Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
The Majesty of Righteousness Part 2: Evil
So last week, we had the introduction to "The Moral Argument".
Why was this necessary? Because in order for us to understand the magnificence of Righteousness, there has to be a moral framework in order to ascribe to a person: they are righteous before [God].
And because at the bottom of this, supporting our desire for truth, justice, punishment and reward, then a moral code has to exist on which to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad.
Last week we went through some examples of evil - current and Biblical.
So if we accept that God is necessary for a [objective] moral law on which to differentiate between good and bad, let's define bad, or evil.
How do we describe / define evil?
l] Show IPA
Ravi Zacharias, defined evil this way: The misuse of something other than what it's intended purpose was for [that does not produce good].
Before we move from "How can a God of all love and power allow so much evil to occur", we HAVE TO define what evil is.
The Bible defines evil in two categories - between each other and between ourself and God.
Evil (without God) is also broken into "natural evil" and morally evil. (human induced).
Given that the majority of our problems in this world are relationally based the latter is what we're talking about today.
If we accept the definition as "the misuse of something other than what its intended purpose was for", then we have to ask ourselves, what is the purpose and intent for mankind?
Answer: To be in relationship with each other and God.
Now you can see where this is going....
For example, what do the 10 commandments state:
How to conduct relationships - first between God our yourself secondly between each other.
IF as an atheist or agnostic, the question of evil and suffering occurs and hence the reason God can't exist, then the atheist must therefore define what evil is? Then what a moral law is and then who the author of that moral law is when there is just time+matter+chance that brought all this into existence with no purpose, no intent, no moral law...
"Not one proponent of evolutionary ethics has explained how an impersonal, amoral first cause through a non moral process has produced a moral basis of life - especially as they simultaneously deny any objective moral basis of good and evil".
Can you see that in order to have righteousness, we need to agree on purpose and intention of the person, then a moral law and a moral law giver.
Have you ever noted that a moral law is always about a person or for a person. Moral law is relationally based..... what was God doing in the desert with the Jews - giving them a framework for relationships in order that humanity would FULFILL their purpose of existence.
Jesus said: I have come to FULFILL the law and the prophets.....
Resources: http://www.gotquestions.org/definition-of-evil.html
Why was this necessary? Because in order for us to understand the magnificence of Righteousness, there has to be a moral framework in order to ascribe to a person: they are righteous before [God].
And because at the bottom of this, supporting our desire for truth, justice, punishment and reward, then a moral code has to exist on which to differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad.
Last week we went through some examples of evil - current and Biblical.
So if we accept that God is necessary for a [objective] moral law on which to differentiate between good and bad, let's define bad, or evil.
How do we describe / define evil?
e·vil
[ee-vuhl] Show IPA
adjective
1.
morally wrong or bad; immoral; wicked: evil deeds; an evil life.
2.
harmful; injurious: evil laws.
3.
characterized or accompanied by misfortune or suffering; unfortunate; disastrous: to be fallen on evildays.
4.
due to actual or imputed bad conduct or character: an evil reputation.
Before we move from "How can a God of all love and power allow so much evil to occur", we HAVE TO define what evil is.
The Bible defines evil in two categories - between each other and between ourself and God.
Evil (without God) is also broken into "natural evil" and morally evil. (human induced).
Given that the majority of our problems in this world are relationally based the latter is what we're talking about today.
If we accept the definition as "the misuse of something other than what its intended purpose was for", then we have to ask ourselves, what is the purpose and intent for mankind?
Answer: To be in relationship with each other and God.
Now you can see where this is going....
For example, what do the 10 commandments state:
How to conduct relationships - first between God our yourself secondly between each other.
IF as an atheist or agnostic, the question of evil and suffering occurs and hence the reason God can't exist, then the atheist must therefore define what evil is? Then what a moral law is and then who the author of that moral law is when there is just time+matter+chance that brought all this into existence with no purpose, no intent, no moral law...
"Not one proponent of evolutionary ethics has explained how an impersonal, amoral first cause through a non moral process has produced a moral basis of life - especially as they simultaneously deny any objective moral basis of good and evil".
Can you see that in order to have righteousness, we need to agree on purpose and intention of the person, then a moral law and a moral law giver.
Have you ever noted that a moral law is always about a person or for a person. Moral law is relationally based..... what was God doing in the desert with the Jews - giving them a framework for relationships in order that humanity would FULFILL their purpose of existence.
Jesus said: I have come to FULFILL the law and the prophets.....
Resources: http://www.gotquestions.org/definition-of-evil.html
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Why I joined the Board of African Enterprise
“One death is a tragedy; one
million is a statistic”
Stalin.
How many people have been
destroyed in Africa in the last 50 years?
