Miscellaneous: Coloring After the Lines are Erased - Stephen

 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1

 

And so it began. Everything we see. Everything we hear. Everything we touch. Everything we create started because God created first. 

 

With His creation there were no boundaries, no lines to color within. But after calling all that He created “good” He designed margins for His creation--boundaries that He wanted us to create inside of and not erase. 

 

Adam, the first man, was asked by God to name the animals yet he had to do so within the “lines” of their appearance with which God had given them. He couldn’t take the tusks of the elephant and give them to the alligator. He couldn’t remove the feathers of the bird and place them upon the salamander. Adam was given creative liberty to name them whatever he wanted but within the boundaries God had ordained. 

 

This creative desire of man continued from there. While that first family stayed within those margins God’s creation would remain good and beauty would continue to blossom, but it withered quickly. In Genesis 3 Adam and Eve sought to change (a.k.a. be creative with) the rules God had set concerning that one forbidden tree. Cain desired to manipulate the truth of God’s plan for offerings in Genesis 4. We then find this rebellious mindset trail-blazing its way from Eden through the rest of Biblical history. In doing so these would all discover something that is still true to this day—it is only when mankind colors outside the lines of God’s design that sin begins to ruin the picture.

 

Since Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden we still hate to admit that these barriers exist. Our desire to change those boundaries has not gone away and in some respect has only become greater. Deep down, as we continue to create, we are quickly seeing that creativity has suffered in our modern world because the patterns of God have been rejected. 

 

Creativity with no boundaries equals confusion; creativity within the boundaries of the Divine plan equals beauty. That’s the way God created it from the beginning. Artists and all of mankind like to think that creative liberties force us to push the limitations and erase them altogether to get to “real art.” Yet when we change what the Creator has set what we create becomes inferior. Why? Because God’s truth is the prism from which every ray of beauty originates. 

 

As we saw from the beginning this truth goes way beyond art. Romans 1 tells us that people have sought to erase the lines of who God is and God’s nature has become tarnished in the minds of many as a result. We have sought to erase God’s lines in marriage relationships and marriage is in an ongoing state of decline. We have sought to remove God’s lines in a person’s gender and children are growing up in complete identity chaos. As we seek to change and be “creative” with these boundaries of Divine origin our idea of originality always suffers. 

 

Our society is finding out very quickly that it is difficult to color anything when the lines are erased—a truth not only for the generation that is but for the ones to come as well. True creativity is finding something unique within the walls setup by our Creator not without them. That is where beauty can still be found. And that is why much of the art of today is forgotten tomorrow while, at the same time, we walk outside at sunset and still proclaim with camera in hand, “God, how great thine art!” 

 

May we trust the Master Painter. 

May we submit to the true Original.

May we seek to glorify the only One who could ever color without lines and still call it “good.”

 

Or, to be more precise, “very good.”

 

“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.”

Genesis 1:31

Redefining Independence - Ron

Have you ever heard something like this, “Being an American doesn’t make you a Christian?” I have. Many times. I've even said it myself. I get the meaning behind the statement, but as I’ve gotten older, I grow more curious about why this statement needs to be made in the first place. Are pastors and Christians in other countries saying similar things? I highly doubt the phrase “Being an Iranian doesn’t make you a Christian,” is said. It doesn’t need to be. So why have I heard this phrase for so long in the United States?

Let’s jump right into it: many of us need to realize and actualize our independence. I am not speaking of independence from the British, either. I am talking about becoming independent of the good ol' USA. The chances are very high that your Americanism has influenced your Christianity. In fact, I would dare say that there are many Christians who conflate worshipping Christ and worshipping America (or an image of her in their head) on a regular basis. But if Scripture is applicable for all people and at all times, what in the world does being American, or any other nationality, have to do with our Christianity? 

Before I go further, let me make a few things clear. First, I am not anti-government. I firmly believe that God ordained government (Romans 13:1-7), has specific purposes for it listed in the Bible (Psalm 82:2-4), and works His plan through it (Jeremiah 18:7-10; Daniel 4:35). I know and understand that the government can be a blessing or a terror to a nation’s citizenship. Second, because of these things, I believe that we can and should be thankful when a government is just. Alternatively, I think it is appropriate to lament when a government is unjust. Third, I am in no way advocating for Christians to throw off the rule of government. In fact, the Bible pretty explicitly forbids that course of action (Romans 13; Titus 3:1-2). Basically, I do not agree with this lady. 

