The Tillinghasts Panama Update - January - February 2010

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD!!!!! Really???

By Todd Tillinghast

We live in desperate days.  These are uncertain times.  But are they really uncertain?  Or are we uncertain?  I can’t watch my beloved History Chanel without seeing a morbid program about the premonitions of Nostradamus or the Mayan’s belief that the world will end on December 21, 2012.  Doomsday prophets and headline evangelists point to every catastrophe as a sign of imminent demise!!!  But is it really so? 

There is certainly no doubt that things in the world are bad, maybe even worse than at other times in History.  But do we really believe that what we are going through is unique?  People living in the dark ages when Europe was decimated by the Bubonic Plague must have surely thought that they were living in a time more desperate than any other.  They must have believed that the world was going to end as well.  

Catastrophes and natural disasters have been occurring since the dawn of history on a fairly regular and consistent basis.  Stories of Tsunamis’ and erupting volcanoes both claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands have peppered historical accounts for thousands of years.  Certainly there have been times like our own when the disasters have occurred closer together or more frequently.  Are our current circumstances significant or just part of a normal ebb and flow?  

Let’s briefly look at this obsession that some have with the Mayan calendar.  Now there is no question that the ancient’s, whether of Egypt stock or the indigenous of the Americas were intelligent.  In fact, it may be argued that they were more intelligent than we are.  When we want info we just download it from the internet. These guys were creating the patterns and constructs for this information for the first time.  However, as intelligent as they may have been, they were also very superstitious and fearful.  Their fear of the wrath of their gods most certainly trumped their logic.  Why are we taking advice about the end of life as we know it from a people who poisoned their only water supply with the bodies of those sacrificed to appease their gods?  

And to touch on that most heated of arguments (pun intended) Global Warming.  Is it really happening or not?  Many in the environmentalist community and the media would have us believe that it is a foregone conclusion.  The first thing we need to realize in discussing this concept is that there is a great deal of disagreement in the scientific community concerning Global warming.  They say that record high temperatures prove that global warming is a genuine threat.  Living in Panama I am tempted to agree with them.  However, many places other than Panama are enduring blizzard conditions for several weeks on end.  Many of these locations are further south than normal for these wintery tirades.  It was like only 32 °F at the Daytona Five Hundred for crying out loud!!! 

When I read in Isaiah 40:12 that God has held all the oceans of the world in the palm of His hand and that He Measures the universe with the Span of His hand which would be the distance from His thumb to His pinky I am reassured of two things; God is completely in control of everything and there is nothing I can do about it.  So even if the world is going to end tomorrow there wouldn’t be anything I could do to stop it anyway. So why worry about it?  Not that I don’t but there still isn’t any point!!!

I have a feeling though that we as humans have been down this road before.  Man’s literature throughout the ages is replete with this obsession with doomsday.  Maybe it is an exercise in cathartic release of the fear and realization of how puny we really are in the big scheme of things.  Or maybe we have a death wish and are secretly self destructive.  It is probably a combination of both of these things mixed with some of that good ole Mayan superstition.  We would do well to consider why we should trust our ability to correctly interpret the signs of the times any more than the myriad of those who have gone before us who have missed the mark over and over and over again.  Guess what we’re still here!!!

Thou Shalt Not Live On Milk'shakes alone!!

By Todd Tillinghast

Do you remember when you were a kid and Mom and Dad would go out for an evening and you would be stuck home with the baby sitter?  Now unless you had a really cool babysitter these times weren’t always the best.  There was always that feeling that Mom and Dad were having a lot more fun then you were. But the one thing that I always looked forward to during these times was the change in diet.  You see when Mom and Dad were home we would always eat the same old boring meat and vegetable meals night after night after night.  I’ll never forget watching my brother choke down beats at the dinner table one night; it was not a pretty sight.  But when the baby sitter came we would get pizza or some other exotic food usually accompanied with a sugary treat given to us as a bribe to ensure the baby sitter’s safety.  

Now as much as we looked forward to those tasty variations in our normal dietary practices and as much as we would have gladly eaten that way everyday we also knew that our parents were just doing what was best for us.  Or at least this dawned on us sometime later.  For those who are now parents, the realization has been firmly cemented in your understanding that your children “Shall not live on Milk’ shakes alone.”  

When I look at the church today, by in large, it seems as if we are a band of children left to the care of the baby sitter who is immersed in her IPod and cell phone completely unaware of the fact that the milk ‘shakes that we can’t finish are adding a new coat of paint to the walls and are being dumped over each other’s heads.  I certainly believe that this is a result of the kinds of teachings (meals) that are being served.  But I also believe that it is due to the kinds of meals we are able to digest.

 

One of the most significant reasons why the church, by in large, seems to be in the same state as that of the Hebrews which the author addressed in (Hebrews 5:11-14) is because we as a church are not motivated to truly learn and understand the Bible.  The reason why we still want to be fed the regurgitated milk of someone else’s study of the scriptures rather than delve into our own self discovery is because we lack motivation or rather we have the wrong motivation for studying the scriptures to begin with.

