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Open Brutality

Open Brutality

By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the state of New York’s legalization of abortion during all stages of pregnancy. I might be a little slow to new cycle but this came as quite a surprise to me. Coming off the heels of what felt like another successful March for Life on our nation’s capitol the trend of our days felt like abortion was losing its steam. In this long and dark period of our nation, stemming back to 1973 with the Roe v Wade ruling, it felt to me like things were starting to change. And then, to be hit with the news of New York’s ruling on Tuesday…

News has also come out today that the state of Vermont, which had already legalized abortion throughout the entire pregnancy, is seeking to make it part of their state constitution. New York is presumably going to follow in kind. What should we make of all this?

As I’ve considered this question the past few days, the word that keeps popping into my head is “brutality.” Abortion is often masked under the phrases of “reproductive health care” or “women’s rights.” The child is often called a “fetus” to make it’s destruction more palatable to our ears. But with the current technology we have today, how can anyone argue that it isn’t brutal? A person may believe that the mother’s rights trump all else. They may say abortion is a political issue, not a moral one. The may have no regard for the child until it exits the womb But, despite all that, how can you say it’s not also brutal. It simple is, there is no better way to describe it. We shouldn’t be surprised at this. When it comes to an activity that is designed to erase life – life that is struggling, working, and literally beating to survive – it’s going to be sick and ugly thing.

Some things that are brutal are moral necessities. War is brutal, but necessary at times. Police work and fire-fighting are brutal, but necessary. Working as a nurse in the emergency room of an urbanized population center is brutal, but necessary. What about abortion? Stripping life from the very shelter that nurtures and protects it is absolutely brutal, even if to some it’s only potential for life. Go ahead and Google what the late-term abortion options are, even the first-trimester options. You will witness brutality in the fullest sense of the word. There is nothing pretty about it.

What makes all this necessary? A person’s right to choose is not at all morally equal to true, reproductive health; contrary to the loud voices out in our nation. Most mother’s lives are not threatened by the birth of a child. Changed, yes, but for those who stick with it through tough times, it’s a change that is always for the better.

The underlying problem, the reason we have so casually accepted such wicked brutality as necessary, is because we are an ever-increasingly autonomous culture. We don’t want to change for others. We don’t want to give things up (think gun control here, too). We don’t want to put others first. And nowhere is that more clearly reflected than the number one argument for abortion – preserving the mother’s right to choose. What a choice that is, too. Life or death, in your hands. The future of a person’s growing, learning, laughing, enjoying, supporting – from cradle to middle school to college to retirement. A person’s entire destiny – their life gets to be decided by one person. Nowhere else do we see such power wielded by the individual. And our culture wants to keep it right there. The fuel that feeds the flame is autonomy.

For some reason, I had never made the connection that the anniversary of Roe v. Wade comes right around the same time as Martin Luther King Jr. day. Talk about an extreme clash of values and worldviews. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for peoples’ rights by advocating community and love – trying to bring people together, not separating them. One of Dr. King’s most well-known sayings goes, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” How sadly ironic that the very nation which continues to push for accountability and equality in racial issues is at the same time advocating for greater brutality against the most helpless and fragile of our world. Have we learned nothing? Dr. King was right. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Brutality is never the path we should strive for. At times, it is a harsh necessity, but it should never be chosen so long as any other love affirming, life-valuing option exists.

No matter who you are, you already know this. Valuing others is a fundamental right, not the ability to choose whatever I want. It was Christ who summarized what God has written into each human heart, at the moment of conception, when He declared: Matthew 22:37-39 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.” Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice you must admit one thing – abortion is darkness – sheer brutality; and we live in a nation that open celebrates and accepts it. When you then consider everything else that you value in life and all the other laws our nation upholds, ask yourself if brutality is really where we should want to be? May God have mercy on our nation!

