Pastor Hurst

Not A Little Less A Caterpillar, Pt. 2

Being a Christian isn’t about the difference of degree but of kind. A Christian’s heart isn’t a little better, a little cleaner; it is a new, changed heart, a different kind of heart. A Christian’s lifestyle isn’t a little purer; it is a completely different lifestyle. No longer a drunkard, the believer does not want to drink less; he doesn’t want to drink at all. No longer impure, the Christian does not, though tempted, seek out carnal gratifications. He does not stop looking at porn online but substitute in its place the bathing suit issue of Sports Illustrated. No longer filthy hearted, the Christian is no longer filthy mouthed. It isn’t just that the Christian is less a drunkard. He is no longer a drunkard. It is not that a Christian is less promiscuous. He is now dedicated to fidelity. It is not that his heart has been made less sinful. He has been given a new heart. Thank God! It is theological and reality suicide to suggest that the Christian is free from carnal and worldly temptation. That eradication will only take place at the time of future glorification of this body. The difference is, the Christian’s new heart detests and rejects these carnal desires instead of embracing and justifying them. Notice this truth of it-isn’t-a matter-of-degree-but-of-kind in this biographical note of a king of Israel, which by inspiration was included, I believe, to reveal, among other things, this very truth: “And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother:.”(2Ki 3:2-3). Inarguably, Jehoram was not as evil as his father Ahab. He even got rid of some of the idols. That did not mean he was one of God’s true people. To be less sinful in degree is not to have a changed heart, be a changed person. Thank God, upon our true surrender to Him, He gives us a new heart that leads to a life that is, not just less evil than that of the wicked, but a whole new way of living: “A new heart also will I give you, ..:and cause you to walk in my statutes, ...” (Eze 36:26-27). Years ago one of our kids snared a caterpillar and kept it in the house in a glass jar. Not long after, it disappeared into the cocoon it spun. The kids were at school, and I was in my study when my wife yelled, “Come here. You got to see this.” We marveled together as a Monarch Butterfly struggle from the cocoon and soon began to stretch and fan its unfurled wings. I mused long at this wonder of God’s creation. I knew it was the same insect as the caterpillar, but its transformation was so complete and radical it was hard to believe. It was so different. Now, if the caterpillar had of struggled out of the cocoon still a caterpillar only with a few less legs, a few less stripes, and a not quite as ugly face, I may have paused briefly but would not have marveled. There is no marvel in a caterpillar becoming less a caterpillar. That would not even be an improvement. It would still be a caterpillar. But, oh the transformation of that caterpillar into a butterfly--that is the work of God. No, a truly converted believer is not less a caterpillar. He, set free from the cocoon of sin, is a beautiful new creation, a butterfly.

Not A Little Less A Caterpillar, Pt1

The message of Paul, that much of the modern American church seems to fail to grasp, is that becoming a Christian isn’t about one simply becoming not quite as sinful as the world around him but is about his having a radical, complete, revolutionary transformation of his whole person and life. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Co 5:17). Being a Christian isn’t about the difference of degree but of kind. A Christian’s heart isn’t a little better, a little cleaner; it is a new, changed heart, a different kind of heart. A Christian’s lifestyle isn’t a little purer; it is a completely different lifestyle. Statistically, American Christianity seems to believe that being a Christian is, in fact, a difference of degree: These are already several years old statistics: 27% of non-Christians will buy a lottery ticket this week. 23% of Christians will. 87% of non-Christians will watch a movie with nudity in it. 76% of Christians will. Several researches have revealed that the rate of sex-before marriage among evangelical “Christian” youth is almost the same as that among non-Christian youth. These statistics seem to bear out that the common accepted concept of a Christian’s life is viewed as a difference of degree not kind. When such becomes the case, the difference in degree will rapidly shrink. “Christians” don’t get drunk, but they do have a “few.” Christians don’t say “G*d d*mn.” They euphemistically substitute with “Gosh Dang.” This isn’t legalistic nit picking; it is simply illustrative of the point. Years of erroneously proclaiming a message that, since salvation isn’t performance based, the “saved’s” performance doesn’t matter either has taken its toll. It is true that my becoming saved is not based on my performance—thank God; it is not true that my being saved does not affect my performance. Salvation is not performance based. Salvation is by grace. But, the saved have been radically transformed. Their desires, values, aspirations—their hearts—have been changed. A new heart will evidence itself in new life. The saved are not just those with a little less sinful heart. They are those with a completely new heart. The new heart abhors sin. Metamorphism is like grace in that it happens to the caterpillar in spite of its ugliness. But, metamorphism doesn’t leave the caterpillar as it found him. The marvel of metamorphism isn’t that the caterpillar acts and looks a little less a caterpillar. It is that he becomes a butterfly. He no longer crawls along the earth. He flies in the sky.

