Tag Archives: Christianity

by Anthony Baker | February 26, 2011 · 12:08 pm

Thou (Who?) Art Worthy

Every once in a while we need to re-examine what we do. In this case, I would like to re-examine….

The Concert.

I have been playing music since my early years. Even before I could play an instrument, I would often sing with my mom and dad at different church services and revivals. So, especially with all the later experience of playing with 7 different groups over 25+ years, I should know a little about being on stage.

One of the things about playing music in front of a large audience is the adrenalin rush you get when everything goes just right, especially when the crowd responds with thunderous applause. Ask any musician or singer who has been there and done that…there’s nothing quite like it. Some have even compared it to a sensual experience that could be felt physically, almost like the effects of a drug.

Why is that? What would make a person feel so good at the reception of applause, screams of praise, worship? Worship? Yes, that’s what I said….worship. The reason it feels so good may be because it is too good; too good for us.

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. – Revelation 4:11 KJV

Please don’t think that I am coming down on Christian music, or anything like that. The last thing I would want to do is rip groups like Building 429, Third Day, or Casting Crowns, for example. But on the other hand, even Christian groups (and preachers, conference speakers, pastors, evangelists, etc.) need to re-examine, every now and then, Who is worthy of all praise.

Consider the Guitar “Solo”

Recently, at a Christian college basket ball game, I witnessed something that almost made me sick. Even my little girl thought it was strangely inappropriate. For the rendering of the national anthem, a solo electric guitarist stepped out onto the center of the court. Evidently trying to emulate Jimmy Hendrix, the Christian-school rocker proceeded to pitifully destroy The Star-Spangled Banner. But it was the ending of this amateurish exhibition that made me nauseous and indignant.

At the part of the tune where the lyrics would read, “o’er the land of the free,” the little ham hammed it up by repeating that measure three times, at least, each time going up an octave on the fret board. The worst part was when he stopped, before the last progression, and motioned to the crowd with out-stretched, beckoning hands, pleading for a louder response from the fans. Who were we supposed to be applauding, the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice, or this wanna-be Hendrix?

Seriously think about this: when Christian musicians play on stage to adoring fans who have paid money to attend a well-publicized event, and the lead guitarist shreds four measures from the latest top 20 hit, who is receiving the praise? How can we do this appropriately in light of the above verse? Are we sharing in God’s glory, honor, praise? Maybe that’s why it feels “too” good.

A Suggestion

Steven Tyler (Aerosmith)

This is just a suggestion to all my friends on stage, whatever you do. Re-evaluate what you are doing. Make sure that your efforts to win the lost; to bring the congregation into a heart of worship; or to turn all eyes upon Jesus, do not make YOU the only object in their line of sight. This ain’t Wayne’s World, and we shouldn’t be Aerosmith.

“We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy!” should be reserved for the ONE who IS.

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Filed under America, Christian Living, General Observations, self-worth, worship

Tagged as Christianity, Religion and Spirituality, Star-Spangled Banner

by Anthony Baker | February 11, 2011 · 4:48 pm

When You Think this Blog is Pointless…

Please watch the video linked below…

At the bottom of this post you will find a link. The link is to an internet program hosted by Ray Comfort called On the Box. Please open the link and start watching the program at around the 20 minute mark.

Some people think that the idea of having a blog dedicated to battling legalism is a little extreme, maybe pointless. Many think that all I would have to talk about is stupid stuff like how long your hair should be, or women wearing pants, or what we eat or drink. How shallow would that be?

The Purpose

The purpose of this blog goes so much deeper. Legalism can damn people to an eternity without God. Just watch this video. Listen to the “de-conversion” testimony of a girl who once believed in God, but later “saw the light” of atheism. Listen to her testimony and see if you can pick out all the boxes she felt she needed to check in order to be a part of the church, even saved.

Many people are drawn into a religious life out of a search for answers. They, like this girl did, find themselves in a time of uncertainty and emotional need. Legalism provides the structure that seemingly give rest and assurance. In reality, legalism builds a faulty foundation that is not based on the grace and mercy of God. Legalism leads people to believe that they have earned something with God, if not simply avoided His condemnation.

Nowhere in this video did this poor girl state that she repented of her sin. Nowhere did she speak of the grace and mercy of a Holy God that provided a ransom for her lost soul. All she spoke of were the emotional, the metaphysical, and the judicial aspects (obeying) of a manipulative, dangerous denomination. It is no wonder that she fell away, because she never gave a single clue that she found a biblical faith in Jesus Christ. All she talked about was the relationship that she thought she had based on the things that she did to comply.

