Tag Archives: Jesus

Feb 24 2014

Is it Possible to go to Heaven Without Hearing the Gospel of Jesus?

The debate between Christian progressives and fundamentalists rages over this question. The former say yes, the later say no.

Delight in Truth is with the fundamentalists on this one.  It is not possible for a human being to be saved without hearing and believing the gospel. The gospel states that every man is a sinner under the wrath of God and must be born again unto life by hearing and believing that Jesus died and rose again to atone for the sin of those who believe in Him.

So, here are the common issues brought up:

1. The people prior to Jesus’s public ministry certainly did not hear the name of Jesus. Are they all condemned? The answer is no. The saints of the Old Testament are saved through Jesus. They were looking forward to the Christ and His suffering. The Christ, or the Messiah, was a very common theme in Judaism and those faithfully waiting for the Christ to save them are certainly saved by faith. Here is the example of Moses looking forward to Jesus:

“He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” Heb 11:26

2. What about those people who did not have access to the Moses and the Law and the Abrahamic covenant? There a few exceptions prior to Abraham where special revelation from God was given to certain people. Melchizedek and Job are examples of this.

3. Now, here is the big one. After the time of Christ, what about those people who by virtue of their geographic location could not have access to the gospel? Examples here include ancient Japanese, Chinese, Aztecs (see art above), Mayans, etc… Could any of them be saved?

If the bible is correct, the answer is no. Apostle Peter says of Jesus:

“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The progressives will now bring up the Romans 1 and 2 discourse regarding conscience being a guide and providing teaching between right and wrong:

“14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.” Rom 2:14-16

Too bad this is in the context of judgement. This is the judgement at the White Throne when God will judge all of condemned humanity. This is not a judgement for those who are saved.

The law that is embedded in everyone’s heart is there for condemnation, not for salvation. It does not have the power to save. It can only condemn.

This is what the Bible teaches. Complete exclusivity through Jesus. This is our impetus to evangelize the world! Jesus is the only Way!

Jan 20 2014

What Will It Take for an Atheist to Believe in God?

The real answer to this question, of course is the work of  conviction and renewal by the Holy Spirit in their heart.

But what do hardened atheists say when asked this question?

This is what atheist Peter Boghossian writes in his book A Manual for Creating Atheists:

“…if I walked outside at night and all of the stars were organized to read, “I am God communicating with you, believe in Me!” and every human being worldwide witnessed this in their native language, this would be suggestive (but far from conclusive as it’s a perception and could be a delusion).”

On Real Time with Bill Maher, Maher has a humorous response to what it would take for him to believe:

“Jesus Christ coming down from the sky during the halftime show at the Super Bowl and turning nachos into bread and fish.”

Silly atheists…

Delight in Truth would argue that some of these atheists would reject Jesus even if He came down during the Super Bowl and performed a physical miracle.  Follow the conversations Jesus has with His opponents in John 6 and John 8.  Despite the miracles He was doing in their midst, they still did not believe in Him. In fact, they wanted to kill Him.  In the same way we have hardened people today who hate God (even though they claim he does not exists).

Clearly pharaoh did not believe in God despite the exceptional miracles performed through Moses… and in our case, Maher would have us think that he would believe in Jesus if he saw nachos turn into bread… This is an abominable proposition in the very least.

Why do atheistic activists fight with such fervor against the concept of a monotheistic God, especially the God of the Bible? When was the last time you saw an anti-theist mock an eastern religion? They focus on Christianity and Jesus because that is where the truth is, and the truth bothers them. They have no problem with Buddhism and other polytheistic religions, but they go after the Judeo-Christian beliefs.

Why?

Because they love sin.

God’s moral standard is perfect and they reject it in favor of their own system of so-called morality. They do this in order to numb their God-given conscience and continue to sin.

The next time an atheist or anti-theist challenges you, ask him why he fights so hard against a God whom he claims does not exist…

Jan 13 2014

How Another Doctor Challenged My Faith

surgeon hospital pay

“Hey, so I understand you go to church and all that stuff…”

“Do you really believe that there is a God who created the universe?”

“How do you reconcile all your years of studying science and medicine with your faith?”

These were the blunt question, and sometimes these are the conversations in the operating room (when the situation permits).

My colleague is a bright physician of Jewish descend who sometimes attends synagogue for social reasons because deep down he does not believe in God. So we proceeded to discuss creationism vs. evolution.  I went to the heart of the matter showing him problems in the theory of evolution, particularly relating to speciation. We discussed the Big Bang, and I pointed out problems there including the concept of the expanding and contracting universe necessary for the Big Bang theory; also how the issue of time complicated the matter. After all, the Big Bang does not explain how the universe came to be, it merely places the problem into a different context.

