The different "flavors" of Christianity

I came to Christ my senior year in high school at a Nicky Cruz Crusade in 1971. Cruz came to Christ through David Wilkerson who was of a more charismatic persuasion. 

My first church was a fundamentalist Independent Baptist Church (the John Rice, Jack Hyles, Jack Van Impe legalistic variety...if you are old enough to remember those dudes). Before that I was unchurched. Neither of my folks were practicing faith of any kind, though my mom was raised Catholic and my dad grew up in the Church of Christ, but had walked away from the church as a young man and never returned. 

A year after I came to Christ, I went to Lynchburg Baptist College (now Liberty U) and then transferred to Columbia Bible College (now Columbia International U) after two years. I graduated from Columbia in 77. Columbia's theological roots were in the Keswick or "deeper life" movement. 

While at Columbia, I was exposed to a whole spectrum of views through the various students and faculty, from Reformed, to Arminian, to deeper life, to charismatic. I also started reading folks like Francis Schaeffer and CS Lewis and some works out of a more Reformed tradition. I eventually landed in an Orthodox Presbyterian Church after College for a couple of years -- which is on the far right theologically and the most conservative spectrum of Reformed churches. Solid doctrinally for the most part, but very little life. I found the label "the frozen chosen" to be appropriate. They were all "up in their heads" and somewhat oblivious in their approach to the mysteries of the Spirit and how to live in God's presence (or possibly it was more my lack of spiritual maturity, and I was not ready to hear whatever they offered in this area). I learned a ton theologically while there, however, and became more convinced and grounded in a Reformed theological outlook.

With my then-growing family (2 already born and one on the way) we moved to Massachusetts in 1982 to open a sales office for my business. While there we attended a Christian Reformed Church (Dutch Reformed) for about 4 years, then a Congregational Church for about 6 years eventually landing in a Baptist church for around 6 years (my wife had left our marriage and the Baptist church had a strong youth group which I attended for the benefit of my 4 kids, ages 12, 11, 9 and 7 at that time). 

After living in Massachusetts for approximately 16 years, I moved to the West Coast and attended an Evangelical Wesleyan Church for 4 years, eventually landing in a non-denominational Charismatic Church (co-pastored by 2 brothers) for 13 years, where I taught an adult bible class for 12 of those years.

I moved to Texas - since my daughter and her husband were considering starting their family (they have a son now) - and attending a Baptist church (in name only...which they keep under wraps) that operates more like a Presbyterian church in its form of government (e.g. a plurality of elders/pastors) and also in their eschatology, but also like a charismatic church in their style of worship.  

The main thing Baptist about them is that they practice adult Baptism. Otherwise, they even enjoy a good glass of wine or a beer - definitely not the kind of Baptist Church I used to attend. (They also do not emphasize the "cultural mandate" and exercising dominion over all aspects of culture, which is more common in Presbyterian and Dutch Reformed circles).

Why my church history? I have seen a lot of shapes and varieties of churches and the full theological spectrum within the church as a whole. I have observed what I feel are the good and not-so-strong sides of these various groups and drawn some conclusions along the way. The following are the differences I have seen. I am not suggesting I am right necessarily, only giving you my observations and understanding. In the following thoughts, I will discuss these and mainly compare and contrast the broader groups of Charismatic to non-Charismatic.

Charismatics

Charismatics tend to draw their sense of God's love through his present work and activity, such as experiences and manifestations of his love in and through his Spirit and various spiritual gifts. They are more experience and feeling-oriented in how they approach God, tending to look to experiences/manifestations as much as God's word, sometimes giving personal encounters with God more weight than scripture. Given the inclination of our fallen hearts, I have concluded this ¹can be and often is very shaky ground to stand on. They tend to be so focused on present experience that they can lose sight of the significance, importance, and completeness of God's past work in and through Christ and the vast depth and richness of that work for us in our day-to-day lives i.e. they tend to chase present experiences/manifestations of God instead of appreciating the rock-solid realities of God's presence due to Christ's work on our behalf, despite present circumstances, experiences, and manifestations or lack of them.

Other Evangelicals

On the other hand, non-charismatic types i.e. Calvinists, Reformed, Baptists, and non-charismatic evangelicals, tend to focus more on God's past work and Christ's future return, with minimum emphasis on his present work i.e. the necessity of ²operating "in the Spirit" and what that means exactly. They have a tendency to draw their sense of God's love through the depth and breadth of Christ's past work - if they do at all. 

My observation is many evangelicals within the non-charismatic part of the church know more about God - in their head - instead of having an ongoing, vital, daily personal relationship and experience of God. This was also true of me for a long time and is something I am constantly discovering more about. 

