Do we hate the things God hates?

Carl R. Trueman, Issue Number 19, March 2008

Not many people today regard hate as a virtue. Even the great hatemongers of the last century, the Hitlers and the Stalins who so poisoned the history of modern Europe, presumably regarded themselves not as peddlers of hate so much as righteous crusaders for their respective causes, sick and perverted though those causes were.

Yet hate is indeed virtuous. There is, of course, a wicked form of hate to which Christians are prone and which has deeply damaged the image of Christianity. This form has given endless material to the anti-Christian propagandists of the present age.

But there is another form of hate, one that actually reflects an aspect of the very being of God, and is one which Christians should aspire to reflect.

In the 19th century, the brilliant radical thinker and essayist William Hazlitt wrote one of his most famous pieces, On the Pleasure of Hating. With his usual wit and devastating ability to observe the worst aspects of human behavior, he waxed eloquent about the fact that, while love was often transitory and—let’s face it—rather boring, hate was something which both possessed a perennial fascination and had seemingly limitless energy and creativity. As Hazlitt put it, “Love turns, with a little indulgence, to indifference or disgust; hatred alone is immortal.” Needless to say, when he came to give examples of real hate in action, he zeroed in on religion, citing the particular example of Edward Irving, the brilliant but tragic preacher of the early 19th century. Irving’s preaching of hellfire and damnation, according to Hazlitt, was a classic example of creative hatred in action; and his popularity was indicative of the appetite for such among the London crowds who flocked to hear him.

Hazlitt is, I think, right. Hatred is far more interesting than love. This can be seen throughout pop culture. Films and soap operas which tell simple stories of girl meets boy, girl and boy fall in love, girl and boy live happily ever after, simply do not exist. Nobody would want to watch such a storyline. Even at the level of entertainment, we need tension, drama, uncertainty, and excitement; and one way of achieving all of these things, perhaps the most obvious way, is to inject a little—or a lot of—hate into the equation. Hate, the very antithesis of love, stands so close to it as to be its evil and far more entertaining twin. Boy meets girl; they fall in love; then girl falls in love with someone else; then first boy hates both girl and second boy—that’s a more typical and marketable storyline.

As Hazlitt argued, hating is indeed pleasurable. But why? Well, on one level, hate represents the quintessence of fallen humanity. It is that aspect of fallen human nature which is the necessary counterpart to the central human difficulty: our insatiable need to love ourselves rather than God. To grasp this, we need to backtrack a little and analyze the problem of fallen humanity. Human beings were designed to find their full meaning and satisfaction in loving the infinite God. The Fall disrupted that and created a situation where the basic question of human existence—what should I love if I am to be fully human?—remained intact; yet the answer—You should love yourself! You should love the creature rather than the Creator!—left human beings perpetually dissatisfied and roaming from one experience or creaturely object to another, striving to satisfy with finite things that which can only be satisfied by the infinite God. Creaturely loves, if you like (and to borrow a memorable phrase from Top Gun), write checks that their bodies can’t cash. They promise satisfaction, but they serve only to exacerbate the human hunger further. Like crack cocaine, loving that which is creaturely can bring momentary satisfaction, but it is illusory—a fleeting sense of fulfillment which soon departs and leaves the individual craving more.

The Danger of Hate

And therein lies the dilemma for the Christian. Hate is not wrong. Forget the smug bumper sticker wisdom that informs us, “Hate is not a family value.” There are, in fact, many ways in which hate is a family value. I hate poverty; I hate pedophiles; I hate those who would seek to do my children harm. Indeed, the safety of my family depends on my hatred of precisely certain values and certain individuals committed to them.

Then, looked at through a more strictly theological lens, there are many things we must hate. We must hate all that stands in rebellion against God. And yet we also know that hate is a dangerous, seductive virtue, as easy to misdirect and to use for our own pleasure as anything. Indeed, hate as an aesthetic value can give endless amounts of entertainment, both as we witness it in others and as we indulge in it ourselves. Christians must hate; yet such hate is dangerous.

Of course, our non-Christian friends and neighbors are adept at spotting our tendency to hate. Most of my friends outside of seminary and church circles are those who would characterize themselves as liberal Democrats, with all of the social views that implies. And most, if not all of them, do not like evangelical Christianity. This is not because they find its worldview implausible; I doubt that many of them have a real understanding of the core theology of evangelical Christianity. It is because for them evangelical Christianity is synonymous with hatred, distinguished by what it is against—and passionately, unreasonably against—than anything it is for. And on this level, even the embarrassingly sub-Hazlitt prose of those condescending bumper stickers may have a valid point.

The problem with so much Christian hate is not that hate is wrong, but that it is perversely the object of our love. We can find ourselves loving to hate. Why? Because hate can be another of those creaturely objects to which we look for our fulfillment. Indeed, hate is the highest example of such self-love. We love to hate because it feeds that central myth of fallen humanity—that we are the answer to our problems, that we are the center of the universe.

Evaluating Hate

Two things are pertinent here, and point to the problem with so much of Christian hatred. First, there is the motivation of our hatred. Second, there is the selectivity of our hatred.

As to the first, all evangelical Christians would (I hope) say they hate homosexuality. Often, we try to soften the bluntness of this statement by drawing a distinction between loving the sinner and hating the sin. There are problems with that simple distinction, particularly when it comes to sexuality. In a world where people increasing identify themselves by their sexual orientation, it becomes more difficult—both practically and conceptually—to maintain this distinction. But we must try, especially if we’re to have any real loving concern for those outside the church.

The problem with hating homosexuality (and anything else forbidden by God) is not the hatred, simply considered. Rather, it is that the human heart will inevitably take this hatred and turn it into an object of love, which then serves to reinforce our belief in our own righteousness. “I thank you Lord that I am not like other men,” said the Pharisee in the temple, as he turned his contemptuous eye on the tax gatherer. Hatred of the corruption and greed which marked this other man’s life was driven by, and served, the Pharisee’s own desire to make himself a big man in his own eyes, in the eyes of others, and even in the eyes of God Himself.

On this level, I have a sneaking suspicion that much of what passes for evangelical hatred isn’t really hatred at all. Rather, it is love of self—a kind of love that is expressed through the idiom of hatred. For example, I hate gays so that I can feel as if my own heterosexuality makes me that much more acceptable to myself and thus God (whom I make in my own image). I hate atheists so that my own theism allows me to imagine I’m just a bit better. In other words, it’s all about me, it’s all about self-worship. And the hate I typically exhibit, even as a Christian, is rooted in love of myself – which is the very problem that lies at the core of the human predicament.

This is evident in the selectivity of hatred as well. There is plenty of evangelical hatred of homosexuality out there. One has only to insert the relevant words into Google to come up with dozens of Web sites devoted to such. Yet, while we are quick to hate certain things which bolster our own self-image as being zealous for the Lord, there are other matters which never seem to cross our horizons. Materialism, greed, anger, to name just three, are matters which could scarcely be described as the objects of our hatred. Again, the love of self is surely key in this. These are things which cut a little too close to home. To hate anger involves hating myself, the very thing I want to avoid.

Good Hate

So what constitutes virtuous hatred? We know that God hates certain things, since Scripture makes this clear. For example, Proverbs 6:16-19 outlines six things that the Lord hates and seven that are an abomination to Him, including those who commit murder and those who sow dissension. Hatred is, in a sense, an attribute of God. It is something which is essentially characteristic of God in relation to these things. And, as Christians and those made in the image of God, it is right, proper, and, indeed, virtuous that we too hate what God hates.

So how do we do this, bearing in mind that hatred in itself is a deeply and dangerously seductive thing which can more easily lead one into paths of self-righteousness than into the way of truth?

The first thing we need to recognize is that God’s hatred is not an end in itself, nor is it merely instrumental to some other end. He does not hate because He enjoys hating for its own sake. Nor does He hate in order to feel good about Himself. Rather, His hatred is directed toward that which does not reflect His own glory but in fact derogates from that glory. We might say that, for God, hatred is the natural, active, personal response to all of the havoc which willful human disobedience has introduced into the world.

It is analogous to my hatred, as a father, of pedophiles and poverty. I hate the former because of the potential damage they can do to my children, and I hate the latter for much the same reason. For me, hatred of such is rooted in a deeper commitment to and love for my children. Were I, on the contrary, to trust pedophiles and to desire poverty, then I would expose my children to danger or to hardship, something that no loving father should do. Hatred is a virtue in this situation. And Christian hatred is good hatred when it is motivated at the deepest level out of love for God, jealousy for the name of God, and for protecting His glory from those who would seek to insult Him.