As a naturalist, his only comeback was that science has not yet figured it out.

After a while the Holy Spirit made me realize that this is not the way to handle an apology for the Christian faith.

Next I went to the real heart of the matter.

Jesus.

Because in that name there is power.

As a Jewish man, he was well acquainted with the Davidic kingdom. It was a perfect opportunity to ask him how would he explain the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 22 coming true in the Person of Jesus Christ.  Here we have David under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit writing one of the most specific prophecies about Christ which came true 1000 years later when Christ was crucified.

“He trusts in the LORD,” they say, “let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” (Ps 22:8)

Evangelists Matthew accounts this exact accusation at the cross by the priests and scribes:

“He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him” (Matt 27:43)

Again in Psalm 22:

“All my bones are on display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” (Ps 22:17-18)

Apostle John accounts this exact detail at the cross:

“When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” (John 19:23-24)

I presented this prophecy to my friend including the historical account of its fulfillment.  There was no concept of crucifixion at the time of David, no concept of casting lots of for the victims clothing by the ones crucifying the victim. I asked him, how do you explain such accurate description of the passion of Jesus Christ  as the Messiah written by David 1000 years before it happened?

He was at least somewhat impressed by this outrageous information. He promised to go home and read the Scripture I quoted.

May the Holy Spirit continue his work here.

Nov 13 2013

Abortion, then Regret

“Two years ago today, November 11, 2013, I had an abortion. It still hurts just as much now today as it did the day it happened. This abortion was not something I wanted to do, but my boyfriend at the time insisted he knew what was better for me than I did and told me if I didn’t do it he would leave me, and I would be alone. I was so wrapped up in the relationship, I didn’t want to let him down, so I did what he said. On the drive home, I cried and cried, and he yelled at me and said, “you can’t change what happened, so stop crying.”

The next day he broke up with me, and from that day until about a month ago, he strung me along and told me it was my fault that I went through with the abortion. I have yet to go talk to someone about this sensitive topic because I have not been able to verbally talk about it with anyone and I am afraid to talk about it face to face. I would like to see a day where abortion was done away with so no other girl has to feel this pain. It is one of the worst pains I have felt in my life.”

Age: 21
Location: Goshen, Indiana
Date: November 11, 2013

The is the testimony of regret.

Regret is a step in the right direction, but it is only the first step in the process that ultimately relieves the fundamental pain in the soul of this young woman.

Delight in Truth argues that abortion in many of these cases is not the central problem.  The heart of the matter has to do with a lifestyle of sin in rebellion to God, and the absence of the Gospel in the life of individuals who undergo abortions.

Abortion, although a sin in itself, is a by-product or a consequence of living in sin. The result of sin hurts on so many levels. Premarital sexual relationships are often complicated by abortion. Many of these women who undergo the procedure already know ahead of time that their relationship is wrong.

In the case above, the woman aborted the baby in order to keep the boyfriend.

WHAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP MUST BE MAINTAINED BY AN ABORTION?

That is not a relationship that is based on the love of God for his church, the way a marriage is defined in the Bible.

The problem above is that sin has not be addressed at its root. This sin is now an overwhelming burden that cannot be endured. This is where the cross comes into the picture.  Jesus died even for the sin of abortion.  The Bible tells us that he took our inequities upon Himself so that His children will not bear the guilt and eternal punishment.

Jesus took upon Himself even the sin of abortion.

I pray this anonymous mom will find Jesus.

Oct 30 2013

Music Can Evangelize

I have been known to have “Jesus” music on my iPhone.  That’s how some people at work call it.  I honestly like that label, even though it is probably meant in a slightly negative way.

One of the perks of being an anesthesiologist is the ability to decide if the situation is routine enough to allow playing some music in the operating room. It has been shown that music in the work place can relax the workers, increase concentration, and increase efficiency.

One of the biggest compliments ever paid to me was when a new surgeon arrived in town. I may have been playing Casting Crowns or Crowder during the surgery. After the case he said “I knew there was something different about you.” Himself a Christian, he identified me as a fellow believer based on my playlist.

Today I worked with him again and we were listening to internet radio when the song Amazing Grace by Phil Wickham came on. The other people in the room were not believers.  We were all listening as we were working, and Phil’s lyrics were playing in the background:

This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You would lay down Your life
That I would be set free
Jesus, I sing for
All that You’ve done for me

The Holy Spirit made me realize that these words are the Gospel being heard by the other 4-5 people in the room.

