Football

I'm an NFL fan. I don't have a favorite team, and I don't cheer; but I like the NFL. I like the players (at least on the field), and I like the dominance of the league when compared to the other three professional sports (MLB, NHL, and NBA).

I don't have television right now, so I won't be watching nearly as much football as I have in the past, and that's probably a good thing - especially given the generally mind-numbing, repetitive, raunchy commercials.

And one more thing, fantasy football has created a unique way for novice and/or uninvolved football fans to take ownership of various players and teams, and really get into the game. It's all meaningless of course - that is unless you win the league and are declared champion of league. I'm convinced that there's eternal value in that. Well, maybe not.

But seiously, what's the harm in a little fantasy football? What's the harm in being passionate about watching the games? I know the arguments. And they range from "Sunday is the Sabbath, and the NFL has desicrated it!" to "It's just a game!"

The chief end of man, says the historic Christian faith, is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. I happen to be thankful for Sunday afternoon rest time. I happen to appreciate the skill of the NFL players (again - at least on the field). And Sunday afternoon rest time, accompanied by a little NFL action is quite enjoyable. Are you ready for some football?

The Righteous Will Inherit the Land

Psalm 37:29 gives us this good news. But it's bad news as well. None of us are righteous, right?

I had the pleasure of discussing theology with a couple Jehovah's Witnesses last night. We chatted for 45 minutes or so, and I commended them on their zeal in evangelizing the lost. What I didn't say to them, though I thought it repeatedly as their false doctrine was displayed during our conversation, was that their zeal was not based on knowledge (Romans 10:2).

We discussed lots of things - from the truth of creation (the current issue of their Awake! Magazine is devoted to the support of a form of Intelligent Design and I shared with them some materials from Answers in Genesis) to eshcatology. Every time I stepped on their toes, they changed the subject.

We discussed election and predestination at length. I was surprised to learn that they do not believe that God knows the future. They did not believe that God knew Adam would sin prior to creation. This, however, should not have surprised me, as it is remarkably consistent theology. Obedience is a choice. And we must obey Jehovah, right?

I was surprised to learn, as they upheld Psalm 37:29 (mentioned above) and as I questioned them on who fits that definition of righteous, that they think the righteous are those who try really hard to do the right thing. Wow! Ouch!

They tried to explain Abraham's righteousness as based on his efforts to please God despite his repeated failings. I was pleased to show them from Romans 4 and Hebrews 11 that Abraham's righteousness was found in Christ through faith and not in himself in any sense of the word. Christ alone is righteous; Christ alone inherits the land. Amazingly, those united to Christ - the last Adam - by faith are co-heirs of the inheritance of God.

In the end, my time with these zealous folks was cut short as their co-workers (there were 2 teams of 2) finished with all of the surrounding houses and were ready to go. I wish I had been more confrontational on the core issues (like Jesus' identity and the substitutionary atonement of Christ and all of the workings dealings with soteriology), but instead we had a "friendly" conversation of the peripherals. It was edifying to me, as I was able to defend my faith and give an answer for the reason for the hope that I have.

And I rejoice with the Jehovah's Witnesses that the righteous will inherit the land - though for very different reasons. They think they are righteous in and of themselves by their striving. I stopped striving when God's Holy Spirit regenerated me and I received the Gospel of Christ's righteousness applied to me through faith. Christ alone is righteous, and He will inherit the land. And by His grace and mercy, He will share it with me.

Romans 4:25 says, "He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Thank you Lord.

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

Once again this morning, Allistair Begg got me thinking. On his radio program, Truth for Life, he noted that many groups with differing theology often attempt to unite in support of a good cause, or in objection to an immoral cultural view.

For example, Begg pointed out that Muslims and Christians are "united" in their pro-life, anti-abortion stance. But this unity is only surface-level. And since it is only surface-level (based on issues of morality - symptoms - rather than on issues of theology - the disease), Begg suggests that our so-called unity is a myth, a warm and fuzzy feel-good sensation that makes us think we're on the right path. How often do we find ourselves treating the symptoms rather than fighting the disease?!

Modern Culture thinks, "If we unite to battle the symptoms (moral issues), we can overcome our division (theology)." But the opposite is true. That which divides (theology) can never be overcome by uniting to fight the symptoms (moral issues).

This is false:
United on issues of morality, we stand; divided on issues of morality, we fall.

This is true:
United in theology, we stand; divided in theology, we fall.

The ministry of Answers in Genesis is so good at realizing this. They don't fight the symptoms that we call humanism, abortion, homosexuality, moral relativism, etc. Instead they fight the theology. They fight evolution and support Biblical Creation. United in matters of theology, we stand. For God is able to make us stand (Romans 14:4).

Catholics Debating Evolution and ID

The title link opens a story about Pope Benedict engaging in a casual conversation with some of his former students on the topic of evolution theory.

The article typical bashes Protestant Fundamentalists who support that silly truth called creationism - that the Bible accurately depicts a young-earth creation. But I find it interesting that the Catholics are discussing this. Raised in the Catholic church and school system, I was indoctrinated with evolution, never taught the Biblical view even as myth, and, since it was not popular during my school days, never shown anything to do with Intelligent Design. Catholicism has largely embraced evolution theory in the past, and the Pope's calling ID to attention may be a small step in the right direction. In other words, at least the leader of a large group of people claiming to worship their Creator (Catholics) is actually trying to persuade that large group of people that there is a Creator.

Nevertheless, this effort, like that of the SBC in hiring ID expert William Dembski, falls far short of "zeal with knowledge." It is a shame that the vast majority of Christians (self-proclaimed and/or the real thing) just yield to the popular thought of the day - rather than holding fast to the strong and true Word of God.

We have years because the earth goes around the sun.
We have months based on the lunar cycles.
We have days because the moon goes around the earth.
We hours hours based on light and the lunar cycle.
We have minutes and seconds for the same reason.

But why, pray tell, do we have weeks? Weeks have absolutely nothing to do with anything astonomical. Weeks are Biblical, and that alone. Here are 10 passages from the Bible that give reason for our week.

Exodus 20:8-11 says:

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you
shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD
your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or
daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien
within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the
sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the
LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.