 

Podcast – Matt Walsh and Young Earth Creationism: Part 2

Podcast – Matt Walsh and Young Earth Creationism: Part 2

In Part 2 of our review of Matt Walsh’s videos against the Biblical view of a Young Earth Creation, Pastors Mark Tiefel and Nathanael Mayhew discuss a few additional issues. Why would Matt Walsh single out Ken Ham and not the other scientists on the Answers in Genesis team? First, Ken is probably the most familiar, and while he doesn’t have a scientific PhD, he has many people working with him who do. Leaders in the fields of biology, astronomy, geology and more work side by side with Ken Ham and also accept the historical record of Genesis 1. Matt Walsh is also inconsistent when he says that he is not insisting on his own view, but then says that Ken Ham, and all other young earth creationists, are wrong. They also dig into Matt Walsh’s view that Genesis is “metaphorical and theological,” and the theological problems you have if you take it in a metaphorical way. There is only one interpretation of any verse, and that is God’s intended interpretation. Join us for a journey through Biblical interpretation and defending the truth of God’s inspired Word!

See Matt Walsh’s first video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG8JihEKrUI

See Matt Walsh’s second video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ0AxTx1kZY

See Answers in Genesis’ rebuttal here: https://youtu.be/v08w_P9EIaw

Podcast – Matt Walsh and Young Earth Creationism

Podcast – Matt Walsh and Young Earth Creationism

Pastors Mark Tiefel and Nathanael Mayhew discuss and respond to popular Catholic blogger Matt Walsh and his unscriptural attack on Young Earth Creation, and the account of creation in Genesis 1. Since Matt Walsh is popular in conservative Christian circles, and many of our listeners may have seen his video, we felt it was important to respond and point out the truth, as well as the blatant errors of Matt Walsh on this topic. They discuss…

  • How we read and understand the Bible and whether Genesis is literal (historical) or metaphorical.
  • The actual Hebrew word for “day” and how God intends it to be understood in Genesis 1.
  • The importance of science, and what it can and cannot tell us.
  • And the reason why this is so important and how Walsh’s views are dangerous to true Christianity.

We hope you find this helpful and instructive.

You can find the Matt Walsh video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG8JihEKrUI

A Moment for Conviction

A Moment for Conviction

Please take a moment and watch this video. I first saw it this morning on TV. After looking it up on ESPN’s YouTube page I found that it was censored. The part below in the tweet was cut out, and upon watching it I’m sure you’ll understand why. It may be about sports (granted, not the most important thing in life). You may also not be aware of the context, which is quite a bit more serious. If you want to find out, look up the Maryland football team on Google. What happened to that football team and the McNair family is devastating, there is no doubt about that. This video clip isn’t about proving who is right and who is wrong in the situation, either. I want you to watch it because the broader message presented is valuable. There’s a disturbing trend in our culture to cave to pressure from popular opinion, especially on social media. Instead of making decisions based on popularity, we should have convictions based on the truth and stand firm in those convictions. For Lutherans, it’s especially fitting around Reformation time. Young people really need to hear this – not just in sports or other matters of culture but most of all in their faith. Take 1-2 minutes to watch, it will be worth your time.

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Jude 1:3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.

World Religions Podcast: Jehovah’s Witnesses

World Religions Podcast: Jehovah’s Witnesses

Pastor Nathanael Mayhew joins Pastor Mark Tiefel for an in depth look at the Jehovah’s Witness organization. They will briefly discuss the history of this group which began in 1884. While many people think that the Jehovah’s Witnesses are Christian, we learn that they reject the three foundational truths of Christianity: The Trinity, the Deity of Christ, and Salvation by Grace through Faith in the Atonement of Christ. We also look at the New World Translation of the Bible, which isn’t a translation at all, but a deceptive promotion of the false teaching of the Jehovah’s Witness organization. Finally they will offer some suggestions about how to witness to a Jehovah’s Witness, by directing them to the Gospel of Jesus. Click here for a good, Biblical response to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The Inside Out Christian

The Inside Out Christian

I don’t know about you, but I watch a lot of Pixar Movies… A LOT! This might have been true to a certain extent earlier in my life. But now that I have a two-year-old, Pixar movies are a constant on my television. One of the first words usually out of my son’s mouth in the morning is “Buzz?” As in, Buzz Lightyear, one of the heroes of the Toy Story series. My son does have a Buzz Lightyear action figure, but usually, when he mentions the name he is requesting that he be able to watch one of the Toy Stories… Lucky for his parents there are 3 such stories, with a future fourth installment to be released next summer. This way we can cycle through these movies without getting too bored…

I’d say that he is a fan of most of the Pixar library, but he does not like the rats in Ratatouille, so that movie is not a favorite. He also likes Nemo from Finding Nemo, but he gets scared of certain parts, so that movie doesn’t last long. But his favorite from the non-Toy Story Pixar’s movies is by far the movie Inside Out.