So if the virtue of hatred lies in its motivation, how can I know that my hatred is driven by the right motives? The answer is: I can’t. One thing you can be sure of is that your motives for hating – on this side of eternity – will always be mixed. But the mixed motives I might have for loving my wife do not render my love to her equivocal, and so it is the same with hate. We are to hate what God hates; we are to work each day at bringing our minds into conformity with the mind of God; and we are humbly to seek His forgiveness that even the purest act of hatred on our part is horribly contaminated with self-love and personal agendas. In short, we are to sit under the regular preaching of the Word, where God’s Spirit can search us, try us, and transform us, and where we can be regularly reminded of the glory of God and the contrasting evil of human disobedience to His will. We are to expose ourselves each day to God’s holy Word in the safe and certain knowledge that doing so will give us the necessary reality check both on ourselves and our relationship to the world around us.

Opposition to God

Finally, we should bear in mind one crucial reason for virtuous hatred, particularly as it relates to other human beings — the thought that anybody might be able to remain adamantly and arrogantly opposed to God. This is where our hatred of the homosexual, for example, should become the flip-side of our love for the homosexual. It is not so much that we hate the sin and love the sinner. It is that we hate the fact that any sinner could continue to defy God.

Therefore our hatred is to be connected to persuasion. Hating the idea of rebellion against God, we should do our best to persuade those who are rebels to change their allegiance. Do we do this by screaming slogans at them across the barricades? Doubtful. Most likely we do it by behaving in persuasive ways of the kind laid out in Scripture: turning the other cheek, giving of ourselves to our enemies, making sacrifices to help those who despise us. We need to call them to account before our holy God, but we need to make sure we do this because our hatred of them as rebels manifests itself in love to them as lost sheep who are in urgent need of a shepherd.

Hatred is indeed a Christian virtue, but only when it is rooted in a deep love and jealousy for the glory of God. Such hatred can never be used as a means of idolatrous self-love, and it will always manifest itself in a manner that tries to persuade those in rebellion to repent and submit to God. Given this, hate is indeed a Christian family value, and one we should nurture and cherish.

Carl R. Trueman is vice president and professor of historical theology and church history at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, Pa.

Copyright 2008, all rights reserved, byFaith magazine. This article first appeared in the February 2008 issue of byFaith and is reprinted by permission.

This is a classical concert being held for 31 orphaned Romanian children through New Beginnings, a ministry of Calvary Chapel Boise. The concert is being hosted through Cornerstone’s student organization, and will be held in the Special Events Center at Boise State University at 7:00 p.m. on June 21, 2008.

It is becoming more of a challenge to meet the needs of these children because the U.S dollar is weakening against the Euro. We hope to raise more than 10,000 dollars through selling tickets to the concert. Tickets cost $25 apiece and 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards supporting these orphans.

For more information on the New Beginnings ministry, visit their website at www.chapelmissions.org

For more information on the concert or to purchase tickets click here.

Yes, again. It seems that our current location is once again highly desirable for the University. We’ve been told that the BSU “needs” this property. And they will not renew our planned lease option, because legally speaking, they do not have to. We originally leased this property from a private owner who, unfortunately, passed away a couple years ago. The unfortunate part for us was that his family donated this business complex to Boise State.

Yes, we did try, long and hard, to persuade the University of our value to the BSU student community, and why we should stay where we are at for some time to come. We were thorough in all angle of our argument. But, ultimately, they viewed their “mission” to be more important than our mission. Well, they are the “big kid on the block” and you can’t fault them for desiring to expand as the student population reaches the 20,000 mark.

Congratulations to BSU Alumni – Hope You Like It:

We were surprised to find out how much BSU really liked our construction work and decor. We had presumed they would completely remodel the place, but it appears that our classy color scheme, the built in book shelving, the kitchen with appliances, the second floor mezzanine, the two bathrooms, the office, etc. – in other words, all the support structure and atmosphere that makes The Cornerstone to be such a great place for students to visit and hang out, also will make a very fine BSU Alumni Center as well. (So, really, this is a compliment – sort of!)

Brownie Points:

And, to the University’s credit, they recognized that Cornerstone has on a number of occasions been “prejudiced negatively by the university’s actions.” (I have an annoying habit of reminding them of that fact in most of my correspondence.) Although they did not believe they were under any legal obligation to do anything, they agreed to give us time for what they termed as an “exit strategy”. Naturally, we had already been discussing our “exit/entrance strategy” with The Biblical Studies Center on the other side of campus. Also to their credit, BSU also agreed to three months free rent (equivalent of $6,000) and recently, they agreed to $2500 cash for various fixtures that we had wanted to take with us. So, I give them some “brownie points” for consideration. They have insisted that, despite appearances, the University is not “out to get Cornerstone.” Thanks!

…For The Good:

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Joseph’s recap in Gen. 50:19 also comes to mind: “You intended to harm me…but God intended for good…” But, for the public record, we are saying that the implied “you” in our circumstances equals the darker spiritual forces around this campus, not the BSU administration!

How will it work for the good? Well, look at some of these advantages:

o The Biblical Studies Center facility has more space, about two and a half times as big as our current location! In this main floor entrance area, we can re-create much of the Cornerstone atmosphere that students like so well and have our book resources. There are also three offices rooms on this floor.

o Downstairs is a large kitchen and recreation room. It has dining room tables, couches, two ping-pong tables, a Foos ball table, a pool table, and even a big screen TV. In other words, all vital components for spiritual growth and discipleship! (Well, for college students, they really help!)

o Upstairs there is a large library which also serves as a meeting room, a classroom which can hold several dozen students and a more private conference room for small groups. There is even a fairly large “closet” which we will convert to a personal and group “Prayer Room Closet”!

Not too shabby!

I should confess that this location is very near two of Cornerstone’s previous locations, and (here I hang my head in shame), I confess to having “coveted” this building many times in the past, especially in our early days. “Oh the things we could do with a larger facility like that!” By admitting this, I am not advocating “coveting”, just remembering that God knows the desires of your heart.

The Ministry:

The Biblical Studies Center used to be quite active in the past, providing bible classes for the students and for the community. These classes are accredited through Oklahoma Christian University and our transferable to Boise State. The director, John Moreland, was the primary teacher then and had a very effective ministry. But the Lord called him elsewhere and for a variety of reasons, not the least is the cultural shift that is happening in a younger generation, the ministry diminished. Unfortunately, it has not been used to anywhere near its potential for a long time. But that is now changing!

The Center has a new, inter-church board and a revitalized vision for the campus. Furthermore, they have opened their doors wide not only to us but to other campus ministries. And, indeed, with Cornerstone’s influence and connection to campus ministries, we hope to, in time help fill this facility with students pursuing truth and fellowship together.

The Center staff will continue to focus on teaching accredited Bible classes and we will focus on our relational & more informal teaching approach to student ministry while promoting top quality worldview resources both to the students and the community. We at The Cornerstone also strive stay in touch with the pulse of this increasingly post-modern culture, always seeking to bridge the gap between the eternal truths of Scripture and the ever changing, rather fickle culture of the campus.

With this in mind, we will be striving to make The Center into a place that any student, believer, or seeker, would feel quite comfortable at. The facility, though well laid out, was constructed thirty years ago and is in need for considerable “modernization”. But God has already provided many resources for these changes and we will trust Him to continue that process.

The Center is also blessed to house “Impact Ministries” led by Bill Westfall. Bill is a close friend and also the “president” of the Campus Minister’s Association. Under his voluntary leadership and the cooperation various campus ministry staff, we have an outstanding example of Biblical unity among the evangelical campus ministries.

…For The Good, Indeed!

So, while the enemy may have thought he won a battle, we know that this concentration of God’s spiritual forces and campus ministry resources will prove to be even more effective as we continue to reach out to the students at Boise State University. And please remember, you are part of the team here too. We need your prayers and support to further this work.

Steve Barry

The central dogma of higher education goes by many names, but its basic thrust is as easy to grasp as it is hard to miss. Whether it is called multiculturalism, social constructionism, or left-leaning liberalism, the bottom line is that higher education in America these days promotes cultural relativism. Colleges do not advertise this fact for obvious reasons, but look closely at what they say in their promotional literature. Colleges talk about broadening your perspective, expanding your horizons, and offering you new experiences, but they do not talk about teaching you how to make moral judgments, how to distinguish the beautiful from the ugly, and how to seek the truth. That is because secular liberal-arts colleges and public universities do not believe you should make moral judgments, contemplate the beautiful, or acknowledge universal truths. And they don’t believe these things because they do not believe there is something called human nature.

To read the entire article, click here

by Joel Pelsue

Remember The Da Vinci Code? Consider the astonishing impact this fictional book had on our culture: It has 60 million copies in print, was translated into 44 languages, and the movie earned $215 million in the domestic box office and $540 million in overseas receipts.