We were silent as we worked.

Silence, and the words of “Jesus” music filling the room.

Oct 13 2013

Father and Mother Make the Family

2013-10-11-adrian-peterson-44

In the aftermath of the unthinkable tragedy which occurred this past week when NFL star Adrian Peterson’s 2-year-old son was assaulted and killed by his mother’s boyfriend, Delight in Truth is once again considering the national tragedy of children born out-of-wedlock. Up to 40% of children born in the US today are born outside of marriage, and the percent rises to 72 in the case of black children.

There is a new term in social work describing the relationship between unmarried, divorced, or non-cohabitating parents.

Co-parenting.

The family unit is no longer a unit in a large segment of homes. In those cases children no longer get the necessary father-mother-child interaction that is a God ordained family structure.

So the children suffer on multiple levels.  Decreased performance in school, emotional problems, and abuse.  And death.

Single parent homes have become the norm, and gay couples raising children are on the rise. But fresh data out of Canada just dropped a bomb on the idea that children do just as well in gay households as in traditional families. The large study reveals that children raised by gay couples were only 65% as likely to graduate from high school compared with their traditional counterparts.  This differential continued when appropriate controls were run for level of income, poverty, and other variables.

The death of Peterson’s toddler shook up the national scene this weekend because as we know America worships football and large numbers of fans were exposed to the terrible news.

Delight in Truth will now make the unpopular and painful claim that this child’s death was a direct result of living in a broken home without everyday access to the love and protection of a father.  

The progressives will not like this, but it is the truth. Such brutality would not have occurred in a loving marriage where the children are celebrated as a gift from God.

Is there child abuse in homes with a father and mother? Yes, but this is another topic for another article.

They went to Jesus and asked him about couples splitting up and how they should go about that process. He simply said: “it was not this way from the beginning.” God ordained the family to be a unit, and tragedies like this one are a consequence of man rebelling against God’s principles. Again and again.

Please keep the parents and relatives of this toddler in prayer during this difficult time.

Photo: USA Today

Sep 27 2013

Not of This World

NOTW.

What is the meaning of this phrase?  It is even the logo of a popular “christian” clothing line.

In the hours leading up to his arrest and murder, Jesus prayed His amazing high priestly prayer and uttered the following words:

“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” John 17:14 ESV

Jesus is praying for His disciples and the those who will believe in Him in the future.  He is praying for the body of believers who will make up His pure, undefiled church.

The things he says here are more than just a prediction, and they are not just a mere prophecy.  They are more than a guide, more than a teaching.

This is fundamental truth spoken by Jesus.

It was true 2000 years ago and it is true today. In fact, it is truer today more than ever. The two major pillars of the world system, government and mainstream media, both hate God and his principles.  This has been documented in multiple modern societies from those subscribing to Communism to free democracy. I have personally seen it in totalitarian communist Romania and freely democratic USA.

The world hates Christians because of Jesus. It is the message of exclusive salvation that is so repugnant to those who do not believe it. Jesus gave us His word, and as a result, the world hates us.

However, there are many tolerant folks who claim to be Christian who present a watered-down version of the Word of God.  The world loves them because they do not present a salvation message that is exclusively through Jesus. This acceptance by the world is in stark contrast with Jesus’s claim that the world hates us because of his word.

Be suspicious of any preacher of the gospel who is loved by the media, Oprah, etc and the rest of the secular world.

We are in the world, but not of this world.

Sep 21 2013

I look Up to God

Erin Shead Assignment About God

The class assignment at Lucy Elementary in Millington, Tennessee  was to write about an idol.

Erin Shead is a 10-year-old Christian who picked God as her model and proceeded with the above project.  She wrote:

“He will always be the #1 Person I look up to”

“I look up to Him because He put me on this earth”

“I love Him, and Jesus is His earthly Son.  I also love Jesus”

Delight in Truth is very proud of this young Christian who knows correct doctrine and is not ashamed of it in a world which is unfriendly to Christians.

How unfriendly, you ask?

Her paper was rejected by the teacher. Erin was told that she is prohibited to choose God for her assignment, and to take the paper off school property.  I would not have been surprised at all if this happened in communist Romania where atheism was the law in schools.  It is however disappointing when this happens in the conservative Bible Belt.

