​From "10 Reasons Christians Should Vote in the Election" by Dr. Krish Kandiah. 

1. Voting publicly recognizes that we submit to the authority of the political system in our nation as established by God. (Romans 13:1-7)

2. Voting recognizes the equality of all people and their right to speak and be heard. (Deuteronomy 10:17-19)

3. It is one way that we can obey God's command to seek the good of those around us and our nation as a whole. (Jeremiah 29:5-6)

4. It shows that we care deeply about who our leaders are as we are urged to offer prayer and intercession on their behalf. (1 Timothy 2:1,2)

5. It is a simple yet significant way we can do something about politics in our nation. "All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing," Edmund Burke. (Psalms 34:14)

6. It makes a difference the way a grain of salt makes a difference, and that is how we are to influence our society for good. (Matthew 5:13)

7. It is a privilege not to be taken for granted. Those of us who reap the benefits of living in a democracy should play a part in upholding democracy.

8. Not voting is a form of voting, as it will influence the outcome. We need to take responsibility for our actions, as well as our lack of actions. (Luke 10:25-37)
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9. Voting has biblical precedence, for example Acts 14:23 describes that the early Christians elected elders by voting.

10. Voting is part of our stewardship to use all the resources we have been given in ways that honor God; to waste a vote is to squander a gift.

MannaBooks –  the free mobile phone application that offers the ability to both read and publish Christian books and devotionals.
 
Launched in 2018, MannaBooks is a relatively new ministry based in Abuja, Nigeria. Founded by Anthony Joseph and Gideon Oyediran, it is a non-denominational Christian ministry aiming to serve the whole Christian community.  

What makes MannaBooks different, and the reason you need to know about them, is the unique approach they have taken to publishing the gospel.  As their website explains, “Our mission is to make great Christian books available to the world.”  This goal is being accomplished in both established and novel ways.  First, MannaBooks produces a free app that works on any recent android smartphone (4.4 and up). The app not only allows searching their catalog for Christian books and downloading and reading them, but also provides access to tools and help for Christian writers to publish their work through the MannaBooks platform.

Looking at these aspects individually,  the MannaBooks app functions smoothly and with most of the “bells and whistles” that can be found on the best e-book readers.  It is a cleanly designed program and very straightforward to use.  Rather than just being lumped together in a jumbled “catalog,” titles can be selected from a number of useful categories.  The reader uses the ePub e-book format and displays books flexibly for comfortable reading, so font size, layout, and background color can all be customized.

Although selection is not yet extensive on this new platform, there are a number of good books already available (including all of our LivingBelief and TacticalBelief e-books) and more titles are being added all the time. Current titles include classics like The Pilgrim's Progress as well as works by  selected modern Christian writers.  All the books in the current selection are free, and although selected titles will be added for purchase as time goes on, free Christian books will always be featured. Audiobooks are also planned, as is an iOS application for iPhones. 

The second aspect of the MannaBooks app is equally impressive, and perhaps unique. The free services available through the app and website help Christian authors to prepare and publish their works. In an area of publishing already crowded with established authors, MannaBooks publication services can be a tremendous help for new authors trying to get their work out who may find it difficult to meet the costs associated with self-publication. 

Once written and prepared for publication, the app also gives authors a platform to share their books with a focused audience that will be interested in them.  Basic publishing services are offered free, and premium services like book distribution and editing, ePub conversion, cover designs, and ISBN registration are also offered to authors.  A book publishing arm of MannaBooks, where new titles that do exceptionally well on the app can be published physically, is also planned. 

For those not involved in Christian writing themselves, the MannaBooks app is still worthwhile in giving readers access to a growing array of Christian books and devotionals on the go. The app is great for use during commutes or at any time and is an excellent way to be able to have a Christian library with you without having to carry a bulky laptop or e-book reader. There is no cost for the application or for downloading any of its free books, which may be a blessing for many people around the world.

So this is an app that deserves to succeed in its goal of making Christian books available to people everywhere, and we might think about ways in which we can help bring that success about. MannaBooks staff members are working as volunteers to make the project possible, so consider contributing to MannaBooks to aid its development. Even by simply downloading and using the free app you can help support this worthwhile ministry.  By doing so you will have a dedicated Christian e-book reader on your phone with access to many free titles, and you will also be helping to provide an audience for Christian writers everywhere. 

You can download the free MannaBooks e-book app directly to your phone from the Google Play Store, here, and from the Apple App store soon.

​A few years ago the suicide-prevention group Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) ran a highly successful advertising campaign in which they published a series of ambigrams – words or messages that say one thing, but have an entirely different meaning if they are read upside down. 

The ad reproduced here – "I'm fine" –  becomes "Save me," when inverted, and the other ads in the series –  "Life is great" and "I feel fantastic" – inverted read "I hate myself" and "I'm falling apart." Each ad was run with the statement "The signs are there if you read them. Help us save a life before it's too late." These unusual advertisements drew attention to a widespread social problem and uniquely showed how we can be oblivious to the subtle and often hidden symptoms of depression and related disorders if we are not focusing on the people with whom we interact.

