Sunday Morning Churchianity

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Romans 2:13 NIV)

I hear all the time how much America is a "Christian nation". I see how people perform in church on Sunday mornings...shaking hands, lifting "holy hands" etc.; then I see how people behave during the rest of the week...no eye contact or even acknowledgement when we walk past each other in the grocery stores or perhaps jointly pump gas at the gas station. No "hello how are you" before declaring our custom order at Starbucks. No "thank you" to the over stressed cashier after finishing our order at Starbucks. Lamenting how much we "need a drink" while dealing with a difficult circumstance at work. No desire to participate in a corporate prayer meeting during "off-peak hours" (i.e. non Sundays) at church. Not giving thanks in a restaurant before eating the food that God provided. I could go on and on and on...but you get the point.

God' word says that we will be "salt and light to the world" (Matthew 5:13). Are American Christians that obvious to spot in a restaurant? How about at the traffic light while their car idles next to the person begging for a dollar?

God's word says that "no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bed or a table" (Luke 8:16). I see a lot of supposed Christians walking around with tables over their heads indistinguishable from non-believers.

Does this all sound very disturbing, maybe even judgmental? It should be. I guarantee it is disturbing to the Lord. To believe he actually was punished to the maximum for all of these behaviors…as if he was the one who committed them. God punished Jesus for all of these non-righteous acts of us self-righteous people. Don't let him take your punishment in vain. Be grateful to him for it. Repent of those things that you have done. Ask him to help you to avoid doing them in the future. He is faithful. He will forgive you and separate them from you as far as east is from west (Psalm 103:12). Then...become "salt and light" within your world.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6 NLT)

Ignore God and Decrease Your Birth Rates

I read a very interesting article yesterday in the New York Times on the topic of the shrinking birth rate in Europe over the past few decades. The article outlines the demographic danger facing Europe with the high likelihood that several countries (Italy, Spain and Germany among others) will see their native populations decrease by up to 40% by 2050. According to the article, the replacement birth rate necessary to maintain an equal population size from generation to generation is 2.1 children born to each woman. In Europe according to the article the rate is well below 2.0, with some countries closer to 1.5 and dropping. It is a lengthy and very interesting read that sheds some light on a phenomenon that in all likelihood will reshape the face of Western Europe within 100 years. The interesting thing about the article is that it was published after extensive research and interviews with many experts and it offers various possible explanations for why this situation has developed....

Richard Dawkins’ Wisdom of the Wise

The subject of Atheism has been quite popular in the literary mainstream over the past few years, as “Atheists as Celebrity” Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and others have enriched themselves with self important intellectual books, talk shows and other benefits of our enlightened society. That there are people who willfully claim a disbelief in God is nothing new. That it has become so militant, with legion of sycophants worshipping at their feet may very well be. Or it could simply be another case of the Internet making something seem far more widespread because we now know more about it. Whatever the case, I always find it interesting to read the comments of people on the subject of whether or not there is a God. This interest brought me to an article on Richard Dawkins on the London Times website over the weekend. The article is ostensibly a primer on Dawkins, and some TV show that he is apparently going to host in England on the subject of Charles Darwin and his theory of e...

Our Disunity Hurts Christ

I was listening the other day to a Christian commentator whom I have listened to infrequently for the last year or two. This gentleman who shall remain nameless in this post, generally provides sound biblical principles, delivers his remarks with apparent humility and comes across as an earnest representative for the furthering of Jesus Christ. I preface my remarks in this way, because I do think such a description is a necessary part of presenting God’s Word in a matter that is consistent with biblical direction: But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:16-18 NIV) I must say then that it was with dismay when I heard this same commentator “attack” fellow Christians who happen to differ philo...

Treasure In Clay Jars

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