WORLDLINESS = LACK OF FAITH

One may argue whether or not there is any problem with it being so; one may argue that grace covers it so the issue is moot; but what one cannot do, unless he blindly denies reality, is suggest it isn't true. Worldliness. Generally, contemporary American Christians evidence a lifestyle that is little different from the pleasure seeking unbelievers around them. Any difference seems to be one of degree not kind. There has always been the reality that Christians will be tempted by this world. Satan even tempted Jesus with it. The Apostle John warned against loving it. Peter cautions that lusts for it must be rejected. That record is clear. Many, including myself, have so often made whether or not the believer forays into, partakes of, and adopts this world about commitment, dedication, and even the experience of sanctification. It would be hard to argue against those strands of truth. However, more and more, when I watch a believer become mesmerized by, yielding to, and finally partaking of this world, I have come to see it less about commitment and more about faith: Worldliness evidences a lack of faith. Simply put, the believer has yielded to temptation and sought out the world simply because he does not believe God can make him happy, fulfill his needs, and satisfy him. He turns to the world believing that is where he will find the pleasure, happiness, and satisfaction he seeks. Ironically, if asked, that same believer would tell the unbeliever that he will never find in the world that which will fill the hole in his heart, that only Jesus can fill that space, meet that craving. That is the indictment against the worldly believer: He declares that only Jesus can satisfy the soul and then turns to and seeks out the things of this world. He just doesn't believe. He doesn't believe what he has declared, "Only God can fill the God-shaped vacuum of every heart." He doesn't believe that he is complete in Christ, that there is no need to seek further for joy, purpose. He doesn't believe that God has what it takes to meet his deepest need. Lack this faith and there is no foundation for commitment, convictions, or dedication. The thinking world must laugh at the worldly Christian's lack of faith. The "Christian" declares, Jesus will fill the void of your life, and then listens to secular music that expresses and encourages carnal cravings, engages in licentious sexual activity, becomes addicted to worldly pleasures, and on and on. The "Christian" proclaims he has found the answer but continues to seek out what the world offers. Faith in God says, "Hallelujah, I have found Him, whom my soul so long has craved. Jesus satisfies the longing by His grace I now am saved." Faith in God equals no need or desire for this world.

BLIND FAITH

I've never seen such blind faith. The recent cold with far below average temperatures was blamed on global warming. Now, I want to make clear. It isn't that I can emphatically prove and declare there is nothing to global warming. If I did so, I would be making the same error as those who claim there is global warming-unscientifically hypothesizing without an unbiased due process of gathering, researching, and processing the data. When reporting the massive cold that surged down from the north, this was the explanation: In the arctic around the North Pole there was a huge vortex, something like a hurricane. Because of global warming, the winds of this vortex have weakened allowing the arctic cold to drop further south--like a spinning top slowing and falling over to one side. The anchor heard what he deemed fit his template of blaming everything on global warming and asked the "specialist something like", "So, you are saying that global warming is causing today's awful record breaking cold?" That was the intended message to the public. However, the interviewed guest must have had a twinge of conscience: His response revealed not only that twinge, but the blind faith. He replied, "Potentially, global warming caused this cold." The word "potentially" reveals the blind faith. Unscientifically, scientists have already concluded that global warming is a reality. Therefore, anything that happens contrary to the theory cannot have another explanation. The theory has to be stretched to include the unexpected event. To make such statements without empirical proof is not science. It is blind faith. Having ruled out the supernatural, having already claimed global warming is a reality because it fits their environmental religion where the sinner is man, the sin is things like pollution, sugar, and capitalism, the savior is naturalistic science and the evangelists are the liberal environmentalists and social engineers, they automatically, blindly, and unscientifically defend global warming even when the defense makes no sense. They abhor a faith put in God. Yet, their faith doesn't even begin to rise to the level of those who place their faith in God. Faith in God is, or should be, an examined faith. It is not a blind leap. It is based on "substance" and "evidence." Their faith is blind, never truly examining all the data or considering any alternative theory. Before we are too hard on these climate change advocates that make such unfounded claims, think of the many Christians who readily accept the claims of the pop gospel of prosperity, positive self-image, etc. Desiring to believe such an abrogated "gospel," they eagerly assimilate what the teacher or preacher says without ever examining the Biblical data. If we are going to have faith, we must have the faith of the Bereans who searched the Scripture diligently to see whether or not those things are true. If only today's scientists likewise were truly trying to determine whether or not such things are true instead of blindly claiming they are to fit an agenda.

