Light Times  Magazine is the only Christian magazine in Cambodia. COVID forced it to suspend printing hard-copy magazines.  In 2022, Light Times plans to start printing magazines again but it needs your help to regain the financial momentum that it lost during COVID. The most urgent need is for a new, high-powered, MacBook laptop that is capable of running the specialized lay-out software. There are other financial needs for start-up printing expenses and for renting and setting up an office.  I have been volunteering as an English editor with LT since 2017 and am confident that the funds will be used efficiently and effectively.  Please read the article below or download the PDF at the bottom.  

**For donors from the USA who need a tax-deductible receipt, please email darryl@sgwm.com to make arrangements before you donate.** 
Thanks and God Bless!
​Darryl

This meme came through my Facebook newsfeed last night.  Due to time zone differences I decided not to get into a debate over this meme but rather to address it here.  

The meme says that God "fails" to prevent injuries and "refuses" to heal them.  Despite the intentionally blasphemous words and tone of the meme it does raise an important question: Why doesn't God choose to prevent all injuries and why doesn't God choose to heal all injuries?

Where do sicknesses and injuries come from?  
 
Romans 5:12 gives us an important clue.  "Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all mankind, because all sinned—"

Genesis 1:21 also gives us an important clue.  "And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day."

It is logical to assume that there were no injuries, sickness, or death, before Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden.  This is why God could call it "very good."   Therefore, injuries, sickness, and death are consequences of humans' sins.  God does not prevent all injuries, sicknesses, and death because they are part of His divine justice.  

Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

In heaven, Revelation 21:4 promises, "and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be anymourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Why doesn't God choose  to heal all diseases and injuries now?

James 2:1-4 provides a clue.   "Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

From this passage we learn that suffering in various forms including sickness and injuries can have a positive result on our spiritual development.   

2 Corinthians 12:7-9 confirms this, "or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

God, who knows all things, may choose not to heal our injuries and sicknesses because they may produce a greater development in our spiritual life and character.  This progress may result in eternal rewards in heaven.  Even though we may not like our present suffering, we can trust that God will do what is best in our lives.  

Also, God has created humans with the capacity to develop science and with it various treatments and cures for diseases and injures. We should give thanks to God for His blessings the come to us through science because if God did not exist, science would be impossible in a random universe.  

I recently had the following Facebook conversation with an agnostic/atheist regarding the above meme while getting my car repaired.  When dealing with agnostics and atheists I find that it is more effective to ask questions than give evidence because they usually will disregard the evidence and turn and "tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6).  

In this conversation A: is for agnostic/atheist and D: is for Darryl

A:  God's mind is not the product of intelligent design. How can we give credence to it whatsoever?

D: If God is eternal (no beginning or end) how could his mind be intelligently designed? Why would an eternal mind need to be intelligently designed to be trusted? I am confused.

A: Is there anything at all that you would trust without being able to test that you can trust it first? I can't think of anything at all that I trust without having direct observation of and experience with the thing that I trust. Since we cannot know anything at all about God's mind, how can we possibly know that we can trust it? How can we know that it is perfect if it had no designer? How could it be perfect if it had no designer?

D: It seems that you trust your own mind. Do you believe that your mind had a designer?

A: The issue here is if we can trust God's mind not mine. If anyone can show how we know that we can trust God's mind, please go right ahead.

D:  So if God was intelligently designed, would you trust his undesigned designer?

A: It isn't possible to know if there is a designer or not. If there is, we can't know that we can't trust him.

D:  So if God was intelligently designed, would you trust his undesigned designer?

A: It's impossible to know such things.

D: How do you know it’s impossible, unless you know everything?

A:  Because we cannot know what have no access to.

D: How do you know that we have no access? Maybe others have access that you don’t.

A: They would be world famous and the whole world would know about it. Or are they keeping it a secret?

D: There are a multitude of believers. They are not keeping it a secret. Maybe you should ask them.  

A: They merely claim to have access to God. Anyone who actually has access to God would be world famous.

D: How do you know they only claim it? Have you investigated all of them?

A: So you're saying that there are people who have two way communication with God?

D: Can you prove that no one who has ever lived anywhere has ever had two way communication with God?

A: No and neither can anyone prove that they have. That leaves us with nothing.

D: Do you admit that you don’t know everything?

A: No, I don't because not knowing everything is not something that should be "admitted to" rather it just is.

D: So you don’t know everything.

No further replies from the agnostic/atheist.

Concluding Thoughts

The agnostic/atheist may have stopped replying because he realized that he had cornered himself.  My next questions would have been:  "Why do you trust your own mind, which is not intelligently designed and does not know everything but not God's?"  "Why do you hold God's mind to a different standard than your own mind?"  

The purpose of questions is to plant seeds of doubt in the agostics'/atheists' worldview so that they will open their mind and consider the possibility that they don't know everything and therefore God really could exist in the part that they don't know.  

Christian unity is very important to me.  That is why more than a decade ago I wrote a book in Cambodia with an English title: Discerning Essential Doctrines and Preserving Unity.  In the process of researching for that book. I came to the realization from Scripture that genuine unity must be balanced with discernment and be built on a foundation of truth, particularly the truth of God's Word. 

In my work as an apologist/missionary in Cambodia, I use and value a wide variety of translations.  However, I cannot trust or use Brian Simmons' The Passion Translation (TPT).  Brian Simmons is a charismatic and  the TPT reflects some of that background.  I myself am not anti-charismatic.  I actually teach apologetics at an Assembly of God Bible school in Cambodia (and at a Presbyterian seminary).

"My dear friends, many false prophets have gone out into the world. So do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God." 1 John 4:1 NCV

Brian Simmons makes many claims. Some of the claims can be tested and some cannot because there are no witnesses.  I believe that it is Biblically appropriate to test his testable statements and see if they are truthful and then we can decide whether or not we should take his untestable claims at face value or not.