Inside Out is a very thought-provoking movie, and the fact that it is considered a kid’s movie is kind of dumbfounding. The basic premise of the movie is that we are given an inside look into an eleven-year-old girl’s head. Her name is Riley.  The different emotions that Riley experiences are represented by avatars. The main character is Joy, who shares the controls of Riley with 4 other emotions: Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger (my son’s favorite). When one emotion seems to be in control of the present situation, they “take the controls”. When Riley’s parents try to feed her broccoli for the first time, Disgust is there to save her from eating the revolting vegetable. When her dad tells her that she won’t get dessert until the broccoli gets eaten, Anger takes over the controls and lashes out by throwing a tantrum. And so on, and so forth. The question that even small children can glean from this movie is, “Who is driving me right now? Who is at my controls? Am I being driven by my Anger? Am I doing what I am doing because of fear? Am I experiencing sadness when I should be experiencing joy?” These are pretty big ideas for a kid’s movie to be asking.

But I think the movie does bring up a good point, one that we as Christians should be asking ourselves. Who is driving us? Of course, we all have these same emotions, but determining which emotion is driving you is not always the relevant question. The emotions displayed in the movie get along with each other for the most part. But I would contend that there are only 2 forces that are fighting for the controls inside a Christian, and they do not get along! Who’s driving you? It’s either the old Adam or the new Man!

I think that nowhere else in the Scriptures or perhaps in the whole world is this internal struggle more defined than by Paul in the seventh chapter of Romans:

Romans 7:15-19   15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.  16 If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good.  17 But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.  18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.  19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

Paul describes this internal struggle he has that we can all relate to. We know what God’s Word tells us. We all know what we should be doing and what we should not be doing. And yet, how often we end up still doing what is contrary to God’s Law? Why is this the case? We all know that Jesus Christ went to the cross and suffered and died for our sins. We know that because Jesus did this, and we have faith and believe that He did this for me, that I will go to heaven. And yet, we don’t always live like this is the case. We don’t understand! What we will do, what we should be doing, we end up not doing. Instead, we do the very thing that we hate! We want to do good, not because doing good earns us salvation, but because we are thankful for what Jesus first did. We want to do good for Jesus, and yet, we often end up doing evil! What is going on with us? Paul concludes O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ( Romans 7:24)

The fact of the matter is that we do have two, different driving forces inside of us all. There is the old Adam, the sinful flesh. And then there is the new Man, the regenerated by baptism member of God’s family. These two forces are always fighting inside of us. They both want the “controls”. They are both us. You can’t simply blame the old man, it’s still you. We will one day go to heaven because we have that new Man inside of us, but on the other hand, we will never be without the old Adam this side of heaven. These two forces don’t get along, they are always fighting inside us.  Galatians 5:17  17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. How can you make sure that your new Man is at your controls?

Let’s go back to when this “war” first began. When we were born, it was in a state of deadness. Many people think that all children are innocent and sweet. This is not what the Bible says. We just saw Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells Paul was not speaking of just himself, that statement applies to all people. There is none who does good, not one (Rom 3:10-12). All had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3.23). Before we were baptized, we were dead in trespasses and sins. We were, by nature, children of wrath! (Eph 2:1-3)

This also becomes apparent when you become a parent. My son likes the anger character. He thinks he is funny when he explodes. But I think he also relates to this character as well. My son also reacts like this. Often, this anger is directed at his parents. He is only 2, but his sinful nature is at the controls just as much as the rest of us.

And that is where the new Man comes in. The new Man is called “new” for a reason. He was not always there. Rather the new Man came into the picture when we were baptized. This baptism that brought about the new Man also meant the subsequent death of the old Adam.

Romans 6:4-6 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.  5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,  6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

And there you have it! We were baptized, the old man was killed, and the new Man replaced him. The problem is that he makes a comeback.

Since we are talking about movies, I would like to discuss movie genres. I think I have seen many different movies. But I have not watched many horror movies. I have never cared much for the genre. It is my opinion that I would rather laugh or cry from a movie than experience fear in one. While I have not seen many of these movies, even I know their clichés. They always seem to feature a master villain, someone who is always one step ahead of the characters we care about. These villains cannot simply be killed. Just when you think they are gone, BOOM, they pop out of nowhere. They always come back. How else could they make sequels?

