So many mornings, when the sun peeks through our neighbor's European spindle trees at just the right angle, I am reminded of one of my favorite passages of all time:

"There you are, standing at a window watching oak leaves flutter down from dark boughs, and without warning your whole body fills with a longing for something you can't name, something you've lost but never had, that you're nostalgic for yet don't remember. You sense a joy so huge it breaks you, a sorrow so deep it cleanses."

It's from Mark Buchanan's five-star book Things Unseen -- the title of which refers to one of my favorite passages in the Bible: 

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light afflication, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18) 

So you thought that the prerequisites to eternity in heaven were repentance and trusting in Christ to have paid the penalty for your sin? Silly Bible-believer! The new pope knows better!

And best of all, it means you can also set aside Jesus' command to make disciples of all the nations. As it turns out, per this infallible pope, it won't make any difference: as long as people are following their consciences, they'll be fine!

(Getty image)

Here's the report, from the UK's Independent. Another sign that things are taking shape for the One World Religion forecast in Revelation?

Pope Francis assures atheists:
You don’t have to believe in God to go to heaven

"In comments likely to enhance his progressive reputation, Pope Francis has written a long, open letter to the founder of La Repubblica newspaper, Eugenio Scalfari, stating that non-believers would be forgiven by God if they followed their consciences.
 
"Responding to a list of questions published in the paper by Mr Scalfari, who is not a Roman Catholic, Francis wrote: 'You ask me if the God of the Christians  forgives those who don’t believe and who don’t seek the faith. I start by saying – and this is the fundamental thing – that God’s mercy has no limits if you go  to him with a sincere and contrite heart. The issue for those who do not believe  in God is to obey their conscience.

“'Sin, even for those who have no faith, exists when people disobey their conscience.' 

"Robert Mickens, the Vatican correspondent for the Catholic journal The Tablet, said the pontiff’s comments were further evidence of his attempts to shake off the Catholic Church’s fusty image, reinforced by his extremely conservative predecessor Benedict XVI. 'Francis is a still a conservative,' said Mr Mickens. 'But what this is all about is him seeking to have a more meaningful dialogue with the world.'  
  
"In a welcoming response to the letter, Mr Scalfari said the Pope’s comments were 'further evidence of his ability and desire to overcome barriers in dialogue with all.'

"In July, Francis signalled a more progressive attitude on sexuality, asking: 'If someone is gay and is looking for the Lord, who am I to judge him?'"

I am amazed to think back on all the time and money I have spent over the years on this earthly home ... and how it continues to crumble around me in spite of continued maintenance.

In fact, I just started a new (and horrifyingly costly) list of Things That Will Eventually Need To Be Repaired. Even if I live to see these items checked off, new and unfixable problems will certainly arise. 

That's why I was especially delighted to stumble across this little essay from Mrs. Chas. A. Cowman's classic Streams in the Desert. I saved it some time ago -- whether it's been months or years, I haven't a clue, since my memory is one of the things that's crumbling -- but what a great message for anyone striving for 20/20 vision in his or her eternal eyes. 


Ready to move

"For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens" (2 Cor.5:1).

The owner of the tenement which I have occupied for many years has given notice that he will furnish but little or nothing more for repairs. I am advised to be ready to move.

At first this was not a very welcome notice. The surroundings here are in many respects very pleasant, and were it not for the evidence of decay, I should consider the house good enough. But even a light wind causes it to tremble and totter, and all the braces are not sufficient to make it secure. So I am getting ready to move.

It is strange how quickly one's interest is transferred to the prospective home. I have been consulting maps of the new country and reading descriptions of its inhabitants. One who visited it has returned, and from him I learn that it is beautiful beyond description; language breaks down in attempting to tell of what he heard while there. He says that, in order to make an investment there, he has suffered the loss of all things that he owned here, and even rejoices in what others would call making a sacrifice. Another, whose love to me has been proven by the greatest possible test, is now there. He has sent me several clusters of the most delicious fruits. After tasting them, all food here seems insipid. 

Two or three times I have been down by the border of the river that forms the boundary, and have wished myself among the company of those who were singing praises to the King on the other side. Many of my friends have moved there. Before leaving they spoke of my coming later. I have seen the smile upon their faces as they passed out of sight. Often I am asked to make some new investments here, but my answer in every case is, "I am getting ready to move."   --Selected


 

If you are a student of the Bible who hasn’t already decided to view the gospel through the lens of Calvinist philosophy, you might want to think twice before donning those particular spectacles. 
 