The Christian community rallied by writing pamphlets and books, establishing Web sites, and hosting lectures and forums. All brought clarity and truth to the novel’s claims, which were based on myths and the author’s rich imagination. Many great thinkers, writers, and pastors worked hard to react to the false “facts” in Da Vinci.

It was wonderful to see the Christian community taking the book and film seriously. That’s the first step in taking back culture—what should be ours to impact, as the people of God.

But believers can go much further—by creating films and other media as well as responding to them. While it’s healthy to critique and assess the trends and dangers within our culture, we need to do more. We need to create the new stories, movies, and anthems that inspire and shape culture in America and—because entertainment is one of our major exports—the rest of the world.

When will Christians assume the role of culture shapers, instead of mere reactionaries? Why do we hesitate—are we afraid? Don’t we realize the scope of the problem and the opportunities God is giving us? What biblical passages can equip us for such a task?

The Church’s Response to Hollywood

The Church has had two basic responses to Hollywood: 1) conservative Christians have seen it as the enemy and responded with boycotts and picket signs; 2) liberal Christians have embraced the culture, often taking a social “gospel” to it—one that lacks the power to transform.

Both options fail to be redemptive or transformational. Conservative Christians pursue purity while abandoning the culture. Liberal Christians pursue relevance while abandoning the heart of the gospel. Hollywood sees these dynamics and concludes that the gospel of the conservative church is irrelevant because it is disconnected, and the gospel of the liberal church is irrelevant because it’s merely a social club.

The good news? There’s another approach.

As Jonathan Edwards would claim, a biblical Christian is one who pursues not only personal piety and doctrinal orthodoxy but also cultural relevance. These pursuits are not mutually exclusive, but the one we talk about the least is the responsibility to engage culture.

The Cultural Mandate

From the beginning, God has called us to tend the culture as we would tend a garden. He defined the parameters for Adam and Eve and gave them a mandate: God “took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” He commanded them “to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it.”

Just as God brought order out of chaos during creation, He commanded this man and this woman, made in His image, to pursue and maintain order as they established their family, who eventually would populate the earth and create culture.

We were never called to merely focus on ourselves in a pietistic ghetto. Man’s responsibility was to tend creation, so that it would be fruitful, and for man himself to be fruitful. When they were planting seeds, digging irrigation, creating economic systems, or establishing governments, they were fulfilling their calling as men and women made in the image of God and called to create and “subdue.”

So it is today. As we are fruitful, we must tend to our families and society at large, just as Adam and Eve were to tend to their garden.

Abraham Kuyper, one-time prime minister of the Netherlands and founder of The Free University in Amsterdam, brought great clarity to the meaning of this mandate: “In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, ‘That is mine!’”

If we understand this correctly, then it’s embarrassing to realize how few Christians engage and transform our culture by way of media and entertainment. Though we may have been involved in other valuable pursuits such as mercy ministry and missions, we may have neglected journalism, the arts, and business—and the impact their transformation might bring.

If we fed all our homeless and sent millions of missionaries overseas but failed to engage the most powerful communication networks in our own backyard, we would fail to transform this culture and thereby fail to carry out God’s first command.

Bezalel: An Artist Called by God

What does it look like to transform culture? One answer lies in the story of God redeeming His people when they left Egypt. After centuries of their immersion in the pagan idolatry of the Egyptians, God transforms the Israelites’ understanding of culture by commissioning an artist.

In Exodus 31 we read: “The Lord said to Moses, ‘See, I have chosen Bezalel … and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts—to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship.’”

So the first person in the Bible “filled with the Spirit of God” is an artist, yet many Christians barely notice him.

Why? We may skip over his name, because, as good modernists, we assume that art and artists are incidental instead of integral to God’s redemptive plan. So, when pastors, theologians, and churchgoers read this passage, we may simply miss it—like we gloss over genealogies, lists of cities, and other information for which we see no direct link to our daily life. By doing so, we miss something about God’s plan for redemption and a vital connection between our spiritual life and life in the world around us.

Though this is not a commonly preached passage, it was pivotal for the Israelites. After Moses led them out of Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea (Exodus 13-15) and three months later were at the base of Mount Sinai, awaiting God’s directions.

God gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20), but something else happened on that holy mountain. We find this amazing passage where God specifically calls an artist to do the work of building artifacts for the tabernacle. In fact, a third of Exodus is spent describing the artwork.

When the Israelites heard that God wanted them to build a tabernacle, imagine their shock. Why build anything akin to a temple? They had been rescued from slavery, oppression, and the task of building temples for kings and idols. Their memory was still fresh with the blasphemy that could take place in temples.

It’s easy to imagine a smile on God’s face. Even this act tells of His character as One who redeems—art, artists, temples, and entire cultures, as well as individuals and a whole people group called the Israelites.

In Exodus we learn that God would redeem everything they knew of culture. He did not look at the misguided and misdirected worship of the Egyptians and conclude that it was too corrupt to redeem. Quite the opposite. God rejoiced over the opportunity to show that He redeems all things (Colossians 1), including pagan temples and pagan hearts.

God placed worship at the center of the Israelites’ desert camp, just as it was at the center of Egyptian culture, but now He directed His people to worship the Creator, not the created. He changed the rules and the focus, so they could see how they were designed to be worshipers of the God who made them in His image.

Revolution in Redemption

As God redeemed the Israelites, reshaping the culture they were commanded to tend, artists continued to play a critical role. In battles to come, the ark of the covenant, made by Bezalel and his helper, would be the primary visual reminder of the glory and power of God.

All the artwork—representations of angels, animals, plants, and structural components—were made to help Israelites remember that their God is the One who created everything. He is the One we worship; the beauty we see throughout creation is a reminder of Him.

Not once does God diminish the role of art in worship, nor the value of the artist to reshape their culture. God loves to redeem, and He loves to use the arts.

Bezalel is a model for Christians today, a picture of God’s heart for the art world, for New York, Los Angeles, Hollywood, and the entire entertainment industry. God is not calling us to abandon the arts but to become His hands and feet as He redeems the very center of our culture.

In fact, as we consider this dynamic we may recall other characters in the Bible who were called to be salt and light in the heart of pagan environments. Whether we consider the life of Daniel and how he was called by God to be second in command for idolatrous kings, or how God called Joseph in a similar manner, it’s clear that God does not call us to retreat from working in hostile environments.

This should not sound like a new concept, but to many Christians today, it does. The Church has fallen asleep in the area of engaging culture. It’s as if we are culturally dead, and like Lazarus, need to hear afresh the voice of our Savior calling us to awaken and thrive.

For too long the Church has seen Hollywood as a modern-day Nineveh, and hoped for its destruction. However, God is the great Redeemer, and we are reminded not to be like the prophet Jonah who was angry when the Ninevites repented.

Instead, we must reflect God’s heart to redeem Hollywood and the arts world, realizing there are “other sheep not of this fold.” We must stop demonizing those who don’t know the Savior’s voice. And we must stop minimizing the influence and power of art and entertainment.

It’s time to engage. It’s time to be at the forefront of creating songs, novels, and films that inspire our nation, and ultimately our world. Then we’ll begin to lead the way to a revolution in redemption.

Joel Pelsue is founder and president of Arts & Entertainment Ministries in Los Angeles, Calif. Pelsue holds a B.A in Philosophy from Westmont College and an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando. A teaching elder in the PCA, Pelsue has been ministering to artists for more than 15 years.

Perspectives that Keep Christians Away from Pop Culture

Scope of Redemption. Evangelical Christians often focus on the Great Commission at the expense of the cultural mandate. Yes, God redeems individuals (Ephesians 2:4), but Christ also died to redeem entire people groups (Isaiah 43:1)—thrones, powers, rulers, things visible and invisible (Colossians 1). Creation itself awaits redemption (Romans 8:20-22).
If our view of redemption is focused solely on evangelizing people, we’ll miss our responsibility to tend to the culture. But if our vision of redemption mirrors the Bible, then we’ll realize our obligation to engage culture in every facet, believing God will redeem components of the art world and encourage our children to be part of His plan.