​"I will come to you for the third time. “Every case must be proved by two or three witnesses.”  2 Corinthians 13:1-2 NCV

I also believe that in order to be fair to Brian Simmons, he should be allowed to speak for himself as much as possible.  This is why I prefer video quotations so I can be more certain that he is not being taken out of context etc.  Pastor/Apologist Mike Winger did a great job of interviewing Bible scholars with experience in Bible translation on his YouTube channel.  Here are some videos on the subject that you can watch on your own. www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mike+winger+passion+translation

The only downside of Mike Winger's videos is that most of them are long so the average person may not be willing to devote the time to watch them.   For this reason, I have distilled my thoughts based on his videos into this blog article.

1. Simmons claims to that the NT was written in Aramaic.  He also claims to have access to Aramaic manuscripts that predate the Greek manuscripts.  Multiple qualified witnesses (Bible scholars who participated in the translation of other translations) say this is false.  

Links to Mike Winger's videos (click on the time link to watch the video on YouTube):​

• Dr. Craig Bloomberg 12:38 This is REALLY bad. Brian Simmons is deceiving people about what "all the scholars" think. 
• Dr. Brad Bitner 18:20 Simmons badly wrong about “Aramaic” 
• Dr. Darrell Bock 5:15 The CENTRAL issue of Simmons misleading people about using Aramaic in Ephesians.  

Brian Simmons Makes Claims About His Background (2-4)

2.  Simmons claims to be a linguist. Don Pederson  and Jerry McDaniels of New Tribes Mission/Ethnos 360 say this is false.

3. Simmons claims to have been directly engaged in the translation the indigenous language Paya Kuna translation.  NTM (multiple witnesses)  says this is false, he was a church planter.

4. Simmons claims to have completed the Paya Kuna translation in the late 1980s.  Moody Bible Institute says it was not completed until 1995 after Simmons left the organization (Don Pederson). 

Witnesses for Claims 2-4:
https://youtu.be/IBmS5ywXtkY

5. Simmons and his publisher claim that The Passion Translation is a translation.  Multiple witnesses say this is false, it is at best a paraphrase.  Multiple witnesses, Bible scholars, say that it is misleading and goes beyond the original meaning in places when compared to original languages. 

• Dr. Darrell Bock 2:50 Why it is not truthful to call TPT a “translation." 
• Dr. Brad Bitner 11:45 TPT is not a real translation 
• Dr. Craig Bloomberg  7:51 Is TPT misleading people when it calls itself a “translation"?

Based on the above reasons and more, I cannot trust Brian Simmons' testable claims about his background, the Aramaic, and his "translation".  Therefore, I must also doubt Brian Simmons' claims of supernatural "downloads." 
Watch:
7:39 Brian Simmons’ wild claims about TPT 

Since TPT is almost completely based on the credibility of Brian Simmons it is on a sandy foundation.  Even if it were based on a team of qualified translators, which it isn’t, I still would not accept it because of its false claims about the Aramaic and being a "translation".  

If people get attached to TPT they will also get attached to Brian Simmons.  What if he is exposed as Ravi Zacharias was?  People may lose their confidence in the Word of God.

You have heard from Brian Simmons. You have heard from the witnesses.  Who do you believe?

As for me, as an apologist, I cannot trust or use TPT.  I also strongly discourage anyone else from using it, especially in Bible teaching or sermons.  

In various countries around the world, in the past and present, there have been many people who have claimed to be Jesus Christ who was either reborn or reincarnated.  Is this correct according to the Bible?  Or, are these people false Christs?  By studying the Bible we can find the answer to these questions.

Acts 1:9:11 says,  “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.  “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

This passage says that Jesus Christ will return to earth in physical form in the sky.  None of the people who claim to be Jesus Christ today came to earth this way.

Revelation 1:7 says, ““Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him, even those who pierced him”; and all peoples on earth “will mourn because of him.”So shall it be! Amen.”  

So, not only will Jesus Christ return in the sky but everyone will see him.  The people who claim to be Jesus Christ have neither returned in the sky nor are known and recognized by everyone. 
 Jesus Christ warned us that false Messiahs or Christs and false prophets would arise in the future.  

Matthew 24:23-24 says. “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.  See, I have told you ahead of time.”

Therefore, these people who claim to be Jesus Christ are false Christs and we should not believe them.  False Christs may even have the power to perform signs and wonders that look like miracles from God but we should still not believe them.  True miracles come from God but fake signs and wonders are either deceptive magic tricks or they may be empowered by Satan or demons.  

Another warning about false Christs comes form Matthew 24:26-27.  “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.  For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.”

Many times the followers of false Christs try to convince people to go and see the false Christ in some special place but the Bible says not to do this.  When the true Jesus Christ returns He will be visible to everyone and everyone will know who He is.  There will be no need to go to the wilderness or a special room to see him.  
Sometimes false teachers do not claim to be Jesus Christ themselves but still teach things about Jesus Christ and the Gospel that are not correct according to the Bible.  

Galatians 1:8 says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”

False Christs also always teach a Gospel that is different from the true Gospel in the Bible.  

For example, John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

However, false Christs and false teachers might teach that you must perform special tasks or pay money in order to receive salvation, even though the Bible says that salvation is a free gift.  False Christs and false teachers offer false salvation which can distract us away from the true salvation offered in the Bible.​

It is important to study the Bible carefully for ourselves so that we are not deceived and so that we are able to warn others so that they will come to know the true Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. 

Recently, there has been a lot of confusion about Jesus Christ's physical appearance caused by people who have a political agenda.  Before we can answer this question we need to break it down into two questions: 1. What did Jesus Christ probably look like before the ascension (Acts 1: 6-11)?  2. How does the Bible describe Jesus Christ's appearance after the ascension?  

Before the Ascension:

The Bible does not give much detail about Jesus appearance during Jesus' life on earth before the ascension.  Here are some clues.