Effective though they were, the SOS ads are now remembered mainly as an example of an innovative and  highly successful advertising campaign,  though hopefully the message will be remembered by those who saw the ads.  The messages also reflect an aspect of life that every Christian should keep in mind: that what we hear people say can often cover a deeper reality that calls for our help. 

Sometimes the additional reality comes out if we simply take the time to engage the individual facing problems in sincere rather than surface conversation.   In that way, the situation can be similar to the poignant New Testament story of the father who asked Christ to heal his son. The fact that he did this suggests, on the surface, belief, but when Jesus challenged that assumption, the father replied “I believe, help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).   This is primarily about faith, but it is also a classic example of how a troubled person often opens up to someone who spends the time and energy to focus on them – perhaps only later in a conversation opening up to show desperation or depression.

Naturally, this doesn’t mean we should attempt to verbally probe and question every person with whom we interact, presuming they have problems; but as the SOS campaign so clearly demonstrated, if the signs are there we can often see them hidden in plain view.  It is then that we should be sure to take the time to try to discern the problem and how we can help.

That’s one of the things that Christians are supposed to do: to look beneath the surface of the world in which we live and to see the real needs around us and then seek to help as we can. Serious disorders and psychological problems may need professional help, but a great many people live with lesser problems, depression, discouragement and emotional pain.  Those people often say “I’m fine” – and while it may not be a cry of “save me!” – it may be an invitation, if we can see it, to help them.

We have all been saddened at some point by stories – often trumpeted across the news media – of churches or individuals within churches having amassed embarrassingly large sums of money and goods apparently for their own use. The lavish lifestyles, the luxury items, the extravagant hoarding and spending, all sadden us not only for how they reflect Christianity out into the world, but also for how they represent such a deep failure of what Christianity should be on the part of those who appear to be selling heaven and keeping the profits.

It is tempting to believe it may have always been this way. The Gospels tell us that Judas profited from the bag he kept (John 12:6), and in Acts we read the story of Ananias and Sapphira soon after the Church’s inception. Although the sin of that couple was lying to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3, 9), the root of their problem clearly lay in the desire to hold onto what had been given to the church – in this particular case by them.

But, sometimes, history can throw light on situations such as this and give us a better perspective. During Rome’s great persecution of Christians enacted during the latter part of the reign of Diocletian (AD 284 to 305), Imperial troops were sent to seize the possessions of a church in the city of Cirta (present day Constantine in Algeria) in North Africa.  The soldiers were doubtless delighted to find some items of gold, silver, and bronze – the chalices, urns, lamps, candlesticks and other small items used in the church’s worship services. The exact value of these metal objects is not known, but it is clear that they did not represent substantially more than what was in use by the church in its day-to-day functioning.

However, the soldiers were probably suspicious that there were so few books (a single codex was found in the church) so they searched the homes of the church leaders and found a total of 37 manuscripts, which the Christians had hidden.   Clearly, the manuscripts regarding the faith were of much greater value in the eyes of these Christians than the more expensive furnishings that had been left in plain sight in the church.

But in a storeroom within the church building the soldiers found goods of a different kind.  An imperial document dated May 19, AD 303, lists these hidden-away treasures: 82 women’s tunics, 38 capes, 16 men’s tunics, 13 pairs of men’s shoes, 47 pairs of women’s shoes, and 19 peasants’ wraps (A. Luijendijk, “Papyri from the Great Persecution: Roman and Christian Perspectives,”  Journal of Early Christian Studies, 16(3): 2008, 341-369; p. 350).

These carefully amassed items of clothing were not for the benefit of the leaders of the church, but were items collected to help the poor, the widows, and the destitute of the city. Certainly the church had accrued some valuable vessels for use in its worship, but the value of the items was commensurate with their intended use (2 Timothy 2:20).  What is clear is that the treasures of this church were its documents of faith, and what was being amassed was being gathered for others.

Surely, this has often been the case.  For every church infected with the heart of mammon there have been others – and frequently many others – infused with the heart of Christ.  Although Acts itself gives prominent mention to the cautionary story of Ananias and Sapphira, that story follows directly on the heels of the statement that “… God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need …” (Acts 4:33-35).

If Ananias and Sapphira were in the Church from near its inception, many who reflected the faith truly and who were gathering for others were also there from the beginning.  Sometimes we need to remind ourselves of this fact of history when we are confronted by the failings of the day in which we live. The treasures of a great many of the earliest believers, of the Christians of Cirta in AD 303, and of many churches throughout history were their faith and their love for others. May our treasures be the same.

“….if you can gain your freedom, do so” (1 Corinthians 7:21).

Freedom is always a good idea.   You don’t have to persuade Americans of that, especially around the fourth of July each year, and most every other place in this world either celebrates freedom or mourns its absence at any given time.  But freedom comes with a price, of course.  It is always bought with a struggle, and in this country we can look back on the War of Independence and the abolition of slavery as only two examples of the value of freedom and the struggles necessary to obtain it. 