If 231 Million died by war or conflict globally in the 20th
century, one would suggest Africa had
its fair share.
Rwanda, Congo, Sierra-Leone,
South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Milawi
and yes who can forget Uganda.
Feeling overwhelmed ? Too big
a burden for little old me? - I am.
Is secular education the
answer?
UN Peacekeepers?
Government Aid?
Water pumps, food drops….
Before answers are prescribed,
i need to know a diagnosis first. A doctor prescribing aspirin for cancer based
on the symptoms of a migraine is clearly not going to help.
Finally someone diagnoses the problem:
The strongly outspoken
atheist journalist Matthew Parris from the British masthead, The Times wrote
the following in a highly provocative article titled: “As an atheist, I truly
believe Africa needs God”.
“Now a
confirmed atheist, I've become convinced of the enormous contribution that
Christian evangelism makes in Africa: sharply distinct from the work of secular
NGOs, government projects and international aid efforts. These alone will not
do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa Christianity changes
people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The
change is good.”
My wife and I support 5
children in Africa through Compassion, Child Fund and Irene Gleeson Foundation.
It’s an excellent start, a
worthy investment.
We also support Opportunity
International and have funded several “trust banks” in the African continent to
support the grass-roots micro finance revolution taking place.
A “must have” organisation to
partner with to address grass roots poverty.
Each Trust Bank supports
upwards of 800 people and the money get’s repaid and re-loaned – a brilliant
way out of poverty.
I say this only to say, the
practical help is important – Nim and I try to put our money where our mouth
is….
…..are these the answers
before a diagnosis? Is poverty
symptomatic of something more egregious? Is more money the answer, more aid?
Perhaps in of itself not,
excellent and good as they are, I say this with a reflective salient countenance;
Matthew Parris nails the problem bulls-eye!
“Those who
want Africa to walk tall amid 21st-century global competition must not kid
themselves that providing the material means or even the knowhow that
accompanies what we call development will make the change. A whole belief system must first be supplanted.
And I'm afraid it has to be supplanted by another. Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.”
And I'm afraid it has to be supplanted by another. Removing Christian evangelism from the African equation may leave the continent at the mercy of a malign fusion of Nike, the witch doctor, the mobile phone and the machete.”
If it weren’t for the fact
that Mr Parris intensely dislikes a world view that includes God, but that he
being a Brit raised in Africa, works in London and went back to his childhood
land, admits the value of a Christ filled world view on people, is
breath-taking. Finally someone from
outside Christendom who sees the issue at its core. It’s not just Christians calling it out.
The Answer
“A whole belief system must
first be supplanted [by a Christ based one]”.
If one can invest all the
worlds resource into a society(s) that has a false ideology then is it going to
fix the problem or just Band-Aid it?
What does African Enterprise have to do with it?
How about this:
-
Reaches on
average 1,000,000 people a year in evangelism to hear the message of faith hop
and love, repentance and an invitation to have a transformed heart and spirit
-
Provides aid to
several hundred thousand people a year
-
Trains up local
leaders in local churches to reach their local community
-
Works with
governments, community leaders to bring about fundamental change to what
Matthew Parris describes as ideologies based on superstition, the big man
gangsta and fear
-
Focuses on
working with local city based churches across denominations.
Did you know that:
-
About 30,000
people a day make first time decisions to be reconciled with God and their
fellow people in Africa
o That’s is roughly 30,000 people a day saying: “Lord,
forgive me, teach me, fill me with your holy spirit, help me follow you help me
love you as my fellow man with all my heart mind soul and strength”
-
Estimated 1,200
new churches are planted each month
-
Predicated over
the next 20-30 years that the majority of Africans will be residing in the
major cities (a mass internal urban migration from the countryside)
-
AE was started
over 50 years ago by Michael Cassidy
-
They have been
endorsed from Billy Graham to Bishop Desmond Tutu
What can you do?
Like me, 2 things you can do:
1.
Pray for AE –
sign up here to their prayer diary: http://www.africanenterprise.com/en/australia/you-can/prayer/
2.
Give – either time
or money: http://www.africanenterprise.com/en/australia/you-can/giving/
Wether it’s
$50 or $100 a month or $5,000 as a one off, it all gets used.
Please pray
for the Board and more so the team at AE.
The 20th
century has been the bloodiest and most violent century man has ever known. The
message of hope and reconciliation, forgiveness and the chance to have a
person’s heart transformed by the Holy Spirit is what is needed most. If you support other charities I commend you,
continue to do so.
For me AE was
an easy choice, it didn’t replace the practical material support Nim and I
give, AE just gets added.
Check this out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGbXbOyJ16k&list=UU4xeeOVUHxkufdEq06pyllA&index=9
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