to become Muslims. Contrast that with what Jesus taught His disciples; to not
take up arms against those who opposed Him.
Third, all humans are born as Muslims. Many have gone astray and worship false
gods or deny there is a God. Fourth, Muslims hope and expect all nations to
eventually submit to Allah, having a global Islam. Refusing to believe the message of
Islam causes someone to potentially die. Dhimmis people tend to be non-Muslims
living in Muslim countries paying a tax called jizya. If these non-Muslims can’t pay
the tax, there is destruction and even death.
Secular Humanism
In secular humanism democracy is the highest form of government, but this will
never happen because in order for this worldview to exist at a government level,
there has to be a great deal of control over the people. This includes a woman’s right
to an abortion (controlling the number of children including gender in a family),
equal rights for women, disregarding traditional marriage in favor of same-sex
marriages, redistributing wealth to help the poor and heavy regulations on
businesses. This political tradition is called Liberalism.
A major goal is to have a non-religious one world government that would make and
enforce international laws. There would be no dividing up the world into nations so
as not to violate the world’s single eco-system. By pursuing one world government,
world peace is possible. This process can be attained through the United Nations.
The UN is always pushing for more power and being the entity that goes into a wartorn area to bring peace (which it may have never done). For more power and
cooperation, existing nations need to be disarmed of their present weapons.
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“A Secular Humanist world government is problematic for Christians. In the United
States alone, such a world government would seek to eradicate Christian symbols and
content from the public square by removing the Ten Commandments from public
schools, removing “under God” from the nation’s Pledge of Allegiance, replacing
Christian ethics with values clarification, replacing divine law with legal positivism,
replacing the celebration of Christmas with winter holiday, standardizing sex education
and alternative lifestyles into the public school curriculum, and disregarding references
in the Declaration of Independence to God-given rights.” (p336 – Understanding the
Times)
42
You will have a world Parliament (European Union is a model) which would enact
legislative policies in a democratic manner. People groups would then have to
compromise their viewpoints and ideologies, especially those of Christian and Jewish
worldviews, in order to agree. Tolerance of morals will be determined by the world
government which humanists believe they are the most tolerant.
Cosmic Humanism
New Age belief is humanity will eventually develop the capacity for world-wide selfgovernment because each person is evolving to the one godhead, a New World
Order. Each individual is divine and evolving the ability to govern him or herself, a
Self-Government. Evolving into higher consciousness allows this so we are
connected with the God inside of us, and ultimately connected into one.
Postmodern
The goal is social justice called Leftism. The focus is upon the individual especially
those groups of individuals who have been oppressed or perceived as victims of
social injustice (racial and gender orientation issues). This ideology advances the
interests of victim groups.
Radical feminism has identified all women as victims of male oppression so the
solution includes total sexual freedom. Change what used to be shameful or immoral
to what is now acceptable and progressive. The sanctity of marriage is now
backwards, oppressive and a form of slavery, whereas same-sex marriage is being
tolerant, positive and being open-minded of others.
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Identity Politics – This political ideology seeks to advance the interests of particular
groups in society that are perceived as victims of social injustice. “For example, radical
feminists identified all women as victims of male oppression. Once they had established
their case, then whatever was needed to free women from male domination was
considered politically correct. For radical feminists, the ultimate goal became women’s
equality with men, which means, among other things, total sexual freedom. (Children
are a burden and marriage is a form of slavery, counterproductive to a woman’s selffulfillment.) Abortion was declared a political right and women’s only means for sexual
equality with men – since men can engage in sexual intercourse without the
consequences of bearing children, women must have the same freedom and political
right.” (p350 – Understanding the Times)
ECONOMICS
What produces a sound economy?
Almost half of the world, over 3 billion people, live on less than $2.50
USD a day, 1 billion live on less than $1.00 USD per day.
Two billion live on $1.00 to $2.00 per day
One billion live on $2.00 to $4.00 per day
Biblical
Evangelism and Social Action – Hand in Hand
www.global/issues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
Understanding the Times – by David Noebel
Socialists tend to ignore the fundamental truth that wealth comes more from the
creativity and hard work fostered by free enterprise than from resources themselves. A
free market economy encourages wealthy to invest their wealth in productive
enterprises creating jobs, goods, and services available to others.
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“Theodore Dalrymple, in his book Life at the Bottom: The Worldview That Makes the
Underclass, graphically illustrates the causes and psychology of poverty. Dalrymple
worked as a physician and psychiatrist in the poorest areas of London, and contends that
poverty is caused more by people’s worldview than their lack of material goods or
money. He says, “[M]ost of the social pathology exhibited by the underclass has its
origin in ideas that have filtered down from the intelligentsia. Of nothing is this more
true than the system of sexual relations that now prevails in the underclass, with the
result that 70 percent of the births in my hospital are now illegitimate.” He continues, “If
blame is to be apportioned, it is the intellectuals who deserve most of it. They should
have known better, but always preferred to avert their gaze. They considered the purity
of their ideas to be more important than the actual consequences of their ideas. I know
of no egotism more profound.” The ideas Dalrymple cites as causing the abject poverty
of the inner city are ideas about sexual freedom. He says, “Intellectuals in the twentieth
century sought to free our sexual relations of all social, contractual, or moral obligations
and meaning whatsoever, so that henceforth only raw sexual desire itself would count in
our decision making.” The poor bought into the package and suffer accordingly.”
(p357 – Understanding the Times)
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Natural resources or raw materials by themselves, are not productive. They require the
application of human thought, ingenuity and energy to make them useful. Land by itself
produces only weeds and limited food. You need people creatively working with the
land so that it can produce enough fruits and vegetables to feed the entire community.
The Bible encourages working to earn a wage and owning property, being responsible,
but at the same time, being aware of needs around us, willing to help meet those needs,
not hoarding what we have. Acts 2:44-45 was a unique situation in the early church,
which does encourage a just means of distribution scarce resources, as socialists would
pursue.
When you own property, the likelihood of your taking responsibility and taking care of it
increases significantly. Private ownership actually discourages greed and envy, by
causing people to focus on the need to work and serve others, rather than accumulate
more for themselves. This encourages a more careful attitude toward scarce resources,
than does public property. We are warned in Scripture about being lazy and not
working. Paul consistently indicated and praised those who were working hard, not
being idle and lazy.
Economic competition encourages one to offer the best product they possibly can.
Everyone in a free market can produce a valuable good or service by specializing in
something, providing value to others, and increasing the worth of the person producing
the good or service. This can greatly stifle sinful tendencies, as the producer needs to
be on one’s best behavior, offering the best possible product to keep customers. If the
producer “steals” from his or her own product in some way, this will affect customers
willing to purchase the product.
Social Justice – Justice requires equality before the law, not equality of incomes or
abilities. The Bible deals with or shows inequality (Matthew 25:14-30). We do not
receive abilities and gifts equally, which in economics equates to people making more
money than others because of their abilities and opportunities. Also Paul was adamant
that if someone is not willing to work, don’t feed him. A moral society will encourage
and enhance everyone with opportunities to be productive, but not at the same level.
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We must help the poor, meaning if they got into poverty because of poor choices, let
them feel the consequences, but help them go in the right direction. If they got into
poverty due to accident, illness, other people’s choices, help them, whether financially,
resources or skills training or education, and give them Biblical equality.
45
Poverty – Scripture shows that poverty can result from different factors. Some factors are
a result of one’s choices, while other factors are misfortunes of life, such as accidents,
illnesses, injuries, situations out of the control of the person. Yes, the rich can also
exploit the poor, but poverty doesn’t always result from just that situation. In a free
market society, the wealthy ordinarily create more wealth, and that opens the door for
more jobs. In a socialist society, the wealthy are encouraged to hide their wealth from
taxation by hoarding it in the form of frozen bank accounts, luxuries, etc.
Capitalist society – Citizens are free to determine how they will spend their money, and
how to use their resources. In a socialist society, you need government to really step in
and control situations, people’s freedom and the economy. Economic freedom and the
right to private property are crucial for political freedom. Capitalism must respect the
Biblical requirement of equality before the law.
(Student’s edition)
We have heard that wealthy people do not care about anyone but themselves.
Though that may be true for some, it cannot be said about everyone who is wealthy.
Besides, how do you measure wealth? Or who is wealthy? Depending on where in
the world that question is asked, will give you different answers. The vast majority of
those living in the western world are considered wealthy in comparison to the rest of
the world. Yet most living in the western world do not consider themselves wealthy
and will prove it statistically with data generated by their governments.
Luke 12:13-21 – Be careful not to be greedy. Your possessions do no define
(letting people really see who you are) your life. Your priority is to grow
spiritually and gain in spiritual wisdom. That is the true riches. Do not hoard
your earthly possessions for you do not know how long you have on this earth
plus by not being generous, you are leading a selfish life, which is contrary to the
way Jesus lived His life. How much savings is too much? How do you become
greedy? Do you have to be rich to be greedy?
Philippians 4:10-13; I Timothy 6:6-10 – We believers are to be content
(to be satisfied) in whatever situation we are placed in, whether we have enough
to live or if we don’t. It means when we do not have enough or when things are
not going our way, we are not grumbling or complaining but have the attitude
that God knows what is happening in our lives and He is in control, sovereign and
worthy to be praised and honored no matter what is going on in our lives.
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Yet hard work and ingenuity will not automatically equal access to wealth. There are
many hard working, ingenious people living in developing or impoverished
countries that will never get out of poverty because of influences and circumstances
outside their control. The Bible clearly states that Christians are to take care of the
poor. For those who are poor due to circumstances and factors out of their control
46
Many people have gained some level of wealth by hard work and ingenuity. Healthy
economic competition breeds this. When you are in competition with others who
offer the same product or service, your tendency is to make your product the best
available so people will purchase from you. This motivation will often make you work
harder and where research and development are a part of the business or product
(like medical and technology), people will be desirous to invent, develop new
products that will be better than what is out there right now. You want the best
economical product available so people will purchase what you offer!
(disasters, government oppression, accidents or handicaps), Christians need to help.
For those who are poor due to personal choices and choose not to work, the Bible
exhorts people to work, earn a wage, not to be lazy but be productive. A person’s
worth normally increases when involved in a job, earning a wage.
I Timothy 5:17-18 – People who do work for you including those working for
you in ministry work, deserve their wage;
The Bible also encourages ownership of property and to be responsible to the people
around you. When you own property, most people do become more responsible,
decreasing greediness and envy. Just do not give someone fish to eat. Rather, teach
and show them how to fish. Then they will feed themselves for a very long time
without our intervention.
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Plus people are not created with equal talents and abilities. Different abilities do
affect making money and opportunities. How we use what we have been given is our
responsibility to God.
Matthew 25:14-30 - We are not given equal amounts of talent and wealth on
this earth. That is not the issue. What we do with what we have been given and
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Recent discussions on how Christians that have monetary funds available to help with
world missions centers around stepping away from the philosophy to simply send
money to take care of a situation somewhere on the mission field. Instead, be careful
of what supplies and items are sent to mission opportunities. Partner with nationals to
offer resources that the nationals cannot come up with on their own. Provide finances
that can get nationals into small business opportunities where they are the owners
and also then in a position to offer jobs to other nationals. Finally set up the finances
to be self-perpetuating.
Matthew 26:6-13 - The apostles grumbled at the woman (perhaps Mary, the
sister of Martha and Lazarus) who poured very expensive perfume on Jesus as an
anointing of His soon death. She understood what Jesus was about to face as Jesus
had previously announced it. This was a very special sacrifice she made for she
took something that was very expensive (a year’s wage) and gave it to Jesus as a
way to honor and worship Him. Deeds of benevolence are good and are always
in order especially like in the case of this woman, where she understood the
implications Jesus was facing. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading
when it comes to helping people who are facing a need or a spiritual crisis in
their lives. Do not simply do something because you are emotionally involved
and act because of your emotions. Rather be discerning from the Holy Spirit’s
leading so you obey the Lord’s leading in your life. This is not only for earthly
wealth and giving, but also in ministering to others, what you should say to
another and how to act or live out some situation in your life.
what kind of steward we were with them is how God will deal with us. (See
Chapter 10 in Spiritual Leadership material for more understanding.)
Wealth does come more from creativity and hard work but there are no guarantees.
Even having natural resources available to you will not guarantee stepping out of
poverty and into wealth. Natural resources cannot do anything by itself. These
resources need people to be creative and make the resources become a service or
product people will buy. A free market system does encourage those who have
wealth to invest so that jobs, services and goods produced result.
Matthew 6:19-21, I Timothy 6:17-19 – How you deal with or treat your
earthly possessions, truly shows your heart and where you are spiritually. If you
are sincerely trusting God with your life and earthly possessions, you will have a
generous, open heart to Him and others. If you are selfish and unwilling to share
what you have, then you are not trusting God to provide for your needs. It does
not matter the amount of money and possessions you have, even having very little
shows your heart. Invest in heavenly riches like developing a godly character,
being a person of integrity and generosity; grow in your faith and understanding
of who God/Jesus is. Those are the areas of life to aggressively pursue. We need
to live life here on earth with the attitude that we are preparing to live forever
with God in heaven and whatever we do and accomplish here on earth, is for our
time in heaven.
Luke 12:22-34 – Food and clothing should not be our primary concern. Who
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Additional Passages
Matthew 19:16-24 – Story of the rich young man who came to Jesus, wanting to know
how to get eternal life. The young man was working to keep all the commandments but
he was doing them out of duty, not passion or a devotion to God. The prospect of
abandoning his great possessions was so distressing that he failed to find the goal he
was seeking. The difficulty with wealth is it gives a false security and having wealth can
quickly own you, consuming your pursuit for eternal life. It is so easy to feel everything
is fine when you are surrounded by earthly riches. Giving possessions away can be very
difficult because what if you don’t have enough for tomorrow, or so we think.
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you are as a person is so much more important than what you have. Our goal in
life needs to be to serve the Lord and build His Kingdom. This does not mean we
will not face hardships and suffering but we need to get our priorities straight.
God is in control of the world (as He oversees nature) and knows what each of us
daily faces. Whatever level (little or a lot) of wealth we have, we need to have the
attitude of helping others. We are to be good stewards of what we have no
matter the level or amount. Seek to honor and pursue God. Make getting to
know Him your most important goal.
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Islam
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Mark 12:42-44 – Jesus showed a widow giving everything she had to God. She gave so
much more than those who were rich because what they gave, they would not miss nor
affect how they live. As for the widow, when she gave all she had, she was putting her
complete trust in God to take care of her. How much do we really trust God? It is so
easy to put our reliance on money rather than on God.
Acts 2:44-45 - In the early Church there was the willingness to sell personal possessions
to meet the needs of their fellow believers. This was a unique situation in the life of the
Church.
Ownership of private property – Exodus 20:15,17; Exodus 22:1-15; Leviticus 25:10;
Deuteronomy 8:6-18; Ruth 2; Psalms 49:16-20; Proverbs 31; Jeremiah 32:42-44; Micah
4:1-4; Matthew 13:44; Matthew 27:57-60; Acts 4:32-37; Acts 5:1-4
Don’t be idle with your hands, work!! - Proverbs 6:6-11 (Proverbs 13:4; Proverbs 24:3034) – Be like an ant and don’t be a sluggard which leads to poverty;
Proverbs 10:4 –Laziness can lead to being poor;
Proverbs 31:13-24 – (See section in Sociology under Work);
Matthew 4:18-22; 9:9 – Before they were called by Jesus, the future apostles were
working jobs;
Ephesians 4:28 – Don’t steal, instead work and help provide those who are needy;
I Thessalonians 2:6-9 – Wherever Paul traveled, he did tentmaking to earn a living and
keep food in his stomach,
1 Thessalonians 5:14 – Give warning to those who don’t work (when they can);
2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 (see section in Sociology under Work)
Faith and Actions - James 2:14-17; 1 John 3:16-18 – If you say you have faith in Jesus and
see a need that you can help fill and you don’t, what does that say about your faith? Talk
is cheap. Show your faith by your deeds, how you live your life. You say you love
others, show it by how you live.
Believers are to take care of the poor. We have an obligation to do so. - Deuteronomy
24:19 (Ruth 2:8-23)
Proverbs 11:24-26; 17:5; 19:17; 21:13; 22:9; 28:27;29:7;31:8-9
Matthew 6:1-4, 14:13-21, 15:29-38 , 25:37-40
James 1:27; 2:14-17
Be Generous in giving and how you conduct your life – Proverbs 11:24-26; Ecclesiastes
5:19; Luke 18:22; Acts 4:32-37; I Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8-9 (9:6-11); I Timothy
6:17-19; James 2:14-17; I John 3:16-18
Everything belongs to the Lord. In essence, we are simply borrowing what He gives us
while here on earth – Deuteronomy 10:14; I Chronicles 29:11; Hosea 13:6 Haggai 2:8; I
Timothy 6:17-19
Four fundamental principles guide the Muslim’s view on economics. One is Allah
is a single divine person, creator of Islam, the only religion and of the world.