Lastly, please understand that I am not anti-military, a pacifist, a flag-burner, or on board with dishonoring the memories and sacrifices of those who came before me. You can get right out of here with all that mess. My dad served in the U.S. Marines, and I am about as patriotic as they come. I cry watching videos of men and women returning from deployment the same as everyone else does. I stand for the national anthem and pledge allegiance with my hand over my heart. I have no problem doing so and I am overwhelmingly grateful to have been born in the United States.

But, and take a deep breath for this, I am a citizen of heaven first. In the highest levels of government, our nation condones and celebrates the murder of tens of millions of babies. This is child sacrifice on a scale that the ancient Canaanites could not have imagined. By the day, our government desecrates the past and passes laws approving of nearly every abominable wickedness warned of in Scripture. So why is our patriotism so wrapped up in our Christianity? If one really looks at the culture of America today, do we even need the reminder “American does not equal Christian?”

At best, we are so strongly tied to patriotism because we genuinely believe that this country is the last great gasp of freedom in the world. At worst, we are doing it blindly, failing to see that our allegiance to America has overshadowed our allegiance to Christ. Maybe we are celebrating America as an idea. I don’t know. But let us consider for a moment headlines like this: “Dr. Robert Jeffress: Targeting religious liberty -- Why no faith is safe under the Biden administration.” 

For those that don’t know, Dr. Jeffress is a pastor in Dallas. According to the internet, his net worth is $18 million. Here’s a link to an article aptly titled, Trump’s Apostle. The article includes several quotes from Dr. Jeffress, including this one about President Trump shutting down the government to try and force funding for the border wall: “Well, he’s doing exactly the right thing in keeping this government shut down until he gets that wall, the Bible says even heaven itself is gonna have a wall around it. Not everyone is gonna be allowed in.” 

Now, if you find yourself a-hootin’ an a-hollerin’ in agreement with that statement, you need to make your love relationship with Christ independent from your love relationship with America. You may think that the border wall is a great idea or you may think it is all kinds of inappropriate. I don’t care (Disclosure: I am fine with the idea). If you are a Bible-believing Christian, though, it should enrage you that someone used God the Father’s heavenly design as a proof-text for President Trump’s border wall. But it wasn’t just anyone that said this. It was a pastor. 

According to the Trump’s Apostle article, “Jeffress is the senior pastor at First Baptist Dallas, a 13,000-member megachurch that’s one of the most influential in the country,” but “he’s known best for appearances like this one: he’s often on Fox & Friends or Hannity or any number of sound-bitey segments on Fox News or Fox Business.” A pastor that is best known as a political spokesperson. This should not be possible. This should not be sought after. 

If one is honest, the mentality of Dr. Jeffress has become the standard for much of American evangelical Christianity. Unfortunately, this can be traced all the way back to the Revolutionary War, during which pastors specifically preached politically-charged messages, twisting Scripture to suit their needs the same way that Jeffress has done. In his book, The Religious Beliefs of America’s Founders: Reason, Revelation, and Revolution, Gregg Frazer writes, “The fusion of liberal democratic theory with theistic rationalism on the part of patriotic preachers is evident in an analysis of their sermons” (Frazer, 2012, p. 81).

Frazer points out the method of interpreting Scripture at the time by quoting Charles Turner, who wrote in 1773, “The Scriptures cannot be rightfully expounded without explaining them in a manner friendly to the cause of freedom.” Frazer corrects this, rightly stating, “although spiritual freedom from sin is a very important biblical concept, the cause of political freedom (which is what Turner is referring to) is of little consequence in the Bible. In fact, the Bible never discusses political freedom” (Frazer, 2012, p. 81, emphasis in the original). In some cases, the hermeneutics were so askew and “the principles of liberal democracy had so replaced those of the Gospel that they became a prism through which Scripture was read” (Frazer, 2012, p. 81).

