Merry Christmas to All

It is this time of the year when the Christian world celebrates the birth of Jesus. Even though today’s Christmas traditions are somewhat detached from the real meaning of the celebration, we are reminded of this important event in human history. I am thankful that our Saviour was born, but more importantly, I’m full of gratitude for His sacrificial death on the Cross of Calvary. At Christmas I am always reminded of that, more so than the birth of our Lord.

This is what Zachariah (father of John the Baptist) prophesied under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: "Because of God's tender mercy, the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, and to guide us to the path of peace." Luke 1:78-79. Yes, he was talking about the coming of our Saviour. What a great encouragement for all of us.

When I imagine how Christ came into this world as a sweet little baby, I’m thinking this must be one of the greatest mysteries in the bible. My limited human mind can not comprehend how the Creator of this Universe could send His son, who is God Himself, Who was present and active at Creation, how can He arrive here on Earth so helpless, so vulnerable… What a demonstration of love from the beginning to the end of Jesus’ ministry among us sinners.

Even though we don’t know the exact time of Christ’s birth, we need to pause for a moment, forget about dates and years and simply give thanks. While writing this, the music and the words of “Joy to the World” are ringing in my ears. Indeed what a joy it is to receive our Saviour in our hearts!

I hope each one of us will express gratitude to our Lord by showing love to others, I hope each one can put differences aside for a moment and experience true peace, I hope each one of us can forgive someone this Christmas.

Wish you all God’s richest blessings!

George

Are Christians obligated to keep the Law of the Old Testament?

Here’s another controversial question which will open a “can of worms” among many readers. It took me months of research and studies on this topic. Finally after much prayer and discussions with friends I decided to write a paper which turned out to be about 8 pages long. In the article I approach some common questions associated with this topic, such as:

When was the Law of the Old Covenant given?
Who was the Law given to?
Is the Law eternal or does it have a beginning and ending point?
What is the purpose of the Law?
Can we split the Law into “moral” and “ceremonial” laws?
How does the Law affect the life of Christians?

Personally for me the most important question of these is whether or not we can split the law in “moral” and “ceremonial”. I believe this is a question we all need to find an answer to, because it can change how we view the Law, how we express our love and gratitude towards our Creator and even how we live our lives.

The article is published on BorninChrist.org and this is the first of the few I plan to write. I pray for all readers, that we may have good communication and understanding through words, but most importantly I pray that we have an open mind and we’re not afraid to take our bibles and search deep, even if some of the things we learn are contrary to what we’ve been told for years. May the Holy Spirit guide us all.

George

What does the bible say about alcohol?

This is a controversial topic for sure and most of us have asked ourselves this question. I heard an interesting sermon on this issue today and I want to share some of the ideas mentioned by the pastor who preached it, as well as my comments on this topic. Before we even look at the issue of drinking alcohol and is it OK for Christians take part of this common practice, we should ask the question: Has anything good come from drinking alcohol? The answer is obviously NO. One could argue, having a drink or two puts you in a good mood, helps you deal with your problems, breaks the ice in some new relationships, there are even studies that suggest having one drink a day comes your nervous system and could even save you from heart attack or a stroke, because alcohol thins the blood. All these things or part of them may be true, but the most common result of drinking is physical or verbal abuse, accidents, careless attitude, poor judgment, and overall trouble, in which Christians should not want any part of...

The sermon was split in two major parts: Alcohol mentioned in the Old Testament, the New Testament and of course the conclusion based on bible verses and common sense according to the speaker. I'll try to pass along his comments as accurate as possible from my notes.

Genesis 9:20-25 Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. 21 When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father's nakedness and told his two brothers outside. 23 But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father's nakedness. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father's nakedness.

24 When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, 25he said,
"Cursed be Canaan!
The lowest of slaves
will he be to his brothers."

Pastor's Comment: The bible says nothing good or bad regarding Noah getting drunk, but look at the result of the whole event. Certainly nothing good came from it...
My view: I agree with the above comment. In addition, obviously Noah drank more than he should have, but look at the reaction of his youngest son, instead of covering his father and keeping this shameful sight to himself, he went out to make this a public knowledge by telling his brothers, may be he even enjoyed the fact that he had some "juicy news" to share. So the final result, which is the pronouncement of the curse is not because of one wrong doing, but two. Other words, we can not only blame alcohol for the outcome.