The apostle Paul recognized the same truth applies in a spiritual sense. Writing to the Corinthians, he said “….if you can gain your freedom, do so,” and the context is interesting.  Notice the whole sentence from which this quote is taken: “Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so” (1 Corinthians 7:21).

Paul tells us several things here.  First, we must remember that slavery in the biblical world was not the evil of the racial slavery conducted at various times in history.  It was more like indentured service from which people could often work their way to independence, and it was certainly nothing like the totally demeaning and dehumanizing types of slavery with which the world is sadly more familiar.   So Paul tells his readers “don’t worry about it if you were called without freedom.”  Under the circumstances of his time, although it was not the best situation, slavery in that culture did not restrict many aspects of personal freedom and usually didn’t interfere with a person’s choice of religion or other things we would regard as essential rights.

Nevertheless, Paul still wrote to people in that situation: “… if you can gain your freedom, do so,” and the words are not given as advice to be considered, but a principle to be followed.  It’s easy to read over them today as being antiquated and not applying to us in our modern age, but they do. 

Many biblical verses show that when we are called we are all actually spiritually enslaved – enslaved to sin and our own human nature  (John 8:34, 2 Peter 2:19, etc.).   But many other verses show that through the struggle fought on our behalf by the Son of God, we are given freedom from these things (2 Corinthians 3:17, Galatians 5:1, etc.). 

Yet, just like physical freedom, spiritual freedom has to be recognized, appreciated, guarded and preserved.  As Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatians: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).  How can we lose our spiritual freedom?  The New Testament shows that we can sink back into slavery through accepting false beliefs (Galatians 2:4), by not controlling our physical natures (Galatians 5:13), or through anything that takes control of our lives (2 Peter 2:19).

But it needn’t be that way.   Just as celebrations of freedom, such as the Fourth of July, each time we observe them remind us of the need to protect our physical freedoms, every time we study the word of God it should be a reminder that we need to preserve our spiritual freedom, too.  Look how the apostle James – the brother of Jesus – reminds us of this truth:  “But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:25).   A little later in his letter, James also tells us: “Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom” (James 2:12), and it’s really the same principle. 

Freedom is always a good idea, but whether it’s this Fourth of July or the next time we open our Bibles, we must remember: freedom must be chosen, and choosing freedom is always the right idea.

* This post first appeared on 7/3/2016 on our sister site, TacticalChristianity.org

​Some feel that the Bible teaches that it is wrong for women to wear jewelry or expensive clothes or even elaborate hairstyles.  One of the scriptures used to support this view is found in the apostle Paul’s words to Timothy on the subject of women’s adornment:

 “…  I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes,  but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God” (1 Timothy 2:8-10).

The first thing we must realize is that Paul’s instructions in this regard are for a specific setting – that of public worship.  The apostle begins this instruction in the first verse of the chapter speaking about prayer. He elaborates on this topic before saying “Therefore … “ – meaning as a result of what he has just said about public prayer – “I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.  I also want the women to dress modestly…” (1 Timothy 2:8-9).  His thoughts regarding both men and women are relative to prayer.

So Paul’s instructions regarding women’s dress and appearance are aimed primarily at public worship. The key is that he says the women should dress “modestly” (vs. 9), meaning not to draw attention to themselves in a way that is not fitting for public worship.  We should also realize that the word translated to “dress” modestly can refer to demeanor as well as dress, to behavior as well as clothing.

We see this principle throughout what Paul says. When he speaks of “elaborate hairstyles” he is not condemning women styling their hair, but the practice of the time in which well-to-do Greco-Roman women would weave gold threads into their hair – again to draw attention to themselves (see also 1 Peter 3:3).  The proper attire for Christian women in Christian worship, Paul stresses, is not attire that is focused on themselves, but  that which is “appropriate for women who profess to worship God” (vs. 10).

From Paul’s perspective there are two things wrong with women wearing the kinds of clothing and adornment that he condemns for public worship.  First, by wearing clothing that was not modest or that drew inordinate attention to themselves, women might be a distraction to the men with whom they were worshipping.  Second, by wearing obviously expensive clothing, pearls and gold, women might likewise arouse jealousy among poorer women in the congregation.  This is not to say that either result would be intentional, but that Paul says it is the woman’s responsibility not to provide a “stumbling block” (Romans 14:14, 1 Corinthians 8:9) to their fellow worshippers.

If we read his words carefully, we see that Paul’s instructions to Timothy are certainly aimed at wrong intent or unintentional error in women’s dress – not as a ruling against their adornment.   In a very similar manner, the apostle Peter admonishes women:

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:3-4).
                 
But once again we find that context makes this instruction clear. In the verses directly before these, Peter is discussing the situation of how women whose husbands are unconverted can best be a proper influence on their mates, saying:

“Wives, in the same way submit yourselves to your own husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of your lives.  Your beauty should not come from outward adornment …” (1 Peter 3:1-3).

In other words, Peter does not condemn or disallow the woman’s adornment either – he simply stresses that wives should not look to their physical beauty to influence their husbands, but to the inner beauty to which they have been called.