I find this is where Charismatics are stronger than most other evangelical churches. They at least have some life in them and seek to operate in the Spirit, if not always as strongly grounded in God's word. The downside of this, however, is that Charismatics can confuse some subjective experiences as proof they know God, when their experience may have nothing to do with God. Non-Charismatics, on the other hand, are propositional or doctrine-oriented (even among those who do not consider themselves cessationists or recognize the validity of all the gifts and the various activities of the Spirit). In fact, non-charismatics are so focused on propositional truth in scripture that they confuse knowledge about God with knowing God. (I discuss this further here.) There is little emphasis on seeking God's presence or experiencing manifestations of his presence ²through His Spirit and what that looks like in our day-to-day walk with God. They are so focused on Christ's past work, they can lose sight of God's present ongoing work by His Spirit and what it means and looks like. This is especially true of those in reformed circles, from my experience. 

Both Christ's past work and the Spirit's present work are necessary means by which God shows his love and grace to us and through us. They are equally vital. I would also suggest that for us to experience the latter (the work of the Spirit) as God intends, we must be firmly grounded in the former (the work of Christ). I address this tension throughout the various posts on this blog. To focus primarily on one to the exclusion of the other is missing out on all the vital means by which God reveals himself to us, no matter which side you fall on. 

We cannot emphasize one to the point of minimizing the other or we will miss out on the full benefit of both and the vital connection between them. A key work of the Spirit is to reveal to us the things of Christ. And not just propositionally, but in the day-to-day experience and manifestation of his presence through the various gifts and other means of grace i.e. worship, prayer, meditation, etc. 

Now, in saying all of this, these differences are not absolute distinctions but tendencies. All groups for the most part would say they believe what the other groups emphasize, but from my experience and observation, there is a very definite distinction in practice, even if there is a verbal acknowledgment by each of the other's views and approaches.

I would also add that the last church I attended (Baptist in affiliation) was more "charismatic" than most, and the former charismatic church I was in was far more scripturally oriented than most, with a slight reformed leaning in eschatology, while Arminian in their soteriology. But even with these two more "centrist" churches, there is still a considerable difference between them when you look "under the hood" and see how they operate and what they emphasize. 

For the non-charismatic groups, seeking and knowing the work of the Spirit is vital and a key missing piece. We are under grace because of the past work of Christ. But to be under grace is also to operate in the presence of God by His Spirit. I touch on this more here.  

My last church emphasized the past work of Christ and minimized the present work of the Spirit, as is typical of most non-charismatic churches.

Where I have landed... at present

I have personally been heavily influenced by Jonathan Edwards (1703 - 1758 who was instrumental in the first Great Awakening during the 1730's and 40's) and those who have studied him, such as John Piper (a Baptist), Tim Keller (a Presbyterian), and Kyle Strobel, (a professor at Talbot Seminary - also the son of Lee Strobel, author of "A Case for Christ").

Strobel is considered an Edwards scholar and did his Ph.D. about his understanding of spiritual formation - often referred to as sanctification. Edwards is wordy and also uses the 1700s variety of English - not unlike King James type English minus the "thee's and thou's" etc - which makes him hard to read.  Strobel, however, wades through this and does an excellent job of distilling his work and bringing out key aspects of Edwards's understanding of God in a way we can understand. I highly recommend all his work. The book at this link is a good summary overview by Strobel of what Edwards addresses regarding "spiritual formation" or what most evangelicals call sanctification. 

I have also posted some main truths Edwards discusses, summarized by Strobel here. 

While Edwards (along with the others mentioned) is within the reformed wing of the church, Edwards understands the importance of operating in the presence of God and the role of both our affections and our reason. As some may be aware, he's written an entire treatise on "Religious Affections" in an attempt to address and assess the increase in emotional displays during the "Great Awakening" in the 1730s - e.g. folks loudly crying out to God for mercy, going into trances or convulsions, fainting, weeping sometimes for days, etc. Though he felt there were excesses and counterfeit displays of "the Spirit" he also believed much of this was the work of God. 

(by "religious" Edwards means spiritual, as we would use it today. Not the legalistic performance-based variety common within the Evangelical community today) 

Interestingly, Edwards stresses (correctly I believe) that Christ is the eternal Word of God i.e. the truth and light (knowledge) of God revealed in the flesh and the Spirit is the passion and love of God poured out on us, through which Christ is revealed and the grace of Christ's work is applied (for a further discussion on this click here). Or as Edwards also likes to say, Christ is the light of God and the Spirit is the heat of God. Both knowledge and affection are vital in experiencing all of who God is and offers according to Edwards. So Edwards would not fit well in either a Charismatic or a stereotypical Evangelical church today, or maybe, to say it more positively, he could possibly work well with either. 

The balance and conclusion

Our current walk with God and the presence of the Spirit are anchored in the past work of Christ i.e. the gospel of grace. Without that work and a clear grasp of grace, there wouldn't be our present walk with in and by the Spirit. Our present experience of God is based on a clear and full understanding of this past work.  The truer our understanding, the greater our faith and the stronger we will experience the presence of God through His Spirit and day-to-day walk with God right now, this moment. We are not to focus just on Christ's past work or our future hope of glory but on our present ongoing dependence on/faith in/walk with God. Our experience of God does not start and end with the past work of Christ but only begins there. This past work is the vital foundation for our ongoing participation in the ever-present love of the Father, Son, and Spirit. As scripture says, "the just shall live (present continuous action in the original Greek) by faith" and "If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit" (Gal 5:25) - it is worth noting the context of Galatians is a discussion of being under grace and not the law i.e. there is a direct tie into operating in the Spirit and being under grace. For a further discussion on how the Spirit and grace are connected, click here. 