This is why I hate legalism. Hell will be full of those that thought they could keep the Law.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/12436109

Eph 2:8-9 KJV – For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

1Ti 4:1 KJV – Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

I Don’t Want to be Judgmental, but…

I guess I am just getting old. Those things that I used to hear being said by my peers are now being said by people half my age…or younger. They say things like, “That’s just the style,” or, “What’s wrong with it?” What’s worse, is I am wanting to say the same things that I heard from older people when I was young, such as, “Put some clothes on!” or, “Did your mother really let you out of the house like that?”

I’m recovering, but not cured.

Even though I try not to, I can still find myself being judgmental when I observe other people. You see, being a recovering legalist means that I am not, nor will I ever be, totally cured. I was reminded of this last week when I spent a few hours on the campus of a Christian university. My first thought was, “You’ve GOT to be KIDDING me?” The next thought that crossed my mind was, “These are Christian kids?”

I have spent a lot of time over the years on the campuses (campi) of secular colleges and universities. I know what the kids of the world look like. I can spot a tree-hugging, pot-smoking, left-wing Marxist from a mile off….or can I? Believe it or not, either the liberals have been purging the rolls at U. C. Berkeley, or Christian kids have found a new style. Who knows, maybe they’re wanting to reinvent the vagabond, wandering prophet, hippie-Jesus look of the ’60’s? Maybe it’s their attempt to reach the grunge crowd.

Go ahead and say it, “You’re being too judgmental.”

You may be right. The thing is, though, I thought that Christian young people (assuming the ones on campus are Christian) are supposed to live by a higher standard. That is the way my children are taught. My girls know better than to try to dress like “prosti-tots” out to pick up a fuzzy faced, hormonal, boyfriend-of-the-week. They have more respect for their reputations than that. Shouldn’t it be expected that older, college-age followers of Christ should know better?

Sadly, many, if not most young people, even in the Church, are not being taught how to dress. Before they are barely out of diapers, many children are allowed to pick and choose the clothes that they like, based on what they see advertised or worn by their favorite singer or over-rated, over-paid Nickelodeon idol. By the time they get old enough to go to high school and college, there is no turning back. They wear what they want, even to church, and bristle with indignation when it is suggested that they should cover their legs or put on a sweater.

“Back in MY day…”

Back in my day (again, sounding like an old man), kids that attended Christian colleges were expected to dress differently. Granted, the standards may have been a little strict in some ways; but what is better, some standards, or none? The college boys and girls, young men and women, that I observed the other day looked either like wanna-be’s from the hood, rejects from a Goodwill store, barefoot hillbillies, brother-in-law bums, cheerleaders on the prowl, or morons that let their blind mothers dress them. I know, I’m being too judgmental. Maybe they just want to look like their favorite Christian band.

Here’s the real problem: we’re getting too comfortable with the culture and not giving our children proper instruction. The last place I would expect people to look like lazy, disrespectful, jobless bums, or shameless, clueless, hormone magnets is a Christian campus. On the other hand, if parents, grandparents, and godly mentors are not taking the time to teach what is proper, or even model correct behavior, what hope do we have? We should, as adults, accept the responsibility for teaching our children that how we dress makes a statement about our beliefs. Consider Paul’s words to Titus:

Tts 2:4-7 NLT – These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and be pure, to take care of their homes, to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely in all they do. And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good deeds of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching (bold italics mine).

Tennessee Temple University has a motto that should sum it all up: “Distinctively Christian.” How are we teaching our youth and young adults to be “distinctively Christian” in an increasingly sensual, rebellious, self-worshiping world? Even more, how far are our Christian Universities willing to go to avoid being labeled “legalistic?” I don’t want to be too judgmental, but is it possible that somewhere along the line we backed away from taking our teaching [doctrine] seriously, trading a “Pharisaical” evil for a casual one?

* For the record, the above picture is of the Christian band, Superchick, which does have some really good music with powerful lyrics.

“Let God be True, and Luther a Liar”

Last week I went to Florida to perform a wedding. Here are some thoughts on God and Martin Luther, based on what I saw while sight-seeing.

Forgive me, but I am not a big fan of St. Petersburg, especially in the winter when it is 45 degrees. To me, Florida is supposed to be HOT. The warmest it got last week was in the low 70’s. The water on both coasts was terribly cold; therefore, sightseeing was more appropriate than sunbathing on the beach (which I don’t prefer, anyway). But aside from all of that, I still don’t think I would have liked St. Petersburg, even if it had been in the dead of summer.

