NowTHINK!AboutIt

Avoiding Hackneyed...Making Sense

4 Reasons Seeing Jesus Won’t Produce Faith

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Jesus was often not present when miracles occurred.

Would A Visible Jesus
Be Easier To Believe?

I know some of the places Jesus traveled and the roads He walked on but I’ve never walked those roads with Him.

I know He traveled by foot and the roads were dusty, but I’ve never observed Him washing the feet of others.

I know Jesus ate fish, honeycomb, figs, olives, bread and lamb, among other things, but I’ve never shared a meal with Him. I’ve never observed Him while He ate.

I know what Jesus taught and what He said in prayer but I’ve never heard the sound of His voice.

I know He had face to face conversations with individuals but I’ve never had the benefit of reading the approval, the concern or the frustration in His eyes.

I have no visuals of Jesus. I don’t know the shape of His beard or the length of His hair. I can only guess at how tall He was or how much He might have weighed.

I’m guessing He wasn’t overweight but I have no visual to prove that.

A limited number have claimed to have seen and conversed with Jesus on earth following His ascension. Some claim His healing powers are just as active today as they ever were.

I know it may seem negative to say it but I’m skeptical about those claims. Before you criticize me too sharply I would qualify my skepticism by saying I’m not cynical.

I have no doubt that Jesus could do all the things I’ve mentioned – walk with us, talk with us, eat with us – and I don’t blame people for wanting that to happen.

I just can’t figure out why He would do these things so sparingly now, when He was so generous with His presence or powers in the first century.

I also think His physical appearance may not be as much of a boon for Gospel as many think.

People often exclaim:

It would be easier to believe if Jesus would just show Himself to us! If He walked with us and talked with us, belief would be automatic! How could we deny Him in the face of His physical presence?

But there are several reasons I’m skeptical about that too. [Read more…] about 4 Reasons Seeing Jesus Won’t Produce Faith

8 Truths About Baptism

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Baptism announces your salvation but only after the fact.

Is Form More Important
Than Heart

Should you get baptized or should you not? That’s one question.

Another question, and one that is a little more difficult to answer is if you do get baptized, which baptism is best?

Those are important questions because Baptism is a Christian basic. It’s universal. It applies to every believer but there are differences of opinion on this practice.

Some believe baptism saves or at least puts one in the right place to be saved. Others believe it has nothing to do with salvation.

Some believe infants should be baptized. Others believe they shouldn’t.

Some believe baptism can be administered by pouring or sprinkling. Others believe full bodily immersion is required.

Some believe baptism can only be administered by qualified individuals. Others believe any Christian can baptize any Christian candidate.

Some believe only their denomination’s baptism is legitimate. Others believe that’s an unnecessary restriction.

Some believe the form is all important – only immersion is allowed. Others believe the heart of the individual is more important than the form.

Like belief, the decision to be baptized is individual. Unlike belief, you can’t fake it.

Probably no Christian basic has been debated more than baptism and the debates weren’t lighthearted. History records much feuding over this issue even to the point of drawing blood.

The Bible says much more about belief (faith) than baptism but what it says is important. Here are the facts:

  • John the Baptist initiated the tradition of baptism.
  • The high number of baptisms was evidence of John’s effectiveness.
  • Jesus was baptized by John, even though John questioned this.
  • Jesus first disciples were baptized by John.
  • Jesus taught his followers to continue the tradition of baptism.
  • From the Day of Pentecost onward disciples new believers were baptized. The practice stuck.
  • Paul taught that baptism symbolized the death, burial and resurrection of Christ.

From these facts we can isolate several takeaways: [Read more…] about 8 Truths About Baptism

4 Friendship Lessons From The Bible

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Friendship is God's tool to make us better people.

Friendships Are Deepened
Through Trouble

Friend is a happy word. It makes us feel safe. It evokes a sense of support, love, security, connection and more.

If you have a good friend you’re better for it. It’s a comfortable place to be, or so the thinking goes, and the Bible makes statements that support these flowery ideas:

  • A friend loves through all kinds of weather – Proverbs 17:17 (MSG).
  • This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends – John 15:13 (MSG).
  • Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor – Ecclesiastes 4:9 (KJV).
  • Better is a neighbor (friend) that is near than a brother far off – Proverbs 27:10 (KJV).
  • A sweet friendship refreshes the soul – Proverbs 27:9 (MSG).

But these verses represent the ideal. They describe friendship at its best. Can we really expect that? Is any friendship 100% no fault? Or does reality provide a different perspective?

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To balance things out the Bible also warns us that friendship can sometimes be a cover-up for questionable motives. [Read more…] about 4 Friendship Lessons From The Bible

Sickness Is Inevitable – God Uses It

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God neither causes nor prevents illness but uses it to bring out and/or shape character.

God Uses Illness
To Heal Us
In Different Ways

Mention John chapter 11 and most people think of Resurrection. No surprise there. The chapter records Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and most sermons on that chapter focus mostly on that event. It’s the dominant topic. It’s hard to study the chapter and not think about resurrection but it’s also obvious. Maybe there is something else in the chapter we should look for.

If we poke the context a little, other lessons might surface. [Read more…] about Sickness Is Inevitable – God Uses It

8 More Questions To Prove Salvation Can’t Be Lost

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The difference between saved and unsaved is salvation not sin.

Clarify The Question
Before You Answer

I’ve had many discussions about eternal security and the conversations often migrate to “what-if” questions, the philosophical nuggets that get thrown in after all the verses have been dissected without reaching a resolution.

Eternal Security is, again, the topic here and I mention it because the “what-ifs” unwittingly open the door to some very interesting questions:

Here’s how it works.

A debate is started about Eternal security, which is the teaching that says once a person is saved they can never be lost. Only God’s actions can void it and according to Him, His love is unconditional. It works even when we don’t (Romans 8:38).

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And that is where the “what-if” arguments are introduced. [Read more…] about 8 More Questions To Prove Salvation Can’t Be Lost