1. Jesus was Jewish and therefore it is reasonable to assume that Jesus looked like a Jewish man of his time.  At his crucifixion he was known as the "King of the Jews."  (Mark 15 and John 19)

2. Judas had to identify Jesus from among the disciples with a kiss  (Matthew 26).  If Jesus were 10 feet tall with green hair and purple skin, then this would not have been necessary.  But, if Jesus looked like the rest of the disciples (Jewish men of a similar age range), then a simple description would not be possible.

3. Jesus was mistaken for a gardener after the resurrection but before the ascension. (John 20).  This further indicates that he was not remarkable in appearance one way or another. 
For more information on #2 and #3 see www.blueletterbible.org/faq/don_stewart/don_stewart_197.cfm

4.  Jesus probably had a beard because that was the custom of the day but we can't be completely sure. For more information see opentheword.org/2014/10/07/did-jesus-have-a-beard/

After the Ascension:

The greatest source of confusion about Jesus' appearance comes from people who attempt to apply the Bible's descriptions of Jesus after the ascension to Jesus before the ascension.  

The main description of Jesus after the resurrection comes from Revelations 1:12-17 (NKJV). I will underline the key descriptive points. 

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid;I am the First and the Last.

Another description of Jesus comes from Revelation 19: 12-16
11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. 13 He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. 15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:
KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
Unlike the descriptions of Jesus before the ascension, these descriptions of Jesus after the ascension are VERY remarkable.  Do you think that if Jesus were to run around Israel for 33 years with "head and hair...white like wool," "eyes like a flame of fire," "feet like fine brass," a "voice as the sound of many waters", "in His right hand seven stars," and "out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword" that Judas would need to pick him out of a crowd?  Do you think that children would come to him?  When John saw Jesus in this form, he "fell at His feet as dead."

So, is there any reason to take the descriptions of Jesus having "hair white like wool" (describes color but does not mention texture) or "feet like fine brass," out of context, and attempt to apply them to the physical appearance of Jesus before the ascension?  If so, why not also mention the two-edged sword coming out of his mouth?  

The most important thing to focus on is not Jesus' appearance, but the fact that Jesus Christ is the "The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29.


​

My Story
I grew up in rural Missouri with almost little personal contact with people outside of my own race.  My uncle fought the Japanese in World War 2 and between that family history and things I saw in the media I developed a fear of and prejudice against Japanese people.  Now, I have been happily married to my Japanese wife (Kayo) since 2004, we have one beloved son.  We deal with racial and cultural differences every day, but we are able to overcome them because we both allow the Bible to guide our thoughts actions and words.  We also have historical tensions between our people groups.  For example, Kayo's grandmother was burned and nearly was killed as a young girl by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.  Also, two of her grandmother's brothers were kamikaze pilots in WW2.  Still, by living Biblical principles in our daily lives, we have been able to find peace with each other and even between our relatives in the USA and Japan, both Christian and non-Christian.  God has blessed us in many other ways as well. 

The Bible has also helped me to overcome my fear of and prejudices against many other people groups and has allowed me to develop really blessed relationships with so many wonderful people from so many national, ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds.  I could go on and on with testimonies but it is more important to point people to the Bible rather than my own opinions and feelings on the subject because God is our Creator and the Bible is His instruction book for our lives. 

Acts 17:26-27
And He (God) has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us;

​Ephesians 2:14
For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall.

1 John 4:18
Where God’s love is, there is no fear, because God’s perfect love drives out fear. It is punishment that makes a person fear, so love is not made perfect in the person who fears.

1 Corinthians 13:4-5
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Mark 12:31
The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Ezekiel 18:20
The person who sins will die. The son will not bear the punishment for the father’s iniquity, nor will the father bear the punishment for the son’s iniquity; the righteousness of the righteous will be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself.

James 5:16
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Matthew 5:23-24
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,  leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 6:15
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Romans 12:19-21
Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord.  On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Proverbs 14:12
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

There are many other passages in the Bible that I could list but these are the first ones to come to mind. During these troubled times, I am only able to keep myself peaceful by focusing on the Word of God.  I hope that these verses get you started in developing a Biblical perspective on overcoming your own racial fears and prejudices.    Satan (an angel of light 2 Corinthians 11:14) and the world are offering many solutions to racial fear and prejudice that appear to be right but in the end they only lead to death and destruction.  The Biblical path to racial reconciliation does not pass through revenge but repentance. 

Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Christian parents often mistakenly act as if they don’t talk about evolution with their children, that it will go away.  Evolution permeates all secular children’s books, videos, and education.  Even if your child goes to a Christian school that teaches creation, the books in the library or the videos that they watch from the earliest ages will all have a secular evolutionary worldview, unless they come from explicitly Christian sources.  It is good that some youth ministries are beginning to deal with apologetics issues related to evolution however, even this is not sufficient by itself.  It may be  a case of too little, too late.  Churches only have the opportunity to teach children and youth for only a fraction of the time of schools, peers, and media.  The church cannot be expected to counter-act the entire onslaught of the evolution theory let alone the entire secular worldview. 

I focus on the theory of evolution because unless our children develop a robust Biblical worldview related to creation, they cannot be expected to maintain a Christian perspective on other issues (abortion or LGBTQ+ issues etc.) in the face of even greater social, political, and even economic pressure in the future.  The book of Genesis is foundational to the Christian worldview in these and many other areas.  If Genesis is just a fictional story, then it has no authority to shape our worldview.  Evolution is often the spearhead or the camel’s nose in the tent that will undermine our children’s entire Christian worldview, if they are left unvaccinated against it.
​
Here are some practical steps that can help us vaccinate our children against the theory of evolution and establish a foundation for dealing with other controversial topics from a Biblical worldview. 