TRAPPED IN ICE THEY SAID WAS MELTING

The irony does not countermand the compassion and concern we should feel for those folks whose ship is stuck in the Antarctic ice. However, since it has been kept hush-hush in spite of the saturating coverage, it must be pointed out: The ship stuck was on a scientific mission. Scientists who believe in global warming had gone to Antarctica to measure the melting of the ice cap. They had assured all that the ice cap is melting, but yet it quickly froze around them. Their condition belies their proclamation. Strangely, this irony made me think of the postmodernists of today whose influence has led to the permeating narcissism of the Millennials, this present generation. Postmodernists would have us completely ditch any absolute truth because, to them, truth is an individual, subjective matter. Truth is what I choose as my truth. If I deem something true to me, there is no objective means of others' saying it is not true. If I can choose my own truth, I can chart my own path. I can create my own reality. I am unhampered in following my heart, being true to myself. I am free from an external absolutes. This thinking enables one free to be himself. However, free to be himself, he is enslaved by every and any thing. Thus, a generation set free from absolutes is in huge quantities addicted to porn, internet, drugs, alcohol. Its so called freedom from moral restraints of sexual expression have led to the fetters of disease, loneliness, emotional destruction. Free? Then why are so many imprisoned in depression, syndromes, identity crises, purposelessness? The point is their proclamation is contradicted by their condition. That is why, when I read of the reason the ship was stuck in ice, I immediately thought of what Peter observed: "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." (2 Peter 2:19). Those stuck in the ice are declaring that it is melting. Those that declare there are no restrictions and boundaries are bound. Yet, there is another irony-if it could be called such: Those who have surrendered to the will and rule and word of the Lord, are truly free.

AFTER THE ANGELS HAVE GONE AWAY

"As the angels were gone away" keeps coursing through my mind. As glorious, as awe-inspiring, as monumental, that moment was when the supernatural messengers of God broke through the veneer that separates the material from the spiritual world to announce the birth of the Savior to the shepherds, it ended. The angels "were gone away." The glory of the Lord no longer shined. The heavenly choir had exited the stage of sky. The night closed back upon the shepherds as normality returned to the pastures. The moment had passed. What would the shepherds do? Would they act upon the good news of the angels and go checkout this Babe sleeping in a feeding trough? Would they believe that peace had come to planet earth? Or would they marvel at the chills and thrills they felt and then return to life as usual? Wonderfully, the shepherds did not settle back down around the campfire. They acted on the news of the angel and headed to Bethlehem. Had they not acted, though they'd had an interesting tale to tell, their lives would have been unchanged. Many people have had that wonderful moment when the glory of God has been manifested in their lives, the Word of God has rung clear in their hearts, the euphoric epiphany of God has lit their hearts and minds. But, as soon as it passed, as all such experiences must, they did nothing. They did not act. They did not commit. They did not seek. They did purpose. So, the moment passed, and they settle back to life as usual. As the Word is preached, the unbeliever hears God calling. He does not act, leaves the church, and returns walking the broad way to destruction. A mighty revival allows one to be overwhelmed with the power of God. The revival ends, and that one returns to apathy, indifference, and coldness. A young person, has an undeniable encounter with the Holy Spirit at youth camp. The camp ends and the young person goes right back to the uncommitted life that seeks pleasure in the world. The angels have gone away, but they did not purpose to act upon what God has spoken. Christmas 2013 with all it wonderful singing, dramas, cantatas, messages is over. The angels have gone away. Have you been changed?