Therefore all economic resources are to be used to develop unity among the Muslim
community and propagate Islam. Second, Muslims must take care of their poor with
the wealthy doing their part. Third, because of free will, a Muslim can choose to use
their resources for good or evil and is responsible for those actions and beliefs.
Last, responsibility is shown through generosity and almsgiving which is called
zakat, a minimum of 2.5% of a Muslim’s income.
The zakat is collected and distributed only to Muslims yet the great majority is
extremely poor. There are few Muslims well off making a small wealthy class that
rule many Muslim countries. You can own private property though it is not equally
distributed. Certain lands like forests and mines cannot be privately owned. You
work to own property. Dhimmis people are non-Muslims living in Muslim countries
paying a tax called jizya. If these non-Muslims can’t pay the tax, there is destruction
and even death. The money has been used to finance Muslim wars.
Secular Humanism
Some form of socialism is very appealing economic system if we deny we have a sin
nature. Socialism expresses having a community of mutual cooperation, sharing
work, resources and money. Yet history has shown governments have stepped in
and controlled freedoms and the economy. Private property and even the freedom to
choose what work you want to do are not to be as the view that there has to be equal
distribution of work and wealth to help the greatest number of people.
Socialism has failed to change people for the better. Utopia has never arrived
because they believe we can overcome evil without God’s help. In capitalism people
are free to determine how they will live and spend their money. To a socialist, giant
corporations are viewed as too powerful, needing to be controlled.
Post-Modernism
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Economic systems are only necessary in unenlightened societies. Having a higher
consciousness, cosmic humanists will achieve material success. Poverty disappears
as more people are led by God within. Greed and theft reveal a need for human love
and that too, will be wiped out. We will have self-government because God will be
guiding us from within! Everything will be good, fair and wonderful.
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Cosmic Humanism
Post-Modernism favors government intervention to redistribute wealth or welfare to
alleviate suffering. Capitalism and the male dominated society are the enemies of
social justice. We are constantly evolving, not really human so we are subjects,
bodies, units and no uniqueness between the sexes and of the person. There is no
self-identity and no permanent soul or mind. Work and work environments need to
be equal.
(The following pages are extra material to help understand the Biblical economic
response Christians need to sincerely wrestle through.)
Christian’s Response
Excerpts from “The Poor Will Be Glad” – Peter Greer and Phil Smith
It seemed the gifts from America, however well-intentioned, might cause more
problems than they solved. Both churches were learning a difficult lesson:
Compassionate responses to certain needs work well in the short term but are
insufficient for the long term. Effective obedience to the clear biblical command to
clothe the naked and give food to the hungry requires asking the question of how.
Thoughtless responses run the real risk of strengthening the chains of poverty that bind
captives around the world. (p51)
Joel Wickre, a board member of Blood:Water Mission, warns about how bad the
problem can become: People who are treated as helpless come to hold a lesser view of
themselves. People who believe they are “blessed to be a blessing” and not in need
themselves come to a lesser view of the people they serve. These victim and savior
complexes create a co-dependency that perpetuates the problems of poverty and far
outweighs any temporary relief such missions provide. . . Poor people understand that
getting help requires appearing helpless, and rich people unwittingly advance the
helplessness of those they serve by seeing them as objects of charity, not equals. (p53-4)
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Unintended Consequences
After the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, many Christian organizations were motivated to
rebuild this broken country. Following the example and admonitions of Jesus to feed the
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Giles Bolton, a veteran African diplomat, describes the difference between relief and
development: “In consumer language, [development] is a bit like making an investment
rather than an immediate purchase. . .[It’s a] much better value if it works because it
gives poor people control over their own lives and enables them better to withstand
future humanitarian disasters without outside help.” Both relief and development can be
appropriate interventions, but if we sustain relief efforts instead of transitioning to
longer-term development, we hurt the very people we are trying to help. (p57-8)
hungry, clothe the naked, and show compassion to the hurting, these organizations and
their dedicated people responded. Churches in America rebuilt Rwandan churches and
schools, sent food aid and supplies, and attempted to address the unimaginable
physical and psychological damage inflicted by the hundred days of terror. Several
years after the genocide, peace and stability allowed Rwanda to transition from a
country needing emergency assistance to one needing tong-term development.
Unfortunately, many churches and aid organizations failed to recognize this, leading to
frustrations like that encountered by a Rwandan names Jean.
After the genocide, Jean seized an opportunity to begin a small poultry business to
provide his neighborhood with eggs. He managed to scrape together funds to purchase
several fowl, and his business grew. Later, a church in America “adopted” the village
where Jean lived and worked. The church decided to donate clothes and supplies.
They also imported eggs from a neighboring community and gave them away.
Suddenly this one village was flooded with surplus eggs. It is not difficult to imagine
what happened to Jean’s business: people went first to collect the free eggs and bought
Jean’s eggs only when the supply of free eggs was depleted. The market price for eggs
plummeted in Jean’s village and, as a result, Jean was forced to sell his productive
assets, his chickens.
The next year, after Jean had left the poultry business, the church that had supplied the
free eggs turned its attention to another disaster in another part of the world. Jean’s
community had no capacity to produce eggs locally and was forced to import eggs from
a neighboring town. The cost of these eggs was higher than the eggs Jean had sold, so
both Jean and his village were hurt economically by the good intentions of one
American church.
Have you ever donated your used T-shirts to your local thrift store? Often these are
bundled and shipped to Africa. This business of second-hand Western clothing, called
the mivumba trade in East Africa, decimated clothing production in countries like
Uganda and Zambia that previously had thriving textile industries. Several other
countries, including Nigeria and Eritrea, have imposed significant tariffs on foreign
imports to avoid a similar fate. It is hard to comprehend that our used T-shirts could
harm local producers on another continent, yet the American church must learn to be
aware of such consequences in our increasingly interconnected world. (p58-9)
On a recent trip to Santiago, Dominican Republic, we met a woman who manufactures
bamboo savings logs. She cuts twelve-inch lengths of naturally hollow bamboo stems,
seals both ends, and then cuts small slits through which money can be deposited. She
described how most customers bury them or hide them underneath a piece of furniture.
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Saving Money
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A.
When asked if they ever put them under their mattresses, she laughed and cautioned,
“Everyone knows that’s where people hide extra money, so you really shouldn’t hide
your money there.”
Another creative savings method was discovered by a British nongovernmental
organization operating in Cambodia. At one point, its leaders noticed that many
Cambodians raise pigs, so they concluded that it must be a profitable business. Perhaps
they could help even more Cambodians to take advantage of pig farming. However,
after talking with several pig farmers and running the numbers, they were bewildered –
the local farmers were losing money on their pigs! The cost of raising the pigs
exceeded the income received when the pigs were sold. What was going on?
Further research revealed the truth: the Cambodian farmers were raising pigs as a way
to save a “lump sum” of money that could be used for school fees, weddings, or to grow
their business.
One Cambodian farmer explained it this way: “If I don’t have a pig to raise, each day I’ll
fritter away whatever money I have, partly by responding to the requests of relatives and
friends. In three months, I’ll have nothing more than I do now. However, if I have a pig,
I have to take care of it. I have to invest my daily loose change into the pig – I can’t allow
it to starve or get ill and die. After a few months of this, I’ll sell it and use the money for
my son’s school fees.” This farmer was using a literal piggy bank that could protect his
money from constantly diminishing in small ways.
This farmer’s loss on his pig enterprise is similar to the savings fees paid by Geetha, the
woman who “earned” a negative 30 percent on her savings. She paid that much to her
deposit collector to enjoy the benefits of a future lump sum. (p82-3)
B.
Savings and Credit Associations
1.
Microfinancing (MFI)
This system of accountability and support helps build strong borrowing groups and
communities that have a common goal: to lift their families and communities out of
poverty. (p105)
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After fees are included, the average annual interest rates on microfinance loans typically
range between 30 and 50 percent. To put it in different terms, I typically think of the
annual interest rates as being between 10 and 25 percent plus the rate of inflation for the
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What are the interest rates?
country involved. Although these rates seem high, they are similar to the rates charged
for unsecured signature loans in America. However, since the rates initially seem
outlandishly high to most people, and since high interest rates are the primary source of
criticism of microfinance, let’s delve more into the reasons behind them.
A base assumption of microfinance is that an MFI should become self-sufficient so it can
survive and service its customers for the long term. Although experts have different
terms for levels of self-sufficiency, a self-sustaining MFI would have enough interest
income to pay for inflation, defaults, and operational overhead. If the MFI does not have
enough interest income to cover these costs, it has to raise more money, take money out
of its loan base, or reduce its services.
Inflation is often the hardest factor to consider. It’s not an obvious expense that shows
up on the income statement or balance sheet. However, if its loan base is not increasing
by the rate of inflation, the MFI is going backwards. One statistic that can be misleading
is the inflation rates of different countries as given by various government agencies.
Bluntly, many governments, especially in developing countries, publish inaccurate
statistics. As mentioned earlier, loan defaults are generally low in MFIs, but even so, the
income from interest must cover the defaults, or the MFI’s capital base is reduced.
Operational overhead includes the cost of loan officers, back office people, computers,
travel, and other direct costs in the field. Even though these costs in many countries are
low compared to America, they are still high when compared to the size of most MFI
loan portfolios. Although tiny loans are involved, the entire loan process must be run
with high operational precision. If the payment is only $1, it must be recorded the same
as if it were a $100,000 payment. Another reason for high operational costs is that most
MFIs provide other services – such as training and insurance – that are built into the cost
of the loan. Furthermore, since loan officers travel to the clients, the clients don’t need
to spend the time and money traveling to cities where loans might be available. The
travel costs of loan officers who trek to distant towns and villages are reimbursed
indirectly through high interest rates.
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The MFI loan interest rate is not the crucial component in success or failure. Consider
the woman who borrows $50 and pays it off weekly over six months. Even at an average
interest rate of 50 percent per year, she only pays a little more than $6 in interest ($50 x
50 percent interest x ¼ year average outstanding). If she wisely invests the $50 in her
business, she very likely will make far more than that in net income. (p107-8)
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Borrowers are typically much more concerned about having access to loans than they
are about high interest rates. In most cases they have no other access to loans, and if
they do, the interest rates from their other options are higher than from microfinance
companies.
Does microfinance work?
This is the crucial question: Do the benefits of MFI loans justify the risks of borrowing? A
growing number of studies demonstrate that micro-finance loans increase income,
diversify income and assets, and decrease the vulnerability of poor families. (p111)
It all fell into place for me. Access to capital is the magic ingredient allowing even the
poorest person to make better business choices. Microfinance simply makes good
sense. Two important corollary points are worth noting:
1.
Borrowers highly value their loans and usually try to get one or more follow-up
loans. This means borrowers typically believe they are reaping substantial benefits
from the loans – a powerful testament to the potential benefits of this system.
2.
The penalty exacted by an MFI is less menacing than the threat of physical
violence from the local loan shark. If a loan is not paid back to a microfinance
institution, the penalties are loss of respect in the community, the ineligibility for followup loans, and the costs to co-guarantors who are required to pay back the loan. Those
are significant costs to be sure, yet pale in comparison to harsh physical harm or a child
being handed over for slave labor. (p113)
Microfinance has become a well-accepted technique to reduce poverty in developing
countries around the world. To summarize, microfinance allows the following:
•
•
•
•
Outside capital flows into poor communities, stimulating additional economic
activity.
Funds are recycled to other borrowers within the community, maximizing the
impact of funds.
Borrowers typically improve their incomes on a long-term basis.
Programs can be replicated to serve many borrowers. (p116)
Page
When Urwego’s clients in Rwanda meet for their weekly repayments, they receive
biblically based business training. This training had a powerful impact on one woman
who had a diseased cow. Euthanizing the cow would have resulted in significant losses
for her, so she tried to bribe a butcher to slaughter the cow despite its sickness, so that
she could sell the meat to unsuspecting customers. Before following through with this
plan, however, she participated in a biblical training session on ethics. She recognized
55
Microfinance institutions are utilizing their reach to inform clients and their communities
about everything from business training to the benefits of breast-feeding, from labor
codes to language skills. Clients and those in their communities can learn to be
healthier, productive citizens. When integrated with the church, this can deepen
relationships that point people to Christ.
the harmful impact of her plan, told her group about her change of intent, and was quick
to point out that the training is what made the difference in her behavior. (p122-3)
Youth
Compassion International and other leading Christian proponents of child sponsorship
faced a startling realization. They were helping children receive an education,
improving their nutrition, and developing their communities. However, what happened
when these children “graduated” from the child-sponsorship model at age eighteen?
Only a small number had an opportunity to attend university, and even fewer had
options for formal employment. In many countries, starting a small business is often a
person’s only option for employment. Was there a role here for microfinance and
employment opportunities to help youth make this transition?
YouthWorks founder Audrey Codera wanted to ease the transition youth face when
transitioning to adulthood. She recognized that although microfinance was flourishing
in the Philippines, there were few opportunities for youth to benefit from small loans and
savings services. She solicited family and friends to help provide the start-up capital for
three underprivileged youth who had solid business plans. After these three loans were
repaid, she recognized that entrepreneurial youth can effectively start small businesses
and should not be cut off from the burgeoning microfinance movement. YouthWorks
was born and is currently providing employment opportunities for over three hundred
youth. Amazingly, from the inception in 2006, the repayment rate for all micro-loans is
100 percent, helping to disprove the notion that micro-finance does not work with youth.
(p135)
Page
Christian microfinance institutions have the ability to demonstrate and deliver the
gospel message through the community bank model. In 2008, a research team visited a
variety of clients in Rwanda and asked why they choose Urwego over competing MFIs.
56
Imagine a community bank meeting held at an open-air church building in the
mosquito-infested jungles of Panama. The loan officer collects the weekly payments
from sixteen borrowers, and then she introduces a nurse to talk about mosquito nets.
The local preacher tells about another church twenty miles away where child deaths
have decreased because the church members started using mosquito nets. The loan
officer then informs the members that she has arranged for another nonprofit to
distribute nets for free. She points out that mosquito nets have drastically reduced
malaria among her other borrowers who use them regularly. Those influences alone
should be enough to get the borrowers to act; however, micro-finance makes adoption
even more likely. Because of the cross guarantees, every borrower is at financial risk if
other borrowers or their family members get malaria. Between the local pastor, a
trusted loan officer, and the social demands of microfinance, there will be immense
pressure to accept and use mosquito nets.
The answer was clear and consistent among randomly selected respondents: “Because
we receive the Word of God!” Staff members of microfinance institutions are effective
in sharing organizational “values and beliefs” that seem to be highly valued and prized
by clients and in sharing the good news of Christ. (p158-9)
Microfinance is but one piece of development –
Grants and emergency care are needed in post-conflict and post-disaster situations
since people can focus on longer-term issues, such as employment, only after their
immediate needs are addressed.
From a financial viewpoint, microfinance provides part of the foundation upon which to
build communities, but there also needs to be the next level of small and medium-size
enterprises as well as large corporations. All these work together, and the more a
country advances, the greater the opportunities for large-scale investments.
From a spiritual viewpoint, there is a critical need for further training of pastoral staff to
teach congregations how to responsibly handle increasing financial resources and how
to live out the gospel in every area of their lives. Economic prosperity will not
automatically lead to significant community and church improvement – in fact, the
opposite can occur. (p145-6)
Problems
2.
Organizations
Page
The most likely way to ensure acceptance is through the influence of trusted authority
figures in the community or local word of mouth. That isn’t easy when so many poor
people in the world are highly influenced by witch doctors or other local authority
figures whose importance would be greatly diminished by outside solutions. Sometimes
tradition and cultural norms are wise and reliable; other times they are simply harmful
and should be changed. (p154)
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One of the significant problems that MFIs face is the failure of past charity efforts. After
all, why should a villager take a loan that must be paid back, when it is possible another
charity might soon appear and simply give away money or goods with no strings
attached? And why should a village be expected to believe an MFI will treat them fairly
when other agencies seem to act in random or destructive ways? Without developing
trusted relationships, an MFI will find it difficult to get an opportunity to clearly explain
the opportunities and benefits it has to offer. The hopeful message of an MFI is often
poisoned by earlier charity, however well-intentioned that charity effort was at the time.
(p153)
Five Talents International - www.fivetalents.org
LifeWind International - www.lifewind.org
HOPE International - www.hopeinternational.org
Kiva.org - www.mixmarket.org
C.
Employment-Based Solutions
A problem the church has around the world is how to share the good news in “closed
countries.” These countries prohibit the entry of missionaries or individuals whose
primary purpose is sharing the gospel. Some of the prohibitions occur by strict laws,
while others occur by limiting visas. Employment-based solutions are often the best way
to gain entry into these countries. Without naming names, I know of many countries
which are highly repressed on political or social grounds but have allowed in
organizations and individuals bringing employment-based solutions. Although there
may be limits placed on the extent to which the gospel can be verbally shared, there are
few limits on modeling a Christlike lifestyle. (p203)
D.