1. Make sure that our children can distinguish between the parables of the Bible which are realistic stories that contain a deeper meaning and historical accounts.  Genesis is not a parable.  
2. Make sure that our children can distinguish between micro-evolution and macro-evolution.  Micro evolution is change within a kind (Genesis 1:24).  Micro-evolution actually occurs in real life and does not contradict the Bible.  For example, the dog-kind been modified into everything from poodles to wolves.  However, members of the dog-kind have never and will never become cats or birds.  Macro-evolution is the false belief that one kind of animal can become a different kind. For example, evolutionists hypothesize that the lizard-kind became the bird-kind all without evidence either in the present or in the fossil record.   The evolutionists often trick children into believing in macro-evolution by presenting evidence for micro-evolution. 
3. Take our children’s questions about creation/Genesis (“Where did Cain get his wife?”  “What about dinosaurs?”) seriously.  Encourage them to ask questions and help them find the answers to their questions.  I recommend Answers in Genesis, Genesis Apologetics, and other similar ministries to explore those questions.
4. Analyze evolution-based books, magazines, websites, and videos with our children and point out that scientists, authors, journalists, and illustrators all have presuppositions and prejudices that shape how they interpret the evidence.  For example, in the case of supposed “ape-human missing links” sometimes an entire creature and habitat and behavior patterns are shown in illustrations when the only hard-evidence is not even a complete skeleton.  Some “missing-links” such as Nebraska man, have been based on the discovery of a single tooth and a ton of imagination.  Sometimes the skeletal evidence turns out to be completely wrong.  In the case of Nebraska man, the tooth was later discovered to have come from an extinct pig.  Yet for decades Nebraska man was touted by evolutionary textbooks as undeniable evidence of evolution.  
5. Be prepared to answer questions about God’s goodness and character. For example, “Why does God allow suffering?” or “Why was God so cruel in the Old Testament?” or “What about those who never heard about Jesus?” etc.  

These are just a few hints to get us started.  It is never too early to talk about these issues, in an age appropriate way.  Before coming under conviction and believing in Christ at the age of five, my mother had been teaching me to memorize Bible verses since three. If you have any questions or need recommendations of additional resources feel free to email evidencecambodia@gmail.com . 

In 2018, in the USA 144 police officers were killed in the line of duty.  Also, according to USA today, "four officers were fatally shot by their own weapons after being disarmed."www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/12/27/police-deaths-144-killed-line-duty-2018/2423797002/ 

For this sad reason, police officers around the world must have situational awareness, training, techniques, and the proper equipment to keep themselves and others safe.  However, none of these things would keep them safe if they just stood there and allowed criminals to steal their handguns without any resistance.  Police officers would never allow a criminal to steal their handcuffs and then bind them with their own handcuffs and so on.  However, we Christians (myself included) have allowed atheists to steal a lot of powerful "weapons" (spiritual, moral, and intellectual) and then use them attack and attempt to destroy the faith of ourselves and others.

The Bible, Police Officers, and Weapons
Rather than allowing our feelings, statistics, cultures or anything else to be the foundation and ultimate authority, we must submit all of these things to the Bible.  The Bible is the ultimate law-book.  Laws are merely suggestions unless there are police etc. to enforce them.  The Bible has authority because it is backed up by the true and living God who will enforce it.       The atheists that I have dealt with, as an Apologist, usually have some vague and false notion of God as some "man in the sky."  They reject this false "god."  I reject this false God too.  However, there is a true and living God that we can only comprehend as far as He has chosen to reveal Himself to humanity.  

For more on this read: https://www.internationalfishers.com/blog/why-i-do-not-believe-in-the-mischaracterized-version-of-god-which-most-atheists-rejectbut-i-do-believe-in-the-god-of-the-bible

The Bible says, "For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil." (Romans 13:3-4 NASB).

Notice that it says "sword".  It does not say pillow, feather duster, or even whip.  It says sword.  A sword is a weapon of death that can be carried on the belt.  The modern equivalent of a sword is a firearm, especially a handgun. which can be carried on the belt.  Sometimes people think that weapons (swords or guns etc.) themselves are inherently evil.  But, weapons themselves have no will or capacity to make decisions according to what is right or wrong. Therefore they are just a neutral as any other tool.  A hammer can be used to build a house or murder someone.  The evil is the heart of the murderer, not in metal of the hammer or the weapon.  

I am also reminded that weapons were not on the earth until after sin.  Genesis 3:24 says, "So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."  Without sin, weapons like swords would have been completely unnecessary but humans may have eventually developed knives for cutting open fruit and vegetables for food.  This verse shows me that Adam and Eve may have learned about the very concept of a weapon, especially a sword by observing the flaming sword of the angel.  It is possible, that they passed this knowledge down to their descendants and eventually someone figured out how to make a sword and now we have Glocks etc. 

Christians Are Not Just Called To Be Spiritual Soldiers But Also Spiritual Police Officers
Christians usually think about "the whole armor of God" and the "sword of the spirit" Ephesians 6:10-17, and they think only of soldiers.  However, in the Roman Empire and even in the Old Testament, police duties carried out by soldiers.  In modern times we think of police and military as separate things. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police#Ancient_policing

In order for someone to become a police officer, they must be commissioned by a higher authority.  Sadly some Christians are not even aware that the Great Commission is a command for all Christians to take part in obeying.
 www.internationalfishers.com/blog/equipped-for-the-great-commission

Here is part of the ,"Police Commission," of believers.  2 Corinthians 10: 4-6 says, " for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete."

An atheist reading this article might say, "You are claiming that Christians are the "Morality Police!"  Who are you to impose your morality on others?"  I would answer, "If there is no God etc., why would imposing my morality on others be wrong?  Ultimately, as I will demonstrate later, your atheist "morality" is strictly based on your personal feelings, so if there is no God etc., why would your feelings be superior to mine?  Furthermore, why are you trying to impose your morality on me that it is wrong for me to impose my morality on others?"  