That it is not wrong for a woman to be adorned in a beautiful way is made clear in a number of scriptures and none is clearer than Ezekiel 16 where God himself speaks of Israel as a young woman whom he adorned: 

“I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.  I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck …” (Ezekiel 16:10-11).  

Peter and Paul both knew this and similar scriptures and would hardly have forbidden something that God tells us he has done.  The Bible does not speak against women adorning themselves, but against the wrong intent of such adornment or its excessive use in inappropriate settings such as that of public worship. 

When ancient Israel entered the Promised Land of Canaan, they were told that God would drive out the Canaanites before them and that the Israelites were to destroy any who remained. 

The Bible tells us that this judgment was delivered on the Canaanite people because of their extreme depravity. The Canaanites would sacrifice their children – putting them to death in horrible ways – in order to gain some advantage for themselves, to make their lives better.  The Israelites were warned time and again not to follow that way (Leviticus 18:21, 24 and Deuteronomy 18:9-13).

In the past, some sceptics challenged whether such a horrible practice could actually have existed in ancient Canaan; yet actual evidence of child sacrifice by the Canaanites does exist. For example, several ancient Egyptian wall reliefs carved around the time of Ramesses II, in the temples of Karnak and Luxor, actually depict the abominable practice (A.  Spalinger, "A Canaanite Ritual Found in Egyptian Reliefs," Journal of the Society for the Study of Egyptian Antiquities 8 [1978]:47-60.).

If we fast forward to today’s world it is sad that so many cultures have chosen to go that same way in what has become a genocide without borders – the abortion of countless unborn babies. Today abortion is viewed as an acceptable sacrifice – for some, even up to the time of the birth of a child – to personal convenience.  The usual rationale, of course, is that before birth babies are not people. Biblically, however, it is clear that personhood begins before birth, and the Bible gave clear laws to protect the life of the unborn (Jeremiah 1:5, 20:17; Exodus 21:22-23, etc.).

But even though many people do not know or understand the biblical view of personhood before birth, it may be surprising to learn that widespread abortion is something that a majority of people do not accept or want.  According to a recent national public opinion poll conducted in the United States by the highly respected Marist Institute for Public Opinion, eight in ten Americans support “substantial restrictions” on abortion.  Furthermore, a majority would limit abortion to cases of rape, incest or to save the life of the mother – or would prefer not to allow it at all.   In fact, only one in ten Americans say they would prefer no restrictions on abortion while almost two-thirds of Americans – most Americans – feel abortion is “morally wrong”  (60 percent stated they are against abortion while 37 percent said they would allow abortion in some or all circumstances).

So if most people in our democratic society feel they would like to limit widespread abortion, why is nothing done to restrict it?  The answer may lie in the fact that many people say they feel afraid to speak out on the topic because people who do so are so mercilessly attacked by the minority of people who want unrestricted abortion.  It has become “not politically correct” to even mention abortion, but fine to practice it. So, we have a tragic disconnect in our society – between what many people believe deep down and the fact that they feel unwilling or unable to do anything about stopping what they believe is wrong.

In the United States we face a national election in which our choice will determine whether we either begin to limit abortion or reinforce and expand the practice. It is a choice we cannot sidestep by not voting, and the words of famed theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who died in the Nazi Holocaust, are relevant: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil … Not to act is to act.”
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Choosing one way takes us along the path of humane love for the vulnerable and defenseless unborn – the way of parental acceptance or adoption.   Choosing the other path takes us yet further into the ways of the Canaanites who sacrificed their children in order to gain some advantage for themselves.  It's in our hands.

New Bible translations, archaeological discoveries, news of major denominations, important survey and poll results –  it's hard to keep up to date with all the news items that appear about the Bible and biblical-based living.  

There are now dozens of Christian news agencies and online news sources, dozens of websites and printed magazines that discuss Bible-related news.   So what's a person to do to keep up-to-date?

Of course, you can take the time (if you have it) to visit a number of Christian news sites and to read several magazines each week in order to keep abreast of what is going on, but if you are like us you don't always have time to do that.

A useful alternative is to simply visit the Bible Gateway blog each week to read Jonathan Petersen's excellent "Bible News Roundup."  Usually published each Sunday, the "Roundup" gives a useful summary of important Bible and other faith-related news on subjects ranging from people to printings,  and from digs to dioceses! 

The updates are given in the form of short clear titles with links to articles giving the full story in each case.  This headline approach enables Roundup readers to quickly search the news for items of interest and concern and to be able to instantly access full information on a given subject.

So much transpires in Bible-related news each day that it's not easy to be aware of all that is happening. It can seem like we are standing on the banks of a veritable river of non-stop news that is flowing past us. But checking the Roundup column each week can go a long way toward helping us actually keep up with the stream! 

It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but in ancient Rome Christians were often called atheists.   Most people in the Roman Empire believed that there were many gods, and the idea of worshipping only one God seemed so bizarre to the Romans that they viewed it as a denial of the existence of all the other gods – their gods – and as a result they labeled Christians as “impious atheists.”