God did what he did in the past so we might know Him and walk with him in joy and power in every present moment today for the glory of His name. 

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¹Early on in his ministry, George Whitefield approached God in this way but later abandoned it after making a decision on "an impression from the Lord" that later proved to clearly not be His leading. 

²For a discussion on what I believe it means to operate in the Spirit, click here and here. 

For a discussion on being empowered by the Spirit, click here and here. 

Hypocrites in the church?

A complaint we often hear from those outside the church is why are there so many hypocrites in the church? The answer comes down to intent. 

Since ¹those of us within the church are given a clear standard of conduct we feel compelled to conform our behavior to this standard, if only in appearance because of peer pressure. However, if we are ¹not in Christ and not compelled by his love, this is the wrong reason to conform. We may be kind, thoughtful, and loving on the outside but in truth are "behaving ourselves" not to honor God but simply to fit into the prescribed and ²expected behavior of the church community.

When we do, we bring honor only to ourselves in the eyes of others. As Christ said, we have our reward i.e. the praise of men vs God. God, however, has absolutely nothing to do with this. This becomes apparent when real love requiring sacrifice is called for by someone who claims to be a believer and it's not there. This was the very same issue with the Pharisees. They did things to be seen of men not to honor God.

This is the core reason there are those within the church who are hypocrites. 

It is not necessarily unique to the church, however. All groups, associations, and memberships have hypocrites within their ranks. They are not there for the mission or vision of the organization but for their own purpose to impress others. It may have nothing to do with what an individual church teaches and everything to do with the individuals within the church. It actually may indicate that many churchgoers are not true believers at all or at least not looking to Christ as their primary source of love, identity, meaning, and purpose. 

For a discussion on "cultural Christians" vs true believers click here. 
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¹I distinguish between churchgoers and true followers of Christ not only because we can observe the difference in the values, attitudes, and actions, but also because Christ makes this distinction with the following three teachings.

...by their fruits -- the kind of fruit -- you will know them.

The parable of the wheat and weeds (tares)

Christ declaring he never knew some who had done many works "in his name."

²And when we do conform externally, we become proud and self-righteous, demanding others also conform while "looking down on them" when they don't. When in fact our conformity isn't true obedience from the heart but for show. Self-righteous folks, like anyone else, are still a mess on the inside, self-righteousness itself is an indication. 

The "last days" - two world views

The following is part 5 of a 5 part paper at 

https://thotsaboutgod.blogspot.com/2010/02/doom-and-gloom-of-dispensationalism.html 

I am posting this article separately for those who may not be interested in the weakness of the biblical claims behind the "last days" or "end times" teaching. I cover these claims in parts 1-3, particularly part 3 at the above link. If you wish to look at the rest of the paper after reading the below, click here or the link above. I have also put the link to the entire paper at the end.

5. Two World Views - two opposite approaches to our world

In parts 1-3, I addressed the more technical aspects of our understanding of key passages and the history of Dispensationalism in part 4. But are there any practical implications regarding this issue? Do these ¹two systems affect how we as the Church universal address our world today? I have already alluded to this in part 4 but wish to review this more closely in the following part (part 5).

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Let’s look at how each position deals with the moral decay in our society, the courts, and culture. Why do you think the Evangelical church, to a great degree, is resigned to let things continue to deteriorate morally, politically, and economically, virtually unchallenged? Whenever I have sent info or articles to my Dispensationalist friends regarding the current decline, their response is always, "It's a sign of the times and the imminent return of Christ." Then they go about their business as if there is nothing they can or should do. "Why try to fight it?" they reason. "It is all part of God’s plan and has already been predicted and predetermined," they might say. 

But how does a "Preterist" respond? (Preterist means references to the "last days" are about past events, not future ones. This is covered more in the full paper linked above). When things grow more oppressive, they pray even more earnestly and work even more diligently that God would reverse the trend to aid the advancement of His kingdom on earth. Reversal of moral corruption and the advancement of God’s kingdom is believed to not only be possible but is, in fact, God's desire, design, and will. The "preterist" sees current events as an opportunity to advance the Kingdom of God instead of a reason to "throw up our hands" in defeat and "hunker down" while we hold on and endure the decay until the Lord returns to rescue (aka "rapture") us out of this current mess. The Preterist view is the complete opposite of the all-too-common passive approach by a large number of dispensationalists.

The dispensationalists say it's all planned out, and to fight against the "signs of the times" is futile. These are the "last days." It’s all inevitable. Fighting this is the equivalent of "polishing the brass on a sinking ship" as one author suggested. Why bother?! The ship is sinking.

The "Preterist" however, says the current deterioration we are facing now is contrary to God's will (the advancement of His Kingdom on earth), and we must pray and work all the more earnestly for its reversal. The worse it gets, the greater the opportunities to do so because we are, in fact, called by Christ himself to this end. 