The old Adam is the ultimate horror villain. He has been killed, yet he always comes back! No matter how many times we kill him, he always finds a way to linger and survive.

In the Catechism, Martin Luther wrote about this when he addressed the meaning of baptism. “It means that the old Adam in us should be drowned by daily contrition and repentance and die with all sins and evil desires. It also means that a new Man should daily appear and arise, who lives eternally before God in righteousness and purity.” Luther stressed that we kill our old Adam and drown him with contrition and repentance every day!

How does your old Adam look? We can never get rid of him completely, but we still need to put him through the ringer constantly. Don’t make it easy for him to take over! Does your old Adam look healthy and strong, or is he haggard and feeble? Is he cozy and dry, or is he soaking wet and paranoid about what the new Man will do to him today?

This is a battle that is worth fighting every, single day. As Paul said in Romans 7, more often than not the old Man not only survives but thrives! Sure, we might drown him here and there, perhaps on Sunday mornings. But what about the middle of the week? Is he comfortable and at the controls for most of your week? What about at work, who’s in control there? What about at school? What person do your family and friends know best? The New You or the Old You?

How can we make sure our new Man is at the controls? Ephesians 4:22-24   22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,  23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,  24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

This new Man that we are to put on, we can’t do it by ourselves. We need God’s Holy Spirit to work this in us! We are reminded of that when we read God’s Word, when we study it in our homes and when we worship Him in our Churches. When we are left to ourselves, we are powerless against our flesh (and our other enemies for that matter). But when we look to God, He is able to overcome in us and through us! This Spirit worked new Man does not live for itself as the flesh did. It lives for God! 2 Corinthians 5:15  15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.  Jesus died that we might live. We do live for Him! It’s not because we are great people, we still carry around that horror supervillain who appears constantly. No, rather we love Jesus because He first loved us! (1 John 4:19)

Dear Christians, let us live inside out! When we have the new Man inside at the controls, then we can live the outside Christian lives that are God-pleasing. This seems like an impossible task, given that the old Man can and will creep back without a moment’s notice. How can we rid ourselves of him? With daily repentance and contrition! OK, well how can we accomplish those things? By being reminded through the Word and Sacrament what Jesus did to make us children of God! We are God’s new creation through the means of Grace, and we shall be His forever. The old Adam always comes back, but he shall be permanently sunk when the Savior returns. Jesus is the one who will deliver us from this body of death!  May we always look forward to this, when our new Man will rest with Jesus!

He that believes and is baptized Shall see the Lord’s salvation;

Baptized into the death of Christ, He is a new creation.

Through Christ’s redemption he shall stand Among the glorious heavenly band

Of every tribe and nation. – TLH 301

Not Your God #4 – Appearance

Not Your God #4 – Appearance

Series Theme: When we think of idolatry we often imagine scenes of a carved image from the Old Testament or a false religion today. Idolatry seems like an easy sin to detect and stay clear of. But, there is another side of idolatry that is more subtle. Martin Luther’s Small Catechism calls this “secret idolatry.” This doesn’t mean you are bowing down to an idol in the privacy of your home. Rather, it means that something without religious significance has become more important than God in your life. Luther once said, “That upon which you set your heart and put your trust, is in reality your God.” Our “Not Your God” series will examine several modern day “deities” that can wrestle away our hearts quicker than we think.

#4: Appearance

Appearance is tricky thing in the church. It can become a dangerous thing in two directions. In more formal churches, newcomers or young people can easily be looked down upon if their appearance doesn’t match the traditional custom. Judgments of a person’s faith and their standing with God can easily be weapons wielded by churchgoers in the name of appearance. Deep down, we probably want people to match our expectations of appearance because we think it builds the community atmosphere of church. Often, arguments about appearance merely seek to build a person’s faltering insecurity. It’s truly a sad thing when appearance gets in the way of a person’s faith and what Jesus has accomplished for them. If you’re someone who has felt estranged or alienated from church because of what someone else said about your appearance, try not to give up. The most important part of church will always be about receiving God’s Word. Satan wants you to quit doing that.

