If you are a Christian or Materialist Atheist who references karma, you are bearing witness that you are inconsistent in your worldview.
Karma is the concept of an immaterial force in the universe which exacts justice and vindicates wrongs. The idea is if you are mean to people, karma is going to get you back. If you are nice to people, karma will reward you. Karma is a tenet of Hindu and Buddhist religious belief. These Eastern religions teach of this impersonal force that governs people's actions and regulates the affairs of the world with the scales of justice.
What is most disturbing about this idea is that many professing Christians talk about and reference it. Karma is not a Christian belief. We do not believe in karma. We do not believe in an impersonal force operating in the universe to right wrongs and reward good. We believe in a God who rules and reigns over the universe. Galatians 6:7 teaches that we reap what we sow. This means that if we sow sinful actions and behaviors, we will reap the consequences such actions bring. Likewise if we sow godly actions, we will likely experience the blessing of such actions. This is a far cry from karma. Galatians 6:7 supports the idea of cause and effect. If I train extremely hard to run a marathon, eat right, and prepare myself, I will reap the benefits of a solid race. If I sow the habits of laziness, eating unhealthy, and fail to train, I will reap the consequences of a miserable day if I attempt to run 26.2 miles. However, life doesn't always work that way. Sometimes the guy who trains for months for the marathon gets hurt as soon as the race starts and is unable to finish. That is life.
Christians who talk about karma are demonstrating they do not read their Bible's very often. At a minimum, they demonstrate they have been seduced by unbiblical thinking and ideas. For Christians to speak of karma is to syncretize unbiblical beliefs into a Christian belief system, which is creating an entirely separate system - a melting pot of contradictory ideas.
For the non-Christian, particularly the Materialist Atheist, speaking of karma is also inconsistent with their worldview. The Materialist Atheist believes the world consists of matter. All that exists is physical in nature. For this same person to speak and reference karma, which is an invisible and impersonal force in the universe which brings about justice, is a contradiction. The Materialist Atheist cannot account for such a belief within the framework of his/her belief system. He is borrowing from Eastern religions and incorporating it into his worldview.
Karma does not exist. Sometimes good people suffer much in this world. Sometimes bad people have it made. Great parents can have unhealthy children and negligent parents can have healthy children. The guy who gets drunk every night and cheats on his wife may catch a lot of business breaks and strike it rich. The guy who is faithful to his wife and family may get fired by the previous guy.
There is no impersonal force in the world governing the universe. There is a God, Triune in nature, who is personal, who rules the universe. Wrongs will be made right one day, He promises so. But on this side of heaven, sometimes good guys lose, and bad guys win (read Asaph's psalm - Psalm 78). Karma is a joke. Do yourself a favor and eliminate it from your vocabulary and way of expressing the happenings in the world. It is simply not a reality.
At The Journey Church, we have been teaching through a series called Counter-Culture: Living for Christ in a world that hates Him. It is a five week series, and we complete the last message this coming Sunday.
The first week we spent time establishing the reality that everyone has a worldview and an ultimate authority. We talked about the different worldviews and authorities that exist, and outlined how and why Christians look to the Bible to inform and shape our worldview.
The second message focused on the accusation and charge against Christians of being judgmental and intolerant. We looked at what the Bible says about this and explored how we as Christians can be both vocal about truth and graceful in our approach.
Our third and fourth messages in the series have been by far the most difficult and the most important. We have looked at the issues of homosexuality and abortion, two of the most controversial topics in our society today. We believe Christians need to know how to speak into our culture the gospel of truth on this subjects, but we believe there is a way in which we should do it.
These two messages are some of the most important messages we have preached out our church and we would be pleased if they can serve to help you too.
Here is the link for Week 3's message: Homosexuality and Christian Belief
Here is the link for Week 4's message: Abortion and Christian Belief
May God use these messages to sound the trumpet of truth in our world, equip the saints for engaging our culture, and display the triumphant grace and mercy of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Which of these messages have been most helpful to you? Why do you believe churches remain largely silent on these topics?
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Last night, Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church in California shared his family's story of their son's suicide in April after a lifelong battle with mental health issues. My wife and I watched with tears as we imagined their anguish and grief.