It is also during hard events that people are more open to hearing the good news that God has provided the way to return to Him. If the economy continues to deteriorate, what a significant opportunity to minister to people in need and point them to Christ as their comfort in a time of trouble! A very different mindset than shaking our heads at the downturn while we sit around gazing in the sky, looking and hoping for our Lord’s return to physically remove us from the world - wouldn’t you agree? Not unlike Israel, which expected the Messiah to rescue them from the hard circumstances of Roman occupation instead of their spiritual bankruptcy. 

Now consider how much greater an impact the church could have on our culture if they all held a historical/ preterist view of God's Word compared to a futurist view. Christians would be far more actively engaged in challenging and seeking to infuse God's influence into society today. And when we share Christ, it would not be as a fire insurance policy to "rapture" them out of this doomed world and save their "skin," but because they need Him to change their lives and deliver them from the MORAL decay of this present existence, not remove them physically from the earth. This would help advance His rule and reign on earth. Are you starting to see the difference? These are two VERY different views with two opposite approaches to our current world.

So there is no confusion, I am not suggesting that we change our understanding of scripture to be more effective in the world today. What I am saying is by aligning our worldview with scripture we will be more effective.

There is another very significant area that these two views influence. Would not the church be far more aggressive in seeking to point men and women of Jewish ancestry to Christ than we are today? Whenever Paul addressed the "Jew/Gentile" question regarding the gospel did he not say "to the Jew first, then the Gentile?" Yet this is not the attitude of much of the "Gentile" church today. (Actually, there should be no such distinction within the church. I am speaking only of our priority in advancing God's kingdom here on earth). How many converted Jews attend evangelical churches that you are aware of? How many converted Jews do you know personally? We know converted Hispanics, Asians, even Arabic/Moslems, etc. etc. don't we? Where are our fellow Jewish believers? Why are they not more incorporated into our evangelical churches? Why are there churches made up solely or primarily of "messianic Jews?" According to Paul, there is no longer a distinction between Jew and Gentile in Christ. Rom 10:12, Gal 3:28, Col 3:11.  Yet many evangelical churches and "Messianic Jews" today encourage and promote this distinction and have separate churches.

If we held a "Preterist" view, our focus, instead of seeking to support national Israel financially and politically, would be to reach them spiritually first. Yet we "Gentile" believers somehow (actually, it is clearly tied to a futurist view of the nation of Israel) ignore their needs spiritually and seek to advance them materially and politically instead. Was it not the focus of Christ while on earth to reach His fellow countrymen spiritually, and was this also not the same reason they missed the message of the Messiah? Wasn't it because they assumed His message of deliverance was earthly (i.e. political) instead of spiritual? Their desire for "political/earthly salvation" caused them to miss the actual message of Christ - and the Old Testament - altogether. 

Are we as evangelicals making the same mistake in seeking the political, earthly salvation of the state of Israel first, instead of their spiritual salvation? What is the greatest need of all men, the Jew first and then the Gentile? Is it not to find and recognize him as the Christ, the anointed one i.e. the Messiah and Savior first and foremost? Again, these are two unique approaches to this matter regarding the nation of Israel.

With this understanding, how differently might we handle events in the Middle East? Instead of sending billions in cash over the years to Israel, to aid them in defending themselves militarily, wouldn't they be better served if this money were used to send missionaries (of course, this is the church's role, not governments). 

And what best sustains "freedom and democracy" if not the gospel itself. No culture has ever advanced because "democracy" was the focus. The solution to man’s problems is not political but spiritual. When Christ is the focus i.e. the advancement of his Kingdom on earth through the conversion of individual men and women, it has always resulted in a dramatic change for good in society. In every culture where God's kingdom was advanced through the conversion of people to Christ; liberty, order, truth, and morality followed soon after and often for years to follow. 

There is a definite distinction between conversion to Christ and the “Americanization” of a country. I am not opposed to America. I love America for the freedom it historically has stood for and the creativity and generosity it still promotes. I love all aspects of America that recognize God's promises and grew out of a desire to honor Him. But what made America great was the humble submission of men and women to Christ and his rule/kingdom individually, which led to our submission to His rule collectively. Somehow, many in the church have confused conversion to Christ and “being American” as one and the same thing. That which is still good about America is only that which springs forth from a desire to honor God. 

America historically has been one of the best displays of this but is not the only example. Our loyalty should be to Christ first, and our country only to the extent it seeks and promotes Him and His rule over us. Everything wrong with America is exactly that which is the opposite of this. We should not be saying “America, love it or leave it” or “might makes right” but be considering how America as a whole has strayed from its original commitment to God and His truth. Understanding this is important, so we might pray with our eyes open and seek God to restore her original honor. When we, as a nation, honor Him again, not with lip service but with our resources, loyalties, and actions, He will honor us again as a nation. As long as we flippantly disregard honoring God, He will disregard us and continue to remove His hand of provision and protection.

