Last week President Bush released his new faith based
initiative which includes among its provisions, ways for faith based
institutions to receive money from the federal government and to allow income
tax deductions for charitable contributions, to those who donÕt itemize
deductions. I have had something to say about these provisons in limited ways
last year on February 6th, October 11th, and December 6th. For this weekÕs
article, my first idea was to elaborate upon those thoughts. Upon reflection, I
have decided to break this up into at least 3 different articles. This will
hopefully put my comments into a perspective that just one article could not
do.
Initiatives such as those proposed by the President have
a precedent in western culture, if not much in America. While I have some
reservations about the practical worth of these initiatives, my general feeling
is that they do not go far enough, or put the focus on the application and the
symptoms, rather than treating the underlying disease. These articles will
focus on three revelations of God to humanity and more specifically the church.
First we will look at the separation of power, second the separation of the nation,
and finally the separation of the people. It is in these last two areas where
critique of the PresidentÕs proposals has now focused in the media. This is
basically summarized by the question, ÒHow can a faith based institution not
mix saving of souls from the saving of the body?Ó As we go on from here that
debate will be the focus of media attention, for it allows for simplistic spin
by consultants and other experts stating opinions for or against the premise,
while the depth of the underling reality is not at all probed.
As generally defined by western religious dogmatics, God
has basically given men three revelations of His presence. The first is in
natural creation. The second is in the Old Testament, generally defined as the
Covenant of the Law. The third is in the New Testament, generally defined as
the Covenant of Grace. These revelations were given to mankind primarily in
this historic order. The first building on the second, and the third building
on the foundations laid before. As we develop these concepts we should first
understand that with the adoption of evolution as the religion of persons, the
state, and the church, the church lost its ability to speak to much of
humanity. If the Bible is nothing but a book of myths concerning the development
of the earth, then how much credence can be given to the redemption of creation
through the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary,
for the sins of man. In this context, if Christianity makes no sense to me, how
can it make any sense to those who are lost in their sins.
To make matters worse, essentially within this same
historic period, the church has evolved this doctrine that one must begin with
salvation and work backwards toward the law and creation. But how can one Òget
right with GodÓ if one does not have a frame work or foundation on why that is
all necessary. We begin by giving the new believer JohnÕs Gospel, rather than
as you will find in the Bible, when God calls the individual, sending them into
the wilderness. While the Gospel of John begins on the correct perspective, ÒIn
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.Ó
Without the proper or Biblical view of creation, the depth and the beauty of
JohnÕs Gospel does not make any sense. But once one has been through the
wilderness of affliction, where ever that may take place, the whole Gospel
message, not only in the Book of John, takes on a meaning that is more precious
than anything this world can offer.
Now if the God of the Bible is Truth, and through the
Word of God the worlds were created, why then is it that the church is so
afraid of the witness in the power of creation? It is my belief that for the
most part that the church as it exists today, worships a God of its own creation,
a god that we can understand. But this is nothing more than an idol. An idol
that inhabits the praises of his people in the nice air conditioned building,
surrounded by a plush ambience of prosperity, and plastic plants. Modern church
leadership and the laity cannot handle the God of Creation simply because He is
a God that in an instant can change our wisdom and our witness into a handful
of dry and dusty clay.
We on the west coast of the United States and especially
those of us in the Northwest understand the influence of Tibetan and Himalayan
culture and religion upon our region. We have very low attendance in Sunday
church because most inhabitants seek their Òspiritual but not religious
experienceÓ in the mountains and not the sanctuary. Communing with God through
a cup of filtered mountain water, rather than a plastic communion vial. The
power that is manifested in these sojourns to communion is so intense that if
one does not know the Creator of the Universe personally, one must create gods
to allow one to maintain perspective. In that regard, when one is spoken to in
the wilderness, however that manifestation takes place, one must attribute it
to deity. While we do not need the millions of gods of Tibet and Nepal, for our
native grandeur is not of that magnitude, it is comforting to the lost trekker,
to know that those millions of gods are available and may be appeased by our
sacrifice, if needed.
While these type of experiences could truly give one
humility in the presence of God, (absent in much of the church today) if this
revelation is to be correctly understood, a systematic teaching must be
developed much as Paul taught to the Greeks in Athens (Acts 17:15-34). The true
power of the One God who created the universe is manifest not only in creation,
but in His selecting of the small nation of Israel to be His people. Through
the individuals of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob comes not only a nation, but a
person, the Messiah, the God-Man, Jesus Christ. It is through this Man that sin
is forgiven and washed away, a propitiatory sacrifice is given and accepted.
Eternal life is achieved,beginning in this life and continuing forever. This
God must be present not only in your heart but in your whole life. In that
respect the Sunday worship service and the successful Christian life, must
acknowledge that this revelation is not inherent in mankind as a conscious
understanding, but hidden deep within the mystery of Eternal Design. God
created it that way. It rests on GodÕs love and mercy and not our sacrifice.
How hard it is to rest upon a gift and not on our own sacrifices, for again we
think that this would show that we are but dust. But that would then cheapen GodÕs grace shown to us.
We therfore have what are apparently two sources of
power, one stemming from the God of Creation, and a second from creation,
nature,the world, or their forces themselves. At this point the discussion must
focus upon the concept of the Absolute. The religious dogma of both constructs
cannot be true. One Absolute is a God of personality and complete power, the
second absolute is a god of ever expanding deity and circular reasoning. One
God has answers, not only written on and in Creation, but also within the pages
of a Book, and when properly interpreted their Words are in Absolute Harmony.
The other god or gods speak only of relativity, ever changing reality and
revelation, which when properly understood is no reality at all. It is a choice
that each individual ever born makes, which God will you serve? Do all paths
lead to God or is there only one proper choice?
Only the Creator and the Biblical God is able and wise
enough to understand the light each individual has been given and provide
restitution for sin (or folly). The decision should be a no brainer, if one is
given a proper understanding of the true big picture. Within the pages of the
Bible alone is prescribed in the New Testament Covenant of Grace, one path that
leads to God. That is through, faith alone, through grace alone, because of
Christ alone, to God alone belongs that glory. It is a dotrine of GodÕs grace,
not manÕs sacrifice. But because much of the church is not so much interested
in GodÕs eternal plan but rather her own religious dogma and experiences, many
people of GodÕs elect in this life, miss out on the first fruits of that
blessing, and the peace and rest that His eternal revelation and power
provides.
In the light of the initiatives proposed by President
Bush last week, a church based upon the principles of the Bible and manifested
in Creation has no need of help from the federal government or any government
for that matter. While a level playing field could be nice and appropriate,
there is a bigger picture of whether manÕs government has any right at all, to
in any way regulate, or legislate laws that govern the church. That separation
of the church and the nation is something we will look at more in depth next
week.
That the church, the called out ones, will again develop
that unity of power that rests upon the whole revelation of God provided to
man. That begins with the individual no matter the office to which God has
elected him, or her. It is only in that unity of agrarian roots of creation and
scripture, stems the power to change the world and to provide healing and
integration.
Help, God! I need your help desperately today. Now! As I mentioned last week things have
been really quite difficult. It would be easy to say that more money would
solve the problem, but money is just a manifestation of truly resting in the
finished work, and power of the risen Jesus Christ. The Bible, and church
history, are full of testimonies of those people and what, through God they
over came. It is all together one thing to read about it and say ÒI receive it
Lord!Ó It is entirely different to be forced to rest upon those same ÒforeignÓ
principles. As far as I can see today is the day when God must provide the path
of escape, or? In this hour please
intercede that my faith shall not fail, an that the Glory of God be manifest in
my weakness and this ministry.