Sacred/Secular Dualism. Many Christians have been dualistic in their thinking, compartmentalizing their world into sacred and secular.
This sacred/secular dualism has led to a separatist mentality. The only way to remain pure was to separate ourselves from any hint of evil within our culture. Therefore, instead of engaging the culture, we withdrew.
This separatism pushed us to the point of creating our own subcultures, including independent “Christian” music labels and production companies. Then, even within the subculture, artists could not write music or create art that was not explicitly religious.
God’s Word speaks of topics such as sensual love between husband and wife, even murder, rape, and lust. However, if “Christian” artists explore these topics, they are harshly criticized and their work usually is not accepted in their marketplace.
Francis Schaeffer lamented, “About all that we have produced is very romantic Sunday school art.” A friend of ours who is a stand-up comedienne does a bit on stage about this sentimental art, and she keeps Christian and non-Christian audiences in stitches. Why? Because it is just as ridiculous as it is true.
Sentimental, nostalgic art can send the message that the “best times” are in the past, while the core of the gospel proclaims the opposite: the best is yet to come. It may require suffering, death, and sorrow, but God will be victorious. Biblical Christians are not pessimists about life or about our culture but believe in God’s sovereignty and His promises of hope.

Discerning Between Form and Content. Some Christians remain separate from culture because of difficulty discerning between content of the artwork and the form in which it’s presented.
If words in a song are bad, then the entire piece, and sometimes the entire genre is condemned (think of the judgment on jazz and rock music). If the words are godly, then the genre may be perceived as holy.
Of course, this doesn’t really work because there is no holy genre. We falsely assume that classical music and high art are pure forms. However, it does not take much research to realize that classical music, operas, and “high art” have their own forays into pagan mythology and graphic themes.
As Gene Veith writes in State of the Arts, “That the arts can be corrupt does not mean that Christians should abandon them. On the contrary, the corruption of the arts means that Christians dare not abandon them any longer.”

This article may be found in its original context here

Copyright 2007, all rights reserved, byFaith magazine. This article first appeared in the December 2007 issue of byFaith and is reprinted by permission.

St. Patrick was born sometime in the middle of the 4th century to a leader in the catholic church.  This autobiographical confession was written during the latter years of his life.  Those interested knowing the real St. Patrick, the man behind the holiday, should read this.  It’s rather long, so don’t feel like to you need to read the whole thing.  Reading just the first section will be enough to show you who this man was.

The Confessio of St. Patrick

Chapter 1

Section 1

I, Patrick, a sinner, the rudest and the least of all the faithful, and an object of the greatest contempt to many, am the son of Calpornius, a deacon, the son of the late Potitus, a presbyter, of the village Bannavem Taburniæ; he had a country seat [or farm] nearby, and there I was taken captive.

I was then about sixteen years of age. I did not know the true God, and I was taken into captivity to Ireland with many thousands of people - and deservedly so, because we had turned away from God, and had not kept His commandments, and did not obey our priests, who used to remind us of our salvation. And the Lord brought over us the wrath of his anger and scattered us among many nations, even unto the utmost part of the earth, where now my littleness is placed among strangers.

And there the Lord opened the sense of my unbelief that I might at last remember my sins and then turn with all my heart to the Lord my God, who had regard for my low estate, and took pity on my youth and ignorance, and watched over me before I knew Him, and before I was able to distinguish between good and evil, and guarded me, and comforted me as would a father his son.

Section 2

Hence I cannot be silent - and indeed, I ought not to be - about the many blessings and the large measure of grace which the Lord has deigned to bestow upon me in the land of my captivity; for this only can we give in return to God after having been chastened by Him: to exalt and praise His wonders before every nation under the heaven.

There is no other God, nor ever was, nor will be, than God the Father

• unbegotten,
• without beginning,
• from whom is all beginning,
• Who upholds all things, as we have been taught;

And His Son Jesus Christ,

• Whom we acknowledge to have been always with the Father,
• Who before the beginning of the world was spiritually present with the Father;
• Begotten in an unspeakable manner before all beginning;
• By Him are made all things visible and invisible.
• He was made man, and,
• having defeated death, was received into heaven by the Father;
• and He has given Him a name which is above every names:
• that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
• and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God,
• in whom we believe, and whose coming we expect soon to be,
• judge of the living and of the dead,
• who will render to every man according to his deeds;
• And He has poured forth upon us abundantly …

the Holy Spirit,

• the gift and pledge of immortality,
• who makes those who believe and obey sons of God the Father
• and joint heirs with Christ;

Whom we confess and adore, one God in the Trinity of the Holy Name.

For He Himself has said through the Prophet: Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me. And again He says: It is honourable to reveal and confess the works of God.

Section 3

Although I am imperfect in many things, I nevertheless wish that my brethren and relatives should know what sort of person I am, so that they may understand my heart’s desire.

I know well the testimony of my Lord, who in the Psalm declares: You destroy those that speak lies. And again He says: A lying mouth slays the soul. And the same Lord says in the Gospel: Men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.

And so I should dread exceedingly, with fear and trembling, this sentence on that day when no one will be able to escape or hide, but we all, without exception, shall have to give an account even of our smallest sins before the judgment-seat of Christ the Lord.

For this reason I had in mind to write, but hesitated until now; I was afraid of exposing myself to the talk of men, because I have not studied like others, who have enjoyed the great advantages of becoming acquainted with the Sacred Scriptures in both ways [i.e. both Greek and Latin], and never had to change the language of their childhood days, but were able to make it still more perfect. I have to translate my thoughts and speech into a foreign language.

Section 4

This can easily be proved from the style of my writing, which betrays how little instruction and training I have had in the art of words; for, so says the Wise Man, “it is through speech that wisdom becomes known, and knowledge through the tongue’s rejoinder”.

But of what help is an excuse, however true, especially if combined with presumption, since now, in my old age, I strive for something that I did not acquire in youth? It was my sins that prevented me from fixing in my mind what before I had barely read through. But who believes me?

To repeat what I started out before, as a youth, nay, almost a beardless boy, I was taken captive, before I knew what to pursue and what to avoid. Hence today I blush and fear exceedingly to reveal my lack of education; for I am unable to tell my story to those versed in the art of concise writing - in such a way, I mean, as my spirit and mind long to do, and so that the sense of my words expresses what I feel.

But if indeed it had been given to me as it was given to others, I would not have been silent because of my desire of thanksgiving; and if perhaps some people think me arrogant for doing so in spite of my lack of knowledge and my slow tongue, it is, after all, written: The stammering tongues shall quickly learn to speak peace.

How much more should we earnestly strive to do this, we, who are, so Scripture says, a letter of Christ for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth, and, though not an eloquent one, yet…written in your hearts, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God!

Section 5

And, again, the Spirit witnesses that even farming was ordained by the Most High. Whence I, once rustic, exiled, unlearned, incapable to provide for the future, this at least I know most certainly that before I was humiliated I was like a stone lying in the deep mire; and He that is mighty came and in His mercy lifted me, and raised me up, and placed me on the top of the wall. And therefore I ought to cry out aloud and so also render something to the Lord for His great benefits here and in eternity - benefits beyond men’s conception.

But wherefore, do you wonder, o great and small who fear God? And you rhetoricians of the Gauls, who know not the Lord? Listen and pore over this. Who was it that roused up me, fool that I am, from the midst of those who in the eyes of men are wise, and expert in law, and powerful in word and in everything? And He inspired me - me, the outcast of this world - before others, to be the man (if only I could!) who, with fear and reverence and without blame, should faithfully serve the people to whom the love of Christ conveyed and gave me for the duration of my life, if I should be worthy; yes indeed, to serve them humbly and sincerely.

Chapter 2

Section 6

In accordance to the measure of faith in the Trinity I must make this choice, regardless of danger I must make known the gift of God and everlasting consolation, without fear and frankly I must spread everywhere the name of God so that after my death I may leave a bequest to my brethren and sons whom I have baptized in the Lord - so many thousands of people.

And I was not worthy, nor was I such that the Lord should grant this to His servant; that after my misfortunes and so great difficulties, after my captivity, after the lapse of so many years, He should give me so great a grace in behalf of this nation - a blessing which, in my youth, I never expected nor thought of.

But after I came to Ireland - every day I had to tend sheep, and many times a day I prayed - the love of God and His fear grew stronger and stronger, and my faith increased. And my spirit was moved so that in a single day I would say as many as a hundred prayers, and almost as many in the night, and this even when I was staying in the woods and on the mountains; and I used to get up for prayer before daylight, in snow, ice, and rain, and I felt no injury from it, and there was no sloth in me - as I now see, because the spirit within me was then fervent.

And there one night I heard in my sleep a voice saying to me: “It is well that you fast, soon you will go to your own country.” And again, after a short while, I heard a voice saying to me: “See, your ship is ready.” And it was not near, but at a distance of perhaps two hundred miles, and I had never been there, nor did I know a living soul there.

Section 7

And then I took to flight, and I left the man with whom I had stayed for six years. And I went in the strength of the Lord who directed my way to my good, and I feared nothing until I came to that ship.

