Sunday, June 28, 2015

Gay marriage and the Supreme Court -- a progressive minister's viewpoint

Sorting Out the Gay Marriage Controversy
by Rev. Paul J. Bern



This past week's Supreme Court decision in favor of legalizing gay marriage has by no means settled this controversy. Growing up in the Catholic church and recalling my years in Catholic school, I learned the Bible’s stance on homosexuality is clear-cut. God condemns it, I was taught, and those who disagree will wind up in hell for eternity. You might say that my childhood church community’s approach to the taboo topic of homosexuality was riddled with self-serving double standards and condemnation. Although I offer no argument that the sins of the city-state of Sodom and Gomorrah cried to heaven for justice, I do question whether the sin that cried to heaven was simply homosexuality. A reading of the biblical text shows the sin of Sodom was not its permission of homosexuality but its inhospitality to Lot’s visitors, who in reality were Angels of the Lord. Genesis states that the crowd wished to have its way with Lot’s visitors. One does not demand the “right” to rape God's servants and expect to come away unscathed. Rape was the sin of Sodom, and I firmly agree that this does cry to heaven for justice.I don’t doubt that the one New Testament author who wrote on the subject of male-male relations thought it to be a sin. In Romans chapter 1 the apostle Paul called it “unnatural.” Problem is, Paul’s only other moral argument from nature is the following: “Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair, it is degrading to him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory?” (1st Corinthians 11:14-15). Few modern Christians would answer that question with a “yes.”


In short, Paul objects to two things as unnatural: one is same-sex marriage and the other is long hair on men and short hair on women. The community opposed to gay marriage takes one condemnation as timeless and universal and the other as culturally relative. I also don’t doubt that those who advocate gay marriage are advocating a revision of the Christian tradition. But the community opposed to gay marriage has itself revised the Christian tradition in many ways. For the first 1500 years of Christianity, for example, marriage was deemed morally inferior to celibacy. When a theologian named Jovinian challenged that hierarchy in 390 A.D. — merely by suggesting that marriage and celibacy might be equally worthwhile endeavors — he was deemed a heretic and excommunicated from the Roman church. How does that sit with so-called “family values” activism today?


Yale New Testament professor Dale B. Martin once noted that today’s "pro-family" activism, despite its pretense to be representing traditional Christian values, would have been considered heretical for most of the church’s history. The community opposed to gay marriage has also departed from the Christian tradition on another issue at the heart of its social agenda: abortion. Unbeknownst to most lay Christians, the vast majority of Christian theologians and saints throughout history have not believed life begins at conception. Although he admitted some uncertainty on the matter, the hugely influential 4th and 5th century Christian thinker Saint Augustine wrote, “it could not be said that there was a living soul in [a] body” if it is “not yet endowed with senses.” Thomas Aquinas, a Catholic saint and a giant of medieval theology, argued, “Before the body has organs in any way whatever, it cannot be receptive of the soul.”


American evangelicals, meanwhile, widely opposed the idea that life begins at conception until the 1970s, with some even advocating looser abortion laws based on their reading of the Bible before then. The point right here is that it won’t do to oppose gay marriage because it’s not traditional while advocating other positions that are not traditional. And then there’s the topic of divorce. Although there is only one uncontested reference to same-sex relations in the New Testament, divorce is condemned throughout, both by Jesus and Paul. To quote Jesus from the Gospel of Mark: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery.” A possible exception is made only for unfaithfulness. The right-wing conservative community most opposed to gay marriage usually reads these condemnations very leniently. A 2007 issue of Christianity Today, for example, featured a story on its cover about divorce that concluded that Christians should permit divorce for “adultery,” “emotional and physical neglect” and “abandonment and abuse.” The author emphasizes how impractical it would be to apply a strict interpretation of Jesus on this matter: “It is difficult to believe the Bible can be as impractical as this interpretation implies.” Actually, it sure is. Christianity Today really goofed on that point.


On the other hand, it’s not at all difficult for a community of Christian leaders, who are almost exclusively white, heterosexual men, to advocate interpretations that can be very impractical for a historically oppressed minority to which they do not belong – homosexuals. Whether the topic is hair length, celibacy, when life begins, or divorce, time and time again the leaders most opposed to gay marriage have demonstrated an incredible willingness to consider nuances and complicating considerations when their own interests are at stake.