There’s another side to appearance that can be dangerous too. When I think about this aspect I often draw upon my experience in high school as parallel. I’m pretty sure everyone has experienced this same thing in some way so hopefully you can relate. In high school, appearance was king. Having the right brand of clothes, fitting in with the popular hairstyle, and showing everyone else how many friends you had were all examples how important appearance was during that time of life. But, what we eventually realize is that those things really aren’t all that important. I can remember feeling great stress and anxiety in high school at not having the most popular clothes but now I hardly think about it. In the end, it never really impacted my life. How many times have we learned the same lesson about appearance? One aspect of maturity is being able to focus on what is truly important and being able to block out what is really not all that important.

The fascinating thing is that this high school brand of appearance-seeking is one of the most common trends in American Christianity. Christians, particularly those in evangelical-based churches, are continually fed with the impression that appearance is so important to faith. It even parallels high school in the way it boils down to hairstyle and clothing choice. Check out any megachurch/non-denominational pastor and you’ll see what I mean. Chances are they go to great lengths to send a non-verbal message through their appearance. That message most often is, “I’m relevant, please listen to what I have to say.”

This trend is obviously a great contradiction as one of the most beloved themes in the Bible is that God loves us regardless of our appearance, in fact, despite our unworthy appearance. Even though many of these churches will emphasize those qualities of God, they will at the same time send these strong undertones of the importance of appearance. And, naturally, we want to be part of that just as we did in high school. Who doesn’t want to be relevant and popular? This is such a dangerous thing because any focus on our own appearance as a measure of our status with God, or other Christians, will only lead us to despair. And it detracts from the power of God’s Word. If people only listen to a pastor because of how he looks, from the glasses, to the hairstyle, to the jeans, and whatever else it may be; they are saying that the actual truth of the message is at best, secondary, and at worst, unimportant. The same thing applies to choosing a church or even being a Christian at all.

Consider what James wrote, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures (James 1:17-18).” True blessings from God are not attractive because of their appearance. They come down from above – from God. Without God’s grace in bringing those blessings to us – we would not seek them out. Even Jesus was characterized as having “no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2) Blessings from God are born of the Word of God – the most important being your Christian faith. Don’t let self-righteous Christians judge your faith based on appearance. But, don’t let modern Christians lead you by appearance away from the truth of God’s Word, either.

How to Respond to Contradictions in the Bible

How to Respond to Contradictions in the Bible

Question: Doesn’t the Bible contradict itself in certain areas? For example, the Bible has examples of both monogamous and polygamous relationships. Which is it? What about passages which say that women shouldn’t be pastors or leaders in the church, and other sections where women serve in leadership roles. They can’t both be true.
Answer: In order to answer such concerns, we must first understand the difference between statements which are prescriptive and those which are descriptive. A statement which is prescriptive gives a directive or rule, while a descriptive statement simply relates that which was done by someone. This is helpful because the Bible describes many things which are not prescriptive. The Bible describes the sins and failures of mankind in many different ways. For example, the Bible describes Noah’s drunkenness, Abraham’s lies, Judah’s adultery, Moses’s pride, David’s murder, Gehazi’s covetousness, Peter’s attempted murder, and much, much more. All of these (sinful) examples are from people we would call “Christians”!
Do such sinful actions negate what God clearly commands (or forbids) in other places in His Word? The answer is no!
We are not to use the examples of men or women in the Bible as a prescriptive regulation from God for our lives or our society – especially when that example is in direct conflict with a clear prescriptive warning from God in His Word.
The Bible nowhere prescribes or even condones the behaviors mentioned above. A person’s actions (what the Bible describes) does not equal a prescription from God to act in that way. So when we find passages or examples in the Bible of things that seem contradictory, we should ask this question: “Is this section prescriptive (Is God commanding) or is it descriptive (Is God describing)?” Asking and answering that question will help us resolve almost every supposed contradiction people may bring up.

Is God commanding or is God describing?

  • Polagamy

Abraham’s marriage to both Sarah and Hagar is descriptive and does not remove the clear teaching of Scripture that marriage is to be between one man and one woman for life.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” – Genesis 2:24
“Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” – Ephesians 5:33
“Appoint elders in every city as I commanded you — if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.” – Titus 1:5-6

(Note: There are only a few examples of polygamous relationships in the Bible, although they are very prominent ones. Abraham, Jacob, David and Solomon are the most familiar and in each case the plurality of wives caused major problems in the home.)