Pro 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

Jas 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Spiritual awakening… a history.

Knowing the history of our past spiritual awakenings may be a clue to future ones. 

"The First Great Awakening" occurred in the North American Colonies in the early 1730s. Do you think this played any role in the formation of our country in 1776? Look at every spiritual awakening in history. History is full of examples of this very truth. Do you think it was because we were set up as a "Republic" that we prospered as a nation, or was it rather that we recognized God was the ultimate lawgiver to whom we must give an account and sought to design a government that best reflected this? Yet in today’s US of A, we wish to transport "democracy" around the world. Democracy, however, is not the solution to man's needs, Christ is and Him alone!!! "Advancing democracy" is like hanging plastic apples on a bush and saying, "See, it's now an apple tree" and then patting ourselves on the back for how good a job WE did!! 

Yet, the hearts of men must change first before any real and lasting change in culture can occur. And that is only through the work of Christ. We know this to not only true from scripture but from history.

As one pastor of my church pointed out, the difference between the Dispensational and Preterist camps is like the contrast between two armies - one planning to endure a siege, the other planning for an extended campaign of conquest. 

But we are speaking of spiritual conquest, not military conquest. Not only are the attitudes different, but their activities also reflect the needs they anticipate. In the army expecting siege (i.e. Dispensationalism), there would be little need for leadership development or generational transfer. With Dispensationalism they gear everything toward the immediate future, not for the long-term planning of building something that will help advance God’s kingdom for years to come for our kids and theirs.

This same pastor pointed out a quote he once saw on a futurist website: “Actually, it's always darkest...just before it goes completely black!” Not a very optimistic approach to the world. 

However, a historical understanding of scripture gives you a totally different attitude with huge implications for how we approach everything. With this understanding, you seek the advancement of the kingdom and see the importance of sharing this with all who will hear it. As our world becomes increasingly bankrupt, spiritually, morally, and financially, the appeal of Christ and the need for His solutions only become more apparent, and the opportunities only increase, not decrease.

The sad truth is in much of the American evangelical church, we have a pessimistic mindset about the advancement of God’s kingdom, and it shows. The reality, however, is that God is about advancing His kingdom. It’s just not happening to a great extent in America today due to the "doom and gloom" mindset of dispensational teaching.

·      According to the author Jim Rutz’s book Megashift, until 1960, Western evangelicals outnumbered non-Western evangelicals – mostly Latinos, blacks, and Asians – by two to one. As of 2000, non-Western evangelicals outnumbered Westerners by four to one. He says in 2010, that ratio should be seven to one.

·        "There are now more missionaries sent from non-Western nations than Western nations," according to the author.

·       Church growth outside of America is now breathtaking. Every morning, there are 175,000 more Christians in the world. And if current growth rates (8% a year) continue, there will be more Christians than the present world population by the autumn of 2032... about 8.2 billion.

Does the bible say anything about this?

Yes, through King Nebuchadnezzar'a dream.

31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone cut out by no human hand, struck the image on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But …the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. 

Further down, Daniel interprets the meaning.

Who is the stone? Christ! What is the mountain that filled the whole earth? The church universal. This is believed by both Preterists and Dispensationalists alike. 

The decline in the numbers above is no surprise because America is the strongest promoter of Dispensational theology.

When Christ said "the gates of hell will not prevail" against the church, our English translations don't do justice to the full meaning of the original Greek language. The verb tense in the original is the gates of hell will not withstand or stand up to the advancement of the church. (That was originally pointed out to me by a Dispensationalist interestingly, Dr. Ed Hindson who used to teach at Jerry Farwell's Liberty University). 

Talk about an optimistic mindset!!!! We are on the winning team, not just in eternity but here and now, and we need to act like it if we will have any chance of significantly impacting our world for Christ! How desperately the church needs to get a hold of this (myself included). How sad and unfortunate it is that because of the futurist pessimism (“It’s a sign of the times. The end is near. Hold on! Jesus is coming soon!” etc., etc.) permeating much of the church. We - the church - have disengaged to a large extent in speaking into our world. As a result, we look to the government to turn things around instead of Christ. 

Where in the bible does it tell us to look to government as our Savior? Nowhere!!! If we understood God has called us, - you and me - to be salt and light wherever there is darkness, and that the decay of our culture and society falls on us to address - by the power of His Spirit driving us and not our government - we would be on our knees day and night until His Spirit got a hold of us first. And then through us, He would get a hold of our fellow man and ultimately our culture and government. 

Government plays a role but as an instrument of God for change, not the cause of it. Desperate times call for desperate measures and desperate dependence on God and Spirit-driven action for God. Instead of enduring all the garbage and deception in the world as we look to the sky, hoping and waiting for Christ to come and rescue us from it all, we should speak out on the bankruptcy of this world and unapologetically offer the hope and power of Christ in this life and the one to come. How exciting, positive, and refreshing is that!?! May God give us the grace and understanding to see His heart regarding these things!

For a look at what the bible says about the promise to Abram (later named Abraham) regarding the nation of Israel, click here. 