However, they did have a few nice museums.

From books to IPhones

One museum we (Katie and I) enjoyed was the Museum of Fine Arts (http://www.fine-arts.org/). Believe it or not, it was the first time that I ever had the chance to stand in a room full of paintings by Monet. It was impressive, especially when you consider how close a teenager could stand next to objects worth multiple millions of dollars. Fortunately for the paintings, teenagers have touch-screen phones to keep their fingers occupied.

Another place we went, at my insistence, was the Florida Holocaust Museum (http://www.flholocaustmuseum.org/). I felt that it was important for the girls to see with their own eyes what true hatred and bigotry, even false religion can do. Not as big, nor as impressive as the museum in Washington, D.C., this museum still told the story well and featured an original cattle car that once carried Jews to the concentration camps.

When we left St. Petersburg, in order to find another beach to help Haley with her science project, at the advice of my brother-in-law, we went to Amelia Island in Fernandina, Florida. Now THAT was a change from St. Petersburg. Through priceline.com we even got a 3-star hotel for $52 a night! Not bad for a place with a huge, clean beach and a small-town feel.

“Big Guns on the Wall”

The highlight to the trip, for me, was when we got to visit Fort Clinch on Amelia Island. The fort was built back in the 1800’s and served both the Conferderate (1861) and the Union troops. It was a massive, red brick fortress overlooking the Atlantic ocean, and was meant to protect the Cumberland Sound. Fully restored, with reenactors playing the part, it was meant to give you the feel of stepping back in time to 1864.

I was really impressed with the fort. Even my wife was amazed. As I stood on its walls with huge canons, or on its proud bastions, I could not help but remember the words to the famous hymn by Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress.”

“A mighty fortress is our God,
A bulwark never failing.
Our helper He amid the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing.”

Then a painful thought struck me.

Just the day before, my girls were able to read other words from Martin Luther in the Florida Holocaust Museum. You see, even though Luther has been regarded as the father of the Reformation, he was a rabid anti-semite. In one display chronicling centuries of hatred toward the Jewish people, the words from Luther’s book, “On the Jews and Their Lies,” was written in bold for every Christian to see. Here are some quotes from that book:

“He who hears this name [God] from a Jew must inform the authorities, or else throw sow dung at him when he sees him and chase him away.”

“If we wish to wash our hands of the Jews’ blasphemy and not share in their guilt, we have to part company with them. They must be driven from our country.”

“Moreover, they are nothing but thieves and robbers who daily eat no morsel and wear no thread of clothing which they have not stolen and pilfered from us by means of their accursed usury. Thus they live from day to day, together with wife and child, by theft and robbery, as arch-thieves and robbers, in the most impenitent security.”

“My essay, I hope, will furnish a Christian (who in any case has no desire to become a Jew) with enough material not only to defend himself against the blind, venomous Jews, but also to become the foe of the Jews’ malice, lying, and cursing, and to understand not only that their belief is false but that they are surely possessed by all devils. May Christ, our dear Lord, convert them mercifully and preserve us steadfastly and immovably in the knowledge of him, which is eternal life. Amen.”

What a contrast! One moment I am being inspired by a fortress that reminds me of the greatness of God, the next I am being reminded of the painful truth that men are sinners – all with the same song. How could the words of one man inspire both the Church and the Nazi party at the same time?

Martin Luther

Martin Luther wrote “A Mighty Fortress” based on Psalm 46:11, “The LORD of hosts [is] with us; the God of Jacob [is] our refuge. Selah.” God is our refuge and our hope in time of trouble. The Psalmist also said, agreeing with Luther,

I will say of the LORD, [He is] my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. – Psa 91:2 KJV

What are we to make of this, then? Is my hope in God supposed to be dashed all because of the actions of some (or all) of his followers? Are we to assume the truth of God is a lie because of the hateful words of Luther, as opposed to his hymns and 95 theses? Martin Luther was terribly wrong in his observations of the Jews. For that matter, David wasn’t perfect, either. No, God is God. Man is man. That is why it is so important to keep in mind the following words from the Apostle Paul:

“…[Let] God be true, and every man a liar…” – Romans 3:4 KJV

When Peter got it right, Jesus called him “blessed” and praised the fact that the Father gave him the words (Matthew 16:17). However, when Peter spoke in the flesh, out of his own selfish desires, Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, Satan!” (verse 23). When we speak out of hand about God, that does not change the truth about God. Luther got some things right. Luther also got some things wrong in a very bad way.