One of the things that stood out to me from the interview was Pastor Rick's words about mental health issues in our country. He spoke about how mental health problems are still a lingering taboo in our culture. People don't like talking about or admitting they struggle with these things. As somebody who has dealt with ongoing bouts of anxiety and panic attacks, I know exactly what he is talking about.
My Story
When my son, Kaleb, was born, he had numerous medical issues. We lived in the hospital for months. Two months after he was born, doctors felt he needed to have surgery to fix what was going on. To make a long story much shorter, the surgery went incredibly wrong, leaving his life in the balance. We were faced with decisions about his care that would determine whether he lived or died. We chose to fight. That fight was a two year battle which finally led to Kaleb receiving a kidney transplant. However, the battle had taken its toll.
Approximately six months into Kaleb's treatment and hospitalization, I had a panic attack driving down the road. I was on my way to a college class, and out of nowhere, had a full scale panic attack. My heart was pounding rapidly. I thought I was having a heart attack. I broke into a cold sweat. I was freaking out. I pulled over on the side of the road and started crying. I called my wife, trying to calm myself down. I explained to her what had just happened, but even as I explained it, I felt foolish. What was wrong with me? Am I going crazy? What just happened? Will this happen again? All these questions and more lingered the entire day at school.
Living with Mental Health Struggles
Nothing like this had ever happened to me. Until this point, I was a picture of perfect health, especially mentally. Over the course of the next several months and years, I would deal with these attacks. I would feel anxiety driving in my car, laying in the bed to sleep at night, sitting in a movie theatre, riding in a plane, and many other places. I learned a few weeks after my first attack this was called anxiety. I was told many people suffer with it. This both comforted me and saddened me. I had never had any issues like this before. Prior to these episodes, I would have dismissed such things as created in the mind, not a real issue.
I felt I was crazy, or at least going crazy. I wondered if telling other people about my struggles would only confirm this thought. I didn't know how to explain to people what was happening, because explaining it only confirmed (in my own mind) how ridiculous it was. I was ashamed. I attempted so hard to "think about something different." But it doesn't work that way. You cannot control it with mind over matter. Mental health doesn't work like that. It is real. You can't outtalk it. You can't manipulate yourself into dismissing its realness. You can't reason your way out of it.
At one point, during some of the worse times I faced, I remember thinking to myself: this is why some people commit suicide. I get it now. I wasn't suicidal, nor have I ever considered it. But for the first time in my life, I finally understood the feeling of hopelessness that ensues when you think your misery and suffering will never end. When I would sit and think about struggling with anxiety and panic attacks for the rest of my life, it would depress me.
Finding Hope
But friends, we are not hopeless. There is a God who gives grace to us in our hour of need. It is a sufficient grace that comforts us, even in our afflictions (2 Corinthians 12:9). I have found this true. It doesn't mean that my problems always go away or get better. It means that I have a hope and comfort from God that accompanies me in the suffering. Even when the suffering doesn't lift, I know He is with me.
Lastly, to all who have or are struggling with mental health issues, it's okay to talk about it. You are not strange. You do not have to be ashamed. There are others who face the things you battle each day. I have found that sharing my struggles over the last few years with others has opened conversations about their own struggles. Talking about it has actually helped me. I hope this post will serve to do the same. You don't have to live silent about your struggles. Get rid of your shame. You are not alone.
Tomorrow in Part II, I will discuss ways that I have found hope and help in my struggles with mental health. We'll talk about misconceptions and what I believe to be poor Christian counsel on this subject.
Leave a comment below if this is something you or someone you loved has faced. What do you struggle with? What has been helpful to you? What feelings and emotions have you carried with this battle?
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There is a lot of accusation today that Christians are hypocrites. There is some truth to this charge at times. After all, Christians proclaim truths that they cannot perfectly live out. In that sense, Christians are hypocrites. In that sense, everyone who has any ideals or values is a hypocrite because nobody can live out their ideals perfectly. Nobody is perfect. Nevertheless, this does not lower or diminish the ideal or truth claim itself.