It’s really quite simple. Every time you come across a passage that allegedly proves the tenets of four- or five-point Calvinism, ask yourself questions like these: 

1. Who is under discussion, specifically? Consider digging a little deeper than “the saved” or “the lost.”    
   


2. What is under discussion? Salvation? Or something else, such as temporal purpose or earthly destiny?


3. What’s the larger context?


4. Is there any other reasonable explanation that I might look into, such as grammar that would unnecessarily transform the original meaning, or history that might shed light on the situation at hand?  

It helps greatly to have some solid training in grammar. It also helps to have some experience in solving logic problems; I was raised on them, and perhaps you were too.

But even if you weren’t, it’s really not rocket science.

Consider this diagram illustrating five different categories of people.  




Then consider Calvinism's proof texts in light of this diagram. For instance, how ‘bout the folks in John 6:36? Do they not fit quite nicely into Category C? Or think about those in John 6:37a and b –not A and B, respectively? And so on.  

I have yet to come across a verse where Scripture requires placing anyone in a hypothetical 6th or 7th category, “saved only because God has chosen them” or "condemned to hell because He did not chose them.” 

No doubt there are a few difficult passages. In these cases, I do some digging. Sometimes I'm left scratching my head. But sometimes I'm not. 

For instance, there's Acts 13:48b: "... as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed." It turns out that for some reason, most (all?) translators decided to render this line in the passive voice rather than the middle voice; it could just as easily have been presented thusly: “as many as set themselves to eternal life believed.”   

And Calvinism also has some ‘splaining to do about a number of passages -- for instance, those concerning issues like these:  

· Isn’t God’s will salvation for all? 2 Peter 3:9, 1 Timothy 2:3-4, Romans 11:32 and 2 Corinthians 5:19 would seem to say so. 

· Doesn’t God provide it for anyone? Passages like 1 John 2:2, John 6:40, 1 Timothy 2:6, Hebrews 2:9 and Isaiah 53:6 would seem to imply that He does. Is there really a compelling reasons to view straightforward phrases such as “the world” as shorthand for "the world of the elect”? 

· Doesn’t He give man a choice to believe or not? Again, unless we start insisting that plain words like “whosoever” really mean something else, it would certainly seem so according to passages such as John 3:16 and Acts 13:46.

· Doesn’t He draw all men? He does, according to John 12:32. (Note that “men” is presented as “peoples” with an “s” in NKJV, changing the meaning radically. And whichever word is used, it was apparently ADDED by the translators – unnecessarily, since “I … will draw all to Myself” doesn’t require any addition, because “all” is also a noun perfectly capable of standing on its own.)

· Doesn’t He enable anyone to respond? You’d sure think so, according to John 1:9 and 16:8-9, Mark 16:15-16, Acts 17:30 and 16:31. 

And a bonus question for those who are already delving into modern Calvinism's TULIP: Don’t some men actually refuse? Don't Romans 10:21 and Matthew 23:7 present us with examples indicating that some actually do refuse Him? Where’s the irresistible grace?

Okay, so I don't have even a basic degree in theology, let alone an advanced degree. And I’ve only been studying the Bible seriously, and daily, for a decade or so. I still have a real problem seeing the Lord God – the perfectly sovereign God of perfect love, mercy, and justice Who suffered and died to pay the penalty for my sin – portrayed as One who creates lost people solely to suffer in hell for all eternity, leaving them with no way out. I don’t believe that this conclusion is warranted by Scripture. And to me, it sounds way too much like the cosmic sadist described by atheists like Richard Dawkins.

Here's an especially interesting Days of Praise essay from the late Henry Morris, whose credentials that the world would find impressive include:

--A bachelor's degree in civil engineering
--A master's in hydraulics
 --A Ph.D. in hydraulic engineering
--Serving as professor and chair of civil engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette
--Serving as professor of applied science at Southern Illinois University

But in truth, his greatest work involved co-founding the Institute for Creation Research; writing some of the most fascinating books of all time (my favorites include The Modern Creation Trilogy, co-written with his son John Morris, Ph.D., and The Long War Against God); and writing countless essays for the ICR's Days of Praise booklets, which can be accessed today as a daily e-devotional or monthly booklet at http://www.icr.org/articles/type/6/. The Lord used Dr. Henry Morris to change my life, and I can't wait to meet him in heaven.

In the meantime, I found today's devotional especially interesting in its description of the Christian's state after death but before the resurrection. What do you think? 
 

To Die Is Gain

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

Although the glorious resurrection bodies which have been promised all believers must await the return of Christ, even the spirit-existence after death is better than this present life for the believer. Paul himself expressed “a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better” (v. 23)—“to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8).