Obviously, as Christians, we must first police ourselves by "taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ in our own lives, so that we don't disqualify ourselves and bring shame to the Body of Christ giving a foothold who constantly seek and invent reasons to call Christians, "Hypocrites."  If atheists call us hypocrites because we have not yet understood the Bible fully enough to be in 100% compliance with the Bible, we should not deny or try to justify or defend our personal reputations, feelings, or pride.  If we do that, we are allowing them to steal morality, which belongs to God but that He has given to His followers and use it to attack God?  Instead, we should simply, humbly, and calmly ask and challenge them to justify their own authority to make such accusations in the first place.  We just need to ask, "If God etc. does not exist, why would hypocrisy be wrong?"  If we keep challenging their authority they will eventually be silenced.  

The main goal here is not to humiliate them as people that Jesus loves but to deflate their arrogance and confidence in the deceptions of their atheistic world view.  People will not call the fire fighters until they know that their house is on fire.  They will not take medicine until the know that they are sick.  By challenging their worldview, they may begin to notice that they on shaky ground and start looking for the Rock. The second goal is so that bystanders who see/read confrontation will respect Christianity more and atheism less instead of the reverse. 

You see, the authority of police officers does not come from some magical power of the badge, the uniform, or even the gun.  If an actor or security guard may put on all of the outward appearance of a police officer and people will treat them with respect on the street.  However, if they encounter genuine police officers and try to exercise the authority of police officers in front of them, they will quickly be unmasked and arrested for the crime of impersonating a police officer.  Likewise, we Christians, must stop allowing atheists to pretend to be "spiritual/moral" police officers.  

Police Officers Do Not Persuade Criminals,  They Exercise Authority Over Them
I wanted to be a lawyer so I studied political science.  I really enjoy and am blessed by studying evidence for the truth of Christianity.  For me, the evidence of design and irreducible complexity etc. lead me to worship God, first starting with my mind and spreading to my heart and soul.  This even overflows to encourage me to love my neighbor as myself and so on.  Because of this, I earned an MA in Christian Apologetics and became an apologist/missionary in Cambodia.  Here, when I share the evidence with Christians at the Bible schools and churches, they are blessed and encouraged in their faith.  When I share the evidence with open minded non-Christians, "seekers or something", they are also attracted to the Gospel and their doubts about God's existence and goodness are diminished.  However, when I attempted to use evidence to defend Christianity from the attacks and mockery of atheists on social media they would reject them without any consideration at all and then blaspheme God even more.  I realized that I was "casting" the precious "pearls" of truth, logic, morality, and evidence before "swine" and that they were not only attacking me but that because I was trying to feed pearls to pigs, that I was actually causing them to sin against God even more and pile up greater condemnation on themselves (Matthew 7:6).  

Recently, I have realized that the reason I was getting "trampled" was because by giving the atheists evidence, I was giving them an authority over me, and even to judge God, that they had no right to have.  By giving them evidence, I was putting the criminals in the place of the prosecutor, giving them the robes of the judge and place of the jury.  I was putting God in the place of the criminal. Meanwhile I was trying to be a good defense attorney.  However, you cannot get a fair trial in a corrupt court.  Now, I have realized that God is the judge and the jury and the prosecutor.  The criminals are in the place where criminals should be, and they have no defense attorney because who can defend anyone against the justice of an all knowing, all powerful, etc. etc. God?  

You see, the police officers do not provide evidence to the criminals because they already know whether they are guilty or not.  In the case of the atheists who mock God, they already know that they are guilty, that is why they are so angry at and hate God etc.  www.internationalfishers.com/blog/why-do-atheists-hate-god

Once the criminals are in custody, police officers may share some of the evidence with the criminals in order to persuade them to confess.  The government may release some of the evidence from the trial to the general public, not because the public's opinion of the evidence has any bearing on the outcome of the trial but so that the public will maintain good-will, trust, and respect toward the government.  The evidence and conviction of the criminal may also serve as a deterrent to others who may be tempted to commit the same crimes.  

Jesus provided evidence of miracles to the open-hearted those who had doubts, Mark 9:23-24 says, "And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”  Jesus also gave concrete evidence to Thomas by allowing him to touch his wounds (John 20:24-29).

Jesus did not perform a miracle for Herod.  "Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some sign performed by Him. And he questioned Him at some length; but He answered him nothing (Luke 23:8-9)."

Police Officers Avoid Losing Their Authority By Asking Questions Of Criminals
In the USA, when police officers pull you over for speeding, they usually ask you, "Do you know how fast you were going?" If you answer yes, then you are admitting guilt for speeding.  If you answer no, then you have given up any foundation from which to argue against the number given by their radar gun and you are either lying or your speedometer is broken.    

This is why Jesus often asked questions of those who challenged him.  I could give multiple examples of this but this article is getting long.  

There is one final passage I want to share.  John 19:8-11 says, "Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid; and he entered into the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. So Pilate said to Him, “You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?” Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

The reason why I completely reject any moral authority of atheists to make any moral judgments whatsoever about anything is that the source of all authority ultimately comes from ABOVE.  Atheists, by definition deny the very existence of ABOVE.  Therefore, they have no authority to judge or condemn others according to the authority and standards of their own worldview.  Therefore, I will not allow them to steal the authority and standards of other worldviews, especially Christianity, so that they can use the power of those authorities to destroy the worldviews which they reject in the first place.  

Real World Example: 
Here is a streamlined summary of a recent interaction on social media in which I took the role of the police officer toward an atheist who attempted to use morality to attack and publicly mock Christianity, instead of the role of a defense attorney. You can probably find the whole exchange at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJx0bvu9OdI&lc=z235sjj5hujwxv1e2acdp430dxi2gud0q4u5f1g0rghw03c010c.1568424863249318.  
You will need to look for the comment from International Fishers and see the replies. 

Darryl: Short statement supporting religious freedom of Jews to circumcise and Christians to pray. 