I have been a born-again Christian since October of 1992, and I received my baptism of the Holy Spirit in 2008. And so I no longer identify with the Catholic church of my youth. The community gave me many fond memories and sound values but it also taught me to take the very human perspectives of its leaders and attribute them to God. So let’s stop the charade and be honest. Opponents of gay marriage aren’t defending the Bible’s values. They’re using the Bible to defend their own. They are also forgetting that the Bible repeatedly warns us about judging other people. Judgment isn't our job, it's God's job, and I will give you several examples. In the Old Testament it says, “I will deal with them according to their conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 7, verse 27, NIV). And in the New Testament Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you” (Matthew 7, verses 1-2, NIV). And the apostle James wrote, “Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the Law and judges it. When you judge the Law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. There is only one Lawgiver and judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4, verses 11-12, NIV)


The final objection is that many find homosexual sex personally disgusting. While this is an argument for not engaging in homosexual relations personally it is not strong enough to prohibit it to others who do not find it so. Sorry, all you Christian conservatives, but personal preferences and prejudices do not determine public policy choices. So, before we rush to judgment or jump to conclusions about homosexuality, gay marriage or abortion, we all need to back away from our judge's podiums and get down off our high horses and quit doing the very thing that could get someone sent to hell when they die. “Work out your own salvation”, Paul wrote, “with fear and trembling before the Lord”. And that right there, everybody, should be “job 1” for Christians everywhere. If it's not, or if we hold certain others in contempt, anyone doing so is missing the mark, falling short in their walk with the Lord, and inviting judgment upon themselves. Or, to explain it another way, I don't usually associate with gay people. I don't know any, and I personally don't approve of their so-called “lifestyle”. But at no time does that give me the right or the privilege to hate or bully gay people. Christians who do such things are really not Christian at all because, instead of being motivated by the love of Christ, they are driven by hate, intolerance, bigotry and prejudice – the same bigotry and prejudice that the confederate battle flag represents. You know, the ones they are taking down all across the country?

Thursday, June 25, 2015

This week's Bible study will move on to 2nd Corinthians chapter 7

Being Comforted By God
(2 Corinthians chapter 7)



When we finished chapter 6 last week, I closed by recounting how God had always promised us, even in ancient times, that He would gladly receive us as his children. Paul quoted from the book of Leviticus, and then from Isaiah, as he closed out what would later become the ending verses of chapter 6, when he wrote, “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people” (Leviticus chapter 26, verse 12), followed by, “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you” (Isaiah chapter 52, verse 11). Paul ends with a third and similar quote, “I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord God Almighty” (2 Samuel, chapter 7, verse 8). See how the apostle Paul blended those three separate scripture quotes together, even though they were from 3 different books in the Bible written by three different authors? That's because Paul, before his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus (from the book of Acts chapter 9), was a soldier of the Temple at Jerusalem, a member of the Sanhedrin (the Roman senate of its day) and was educated in the synagogues at Rome and Jerusalem. So, Paul knew a lot about the Bible as it was in those days, and had undoubtedly memorized large portions of the Law of Moses as a part of his education. When Saul of Tarsus was called by God and became the apostle Paul, God picked him because God knew Paul's extensive knowledge of the scriptures was something they both could use to save more souls. Paul then finishes his train of thought in verse 1 before beginning to greatly encourage the church, both then and now, in verse 2.


Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn – conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.” (2 Corinthians chapter 7, verses 1-7, NIV)


“Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit”. It reads like a goal worth achieving, but how do we go about doing this? Upon further examination of self-purification as it applies to oneself, I have concluded that the correct starting point would be with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As Jesus taught us in the four Gospels, “What good is it to gain the whole world if you lose your soul?” Therefore, there is no question whatsoever in my mind that anything that stands between us and our relationship with Christ has simply got to go. Period. No exceptions. That means no more fixation on material goods of all kinds, especially if you already have a lot of these things as some of us do. Why does anybody need a big new house, a new car, new clothes, new electronics, or the latest fad item? What's wrong with what you have (unless, of course, you have nothing to begin with as I often do)? Why do you worry about money (read Matthew chapter 6!)? If the dollar crashes tomorrow – and that's more likely than some folks would like to believe – all our money will become essentially worthless. Bank account balances would be wiped out – not in a matter of weeks or months, but of days, maybe even hours. What would I do if that were to occur? I would say, 'Oh well, it was only a bunch of money for me to buy a bunch of stuff that I probably didn't need anyway', followed by something like, 'But my salvation in Christ is still intact'. The bottom line here, brothers and sisters, is that in the end, Jesus will be all that is left to us. We will, at the point of death, be instantly taken home to be with the Lord, and to finally see Jesus face to face. And when that finally does happen, we won't be able to take anything with us anyway. But then again, we won't need or want that stuff any more once we arrive there.