Although Judaism held the same belief in monotheism, the Jews tended to keep their religion to themselves and generally did not attempt to witness to their religion or spread it in the way that Christians did.  Because of this fact, the Romans knew much more about the beliefs of Christianity and began to take issue with what they saw as Christian rejection of the Roman deities. Additionally, many did not like the fact that Christianity condemned a number of their socially acceptable behaviors.

So the Christians became known as intolerant of other gods and were soon being accused of being “atheists” along with a number of false accusations. The situation was so widespread that in AD 176-7 the Christian thinker Athenagoras (A.D. 133-190) wrote an explanation or “apology” on the matter that he addressed to the Emperor at the time, Marcus Aurelius. 

This work was called the Plea for the Christians and combats the three most common charges against Christians: atheism, incest and cannibalism.  The accusation of cannibalism was, of course, a misunderstanding of the Christian idea of eating the “flesh” and “blood” of the Son of God (partaking of the bread and wine – Luke 22:19-20) in the Lord’s Supper. The charge of incest was based on the common Christian practice of referring to all people – including husbands and wives – as “brother” or “sister,” and, as we have seen, the idea that the Christians were atheists was the result of the “intolerant” Christian belief on monotheism.  

In an interesting turn of events, as history has progressed to the day in which we live, Christianity is being increasingly viewed as intolerant. This is not only because of its rejection of many socially accepted behaviors, but also because the Christian Faith teaches of Jesus Christ that “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  In today’s inclusive and politically correct world, such an idea seems as bizarre to many modern people as it was to the ancient Romans, and the response is frequently the same – “If you don’t accept my god, you are intolerant and I won’t accept you or your God.”

In ancient Rome the charge of Christian intolerance soon led to intolerance against Christians, and our own time is no different.   We see increasing intolerance regarding the Christian rejection of ungodly behavior just as the early Christians did, and we too can take to heart the words of Peter regarding those who are offended by that “intolerance”: “They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you” (1 Peter 4:4).

Perhaps the similarities between the situation at the time of early Christianity and where our own culture is leaning should not surprise us.  Paul spoke of the same factors affecting early Christians and believers today:  “… everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).  In these words we see that persecution involves the world’s response to both Christians’ moral choices (“live a godly life”) and their theological ones (“in Christ Jesus”), as both are seen as evidence of intolerance by those opposed to Christianity, and both become the grounds for persecution.

For many Christians intense persecution at the hands of other religions is already here, of course, and we are reminded again of Peter’s words: “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12).  Peter was simply reminding his hearers of the words of Jesus himself:
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11-12).

History does, indeed, repeat itself.  But as the persecution of Christians becomes more common again – essentially for the same reasons – let us be encouraged to also repeat the outcome of that persecution.  Peter tells us: “…if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:16 ESV).  We can glorify God in this context by our good works despite the accusations and persecution we endure, and it  is by demonstrating God in us that we best disprove the charges of intolerance and godlessness.  Athenagoras understood that well – as he shows in his rebuttal of the charge of Christian atheism:

“…if [Christians] are unable in words to prove the benefit of our doctrine, yet by their deeds [they] exhibit the benefit arising from their persuasion of its truth: they do not rehearse speeches, but exhibit good works; when struck, they do not strike again; when robbed, they do not go to law; they give to those that ask of them, and love their neighbors as themselves …” (Plea for the Christians, Chapter 11).

“Oh, I’m not religious!” the young checkout clerk in the grocery told me, “I’m spiritual.”  We hear it all the time these days. Religion has become a less than liked word for many. 

Religion is something that all too often seems to involve wars, denominational disagreements, wealthy televangelists and scandals ranging from pastoral infidelity to church-related child abuse. ​Spirituality seems more neutral, somehow more rational, and often more politically correct.

On the other hand, when we look around the world in which we live, it is often religion that is making a difference.  It is religion that is working in the slums, helping to feed the hungry, and carrying hope to millions who do not have it – while spirituality is often home alone, meditating or praying for insight and self-improvement.

None of what is said above is meant to offend anyone, but rather to suggest that each approach may have something that is needed and by itself lack something that is equally necessary.   It helps us see that when we consider a few things the Bible says.

First, it comes as a surprise to many that the Bible disparages both religion and spirituality under some circumstances.  If that seems hard to believe, consider the following scriptures which show that when they are not done right, either can be problematic:

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

“…do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (1 John 4:1).

On the other hand, the Bible shows that both religion and spirituality have their place:
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“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27).

“This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words” (1 Corinthians 2:13).

Both religion and spirituality have to be done right if they are going to be real and meaningful.  Religion must be done with true spirituality and spirituality must be done with true religion. The apostle Peter summarized this situation nicely when he wrote:

“you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5).

It is only as we are built into a spiritual house (read church – read religion) that we can fulfill our true role in life, but it is only as we offer spiritual sacrifices (read spiritual behavior – read spirituality) that our lives are meaningful and acceptable to God.  True religion and true spirituality go hand in hand. They are the outward and inner manifestations respectively of what God calls us to be, of what we were meant to be. 

So next time you hear someone say “I’m not religious, I’m spiritual,” consider telling them you think that's too bad – because being only one or the other misses so much of what life is all about.