And the day that I arrived the ship was set afloat, and I said that I was able to pay for my passage with them. But the captain was not pleased, and with indignation he answered harshly: `It is of no use for you to ask us to go along with us.’ And when I heard this, I left them in order to return to the hut where I was staying. And as I went, I began to pray; and before I finished my prayer, I heard one of them shouting behind me, `Come, hurry, we shall take you on in good faith; make friends with us in whatever way you like.’ And so on that day I refused to suck their breasts for fear of God, but rather hoped they would come to the faith of Jesus Christ, because they were pagans. And thus I had my way with them, and we set sail at once.

Section 8

And after three days we reached land, and for twenty-eight days we travelled through deserted country. And they lacked food, and hunger overcame them; and the next day the captain said to me: `Tell me, Christian: you say that your God is great and all-powerful; why, then, do you not pray for us? As you can see, we are suffering from hunger; it is unlikely indeed that we shall ever see a human being again.’

I said to them full of confidence: `Be truly converted with all your heart to the Lord my God, because nothing is impossible for Him, that this day He may send you food on your way until you be satisfied; for He has abundance everywhere.’ And, with the help of God, so it came to pass: suddenly a herd of swine appeared on the road before our eyes, and they killed many of them; and there they stopped for two nights and fully recovered their strength, and their hounds received their fill for many of them had grown weak and were half-dead along the way.

Section 9

And from that day they had plenty of food. They also found wild honey, and offered some of it to me, and one of them said: `This we offer in sacrifice.’ Thanks be to God, I tasted none of it.

That same night, when I was asleep, Satan assailed me violently, a thing I shall remember as long as I shall be in this body. And he fell upon me like a huge rock, and I could not stir a limb. But whence came it into my mind, ignorant as I am, to call upon Helias? And meanwhile I saw the sun rise in the sky, and while I was shouting `Helias! Helias’ with all my might, suddenly the splendour of that sun fell on me and immediately freed me of all misery. And I believe that I was sustained by Christ my Lord, and that His Spirit was even then crying out in my behalf, and I hope it will be so on the day of my tribulation, as is written in the Gospel: On that day, the Lord declares, it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaks in you.

And once again, after many years, I fell into captivity. On that first night I stayed with them, I heard a divine message saying to me: `Two months will you be with them.’ And so it came to pass: on the sixtieth night thereafter the Lord delivered me out of their hands.

Also on our way God gave us food and fire and dry weather every day, until, on the tenth day, we met people. As I said above, we traveled twenty-eight days through deserted country, and the night that we met people we had no food left.

Chapter 3

Section 10

And again after a few years I was in Britain with my people, who received me as their son, and sincerely besought me that now at last, having suffered so many hardships, I should not leave them and go elsewhere.

And there I saw in the night the vision of a man, whose name was Victoricus, coming as it were from Ireland, with countless letters. And he gave me one of them, and I read the opening words of the letter, which were, `The voice of the Irish’; and as I read the beginning of the letter I thought that at the same moment I heard the voice of those beside the Wood of Foclud, which is near the Western Sea - and thus did they cry out as with one mouth: `We ask thee, holy youth, come and walk among us once more.’

And I was quite broken in heart, and could read no further, and so I woke up. Thanks be to God, after many years the Lord gave to them according to their cry.

Section 11

And another night - whether within me, or beside me, I know not, God knows - they called me most unmistakably with words which I heard but could not understand, except that at the end of the speech He spoke thus: `He that has laid down His life for you, it is He that speaks in you’; and so I awoke full of joy.

And again I saw Him praying in me, and I was as it were within my body, and I heard Him above me, that is, over the inward man, and there He prayed mightily with groanings. And all the time I was astonished, and wondered, and thought with myself who it could be that prayed in me. But at the end of the prayer He spoke, saying that He was the Spirit; and so I woke up, and remembered the Apostle saying: The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for; but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express; and again: The Lord our advocate asks for us.

And when I was attacked by a number of my elders who came forth and brought up my sins as an objection to my laborious episcopate, on that day indeed was I struck so that I might have fallen now and for eternity; but the Lord graciously spared the stranger and sojourner for His name and came mightily to my help in this affliction. Verily, not slight was the shame and blame that fell upon me! I ask God that it may not be reckoned to them as sin.

As cause for proceeding against me they found - after thirty years! - a confession I had made before I was a deacon.

Section 12

In the anxiety of my troubled mind I confided to my dearest friend what I had done in my boyhood one day, nay, in one hour, because I was not yet strong. I know not, God knows - whether I was then fifteen years old: and I did not believe in the living God, nor did I so from my childhood, but lived in death and unbelief until I was severely chastised and really humiliated, by hunger and nakedness, and that daily.

On the other hand, I did not go to Ireland of my own accord. not until I had nearly perished; but this was rather for my good, for thus was I purged by the Lord; and He made me fit so that I might be now what was once far from me that I should care and labour for the salvation of others, whereas then I did not even care about myself.

On that day, then, when I was rejected by those referred to and mentioned above, in that night I saw a vision of the night. There was a writing without honour against my face, and at the same time I heard God’s voice saying to me: `We have seen with displeasure the face of Deisignatus’ (thus revealing his name). He did not say, `Thou hast seen.’ but `We have seen.’ as if He included Himself, as He says: Whoever touches you touches the apple of My eye..

Therefore I give Him thanks who hath strengthened me in everything, as He did not frustrate the journey upon which I had decided, and the work which I had learned from Christ my Lord; but I rather felt after this no little strength, and my trust was proved right before God and men.

Section 13

And so I say boldly, my conscience does not blame me now or in the future: God is my witness that I have not lied in the account which I have given you.

But the more am I sorry for my dearest friend that we had to hear what he said. To him I had confided my very soul! And I was told by some of the brethren before that defence - at which I was not present, nor was I in Britain, nor was it suggested by me - that he would stand up for me in my absence. He had even said to me in person: `Look, you should be raised to the rank of bishop!’ - of which I was not worthy. But whence did it come to him afterwards that he let me down before all, good and evil, and publicly, in a matter in which he had favoured me before spontaneously and gladly - and not he alone, but the Lord, who is greater than all?

Enough of this. I must not, however, hide God’s gift which He bestowed upon me in the land of my captivity; because then I earnestly sought Him, and there I found Him, and He saved me from all evil because - so I believe - of His Spirit that dwells in me. Again, boldly said. But God knows it, had this been said to me by a man, I had perhaps remained silent for the love of Christ.

Section 14

Hence, then, I give unwearied thanks to God, who kept me faithful in the day of my temptation, so that today I can confidently offer Him my soul as a living sacrifice - to Christ my Lord, who saved me out of all my troubles. Thus I can say: `Who am I, 0 Lord, and to what hast Thou called me, Thou who didst assist me with such divine power that to-day I constantly exalt and magnify Thy name among the heathens wherever I may be, and not only in good days but also in tribulations?’ So indeed I must accept with equanimity whatever befalls me, be it good or evil, and always give thanks to God, who taught me to trust in Him always without hesitation, and who must have heard my prayer so that I, however ignorant I was, in the last days dared to undertake such a holy and wonderful work - thus imitating somehow those who, as the Lord once foretold, would preach His Gospel for a testimony to all nations before the end of the world. So we have seen it, and so it has been fulfilled: indeed, we are witnesses that the Gospel has been preached unto those parts beyond which there lives nobody.

Chapter 4

Section 15

Now, it would be tedious to give a detailed account of all my labours or even a part of them. Let me tell you briefly how the merciful God often freed me from slavery and from twelve dangers in which my life was at stake - not to mention numerous plots, which I cannot express in words; for I do not want to bore my readers. But God is my witness, who knows all things even before they come to pass, as He used to forewarn even me, poor wretch that I am, of many things by a divine message.

How came I by this wisdom, which was not in me, who neither knew the number of my days nor knew what God was? Whence was given to me afterwards the gift so great, so salutary - to know God and to love Him, although at the price of leaving my country and my parents?

And many gifts were offered to me in sorrow and tears, and I offended the donors, much against the wishes of some of my seniors; but, guided by God, in no way did I agree with them or acquiesce. It was not grace of my own, but God, who is strong in me and resists them all - as He had done when I came to the people of Ireland to preach the Gospel, and to suffer insult from the unbelievers, hearing the reproach of my going abroad, and many persecutions even unto bonds, and to give my free birth for the benefit of others.

Section 16

And I am prepared to give even my life, should I be worthy, without hesitation and most gladly for His name, and it is there that I wish to spend it until I die, if the Lord would grant it to me.

For I am very much God’s debtor, who gave me such grace that many people were reborn in God through me and afterwards confirmed, and that clerics were ordained for them everywhere, for a people just coming to the faith, whom the Lord took from the utmost parts of the earth, as He once had promised through His prophets: To you the gentiles shall come from the ends of the earth and shall say: `How false are the idols that our fathers got for themselves, and there is no profit in them’; and again: `I have set you as a light among the gentiles, that you may be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth.’