Thus, it is “gain” when a Christian dies! Since Christ, in His resurrection body, is in heaven at the right hand of the Father, the spirits of “sleeping” Christians are also there. The intermediate state is somewhat analogous to the dreaming state, in which the consciousness travels to various places and experiences while the body is asleep. In fact, death is called “sleep” for the Christian (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

However, in some amazing way, these conscious spirits of believers are still distinct and recognizable. Moses and Elijah (Matthew 17:3), as well as  Samuel (1 Samuel 28:12-19), were identifiable in their spirit-form, even by people here on Earth.

One of the greatest blessings of dying and going to be with the Lord will be the joy of returning with Him “at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints" (1 Thessalonians 3:13). “Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. . . . And the dead in  Christ shall rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:14,  16), just before the rapture and glorification of the saints who are still  living. As wonderful as it might be to live until Christ returns, it will be  even better to be with Him!

The death of a Christian, therefore, may be a time of loss and grief for those left behind, but it is a time of joy and blessing for the one who dies, including a happy reunion with those who have gone before. HMM 

A former palliative caregiver has written a book entitled The Top Five Regrets of the Dying. Here’s her list, which she discusses on her blog: 
 
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

“Life is a choice,” she concludes. “It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.”
 
So that’s what it’s all about? Is she, and are way too many others, missing the elephant in the living room?

Do you suppose regrets such as these change one minute after death? Too bad we can’t ask the philosophers who contributed to this particular list.

Oh, but wait: we have the testimony of the rich man in Luke 16. His priorities certainly underwent a radical transformation after he'd left this earth.
 
Wonder what would happen if someone made it a point to read the book of Luke to the dying before it's to late?    

It's easy to become discouraged about what's happening in this country, to mourn the passing of what was once a very special nation rooted in the word of God and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

It helps to put things into the perspective of what was truly the most blessed nation of all time, ancient Israel. Anyone who has ever read through the Old Testament has no doubt seen the parallels between then and now. Consider just a few:

Then: They burned their sons and daughters as sacrifices to their gods (Deuteronomy 12:31, for instance)

Now: We sacrifice our children to the god of this world, and the god of convenience, in federally funded abortion mills across the land

Then: They worshipped useless idols. As Isaiah said (46:7), "They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries to it, it does not answer or save him from his trouble."
 
Now: Instead of the living God, we worship our own useless idols. Whether that means celebrities or money, work or education, friends or family, patriotism or religious ritual, none of it is of any help in times of trouble.

Then: They entered into ungodly alliances, trusting in other nations rather than the Lord God. Isaiah 31 says, "Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!"

Now: Trust in unholy alliances is rampant, starting with the UN. Check out the headlines of the day; really, only the names and the weapons of war have changed.

Then: They pursued sexual abominations. "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die," says Romans 1, a New Testament book commenting on practices almost as old as man himself, "they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." 

Now: Where to begin? How about, as just one tiny example, the city of San Antonio effectively refusing to do business with Christian enterprises that have taken a principled stand against such practices? http://godfatherpolitics.com/12464/san-antonio-bars-christian-businesses-business-city/ 

And that's just a peek into a few of the parallels. If you think what's happening today is sad beyond words, take comfort in the fact that God gave His chosen people the freedom to destroy their land. Fortunately, we know the ending and the news is good for those who repent and trust in Him!

Hmmmm. Then I wonder what Romans 8:19-21 means?

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of  God."

That's New King James, but I've checked a bunch of alternate translations too. Here, for instance, is the English Standard Version that so many are gravitating towards these days: "For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

Here's the New American Standard Bible: "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was  subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God."

Of course, I'm sure there are ways of spiritualizing all of this, as some are fond of doing. I don't know about you, but I prefer not to do that, not being smart enough to know where to stop. Besides, I find it much sweeter to remember the biblical meaning of words such as "hope" ("confident expectation") and so to imagine that maybe, just maybe, our sweet critters will all be waiting for me when "earth's toiling [has] ended."

We all want to share the Gospel, but it can be tough to swing a conversation to the things of God. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be difficult; we just have to  train ourselves to spot opportunities and apply the appropriate evangelistic icebreakers. Here are a few idea-starters.

Pets.  Try animal talk to reach the hearts of pet-lovers. I often share this thrilling  fact: “In the original Hebrew, the book of Genesis uses the word nephesh, or ‘living soul,’ for both man and vertebrate animals. Does this mean our pets have souls,  according to the Bible? And might that in turn mean that they may go to heaven?" 