Atheist: Opposes religious freedom and mocks prayer as, "mumbling to yourself."

Darryl:  Religious freedom connects to freedom of speech.

Atheist: Religion harms people.

Darryl: If God etc., does not exist, why would harming people be wrong?

Atheist: Emotional appeals and harming the bodily integrity of defenseless people is wrong.

Darryl:  If humans are only stardust, why would one cluster of stardust harming the bodily integrity of defenseless people be wrong?

Atheist:  Because the Golden Rule* is found in many religions.

Darryl:  If there is no God etc. to enforce Golden Rule, why should I obey it?\

Atheist: Attempts to insult Darryl by calling him a "savage." 

Darryl: Long statement sharing truth.
​
Atheist: Silent

*Notice here that the atheist was trying to use the Sword of the Spirit the Bible against me.  The Golden Rule has power because it is Jesus' words.  However, the atheist has no authority to use this weapon against me because they deny the source of the authority and power of the Golden Rule. 

What Is The Biblical Basis For The Existence Of Morality In People Who Accept And Reject God's Authority?

I will explain more of my discoveries on this topic later. The short answer is that all humans have been pre-programed with morality from the Creator God.  Because of sin, their moral compasses have been corrupted so they can't be trusted as a reliable authority.  However, once people accept the authority of God and his Word, their consciences can be realigned.

Romans 2:14-16 says, "For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

I recently came to the realization that I have been consciously and instinctively navigating the political landscape (mainly in the USA but also in interactions with Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino etc. etc. Christians) based on some of the Biblical principles, that I will share below, for many years.  Finally, my thoughts on this subject have crystalized enough so that I can write them down for my own benefit and possible to encourage other Christians to allow the Bible to guide their own political activities more than emotions or following the crowd.  The purpose of this post is not to tell you what issues to support or oppose or which candidates to vote for but to give you an example my thinking on this topic so that you can allow the Bible to shape your political worldview on your own.  Don't take my word for it, be a Berean for yourself.  God is the God of every aspect of life-- including politics.  

Before we get started, here are a couple of verses to provide some foundation to our thinking.

• Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;"
• Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight."

My top priorities are not in any particular order because political issues are often so complex that these priorities must be applied on a case by case basis.  Ideally, I try to vote for candidates who will actually govern to advance ALL of these priorities.  However, this is not always possible.  In those cases, I try to vote for candidates who will advance or at least be neutral to as many of these priorities as possible.  I avoid voting for candidates who govern against these principles, even if I may like their personalities or positions on other issues.

Here are my top priorities:

• Religious Freedom:  
  • ​​Freedom to Evangelize and Convert to Christianity:  This priority is based in part on Acts 5:27-29, "The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than human beings!"  It is also based on the persecution of the Apostle Paul and others for preaching the Gospel.  Along these same lines, the freedoms to gather together for worship and Bible teaching, pray to God instead of idols (the book of Daniel) etc. are also important to me.
  • Freedom from Immoral Laws: This priority is based on God's approval of the midwives in Exodus 1: 15-21, "The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.” The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live. Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?” The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.” So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them familiesof their own."  The order of the king to kill the male infants was against God's higher law against murder.  I avoid candidates who support laws which could be used to pressure or force Christians (and others to violate God's higher laws). 
  • Freedom from Violating One's on Conscience or Convictions:  This priority is based partly on Daniel 1: 8, "But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way."  It is also based on Romans 14:22-23.  The conscience is a finely tuned yet fragile instrument from God.  Whenever people go against their consciences, their sense of right and wrong gets numbed and diminished.  I avoind candidates who will pass laws which could force people to violate their own personal convictions and conscience, even if I don't personally share those convictions.  For example as a Christian, I believe that Scripture gives me the freedom to eat a wide range of food but I would never want to see Jews, Hindus, or Muslims forced to violate their own dietary restrictions.  ​
• Respect For The Image of God: Genesis 1:26 says, 'Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” The image of God is the Biblical principle which serves as the foundation for laws against murder and many other crimes against humans.  Here are a few other aspects of this:
  • ​​The Value of Human Life:  Biblically, the value of human life extends from the moment of conception until natural death.  Human life is has special value regardless of age, strength, health, or disability.  All human lives are equally valuable and are more valuable than any other form of life.  I would encourage you to read Psalm 139 in its entirety.  Verse 16 and 17 say, "Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them!"  Therefore, I avoid candidates who are likely to promote  murder of anyone regardless of age or health because these practices violate the image of God and undermine the respect for the image of God by future generations.  
  • Discrimination:  Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus."  I avoid candidates who will pass laws which will treat one group of people better or worse than other groups of people because this ultimately this leads to conflicts, division, and even violence.  This is not to say that all choices and actions of individuals or groups are equal and must be promoted equally but all people should be equal before the law.  
  • Peace: 1 Timothey 2:1-3 says, "I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people-- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior,"  It is good to support (and pray for) candidates who will help promote "peaceful and quiet lives."  
• Stewardship:  As mentioned above, Psalm 24:1 says, "The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;"  Another passage that is relevant to this discussion is Matthew 22: 18-21, "But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”​​  ​Ultimately, everything, including the government, belongs to God.  Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Therefore everyone from private citizens to government officials will be held accountable to God for how they used the resources (this includes financial and natural resources) that God entrusted to the care and stewardship of humanity.   Government leaders should not take any more money from the citizens than is necessary.  The sons of Eli and Samuel (1 Samuel) were condemned for corruption."Even tax collectors came to be baptized. “Teacher,” they asked, “what should we do?” “Don’t collect any more than you are required to,” he told them.  Then some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?” He replied, “Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely—be content with your pay.” (Luke 3: 12-14).  For this reason, I try to support candidates who will be good stewards.
  