And there I wish to wait for His promise who surely never deceives, as He promises in the Gospel: They shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob - as we believe the faithful will come from all the world.

Section 17

For that reason, therefore, we ought to fish well and diligently, as the Lord exhorts in advance and teaches, saying: Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.(Mat 4.19) And again He says through the prophets: Behold, I send many fishers and hunters, says God,(Jeremiah 16:16) and so on. Hence it was most necessary to spread our nets so that a great multitude and throng might be caught for God, and that there be clerics everywhere to baptize and exhort a people in need and want, as the Lord in the Gospel states, exhorts and teaches, saying: Go therefore now, teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and behold I am with you all days even to the consummation of the world.(Matthew 28:19-20) And again He says: Go ye therefore into the whole world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned.(Mark 16:15-16) And again: This Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world for a testimony to all nations, and then shall come the end.(Matthew 24:14) And so too the Lord announces through the prophet, and says: And it shall come to pass, in the last days, says the Lord, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.(Joel 2:28-29) And in Osee, He says: `I will call that which was not my people, my people; … and her that had not obtained mercy, one that hath obtained mercy. And it shall be in the place where it was said: “You are not my people,” there they shall be called the sons of the living God.’(Hosea 1:10,2:23)

Hence, how did it come to pass in Ireland that those who never had a knowledge of God, but until now always worshipped idols and things impure, have now been made a people of the Lord, and are called sons of God?

Section 18

The sons and daughters of the kings of the Irish are seen to be monks and virgins of Christ. Among others, a blessed Irishwoman of noble birth, beautiful, full-grown, whom I had baptized, came to us after some days for a particular reason: she told us that she had received a message from a messenger of God, and he admonished her to be a virgin of Christ and draw near to God. Thanks be to God, on the sixth day after this she most laudably and eagerly chose what all virgins of Christ do. Not that their fathers agree with them: no - they often ever suffer persecution and undeserved reproaches from their parents; and yet their number is ever increasing. How many have been reborn there so as to be of our kind, I do not know - not to mention widows and those who practice continence.

But greatest is the suffering of those women who live in slavery. All the time they have to endure terror and threats. But the Lord gave His grace to many of His maidens; for, though they are forbidden to do so, they follow Him bravely.

Section 19

Wherefore, then, even if I wished to leave them and go to Britain - and how I would have loved to go to my country and my parents, and also to Gaul in order to visit the brethren and to see the face of the saints of my Lord! God knows it! that I much desired it; but I am bound by the Spirit, who gives evidence against me if I do this, telling me that I shall be guilty; and I am afraid of losing the labour which I have begun - nay, not I, but Christ the Lord who bade me come here and stay with them for the rest of my life, if the Lord will, and will guard me from every evil way that I may not sin before Him.

This, I presume, I ought to do, but I do not trust myself as long as I am in this body of death, for strong is he who daily strives to turn me away from the faith and the purity of true religion to which I have devoted myself to the end of my I life to Christ my Lord. But the hostile flesh is ever dragging us unto death, that I is, towards the forbidden satisfaction of one’s desires; and I know that in part I did not lead a perfect life as did the other faithful; but I acknowledge it to my! Lord, and do not blush before Him, because I lie not: from the time I came to know Him in my youth, the love of God and the fear of Him have grown in me, and up to now, thanks to the grace of God, I have kept the faith.

Chapter 5

Section 20

And let those who will, laugh and scorn - I shall not be silent; nor shall I hide the signs and wonders which the Lord has shown me many years before they came to pass, as He knows everything even before the times of the world.

Hence I ought unceasingly to give thanks to God who often pardoned my folly and my carelessness, and on more than one occasion spared His great wrath on me, who was chosen to be His helper and who was slow to do as was shown me and as the Spirit suggested. And the Lord had mercy on me thousands and thousands of times because He saw that I was ready, but that I did not know what to do in the circumstances. For many tried to prevent this my mission; they would even talk to each other behind my back and say: `Why does this fellow throw himself into danger among enemies who have no knowledge of God?’ It was not malice, but it did not appeal to them because - and to this I own myself - of my rusticity. And I did not realize at once the grace that was then in me; now I understand that I should have done so before.

Section 21

Now I have given a simple account to my brethren and fellow servants who have believed me because of what I said and still say in order to strengthen and confirm your faith. Would that you, too, would strive for greater things and do better! This will be my glory, for a wise son is the glory of his father.

You know, and so does God, how I have lived among you from my youth in the true faith and in sincerity of heart. Likewise, as regards the heathen among whom I live, I have been faithful to them, and so I shall be. God knows it, I have overreached none of them, nor would I think of doing so, for the sake of God and His Church, for fear of raising persecution against them and all of us, and for fear that through me the name of the Lord be blasphemed; for it is written: Woe to the man through whom the name of the Lord is blasphemed.

For although I be rude in all things, nevertheless I have tried somehow to keep myself safe, and that, too, for my Christian brethren, and the virgins of Christ, and the pious women who of their own accord made me gifts and laid on the altar some of their ornaments and I gave them back to them, and they were offended that I did so. But I did it for the hope of lasting success - in order to preserve myself cautiously in everything so that they might not seize upon me or the ministry of my service, under the pretext of dishonesty, and that I would not even in the smallest matter give the infidels an opportunity to defame or defile.

Section 22

When I baptized so many thousands of people, did I perhaps expect from any of them as much as half a scruple? Tell me, and I will restore it to you. Or when the Lord ordained clergy everywhere through my unworthy person and I conferred the ministry upon them free, if I asked any of them as much as the price of my shoes, speak against me and I will return it to you.

On the contrary, I spent money for you that they might receive me; and I went to you and everywhere for your sake in many dangers, even to the farthest districts, beyond which there lived nobody and where nobody had ever come to baptize, or to ordain clergy, or to confirm the people. With the grace of the Lord, I did everything lovingly and gladly for your salvation.

All the while I used to give presents to the kings, besides the fees I paid to their sons who travel with me. Even so they laid hands on me and my companions, and on that day they eagerly wished to kill me; but my time had not yet come. And everything they found with us they took away, and me they put in irons; and on the fourteenth day the Lord delivered me from their power, and our belongings were returned to us because of God and our dear friends whom we had seen before.

Section 23

You know how much I paid to those who administered justice in all those districts to which I came frequently. I think I distributed among them not less than the price of fifteen men, so that you might enjoy me, and I might always enjoy you in God. I am not sorry for it - indeed it is not enough for me; I still spend and shall spend more. God has power to grant me afterwards that I myself may be spent for your souls.

Indeed, I call God to witness upon my soul that I lie not; neither, I hope, am I writing to you in order to make this an occasion of flattery or covetousness, nor because I look for honour from any of you. Sufficient is the honour that is not yet seen but is anticipated in the heart. Faithful is He that promised; He never lies.

But I see myself exalted even in the present world beyond measure by the Lord, and I was not worthy nor such that He should grant me this. I know perfectly well, though not by my own judgment, that poverty and misfortune becomes me better than riches and pleasures. For Christ the Lord, too, was poor for our sakes; and I, unhappy wretch that I am, have no wealth even if I wished for it. Daily I expect murder, fraud, or captivity, or whatever it may be; but I fear none of these things because of the promises of heaven. I have cast myself into the hands of God Almighty, who rules everywhere, as the prophet says: Cast your thought upon God, and He shall sustain you.

Section 24

So, now I commend my soul to my faithful God, for whom I am an ambassador in all my wretchedness; but God accepts no person, and chose me for this office - to be, although among His least, one of His ministers.

What shall I render unto Him for all He has done to me? And what can I say or what can I promise to my Lord, as I can do nothing that He has not given me? May He search the hearts and deepest feelings; for greatly and exceedingly do I wish, and ready I was, that He should give me His cup to drink, as He gave it also to the others who loved Him.

Wherefore may God never permit it to happen to me that I should lose His people which He purchased in the utmost parts of the world. I pray to God to give me perseverance and to deign that I be a faithful witness to Him to the end of my life for my God.

And if ever I have done any good for my God whom I love, I beg Him to grant me that I may shed my blood with those exiles and captives for His name, even though I should be denied a grave, or my body be woefully torn to pieces limb by limb by hounds or wild beasts, or the fowls of the air devour it. I am firmly convinced that if this should happen to me, I would have gained my soul together with my body, because on that day without doubt we shall rise in the brightness of the sun, that is, in the glory of Christ Jesus our Redeemer, as sons of the living God and joint heirs with Christ, to be conformed to His image; for of Him, and by Him, and in Him we shall reign.