Job-Training Programs
I once heard an expert say, “Job-training programs have done immense damage to the
poor in developing countries.” I was incredulous until he explained his logic (which
applies to America as well). He explained that job training is such an obvious way to
help people that many donors and governments spend huge amounts of money on jobtraining. These job-training programs are often set up to encourage people to attend
by paying a daily stipend. From an American’s viewpoint, this is an appropriate and
expected course of action. Yet many people in developing countries go from program
to program just to collect these stipends. In addition, these programs often train people
for jobs hat don’t even exist in their communities. (p219)
Opportunities
Page
2.
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E.
Business as Missions
1.
Business as Mission ventures are typically founded by people who have or can
obtain both the money and talent to start and run a business as well as a vision for using
those gifts to improve lives in the developing world. The business might be located in a
developing country, or it might be located in America in order to do business with
developing countries around the world. The basis difference between a BAM and any
other business is the intentional desire to demonstrate Christian principles. This does
not mean that a BAM must run evangelistic projects, but that the business intends to
exemplify the gospel of Christ. BAM ventures have the potential to improve the image
and reception of Christianity in hostile communities around the world as they bring the
universally accepted benefits of employment and profit to the local market.
Page
3.
Concerns
•
BAM is best suited for one role in the disciple-making process – demonstrating
a Christian lifestyle. Therefore, the disciple-making process will be best completed if it
acts in a coordinated manner with other organizations, especially local churches.
•
By its very nature, every BAM is a unique organization which is dependent on
specific owners and managers. It is difficult to replicate a particular organization in
other locations or countries.
•
A BAM might cause unintended damage. For instance, in most developing
countries, the production and distribution of food is inefficient and provides
employment for many people. If you started a supermarket in many cities, you could
probably reduce the inefficiencies in the system and make a profit. In doing so, you
might also provide a wider selection of cheaper food to your customers and provide fifty
new jobs, all of which would be wonderful for poverty alleviation. However, you might
also unwittingly reduce the income and destroy the jobs of hundreds of people in the
local economy and partially destabilize the community.
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•
Many BAMs focus on larger businesses which generate many jobs. Christians
living in developing countries may have an extra incentive for being employed by one
of these businesses since they might be discriminated against by those in other
companies who practice other religions.
•
BAMs have the potential to alleviate poverty in other ways than providing jobs.
By bringing outside capital and expertise into a community, a BAM can improve the job
skills of its employees, improve the incomes of other businesses, and help provide
information about markets and international needs to other agencies and organizations.
•
Businesses may seem to have more long-term commitment to an area than
missionaries or other evangelical activities, a perception that provides businesspeople
an easier opportunity to develop long-term relationships within the community.
•
Some countries are averse to allowing missionaries or overt evangelical
activities, but they usually welcome businesses that will increase the tax base and
provide true economic development.
•
If a BAM is done well, it demonstrates an integrated Christian lifestyle to a
watching community. These businesses provide the context to share the gospel in word
and deed to employees, suppliers, and customers.
•
If there is no indigenous church, business as mission can be a powerful part of
the strategic plan for church planting. . . Kingdom businesses provide the local church
and new disciples with models that they can easily understand and replicate. A new
believer can relate to and learn from someone who is working out their Christianity in
daily work life just like them. To the local church, the principle of empowerment,
sustainability and multiplication is modeled rather than dependency. In turn, new
Christian businesspeople are affirmed, strengthened and released to serve God and His
kingdom through business. (p227-9)
•
The managers and owners of these companies have two objectives which may
come into conflict. The first objective is to make a profit. To make a profit, owners and
managers will find it difficult to consistently demonstrate Christian principles and
practices to all parties, both inside and outside the company. These difficulties will
arise no matter how pure the intention to act properly because there are a nearly infinite
number of ways to demonstrate Christian principles and practices. For instance, once a
profit is made, how should profits be shared among the owners and employees? Should
prices be reduced so customers benefit? Should all the profits be donated to local
churches? What appears to be Christian witness to one person may appear to be
hypocrisy to another.
•
Because the intention to overtly share the gospel and the teachings of the Bible
vary greatly among BAMs, it is not always clear how local churches can work in
conjunction with them.
•
These businesses are privately owned and many fail. Success in business is
determined by depth of capital commitment, management abilities, market acceptance,
and many other factors. In America, the majority of new businesses fail within four
years. There is no reason to think the market will be any kinder in developing countries.
Acknowledging God in your business’s charter statement is no guarantee of success.
Just because the owner has good intentions does not mean either the market or God will
make sure the business succeeds. Normal business laws control these businesses as
well as all others. A failed BAM has the potential to do immense damage to the image of
Christ, the local church, and other Christians. (p232-3)
Page
Jim Wallis, of Trinity Divinity School outside of Chicago, and some of his classmates did
a little experiment. They went through all sixty-six books of the Bible and underlined
every passage and verse that dealt with poverty, wealth, justice, and oppression. Then
one of Jim’s fellow students took a pair of scissors and physically cut every one of those
verses out of the Bible. The result was a volume in tatters that barely held together.
Beginning with the Mosaic books, through the books of history, the Psalms and Proverbs,
and the Major and Minor Prophets, to the four Gospels, the book of Acts, the Epistles and
into Revelation, so central were these themes to Scripture that the resulting Bible was in
shambles. (According to The Poverty and Justice Bible, there are almost two thousand
verses in Scripture that deal with poverty and justice.)
(p24 – The Hole in Our Gospel, Richard Stearns)
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4.
Organizations
There are organizations which encourage and train Christian business-people to
become involved in BAM and other forms of business assistance. Two of these are:
Integra – www.integrausa.org
Partners Worldwide – www.partnersworldwide.org
Imagine that the water you fetched from the lake was teeming with deadly bacteria,
parasites, and waterborne diseases – that are literally killing you. This is the grim
reality for about 1.2 billion people in our world today. As many as 5 million people die
every year of water-related illnesses. A child dies every fifteen seconds of a waterborne
disease. This creates a no-win situation for millions of parents in our world today – they
can watch helplessly as their children die for lack of water, or they can watch them die
from diarrhea, because the only water they have is tainted.
Tragically, living without water has even more dimensions. Thousands of hours are lost
seeking and hauling water, especially by women. These are hours that could be spent
earning an income or contributing to the well-being of the family and community. This
same task affects children, too; millions of them are unable to attend school because of
the hours they spend fetching water. And because of the unsafe quality of their water,
many who can go school are chronically sick and struggle with learning. Some
waterborne parasites – Guinea worm, for example – can even result in crippling, and
bacterial diseases such as trachoma can cause blindness.
Despite the risks, women and children in developing countries invest two hundred
million hours a day fetching water. That’s equal to a full-time workforce of twenty-five
million people fetching water eight hours a day, seven days a week! The men, as
unremittingly ill as their wives and children, become less productive in their work, often
reducing the agricultural output and food supply of the whole community. Those whose
immune systems have been weakened by AIDS of tuberculosis are further ravaged by
waterborne illnesses, and it is estimated that as many as one-half of the world’s hospital
beds are occupied by people with a water-related illness.
Page
What about the average life expectancy for a child born today? In the United States, it is
seventy-eight. But for Sub-Saharan Africa, it is just forty-seven, and for the worst
countries, especially those impacted by HIV/AIDS, life expectancy is between thirty-five
and forty. This means that in much of Africa a teenager is already what we could call
“middle-aged.”
(137-138,140- “The Hole in Our Gospel”)
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If poverty is a web of interwoven causes that trap the poor, then surely disease is one of
the most vicious spiders patrolling that web – and one of the fiercest of the horsemen.
Just two statistics sum up the ravages of disease on the poor: child mortality rates and
life expectancy. In the United States and Europe, only about 2 out of every 1,000
children die before their fifth birthday. In Africa, on the other hand, 165 (16.5 percent)
of each 1,000 are dead by age five. And in Sierra Leone, the worst country in the world
for child mortality, 28.2 percent of all children are dead by age five. But as Bono said,
“We can be the generation that no longer accepts that an accident of latitude
determines whether a child lives or dies.”
PHILOSPHY
What is real, and what is true?
Biblical
Accepting the Bible as truth does not cause a Christian to disregard reason, though
faith does come before reason. Scientific findings and experience cannot be the
only sources of truth as secular humanism states. Christians believe Biblical
revelation is true and God would not mislead His children. We do put validity in
science. Yet poor judgments, biased decisions and mistakes have resulted in the
scientific world whereas God does not commit mistakes nor is biased. Biblical
writings can and should be checked against historical and archaeological evidence
to verify the writings.
“Humanists or atheists place their trust in certain findings of science and experience,
neither of which can be rationally demonstrated to be the source of all truth. Christians
also put some faith in science, history and personal experience, but they know such
avenues for discovering truth are not infallible.” ( p37- Thinking Like a Christian).
Acts 17:16-34 - At Athens, Paul found many who believed in a god and wanted
to discuss it. Those who wanted to discuss this issue with Paul met with the
Areopagus which was Mar’s Hill or more likely a council of men who supervised
religious and educational, philosophical matters. Athenians were worshipping
“to an unknown God” and Paul told them about the true God.
Colossians 2:3-8 - Be aware of hollow and deceptive philosophies and
human traditions and thinking.
Page
Modern science originally assumed that there had to be an Intelligent Designer of
the universe because everything from the smallest molecule (the sub-atomic) to the
galaxies in our vast universe behaves in an orderly, rational fashion under controlled
conditions, like gravity. Matter exists but it cannot be the end-all or ultimate reality.
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Four particular scientific discoveries support the conclusion that God exists: the
Second Law of Thermodynamics (the universe is running out of usable energy and
cannot be infinitely old), The improbability of spontaneous generation of life from
non-life (that life all of a sudden occurred by some random explosion or event),
Genetic information theory (due to how complex something like DNA is in our
bodies, this could not have resulted from chance but rather a designer) and the
Anthropic Principle (everything in the universe and Earth has the right conditions to
support life).
The Supernatural God created the physical world the way He did because His
attributes include being rational, orderly, purposeful and powerful. An Intelligent
Designer is the only answer to how this all came to be.
John 1:1-4 - In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the
Word was God. He created the world and the Word was Jesus.
In Biblical belief there is both the spiritual (supernaturalism) and physical realities.
People have a mind or consciousness that exists as a separate entity from the
physical world and the brain. Our minds are a reflection of God’s mind. Being
conscious is a mental state as your thinking goes beyond the natural world (realm).
When certain parts of the brain are destroyed and functions in those areas are
impaired, other parts of the brain may compensate for the injured area and take up
those functions.
Deuteronomy 6:5 (Matthew 22:37) - Love the Lord with all your heart,
soul and strength (and mind). The Bible states there are several distinct aspects
to a person including the heart (physical), mind and soul.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 - There is truly a battle going on in the spiritual realm
for the minds of people. The battles involve arguments of other worldviews, the
way the world would teach contrary to Scripture.
Additional Passages:
Genesis 1:1 - In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Psalm 19:1-6 - The heavens declare the glory of God.
Isaiah 1:18 - Let us reason together.
Romans 12:2-3 - Renew your mind and think of yourself with correct judgment.
I Corinthians 1:18-2:16 - We can have the mind of Christ. The foolishness of God is
wiser than man’s wisdom. God’s wisdom is far above ours, but is available through the
Holy Spirit.
Colossians 1:17 - In Christ, all things are held together.
2 Timothy 3:16 - The Word is from God and is to be used to teach, rebuke, correct, and
train.
1 Peter 1:19-21 - Read the Bible according to God’s intentions.
I Peter 3:15 - Be ready always to give an answer for the hope that is in you.
Revelation 19:13 - Jesus is the Word of God!
Page
Muslims use the Kalam Cosmological arguments to discuss the beginning of time.
1) Did the universe have a beginning, or always existed? 2) Was the beginning
caused or uncaused? 3) Is the agent of cause personal or impersonal?
63
Islam
They do affirm the existence of God and the existence of human spirit beyond death
(supernaturalism) also believing in miracles. Mohammad claimed to be a prophet
of God and also greater than Jesus yet the Koran records no miracles performed by
him. From several Biblical passages (Deuteronomy 18:15, 18 and John 14:16, Isaiah
62:11 and Habakkuk), Muslims believe Mohammad was the promised prophet, not
Jesus. Realize that if these claims were true, Christians would have to become
Muslims but if untrue, then important support of the Islamic worldview is lost.
Moses said God would raise up a prophet like Moses from among the Israelites.
Jesus did declare Himself as a prophet and people also proclaimed Him as a Prophet.
In proclaiming the importance of obeying the Law, Jesus did sound like Moses but
Jesus said that God gave Him the words to speak, that God put the words in His mouth
and Jesus did declare that another Counselor would be sent by the Father after Jesus
left earth. This Counselor is the Holy Spirit, not Mohammad.
Deuteronomy 18:15-18
Moses says God will raise up a prophet like Moses from among the Israelites, putting His
words in his mouth and proclaim to Israel everything God commands him. Yet the Bible
is clear on several points.
1) Jesus declared Himself as a prophet (Matthew 13:57, Mark 6:4, John 4:44,
Luke 13:33). People proclaimed Him as a Prophet (John 6:14, Matthew
21:11, Luke 24:18-19, Acts 3:19-23, Acts 7:37-53).
2) Jesus and Moses – Matthew 5-7 (5:17-20) – Jesus sounds like Moses
(Deuteronomy 30:11-16) in proclaiming the endurance and importance of
obeying the Law. John 14:34 – Jesus speaks of a new law (Galatians 6:2, I
Corinthians 9:21).
3) From among the Israelites (brethren) – Deuteronomy 17:15, 20; 18:2; 20:8 Look at the genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3.
4) God will put His words in his mouth – John 7:16-17; 8:28; 12:49.
5) John 14:16 – Another counselor – not Holy Spirit but Mohammad.
Islam claims the word “paracletos” is a corruption of “pereclytos” –
absolutely no manuscript evidence (5000) to support this claim (pereclytos
is translated “Mohammad, the Praised One”). Muslims say Christians put
“the Holy Spirit” in later manuscripts. Plus, the Counselor would be in us
(John 14:17). No evidence at all for this claim. Also read the whole context
of John 14-16.
Page
Naturalistic View – There is no creator because there is no God, no life after death,
no salvation. You die, you become dust again. What you see is what you get. That is
reality, only the physical world. Everything can be explained by science and seeing
64
Secular Humanism
that the supernatural cannot be measured nor observed, it is rejected. The physical
universe came by accident and that is all that exists. The Big Bang Theory says
eternal matter spontaneously generated life and human life evolved. As for our
minds, thoughts are chemical reactions that occur in the brain. Through two billion
years of evolution, the mind emerged or evolved, and continues to evolve.
Cosmic Humanism
This thinking includes Hinduism, New Age and Zen (form of Buddhism, a branch of
Mohayana Buddhism that believes enlightenment can be attained through meditation
and self-contemplation). According to the Hindu/Buddhist view, we visualize an
illusionary (not real but a false idea) world, not an objective (existing as an object or
fact) world like Secular Humanism says. Everything is spiritual, a part of God
(philosophy is non-naturalism). The things that we can see and feel are only a visual
revealing of spirit, and the physical world will melt away when a universal
consciousness is achieved.
Get in touch with our God inside of us, our higher self, then we will find truth because
we are connecting with God. We can create our own truth according to the principle “if
it feels like truth to you, it is,” because God is giving you that truth. You have always
been because you are a part of God, for God has taken on individual forms, reducing its
power to small particles of individual consciousness, (Us).
Post-Modernism
Page
There is no universal truth, only truths particular to a group, culture or society and is
limited to their interpretation. Written or verbal statements only represent that local
culture or society. It is their interpretation. Truth is whatever someone or a group
allows you to get away with. You can create your own truth, as long as it applies to
yourself. Like Adolph Hitler said, “Jews are not really human”. When no one or the
society openly objected to that statement, it was then a truth the Germans followed. Or
the earth is several billions years old and if no one objects (or the objectors are
silenced) to that statement, then that is truth.
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Without absolute truth (which post-modernist do not believe exists), what is truth for me
is not necessarily truth for you. “It may be true for you, but not for me!” You can turn
anything and everything around by your personal interpretation. If you are reading
something, the text is totally open to your interpretation, not the writer’s because the
writer could be full of hidden prejudices and biases. For example a reader may feel
what he/she is reading shows the author is racist, even though what is written clearly
indicates the author is completely against racism. Yet the reader has the correct
interpretation.
A problem lies when two cultures or societies have conflicting ideas. Since neither
culture/society can be “right”, the result is increased competition or hostilities for
which culture will dominate the other and win out with their ideas. These issues result
when absolute truth is thrown out.
A clear example of this is in 1973, the United States Supreme Court began to look at the
200 year old Constitution of the United States as a living document, allowing it to be
open to many interpretations. The Court then invented new meanings of the original
text including women reproductive rights which previous Court judges over the 200
year period had to miss, thus making abortion legal in America. (from Understanding
the Times p.125)
People who follow these beliefs do not like others who are reading their material to use the
reader’s interpretation. Yet when those who wrote the material read other people’s
material, then it is okay to use reader’s interpretation. “That may be true for you, but not
for me.” slogan creates problems. If the person making that statement means that it
applies only to him, then who cares what he says – he is only talking to himself. Yet if the
person means to apply his statement also to you, then you can properly respond, “I get the
impression that you think I should believe what you just said. If that is the case, why are
you trying to impose your concept of what is true on me?”