For a discussion on how "last days" teaching aids the advancement of one-world government, click here. 

If you wish to read the rest of the paper this article is taken from click here.

If you wish to discuss any of the points addressed in this article or have questions, please message me at  

thoughtsaboutGod@pm.me Ask for Jim. God Speed

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*When referring to two systems I have Dispensationalism specifically in mind and not the broader category of Futurists. I do so because that was the camp I was in for years and am most familiar with. I have also been told by non-dispensational futurists that their view of the world is more optimistic than how I characterize Dispensationalists in this section. If so that is good. I never had an extended conversation with any while still in the Dispensational camp.

discrimination?

Have you ever felt discriminated against? How did it feel? I experienced what some would consider discrimination only twice in my life. Once, years ago, when I transferred from one college to another. The second time was more recently when I moved from one state to another.

Was I being discriminated against? By today's definition, some would argue yes. At a minimum, I at least felt I was being avoided, but not for the reasons I thought.

Even though my experiences were not on par with a lifetime of discrimination, the solution is the same whether you experience a lifetime of "discrimination" or only once or twice, like I did. It's not how long or often I experienced it, but that I did. As a result, I now understand, to a limited degree, what it feels like.

Indulge me as I share some background to help flesh out what I experienced and learned. 

The first instance was when I transferred from one Christian college to another. I was 21 and had known the Lord for only 4 years. I already attended one college for two years but as the summer after my Sophomore year progressed, it became increasingly clear I would not earn enough to go back. I was discouraged and disappointed. 

A family heard about my situation and anonymously offered to pay for me to go to a different Bible College. I found this out towards the end of the summer, right around the application cut off time. I recall even missing the deadline. Miraculously, I was accepted. Though a little apprehensive about changing schools, I was excited and took this as God's confirmation I was on the right track and in for a treat.

Because I could not transfer all my credits, I was classified as a sophomore again. Bummer! Instead of being halfway through college, I was only 1/4 through - my first obstacle. In addition, I was two years older than the typical sophomore because of working a year after high school and having to redo my sophomore year. When I transferred I was a 21-year-old sophomore when most of my classmates were 19. Two years' difference isn't usually a big deal but after being a year in the workforce and no longer fresh out of high school I discovered two years, in this circumstance, were light-years apart.

My new classmates had also already spent a full year together establishing friendships. Unexpectedly, I walked into a situation where it seemed impossible to connect with anyone. I made friends with a few juniors and seniors closer to my age but they had even longer-standing friendships and what seemed a full plate of friends already, so I didn't make a strong connection their either. I felt surprisingly isolated, in a Christian college no less. It seemed no matter what I did or how hard I tried, people avoided me. Being an army brat, moving around a lot, I had always been able to make new friends fairly easily -- not this time. I was lonely and miserable. So much so I remember telling God it would be ok if he took me home -- not to live with my parents but to be with Him in eternity -- and hoping he would.

The second event... 

was just 4 years ago. This was surprising since I thought I had already sorted this through with the above instance several years before. My daughter and her husband were considering starting a family and asked if I would come out and be a granddad, to which I gladly agreed. So I pulled up roots - I am now single, so not a big deal to move - and moved from San Diego to Austin, Texas.  

I had been in my former church in San Diego for close to 12 years. It was a typical church spanning the full generational spectrum with babies, teens, young adults to a few in their 80's and everything in between. Probably the average age was in the 40's to early '50s. I was 49 when I first started attending, right in the thick of things chronologically. Age-wise I was also right in the middle of the two brothers who co-pastored the church; one a year older than me and one a year younger. I even went surfing with the younger brother a few times. While there, I taught a class for 11 years, lead a home group, a men's group and was co-director of a men's discipleship program. I had established some strong connections. 

A new church and whole new ball game. 

At my new church in Austin, the senior pastor was 40 at the time and my local lead pastor was in his early 30's, along with our two elders and the other lead pastors and elders at the other local congregations -- we are a multi-congregational church at 5 different locations. The original downtown congregation was near a major University with the average attendee's age in their mid-'20s with many under 20. A much younger church than I had ever attended. Plus I wasn't a kid anymore being 61 at the time I moved.

After a few months I began leading a home group where the age ran from late 20’s to mid 30’s. My daughter and her husband were in the group. Right away I "felt" the age difference. I was the "old guy" for sure. During our social time, any conversation involving pop culture went totally over my head. If you talked about music from the 60s and 70s or movies and sports up through the 90s I was right with you, after that, I was not -- not owning a TV for the last 6 years didn’t help. I was from "another era" but it felt more like from another planet. 

On Sundays, I also felt isolated and found it hard to connect -- being one of only a handful of "whiteheads" probably didn't help. My external difference stood out like a sore thumb. In our congregation, there was only a small group of folks close to my age and maybe only one or two at my age or older - this has since changed with several older folks now attending. After church, folks were happy to see each other, touching base and catching up on the past week while I was off to the side looking in. I am also single now. Even those I knew close to my age were married; another area I was "different" from the handful of my peers. Again I found myself in a unique set of circumstances that made me feel even more isolated.  