The Greek word, from which we get our word "hypocrite," is hypokrisis, which means: actor. A hypocrite was an actor. Actors play roles. They pretend. They portray characters and fictitious plots, but it isn't real. The reason the word has come to mean someone who doesn't live out their convictions or who says one thing and does another, is because this is similar to an actor. When we claim we have certain beliefs or morals or ideals, but we live and act contrary to them, we are rightfully accused of acting - we're hypocrites.
Jesus had a problem with hypocrites. He especially had issues with the religious hypocrites of his day, the Pharisees. These guys would bark out the law to people, even added to it, but then missed it on issues of the heart. They knew the letter of the law, but missed the heart of the law. The most infamous place in the Gospels where Jesus addresses the Pharisees and their hypocrisy is Matthew 23. Jesus goes on a tirade about their hypocrisy. He calls them whitewashed tombs that look good on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men's bones (vs27). They were actors.
Many people today make this charge against Christians. Sometimes the charge is right and accurate. But a growing trend has developed to label anyone who stands up for something, but isn't perfect, as a hypocrite. The name-calling of "hypocrite" is meant to silence people from speaking up about beliefs, morals, or character.
Many attempts are made to discredit Christian claims because of Christian failures. I have run into this issue numerous times in conversations with non-believers. In order to shut a Christian up, they will point out examples or situations where Christians, or at least professing Christians, have screwed up or not represented Christ very well. This is done to discredit the argument being made by the Christian. However, this is a logical fallacy called the Ad Hominem. This logical fallacy seeks to discredit an argument based on behaviors or past actions of people who believed the same argument. It is a character attack on a person or group, not the argument itself. That would be like arguing 2+2=4 is not true, because Hitler believed 2+2=4 and look at him!
So here is my point: people may point out the shortcomings of Christians and call them hypocrites, but that does not discredit or discount the Christian claims or arguments. Jesus demonstrates this when he tells the listening crowds concerning the Pharisees to "practice and observe whatever they tell you - but not what they do." (Matthew 23:3). Jesus says to do what they tell you. Why? Because the credibility of what they are telling you is not dependent on the behavior, attitude, or character of the Pharisees. Jesus tells them: do what the hypocrites tell you. Just don't do what they do. There is a difference.
So next time someone attempts to discredit a Christian claim by stating that Christians are hypocrites, tell them playfully, "Do what the hypocrites tell you...Jesus says so."
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The old adage goes "A couple that prays together, stays together." That's only a clever saying without any real statistical evidence, right? Wrong.
A Gallup poll conducted a study specifically on that question found that only 1% of all couples that prayed together daily got divorced (1 in 1156 couples). That is an amazing statistic when you consider that the national statistic is 50% of all marriages end in divorce.
The University of Texas, San Antonio, did a research project for the "Journal of Marriage and Family" of 1387 couples. The study found that couples who share practices such as Bible reading and prayer in the home had strong marriages and a higher degree of satisfaction in their relationship.
However, most statistics bear witness that most couples are not spending time in Bible reading or prayer. It is estimated that only 4% of Christian couples pray together. Did you catch that? Christian couples!
Only 1% of couples who pray together are likely to get divorced, yet only 4% of Christian couples pray together. This is why Christian couples have the same divorce rate as non-Christians.
Christian couples need to start praying together; it's good for their marriage and the longevity of it. If there is a "duh" sentence in this entire blog, it is that one. But while it may be a big ole "duh," it is not happening.
So how can you start implementing prayer together? Here are some thoughts:
1. Talk to your spouse about your desire to begin praying together daily.
When you share your desire with your spouse, share with them these statistics. Read the article to them or send it to them. You may find your spouse desires to do this too, but felt insecure about bringing it up.
2. Acknowledge you have insecurities praying aloud together and then get over it.
I know that sounds harsh, but you have to get over it. It is okay to acknowledge having insecurities about praying. The reason we have insecurities with praying aloud with our spouse is that they know our junk and that we are not perfect. This makes us feel hypocritical trying to "act all spiritual." But praying together is not acting spiritual. It is a vital and much needed element in your marriage. Quit being insecure. Realize that neither of you are perfect. Understand your prayer is not graded. And focus in on talking to God together with your spouse.
