The Bible in 3D

Suffering: Part 2

How can the All-Powerful, Loving, and Just God allow evil and human suffering?   The conclusion in the modern mind is that God either does not exist or if he does, he is neither all-powerful nor all-good. This results in a Theodicy, an effort to defend the existence of God (and his power and goodness) in the face of evil in the world.  The Intellectual Problem of Evil – How do you make a rational argument for the coexistence of an all-good, all-powerful God with evil and human suffering? (This is the subject of the apologists.)   The Intellectual Problem of Evil has vexed philosophers and theologians for centuries. It presented the main intellectual attack against Christianity. By and large this was a problem for the academics, until World War I, The Great War. So terrible and horrible was the suffering on a world-wide basis, that Western Culture was stunned that God allowed it to happen. And so began the slide of churches, universities, and indeed most institutions in Western Civilization away from Christianity in earnest. No educated or thinking person could believe that God existed after the horrors of WWI.  However, in 1967, Dr. Alvin Plantinga published the Free Will Defense Argument. Using the classic logical arguments of secular philosophers, Plantinga convincingly proved that an all-good, all-powerful God had morally sufficient reasons for allowing evil and human suffering to exist, such as giving man   Free Will, which necessitates the existence of evil and its resulting human suffering. (You can easily search the internet for a more thorough explanation of Plantinga’s Free Will Defense.)  Today the Intellectual Problem of Evil is an interesting study, but thanks to Plantinga, it is no longer the main attack by academia against Christianity. All but the most ardent and narrow minded atheists have acknowledged Plantinga’s significant work. As proof of the universal, although begrudging, acceptance of the Free Will Defense and its many subsequent forms, the main attack by academia against Christianity and the existence of God is now focused on evolution vs intelligent design. Those academics on the forefront of the fight against Christianity are no longer philosophers but biologists and others in the hard sciences.

How can the All-Powerful, Loving, and Just God allow evil and human suffering? (Part 1)

How can the All-Powerful, Loving, and Just God allow evil and human suffering?   The conclusion in the modern mind is that God either does not exist or if he does, he is neither all-powerful nor all-good. This results in a Theodicy, an effort to defend the existence of God (and his power and goodness) in the face of evil in the world.  The Intellectual Problem of Evil – How do you make a rational argument for the coexistence of an all-good, all-powerful God with evil and human suffering? (This is the subject of the apologists.)   The Intellectual Problem of Evil has vexed philosophers and theologians for centuries. It presented the main intellectual attack against Christianity. By and large this was a problem for the academics, until World War I, The Great War. So terrible and horrible was the suffering on a world-wide basis, that Western Culture was stunned that God allowed it to happen. And so began the slide of churches, universities, and indeed most institutions in Western Civilization away from Christianity in earnest. No educated or thinking person could believe that God existed after the horrors of WWI.  However, in 1967, Dr. Alvin Plantinga published the Free Will Defense Argument. Using the classic logical arguments of secular philosophers, Plantinga convincingly proved that an all-good, all-powerful God had morally sufficient reasons for allowing evil and human suffering to exist, such as giving man   Free Will, which necessitates the existence of evil and its resulting human suffering. (You can easily search the internet for a more thorough explanation of Plantinga’s Free Will Defense.)  Today the Intellectual Problem of Evil is an interesting study, but thanks to Plantinga, it is no longer the main attack by academia against Christianity. All but the most ardent and narrow minded atheists have acknowledged Plantinga’s significant work. As proof of the universal, although begrudging, acceptance of the Free Will Defense and its many subsequent forms, the main attack by academia against Christianity and the existence of God is now focused on evolution vs intelligent design. Those academics on the forefront of the fight against Christianity are no longer philosophers but biologists and others in the hard sciences.

What the Bible says about Tithing

Does the Bible require a saved, born-again Christian to give 10% of their gross income to the local church?  No. In the Old Testament, a "tithe" is usually thought of as giving 10%, of the produce of your land: crops, fruits, herds and flocks, but not your actual land The Old Testament: 1. Levitical Tithe - 1/10 - Annually - to the Levites, who in turn gave 1/10 to the Priests   Lev 27:30-33, Num 18:21-29   2. Festival Tithe - 1/10 - Annually – Deuteronomy 14:22-27 3. Poor Tithe - 1/10 - Every Three Year - to the poor - Dt. 14:28-29, 26:12-13   All of which adds up to as much as 23 1/3% per year over a three-year period-of-time.  The New Testament:   Christians are not under the Law of Moses, so no biblical requirement to tithe. Acts 15 – The Jerusalem Council Romans 7:4 – Christians have died to the Law of Moses and the requirement to tithe. Colossians 2:14 – The Law of Moses and its consequences were nailed to the cross. What the New Testament teaches about giving. 2 Cor. 9:7, Every man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.   Reasonable Solution If it did not cost you anything to give, then you did not give anything.  Luke 21:1-4 Give just until it hurts a little. God does not want what you do not what to give.  Give not under legalism but out of joy from a grateful heart. Give Weak Christians grace when they demand you give a 10% tithe out of your gross annual income.  Romans 14  (But do not show them your IRS Form 1040.)

Commands of Jesus: Blessings & Woes

Key Words:  Hypocrisy, False Teaching, Doing the Will of God Matthew 5:2-11, Luke 6:20-26 – Blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake and on account of their testimony about Jesus.  Woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.  Matthew 11:6 - And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. Matthew 18:7, Luke 17:1 - Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! Matthew 23:1-36,  Luke 11:37-52 - Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.   Woe to those preachers and teachers who teach falsely.                                     Woe to those who swear oaths before God.                                                        Woe to those who neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness.                                   Woe to those preachers and teachers who are hypocrites and lawless.           Woe to those preachers and teachers full of greed and self-indulgence.      Woe to you lawyers(Pharisees)! For you have taken away the key to knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.   Matthew 24:46, Luke 12:37-38, Luke 12:43 - Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing his will when he comes. Matthew 25:34 – Blessed are those who inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Luke 11:28 - Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it! Luke 13:35 -  Blessed is the one who says blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! John 13:17 - If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. John 20:29 - Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. Discussion Questions: Who are the blessed? Who are those who are cursed with woes?

Commands of Jesus: Obedience

Key Words:  Doing/Keeping God’s Word  Matthew 4:4 - Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.  Matthew 7:26-27, Luke 6:46-49 - And everyone who hears these words of mine and does them is like a man who builds his house on a solid foundation.  Matthew 11:25-30 - 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light  Matthew 12:48-50, Luke 8:21 - For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.  Luke 11:28 - Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!  Luke 16:1-13 – Use the assets given to you faithfully.  Cannot serve God and money.  John 8:31-32 – If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.  John 12:25-26 - If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.  John 13:15-17 - For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.   John 13:20 -  Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.  John 14:15-24 - If you love me, you will keep my commandments.   John 15:1-17 - Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.   Discussion Questions:  Summarize the Jesus commands on obedience.  Are you obeying the commands of Jesus?   And if not, what help do you need in order to start obeying his commands?