My God IS a mighty fortress…and He loves the people of Israel. He has made that abundantly clear, despite the ramblings and false doctrines of men. God said, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” – Gen 12:3 KJV Nothing has changed. Let God be true, and Luther be a liar. Let God be true, and Peter a liar. Let God be true, and every one of us a liar. God is Who He is, whether we get it right or not. But because of Luther’s mistaken words, may we be ever more diligent to heed these words:

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2Ti 2:15 KJV

Why? Because Jesus said it right, and He ALWAYS got it right, when He said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” – Jhn 17:17 KJV

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. – Pro 30:5-6 ESV

The Doctrine of Separation Examined

There are so many destructive teachings that are simply corruptions of actual truth. One of those is the doctrine of separation. Practiced within the more independent and fundamental sects of Christianity, this doctrine is mainly derived from 2 Corinthians 6:17, ” Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you…” The idea is that if one group does not agree with another in all areas, then association is considered sinful, or at least liberal.

I personally believe that this has been taken way too far within the body of Christ.

A few Sundays ago I was at a church where a missionary was speaking. I really enjoyed hearing what he had to say. What disappointed me was what was on his prayer card. Listed on the back, in his statement of beliefs, was the “doctrine of separation.” However, during the message that he preached, he spoke of how it was good to be able to talk to a Charistmatic believer in Mongolia. He spoke of how it was good, in a land that so few missionaries frequented, to find anyone to talk to that was a Christian. But when it came to working together, that was a different story.

Years ago, in 1992, I was given the opportunity to travel to Romania for a month. Long story short, in order to do some first-time evangelical work in a small village, two other young guys and myself were priviledged to hire a young interpreter to help us. Actually, he was helping a Pentecostal church group rebuilding grain silos during the day. Because he was free in the evening, he helped us. He even helped us make friends with the Pentecostal group. We didn’t have services together, but we did get to have friendly contact. Ultimately, because of this unplanned cooperation (the Church of God folk paid the interpreter for us) around 80 souls came to accept Christ as their Saviour in one week.

When I got back to the U.S., thoughts crossed my mind about how Baptist missionaries could develope ways to work together with other Christian missionaries in third-world countries, especially where the work was great. Pooling local resources and manpower for mutual benefit seemed something totally logical to me; but not to BIMI, the mission agency with which I had traveled. Unlike Southern Baptist missionaries, independent Baptist missionaries have to raise their own funds to reach the field and to stay there. To me it seemed that being able to work with other Christians to accomplish like goals was a no-brainer, but not according to the doctrine of separation which BIMI held true to, as do most independent Baptists with which I have been aquainted.

The belief that Christians cannot work together, worship together, or evangelize together to reach a common desired goal is crazy. There are areas that make Baptists (of which I am) different from other denominations, and rightfully so. These differences, however, are more often than not of little eternal significance. Baptists believe in baptism by submersion, for instance, while Presbyterians normally do not. Is that worth saying that when it comes to winning the lost for Christ that we must remain separate in all things? Even if a friend of mine is a five-point Calvinist, does that mean that I can’t walk down a street with him as we both preach salvation through Jesus alone? I like what article XIV of the 2000 edition of theBaptist Faith and Message has to say on the subject:

“Members of New Testament churches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward the missionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extention of Christ’s Kingdom. Christian unity in the New Testament sense is spiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by various groups of Christ’s people. Cooperation is desirable between the various Christian denominations, when the end to be attained is itself justified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscience or compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the New Testament.”

When it comes to the legalists and the Pharisaical crowd that promotes separation to the extent of mutual exclusion, finger pointing and self-glorification (i.e., “I am right with God and you are not, because you don’t believe the same as me.”), maybe isolation isn’t that bad. More people than not, I truly believe, think that working together for the greater good of the Kingdom is biblical. Only a small minority of so-called “fundamentalists” within the Christian faith feel otherwise. However, the problem is not so much that we believe that working together is good as long as there is no compromise, it’s getting us to actually DO it. Let the “separatists” stay separate if they wish, but let the rest of us unite where possible to form a true Nation of Christians, the body of Christ.

Say what you will about the “herd mentality,” but it is the loners that the lions and wolves look for first. There truly is strength in unity.