Bible Gateway's Jonathan Petersen recently interviewed award-winning author Nancy Pearcey about her latest book, Finding Truth: 5 Principles for Unmasking Atheism, Secularism, and Other God Substitutes (David C. Cook, 2015).

Nancy Pearcey has been described as “America’s pre-eminent evangelical Protestant female intellectual” (The Economist), and the book exposes the failures of a number of modern world-views while strengthening an approach of faith.  We are happy to reproduce the interview, with permission, on our website today.  You can read the interview here. 

Every year people flock to fashion shows in Paris, New York, and other centers of haute couture to see what styles and colors are "in."
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Back in the days of the apostle James, for some members of the church, the “in” style was apparently clothes showing wealth and the in colors were apparently gold, scarlet and purple:
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“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,”  have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4).

The colors getting people’s attention here were not just gold and silver.  In that day and age the most noticeable difference between a rich person’s clothing and a poor person’s was usually color. Only the rich could afford clothing made of finer materials like colored silk or linen died with expensive purple or scarlet dyes (Proverbs 31:21, Mark 15:17, etc.).   So this wasn’t just about paying attention to those wearing gold rings.  James puts equal stress on those focusing on the doubtless brightly colored clothing of the rich man (vs. 3), and he uses some pretty strong language about them – he says if they are guilty of gravitating to such a person at the expense of  others, they are guilty of discrimination (vs. 4). 

The problem wasn’t really about the gold ring or the brightly colored robe of the rich man, of course – the root of the problem was that some of James’ readers were seeing those who wore gold rings and scarlet and purple clothes as somehow better than others. Think about it. The people of the Church did not want to associate with the rich in the hopes of getting some of their money, but there were certain things about the rich man – we might think of them as distinguishing “colors” – that meant people gravitated to him.  The wealthy man was simply the man to know, the man to be friends with, the man who was wearing the “in” colors.

So we must ask ourselves what “color” is in today, in our age, in our church.  It may well not be the “color” of money.  It could just as well be the “color” of  “appearance,”  “popularity,”  “tech savvy,” or even “dedicated church attendance” or “missionary zeal,” depending on who is looking and how they see things.   The fact is, just like the poor man James mentioned, every church congregation has those who are not wearing the “in” color.  Sometimes they are the old, sometimes those in ill health, sometimes they are just those with poor social skills.  But if we see others – any others – as more attractive, fun, or “in” to be around, we have missed the point of James’ warning. 

It’s really a matter of perspective.  Our physical eyes may see and sense the things that make people “in,” but we need to always look beyond what the eyes see.  That, of course, was the point of God’s words to Samuel regarding the physically impressive Saul: “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). And notice an important detail of what James said that we so often read over without noticing it much – James begins his admonition to not be swayed by what is attractive by making an important point: “My brothers and sisters,” he says, “believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism” (vs. 2). 

​Before talking about the rich man and his physical glory, James makes a comparison with the much more “glorious” nature of Christ.  James prefaced his statement with that thought because he wanted us to remember that, if we have the right perspective, we will see that even those totally devoid of anything that could make them “in” physically still carry the image of God, which is far more glorious in every way than the "in colors" of human society. 

It’s a point that may not apply to us personally, but if we ever find ourselves gravitating mainly to those who exhibit whatever “color” is “in,” spending time primarily with those who are the “in crowd” within our group, it does apply. 

Given the nature of the Christian faith, it’s only natural to think that our lives would be different in many ways from those who don’t walk in the faith, but are they?

A fascinating study conducted by Barna Group shows that self-identifying Christians who are churchgoers (one would hope that means fairly committed Christians) don’t really differ from non-churchgoers in most ways.  With the obvious exception of the answers to the option “I would describe myself as deeply spiritual” (18% unchurched as opposed to 69% churched), the answers were surprisingly similar for both groups.  Take a look at this snip of part of the Barna  graphic from their “Sacred Roots”:

After the “deeply spiritual” question, the only other measure that shows a significant difference between the groups is whether respondents felt they were “fulfilling [their] calling in life” (61% “unchurched” vs. 77% “churched”),  but differences regarding other questions were often within the statistical range of probability and certainly not as great as one might expect.  When we consider the responses to questions such as “concerned about the future” and  “dealing with addiction,” the answers are almost alarming if we believe the results of Christian living should be much different from the alternatives. 

It’s a fascinating survey and would seem to lead to only two possible conclusions.  Either we Christians are not as different as we think we are (though plenty of biblical verses suggest we should be), or many churchgoers are not much different because they are not really following the guidelines that make us different.  We can only look at the study and ask ourselves where we fit in, and if our lives really are different from those who don’t have believing access to the word of God. If we see our lives are not that different, perhaps we can recognize the need for transformation.

As always, Barna Group is to be congratulated for providing meaningful studies that not only show us where we are, but also may sometimes point us in better directions.  You can check out the Barna website here.

Actually, I don’t mean the type of supermodel that makes millions of dollars a year but who has to stay within a couple of ounces of a certain weight at all times, whose life is a nonstop stream of makeup, hair and other adjustments and preps, who has to constantly go where and do what managers, trainers, publicists and others say – only to be constantly hounded and spied upon by paparazzi during what little private life is left. 