  • The Role of Women in the Church

The descriptive events of Miriam prophesying or Deborah judging do not nullify the prescriptive statements of God to Moses and Paul regarding the role of men and women in the church.

“They shall be joined with you and attend to the needs of the tabernacle of meeting, for all the work of the tabernacle; but an outsider shall not come near you.” – Numbers 18:4
“For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.” – 1 Corinthians 14:33-40
“In like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” – 1 Timothy 2:9-14

The difference between descriptive and prescriptive is vital in properly understanding and applying God’s Word in our lives.
All too often many people (even Christians) are willing to throw out the prescriptive sections of the Bible in favor of the descriptive sections. Why? Sometimes it is simply a failure to understand what the Bible really teaches. In other cases people do so to make God and His Word bow to their own feelings or to the whims of our secular culture.
When we try to make God’s Word fit our lives, we end up losing the message God offers in His Word: We are sinners in need of the Savior He sent.

Not Your God #3: Control

Not Your God #3: Control

Abstract: When we think of idolatry we often imagine scenes of a carved image from the Old Testament or a false religion today. Idolatry seems like an easy sin to detect and stay clear of. But, there is another side of idolatry that is more subtle. Luther’s Small Catechism calls this “secret idolatry.” This doesn’t mean you are bowing down to an idol in the privacy of your home. Rather, it means that something which is not typically looked at as a god has supplanted the importance of the true God in your life. Luther once said, “That upon which you set your heart and put your trust, is in reality your God.” Our “Not Your God” series will examine several modern day “deities” that can wrestle away our hearts quicker than we think.

#3: Control 
*Apologies to our readers on the long break between articles. We’ll try to keep this series, and other articles, going regularly.
Control can be a tough thing. We desire it. We strive for it. It feels like we need it. But, very few of us actually have it. How many of you reading this right now are going through something in your life that is driving you crazy because it is beyond your control?
Financial struggles?
A relationship gone sour?
Health scare?
Stressful job or co-workers?
The list goes on and on.
Enduring through struggles is not idolatry. But, control can be a problem for our lives because it is, by its nature, at odds with faith. Faith is really an attribute of those who do not have control. Think of how Jesus described faith: Luke 18:15-17 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them. 16 But Jesus called for them, saying, “Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17 “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it at all.” 
What Jesus said was profound. Little children, even infants, are the examples of true members of the kingdom of God. That’s because everything about a little kid’s life involves faith – not only faith in Jesus but simple trust in others. What will a child eat? What will a child wear? Where will a child be safe? They are completely dependent on others for those needs. In other words, they aren’t in control.
This is how we all are, regardless of age, when it comes to faith in Jesus. We are completely dependent on Him. Our souls are fed and nourished by what He provides – His Word. We are protected by His grace (from ourselves) and His power (from Satan). We live with Him as a product of His mercy for us. We are not in control – far from it actually, and thankfully so.
But that doesn’t stop us from wanting control. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not wrong to be on top of your life or to be organized and effective from day to day. That’s great. You don’t have to seek out the most chaotic path in life, either, just to make sure you’re not in too much control. Instead, control becomes a danger when it is more important to us than what God has done – or when we crave control more than we trust by faith. Proverbs 16:9 says, “The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” Those who are of the faith family of God are led by God. That means faith involves submission to God and obedience to His plan. In practical ways, that means scooting over from the driver’s seat to the passenger side. This can be scary. Letting go of our own control seems counter-intuitive and illogical. But your life is safest when the strongest one is in control. One thing we should all be able to agree on is that we make plenty of mistakes. When I look at my track record I am thankful that God is in control. I shutter to think of where I would be and what life would look like if I was truly on my own. In fact, that’s also how the Bible describes hell – the complete absence of God. People in hell have that kind of control but at an eternal price.
The world may build up this idol in your mind by making you feel like you have to have everything under control. We are told to be popular, to fit in, to look and act certain ways, to conform – all for the false perception of control. See through the mirage. Control is not your God. Jesus is more than sufficient for your life. By faith, He is in control. The sufferings He allows into your life have a purpose. His will is always accomplished in His time. For all of you who are currently experiencing a lack of control, may your Savior offer you something much greater in its place – His comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; 4 who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.