Another serious problem is if one community determines what is true through its use of
language, does that community gets to decide between rival communities when it comes
to conflicting ideas? For example some communities have the idea of a suttee (the Hindu
practice of burning widows on their deceased husband’s pyre), while another believes
exterminating the Jewish race or abolishing private ownership of property are okay. Since
no community can claim to be “right” on these or other issues, the result is an increased
competition for which group will dominate the others
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66
This goes along with the philosophy of abortion rights in the United States. In 1973 the
Supreme Court, ” in handing down their decision, the majority of the Supreme Court
justices chose to look at the US Constitution as a “living document” – that is, open to many
interpretations (polysemy). As a result, they invented new meanings from the original text
– meanings that were not openly stated – and came up with a novel interpretation
regarding a woman’s reproductive rights that has apparently gone unnoticed for almost
200 years. One consequence of that reinterpretation is since 1973 over forty million
unborn children have been murdered at the request of their mothers.” (p125 –
Understanding the Times)
BIOLOGY
What is the origin of life?
Biblical
The Bible states that God created everything including each living organism. The
scientific theory is Creationism. As you study design and purpose in nature, you
discover how intricate all forms of living organisms are. Even the simplest organism is
complex. Just like a watch has a watchmaker design it, the more we uncover and
discover about the universe, the more we discover order and design, prompting the
concept of an Intelligent Designer. (This is the Teleology argument.)
Genesis 1:1-27 – The Creation Story
Colossians 1:15-17 – Jesus is the creator of the universe
Additional passages:
Mark 10:6 – God created male and female
John 1:1-4 – God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were always there and God/Jesus created the
universe
Ephesians 3:9 – God created all things
Hebrews 11:3 – By faith we accept God created the world
Page
Among scientific discoveries, three stand out that strong supports evidence for creation.
The first is DNA or the Genetic Code. It is the way we are put together through
molecules. DNA supports the Intelligent Design argument. Evolution theory can’t
explain how DNA came into existence and also the fact that mutations do not produce an
unlimited amount of changes in a species (a single, distinct kind of plant or animal that
has certain distinguishing characteristics) to change into a new species. Evolution
needs an unlimited amount of changes to occur in order to explain how humans
eventually evolved from a single organism billion years ago.
“The Gene Pool and the Limits to Change - To support an Intelligent Designer is the fact
that mutations do not produce unlimited changes in a species In fact, animals and plant
breeders have consistently found that there is a barrier beyond which they can no longer
produce change in succeeding generations. Evolutionists believe that no limits to
67
In creationism the concept of micro-evolution is seen, where there are small changes
within the species of a gene pool like dogs and cows. Evolutionism promotes macroevolution, where non-living material all of a sudden generated or came to be (named
spontaneous generation), evolving a one-cell organism. Then over a long period of
time, humans came about through mutations (change or variation in a characteristic)
and natural selection (some changes in our genetic makeup survived the test of time).
breeding exist because life forms must ultimately break these “species barriers” to create
new species. Unfortunately for evolutionists, science simply has not been able to
demonstrate that mutations can break these limits to change.” (p167 – Understanding the
Times)
A second discover is the Impossibility of Spontaneous Generation. Science has
proven that life only comes from pre-existing life. Evolution says it spontaneously
occurred, that all of a sudden life came from no life. The third discovery is the Second
Law of Thermo-dynamics. This natural law says that although the total energy in the
cosmos (the universe) remains constant, the amount of energy available to do useful
work is always decreasing or getting smaller, suggesting a beginning point to the
universe. Also this law suggests the universe began as a highly ordered system and has
since then, been going downhill.
A theory has been floating around those who believe in God and also want to believe in
evolution. Theistic Evolution states God did create the world a long time ago, perhaps
as far back as the evolutionists say. God directed evolution to create man. The Bible
begins with Adam being the first person created by God. This theory allows the idea
that there were humans before Adam, and God chose to connect with man, beginning
with Adam. Believing this theory makes the Garden of Eden and original sin to be
allegories (made up stories to stress a point). Therefore there was no reason for Jesus
to come to earth to die for man’s sins or original sin with Adam and Eve. Jesus’ sinless
life and death means nothing and makes God out to be a fool and stupid to have
someone sacrificed for the sins of others.
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Did you know that dinosaurs are in the Bible? In Job 41:1, a leviathan is mentioned. A
leviathan is considered to be similar to a crocodile. Reptiles of which crocodiles are a
part of, never stop growing until they die. In our time crocodiles can be close to five
meters long and live to about 70 years. If in the first chapters of Genesis, people were
living to eight to nine hundred years before the flood (Genesis 5 & 6), imagine how big
reptiles like a crocodile (leviathan) would have growth to be.
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Theistic Evolution – God created the first speck of life on earth, and then directed its
evolution to generate man. Some Christians believe the Bible can support evolutionary
theory to explain origin. This theory severely undermines the Christian understanding of
God’s place and our place in the universe. God created the world to operate according to
specific natural laws with little interference; so why use an evolutionary mechanism that
would have God meddle with life? If evolution is true, then the Garden of Eden and
original sin is all simply an allegory, a good story. Then the significance of Christ’s sinless
life and sacrificial death is undermined along with the doctrines of sin and redemption.
Understanding the Times.
Discovering small and large fossils (any hardened remains of a plant or animal of a
previous geological age, found somewhere in the earth’s crust) is not a problem for
creationism. Many complex life forms appear in the very earliest rocks without any
indication of forms from which they could have evolved. The Cambrian explosion states
there was a sudden geological appearance of most major groups of animals (like they
were just planted there, without any evolutionary history). If evolution did occur, the
fossil record would show continuous and gradual changes from the bottom to top layers,
and between all forms of life. Actually, there are many gaps and lack of transitional
phases that have never been discovered. In order for a life form to evolve from a bird
with a wing to an animal with an arm or leg, many mutations would have to occur, in the
gradual development of evolution. If a limb were to evolve from a wing, it would be a bad
limb before it would be a good, useable one.
Recent scientific data has suggested the age of the earth and the moon is young. Dr.
Walt Brown, former NASA (United States Astronaut program) scientist was on the
research team at NASA when the United States placed a man on the moon in 1968. Dr.
Brown has indicated that the scientist were estimating the moon to be very old
(millions of years) and therefore, calculated the amount of dust on the moon due to
meteorites hitting the moon and breaking apart over these many years, to be quite
significant (ten to fifteen meters of dust on the surface). When the lunar module landed,
there ended up to be at most a few centimeters. Recalculating this fact with the same
formulas that the scientists had used to determine the estimated amount of dust, the
conclusion was the moon could not be more than about 10,000 years old - all consistent
with the story of creation in the Bible. To learn more, check out
www.creationscience.com.
“When it comes to the origin of living systems and the great diversity of life, biblical
Christianity maintains that, to adequately account for the design observed on every level in
nature, it postulates a Designer, a Lawgiver, and an orderly First Cause. Christians believe
the creationist model as described in Scripture better fits the facts of science than the
evolutionary model. Christianity trusts the authority of Genesis as well as declarations
about creation, such as those in Mark 10:6 and Colossians 1:16. Science and Christianity
are demonstrated to be compatible and to declare in unison that God “created all things”
(Ephesians 3:9). The Bible gives us information about God and His universe, while science
gives us information only about God’s universe.” (p48 - Thinking Like a Christian)
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God created the universe. The Islamic view of creation says both six days and eight
days. They are also divided on whether it was 24-hour periods of ages. There is no Fall
of Man (of Adam and Eve) which would only encourage belief in a sinless Christ if they
did. God did design the universe and also its order, thus a designer.
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Islam
Secular Humanism
This worldview relies solely on science as the basic source of knowledge. No belief in
God means God and Intelligent Design are rejected. Using both micro and macroevolution, evolution is fact. Living organisms evolved from nothing or spontaneous
generation theory. Charles Darwin, a father of Evolution, encouraged the idea that life
was breathed into it, suggesting a creator, not spontaneous.
Through competition and other factors such as predators, geography and time, only
those life forms best suited to survive, lived and reproduced. This is called Natural
Selection of which “Survival of the fittest” comes from. A modern Darwinian theory that
explains the development of new species in terms of genetic mutations is NeoDarwinism. New species come about from natural selection acting over vast periods
of time (millions to billions of years). Natural selection combined with genetic
mutations provides an explanation for adaptation which explains why life evolved
specialized abilities to survive extreme hot or cold conditions. Artificial breeding
evolves some changes within plant and animal species but here you have intelligent
designers manipulating the gene pool.
Check Biblical section on fossils. Humanists came up with a theory when science cannot
discover the links between species in the fossil record because the change from one
species to another occurs too rapidly (geologically speaking) to leave accurate fossil
records or Punctuated Equilibrium. Instead of a slow, continuous movement,
evolution tends to be characterized by long periods of virtual standstill or equilibrium,
punctuated by episodes of very fast development of new forms. This does not fit well
with Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. Humanists do not want to include God or even the
remotest hint that there could be God and His involvement, so it seems that they will
change their theories to fit their viewpoints even when science which they totally trust
for knowledge, causes their theory to fall short of truth.
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Consistently following this worldview’s philosophy, we are evolving toward a higher
consciousness (all dealing with the mind). An elite, enlightened group of the human
race will jump into this New Age as an evolutionary (one huge, giant) leap and emerge
as the New One World Order. Each person will then be an individual Christ. The first
appearance of Christ will be an evolutionary event because we will all achieve higher
consciousness or godhead.
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Cosmic Humanism
All living organisms form a single and complex living organism. We are all in this
together so cooperate. This theory is the Gala Hypothesis. The planet is a living
system, so we must take care of it, not because of God’s commands, but all parts of
earth need to work together in harmony for the good of all. The traditional view of
science assaults planetary harmony when attempting to control the laws of nature.
Next Evolutionary Step - an elite, enlightened portion of the human race will jump into this
New Age as an evolutionary leap. Evolution is psychological and this evolution will guide
humanity into a higher social order – a New One World Order. Each person will then be
an individual Christ. The first appearance of Christ will be an evolutionary event because
we will all achieve higher consciousness or godhead.
Post-Modernism
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Post-modernism embraces evolution. So-called facts even in science can be
understood and interpreted in a variety of ways, depending on one’s worldview. Old
theories die out as new theories take their place. Change occurs by chance. People
being special is arrogant thinking (no God means we are not special) because there are
so few of “us” and so many of “them” (bacteria). By integrating people and computers,
scientists are evolving the next generation of humans.
PSYCHOLOGY
What is the basic nature of mankind?
Biblical
Psychology studies why people behave the way we do. There is more to a person than
just the physical or natural reality. There also are the emotional and spiritual realities.
According to the Bible, we are spiritual beings, living forever. In order to have a
complete understanding of our behavioral tendencies, the spiritual reality has to be
included in the discussion. Only Christianity provides the structure to hold a person
responsible for his thoughts and actions, allowing the issues of guilt, forgiveness and
self-esteem to be properly dealt with.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 – We are to be first reconciled to God and then be
reconcilers to the world.
Due to original sin, people have a sinful or evil nature, and it is our nature to keep
sinning, thus being the source of psychological problems. A Savior is needed for the
forgiveness of our sins and real guilt that should result from sin because we have a
conscience and rebelled against God. Another awesome part is this Savior also gives
us the capacity to overcome wrong we commit in our lives. God, our Intelligent
Designer, created us in His image, giving us hope and purpose for living which the
world is looking for. Jesus has what people need. With having purpose, we are
responsible and accountable for our own lives, and responsible and accountable to
others. If we are going to change, it has to come from the inside of us as we take
responsibility then holding one another accountable to make the change.
Genesis 2:7-9,16-17 - God formed man from dust and breathed into his nostrils
the breath of life and man became a living being. God have man the tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
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Secular Humanism would tell you that it is only the environment or the chemicals
released in the brain that affects behavior. Change those stimuli and you will behave
different or get rid of evil. We are not robots. Humans have the ability to reason and
choose, thus a free will and our minds and physical bodies are separate entities (called
Dualism), making us morally responsible to God.
Matthew 10:28 - Jesus spoke about two parts of a person – body and soul.
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“Only after receiving Christ as Savior can people begin to understand their value as
creations in God’s image and lead triumphant lives. Rather than demanding that the
individual ignore his conscience, the Christian calls for him to recognize responsibility,
whereas humanism and Marxism blame individual moral failings on society or the
environment.” (p68 – Thinking Like A Christian)
1 Thessalonians 5:23- All aspect of our lives (body, mind and soul), need to be
sanctified, be changed to become more like Jesus.
“Sir John Eccles, one of the world’s most respected neuro-physiologists, believes dualism
is the only explanation for many of the phenomena of consciousness. One of the reasons
Eccles reaches this conclusion is the individual’s ‘unity of identity.’ Paul Weiss explains,
‘[E]ven though I know I am constantly changing – all molecules are changing, everything in
me is being turned over substantially – there is nevertheless my identity, my consciousness
of being essentially the same that I was 20 years ago. However much I may have changed,
the continuity of my identity has remained undisrupted.’ The point, of course, is that since
the physical substance of the brain is constantly changing, no unity of identity could exist if
consciousness were a condition wholly dependent on the physical brain. Something more
than the physical brain, something supernatural, must exist.” (p70 - Thinking Like a
Christian)
Medical issues like tumors, chemical or gland disorders and gene inheritance can
cause mental illness and affect behavior. Other kinds of mental illness include people
with unresolved personal problems. Thirty years ago, over half of those in mental
institutions were there because of unresolved hatred and bitterness. The first step in
dealing with many mental and spiritual problems is to hold a person personally
responsible for one’s sin. By calling some addictions and issues mental illnesses, the
real issue, sin, is not dealt with.
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Time asks the question, “So, what has science learned about what makes the human heart
sing?” The answer is that some things do not make the human heart sing – wealth,
education and weather. Marriage is a maybe. “Married people are generally happier
than singles, but that may be because they were happier to begin with.” But religious faith
is a positive yes. “On the positive side, religious faith seems to genuinely lift the spirit,
though it’s tough to tell whether it’s the God part or the community aspect that does the
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God can use suffering to bring positive changes to people. As Christians, we know that
suffering may be used to discipline and teach valuable lessons (Hebrews 12:7-11).
Non-Christians try to avoid suffering at all costs. Time, a national magazine in the USA,
(carried an edition titled “Special Mind & Body Issue) reported religious people are less
stressed and happier than nonbelievers. The magazine asked, ”What has science
learned about what makes the human heart happy?” The answer included some things
that did not make the human heart happy like wealth, education and weather. Marriage
was maybe. Religious faith was a positive yes. People who believe in life after death
are happier than those who do not. Not getting involved in sex outside of marriage,
staying away from things like drugs that harm the body may simplify life and reduce
stress.
heavy lifting. Friends? A giant yes. . . [along with] strong ties to friends and family and
commitment to spending time with them.” [Time. January 17, 2005]
“According to Time, the field of psychology is rethinking and retooling. Instead of
constantly dwelling on what makes people mentally ill, the shift is toward what makes
people mentally healthy, positive, joyful and happy to be alive. “Studies show that those
who believe in life after death, for example, are happier than those who do not. ‘Religion
provides a unifying narrative that may be difficult to come by elsewhere in society,’ says
sociologist Christopher Ellison of the University of Texas at Austin.”
Further, reports Time, “it’s not just what religion gives, but what it takes away. ‘The “thou
shalt nots” – no adultery, no drugs and so on – keep people from getting addicted or
otherwise increasing their level of stress,’ says Koenig (that is, if they follow the rules). The
strictures of religion may simplify life for adherents, and that can be a huge relief.”
Beware of the craze of self-helps philosophies that are even in Christianity. If we are
encouraged to forget the past, dump morality and rely more on ourselves than God,
then we are in trouble spiritually. Pursuing the Fruit of the Spirit will bring joy and
peace that only comes from God, even in the midst of life situations that are not happy
nor desirous events.
Additional Passages:
Genesis 1:27 – God created us in His image
Genesis 2:18-23 - man given a helpmate.
James 5:16 - confess your sins to each other.
I John 1:9 - confession and forgiveness
Islam
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Sin is not carried through the generations as Adam and Eve were forgiven by Allah
when they repented. For Muslims, God could never have come to earth as God and
died for sins. There is no Savior belief in Jesus. We are naturally good and responsible
for our actions and salvation. Whatever we can do on earth to prove our goodness
(faithfully following the five pillars of the Islamic faith plus committing Jihad), helps us.
There is no assurance of forgiveness. Action must follow our faith.
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We are not created in God’s (Allah’s) image even though he breathed into us his spirit.