For this sun which we see rises daily for us because He commands so, but it will never reign, nor will its splendour last; what is more, those wretches who adore it will be miserably punished. Not so we, who believe in, and worship, the true sun - Christ - who will never perish, nor will he who doeth His will; but he will abide for ever as Christ abides for ever, who reigns with God the Father Almighty and the Holy Spirit before time, and now, and in all eternity. Amen.

Section 25

Behold, again and again would I set forth the words of my confession. I testify in truth and in joy of heart before God and His holy angels that I never had any reason except the Gospel and its promises why I should ever return to the people from whom once before I barely escaped.

I pray those who believe and fear God, whosoever deigns to look at or receive this writing which Patrick, a sinner, unlearned, has composed in Ireland, that no one should ever say that it was my ignorance if I did or showed forth anything however small according to God’s good pleasure; but let this be your conclusion and let it so be thought, that - as is the perfect truth - it was the gift of God. This is my confession before I die.

This document (last modified July 02, 1996) from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library server. © IrishChristian.net 1997, 2007  -  www.irishchristian.net

I recently realized a misconception that Americans often have regarding the values of Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. I was studying The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli, and discovered a discontinuity between what Machiavelli taught and what people commonly believe about their American Ideals.

Many people believe that government exists so that the people under that government can experience and seek the aforementioned values, at least, this is the ideal. The foundation for many of the principles laid out in the American constitution can be readily identified in the teachings of Machiavelli. Machiavelli asserted that in establishing governments, rulers should seek the welfare of the common people and not the wealthy few , because the desires of the common people are better than those of the wealthy. The wealthy desire to oppress, but the common people desire only not to be oppressed. Thus, liberty takes on an important role in the establishment of government, because by this the rulers satisfy the people, establishing peace, stability, and control.

However, Machiavelli was not teaching that liberty was something to be pursued because it was good; rather, he taught that liberty was merely a means and not an end. In fact, the very essence of Machiavelli’s teachings is that people should not act and think in terms of what is good and evil, but they should act and think only in terms of what is necessary and unnecessary. It is upon this teaching that much of the foundation of western thought and politics was established.

The misconception I noted was this; Americans often conceive of liberty and freedom as being good, and that these should be protected and valued because they are good. However, the foundation for our liberty and freedom as seen in Machiavelli denies such lofty sentiments. Liberty and freedom are necessities in political life, and are only good and virtuous in so far as they are necessary.

If someone wants to herald Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness as truly good things, and not as mere matters of necessity, then that person needs to discover upon what sort of foundation they can do so. He or she cannot look to the American constitution as the foundation, because the constitution is founded upon the principle that what is necessary is virtuous. The kind of foundation necessary for this must assert that there exists something that is good simply because it is good.

The attacks of September 11 and the resulting war against terrorism have brought to the front once again the question of the Christian view of war. The question is particularly complex because it is hard to see how war can be consistent with the biblical emphasis upon forgiveness and forebearance and love. This emphasis is perhaps most pointed in the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus says:

You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Matthew 5:39-44)

Does Jesus’ teaching that we should turn the other cheek and love our enemies mean that it is always wrong to go to war? Should the world have turned the other cheek to Hitler and tried to love him into surrender? When Osama Ben Laden ordered the attack on the World Trade Center, should the U.S. have responded by sending him the Sears Tower as well? Or does Jesus allow a place for both loving our enemies and yet, in certain situations, using force to restrain life-threatening wickedness?

What follows are some of the primary reasons we believe that it is right for the military (and Christians who are a part of the military) to engage in wars that have just cause–namely, self-defense, the restraint of life-threatening evil, and the punishment of nations and individuals who have committed unjust acts of war against one’s country. This is called the just war theory. We will close by seeking to explain how this fits with the command to turn the other cheek, love our enemies, and not resist him who is evil.

Pacifism is harmful
To let someone murder when it is in your power to stop them is completely contrary to our moral sentiments. If a Hitler is on the move and seeking to bind the world in tyranny and destroy entire ethnic groups, it would seem very clearly wrong not to oppose him with force (which sometimes is the only effective method). It is true that war itself is harmful and tragic; but pacifism would result in even more harm to the world because it would give wicked people virtually free reign. We of course must be open to letting the Bible transform our moral sentiments, but this observation should at least cause us to pause and reflect more deeply before concluding that Jesus is intending to teach pacifism.

Consistent pacifism would have to eliminate the police, not just the military
In fact, if we were to conclude that governments should always turn the other cheek and never resist evil, then we would be logically committing ourselves to getting rid of not only the armed forces, but also the police force and criminal justice system. For police officers arrest criminals, using force against them if necessary, and put them in jail. That is not turning the other cheek. Does Jesus intend his command to turn the other cheek to apply to the police? Surely not as their primary way of responding to evil. God does not want evil to run about in our society unchecked (cf. in the OT the numerous civil laws and in the NT Romans 13, to be discussed below). If one accepts the legitimacy of police using force in some instances, there can be no objection to the military using force in some instances, either.

Luke 3:14 allows military service
It is significant that John the Baptist did not tell the soldiers to leave the military when they asked him what it meant to repent: “And some soldiers were questioning him, saying, ‘And what about us, what shall we do?’ And he said to them, ‘Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages’” (Luke 3:14). Since it is, therefore, possible to live a godly life and yet be in the military, it must be because engaging in war is not always sinful.

John 18:36 acknowledges the right of the sword to earthly kingdoms
In this passage, Jesus says: “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting, that I might not be delivered up to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” When Jesus says that if his kingdom were of this world his servants would be fighting, he implies that it is right for kingdoms of this world to fight when the cause is just and circumstances require it. As Christians, we are citizens of “two kingdoms”–our country on earth, and heaven. Jesus shows us that it is never right to fight for the sake of his spiritual kingdom, but that it is right to fight on behalf of earthly kingdoms (when necessary to counter evil and destruction).

Romans 13:3-4 grants governments the right to use force to restrain and punish evil
Paul writes: “For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”

Here Paul affirms the government’s right to use force in two ways. First, he says that it “does not bear the sword for nothing.” Second, he states that government is a “minister of God” when it executes vengeance against evildoers.

Governments, of course, do not have the right to use force for any purpose whatsoever. They do not have the right to use force in order to lord it over their citizens and impose unnecessary restraints upon freedom. There are two purposes for which this text says the government is justified in using force: the restraint of evil and the punishment of evil. The purpose of force is not just to prevent further evil from happening, but to punish evil acts by bringing the perpetrators to justice. Government is acting as a “minister of God” when it serves as “an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.”

Does the right of the sword in this text extend to the case of war? The immediate context does have in mind the use of physical force in regard to a government’s own citizens. But by extension this also implies that if one nation commits an act of war against another nation, the offended nation has the right to engage in self-defense and to avenge the wrong. Would it be consistent to say that a nation has a right to restrain and punish evil committed against it by its own citizens, but not to restrain and punish evil committed against it by another nation? The mere fact that the civil offense was committed by another country does not remove their accountability to the country they attacked.

1 Peter 2:13-4 confirms the teaching of Romans 13:3-4
In 1 Peter 2:13-14, we are taught: “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right.” Once again, the right of governments to punish evil is affirmed.

Is it right for a Christian to fight in a war?
Since the Scriptures teach that it is right for a nation to engage in a just war, it follows that it is therefore right for a Christian to fight in such a war. Some have argued that non-Christians may fight in wars but believers may not, but this distinction is not found in Scripture. Scripture teaches that it is not sin for a government to engage in a just war, and there is therefore nothing that forbids Christian from being involved in just wars.

Church and state must be distinguished
It is very important, however, to remember here the distinction between church and state. The Christian fights in a war not as an ambassador of the church or on behalf of the church, but as an ambassador of his country. The church is not to use violence (John 18:36), but the government at times may (John 18:36; Romans 13:3-4; etc.). So the Christian fights not as an agent of the church, but as an agent of the government of his country. Both are ultimately under the authority of God, but each has a distinct role.

What about turning the other cheek?
What, now, are we to make of Jesus’ radical commands in Matthew 5:39-41? “Do not resist him who is evil; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone wants to sue you, and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. And whoever shall force you to go one mile, go with him two.” How does this fit with what we have seen above?

First, we need to clarify what the problem is not. The problem is not that Jesus appears to be telling us to lie down and let evil overtake us. That is clearly not what he is saying. Instead, he is telling us what it looks like “not [to] be overcome by evil, but [to] overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21). We have all seen the wisdom of Jesus’ words here in our everyday lives. Much of the time, the most effective way to overcome evil is by not resisting. If someone says a mean word, it is far more effective to respond with kindness than with another mean word in return. If someone tries wrongly to cut you off on the freeway, it is usually best just to let them do it. If we would learn these principles, our lives would be much more peaceful and, ironically, we would be vindicated more often.