Paul then goes on to write, “in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds”, which is another way of saying that he has learned to be content whether he has little or has much. Be happy with what you have. Remember that there are over two billion people throughout the world who have nothing compared to us, at least when it comes to worldly possessions. By nothing I mean no electricity and no running water, no internet or other form of communication – and never mind shopping or transportation either. Untold hundreds of millions don't even have access to clean water for drinking and bathing. As a result, many of them get sick and die before they reach adulthood. Could any of us be happy and contented in such surroundings? I doubt that many of us would. How do we maintain a Godly mindset in such otherwise impossible, or even ridiculous, circumstances? By putting God first before everything else, including ourselves. If anyone finds themselves in such a seemingly untenable situation, and there appears to be no relief in sight, that's when we need to step back and let God take control of that situation and the people within it. That's exactly what Paul is telling the Corinthian church to do. It's just that I feel that some of this deep meaning I have just shared with you all got diluted or even lost in the translation. Paul then continues in verse 8.


Even if I caused you sorrow in my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it – I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while – yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this Godly sorrow has produced in you; what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged. In addition to your own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting to you about Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.” (2 Corinthians 7, verses 8-16, NIV)


Paul then writes on about “causing them sorrow”. Here he is referring to his first letter to that church which we now call First Corinthians, and which we recently finished studying. You will no doubt recall that the apostle Paul had a few things to say to that church, some of which were not complimentary. If in so doing, Paul wrote, he hurt a few people's feelings and ruffled a few feathers, it is only because Paul correctly saw that as his job. He was exercising his leadership responsibilities by pointing out these issues to the early church. Paul is also careful to point out that his chastening of the church led to what he called “Godly sorrow”, which brings on repentance and results in a closer relationship between Christ and all his believers. Godly sorrow, then, is like a Spiritual detoxification that brings about an ever higher level of purity in the hearts of all who truly believe. It cleans us out in the spirit, just like scraping and sanding on an old house gets it ready for a new coat of paint. Are we up to the challenge, and can we complete this task set before us? Of course we can, for God can make us able. Paul said it best himself when he wrote, “I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.”


Paul closes out this chapter with a couple of references to “Titus”. Who was he, some of you are undoubtedly asking? Well, he wrote the book of Titus in the New Testament. It's a very small book with just one chapter, and it's located between Second Timothy and Philemon. Although I don't know this for sure, I also think that it is highly likely that Titus was present among the 120 faithful followers of Christ in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost. He was, in fact, one of the original leaders of the early church. Someday we'll get to meet him too, right after we meet Jesus face to face. What a marvelous and incredible day that will most certainly be. All who believe in Jesus and call upon His name will experience this, all at the same time. I can't wait.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

America, we have a race problem

America, We Have A Problem
by Rev. Paul J. Bern



People of good conscience everywhere are still processing what happened in Charleston, South Carolina this past Wednesday. Much has been said and written about this already, so I will be careful to not be too redundant. What is not being emphasized anywhere nearly enough is the gravity, the scope and the depth of the massacre of the Charleston Nine. To call this a 'hate crime' only scratches the surface of what actually transpired this past week. Many of my African-American friends on and off the Web are accurately calling the events in Charleston an act of domestic terrorism. Dylann Roof and others like him are an offense, an embarrassment and a humiliation to every white/Caucasian American citizen and/or legally residing foreign national. I saw President Obama on the Internet yesterday talking about America's “gun problem”, but I do not share this view. If Congress or the president outlaws guns, those with evil intent who manage to get their hands on a firearm will be more emboldened than ever before. Outlawing guns will make America less peaceful, not more so as has been suggested. Besides, being the Constitutionalist that I am, I'm a firm believer in the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms. The issue isn't guns, it's race.


America's race problem dates back 400 years to before there was a United States of America. Slavery in the 'land of the free' was and always will be what some historians call “America's peculiar institution”. The ugly truth of the matter is that today's African Americans are the descendants of slaves who arrived here by being forcibly removed from their homeland. To put it in modern terms, these African slaves were victims of human trafficking. They are the descendants of kidnapping victims who had no way to call home. They had no phones, no internet, nothing at all! One day they are at home, wherever that was, and the next they're in chains on a ship bound for North America. After that, they were enslaved for 300 years and endured another 100 years of Jim Crow. And we wonder why some black folks mistrust white people to this very day, or why they're seemingly so “uppity” towards us. If my ancestors were enslaved, humiliated, terrorized and murdered for 400 years, I'd be mad as hell too! It's ultimately white people's fault that the state of race relations has gone backward instead of forward so far in the 21st century. We brought the black folks over here to begin with. Even after slavery was abolished by Abraham Lincoln and the passage by Congress of the Thirteenth Amendment in December of 1865, former slaves lacked the skills and the resources to build ships to return to their homeland. So, even after the emancipation of former slaves, the brutal reality is that they were all stuck here, stranded, and they've been here ever since. This, I am convinced, is the true source of white rage towards black folks – their rage exists to hide their inescapable guilt.


