#186 Need to Be Better

Last week at the Republican National Convention, Vice President Mike Pence said, "So let’s run the race marked out for us. Let’s fix our eyes on Old Glory and all she represents. Let’s fix our eyes on this land of heroes and let their courage inspire. And let’s fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith and our freedom and never forget that where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (For the sake of reference, Hebrews 12:1-2 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." And 2 Corinthians 3:17 says, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.")

Let me be absolutely clear: what Vice Pres. Pence did is wrong. It is not okay by any means. He has taken language about Jesus and applied it to the United States. Jesus deserves our ultimate allegiance. Jesus deserves all honor and glory. Jesus determines and models the values we should live by. The United States and its flag do not. To even imply that the United States shares these traits that only belong to our God is blasphemy. To think that the United States embodies the highest ideals for humanity and that true blessings and freedom follow from trusting and serving the nation is idolatry. America is a false god. Jesus Christ bought our salvation through His suffering and death on the cross and His resurrection, and so His Spirit brings His people freedom from sin and death, breaking the power the devil and evil hold over us who believe in Him. Political freedoms are definitely good, but comparing them with our freedom in Christ is laughable at best. From the Bible's perspective, every American who does not believe in Christian does not have freedom, no matter how many civil liberties she or he may enjoy.

Now I've picked on Vice Pres. Pence because he recently and very publicly sinned in this way. I'm not saying that Vice Pres. Pence is the worst politician ever or that no one else ever wrongly speaks about God and the United States. Nor am I saying that what Vice Pres. Pence has done is unforgivable. But we as Christians cannot support this. Vice Pres. Pence is very public about his faith in Jesus. He should know better. We as American Christians should not tolerate blasphemy and idolatry from our politicians. Americans are not the people of God. The United States is not God's kingdom. God's people are Christians throughout the world, the church in all places (and times). God's kingdom covers the whole world. There are a lot of good things about the United States, but it, like every other nation on earth, is twisted and broken by sin. We need to acknowledge the wrongdoing and evil that are present in the United States and that have been here throughout American history. The United States cannot save us. Only Jesus can. The United States cannot bring true freedom. Only Jesus can. Glory to God alone.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#185 End Times

During this COVID-19 outbreak I've heard people wondering about the end times. Is the rapid spread of this virus a sign that we're close to the end of the world? Are we living in the end times?

These kinds of discussions drive me nuts. So let's try to set the record straight. The Bible sometimes talks about world history in terms of two ages: the present age and the age to come. The present age covers history from creation until the time when Jesus returns and brings the new creation. The age to come begins with the ministry of Jesus and covers all eternity in God's kingdom. If you're paying close attention, you'll notice that those two ages overlap. We're living in that overlap. Ever since Jesus came, the present age has been coming to an end and the age to come is beginning. In biblical terms the answer to the question "are we living in the end times?" is yes. We've been living in the end times for approximately 2000 years. The writers of the New Testament (rightly) believed that they were already living in the end times. Acts 2:17 says, "In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people…" When the Spirit comes on God's people on Pentecost, Peter says that Joel's prophesy has been fulfilled. 10 days after Jesus' ascension, His people are living in the end times. Hebrews 1:2 says "in these last days [God] has spoken to us by His Son." John writes, "Dear children, this is the last hour" in 1 John 2:18. These are the end times because we are no longer waiting for Jesus' first coming and His redeeming/saving work. We are waiting for His return and the completion of God's plan.

Also, the idea that we can use COVID-19 or some other world event to determine exactly when Jesus will return is ridiculous. Jesus says we can't figure it out: "But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father…. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him (Matthew 24:36, 42, 44). And in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, Paul says the day of Jesus' return will come "like a thief in the night." This is not something that we can predict or figure out. God tells us in the Bible that we must live in such a way that we are prepared for Jesus to return at any moment. The time to live for Jesus is now. Trying to determine when this will happen is irresponsible and bad theology.

So let's stop worrying about the end times. Of course we're living in the end times. Let's worry about living like Jesus and living for Jesus to the best of our ability, because our lives belong to Him.

Grace and peace,

BMH

#184 Fruit Troubles

I really enjoy eating fresh fruit. I've almost never encountered a fruit that I didn't like. Each year I look forward to all the different fruits that are in season during the summer. Since I generally do the grocery shopping in our family, I try to get a nice variety of fruits to eat throughout the week. There's just one slight problem: my family doesn't share my enthusiasm for fruit. Tess really only eats what I call "boring" fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, grapes. Lanie is three years old and often doesn't want to branch out, so she'll convince herself that she doesn't like something before she even tries it. And Mia isn't eating solid food yet. So sometimes I want to eat something like kiwis or cherries, but my grocery store only carries packages of a dozen kiwis or two-pound bags of cherries. Unable to convince my family to share the fruity goodness, I end up eating kiwis or cherries every day for a week, by which point I'm glad they're gone. So my dreams of variety don't always work out as smoothly as I hope. Maybe someday my kids will be ready and willing to share with me.

Grace and peace,

BMH