3. Figure out what time of the day works for you, schedule it, and do it.
Not every couple can commit to the same time as others. Perhaps you and your spouse would have to do different times on different days due to schedule. But the key is to plan it and do it. Don't wimp out when you feel the insecurity and fear welling up. Determine to begin building the habit. Grab your spouse by the hand, say "It's time to pray," then do it.
4. Create a prayer plan/schedule.
A prayer plan or schedule is a list of things you can pray for as a couple. You need to pray for each other and your children daily. You can also pray for those pressing needs in your or a loved one's life. But you may also decide to pray together for a number of other things. For example: Mondays you can pray for your church and leaders. Tuesdays could be reserved for your children's teacher(s). Wednesdays could be prayer for the President, our government officials, and country. Thursday could be prayer for each others parents/siblings/nephews/nieces. Fridays can focus on friends. Saturdays are good for focusing on church services the next day. Sundays are perfect for praying for each other's spiritual growth. This is only an example schedule. You can create your own list and your own days.
Couples that pray together stay together. The old adage is actually true. Statistics bear it out. So take these tips and start implementing them. It's the closest thing to divorce-proofing your marriage.
Why do you believe so few Christian couples pray together regularly? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
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We are currently in a series at The Journey called Counter-Culture. In this series we are exploring why Christianity runs so much against the grain of our cultural ideals and norms. We are looking at how Christians should respond to increasing hostility against us and our message.
One of the issues I'm going to be addressing this week, and next week with much more detail, is the issue of homosexuality. This week my main focus is the charge of being judgmental and intolerant. As I have been working on this message, I have points of concern with proponents of homosexuality practice being normalized in our culture, even our churches. But I also have some problems against opponents of it.
One of the greatest areas of concern I have for the church is our hypocrisy. Some of the charges of hypocrisy against the church are unwarranted and simply flippant accusations. Others are merited. Churches which stand strongly against homosexuality, do so by pointing to the Bible's teachings. I agree with this stance. However, the same churches seem very silent and unwilling to stand as strongly against divorce and premarital sex between heterosexuals.
Between those three issues: homosexuality, divorce, and premarital sex between heterosexual couples, the least prevalent one most churches deal with is homosexuality. In fact, most churches are filled with people who have divorced or are divorcing. They are also filled with people actively engaged in sex before marriage. Yet most remain largely silent on these issues.
I'm not suggesting we start crucifying those divorced, having premarital sex, or homosexuals, Jesus was crucified for all three groups. I'm suggesting that the church needs to be sure we are dealing with the planks in our own eyes if we are going to approach with integrity the speck in someone's eye.
I'm not excusing or damning anyone in those three categories of biblical sin. I believe the church needs to deal with all of them with truth and grace. Let's not pick certain sins to focus on. Let's speak honestly and biblically about them. Let's call people to repentance. Let's show that God's ways are better and more satisfying than forging our own. Let's remind people that there is room at the foot of the cross, where Christ covers over our sin and brokenness. But let's certainly not suggest that one sin is inexcusable while we turn a plank-filled eye away from others.
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The concept of 'Further Up & Further In' is the concept of pressing further into a subject or thing. It is a phrase captured from C.S. Lewis in his Narnia series. It has continue to be used by others in different settings. John Piper used a 'Further Up & Further In' section in his T.U.L.I.P. series to share additional study materials at the end of each chapter.
We are going to have a 'Further Up & Further In' time together at The Journey Church. At the end of our Counter-Culture series, we are going to have a time of Q&A around the issues from the series and other questions that the series provoked or inspired.
Everyone is welcome. The time of discussion should be both fun and helpful in our growth in Christ. Mark your calendar and start collecting your questions now.
Where: The Journey Church, 212 Leeville Pike.
When: Sunday, September 29th, 2013 (this is the last week of series)
What time: 12:45pm -- We are going to give everyone enough time to go grab a sandwich or burger and get back to the church.
**Bring your children. There will not be childcare, but kids are welcome. It will be informal. They are free to sit with you, color, play on your phone, or play in one of our kid's rooms.