In 1986, the beloved Christian scallywag, Patch the Pirate, did a full show called The Great American Time Machine, where children travelled through time to unlock the past secrets to America’s greatness. Now, full disclosure time again, I enjoyed the Patch the Pirate episode, and I thought they balanced the Christian message well with the patriotic one. But the point I am making is larger than that. I am afraid that we have tied our patriotism so closely to our Christianity that they are virtually indistinguishable. As the political landscape in America mirrors our wicked culture ever more closely, the panic buttons for Christians that grip the flag as tightly as their Bible will wear away from use. They will scream, along with Dr. Jeffress, “no faith is safe!”

We have forgotten that permission for our faith never came from a government and it cannot be taken away by one. We do not remember that in Christ we are “free indeed” (John 8:36). We cannot fathom that we are “strangers and pilgrims” on this earth because we have stopped desiring "a better country, that is, an heavenly,” (Hebrews 11:8-16). We have done this because far too many of us believe the United States to be the “city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). It is not. It never was. Not even at its very best.

If we cannot disentangle our Christianity from our patriotism, one or the other (or likely both) will become shipwrecked as our disillusionment grows. So what am I suggesting? I am suggesting that we be patriotic. Give thanks for the country in which we live. Praise the things from the past and present that are praiseworthy and speak against the things that are not. But I am also suggesting that our Christian faith grow and stay independent of our national outlook. 

I wonder how the New Testament martyrs would view the millions of Christians who, in the past six years, have been more evangelical and mission-minded sharing their thoughts on a president than they have ever been sharing the Gospel of Christ. If they saw your t-shirt, Instagram post, Facebook profile picture, bumper sticker, tattoo, yard sign, or hat that said, “I kneel at the cross and stand for the flag,” I think they would be very confused as to what one has to do with the other. And that’s because the answer is nothing. 

Sources:

Bleznak, B. (2021). Robert Jeffress net worth 2021, age, height, weight, biography, wiki and career details. MD Daily Record. https://mddailyrecord.com/robert-jeffress-net-worth-girlfriend-wife-kids-height-weight-age-gay-bio-2021-2022-2023

Frazer, G. (2012). The religious beliefs of America’s founding fathers: Reason, revelation, and revolution. University Press of Kansas.

Jeffress, R. (2021). Dr. Robert Jeffress: Targeting religious liberty -- why no faith is safe under the Biden administration. Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/religious-liberty-faith-biden-administration-robert-jeffress

Mooney, M. J. (2021). Trump’s apostle. Texas Monthly. https://www.texasmonthly.com/news-politics/donald-trump-defender-dallas-pastor-robert-jeffress/

Weill, K. (2021). Pizzeria owner Pauline Bauer mounts truly bizarre defense for Jan. 6 riots. The Daily Beast. https://www.thedailybeast.com/pizzeria-owner-pauline-bauer-mounts-truly-bizarre-defense-for-jan-6-riots

Redefining independence – Ben

I remember just as I was leaving Kettering, OH, when I was 18, I thought, "I cannot wait to get out on my own." I was headed to Jacksonville, FL, to attend bible college, and I was hopeful about the road ahead. Sure, I'd miss my family and friends. I worried if I'd be able to keep in contact with those I had grown up with. But, all in all, I couldn't wait to get out from underneath the watchful eye of my parents. I'm now 34 and pastoring a church in Baltimore, MD. Ironically, I have the responsibility of watching over many families, including my own. If any of them knew that 18-year-old boy, I doubt they would’ve voted me in as pastor. 

The point that I’m trying to make is that, essentially, I’ve been “on my own” since college. No, not totally independent. No one is ever truly independent. There were many times when I’d call mom and dad to ask for spending money (more often mom than dad). The number of times I invaded my aunt and uncle’s place in Jax, ate their food, and did my laundry, were so numerous they really should’ve charged me rent. But, by most standards, I had to watch out for myself. No one was going to do my laundry. No one was going to make sure I was going to class. And while the college had someone posted on campus to monitor curfew, it helps to befriend said “person” if the time ever gets away from you and the clock reads, “12:06am.” Not that I’m saying that I ever befriended one of my fellow classmates for selfish reasons. This is purely hypothetical. But neither am I not saying that. 