Leviticus 10:8-11 Then the LORD said to Aaron, 9 "You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the Tent of Meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. 10 You must distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean, 11 and you must teach the Israelites all the decrees the LORD has given them through Moses."

Pastor's Comment: God gives the priests instruction not to drink when in service to Him. According to this verse we can assume that it's OK for the priests to drink when off duty.
My view: I agree with the comment 100%. The instructions not to consume alcohol are given for the time they perform their job as priests of the Most High. We can certainly see the logic behind this, but even if we didn't understand why they shouldn't drink wine, it doesn't matter, God says so and this should be enough for the priests.

Numbers 6:1-4 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite, 3 he must abstain from wine and other fermented drink and must not drink vinegar made from wine or from other fermented drink. He must not drink grape juice or eat grapes or raisins. 4 As long as he is a Nazirite, he must not eat anything that comes from the grapevine, not even the seeds or skins.

Pastors's Comment: Nazirites were people totally committed to the Lord, they were to demonstrate complete dedication, they took a "vow of separation to the LORD" and therefore God instructs them to be sober at all times. The reason why they were not even allowed to eat the skins or the seeds of the grapes was the possibility of fermented grapes in such a hot climate in which they lived.

Deuteronomy 14:22-26 Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year. 23 Eat the tithe of your grain, new wine and oil, and the firstborn of your herds and flocks in the presence of the LORD your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name, so that you may learn to revere the LORD your God always. 24 But if that place is too distant and you have been blessed by the LORD your God and cannot carry your tithe (because the place where the LORD will choose to put his Name is so far away), 25 then exchange your tithe for silver, and take the silver with you and go to the place the LORD your God will choose. 26 Use the silver to buy whatever you like: cattle, sheep, wine or other fermented drink, or anything you wish. Then you and your household shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God and rejoice.

Pastor's Comment: No doubt, we should understand this verse as it reads: wine = alcoholic wine, and other fermented drinks... (I commend the pastor for showing this verse, most other preachers would not even mention it).
My view: I agree with the above comment. These instructions are given to the Israelites in connection of the tithe, which ultimately is a demonstration of faith that God is the provider in their lives and in this case is a cause of celebration and rejoicing. Some bible translations even say "wine or strong drink" some say "alcoholic drink" and some even say "wine or beer", my trusted Bulgarian bible says "спиртни пития" which means hard liquor. There's no question in my mind God authorizes the use of alcohol for celebration.

From the New Testament we have 1 Timothy 1:3-8 Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain.

Pastor's Comment: This verse obviously implies alcoholic wine, what harm could drinking allot of grape juice do...
My view: I can 100% side with this comment.

Obvious Conclusion so far: Drinking is certainly mentioned in the bible and the bible does not condemn drinking of alcohol.

Now here comes the twist. In 1 Peter 2:9 we read the following: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light", which is directed to us born again Christians.

Pastor's Comment: We're called to be God's priests 24/7, therefore we need to keep clear mind and abstain from alcoholic drinks 24/7.
My view: While I agree that the new Christian is a disciple of Christ and a member of the priesthood of Christ, assuming that we're "on the job" 24/7 is a far stretch. Earlier we saw that even Aaron and his descendants who were priests ordained by God were given permission to have a drink when not in service. Based on this logic, we as priest have some time when we're "not in service" and we should be allowed to have an alcoholic beverage if we want to. Drinking would be prohibited only if we are Nazirites, but in order to become one, you first have to be a Jew.

The big question on everyone's mind (actually 3 questions on my mind) by this point is:

Didn't Jesus make water into wine?
Didn't He and His disciples have wine at the Last Supper?
Did Jesus drink alcoholic wine?