Prophecy. Turn the topic to current events in Israel, and you can drive it to God’s word. Chatting with a long-retired general and lifelong agnostic recently, I showed him what the 2500-year-old book of Ezekiel says about Persia conspiring against Israel in end  times. “Persia is Iran,” he said, obviously stunned. “And Persia was always a  friend to Israel.” He looked at me through tears. “Until now.”

Opinion. To cut to the chase, try this: “I’m doing an informal survey. Could I ask you what you think it takes to get into heaven?”

Awe. Start collecting and sharing God-glorifying facts. Here’s a gem I’ve used to get people thinking about our  origins: “Did you know that all the DNA in your body could fit into an ice cube,  but if you could stretch it out it’d reach at least 10 billion miles? Talk about  evidence for intelligent design!”

Culture. Our  culture may ignore the Lord, but you can use it to glorify Him. I recently saw a  dreary but acclaimed movie about Alzheimer’s. The theme? Our utter hopelessness.  I now share the story with local nursing home residents, emphasizing that for  the Christian, just the opposite is true: A joyful eternity awaits born-again  children of God! 

Once you start looking for potential icebreakers,  you’ll find them everywhere – in the books you’re reading, in the creation  around you, in art and music, history and science. In short,  everywhere.

Once you start using them, you’ll become adept at steering  conversations straight to the Gospel whenever you have a receptive audience. For  instance, the pet example could lead to something like this: “Of course, we have to make sure we get there ourselves. Are you certain that you’ll go to heaven  when you die? No? Have I got good news for you!”

I am becoming a bit weary of being called (but oh so politely and indirectly) “delusional” and “intellectually stunted” by atheists whose evidence of their intellectual superiority is that they completely rule out the possibility of anything beyond the material.
 
One thing that’s amazing is how atheists respond to questions they can’t answer by attacking us – and somehow believe they’ve won the argument. For instance, there’s the infamous video of someone asking evolutionist Richard Dawkins “what if you’re wrong?” Does he respond with a reasoned explanation of why he knows he’s not wrong? No, he attacks people of faith for believing in myths and fairy tales. 
 
Well done, Dr. Dawkins! Touche! You really told us, didn’t you?! 
 
Another amazing phenomenon is the proliferation of atheistic “just so” stories … and how the complicit media help turn them into “scientific fact.”
 
One example: atheists were asked to explain the presence of comets, which should have burned themselves out long ago in a universe billions of years old. 
 
Their answer? The Kuiper Belt – a theoretical (tr: imaginary) “region of the solar system beyond the planets.” 
 
“Discovered” in 1992 (“imagined” would be a better word, in truth), it was initially thought to be the source of comets. No more, however. According to Wikipedia, “the region now called the Kuiper belt is not the point of origin of short-period comets, but that they instead derive from a linked population called the scattered disk. The scattered disc was created when Neptune migrated outward into the proto-Kuiper belt…” 
 
I won’t bore you with the details, because they’re probably being revised at this very moment.  But let’s skip to the end of this passage: “Because the scattered disc is dynamically active and the Kuiper belt relatively dynamically stable, the scattered disc is now seen as the most likely point of origin for periodic comets.” 
 
“Seen as” and “most likely point.” If I were a gambler, I would bet that these phrases – two more examples of evolutionary escape clauses – will disappear from this listing  within a year or two. You see, the Kuiper belt was presented as a theoretical explanation for comets just a decade or so ago; now it’s presented as fact. And when any alleged fact doesn’t quite pan out, the experts simply keep pushing it a little further out, just beyond the reach of demonstrable fact. 
 
There are so many questions that atheists could be asked to help them see who's really believing in fairy tales. Alas, they'll usually answer with attacks on the questioner, or with some new imaginations, or occasionally by saying that this isn't their particular area of expertise. Just for starters:

1. How do you explain the origins of the theoretical Singularity? What’s your proof? 
2. What was the cause of the Singularity exploding into all matter, space and energy? What’s your proof? 
3. How do you explain the emergence of life from non-life? What’s your proof? 
4. How do you explain the lack of evidence for transitional fossils, as even the late great Harvard evolutionist Stephen J. Gould admitted? What’s your proof? 
5. How do you explain the evolution of irreducibly complex organs such as the eye or immune system? What’s your proof?

 

We creationists point to Genesis for the answer to all such questions. What’s our proof? Just the universally available facts, which fit neatly into the Genesis account of creation and the Flood – without any need for twisting the facts or inventing "just so" stories. Isn’t it funny how Moses, writing about 3500 years ago, was able to give bullet-proof explanation for absolutely everything?    

For a terrific overview of the evidence that evolutionists cannot explain away, see Dr. Scott Huse’s excellent The Collapse of Evolution.