 

If we fail to make the connection between illumination and application then we will never understand the rich wonders and joys of studying the scriptures.  Our Christian walk will remain on the level of obligation and legalism.  The place to begin preparing to study the Bible is in self discovery.  We are much more motivated and possess the possibility of true transformation when we discover the truths of the scriptures for ourselves in response to our own personal study or the teaching of others.

     

We can see the antithesis of what the author of Hebrews was writing about in regards to the milk of the word in what Jesus said to His disciples in John chapter 4.  They had been shopping for food while He had been ministering to the woman at the well.  When they came back He told them in vs 32 that He had a “meat” or “food” that they did not know of.  Then in vs 34 He told them what that food was, “to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work.”  It is imperative that we search for something to do that will require us to utilize what we are learning.  We can really begin to digest the meatier things of God’s word when we are doing His will.  Then it is no longer theory but has become a reality that we are experiencing.  Look for opportunities to practice or live out the word every day in your life and relationships.  

                         

Hearing God’s voice, theology and doctrine.

By Todd Tillinghast

The most important aspect of every relationship is communication.  It is the lifeblood of a relationship.  God has provided a way for us to interact with Him both through His living word (Heb 4:12) and through his still small voice in our hearts. (2 Kings 19:12)  God’s original desire and purpose was to speak to us directly as He demonstrated in the Garden of Eden through His communication with Adam but when Adam sinned that communication was damaged.  Since then, as illustrated throughout the Old Testament through the forefathers and then the prophets He chose certain men  through which to speak to His people.  We see this concept culminated in Christ the ultimate bridge of communication between man and God.  Now, through the miracle of the new birth and because of the living Spirit of the living Christ and His living word within us we can all communicate directly with the father. 

            God speaks to us primarily through the Bible which is His complete revelation to mankind.  The Bible does not make a distinction between the Spirit of Christ and the word (see John 1).  And the Bible does not consider itself to be separate from the living Christ.  It does not refer to itself as a lifeless document but rather a living document.  (again refer to Heb 4:12)  I think we run into problems when we try to make a distinction between the word itself and that still small voice that we sense in our hearts (conscience) that confirms the word that is alive within us.  It certainly becomes dangerous as history has shown us when people just seek after that voice rather than establishing the scriptures as a foundation.  Consider Mohamed, Joseph Smith and David Koresh to name a few. 

            All of the wondrous riches of God’s word which give us full access to His Guiding voice in our lives cannot benefit us unless we take the time to get His word into us.  (John 15:7)  In this crazy, harried and hurried world we live in today it always seems to come back to a time issue.  If we are too busy to really focus enough to live in his word and really connect with His living word within us then we are not going to be able to hear His voice.  It is not necessarily an issue of spending two or three hours a day in prolonged quiet times (unless of course you have the time to do that) as much as it is adopting the practice of meditating on the word continually (psalm 119:11, Joshua 1:8)  and praying without ceasing (Eph 6:18). 

            We do need to hear God’s voice everyday.  We would not dream of not speaking with or listening to our spouse, children or even our dearest friends on a daily basis.  Even more so we need to be in constant communication with God. 

            Part of having God’s word alive in us is to understand how to interpret His word correctly before we try to apply it.  It is essential that we understand the theology and doctrine of the Bible.  Many people at this point when we start discussing theology and doctrine tune out thinking that it is better to leave that dry and boring stuff to the theologians but this is certainly not the case.  It is not a dichotomy.  We cannot see theology and practical application as two separate things.  We have the tendency to compartmentalize these two categories.  Theology, we think, is for the seminary and real life application is for church and small group Bible studies.  Never the two shall meet.  Paul did not do this.  He moves seamlessly through His epistles from theology and doctrine to application not making a differentiation but demonstrating a natural progression.  Interpretation skills are part of having the word living within you.  

Can the Divinity of Christ be proven Historically?

by Todd Tillinghast

Not only does the Bible claim that Jesus is the son of God but that He is God Himself.  He says this about Himself in scripture as do many others who make the same claim through out the New Testament.  Even His enemies verify that He is who He says He is.  Additionally extra biblical historical sources such as those written by Josephus cited that “the man Jesus of Nazareth performed miracles and must have been God.”     

            This would be and is more than enough proof for us to accept it as truth. Think about it.  How do we know that Abraham Lincoln was the president of the United States?  How doe we know that he grew up in a log cabin?  I have never met him have you?  In fact, I’ve never met anyone who knew him.  So how can I know for sure that he was all of these things?  I know these facts because they have been handed down to us via historical record from those who did know him.  We would never doubt what we read about a man like Abraham Lincoln yet we doubt the historical records, especially the Bible, which is historically much more accurate than any other historical document ever written when it comes to the divinity of Christ. 

    Furthermore, why would Jesus say this about Himself if He didn’t believe it?  If He was just a man then He put his own life on the line.  He also put the lives of His followers on the line. 

It has often been said that History is written by the winners.  While ultimately Christ and His kingdom have triumphed its history was not recorded by winners.  It was recorded by people who were running for their lives, fugitives, criminals and martyrs.  Yet this document has stood the test of time.  It was not preserved and guarded by kings and emperors representing the victors.  In fact, it was preserved by bands and groups of humble believers who were in constant danger of losing their lives for even having such documents in their possession.  Yet it still survived and has been passed down to us today.  The Bible is truly a book that has defied all the usual necessities for preservation.  One gets the feeling that something beyond man was involved here. 