Why all the background? To illustrate and help explain a very important lesson I learned in both cases, but on a fuller level the second time. 

Where did the learning start? Regarding the first event, while in college I took a class on the Prophets. The book of Habakkuk floored me. Things were really bad in the nation of Israel, yet God was doing something vital and very significant no matter how it appeared otherwise. As a result, Habakkuk gained a new perspective that enabled him to overcome the greatest obstacles. That message landed for me, and my whole outlook shifted. I'll address the result shortly since it is the same for both events. 

Regarding the second event, after being in Texas for 3 years and digging into God's word I was increasingly reminded that His love and presence had nothing to do with my circumstances or feelings. This experience actually forced me to grow deeper roots into the gospel of God's grace. As I let this sink in again, it began to free me up to focus more on the needs of others i.e. I gradually stopped having a pity party - though once in a while I still need to "check" myself. 

In both cases, I was reminded that God is with me and for me, not against me. And guess what happened? People started becoming more friendly as my attitude shifted. Looking back, I think they always were friendly but I was giving off such a negative vibe of desperation; I was repelling people. I felt discriminated against, or so I thought. And maybe, in a way, I was. More on this in a minute.

Regarding the more recent second event, I also learned there is actually a label for people "discriminated" against because of age. It's called ageism. Who would have thought!? It is something I hadn't even considered before then. I'm not saying this doesn't happen, but I came to see that ultimately it doesn't matter. I chuckle a little thinking about it now.

Regarding the first event, once I realized God was working even when it didn't appear or feel like it, my outlook shifted and folks seemed to suddenly "come out of the woodwork" and became much friendlier. Seeing this truth freed me from being the victim. Plus, I gained a whole new group of friends since I was no longer so desperate to find them.

What I learned about others and myself. 

It was good going through these situations to get a sense of what many feel when they are not being treated "fairly" or at least not being treated the way they feel they **should be. But the bigger lesson for me was no one enjoys hanging out with someone who has a chip on their shoulder or constantly "playing the victim card" and feeling sorry for themselves. 

Unless we are tuned in to God and are exceptionally gracious, none of us like being around someone negative, resentful, or having a pity party. If someone is always whining and playing the victim, people avoid *them. It is too emotionally draining and time-consuming for others when they already have a full plate - I'm sure, with little effort, you can think of someone who fits the bill. The irony is the more we complain about being avoided - or "discriminated" against, the more we are avoided. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. We are a major part of the problem. Instead of looking at ourselves and how we contribute to the problem we demand being treated more fairly - often demanding an apology as well, even trying to "guilt" others into treating us as we demand - which pushes people even further away and creates resentment for having a guilt trip put on them.

Actually, we all, in varying degrees, are inclined to avoid others like this. Is this being discriminatory in a negative sense? Maybe, but on a certain level, I think this is normal and even valid. Everyone has their rough periods and we should be there for them during those times. But also we need to be wise in how we handle others who have no genuine interest in becoming better but simply seek to use and take advantage of others. Christ cautioned not to "cast our pearls before swine." He wasn't calling people pigs but using an analogy to illustrate why we shouldn't give something valuable to someone who would not truly appreciate it. There may be times it is appropriate or necessary to reach out to someone who takes advantage of others but we must be sure God is calling us to such a situation. If not, you will not be making wise use of your time and resources and could get burnt out as a result. Christ sought out those who genuinely and humbly appreciated what he offered. He told his disciples to brush the dust off their feet when they leave the town of those who don't. 

The important lesson is how we are treated sometimes has little or nothing, to do with who we are externally - our gender, **** "race" or age - but with who we are internally. It is more about our attitude toward ourselves and others, not our outward appearance or identity. The good news is we may not always be able to change our external characteristics or attributes, but we can always change our attitude. 

We all can probably think of someone who doesn't have a lot going for them as far as the world or a certain group is concerned -- they are the "wrong" height, age, gender, look, color (hair or otherwise), accent, tell the wrong jokes etc.etc. -- but because they have such a great outlook on life, we love being around them. I can think of a few in high school and college like this. One was a small, slightly pudgy wheelchair-bound girl named Debbie with muscular dystrophy, with no hope for a cure. I heard she went to be with the Lord only a few years later. She was probably in her twenties when I met her.  She loved Jesus, and it showed. Even though you could hardly understand her, everyone loved Debbie. She wasn't self-absorbed or self-conscious but friendly, thoughtful, always smiling, and focused on others. As the saying goes, no one likes a whiner and everyone loves a "winner" -- not necessarily on the outside but on the inside. There were lots of reasons people might want to avoid Debbie, but there was one big reason they didn't. She loved others. 

When we recognize God sees us *# as valuable and is working in and through us for our good, regardless of circumstances, condition, status, etc., our attitude and outlook changes. We become more attractive internally and it comes out in how we treat and approach others and how they respond and treat us back. We are no longer victims but overcomers through the love of Christ. Who we are in Christ is far more important than how we are treated or perceived. This doesn't make mistreatment right but it makes it less significant, maybe even insignificant.