We will never be his children, only slaves. There is no original sin just as secular
humanism and post-modernism teach. What we become is a result of external factors
and influences (parents). We have free will, the right to choose.
Secular Humanism
No God means there is only our physical body. There is no original sin, no fallen
nature. We are innately good. All human thought and personality are merely byproducts of the physical interactions of the brain. Psychology studies behavior,
understanding how physical stimuli affect our physical brains and bodies. Change the
outside stimuli and you will change behavior.
Why do good people do bad things? Social and cultural influences cause this evil
behavior. The secret to better mental health is found by getting in touch with the
unspoiled inner self. Focus on yourself, what you want. Get in touch with your inherent
goodness to determine what is right. The standard is you.
Our basic needs are our number one priority to take care of. When we meet those most
important needs, we are truly getting in touch with ourselves. So if we feel our
innermost self is calling us to act a certain way, who has the authority to tell us we are
misinterpreting our feelings? The good discovered by one person is the good only for
that person. That is what happens when the absolute standard comes from within us, not
from outside of us, like God.
Cosmic Humanism
We can speed up evolution by achieving a higher consciousness (goal of the New Age
movement). Not following one inner truth or connecting with our “God within” us may
be responsible for criminal tendencies. Health problems like cancer and AIDS can be
cured by attaining higher consciousness. To enhance or attain our higher
consciousness, meditation and channeling like astrology, fire-walking, Ouija boards
and aura readings are used.
Post-Modernism
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Our identity is constantly changing as a result of ever-changing social factors. We do
not have one “real” self, we are made up of multiple selves. We cannot blame our
own self when we do something wrong because one of my other “selves” did it!
HISTORY
How should we interpret human events?
Biblical
Christians view history as linear, meaning history has a specific beginning (creation)
and directed by God toward a specific ending. Due to the Fall, there needed to be
redemption and that is through Jesus. The Bible is a historical document and the
credibility of the Bible is supported continuously by archaeological discoveries.
Historians, who lived about the time of Jesus, mention Jesus. Cornelius Tacitus and
Josephus, a Jew both mention Jesus. The resurrection was witnessed by over 500
people. See Resurrection apologetics.
Luke 1:1-4 – historical account of Jesus’ life.
John 1:14 – The Word became flesh.
I Corinthians 15:1-9 – Jesus appeared to many after His resurrection.
Galatians 4:4 – At the right time, God sent Jesus to this earth.
I John 1:1-3 – John testified that he saw, spoke and lived with Jesus, and saw
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Additional Passages
Genesis 3:15 – there became a spiritual battle between man and Satan.
Judges 2:10 (21:25) – everyone did what was right in their own eyes!
Psalm 14:1 – a fool says there is no God and does no good.
Psalm 119:89 – God’s word is eternal
Isaiah 40:8 – the Word stands forever.
Matthew 5:18 – heaven and earth will pass away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke
16:17, 21:33).
Acts 1:1-3 – follows Luke 1:1-4.
Acts 2:32 – God raised Jesus to life.
I Timothy 3:16 – seen by man and angels after resurrection.
2 Timothy 3:16 – all Scripture is from God.
Hebrews 11:6 – faith is still needed, no matter the empirical evidence.
Revelation 22:18-19 – treat the Bible as truth, and do not add to or subtract from it!
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Him after the resurrection.
Islam
“Mecca was a great religious, economic and political power center on the Arabian
peninsula in Muhammad’s day. Tribes would make regular pilgrimages to the city,
thus bringing great economic wealth to the city’s merchants. Muhammad’s message
contradicted the pantheism of his day: rather than many gods, there was only one,
Allah. Inevitably, Muhammad’s teaching led to a clash with Meccan leaders, and the
Muslims fled to Medina (then called Yathrib) in A.D. 622. This event is called the
Hijra, the migration that began the Muslim era, and forms the starting point for the
Islamic calendar.
From early days Muslims began raiding merchant caravans seeking to deliver their
product to Mecca. The raids led to a number of battles, the most famous of which was
the battle of Badr (A.D. 624) in which 324 Muslims defeated a Meccan force three
times their number. Naturally, such a victory added to the perception that Islam was
indeed God’s will. Two years later, Muslims repelled a Meccan attack on Medina in
the Battle of Ahzab (A.D. 627). The following year brought a treaty with Meccan
leaders, permitting Muhammad to enter the city as a pilgrim. On January 11, A.D.
629, Muhammad and about 10,000 Muslim warrior captured Mecca without a battle,
and establishing Islam.” (p 397-8 – Understanding the Times)
With nearly one-fourth of today’s world population, Islam is one of the major world
religions. Most Muslims are not Arabs and are diverse, coming from many ethnic
backgrounds. After Muhammad died, two major factions resulted. They are the most
well-known factions in Islam - the Sunni and Shi’ite. . Sunnis (currently 80% of the
Muslim world) felt the successor should be elected by popular vote. Shi’ites
believed the successor should be someone from Muhammad’s bloodline (family or
descendant). Though outnumbered, they are a powerful force (Iran revolution in
1979). They believe in a leader, the Imam, who is gifted by God to guide Muslims.
Other diversities include the Sufism, who express the more spiritual side of Islam,
the Baha’i Faith and the Nation of Islam (the Black Muslims) Elijah Muhammad is a
modern prophet. Two other points to be made are Allah controls history through
time and Jihad is encouraged with the hope Islam one day will span the globe. This
was the purpose of the attacks on America on September 11, 2001.
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Denying God’s existence, history is understood in terms of unguided evolution and
the guidance of human ingenuity and intelligence. History records the development
of mankind using their free will to shape our environment and history, and ultimately
ideas shape humans. It is only heaven on earth and with the goal of a global
community or utopia, people will perfect themselves.
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Secular Humanism
In their denial of God as the guide to history, Secular Humanists see instead humanity’s
emerging ideology as the dynamic force in history, and the elite who embrace Humanist
ideology as the one who will lead us to save and perfect ourselves. The creed of Secular
Humanism seems to be that Secular Humanism is the plan of salvation to ensure a future
heaven on earth in the form of a global community.” (p409 – Understanding the Times)
Cosmic Humanism
We are growing and evolving toward godhead. God is the source of evolutionary
force and He wants us to become Him.
Postmodernism
Past beliefs, morals and truths can only be understood in relation to the cultural and
historical periods in which they occurred. It is possible that part, if not all, of history
is fictitious. You cannot give an accurate picture of the past because fact and fiction
is blurred. Retelling history is a propaganda tool to gain power
Rewrite the past to serve an ideological purpose and empower oppressed social
groups, even if you do not tell the truth. There are no facts, you can deny any one or
event in history. The Holocaust of the Jews is fiction. No one really died horrific
deaths. There then can be no true examples of right and wrong, good and evil.
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“Because ideas have consequences, we cannot afford to overlook the consequences of
the more radical Postmodern approaches to history. If history is mere fiction, or even
largely so, then those who deny, for example, the Nazi holocaust are validated in their
attempts to diminish the numbers of Jews imprisoned, tortured, starved, shot, cremated,
or buried in mass graves. Indeed, if history is (largely) fiction, then Mother Teresa and
Adolph Hitler cannot be used as examples of good and evil. There are no “facts.”
There are only various degrees of fiction.” (p425 – Understanding the Times)
ABSOLUTE TRUTH
(Studies and material are from ‘Right From Wrong’ by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler, 1994.)
How do you know that a meter or a yard stick is actually the correct length? Or that
a kilogram or a pound weight is actually the correct weight? Who determines how
long the meter stick should be or the kilogram weight should weigh? If I am
determining the length of the meter, it might be slightly different from your length.
Who then is correct?
(You can show a meter stick or a liter bottle and ask how do we know that those
objects are exactly the correct measurements. If you are bigger than the other
person who questions the correctness of the measurements, does that mean what
you say has more validity than the other person? What happens if the meter stick
has been worn down ever so slightly by usage? Is it still accurate because it has
been used for many years and many people have been served well by that stick?
Make the students really think how we come up with absolute standards and why
absolute standards are of greatest importance in our world.)
In Sevres, a suburb of Paris, France, the headquarters of the International Bureau of
Weights and Measures is located. This bureau is an organization that standardizes
units of measure. The bureau establishes standards for metric measurements and
ensures a reliable standard for physical measurements around the world. In other
words, it is the Absolute Truth standard for measurements.
If you wanted to be absolutely certain that the millimeter divisions on your ruler
were accurate or whether the liter bottle of Coca-Cola you purchased contains
exactly one liter, you could check it against the bureau’s measurements. There is
an absolute standard that can be compared to all other standards in the world.
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To develop Biblical convictions, a person has to, “embrace a relational experience
with Jesus, the Person of Truth, so that they believe in their hearts, and have a
cognitive encounter with the evidence of that truth, so that they can understand
with their minds they believe what they believe.” Josh McDowell. Youth must be
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“If there is no absolute moral standard, then one cannot say in a final sense
that anything is right or wrong. By absolute we mean that which always
applies [to all people], that which provides a final or ultimate standard.
There must be an absolute if there are to be morals, and there must be an
absolute if there are to be real values. If there is no absolute beyond man’s
ideas, then there is no final appeal to judge between individuals and groups
whose moral judgments conflict. We are merely left with conflicting
opinions.” Dr. Francis Schaeffer
convinced in their hearts and minds that Jesus is God, that Jesus died and rose
bodily from the grave, and the reliability of Scripture. When someone is convinced
in their mind and heart that Jesus and the Bible are absolutely true and real, the
person can resist temptation, develop a strong faith and share with conviction God’s
realness in one’s life.
For young people “truth” is whatever they want it to be. Our youth want to believe
something that is relevant to their lives and their relationships. Whichever faith
works for them, not which one is true, is the faith they follow. Christianity needs to
be shown both to work and be true.
Morals deteriorate when the fear of God is no longer a key value in a culture. God
placed the fear of Him in the Israelites so that they would not turn away from Him
again (Jeremiah 32:37-40). Fearing God is reverence toward Him, having a deep
respect for who God is, what He can do and having a growing awareness of His
presence (Proverbs 1:7)
We need to fear God because He is God and it is for our own good. He is the judge
of good and evil (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), holds the power of life and death (Psalms
145:20) and the source of all good things (Psalms 145:19). As with your earthly
father, your love for your father makes you willing to obey him and your fear of him
should drive you to be unwilling or undesirous to disobey him.
Developing strong moral foundations in young people, they first need to fear God
and secondly, recognize Him as the origin of all truth. The Holocaust was wrong not
because the Allies won, were stronger or had more moral countries involved.
Rather, a truth about killing originated from God because He is a living God who
created life, saying, “life is good” and commanded humans to preserve life.
Important Keys in Communicating Truth
To communicate truth from the Bible, we need to teach the three P’s
PERCEPTS (rules & regulations of the Bible)
PRINCIPLES (why’s behind the precepts)
PERSON (the person behind the principles)
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In Exodus and Leviticus, the rules and details (including the Ten Commandments)
were meant to give Israel a lesson in purity, separating good from bad, so the
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If a parent only gave the rules to their child but did not offer the child the
opportunity to build a relationship between the parent and child, a rebellious child
will result. People are built for relationships. That is the way God made us.
Therefore, when we learn about PRECEPTS (the rules and regulations of the Bible),
we also must learn about the PRINCIPLES (the why’s behind the precepts) and most
importantly, the PERSON (who is behind the principles).
principle of purity flowed from the nature and character of God Himself. Just like
God, we must be examples or models of the Biblical values we are passing on and
also in order for the truth to be real, we need to share our experiences from the
reality of the truth you are working to pass on. So when teaching about God, build
relationships, be the example and share the reality of that truth in your life.
In summary, Absolute truth is right for all people, for all time, for all
places. Right and wrong cannot be measured by our own standards
but by the nature and character of God. Accepting absolute truth
changes your view on life.
In these sections on Absolute Truth, there are Bible passages that should be looked
at and discussed. The point to make in each of these sections is sex, honesty,
mercy or whichever one you are studying, points and leads us to the nature and
character of God. The rules or precepts are in the Bible to show us the principles
and ultimately the Person of God Himself. The precepts are often the application of
who God is in that area.
We have taught very well the precepts but have not done a good job at teaching the
nature and character of God. That is one reason why young people quickly get
turned off or tuned out to the Church. Help our young people fall in love with God,
by helping to build the relationship side of God – getting to know who He truly is.
Teach more about who He is and what He has done for us, rather than pounding
away on rules and “do this law of God or else, you are in trouble” attitude.
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I respect and love my parents not because of the rules they had me follow growing
up but because of the RELATIONSHIPS I built with the two of them. If you are
married, does your spouse love you because of the rules or demands you have
placed upon your spouse or does your spouse love you because of the relationship
the two of you have developed between the two of you? It is the same with God
and Jesus. Why do we emphasize in the doctrine of salvation, the need to have a
personal relationship with Jesus? Does a person become a Christian by following
rules or falling in love with the Savior? So then why do we make rules more
important than building the relationship with Him after we become Christians?
ABSOLUTE TRUTH ABOUT SEXUALITY
Being obedient to God’s truth in sexuality does not mean giving up the pleasures of
sex, but being free to enjoy maximum sex, leisure, satisfaction and liberty in the
way God intended.
FACTS or REALITY:
“No matter what the Test of Truth says, however, some people – many of our kids
included – would claim that “moralizing” will not make a bit of difference in the
sexual behavior of youth. In fact, a USA Weekend poll revealed 8 percent believe
that preaching “premarital sex [as] immoral” would be an effective means of
persuading teens to say no to sex. Thirty-eight percent tend to believe that “the
most effective thing to say to teens to persuade them not to have sex” would be
telling them about the health risks (such as getting AIDS) and 33 percent think the
most effective abstinence message would be warning about the disadvantages of an
unplanned child.” (Page 156)
Conditions That Churched Youth Would Have Sexual Intercourse Today, By Their Views on Truth
(base: said conditions would make such intercourse more likely)
Do you believe in absolute truth?
Conditions
Yes
No
You were in love with the person
25%
48%
Really intended to marry them
24%
47%
Positive a pregnancy would not result
14%
27%
Knew your parents would not find out
13%
27%
Felt your parents would not mind
14%
23%
Friends strongly encouraged you to do so
6%
12%
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THE TEST OF TRUTH on Sex
1.
Precepts (Rules):
Acts 15:29
I Corinthians 6:18
I Corinthians 10:8
Ephesians 5:3
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Morally Acceptable Sexual Activity with Persons of the Opposite Sex,In Relation to the
Respondent’s Truth Views
(base: said these activities are morally acceptable among unmarried, in love, consenting individuals)
Believe in absolute truth?
Conditions
Yes
No
Holding hands
99%
99%
Embracing and some kissing
96%
97%
Heavy “French” kissing
73%
82%
Fondling of breasts
18%
37%
Fondling of genitals
11%
31%
Sexual intercourse
5%
21%
Colossians 3:5
I Thessalonians 4:3
In Biblical terms, sexual immorality is extramarital sex. His standard is clear
– sexual involvement outside of marriage is wrong. Inhabitants of Sodom and
Gomorrah were destroyed because of their “grievous” sins, including sexual
immorality. David suffered greatly because of sexual immorality.
2.
Principle: Why’s behind the precepts. Is God a cosmic killjoy? The
“negative” command expresses a positive principle.
A.
Biblical standard of sex is love. Romans 13:9-10. Love is evident
when the happiness, health and spiritual growth of another person is as
important to you as your own. It is the fulfillment of the law given to the
Jewish people.
What does love mean to you? Ephesians 5:28-29 (Let some of the group
share what love actually means to them.)
“In the minds of young people, love is definitely the greatest determining
factor in the decision to engage in sex. It is a greater determinant than
whether they intend to marry the person. It is a greater determinant than if
they could be sure a pregnancy would not result. It’s a greater determinant
than whether they could be sure a parent wouldn’t find out, greater even than
if they felt their parents wouldn’t object to them having sex.
“In the minds of our youth, love makes sex “right.” They believe that true
love makes sex perfectly moral – even beautiful. I happen to believe they’re
right – love is the biblical standard for sex. The problem, as stated before, is
our youth’s counterfeit standard of love – one that says love permits sex
without boundaries, outside God’s definition of love.” (Page 152)
B.
Biblical standard of sex is purity.
Hebrews 13:4
Genesis 1:28
Genesis 2:24
Proverbs 5:18-19
Biblical standard of sex is faithfulness.
Psalm 85:10
This Biblical standard requires a commitment of two people to remain faithful
to each other. Marriage is central to Biblical sexuality because it binds two
people together in a lifetime commitment.
Person: The person behind the principles is God Himself.
A. God is love.
I John 4:8-10
Page
3.
83
C.
I Corinthians 13:7
John 3:16
Romans 5:8
Jeremiah 31:3
B. God is pure.
I John 3:3
Matthew 5:8
James 1:27
I Timothy 5:2
Habakkuk 1:13
C. God is faithful.
Deuteronomy 7:9
II Timothy 2:13.