So the problem is not that it looks as though Jesus is telling us to let evil steam-roll over us. The problem is that it looks like Jesus is telling us that the only way we should ever seek to overcome evil is by letting it go and responding with kindness. It looks as though he leaves no place for using force in resisting evil.

Part of the answer to this difficulty lies in understanding the hyperbolic nature of much of the Sermon on the Mount. I don’t think that Jesus is telling us never to respond to evil with force (such as in self-defense) or always to literally turn the other cheek when we are slapped any more than his command later in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:6 means that we should only pray when we are completely alone or his command in 5:29 means that some should literally gouge out their eyes. Jesus himself drove the thieves away from the temple with a whip (John 2:15) and Paul at times insisted on his rights as a Roman citizen (Acts 25:11; cf. also the interesting instance of 16:35-40). Jesus is using hyperbole to illustrate what our primary disposition and attitude should be, not to say that we should literally give in to every attempt to do evil against us. That is part of the answer.

The main part of the answer, however, lies in remembering that Jesus is speaking primarily to individuals. He is not mainly addressing governments here, but is primarily speaking at the personal level. This text, then, shows that an individual’s primary response to evil should be to “turn the other cheek,” while the other texts we have seen (e.g., Romans 13:3-4) show that government’s God-given responsibility is to punish those who commit civil crimes (murder, terrorism, acts of war, etc.). While it is sometimes appropriate even for individuals to use self-defense, it is never appropriate for individuals to seek to punish others. But it is right, however, for governments both to take measures of self-defense and to execute retribution.

There are, in other words, various “spheres” of life. God has willed that some spheres include responsibilities that are not necessarily included in other spheres. Personally, it would be wrong for us to execute retribution on people who harm us. But passages like Romans 13:3-4 and John 18:36 show that Jesus is not denying governments the right to execute retribution on evildoers. Therefore, when a Christian is under the authority of the government and authorized to fight in a just war on the nation’s behalf, it is appropriate for him to fight. For he is not fighting as a private individual, but as a representative of the government to which God has given the power of the sword.

In doing so, a Christian soldier should strive to love one’s opponents in war as people, remembering that he opposes them as agents of the opposing government/system, not as private individuals. When at war, we need to look at people in the opposing army/terrorist group at two levels–the private, and governmental/public. Because of the private level, the soldier should pray for and love the opposing soldiers. And because of the public level, the soldier fights against them–not as private individuals, but as public representatives of the system and evil that is being opposed. That distinction, I am sure, would be hard to maintain in battle. Neither would it remove the pain and difficulty of being involved in fighting against other human beings. But it is perhaps a faint reflection of how the personal and governmental spheres overlap and involve one another while still remaining distinct.

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate
place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going,
and they had no leisure even to eat. – Mark 6:31

* * *

My wife and I recently had one of those free two-week subscriptions to Netflix. They offered to extend it for another two weeks, but we cancelled. The lady on the phone wanted to know why, but our reason wasn’t on her list. She asked, “Have you enjoyed it?” We said yes, and thanked her. “Are you finding the movies you want?” Affirmative. “Are you able to find the time to watch the movies?” Again, yes. “So, why are you canceling?” she asked incredulously.

The worldview in our culture is straightforward: you’ve worked long and hard, sacrificing your preferences to do what others need you to do, and come quitting time, you should reward myself. You’ve earned it. And when you’re sitting by the pool with a diet Coke and a great magazine, you can remember that this is what you were working for. It doesn’t get any better than this…

To read the rest of this article, follow this link.

In a recent study, the Barna Research Group revealed a stunning statistic that continues to reverberate throughout the evangelical world. Only 9 percent of professing Christians have a biblical worldview.

Because of this, today’s believers live very similarly to non-believers. A personal sense of significance is rarely experienced, we spend our money and time on things that fail to satisfy and we begin to wonder what life’s ultimate purpose really is. We are, in short, losing our bearings as a people and a nation.

To counter this slide within the body of Christ, we are launching one of the most ambitious and powerful projects in the history of our ministry—Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project. The Truth Project is a DVD-based small group curriculum comprised of 12 one-hour lessons taught by Dr. Del Tackett. This home study is the starting point for looking at life from a biblical perspective. Each lesson discusses in great detail the relevance and importance of living the Christian worldview in daily life.

We believe this one project represents the possibility for exponential change within the body of Christ, as we expect that thousands will be transformed by this curriculum. As it has been throughout history, God continues to call ordinary people to make an eternal difference in our world.

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Brief Course Description:

Lesson 1 - Veritology: What is Truth?

The Truth Project begins by defining truth as “that which corresponds to reality.” This absolute and eternal truth, at the heart of Jesus’ mission on earth, continues to be the focal point of the Cosmic Battle in our own time.

Lesson 2 - Philosophy and Ethics: Says Who?

Truth is not simply an academic concept. The way we think about truth has a direct bearing upon the way we live our lives. What’s more, our understanding of right and wrong is directly dependent on our worldview: is the universe God’s creation or a closed cosmic cube?

Lesson 3 - Anthropology: Who is Man?

The Bible tells us that man was created in God’s image but fell from innocence through sin. Modern psychology, on the other hand, asserts that man is inherently good and behaves badly only under the influence of social or institutional pressure. This lesson explores the implications of both views.

Lesson 4 - Theology: Who is God?

Eternal life, according to Jesus, is knowing God in an intimate, personal, and relational way. Such knowledge, which is possible only because of divine revelation, transforms us from the inside out as we begin to see ourselves in the light of His majesty and holiness.

Lesson 5 - Science: What is True?

Science, the “systematic study of the natural world,” brings to light innumerable evidences of Intelligent Design. But Darwinian theory transforms science from the honest investigation of nature into a vehicle for propagating a godless philosophy. (Part One)

A careful examination of molecular biology and the fossil record demonstrates that evolution is not a “proven fact.” Meanwhile, history shows that ideas, including Darwinism as a social philosophy, have definite consequences – consequences that can turn ugly when God is left out of the picture. (Part Two)

Lesson 6 - History: Whose Story?

Does the past have an objective actuality and significance? Or does it, as postmodernist philosophy asserts, exist primarily inside our heads? This tour considers the meaning of history as God’s story and shows us why remembering is so important.

Lesson 7 - Sociology: The Divine Imprint

The order we observe in the natural realm is even more apparent in the social systems God has established: family, church, community, state, labor, and the union between God and man. Life is a series of relationships that flow out of and reflect the Trinitarian nature of the Creator.

Lesson 8 - Unio Mystica: Am I Alone?

Is it possible for the infinite, eternal Creator to dwell within the heart of an individual? The implications of this great mystery, which represents the very core of the Christian faith, are explored at length in this examination of the most intimate of the social spheres.

Lesson 9 - The State: Whose Law?

Of all the social spheres, the state, to which God grants the power of the sword for the punishment of evil and the preservation of the good, has the greatest potential to go awry if it oversteps its authority. The civil magistrate must always remember his place under the sovereignty of God – otherwise, havoc will ensue.

Lesson 10 - The American Experiment: Stepping Stones

America is unique in the history of the world. On these shores a people holding to a biblical worldview have had an opportunity to set up a system of government designed to keep the state within its divinely ordained boundaries. Tour #10 follows the history of this experiment and explores what happens to freedom when God is forgotten.

Lesson 11 - Labor: Created to Create

Contrary to a great deal of contemporary popular opinion, work is not a “curse.” God Himself is active and creative, and He calls man to share in the joy of His activity and creativity. Labor, economics, media, and the creative arts all have a role to play in magnifying the glory of the Creator.

Lesson 12 - Community and Involvement: God Cares, do I?

The ethical law and the meaning of the Christian life are summed up in the commandment to love God and one’s neighbor. This command is the source of the believer’s motivation for self-sacrificial service to the needy and their personal involvement in our culture.

Del Tackett

An adjunct professor at New Geneva Theological Seminary and Summit Ministries, Dr. Tackett served more than 20 years in the United States Air Force. During the George H. W. Bush administration, he served at the White House, where he was appointed by President Bush as the director of technical planning for the National Security Council. Dr. Tackett later served in various senior analyst and manager capacities at Kaman Sciences Corporation and ITT Industries.

As a professor, Dr. Tackett has taught more than 30 undergraduate and graduate courses at three different institutions, over a 12 year period. He is also an ordained elder in the Presbyterian Church in America. Dr. Tackett holds three earned degrees (D.M., Colorado Technical University; M.S., Auburn University; B.S., Kansas State University).