Truth is, the bible doesn't specify if in any of these cases it's spoken of grape juice or alcoholic wine. The pastor who preached the sermon as well as the denomination which he represents, believe the bible is talking about grape juice. I have a different opinion. Again, no one denies that the word for wine and grape juice in Greek language is the same. In this case the only option we have is to look at the context of the passage we read. It is my belief Jesus' first miracle, which he performed at the wedding at Cana was to turn water into ALCOHOLIC wine. Why? Look at the response of the master of banquet in John 2:10 "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." The only reasonable explanation is, when a person is sober they can tell the difference between cheap wine and a good one, after they get drunk you can serve them any kind of wine and they'll be happy as long as it keeps coming. To me there's no doubt the wine was alcoholic.

How about the Passover meal commonly known as the Last Supper Jesus had with his disciples? There's no way anyone could know for sure what type of wine was on the table. The bible doesn't even give us the slightest clue. However, I do believe that the Jewish people managed to preserve many traditions unchanged for thousands of years. In fact because of their meticulous discipline and ability to follow traditions, we enjoy our bible today. Thank God for the Jewish people! Do your own research and you'll find out that the Jews up to this day always have kosher wine on the table for Passover meal, they call it Passover wine and yes, it is alcoholic wine.

Perhaps the most convincing evidence I've heard in the past and in this particular sermon, suggesting that Jesus always drank grape juice when scripture says wine, is found in your own heart. Can you imagine Jesus with a glass of scotch, beer or wine in his hand, waving at you and saying "come, I've prepared a place for you...". Of course not, we're talking about our God, our Saviour and I can not imagine Him in a state of drunkenness.

So, I believe everyone needs to make their own conclusion. Here's mine: It is clear that the bible points out to many occasions where alcoholic wine and other "strong drinks" were used, without suggesting that God condemned those who enjoyed these beverages. I don't believe that having a drink from time to time will have any effect on your salvation. You can be a Christian and have a so called "social drink". Problem comes from the fact that many people are not responsible and major, sometimes sad consequences come as a result of drinking. I believe that under no circumstances anyone should pray, read the bible, attend church services or even mention the name of God, unless they are completely sober with clear mind and heart. I do not advocate the use of alcohol, but would not condemn it either, just as we see it in the bible.

George

Which truth, yours or mine?

Have you had an opportunity to discuss religion with an atheist? I have. It’s impossible to prove any point with the bible, simply because the other person doesn't believe in it. You would actually have a better luck sharing God's message with a Muslim, because there are some common points between the bible and the quran. How about discussions between Christians? I'm sure at some point of your life as a mature Christian you've had a chance to express your views and disagree with someone else's.

I wonder why it is so difficult for us to listen. It seems like we block this sense all together and automatically reject the other person, just because they belong to another church. We get so wrapped up in our own teachings that we’re unable to hear and to think outside of certain guidelines. I’ve seen a special publication by a certain well known denomination, distributed among their own members and intended to teach them how to reason with scripture. It gives specific instructions on how to answer certain questions and how to respond to questions as well. It’s very detailed, almost like a training manual for a salesperson.

I’ve had my share for “banging heads” with other Christians when it comes to theology. Everyone seems to be right and they tend to pay very little attention to the scripture. I don’t care how many bible verses you point to, in support of what you’re saying, let me assure you at the end of the day, everyone will walk away with the same beliefs they came, only with a bitter taste in their mouth and a sense of being rejected. The result of such discussions is never positive. Part of the reason is, when we get in a defensive mode, it’s hard to snap out of it, and we’re all guilty of this…

The point I’m trying to make here is, perhaps the best way to share a message is by non-invasive approach, such as writing a paper. When the reader comes to a point they don’t understand or disagree with, they have time first of all to think, which makes them more likely to research this particular point. In a conversation where response has to come fast, the natural answer would be the one they are “trained” to give, which is guaranteed to reflect their denominational views. Other words there would be very little thinking involved.

Even though it takes more time, my plan is to express some biblical points in writing. This way there will be no pressure on the reader and they will have plenty of time to consider, research and finally make a decision to agree or disagree. Deep down we all desire to find the truth, sometimes we can’t see it and sometimes we know it, but we’re afraid to face it. Let us pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

George

Tradition or Conviction?