Psalm 51:4
I Corinthians 1:9
II Thessalonians 3:3
“The Test of Truth, then, grounds the virtue of chastity – biblical love, sexual purity,
and faithfulness – in the nature and character of God. A [sexual] relationship
[outside of marriage] contradicts God’s character. Their sexual relationship is not
loving, because they are not considering each other’s happiness, health, and
spiritual growth as important as their own. Their sexual involvement is not pure,
because it is not being enjoyed in the context for which God designed it. It does not
fit God’s standard of faithfulness, either, because it exists outside the lifelong,
exclusive commitment of marriage. [Their] sexual activity, then, is wrong, not
simply because [their] parents disagree with [them], but because [they] violated
God’s declaration that sex was to be enjoyed within the confines of a loving, faithful,
and pure relationship of marriage. We can then say that chastity – biblical love,
sexual purity and marital fidelity – is right for all people, for all times, for all places.”
(Pages 155-156)
AND PROVIDES. . . .
Spiritual rewards – I Cor. 6:13.
2.
Healthy atmosphere in which to raise
a child. “The social arrangement that
has proved most successful in insuring the physical survival and
promoting the social development of
the child is the family unit of the
biological mother and father.”
Barbara Dafoe Whitehead, Page 159
From unplanned pregnancies and abortions.
Every day in America 2795 teenage girls
get pregnant and 1106 have abortions.
Many drop out of school, experience
physical problems.
Long-term (5-10 years later)
consequences of abortion:
- 81% reported preoccupation with
Page
PROTECTS . . . .
1.
From guilt – feel bad, feel used.
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EVIDENCE OF TRUTH – Reality Check
the aborted child.
From “Dan Quayle Was Right” in
- 73% reported flashbacks of the
The Atlantic Monthly, April ’93.
abortion experience.
- 54% recalled nightmares related to
the abortion.
- 23% reported hallucinations related to the abortion
3.
From sexually transmitted diseases.
Every day in America 4219 teens
contract an STD. World Health
Organization predicts that by the year
2000 over 20 million men and women
will have AIDS virus. Each year
4 million new cases of chlamydia,
1 million new cases of gonorrhea. There
are 20 STD’s not prevented by
contraception, yet not one instance
from above occur between two
mutually faithful partners.
Peace of mind:
- no worry or fear, no ghosts in the
closet.
- no emotional baggage.
- free of disease.
- no flashbacks – hormone discharge.
4.
From sexual insecurity. If he/she
fooled around before marriage, what
will stop him/her now?
Trust:
- no comparisons nor jealousy.
- no hindrances for sexual freedom
and self-expression.
5.
From emotional distress. “. . . Having
premarital sex was the most horrifying
True intimacy exists in marriage.
experience of my life. It wasn’t at all the
Genesis 2:18, 24.
emotionally satisfying experience the world
deceived me into believing. I felt as if my
insides were being exposed and my heart left
unattended. . . I know God has forgiven me of
this haunting sin, but I also know I can never
have my virginity back. I dread the day that I
have to tell the man I truly love and wish to marry
that he is not the only one, though I wish he were. .
I have stained my life – a stain that will never come out.” (Page 161)
Page
(Include this section as ways to live out the reality of the sexual truths found in the Bible)
1.
Celebrate anniversaries.
2.
Check out the weddings, consider the marriage vows.
3.
Ask yourself – Do you want another guy messing with your future wife? So why then are you
doing the same to someone else’s future wife? Everyone wants to marry a virgin!
4.
Use of 4-letter words.
5.
Make a commitment now to stay sexually pure. Or if you have gotten involved, make a
commitment now to stay pure from this moment on.
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APPLICATION OF TRUTH – Teachable Moments
ABSOLUTE TRUTH ABOUT HONESTY
FACTS:
2/3 of youth say they have lied to a “parent, teacher or older person” within the last three months.
59% say they have lied to a friend or peer within the last three months.
36% say they have cheated on an exam or other evaluation within the same three months.
52% believe that “lying is sometimes necessary.”
THE TEST OF TRUTH – Honesty
A.
B.
C.
Precepts:
Exodus 20:15-16
Leviticus 19:11-13
Joshua 7:1-5, 10-13, 20-21, 25-26
Acts 5:1-5, 9-10
Proverbs 19:5
Revelation 21:8
Principle of Honesty – God’s negative commands against lying, stealing, cheating reflect a
positive principle.
Proverbs 12:22; 19:9; 21:6
Zechariah 8:16
I Corinthians 6:9-10
Ephesians 4:25
Colossians 3:9
Titus 2:10
I Peter 4:15
Person:
Deuteronomy 32:4
John 14:6
Romans 3:4
Titus 1:2
Hebrews 6:18
Therefore, God is true, so lying is an offense against His nature (Achan), cheating is wrong to Him,
stealing an insult (Ananias and Sapphira). God’s nature defines honesty as moral, and dishonesty, fraud,
and theft as evil. God is true, so honesty is right. This is for all people, all times and all places.
EVIDENCE OF TRUTH – Reality Check
PROTECTS. . . .
AND PROVIDES. . . .
1.
From guilt – guilt’s burden
For clear conscience and unbroken
deprives the dishonest soul of
relationship with God (Psalms 15:1-2, 24:4) Guilt free
total enjoyment, satisfaction, fulfillment
2.
From shame.
For a sense of accomplishment.
- Embarrassment and shame
- Dishonest heart will never experience
result when you are discovered
- You earned it
Rewards are short-lived.
3.
From cycle of deceit
For a reputation of integrity (Proverbs 22:1)
- It is priceless to be trusted and respected
4.
From ruined relationships.
For trust in relationships.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Imagine how the world would be different if everyone in the world were absolutely honest. How
does honesty provide and protect us?
Have you ever shoplifted or stolen something? Go and return the item, if possible, and seek
forgiveness and restitution.
What has been in the news lately that reinforces honesty or lying?
Do you have your parents’ and teachers’ trust? What do you need to do to regain it?
Do you give your employer an honest day’s work?
Page
1.
86
APPLICATION OF TRUTH – Teachable Moments
Absolute Truth Regarding Mercy
The Test of Truth
Precepts Isaiah 58:7
Micah 6:8
Hebrews 13:3
James 1:27
Principle -
Zechariah 7:9
Matthew 5:7; 25:31-45
Person -
I Kings 3:6
Jonah 3
Micah 7:18
Luke 23:32-34
John 4; 8:1-11
Evidence of Truth - God’s standard of mercy. . .
1.
2.
3.
Protects from want and provides for blessing. (Luke 6:38) Showing compassion will reap great
rewards. (Galatians 6:7-8)
Protects from retribution and provides for leniency. (Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 7:36-50)
Protects from unforgiveness and provides for forgiveness. (Matthew 6:14-15)
Application of Truth –
-
Model mercy in all your relationships
Help people work through unforgiveness and the consequences of unforgiveness.
Use media or literature to reinforce the value of mercy.
Page
87
(The following studies are not in the student’s material. Feel free to copy any off and give them to the
students for further discussion on ABSOLUTE TRUTH.)
ABSOLUTE TRUTH REGARDING
FAMILY (MARRIAGE)
The Test of Truth
Precepts -
Genesis 2:24
Exodus 20:12
Deuteronomy 4:9; 31:13
Mark 10:9
I Corinthians 7:10-11
Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4
Principle -
The principle behind God’s commands for marriage and family is unity.
Genesis 2:24
Psalm 133:1
John 10:16; 17:21
I Corinthians 12:13
Ephesians 4:3
Person -
Shema – reveals the singularity and unity of God.
Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:39
Isaiah 43:10
John 10:30, 38
2 Corinthians 13:14
Evidence of Truth – God’s standard of marriage and family. . . .
1.
2.
3.
4.
Protects from disillusionment and provides for fulfillment.
Those who marry after cohabitating are 50% more likely to divorce than those who don’t
cohabitate.
Cohabiting women are 62 times or 520% more likely to suffer from assault as wives.
Protects from parental inattention and provides for parental involvement.
Protects from emotional insecurity and provides for emotional stability.
Children in single-parent homes are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience emotional and
behavioral problems than children of two-parent families.
Protects from relational problems and provides for healthy role models. Children of broken
marriages and disrupted families can find it difficult to achieve intimacy in a relationship, building
lasting love relationships or form a solid marriage.
Pull out your wedding pictures
Talk about your children’s births
Let young people see how you deal within your family dynamics
Openly communicate your love to your wife
Use opportunities presented by TV, news, current events, media to discuss the ramifications of
family, divorce, abuse.
Page
-
88
Applications of Truth –
Absolute Truth Regarding Love
The Test of Truth
Precepts -
Matthew 5:44-45; 22:37-39
I John 3:11
Principle The commands or precepts point to the principle – love for God and love for others.
Regardless whether a specific precept addresses a certain decision or behavior, the principle of
love for God and others dictates whether our actions are right or wrong, because love is a principle
God values.
Matthew 22:37-39
Romans 13:8-10
Person -Jeremiah 31:3
John 3:16
Romans 5:8
I John 4:16
Evidence of Truth - God’s standard of love. . . . .
1.
2.
3.
Protects from strife and provides for peace. Loving someone is much easier, better and healthier
than hating someone.
Protects from self-centeredness and provides for fulfillment. The person who loves God and
others expresses interest in the ideas and pursuits of others, often enjoys giving as much as
receiving and finds joy in sharing and caring for others.
Protects from spiritual barrenness and provides for spiritual blessing.
(I John 3:14-15)
Application of Truth -
89
Display and model love in your family and in front of children
Reinforce loving habits
Evaluate media’s depictions of love with children/students.
Page
-
Absolute Truth Regarding Justice
The Test of Truth
Precepts -
Psalm 82:3
Micah 6:8
Luke 6:31
Romans 13:7
Colossians 4:1
Principle -
Treat everyone fairly
Deuteronomy 16:20
Jeremiah 7:5
Person -
Deuteronomy 32:4
Psalm 103:6
Zephaniah 3:5
2 Thessalonians 1:6
Evidences of Truth - God’s standard of justice. . . .
1.
2.
3.
Protects from revenge and provides for a clear conscience.
Protects from guilt and provides for peace
Protects from dishonor and provides honor. People respect a just man or woman, and just
behavior pleases God. (Psalm 37:28)
Application of Truth –
90
Be an example of fairness to the young people
Point out situations where everyone expects to be treated fairly (i.e. sports)
Teach children how to take turns, sharing
Discuss court trials and government hearings or decisions
Page
-
Absolute Truth Regarding Respect
The Test of Truth
Precepts -
Exodus 20:12
Leviticus 19:32
Psalm 45:11
Romans 12:10; 13:1
Ephesians 5:21-6:9
I Timothy 5:17
Principle -
Romans 13:1-7
I Peter 2:17
Person -
God is life and above all (highest authority). Every person on earth ought to be treated
respectfully, because he or she is a reflection of God Who gives life and breath to all
people.
Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7
John 1:4; 4:24
Hebrews 6:13
I John 3:2-3
Evidence of Truth - God’s standard of respect for others. . . .
1.
2.
3.
4.
Protects from self-disparagement and provides for self-esteem. Everyone is made in the image of
God. (Romans 12:3)
Protects from harmful relationships and provides for healthy relationships.
Protects from offense and provides for attractiveness. When you are rude to people, you are made
to look ridiculous.
Protects from condemnation and provides for praise. (Romans 13:2-3)
Application of Truth –
91
Be the example of respect to all people
Praise someone when you see them acting respectfully
Say, “Excuse me, please.” Open doors for people
Page
-
Absolute Truth Regarding Self-control
The Test of Truth
Precepts -
Matthew 5:28
Ephesians 5:4, 18
Colossians 3:5, 8
Principle -
I Peter 1:13; 5:8
Person -
Numbers 14:18
Isaiah 58:9
Ezekiel 20:16-17
Mark 15:5
2 Peter 3:9
Evidence of Truth - God’s standard of self-control. . . .
1.
2.
3.
Protects from excesses and provides for enjoyment. Self-control can heighten the enjoyment of
such things as recreation, music, art, food, sex, sight and conversation.
Protects from contempt and provides for respect. When you don’t exhibit self-control, people’s
views of you can limit your influence in their lives.
Protects from self-doubt and provides for self-esteem. Mastery over our own urges and desires
boosts confidence and installs a healthy self-esteem.
Application of Truth –
92
Be open and honest about your efforts to develop self-control.
Use teachable moments with youth to discuss self-control and to show that God is self-controlled.
Page
-
THESE NEXT THREE SECTIONS – THE BIBLE, DEITY AND INCARNATION, THE
RESURRECTION- SHOULD BE SHARED WITH THE STUDENTS TO HELP THEM DEVELOP
IN THEIR BELIEFS IN THESE AREAS OF WHAT THEY ARE TO BELIEVE. THE SECTIONS
DEAL WITH APOLOGETICS – DEFENDING OR IN A POSITIVE WAY, ARGUING YOUR
FAITH. THE MATERIAL IS PURPOSELY ASSEMBLED WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN MIND.
THESE SECTIONS CAN BE TAUGHT BASICALLY ANYWHERE – AT THE END OF THE 10
DISCIPLINES, RIGHT AFTER TEACHING THEOLOGY 101 OR ANYWHERE YOU WANT TO
MAKE THEM FIT. THEY DO NOT NEED TO BE TAUGHT CONSECUTIVELY (ALL THREE
TOGETHER) NOR DO YOU NEED TO TEACH THE BIBLE SECTION FIRST.
The Bible: God Wants Us to Know Him and Be Like Him
The Bible is God’s written Revelation. The eternal Word allows us to know what we
are obeying is true. The Bible has been exactly recorded.
1. Greater credibility is given to writers who were both geographically and
chronologically close to the events they reported in the New Testament. Accounts
of Jesus life along with the history of early church and letters were written by men
who were eyewitnesses of events they recorded or contemporaries of
eyewitnesses – John 19:35; Luke 1:2; Acts 2:32;3:15:13:31: 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; 2
Peter 1:16;1 John 1:3.
Page
b. So thorough that a copy was given the same authority as the original
-The scroll had to be written on the skin of a clean animal.
-Each skin contained a specified number of columns, equal through the book.
-Each column length extended no less than 48 lines or more than 60 lines.
-The Column breadth must consist of exactly 30 letters.
-The space of a thread must appear between every consonant.
-The breadth of 9 consonants had to be inserted between each section.
-A space of 3 lines had to appear between each book.
-Moses’ fifth book (Deuteronomy) had to conclude exactly with a full line.
-Not even the shortest work was copied from memory; copied letter by letter.
-The scribe counted the number of times each letter of the alphabet occurred
in each book and compare it to the original.
-If a manuscript was found to contain even one mistake, it was discarded.
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2. Through the several thousand years the Bible has existed, the Word has been
accurately and meticulously reproduced (Deuteronony 6:3-9).
a. Scribes –
Jewish Sopherim scholars -5th & 3rd century B.C.
Talmadic scribes followed from A.D. 100-500
Masoretic scribes (A.D.500-900)
c. Dead Sea Scrolls – When found, these were 1000 years older than any previous
known manuscript. Minor variations did not bring the fundamental integrity of
the text into question. Once the Scrolls were translated and compared with
modern versions, the Hebrew Bible proved to be identical, word for work, in
more than 95 percent of the text. The variation of 5 percent consisted mainly of
spelling variations. For example, of the 166 words in Isaiah 53, only 17 letters
were in question. Of those, 10 letters were a matter of spelling, and 4 were
stylistic changes; the remaining 3 letters comprised the word “light,” which was
added in verse 11.
d. The Bible is reinforced by material outside the Bible. The Black Stele contains
writings that predate Moses by 300 years so he could have written the first five
books of the Old Testament. A 9th Century B.C. tablet referring to the “house
of David” was found in 1993. Found in 1961, a Latin inscription refers to Pilate.
Ancient manuscripts from non-Biblical authors quote the New Testament so
much so that all 27 books could be reconstructed word for word. Finally,
Roman historian Tacitus (55-117 A.D.) and Jewish historian Josephus (37-100
A.D.) confirm the Bible’s history.
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The Bible is Relational. The Word is the way God has chosen to let us get to know and
learn about Him (His nature and character) and enjoy blessings from Him. Obeying
God’s Word, we are being protected from harm and also provided for.
1.
God is Truth & the Bible proclaims God’s truth. Today’s youth believe the
Bible provides a clear, totally accurate description of moral truth but the Bible
is not authoritatively true for all. Truth is relative to the person and
circumstances. Something is true because they believe it, not because God
said it.
2.
Why are you here? We are created in His image, His likeness so as to enjoy
Him and receive what He has created for us and for what purpose. This brings
joy and fulfillment to life. God has given us His Holy Spirit to help explain His
Word (John 14:17, 26, 15:11). We can be confident that when we read the
Bible, we are getting the reliable revelation of God and the tool to help us truly
get to know the Creator.