I actually mean being the kind of supermodel that doesn’t make anything like the pay of a fashion runway super-waif, but those who get to live life more freely and fully, and who feel they  are making a lasting difference  in what they do. The apostle Paul actually talks about this kind of supermodel in his first letter to the Thessalonians. Notice what he said to the believers in that area:

“And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia – your faith in God has become known everywhere…” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-8).

Paul does not commend others in such high terms, so these believers truly must have been supermodels of the faith.  How did they get that way?  What turns an everyday believer into a spiritual supermodel who is looked up to as an example – as a model of a true disciple and even of Christ Himself?  Notice the reason Paul gives for the supermodel status of the Thessalonians:

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

We see two things here.  First, these spiritual supermodels became the way they were by carefully imitating the behavior of leading Christians and of Christ Himself.  That’s something Paul often urged his readers to do (2 Thessalonians 3:9, Philippians 3:17, etc.).   Secondly, the Thessalonians were not just imitating Jesus when they were in the bright lights or when they felt they were “on the runway” – they  were imitating the models they chose to follow even “in the midst of severe suffering” and they were doing it with joy! These men and women were not some select group blessed with just the right genes and perfect skin. They were alike – and beautiful – in what they portrayed.

Many feel that despite the lifestyle of this world's fashion supermodels, it would be nice to be so beautiful. But supermodels' careers are built on a physical perfection and a beauty that does not last. Their careers are often short and they have only imperfection to look forward to.  On the other hand, as Paul reminded the Thessalonians: “… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thessalonians 1:9). In so doing  these believers chose a life in which  their beauty in God’s eyes would only increase with time (1 Peter 3:2-4) – toward an ultimate perfection – and in this life, they chose a lifestyle which would truly help others by example (see also Titus 2:7).

So, just like the Thessalonians, you can be a supermodel – and the character of God that you get to model will always be in fashion.

Syria was an important area in the development of Christianity. Not only did the apostle Paul meet Christ on the road to Damascus, but Christians were first given that name in Antioch of Syria. A large and thriving Christian community has long been present in that country.

But today many Christians are caught in the civil war in Syria which grinds on and on, with hundreds of thousands already killed in turmoil that looks unending at this point.  Of particular concern to many advocates of religious freedom is the fact that in addition to Islamic Shiite/Sunni sectarian violence, religious persecution against Christians has been getting steadily worse.  Violence against Christians has been widespread and blamed on many parties, though the Islamic State (ISIS) group active in Iraq and Syria that has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda in the past, is notable in having issued increasingly stronger threats against Christians and carrying out violence against them.

Christians are being actively persecuted and attacked in some areas.  A Christian village near Damascus was ravaged, with bodies of its Christian inhabitants apparently left in the streets. Several sources have claimed that one Christian has been crucified in Raqaa in northern Syria, and it is certain that many others have been killed, though few of these events seem to be making it into the mainstream news media coverage.   Many Christians are being forced to flee their homes, and those who do not may be in danger of losing their lives. One example that was reported widely was the assassination earlier this month of Jesuit priest Frans van der Lugt who had spent nearly five decades in Syria, which he loved and considered his own country.

There are a few spots of better news. In the north, Kurdish defense forces have been working to protect Syrian Christian communities, and a new Christian television channel has been started to help refugee Syrian children, but overall the situation is increasingly difficult for thousands of  Syrian Christians and truly dire for many of them. 

A recent article by Michael Trimmer published  online 12 April, 2014, by the UK’s Christian Today posed the intriguing question “Jesus more popular than Mao in China?”   Based on news gathering reports, the article showed one measure of the increasing success of Christianity in the world’s most populous country – its occurrence on Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

Despite the ongoing careful control of  “authorized” churches and the suppression of all others by the Chinese government, data collected by Tea Leaf Nation, a magazine run by researchers studying China's social media trends, provides a tantalizing window into what is happening in China today. 

The data shows that Jesus and Christianity are far more popular subjects on Weibo than Chairman Mao and Communism. A search for 'Bible' on Weibo produced over 17 million results, whereas a search for the Quotations of Chairman Mao yielded only 60,000 results.

Another telling comparison:  the words “'Christian Congregation” brought some 41.8 million results on Weibo, but “Communist Party” got only 5.3 million results.

As Trimmer explains in his article, “Despite being an outwardly atheistic country, 'God' received over 165 million Weibo mentions, more than 18 times the searches for 'Mao Zedong'.”  These statistics are incredible of themselves, although we may wonder if the Weibo searches give an accurate portrayal of the Chinese population – Weibo is used mainly by a younger and more progressive demographic.  This in itself is grounds for hope, as Weibo users do not include most of the elderly, and many of those who are turning to Christianity are elderly.  You can read the full article online in Christian Today here.