​​What About the Candidate's Personal Life?
​In a perfect world, we would be able to choose between multiple candidates who fully support all of the Biblical priorities perfectly and many more.  If that were the case, we would then be able to see which one had the most Biblically admirable personal life.  If that were the case, we might be able to see which candidate's life most closely matched 1 Timothy 3 and vote accordingly.  However, the world is not perfect, and politicians are not pastors, elders, or deacons, so few or any of them live up to the standards of 1 Timothy 3.  

The question then becomes, how do we choose between candidates whose personal lives are less than admirable?  Personally, I prioritize the candidates' likelihood to govern according to the Biblical priorities that I have listed above, over the state of their personal lives.  I do take it into consideration and it is important to me, but if I must choose, then I will go with the Biblical priorities.  You are welcome to disagree with me, but first allow me explain why I have come to this conclusion.  It is based on my study of Scripture and not some arbitrary or convenient standard. 

1. In Scripture, God led many Biblical characters to cooperate with governmental leaders who cooperated with God's purposes but whose personal lives were probably unsavory.  For example, in Genesis, Joseph worked with Pharaoh, who was likely an idol worshipper and was probably quite sexually immoral by Biblical standards (harem etc.).  The same is true for Daniel's and Nehemiah's relationship and cooperation with various pagan kings.

2. King David was an adulterer, murderer, and more yet he was used powerfully by God despite his many sins, not to mention all of the brokenness in his family.  

I believe that politicians are the employees of the citizens. By voting, we help hire them to do a job--be good stewards of the powers and resources of the government.  In our lives we must hire many people to perform various functions in our lives: employees, grocers, drivers, doctors, teachers, pilots, auto mechanics and more.  For me, if the skill level is equal, I prefer to hire a strong  Christian auto mechanic with a good personal life to repair my car.  But, sometimes mechanics fitting that standard are not available.  I cannot just walk around for months or years while my car is broken, because I cannot find the perfect mechanic, who not only has the capacity to fix my car and also who has a perfect personal life.  So, in the end I have to have my car repaired by a mechanic who may or may not have a good personal life.  I wish we lived in a perfect world, but we as Christians cannot allow ourselves to be cornered, trapped, or paralyzed by perfectionism.  

The good thing is that God uses imperfect people, like you and me, to accomplish his perfect will.  We may not be perfect, our politicians and policies may not be perfect, but God and His Word are still the only perfect guide for any aspect of our lives. 

I started memorizing Bible verses when I was 3 years old.  I remember my family's passion while listening to the election results on the radio when I was 4 years old.  I became a Christian when I was 5 year old.  Growing up, when other kids were enthralled with thoughts of professional sports teams, my thoughts were frequently on Democrats and Republicans.  I went on to earn a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics.

Even though I have given up all my dreams and plans to be involved in politics professionally because I am a missionary/Christian apologist in Cambodia, I still pay attention to politics both as a hobby and from the perspective of an apologist because many of today's most divisive political issues such as religious freedom, abortion, euthanasia, climate change, LGBT+ issues, war, and much more, frequently overlap with Christian apologetics, whether we want them to or not.  In the past, "separation of church  and state" was an uneasy truce between Christians and politics but that wall has been broken down.  It wasn't the church that broke down the wall and tried to take over the state--it was the reverse. 

Christians have no choice but to engage in politics because EVERYTHING IS POLITICAL NOW!  This is probably going to get worse before it gets better.  So, how can we be faithful "ambassadors for Christ" in the world that we live in?   Politics is much more than political issues and proposals, it involves people.  How can we, as Christians (of any nation) relate to government leader Biblically?

1. Government Leaders Are Our Neighbors

Matthew 22:36-40 New Century Version (NCV)  “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?” Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”

Think of any government leader.  Did you think them as your neighbor?  Do you love them as you love yourself?  Do you realize that Jesus Christ loves them just as much as He loves you?  

2. Government Leaders Are People Who Need Prayer, Just Like You

1 Timothy 2:2 New Century Version (NCV) "Pray for rulers and for all who have authority so that we can have quiet and peaceful lives full of worship and respect for God."
When government leaders are faced with important decisions, did you pray for them?  When you are happy with their words and actions, do you pray for them?  When you are angry about their words and actions do you pray for them?

3. Government Leaders Are Humans, With The Image of God, And Should Be Treated With Respect

The Bible is full of examples of God's people relating Biblically to Government leaders and other religious leaders with legal authority.  None of these leaders were perfect.  Some were better than others.  Some were easier to love/like than others.  I believe that after studying these Biblical "case-studies" you will be thankful for the government leaders we have today.  Here are some examples: 

Case Study #1:  Joseph and Pharaoh (Genesis 39)
Case Study #2: Joseph and Pharaoh (Genesis 41+)
Case Study #3: Midwives and Pharaoh (Exodus 1) (civil disobedience)
Case Study #4: Moses and Pharaoh (Exodus 3-15) (confrontation)
Case Study #5: Samuel and Saul (1 Samuel 9+) 
Case Study #6: David and Saul (1 Samuel 17+)
Case Study #7: Nathan and David (2 Samuel 12)
Case Study #8: Elijah and Ahab (1 Kings 17+)
Case Study #9: Nehemiah
Case Stud #10: Esther
Case Study #11: Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar and Darius
Case Study#12: Jesus and King Herod and Pilate
Case Study #13: Peter and Religious Leaders (Acts 5)
Case Study #14: Paul and Various Government Leaders

When I reflect on these case studies, there are some themes that emerge.

• Sometimes God's people were able to cooperate positively with government leaders with which they had little in common or even great differences.
• Sometimes God's people confronted government leaders when it was absolutely necessary.
• Sometimes God's people practiced civil disobedience when it was absolutely necessary.
• Sometimes God's people used political processes for positive purposes.
• In all cases, God's people showed love (not approval) to the government leaders regardless of their sins. 