What did Jesus say about hatred between races? How many people know that the Bible has several things to say about racial hatred? The first example comes from Christ himself, who stated, “You have heard it said to the people of long ago, 'do not murder' and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, “Raca” is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” (Matthew chapter 5, verses 21-22, NIV) “Raca” was an Aramaic word of contempt expressed towards those who were somehow deemed inferior, such as Samaritans. So Jesus was telling us that human equality is in fact ordained by God, and that there is no such thing as an inferior or defective human being. But then Jesus took it a step further when He said, “...anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Simply put, any human being who considers another to be worthless, unredeemable, inferior, useless, or who considers others as enemies based on pure bigotry, hatred, contemptuousness and condescension because of race, creed, nationality, heritage, or just plain conceit and maliciousness, could very well wind up in hell in the very place of those he or she condemns as being allegedly of lesser worth than themselves. Anyone who holds in contempt that which God has created holds their Creator in contempt as well. This is the exact reason that racial bigotry is so evil! Who do we think we are questioning God's motives or rationale, as if rationalization were even possible for the Lord to begin with!


The apostle John, the younger half brother of Jesus, summed hate up in one little sentence in 1st John chapter three, verse 15 and I quote, “Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.” Jesus once said, “It is written, 'You shall not commit adultery'. But I tell you that if you even so much as look at a married woman with lustful eyes, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart”. (Matthew 5, verse 27) As it is with adultery, so it is with hate in the eyes of the Lord your God. If anyone hates another without just cause, or hates because he/she holds a grudge or refuses to forgive someone, they have already committed murder in their heart. Morally, in God's sight, such a person is no better than an unrepentant death row inmate in a maximum security prison. The apostle John resounded this theme again later in chapter four when he wrote in verses 20 and 21, “If anyone says, 'I love God', and yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And He has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.” My dear readers, it doesn't get any clearer than this, and as for me John's point here is well taken. You either love the One who made you or you don't. If you don't, then you despise God, meaning you ultimately despise yourself. If anyone reading this is wearing those kind of shoes, it's high time for a new pair of shoes.


Here in the early 21st century there is simply no excuse for racial hatred towards any person by any other individual. Those who continue to harbor hatred, intolerance, bigotry and prejudice towards others who are allegedly inferior to themselves cause themselves to devolve into a lesser form of human being, one who has not yet developed an open mind, or who refuse to repent from being closed-minded, hateful individuals. Under no circumstances are these things any just cause to murder another human being, let alone nine of them. This kid Dylan Roof has put the spotlight on America's ongoing race problem. He has exposed racism for what it truly is – one group of people wanting to commit genocide against another based on skin color. I want all my black brothers and sisters to know that Dylan Roof, and all the others like him, are an offense, an embarrassment, and a humiliation to white people everywhere. Racism is deeply ingrained into American culture, but it has its roots in slavery. Although this has been going on for several hundred years, America could do away with its race problem in a single generation. How can we accomplish this noble task? There are two ways to approach this problem long term. The first is what every American needs – free higher education at the public college or university of their choice. Education is not a privilege, it's a basic human right. Knowledge is power, and no one has the right or the authority to deny that power to anyone no matter what the reason.


The other way to level the playing field for all people of color is already underway. To sum it up, it's computer and information technology. Even poor black kids have smart phones. Within 10-15 years we will see all minorities catching up to their white counterparts because of access to technology and the Internet. This in turn will be the trigger for an entirely new industry of space exploration, colonization and commerce, and that's just for starters. Of course, this is all well and good for the future, but what can we do right now? What's the least common denominator that all races, creeds and nationalities have in common? Remember what the apostle John said? “Any man who says, 'I love God', and yet hates his brother is a liar.” God is our least common denominator. We all bleed the same shade of red, and we all have five quarts of that same blood pumping through our veins and arteries 24/7, that is also true. But Almighty God made all of it, just as King David wrote in his psalms, “The earth is the Lord's and everything in it”. So, in solving America's race problem, what's the first step? Here is what I insist needs to be done. Next Sunday morning, I'd love to see an army of white people attend all-black churches somewhere – anywhere! A dozen here, ten more somewhere else, or just take your family down into the inner city, find a church and find a parking place. After all, the healing process must begin within ourselves, and the process of being able to forgive also must begin within ourselves. If they ask you what made you pick that particular church simply tell them, “I want to help heal the wounds of slavery we have inflicted on your people, and I'm/we're here to ask your forgiveness, and if you would mind if we came and worshiped with you this morning”. I'd actually be surprised if anyone turns you away, all you Caucasians. So go ahead – I challenge you to worship in a black church if you're white, or vice versa if you're black. Go ahead, what are you afraid of, all you well-to-do white folks? I think I know – it's acknowledging the sins of our ancestors. But it's got to be done. It's long past time for America to begin to heal from slavery, and the best place to start the healing process is at church on Sunday morning.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