As odd as it sounds to me today, I felt at least a little mistreated during these two events. The former because I was the outsider and the later because I was an "old man." As I was freed from negative and destructive thinking, others' treatment of me changed. I was the same guy on the outside; my hair was still white - the 2nd event anyway - but now I was giving off a very different "vibe." As a result, folks began to treat me differently. Instead of avoiding me, they were friendly. Imagine that! 

During the first event, people seemed to avoid me - and probably did to some extent. Even if they didn't, I couldn't see it. I was too busy feeling sorry for myself. If they didn't go out of their way to make me feel welcomed, I felt mistreated.

When I stopped thinking of myself

I am not at all suggesting some groups or individuals are not mistreated more than others, nor whether this is right. It is not. Could the folks have treated me better in these different situations? Possibly, but if not handled properly it would only have reinforced my unhealthy attitude. That wouldn't have been in my best interest or theirs. When I was feeling "discriminated against," my concern was all about me, *****not others. This was definitely not loving my neighbor as myself.

The ultimate example of the opposite of a pity party is Christ when he hung the cross and said, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."

It also helps to stop and consider how things operate in God's economy. Being mistreated isn't ******unusual in a fallen and broken world but neither is it without benefit. If we are his children, God is always working, always with us and always using all things for our good. To focus on being mistreated now or in the past loses sight of this very basic truth and does no one any good. We are even cautioned to not let a root of bitterness grown within us. It, in fact, negatively affects everyone around us. If there is injustice, though it is wrong, it is not for us to demand it for ***ourselves. We can hope for it and seek it for others, but beyond that, we must leave it in God's hands and trust he alone knows how best to address this and will do what needs to be done as we seek to honor him. We are to look to God to fight our battles, not ourselves, assuming one even needs to be fought.

Paul talked about his inward man being renewed as his outer man died. And he spoke of this as gaining for him an eternal benefit far greater than any temporary loss. As his children and disciples, this is the outlook we are also called to have regardless of who we are or how we are treated. 

So there is a tension. It is wrong to mistreat and oppress others, but our life is of far greater significance than what we experience in this present and temporary existence. And as we seek to honor God, we will be mistreated regardless, if just for this reason alone. Christ said if they persecuted Me they will persecute you if you seek to honor me. This is the outlook we are called to have. Demanding justice for ourselves and feeling we are a victim does not bring about God's honor. 

The old saying is appropriate when it comes to "discrimination"... You can please all the people some of the time. Some of the people all the time but you will never please all the people all the time. 

Another way of saying this is some are not going to like us no matter what we do, what color we are, what our nationality or age is, and so on. This happens to everyone regardless of who they are. Yes, we are to be at peace with all men, but it also says as far as it is up to us. You can't win every one, so stop trying. Also, don't make everything about discrimination and assume you are being treated wrongly because of who you are. It may be for that reason but it's not automatic. And frankly, for people who don't treat us well, it's not worth our time and energy to focus on. We are called to be content no matter what our station in life and to love our enemies. As followers of Christ, we are to be about God's mission, not ours. His is about advancing his glory and kingdom throughout the world to all people of every nation and color. When we are wronged - and if you haven't been yet, wait... you will be at some point, regardless of race - remember that Vengeance is mine says, God. I will repay, not us. 

For a further discussion of being a victim click here.

For a further discussion of being a victim vs an offender click here. 

For a further discussion on racism and forgiveness click here. ___________________________________________________________

* or they will find other victims and have a pity party together. Their common bond is an example of classic co-dependence. 

*# as well as created us exactly the way we are and put us where we are. If we take issue with our lot in life we must address that with God first, not our fellow man.

** "should" is the fruit of demanding and is rooted in pride

***Though I think it is right to plead for justice on the behalf of others -- particularly those who are genuinely defenseless and unable to defend themselves, such as the unborn -- it is not for us to do it on our own behalf and certainly not to demand it for ourselves. But that is the key; doing it for ourselves. We must plead our case before God not man and entrust ourselves into His care.

****I put this in quotes because our race is not the primary thing that defines us. In the most important and ultimate sense, it's insignificant. What defines us is who God says we are, not others.

Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Rom 10:12  For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.

And what else does God say about us? We are all in His image i.e. we are like God. It is in this sense the founders meant that all men are created equal -- they understood that to include both genders. -- We are not necessarily equal in our skills or circumstances but in our value and significance to God. 

***** In fairness it should be pointed out people rightfully get upset when those they love get mistreated. However, the question then becomes what should we do about it. How do we handle it? Certainly, it's worth raising awareness of injustice. But if injustice is not addressed - or while we are seeing to raise awareness - it can become a real opportunity to point those we love to Jesus and to look to him for love, not feeble humanity. This world is broken and Christ told us in this world we will have tribulation, not might have it. But he also said, I have overcome the world. In Him, we and those we love can also overcome it. 

******We all offend and are offended.  For a discussion of the solution click here.
 

 #racism, racial, race