I hope that these thoughts will help you to engage in politics (which you must because you can't avoid it) with more confidence, peace, joy, and most of all LOVE.  I encourage you to take a moment and pray for your government leaders and also pray that God will help you to love them not because they are perfect, but because Christ loves them and died on the cross for them. 

The above video about Pol Pot reminded me of three verses. 

1. James 4:2 "You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God."

Pol Pot, an atheist, convinced some Cambodians that they were victims of other Cambodians and that they should covet their wealth and social class. When the "victims" gained power, they felt justified in victimizing those that they believed were their oppressors. In the end, everyone in Cambodia became poor and fearful that others would attack them. Before the Khmer Rouge's rule from 1975-1979, Cambodia rivaled Singapore, it still has not recovered completely as of 2019. 

2. Acts 17:26-27, "From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us."
​
Many people mistakenly believe that this world is all that there is and so they will do anything (no matter how evil) to obtain wealth, luxuries, and a high social status. But, the truth is that this life is only a test to determine where we will spend our eternal life (either in heaven or hell). Even though we may not feel comfortable in our earthly circumstances, we need to understand that God placed us in those circumstances so that we, "would seek him..." It is good to do our best to improve our own (and other's) economic, social, and even political circumstances. But, these are only temporary gains when compared to eternity. 

3. Mark 8:36, "What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"

We've all seen the organizational chart that is shaped like a pyramid. The leaders are at the top and the followers are at the bottom.  In those diagrams it seems like the followers (or employees, or church members) exist to serve the interests of the leader.  While this may be true for secular corporations, I am not so sure that it is a good model for Christian churches and organizations.  I know, that we often hear people say, "we should run the church like a business."  While this statement may be well-intentioned in terms of promoting efficiency and the wise use of resources, I am not sure that secular corporate culture should be allowed to overtake Christian culture, especially in light of Matthew 20:25-28.  In corporate-churches etc. there is a tendency for leaders to, "lord it over" the followers instead of acting as shepherds who, lay down their lives for the sheep (John 10:15)  

Instead, I like to think of Christian leadership, whether it be in a family, a local church, or an organization as a tree, instead of a pyramid.  Every healthy tree must have roots that grow as deeply as possible into the soil. In this case the soil represents God's will and God's Word.  For this reason, Christian leaders must prioritize spiritual and personal maturity so that they will be rooted deeply enough to keep their organizations well anchored when the storms come and the strong winds blow.  

In addition, this model also reminds me of the importance of leaders to not only grow deeply into the soil themselves but to pass on as much of the experience and wisdom which they have gained from God to their followers to help them to grow as well. There is a synergy of growth in trees between the nutrients which come from the soil via the roots (leaders) and from the sunlight in the leaves in a process called photosynthesis. Just as you cannot have a healthy tree without roots, you also cannot have a healthy tree without other parts like leaves and branches. In this model both the most mature Christian leaders and then newest believers are all valuable parts of the tree which must work together in order for the tree to grow deeper into the soil and higher.

In the pyramid model, the goal is to make that one single pyramid bigger and bigger.  However, in the tree model, the goal for Christian families, churches, and organizations is not just to make one tree bigger but for the tree to produce seeds, which in turn, can become more and more trees which will eventually lead to forests.  In a Christian family, one goal should be to evangelize your children and equip your children so that they will be prepared to evangelize and train your grandchildren and others around them for generations to come.  In a church, one goal should be to plant other churches in the neighborhood and to promote mission work around the world.  In this way, the forests will grow everywhere.  

The good is the enemy of the best, as the saying goes.  People often go to church for ,"good" reasons but in doing so they miss out on the best reasons.  Some examples of, "good" reasons to attend church are:  to learn more about the Bible, to grow in your faith, or to be encouraged to overcome sin etc.. However if these are the only reason why we go to church services then something very important is missing.  

Let's take a look at Ephesians 4:11-16 (Emphasis Mine) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

One of the best reasons to have and attend church services is, "to equip his people for works of service."
Are you getting equipped for works of service at your church?  I hope so.  If not, it could be because the people in your church see the church leaders mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 as the players or performers and the church people as audience or fans.  Instead, this passage shows us that the pastor and other church leaders should be more like coaches, trainers, and even medics.  Obviously all of the coaching staff for any sports team should be good players in their own lives but their main responsibility as coaches is to equip the players to go out on the playing field and win the game.  

What is your playing field as a Christian?  Your family members who are unsaved need to hear the gospel in a clear and convincing manner.  They are more likely to listen to you than your pastor.  Other family members who are new Christians need to be encouraged and equipped as well.  They also are more likely to listen to you than your pastor.  The same is true for your classmates, coworkers, community members, nation, and beyond.  A well equipped Christian has a very broad field that extends well beyond the walls of the church building, if your church even has a building.  

Of course it is nice to have a beautiful and comfortable locker room, but it is not necessary for victory on the playing field.  What really matters is that the players in the locker room are well equipped, trained, and motivated so that they can play their best on the playing field.  Likewise, it is nice to have a stylish church building, but it is not essential for success.  What really matters is the relationships among the people of the church, both the leaders and the regular members, who encourage, equip, train, challenge, and encourage each other so that we all become effective ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) to a lost world around us.  

With this model, church growth becomes unlimited, because the pastors and church leaders no longer have to do all the work of ministry because the church members are already doing it.  As the church members, including the pastors and leaders, actively evangelize and disciple those around them in their daily lives in their families, schools, workplaces, and communities, then the church will grow as those new believers are brought into the church to also be equipped as ambassadors for Christ to their own families and communities, and so on.  

This model also switches churches from inward-focused to outward-focused and this will also help shift resources into areas where they are most needed.  For example, if the main priority, is equipping the saints for the work of ministry, then the funds will probably be spent toward that end instead of just for decorating the, "locker room."    

Obviously this is just one piece of many pieces of the puzzle, but if we keep this passage from Ephesians 4 in mind, it will help us to come away from church services better prepared to meet our week. 
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