There are those who say that Historical evidence is not as strong as scientific empirical evidence especially when it comes to determining the existence of God.  This idea however, does not gel with reality. The Bible Makes its case of the divinity of Christ based on historical record and eyewitness account.  These are the very things that we base our entire justice system upon today as well as our educational system.  Most of all the information that you know and act upon with the strong assumption that it is correct on a daily basis comes from these two elements.  Every news story that you read and believe is based primarily on Eyewitness accounts.  Everything we know about historical figures is based on the historical record.  Jesus was a real person who walked the earth.  We don’t need to put Him in a test tube to determine if he really existed or not. 

His life, death, miracles and resurrection not only attest that He existed but that He is God.  These facts were recorded in a historical document that has stood the test of time and historicity for thousands of years.  According to our standards of verifying truth as it pertains to all other historical figures this would be more than enough.  For me, I believe in Jesus because He changed my life.  I know He is real.  But for the skeptic He can also be proven to be who He says He is in every other way.      

How can a loving God allow evil and suffering?

By Todd Tillinghast

This is a very important and difficult question.  The active evangelist will be posed with this question on a regular basis.  In the light of recent events in Haiti we are once again reminded of this seemingly unanswerable enigma.  There is no doubt that it is neither easy nor comfortable contemplating the issues surrounding this question.  But contemplate we must.   As Christians our answer to this question is crucial.  I fear however, that all too often we provide the incorrect answer.  It is essential that we are able to stand on sure and stable ground in our understanding of whether or not the existence of evil proves that God is not good. 

            What we seem to do (myself included) is try to defend God instead of presenting the clear biblical facts of the matter.  I once read an article in which the author suggested that an all powerful God is not powerful enough to change something that goes against logic.  That is the most illogical statement I have ever heard!  Who created logic?  Just the fact that He is all powerful logically necessitates that He has the ability to do anything He wants and change anything He wants at any time that He wants.  Logic is not stronger than God.  We may think that it is not logical that a Loving God would allow evil. When we assume this we are defining logic for the Creator of Logic and asking Him, not to be logical, but to be logical in the way that we want Him to be.   

            If we start from the premise that God is completely sovereign then we have to come to the conclusion that if He wanted evil to be obliterated it would be.  The sovereignty of God doesn’t just mean that He has the ability to accomplish His will at all times but it means that Hs will is being accomplished at all times.  So if His will is being accomplished at all times and there is evil in existence then the only logical conclusion we can come to is that He has a purpose for evil.  He uses it.  He didn’t even protect Himself from evil when He came as a man to the earth in the form of His son Jesus.  In fact, He used evil to accomplish the great plan of salvation for His children.  It was an evil and brutal thing for the innocent King of Glory to be murdered as a common criminal.  He was essentially butchered in the most grotesque fashion and form of capitol punishment man has ever known.  And He did this because of His great love for us.  Evil was the means to the end of His securing the salvation of His children.    

            Now this does not mean that just because God created evil and uses it for his purposes that we are not also the cause of evil and are not guilty of sin.  Acts 2:23 drives this point home as it explains the case of Christ’s crucifixion.  It says that “according to the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God Christ was crucified.”  But then in the very same verse without mincing words or any qualification whatsoever Peter says “you have taken Christ with lawless hands and have crucified Him.”

            Let’s not forget that what we often call Evil according to our definitions (tragedies, natural disasters) have been responsible for some of the most wonderful things the world has ever known.  Think about how the tragedies of 9/11, Katrina and the Tsunami have rallied nations bringing out the best in humanity as people have given sacrificially of themselves for their fellow man. Tragedies on a personal level and on a grander scale usually serve as the mechanisms to create growth and change in our lives.

            Likewise, we (myself included) are usually so quick to label all war as Evil.  I shutter to think of how many people in this country and countries all over the world would still be caught in slavery or some other form of brutal oppression if it weren’t for the precious blood that was shed by men and women who took up the fight to liberate them.  So the obvious question becomes what is more evil.  How do we feel about a God who turns a deaf ear to the pleas of those who suffer on a daily basis?   Does this make Him more or less evil?  

        Probably like you I feel that discussing these issues raises more questions than it answers.  I feel this way until I surrender.  It is when I surrender my opinions and my definitions and my sense of justice and evil and good to the one who truly understands it all.  When I do this a sense of peace descends and I feel like curling up in fetal position and allowing it’s warmth to wash over me.  Then I remember that I am not the ruler of the universe He is.  Thank God!  What a relief it is that I don’t need to have it all figured out!  

            We do not need to allow ourselves to be snared by the arguments of people who want to prove that God is not good so that they don’t have to be accountable to Him.  It is very dangerous when we try so hard to exonerate God that we take away his sovereignty, make Him look weak and paint a picture of Him that is not biblically accurate. 

            We should start with the person’s definition of good not their definition of God.  God is not on trial.  The burden of proof lies on the person who does not believe.