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e. God’s eternal theme is found in the Bible as it was written over 1500 years,
over 40 generations by more than 40 different authors over 3 continents, in 3
languages. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - Let’s think today about Paul’s familiar words:
All Scripture is breathed out by God. That is such a fantastic statement! All
sixty-six books; thirty-nine in the Old Testament, twenty-seven in the New
Testament. Every one of 1,189 chapters. All 31,173 verses and 3,566,480
letters—all Scripture is God-breathed
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95
The Bible is not open to private interpretation (2 Peter 1:20). You may not be able to
answer all questions but by answering some, understanding of the Word will come.
•
Ask, “What does the text or passage say?” There are 6 questions to help
o
Who? Who are the people? Who’s talking? Who is the passage
talking about?
o
What? What’s happening? What did the people in the text do?
What caused that? What theme is being talked about?
o
When? When did or will it happen? When can it happen?
o
Where? Where did it happen or will take place? Where are the
people going?
o
Why? Why did the writer say that? Why did the character do that
or go there? Why will this happen?

How? How did it happen? How was it supposed to or will
happen? How will the message or promise of the text come true?
•
Ask “What does it mean?” Ask other mature Christians and read what
other scholars wrote about the passage.
•
Study the context – Using the 6 questions will go a long way in helping
us understand the cultural context of a passage. Use reference books
like study Bibles, commentaries, Encyclopedias, and atlases.
•
Study the word and phrases – Use concordances, cross-references,
study Bibles, Bible dictionaries, other translations and paraphrases.
•
Ask, “How does it apply?” Once you grasp what the passage is saying,
then apply it to your life. Ask questions like, “How should that truth
look, sound and act like in my life?” “What hinders me from applying
that truth to my life?” “Who can help me develop that truth in my life?”
What is the first step I need to take to in this development?”
Deity and Incarnation: Jesus is God
Jesus said He is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). Either He is the biggest liar
the world has ever seen, is totally crazy, a lunatic OR He is the Lord God!
- He told people that before Abraham was born, He existed (John 8:52-58)
- God the Father were One, the same, identical (John 10:30-33).
- John 1:1-5,14 - In the beginning was the Word, the Word was God, all things
were created by Jesus and the Word became a person, living among us.
- Jesus said He was equal with God (John 5:18)
- Jesus also said He was the Messiah, the Son of God (Mark 14:61-64)
- Peter said Jesus was the Christ, the Son of living God (Matthew 16:15-17)
INCARNATION refers to the miracle of God’s Son, Jesus, becoming human.
Deity refers to the identity of Jesus was still God even though He was God at the same
time. Many prophesies (60) about Jesus were fulfilled when He came to earth. See
the next page for a list. The probability of even a couple of the prophecies being
fulfilled is astronomical.
VIRGIN BIRTH
Jesus’ birth was predicted with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15).
700 years before Jesus’ birth, Isaiah (7:14) prophesied, “The virgin will conceive.”
This is humanly impossible, conceiving occurring outside the natural process.
- Matthew 1:18, 22-23 and Luke 1:34-35 verify the virgin birth
- Common Knowledge of Jesus’ hometown – Mark 6:3 - (unambiguous insult
because children were called by fathers’ name except where paternity was
doubted). John 8:41 – common knowledge in Jesus’ hometown that Jesus had
been conceived before Mary’s wedding to, and without the help of, Joseph,
thus an illegitimate child.
- A story by rabbis that cast Jesus as the illegitimate son of Roman soldier
Panthera (thus Jesus wasn’t born of an ordinary marriage).
validation of His deity (John 10:25,38; John 20:30-31, Acts 2:22). The recorded
miracles should be sufficient to convince us that Jesus truly was God. Miracles were
done to bring glory to God (John 9:1-3). Here is the list of miracles:
- Calm a storm (see Matthew 8)
- Make a mute person speak (see Matthew 9)
- Feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish (see Matthew 14)
- Cast out demons (see Mark 5)
- Walk on water (see Mark 6)
- Bring sight to the blind (see Mark 10)
- Curse a fig tree (see Mark 6)
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Jesus clearly intended His miracles to be understood as a
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MIRACLES
-
Foretell the future (see Mark 14)
Heal a paralyzed man (see Luke 5)
Raise a boy from the dead (see Luke 7)
Heal incurable hemorrhaging (see Luke 8)
Cleanse lepers (see Luke 17)
Turn water into wine (see John 2)
Make the lame walk (see John 5)
Forgive sin (see John 8)
Raise a man from the dead (see John 11)
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“I will cause him to be born as an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham.” (Genesis 22:18;
Galatians 3:16)
“Narrow it down to only half of Abraham’s lineage, and make him a descendant of Isaac,
not Ishmael.” (Genesis 21:12; Luke 3:23-24)
“Be born from Jacob’s line, thus eliminating half of Isaac’s lineage.” (Numbers 24:17; Luke
3:23-34)
“Jacob will have twelve sons; I will bring forth the Messiah from the tribe of Judah.”
(Genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23-33)
“In the family line of Jesse.” (Isaiah 11:1; Luke 3:23-33)
“The house and lineage of Jesse’s youngest son, David.” (Jeremiah 23:5; Luke 3:23-31)
“Where He will be born: Bethlehem, a tiny town in the area called Judah.” (Micah 5:2;
Matthew 2:1)
“A messenger who will prepare the way and announce His advent (Isaiah 40:3; Matthew
3:1-2); He will begin His ministry in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Mathew 4:12-17); and will
teach in parables (Psalm 78:2; Matthew 13:34-35); performing many miracles” (Isaiah
35:5-6; Matthew 9:35).
“Ride into the city of Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21:2; Luke 19:35-37);
appear suddenly and forcefully at the temple courts and zealously ‘clean
house’.”(Psalm 69:9; Malachi 3:1; John 2:15-16)
“He will be betrayed by a friend.” (Psalm 41:9; Matthew 26:49)
“The price of His betrayal will be thirty pieces of silver.” (Zechariah 11:12; Matthew
26:15)
“His betrayal money will be cast to the floor of my temple and buy the potter’s field.”
(Zechariah 11:13; Matthew 27:5)
“He will be forsaken and deserted by His disciples.” (Zechariah 13:7; Mark 14:50)
“He will be accused by false witnesses.” (Psalm 35:11; Matthew 26:59-60)
“He will be silent before His accusers.” (Isaiah 53:7; Matthew 27:6)
“He will be wounded and bruised.” (Isaiah 53:5; Matthew 27:26)
“He will be hated without a cause.” (Psalm 69:4; John 15:25)
“He will be struck and spit on.” (Isaiah 50:6; Matthew 26:67)
“He will be mocked, ridiculed, and rejected.” (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:27-31; John 7:5, 48)
“He will collapse from weakness.” (Psalm 109:24-25; Luke 23:26)
“He will be taunted with specific words.” (Psalm 22:6-8; Matthew 27:39-43)
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PROPHECIES FULFILLED ABOUT JESUS
“People will shake their heads at Him.” (Psalm 109:25; Matthew 27:39)
“People will stare at Him.” (Psalm 22:17; Luke 23:35)
“He will be executed among ‘sinners’.” (Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 27:38)
“His hands and feet will be pierced.” (Psalm 22:16; Luke 23:33)
“He will pray for His persecutors.” (Isaiah 53:12; Luke 23:34)
“His friends and family will stand far off and watch.” (Psalm 38:11; Luke 23:49)
“His garments will be divided and won by the casting of lots.” (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24)
“He will thirst.” (Psalm 69:21; John 19:28)
“He will be given gall and vinegar.” (Psalm 69:21; Matthew 27:45)
“He will commit Himself to God.” (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33)
“His bones will be left unbroken.” (Psalm 34:20; John 19:33)
“His heart will rupture.” (Psalm 22:14; John 19:34)
“His side will be pierced.” (Zechariah 12:10; John 19:34)
“Darkness will come over the land at midday.” (Amos 8:9; Matthew 27:45)
“He will be buried in a rich man’s tomb.” (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)
“He will die 483 years after the declaration of Artaxerxes to rebuild the temple in 444
B.C.” (Daniel 9:24)
“. . . He will be raised from the dead (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31), ascend to heaven (Psalm
68:18; Acts 1:9), and be seated at the right hand of God in full majesty and authority
(Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3).”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR ME THAT JESUS IS GOD
This is definitely the one theological point that separates Christianity from Islam,
Mormonism, Jehovah Witness and other worldviews. If Jesus is not God, being a
Christian does not make any sense and definitely not worth living for.
Jesus is God and the fact that He came to earth shows just how important the relational
aspect of Christianity is. Jesus said He is truth and the Truth is a person (John 18:37;
Colossians 1:15-17). The Truth loves you and me so much so that He died on the
cross for our sins because of that love. He wants a relationship with you and will
never turn away from you. God accepts you unconditionally, loves you sacrificially
and understands you intimately. We will never be good enough to earn His love. He
has already taken care of that by having Jesus being God Himself, die for your sins.
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What we experience in our human relationships, especially during childhood,
significantly affects how we perceive and experience our relationship with God. If
you felt relationally disconnected at home, you probably find it difficult to feel
emotionally connected to God. The human family is the preferred route for leading
98
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, knowing the only way you can be forgiven of
your sins is having Jesus die for them and forgiving you of those sins, your true
identity is you are a child of the King (1 John 3:1). You are a special one-of-a-kind
child of God because of the way He has created and designed you for special tasks.
young people into the kind of relational connections with God and others that will
anchor them in their faith, holding them steady through trials and life.
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99
As often mentioned before in this material, if you do not have a relationship built with
someone and all you are doing is placing rules on the person, rebellion will result.
Spiritual commands and rules are not just to obey, but rather ways to relate to a
person. Absolute truth always goes back to the nature and character of God. People
need to see that Jesus is real through the relationships His children build with them
because then, people will see God’s care, love and acceptance lived out in real life.
God loves us for who we are and accepts us with all our failures. I am accepted, plain
and simple.
THE RESURRECTION:
GREATEST MIRACLE
Young people who have distorted beliefs about God and truth are 2 times more likely
to feel pessimistic that those who possess a biblical view of God. Jesus’ resurrection
means victory over death and the power of death. There is hope!
3 THEORIES ON THE EMPTY TOMB
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Points to consider *Roman soldiers were executed for sleeping on guard duty. Why would
they say they were sleeping? It would cost their lives.
*Think what it would have taken the thieves to remove the body. The stone
to seal the tomb was about 1800 kilograms or 2 tons. Thieves had to
sneak past the guards, roll the stone up a grooved incline, enter the
dark tomb, and exit with the body, all without waking any of the guards.
*Considerable bravery would have had to been shown against a
detachment of Roman soldiers. Historical records show the apostles
were depressed and cowardly in the days following Jesus’ death and ran
away from any signs of trouble, denying being associated with Jesus and
hiding behind locked doors. The robbers would have faced beatings
and possible death for stealing the body. (Mark 14:50; Luke 22:54-62;
John 20:19)
*One of the first eyewitness at the empty tomb reported that Jesus’
gravecloth was neatly folded and arranged on the burial slab (John 20:58). Grave robbers would not have taken the time to meticulously
unwrap the body and neatly arrange the cloth on the stone slab. If the
body had been stolen, the wrappings would certainly have been stayed
with the body.
*Historical accounts indicate the apostles were very skeptical when they
heard the tomb was empty. (Matthew 28:16-17)
*If Jesus’ body hadn’t been resurrected and the religious and political
leaders of the day had stolen His body, they could have quickly and
effectively quashed the rising sect of Christians by show Christ’s
corpse.
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Theory Number 1 - Who Dun’ It - The Case of the Stolen Body
Someone or someones stole the body…the Apostles did it (Matthew 28:11-15).
So if the guards were sleeping, how could they know whether someone stole
the body??? It is hard to report something when you are sleeping.
Theory Number 2 – The Swoon Theory
Though He suffered terribly, He did not really die, just in shock. Even Pilate
couldn’t believe Jesus was still alive (Mark 15:44). Some say the disciples and
Joseph of Arimathea took down the still living Jesus from the cross and laid Him in
the tomb. He was resuscitated by rest, a cool tomb and burial spices.
Points to consider
*Jesus underwent a vicious beating, by flogging with the use of the Roman
instrument called a flagrum. His side was pierced and water and blood flowed
out (John 19:34). Pilate was surprised Jesus was dead and released the body
only when he had a first-hand report.
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Theory Number 3 – The Hallucination Theory – “I saw a ghost!”
Those who saw Jesus after His death and burial were hallucinating. It was power
of suggestion. People have hallucinations, yet they are highly individualized and
extremely subjective. It is very rare for two people (or more) to experience the
same hallucination simultaneously.
*Jesus appeared at least 10 different times, mainly to groups.
- to Mary Magdaline and others (Mark 16; John 20:11-18)
- to the woman returning from the tomb (Matthew 28:9-10)
- to Peter (Luke 24:34; I Corinthians 15:5)
- to two followers on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33)
- to the disciples and a number of others (Luke 24:36-43)
- to the disciples, including Thomas (John 20:26-29)
- to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23)
- to more than five hundred followers (I Corinthians 15:6)
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*The grave cloth weighed about 30 kg (75lbs) full of embalming ointment
made from myrrh and aloes. The body was wrapped tightly from the armpits
to the ankles, layering the spices – often of a sticky, grimy consistency –
between the wrappings. The spices preserved the body and acted as an
adhesive for the gravecloths. Recall how neatly the cloth was folded up. Jesus
would have unwrapped Himself after suffering a crucifixion and left the
tomb…naked.
*The stone weighed about 1800 kg or 2 tons. Jesus would have had to roll this
stone which was designed to be opened only from the outside, up an incline
and prop it so it would not roll back. All this was to be done hours after the
terrible beating Jesus took – flogged, nails through His wrists and stabbed.
*Jesus also walked 7 miles (12 kilometers) from Jerusalem to Emmaus (Luke 24)
*Finally why believe He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:1-8)? Did He go into
seclusion for the rest of His life while people preached Him resurrected? Jesus
would have been the greatest deceiver of all time.
- to James, His brother (I Corinthians 15:6-7)
- to the eleven disciples at His ascension (Acts 1:4-9)
*Jesus invited people to touch His wounds and also ate food – Luke 24:36-43
*Jesus proved His physicality to skeptics – (Luke 24:9-12; John 20:14-15,24-28;
Acts 1:3)
Conclusion
These theories do not hold up. The resurrection literally took place. If Jesus didn’t
rise from the dead, the sacrifice for sin was unacceptable and He did not break the
power of death and our death sentence. (I Corinthians 15:14, 20, 23, 42-44)
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102
At the end of the day or end result is God pursues you to have a personal relationship
with you, to have you know His Son, Jesus! He wants you to know why He created you
and to trust Him with every area of your life.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE MATERIAL
Marxism-Leninism
THEOLOGY
“Religion is the opiate of the masses.” – Karl Marx. Religion is a drug to make
people feel good. Atheism is what is followed.
The Communist Manifesto written by Marx and Friedrich Engels, was published
February 21, 1848, and this tract had become one of the most influential political
philosophies ever as it lays out the Communist purposes and programs. The
proletariat (working class of people in the society) revolt to overthrow those in power
(the bourgeois) who promote capitalism (free markets to buy and sell). The goal is to
have everyone equal in every way. With no God gives people no purpose and being
the same as everyone else makes no one more powerful than anyone else.
Russia’s leader Lenin believed God was taboo and worked to eliminate every idea
and concept of God. The former USSR pushed for pure atheism. This ideology has
imprisoned, tortured and killed many Christians. Communists do whatever is
necessary to eradicate religion. In 1993, Communist Marxist leaders in China tore
down a mosque.
Ethics
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Proletariat Morality – Whatever advances the proletariat and communism is morally
good, and whatever hinders the proletariat or communism is morally wrong. It is
wrong to have the ruling capitalist class (bourgeoisie) exploits the working class
(proletariat). Where some people own property and others don’t is not right.
Stealing would stop if everyone would have things equally, so it is okay to steal to get
to equality. Thus biological and social evolution determines morality. If the
bourgeoisie class hinders this evolution, it has to be removed.
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Morality – Society and economics are always changing, so morals must change, too.
There is no God, therefore, whatever works for that society advancing communism is
morally good. Exterminating a group of people who are in the way of communist
advancement is morally good. Communism is the pursuit of the classless propertyless society, so anything that promotes this ideology is good.
Utilitarianism – Whatever it takes to have a classless communist society is the ultimate
goal. All action is directed toward achieving the greatest utility for the greatest
number of people (the end justifies the means). No matter the amount of killings and
destruction (the means), the end is worth it. Force so often is needed to have the end
communists want and desire. Any kind of mistake made will be justified by the end.
Sociology
Society is the key component, not the family. Society will tell people how to think.
No free will, but we can “help” shape society into what it is evolving into, a
communist society. A world-wide communism society will abolish any need class
divisions. The need for government will eventually vanish and will have a perfect
world. We need to simply abolish churches because there is no God. Religion only
creates problems.
Through education Marxism indoctrinates youth as it shapes the thinking of young
people and embrace a materialistic view of the world. This is the responsibility of the
society or government.
Taking care of children is society’s responsibility. Everyone belongs to everyone.