Looking back, what I thought independence was, isn’t what I now know independence to be. I thought it implied freedom; in reality, independence entails ownership. That, while yes, you are in many ways free to do as you please; you are also aware that should things go sideways, you will only have yourself to blame. Gone were the parental gatekeepers. Gone was the security of the familiar. Being in a new place, a new city, and a new state meant that you and you alone, had to take ownership of your life. If you didn’t, your life would go nowhere. And sure, going back home was always an option, but it was always the very last option, at least for me. I wanted to prove to myself and my parents that I could stand on my own two feet. 

But now, I’m older. I have a career. I have a wife. I have two barbarians that some would call “children.” And the longer I’m here on this earth, the more I realize that life was far easier when I was 17 living under the watchful eye of my parents. I didn't have to worry about the things all adults worry about. Ironically, in a way, I was freer then than I ever realized. But when is “easy” ever rewarding? Growing up means taking the challenges life throws at you. To remain as you are is to become inert. Even though we may wish for "simpler" times, how many of us would honestly give up our independence for ignorance? 

Taking ownership of one’s life is hard, but it is far, far more gratifying. And when we trust that the One who made the universe is working every day to grow us, growth is always preferable to stagnation. At some point, we all have to stand on our own two feet. Independence may not have been what I initially thought it was, but I would not trade the man I am today for the boy I was back then.  

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."

Philippians 2:12-13

Redefining Independence - Stephen

     

Shattered broken dreams just up the road

You’d turn around if you knew what I know

That the battle’s lost when you fight alone

A brother needs a friend to walk along

 

The enemy does his best work in the dark

In that hidden room deep inside your heart

But if the door stays locked you won’t find victory

Out into the light comes accountability

 

Jesus knocking He’s waiting to begin

To shine His love on secret things within

Oh the choice you’d make if you knew what I know

Freedom waits for you just up the road

(“Just Up the Road” by Channing Eleton)

 

Now I know I’m not God. God is much wiser than I ever will or claim to be. But sometimes I wish God had created a place. Let me explain.

 

This place would be a place of community. A community of people not necessarily alike in skin color, culture, or sports fandom but in something greater. Something bigger than themselves. Something that could bind and knit their hearts together even if by all appearances they had nothing else in common. 

 

I imagine this community would also be a place where we could be free to share our burdens, our worries, and our fears. Not like some type of anonymous group meeting but more like a family get-together. Where one is greeted with a warm embrace as opposed to a smiling façade. A place where others are seeking renewal for one another as opposed to information or, worse, ammunition. It would be so easy for this group to share these things followed up by “DIY solutions” but this group would all be under the impression that God could work things out better than they ever could. 

 

I imagine this place to be where one could also be free to share their temptations and failures. The things we used to set aside to only share with the best of friends as kids and only after a promise of secrecy was agreed upon with a handshake of spittle. Those skeletons we keep in the closet, those thoughts we lay at night thinking upon, and maybe even those things of which we have found the shame and guilt to be unbearable. It would be so easy for this group to hear these things among themselves with a judgmental ear but for some reason these people would care enough to pray for these things too.

 

Finally, I imagine this place to be where people could grow spiritually together, encourage each other in their walk with God, and just worship His name. You know all of the things that many say are important but tend to get pushed aside by the busyness of this life. This group would help each other prioritize their lives and turn the phrase “peer pressure” into something good and eternal. 

 

And I know if this place, this gathering of believers of sorts, were to exist that nothing would keep people from that place. For although our mouths scream independence the aching inside all of us longs for a place where we are all in dependence upon one another.

 

As a man it is so easy for me to define my own masculinity by the individualistic standards of our society. Being referred to as the “Lone Wolf”, “Lone Ranger”, “Lone Survivor,” or any other “lone” descriptive seems to do something to my personal ego. Yet although that is the mask we all wear in public for some reason men continue to seek replacement for the close friendships society tells us we no longer need because we’re men. 

 

So this group of women, children, and men would gather on a regular basis to show a society that prides itself on so-called “independence” that we are in dependence upon one another and upon God Himself. Upon God in prayer and one another in encouragement and accountability. 

 

When one would forsake either or both of these, they’d know they are setting themselves up to be the next headline of a Christian’s moral failure. That headline, by the grace of God, may not be at the top of a news article but will always be in the hearts of those they love. Whether one is more damaging than the other is debatable at best.

 

Don’t you wish such a place existed in our independent world? 

 

“Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. 

Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church;

 and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another….”

James 5:13-14, 16a

 

“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Acts 2:47