I believe each person needs to answer this question for themselves. Do we attend church because we truly believe in the saving power of Christ, or do we go to make someone among our family and friends happy? Do we put a religious front for social reasons? Are we just “church goers” or are we truly convicted of what is being preached from the pulpit or what we preach to others.

I always considered myself fortunate, because I had the opportunity to fellowship with different congregations, which is a true blessing. Unfortunately not everyone is exposed to such a diverse experience. Most people are comfortable keeping it the way their parents and grandparents taught them. I’m not saying this is wrong, the problem is, we don’t study on our own and we blindly trust what is passed on to us for generations.

I agree that traditions preserve the identity of a nation, institution or group of people. We all need to identify ourselves with something or someone; in fact we are created that way from the beginning. As Christians our goal should be to identify ourselves with Christ, by bearing His name we confess to the world that we belong to Him. In such case we should carefully examine traditions and make sure before we participate, that these are in accordance to God Himself. How do we do this? Test everything to the bible, research history, try to find out as much as you can on the topic you’re studying, while using reliable sources, and again test it to the bible. In the gospel of Mark, we find Jesus speaking harshly to the Pharisees and the Teachers of the Law, who were constantly trying to confront Him and His disciples for not following some usual Jewish rituals. Here’s what He says to them "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.' You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men." (Mark 7:6-8). Now Jesus is speaking to the Jewish religious leaders, one would say, but don’t we have Pharisees of our own in the Christian churches these days…? I believe so, and these leaders are just as zealous protecting their own teachings and interests as the Jewish church officials were.

We are called to be Disciples of Christ. Our only rule of faith should be the bible. May be your family has been going to the same church for generations, or may be you’re new in the faith, it doesn’t really matter, we’re all under the same obligation and that is to study the Word of God for ourselves. We need to be truly convicted of what we preach or participate in, because after all we are personally responsible before God for our actions. Our relationship with the Creator is not inherited by tradition. Everyone has to make a choice first of all to accept Christ as their Saviour and secondly to follow His will. I’m not suggesting that all churches are preaching the wrong doctrines, what I’m saying is, study for yourself, pray and rely only on the bible and the Holy Spirit for revelation.

George

God wants your heart

“It’s who you know, not what you know”. I’m sure you’ve heard that before… While this statement is sometimes true in reality of life, there is another reality out there – that of God. Can someone you know bring you closer to the Creator? Can membership in particular church guarantee your eternal life in Heaven? Sounds almost funny, yet many Christians live by that.

Belonging to a certain group, believing in and following certain doctrines, knowing or being related to a pastor or minister of the church will not be of any benefit to you when it comes to salvation. In the end it boils down to not “who you know” but “what you know”, and I’m not talking about how intelligent a person is or how many titles they can put before and after their name. I’m talking about the knowledge we have when it comes to our God and what we do with it.

In order for a relationship to grow between two people, they need to get to know each other. It’s the same with us and The Creator. It’s simpler than you think, the more we know God, the better we understand His will for our lives and the more we trust Him. Since we can’t go to Heaven and spend time with God, the only way to develop a relationship with Him is by reading and studying the bible. Naturally sometimes we’ll come to scripture we don’t understand, regardless of who we are and how much we think we know, we will come to some mysteries in the bible. If someone claims to have all the answers, this should raise a warning flag immediately. Daniel was a prophet who had a direct communication with God’s angels and sometimes, the bible says, he could not understand the message (Dan 8:27). Luckily we have a “helper”, a “comforter”, a “counselor” to open our minds and help us receive the word in its pure form, this helper is the Holy Spirit (John 14:16). Most importantly, the message of salvation is a simple one, God intended it that way, so every human being will be able to understand it. Any effort to make things sound complicated and difficult to understand is just another attempt of churches trying to separate themselves from the others and then claim they have the “truth”, thus implying if you don’t belong to them, your salvation is at risk.

Ultimately God is not interested in where you go to church, how close you are to the clergy, what your society status is, how wealthy or successful you are, where you come from and how educated you are… God wants an intimate relationship with you, complete trust and honesty… God wants your heart!

George