While official Chinese estimates put the number of Christians in China at around 25 million, those with knowledge of the extensive underground church situation feel that the actual number is probably somewhere between 60 to 100 million.  Nevertheless, China is regarded as one of the most dangerous countries for Christians by all watch groups.  Persecution is common and often severe. Historically, we know that this will only further the growth of Christianity in China, but there are other difficulties. Religious cults and coercive groups are thriving in an atmosphere which lacks open distribution of knowledge, and many underground Christians have little guidance.

With present growth it is expected that in fifteen years China will have more Christians than any other nation in the world. However, the present realities of Christian life in China mean that our brothers and sisters there deserve and need our continued prayer and support. 

In 1952, the Congress of the United States of America established a National Day of Prayer as an annual event by a joint resolution. This resolution was signed into law by President Harry Truman, who called for the nation to take time “to turn to God in prayer and meditation.” Every president over the last 62 years, regardless of political or religious affiliation, has proclaimed a National Day of Prayer which is now set by law to be observed on the first Thursday of May (today) each year.

The roots of this day of prayer may be said to go back to 1775 when, on the very eve of the US War of Independence, the First Continental Congress called for a day of prayer.  Today such public devotion may seem foreign to many, but the principle of approaching God in a spirit of national rededication is itself an echo of such days in biblical times.  The National Day of Prayer is a great opportunity for us to give thanks and to remember the spiritual problems and needs of our nation.

The question asked by someone  leaving a showing of the recent “Noah” movie, “Was Noah really like that?,” is typical of many who haven’t read the Book on which the movie was based.  Even among those who have read the biblical account, opinions on the film often seem to come down to one thing – whether the view of the person of Noah as portrayed in the movie is one that matched the biblical story or not. People were often not so bothered about plot issues – or even the message of the Noah narrative – it is “how like the biblical Noah is the movie character Noah” that so often matters to people.

Despite its debatable portrayal of Noah, we might want to give Hollywood’s Noah a fair shake in admitting that religions themselves have interpreted the patriarch in various ways.  It’s not just that Judaism sees Noah one way and Islam another, with Christianity having its own take. Even within each religion there are widely divergent interpretations of the character of Noah himself. For many Jewish commentators, the biblical description of Noah as "righteous in his generation" (Genesis 6:9) suggested that Noah was only righteous compared to the world in which he lived – that he was nowhere near as righteous as Abraham, for example.  In this view, Noah is even seen as a man who ensured his own safety while ignoring his neighbors.  Other Jewish scholars, such as the commentator Rashi, said this view was unfair and that Noah purposely stretched the building of the Ark over 120 years precisely to give his neighbors a chance to repent.

Christianity has done the same thing in terms of differing interpretations.  Noah is generally seen in a very positive light – doubtless due to his inclusion in the “Faith Hall of Fame” of Hebrews 11, and the fact that according to Peter, Noah was a "preacher of righteousness" (1 Peter 2:5). But there have been many Christian “takes” on Noah even within this tradition.  I understand that the Mormon Church teaches that Noah was actually the angel Gabriel in human form, and these facts shows the extent to which views on Noah can diverge even within the range of faith.

So although we might rail against the “divergence” between the biblical Noah and the “Noah” of the movie, we might remember the range of views within the faith traditions themselves and the fact that the movie – despite its problems of fidelity to scripture – has at least been the cause for vast numbers of people reading the Genesis narrative on the internet Bible sites, many of whom might never have looked at the account had it not been for the film’s popularity.

Ultimately, we need to realize, too, that the Bible really does not do biography, per se.  Not even the lives of Jesus that we find presented in the gospels give a single seamless account with all the details seen from the same perspective.  At the end of the day, the Bible gives us few details about Noah himself, and while we might (and do) argue about their interpreta- tion, the story of Noah remains a classic example that what was important to the biblical writers was not the man’s personality or even his problems (imagined by Hollywood or otherwise), but how he was used by God.

THE – CONTINUING – FLOODS IN BOLIVIA

Flooding caused by ongoing torrential rain in Bolivia is of unprecedented proportions. Beginning last October,  the rains peaked in the early part of this year, triggering further flooding and fatal landslides.

Many people have been killed in the flooding, and more than 60,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed.  The floods are also causing widespread agricultural damage – many crops have been ruined,  and an estimated 100,000 cattle have been drowned. After months of unrelenting rain, many homes and farmland areas are submerged, especially in Bolivia’s Beni region.

Bolivian President Evo Morales has stated: “What is happening, particularly in Beni province, is something never before seen in the history of Bolivia,” yet despite the terrible damage and loss of life being caused by the flooding, the Bolivian government has rejected pleas for international assistance, and there is great need for help.

Christian Aid Mission and other workers in Bolivia have been striving to meet both the physical and spiritual needs of individuals in the affected areas, but the ongoing needs are massive.  Emergency packs containing food, cooking oil and a Bible are being distributed to the extent that funds are available, and the participating aid groups are bringing in medical volunteers to serve in affected communities, as well as medical kits to help counter the constant threat of waterborne diseases.

The rains continue, however, and the need for prayer and physical help remains great.  Go  here for more information on the work of Christian Aid Mission in the flooded areas of Bolivia and for information on helping provide emergency packs to the victims of this unprecedented flooding.