School is the home helping to indoctrinate children away from religion and traditional
family structure held by parents. No need for families anymore.
Law
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Proletariat overthrow – Once the revolution occurs, new laws will reflect the
proletariat, the working class. The will of the proletariat becomes the basis for the
new laws, rights and judgments, negating natural law, God, or any absolute moral
104
Proletariat law – a legal system established by state authorities that favor the interests
of the working people. Marxist law is simply based on human rationality. Law and
human rights arise from interactions between people within social structures that
contain economic class distinctions. Class divisions create conflict, so law and the
state (government) come into existence to deal with the conflicts. The state is an
extension of class domination, and whoever is in power creates the laws to maintain
oppression and separation of the classes. The bourgeois, when in power, enact laws
to hold the proletariat down. Bourgeois law is oppressive because it is based on the
concept of private property, and the working class can’t afford or obtain private
property. Society is more responsible for lawlessness than the individual because
the unjust bourgeois leave the criminal no alternative but to lash out and feel no
remorse about it.
code. Because the Marxist view is steeped in evolution, law is constantly changing.
Marxist laws and human rights are arbitrary, based on the will of the proletariat.
The difference between Secular Humanism and Marxist is that Marxism is contingent
upon a change in economics, a class change. If you disagree with Marxism, you are
guilty of lawlessness, and the political party in charge decides what is legal. The
working class may cause the overthrow of the bourgeois, but the political party that
results will be in charge. Once the communist society is established, there should be
a lessening of the need for law, because in this system, harmony should result
because there is no private property, BUT it has never worked that way.
Politics
Communism – The dream of a Utopia brought by the proletariat revolution and
ultimately leading to a classless society in which all property is publicly shared and
each person works and is paid according to his needs and abilities. The goal is for
everyone to have the same.
Statism – The first step in Marxist formula to get rid of all classes. A highly centralized
government takes over the economic control and planning of the country’s system.
In order to achieve socialism, you have to have a social revolution and a dictatorship
of the proletariat. Dictatorship is state power based on force because the bourgeois
will attempt to regain power, and all means of production has to be placed in the
hands of the government so that there becomes a classless society.
Marxist Party – They will assist the workers to establish their dictatorship. When all
opposition to Marxism is eliminated, everyone will be of one mind, and no state will
be needed for control. The evolution process will render in the perfect situation – the
communist society (no government at all).
Economics
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This system determines laws, government types and role of society in daily life.
Socialism says capitalism exploits the worker, while the property owners
(bourgeoisie) get it all. The laborer is paid less than he should be paid. Under
socialism, state can control pricing, labor, land (freedom) and competition. Socialism
is the first phase of communism.
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Move from capitalism to socialism to communism, and the classless society is going
to happen, according to Marxism. Marxist systems have wanted the perfect society
(utopia) but in reality have been the greatest killing machines ever.
Socialism is when the worker seizes both the means of production and the state.
Communism arrives when the government has withered away because classes have
ceased to exist and no one owns the means of production. There is no private
property – everything is owned by the state. Redistributing wealth will make
everyone equal.
Philosophy
Man is a product of nature. The physical, natural world is all that exists. Matter is
eternal and uncreated, life spontaneously emerged from non-living, non-conscious
matter billions of years ago. Mind, thought and consciousness eventually evolved
from it. Truth comes from science and there is no religious truth. Science is the
infallible source of all knowledge. Anything supernatural lacks objectivity, material
reality so we can’t perceive it nor gain knowledge about it. Something is true only
when you can test it scientifically or empirically.
Dialectical Materialism – This thought says in everything there are the way things are
(thesis) and an opposition to the way things are (antithesis). They will clash with each
other which results in a synthesis, the new thesis. This will continue on forever
evolving. Finally there will be a more advanced state or society (communism).
Matter (everything) is in an eternal process of change. The earth has been going
through changes throughout time, beginning with simple living forms and evolving to
more advanced states.
Mind-Body Problem – Our minds are mental functions of the brain, which is material.
So our thoughts come from material activity
Biology
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Punctuated Evolution – Evolutionary changes occur over a relatively quick period of
time (not gradual like Darwin proposed), followed by periods of little to no
evolutionary change. This followed the Marxism view that for societies to change, the
bourgeoisie (ruling class) and the proletariat (working class) clash through
revolution quickly and change results, like what occurred in Russia. Same in Biology,
106
Marx believed in Darwin’s evolutionary theory. He felt society had gone through a
similar evolution. Marxist theology, like Humanist, is directly opposed to God.
Atheism is at the core of Marxism. Any theory of biology that kept God out worked
for them. Spontaneous generation is so crucial because it keeps God totally out of the
picture, even though scientifically unproven. Science has proven that life comes from
pre-existing life.
for evolution to have a chance to make sense, there is no scientific proof of gradual
evolution (nor punctuated), but punctuated can help explain some of the problems
involved in the evolution.
Psychology
An individual is controlled by the world around him. We are not free to choose. We
react to stimuli that comes into us. Like Humanism, change the stimuli to change the
person’s behavior. So we are not responsible for our behavior. Speech is a tool we
can use to shape the stimuli that affects us as it helps to defy and maintain society, so
society, through speech, affects our behavior.
Free will indicates our liberty to choose the type of society that will in turn determine
our behavior. It does not mean we choose our own behavior, so, when we are not
exercising our free will to choose our society, we are being controlled by our
situation or environment. Society is responsible to regulate us. We are evolving
animals needing fine-tuning before entering the perfect new order.
History
Historical Materialism – Through economic analysis of social classes, political
structure and ideologies, you can study to determine the causes of changes in our
societies.
Economic Determinism – Economics is the major driving force in history. Men make
their own history, but guided by circumstances from the past. With evolution as the
theory, we will economically evolve to the perfect society – communism.
Communism is inevitable.
Page 80 - What Makes Eastern Religions So Attractive?
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World Views – framework for understanding your existence
1.
Polytheism = many gods (Mormons)
2.
Pantheism = everything is a god
3.
Atheistic = believes there is no god
4.
Theistic = Christianity, Judaism, Islam
107
Jesus Among Other Gods
by Ravi Zacharias, Kevin Johnson
You might read these descriptions of Eastern religions and say, “Well, who wants
that?” Even so, I think young people face real temptations to join religions such as
Buddhism, Hinduism or Islam. Here is what youth find appealing:
•
Buying into another religion relieves them from accusations or feelings of
intolerance and exclusivity. They don’t have to make a case for Jesus as the one way
to God.
•
Eastern religions make it possible for young people to be religious without
having an absolute God to answer to. They can see God as a deity who doesn’t put a
fence around them, but allows them to roam free, without boundaries on their
passions and desires. Specifically, reincarnation lets them make mistakes and enjoy
life.
•
Eastern religions give an appearance of freedom from doctrine and dogma.
•
Islam is appealing because it weds religious fervor with social relief and
politics, providing a chance to fight for causes.
•
Eastern religions are much more in tune with popular media and the arts.
•
Choosing another religion gives a tremendous breadth of individuality while
also bringing community – both things youth want. What is overlooked, however, is
that Eastern belief systems are all about the destruction of individuality.
Hinduism
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•
Hinduism dates to 1500 B.C. as a system of ritual and multiple gods
(polytheism).
•
Few practices or beliefs are shared by all Hindus. Shiva, Vishnu, Kali or
Ganish are among the most popular deities, but they also worship countless millions
of additional minor gods tied to a particular village or family.
•
Hinduism is a very complex system where popular practice and philosophical
theory do not always meet.
•
Hinduism holds that opposing religious theories are aspects of one eternal
truth.
•
The goal of Hinduism is liberation from ignorance to achieve Moksha Nirvana,
a release from rebirths, and a merging with the Oneness of the universe.
•
Hinduism holds that human life is a cycle of reincarnation.
•
To Hindus, the circumstances of the new birth are determined by the good and
evil of past actions.
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Pages 36-37
Hinduism is a varied system of religion, philosophy, and cultural practices born in
India. Hindus share a core belief in reincarnation and a supreme being of many
forms and natures.
•
Hindus believe the rebirth can be affected by atonement, rituals, a working out
through punishment or reward, and renunciation of worldly desires.
•
The self is ultimately divinized in Hinduism.
•
The earliest and primary Hindu scriptures are known as the “Vedas.”
•
The vast majority of the world’s three-quarter billion Hindus live in India.
Pages 76-78
Hinduism at its heart teaches us that we are to seek union with the divine. Why?
Because the Hindu claims that the whole universe is divine and that we are part and
parcel of it. In Hinduism, the goal of the individual is to grow past our ignorance and
delusions by discovering our divinity and living it out.
The popular Hindu author Deepak Chopra wrote this about our purpose of life: “In
reality, we are divinity in disguise, and the gods and goddesses in embryo that are
contained with us seek to be fully materialized. . . We must find out for ourselves that
inside us is a god or goddess in embryo that wants to be born so that we can express
our divinity.”
This is the heart of Hinduism as a belief system – that you and I are gods. One of
India’s premier philosophers stated as plainly as possible, “Man is God in a
temporary state of self-forgetfulness.”
•
Union with the impersonal force won’t ever satisfy our human ache for intimacy
– to know and to be known.
•
Hinduism offers no clear path for living, because believing we are one with an
impersonal force defies how we think, how we talk, and how we experience life.
Some of the most respected Hindu thinkers have labeled Hinduism as one of the most
contradictory systems of life’s purpose ever espoused.
•
Hinduism couldn’t survive the emptiness of calling ourselves gods. Most
people know they are anything but god – and so gods erupted by the millions, and
Hindu temples are crowded with people seeking to worship them.
In Christianity, you get Jesus. In Hinduism, you – a forgetful god – obtain union with
the impersonal divine universe.
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For example, by declaring everything in the physical world to be non-real, illusory,
changing, and transitory, Hinduism has to deny what the rest of us accept as reality.
….there is no way for classical Hinduism to deal with the problem of evil. To deny
that evil is real doesn’t diminish wickedness, nor does it satisfy the heart’s desire to
seek purity. That is why so much of Hindu worship is steeped in purification rites,
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Pages 95-97
Hinduism’s Answer to Evil
and why all of popular Hinduism is filled with forms of worship, fear of punishment,
means of obtaining God’s favor, and so on.
But Hinduism’s real answer to the question of the man who was blind from birth is
reincarnation.
Page 122
“In Hinduism, there is confusion about the meaning of Hindu scriptures. . . If we all
are God and yet we disagree, then which one of us is right about truth?”
Page 96
Does the Bible Teach Reincarnation?
Reincarnation is a central, nonnegotiable part of Hindu philosophy. Reincarnation
claims w exist in a recurring cycle in which the life we live now determines our lot in
a next life.
Instead of saying what I think reincarnation in Hinduism means, listen to the words of
the Hindu scriptures:
Accordingly, those who are of a pleasant conduct here – the prospect is, indeed, that
they will enter a pleasant womb, either the womb of a Brahman [the priestly class], or
the womb of a Kshatriya [the professional or warrior class], or the womb of a Valsya
[the working class]. But those who are of stinking conduct here – the prospect is,
indeed, that they will enter a stinking womb of a dog, or the womb of a swine, or the
womb of an outcast. (Chandogya Upanished, 5.10.8).
This jolting passage says that what we do in this life will be paid back as we live out
our next life in vegetable, animal, or human form.
This clearly isn’t the teaching of Scripture. In the story of the man born blind, Jesus
stated that there was no connection between a previous act and the man’s current
condition. Even in the disciple’s question, there is no mention of the “previous” lives.
And the rest of Scripture simply allows no possibility of the actions in this life
impacting some future life. It teaches that humans die once and then face judgment
(Heb. 9:27)
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Pages 37-38
Buddhism is a religion of great variation, yet its central teachings are that suffering is
an inherent part of life and that liberation from suffering comes from moral and
mental self-purification.
110
Buddhism
•
Buddhism grew out of the teachings of Siddhartha Guatama (563-483 B.C.),
who later became known as Buddha, “the enlightened one.”
•
Buddha is revered not as God but as a spiritual master who points the way to
enlightenment.
•
At the core of Buddha’s teaching are four basic or “noble” truths: (1) life is
suffering, (2) the cause of suffering is desire, (3) suffering can be ended by getting
rid of desire, and (4) freedom from desire is achieved via an eightfold path of right
views, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, rightmindedness and right contemplation.
•
The goal of Buddhism is to be freed from the cycle of death and rebirth.
•
A Buddhist who ceases to desire is “Enlightened” and achieves the state of
Nirvana, an abstract nothingness.
•
There is no real self in Buddhism.
•
Buddhism, strongest in eastern and central Asia, has some three hundred
million adherents.
•
Buddhism is uncertain about the existence of a personal God.
Pages 75-76
The truth is that there is probably no system of belief more complex than Buddhism.
Buddhism starts off with the four noble truths on suffering and then moves to the
eightfold path on how to end suffering. So far, so good – very straightforward. But as
a devotee enters the eightfold path, there emerge hundreds upon hundreds of other
rules to deal with all the circumstances that life presents.
•
Those who follow Buddha’s teachings are given thirty rules on how to ward off
pitfalls.
•
But before those rules pertain, there are ninety-two rules that apply to just one
of the offenses.
•
There are seventy-five rules for people becoming Buddhist monks.
•
There are 227 rules of discipline to apply for men, 311 for women.
In Christianity, you get Jesus. In Buddhism, you get rules of conduct endlessly
multiplied.
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….The suffering of the blind man is the inheritance of his past life’s sin, and it is the lot
of the parents to inherit this situation.
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Pages 97-98 - Buddhism’s Answer to Evil
Actually, both Hinduism and Buddhism invoke the doctrine of reincarnation to
explain the problem of pain.
The incredible aspect of this teaching is that the more painful a person’s existence,
the more certain it is that the previous life is successfully paying its dues. . . .The pain
of this present life is paying for the sins of a past life.
Islam
Page 38
Islam teaches that there is one God, Allah. It focuses on submission to God and
acceptance of Mohammed as the chief and last prophet of God.
•
Islam was founded in Arabia by Mohammed (c. A.D. 570-632). A person who
practices Islam is known as a Muslim.
•
Islam takes its name from Arabic word for “devout submission to the will of
God.”
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Muslims accept their scriptures, the Koran, as the speech of God to
Mohammed, and they believe that God Himself is the author.
•
Muslims observe the five “pillars” of Islam: (1) the declaration of faith, (2)
prayer, (3) fasting, (4) giving alms, and (5) a pilgrimage to Mecca.
•
Islam has more than one billion adherents from Africa to the Middle East and
parts of Asia and Europe.
•
Many predominantly Muslim nations have closed their borders to Christian
missionaries or made evangelism illegal.
•
Islam sees Jesus as one of the major prophets, but to call Jesus God’s Son is
blasphemous. It accepts as genuine some of the miracles of Jesus, including the
virgin birth and even His power to raise the dead.
Pages 78-79
In Islam, the distance between God and humanity is so vast that even those most
devoted to Allah never get close to him. Because this distance between Allah and his
followers is impossible to cross, worship becomes an incredible clutter of activity
designed to bring the worshiper closer. Repetition and submission take the place of
a warm relationship.
With all the rituals and rules that a Muslim observes, he never has a certainty that he
will go to heaven. A person’s destiny is all in the “will of God,” they say. A person’s
destiny is left at the mercy of an unknown will.
Page
Muslims will admit with a smile that during the month of Ramadan more food is sold
than during any other month of the year. But its consumption takes place from dusk
to dawn rather than from dawn to dusk.
112
Relationship is swallowed up by rules and the real threat of punishment.
In Christianity, you get Jesus. In Islam, you find not closeness to God, but worship
built on repetition and submission.
Page 118
In no country where Christianity is the faith of the majority is it illegal to spread
another faith. There is no country in the world that I know of where renouncing the
Christian faith puts a person in danger of being hunted down by the state. Yet there
are many Islamic countries where it is against the law to publicly proclaim the good
news of Jesus Christ, and where a Muslim who renounces his or her belief in Islam to
follow any other faith risks death. Criticizing the Koran and Mohammed are
prohibited by laws as blasphemy, and the result is torturous punishment.
When Christendom has resorted to methods of force, it wasn’t the message of Jesus
Christ that was spread, but a political system that used the gospel as an excuse to
wield power over institutions and individuals.
Page 121
In Islam, there are questions about the perfection of the Koran. Muslims see the
Koran, their scriptures, as the perfect and final revelation of Allah. The very words of
the Koran are said to have been dictated by Allah to Mohammed, who is to the
Muslim the last and the greatest prophet. The proof of Mohammed’s supremacy is
the perfection of the Koran.
Page
113
It is hard, however, to maintain that the Koran is perfect. What about the grammatical
flaws that have been demonstrated? Ali Dashti, an Iranian author and a committed
Muslim, commented that the errors in the Koran were so many that the grammatical
rules had to be altered in order to fit the claim that the Koran was flawless. He gives
numerous examples of these in his book Twenty-three Years: The Life of the Prophet
Mohammed. Dashti, by the way, allowed his book to be published only after his
death.