The US is not a Christian country and secularism is the norm in schools.  We understand that.  But to suffocate the exchange of ideas and the discussion surrounding religion and theology is reminiscent of communist atheistic tactics. The progressive agenda shares some of the same characteristics of the radical islamic agenda.  It is their way or the highway.

The same people who preach tolerance are the most intolerant ones. So great is their hate for God and biblical principles that they are willing to break the law to impose their views.

Upon further review, the teacher was wrong in their actions, the school said. But this will become more common as we approach the Second Coming of our Lord.

May God bless Erin Shead for her courage and fortitude.

image credit: WREG-TV

Sep 16 2013

Joyce Meyer and Unsound Doctrine

Unsound doctrine may be a soft statement. Her teaching is in the realm of heresy.

The popular 70-year-old Charismatic speaker and author holds to prosperity teaching which focuses on material wealth as a result of God’s blessing for authentic Christians.  Even though such teaching is wrong, this is not the worst of Meyer’s teaching.

Joyce Meyer holds heretical positions with respect to the person of Jesus and His work towards our salvation.

It is a shame when a leftist news site like Huffington Post publishes a piece (with references) on how heretical Meyer’s teaching is when compared to historical Protestant Christianity.

She teaches that Jesus literally stopped being the Son of God on the Cross:

“He could have helped himself up until the point where he said I commend my spirit into your hands, at that point he couldn’t do nothing for himself anymore. He had become sin, he was no longer the Son of God. He was sin.”

The truth is that Jesus Christ was, is and always will be God.  Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  He does not change.  Ever.

Apostle Paul explains that Jesus continued to be God throughout the entire sacrifice on the cross, even His death: “…Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Phil 2:6-8

She teaches that Jesus had to be born again (like a sinner):

“The minute that blood sacrifice was accepted Jesus was the first human being that was ever born again. Now that was real it happened when he was in hell.”

This is impossible.   Jesus could not have been born again.  John 3 explains that the new birth is necessary to enter the kingdom of God.  Jesus did not need a new birth because He was without sin.  John says: “You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.” 1 John 3:5

She teaches that one needs special revelation from God to understand her teaching, revelation which is NOT found in the Bible

“The Bible can’t even find any way to explain this. Not really. That’s why you’ve got to get it by revelation. There are no words to explain what I’m telling you. I’ve got to just trust God that He’s putting it into your spirit like He put it into mine.”

The Bible is clear with respect to testing any revelation, prophecy or teaching against the Bible itself.  There is no revelation that can supersede the Bible.  The Word of God is the ultimate revelation for us (Heb 1:1, 1 Thes 5:21, 2 Tim 3:16).

Delight in Truth has nothing personal against Joyce Meyer, but false teaching must be exposed in order to protect the church.  You can read more in the Huff post article.

Then there is the prosperity gospel… a critique of that on a different occasion.

image credit

Sep 7 2013

Supreme Court to Tackle “In the Name of Jesus”

The town board in Greece, N.Y.

The name of Jesus is without a doubt the most controversial name in human history.

The US Supreme Court, which seems to be the moral compass of a secular, mostly anti-Christian country, will now look at the case of Town of Greece v. Galloway/Stephens.

The court will decide whether it is constitutional for someone to open a public meeting with a prayer addressed to the God of the Bible, and whether this constitutes the endorsement of Christianity by government.

A couple in Greece, NY, have made it a 5-year fight to stop public prayers, especially in the name of Jesus.  Even though the town has brought in non-Christian clergy to perform opening prayers, the plaintiffs are still upset that non believers have to hear the name of Jesus mentioned at the start of a city-council meeting when a Christian prays.

They hate God and therefore they hate Jesus.  They cannot bear to hear to hear the name of Jesus uttered in their presence.  They are rabidly fighting in this spiritual conflict on the side of darkness.

As Gospel-believing Christians we are not surprised nor shocked at this development.  In fact there is a good possibility that the Supreme Court will give in and ban the prayer in the name of Jesus at public meetings throughout the US.

Jesus foretold us about these things.  He said:

“And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Mark 13:13

He also told us about “bringing you before kings and governors for my names’ sake” Luke 21:12

But no matter how hard the anti-Christian sentiment becomes, the Bible tells us that there will come a point when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth…” Phil 2:10

In the mean time, when  you mention the name of Jesus in a public declaration be aware that you are engaging in spiritual warfare.  Assume the entire spiritual armor found in Ephesians 6, and be prepared for controversy and attacks.

You are not alone in this.  The Holy Spirit is with you to deliver you to victory.

image credit Heather Ainsworth