This week's Bible study will be 2nd Corinthians chapter six

Come Out From Them And Be Separate
(2nd Corinthians chapter 6)



Last week when we left off at the end of chapter 5, we found that to be a believer in Christ means we become completely new persons, that this is a result of God's ministry of reconciliation, and that we in turn can enable others to be similarly reconciled to God through Christ by being ambassadors for Jesus to the rest of the world. This week we'll be going through chapter 6 in its entirety, where the apostle Paul exhorts all believers to rise up and be separate from the non-believing world as a necessary next step on the road to eternal life, beginning at verse 1.


As God's fellow workers we urge you not to receive God's grace in vain. For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you'. I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation. We put no stumbling block in anyone's path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distress; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinth. 6, verses 1-10, NIV)


The quote Paul uses from the Old Testament in verse two is from the book of Isaiah, chapter 49, verse 8. The context it is taken from has to do with the Israelites being led out of Egypt and freed from slavery ('the time of my favor') compared to the supreme sacrifice of Christ on the Cross ('the day of salvation'). In the first case the Jews were freed, and in the second instance this liberty is extended to all of humanity as Jesus sets us free from the bondage of sin by His death and resurrection. These prophecies are prophesies no more – they have already been fulfilled. And so Paul writes that, “now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation”. The future, he is writing to all believers from that time until now, has already arrived. Paul then points out that they, the early church leaders, commend themselves not by words of boasting or knowledge or self-importance, but by their actions. Talk is cheap. Actions speak volumes, even if we say nothing in the process.


In describing the different trials the apostles and all the thousands of unnamed others who worshiped in Spirit and in truth went through, Paul writes quite frankly about all the junk he and the church leadership had to put up with in order to spread the Gospel. Paul describes being without food or shelter, enduring all kinds of hardships including being beaten and imprisoned while continuing to minister “in purity, understanding, patience and kindness”. In the same way we should emulate the apostle Paul in our daily contact with all kinds of people, adhering to truth and carrying “the weapons of righteousness” as we continue our willingness to go to any length to serve the Lord, “having nothing and yet possessing everything”. Even when we possess absolutely nothing and are desperately poor, we are rich if only we have Jesus Christ dwelling within us. Although some may say, “Yeah, but I can't eat that”, they fail to realize that the indwelling of the Spirit empowers the individual in ways they can't even imagine. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is Spiritual food, but its presence can and does lead to physical nourishment. To find out more about that, you will have to put it to the test. How you decide to do that is up to you. Now let's continue this week's study starting at verse 11.


We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts also. Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the Temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the Living God. As God has said: 'I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people'. 'Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing and I will receive you. I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty'.” (2 Corinth. 6, verses 11-18, NIV)


As freely as Paul shared the Gospel with the Corinthian church, he writes encouraging them to do the same without reservation. How can we be good witnesses and living examples of what it means to follow Christ if we are unwilling to share it with others? And as living examples of Christ living within us, we can work for the betterment of God's Kingdom when we have like-minded partners working along side us. If you place your faith and trust in the Lord, don't marry someone who doesn't. If at all possible, don't even have them as a landlord if you're renting. On the other hand, if you do not yet believe, consider picking a partner who does for your own spiritual enrichment. Otherwise things are as Paul wrote, “What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” Come out from their midst, Paul writes us. If we do so completely and without reservation, “I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty”. In the Kingdom of God, even an orphan can have a Father who lives in heaven who counts him or her among His sons and daughters. I should know. I started out in life that way. Plus, since the Family of God is the largest family ever, we can all have as many moms and dads, and as many sisters and brothers, as we want. The sky's the limit in heaven, and that's the best part of all.

Monday, June 15, 2015

If you want to know what real truth looks like, I dare you to read this

A Warning From God (Ezekiel chapter 7)
by Rev. Paul J. Bern



For this week's commentary I have an urgent message to any and all persons who read this. It's been quite a while since I have prophesied like what I am about to do, but that's because I never do this unless I'm sure it's coming straight from the Lord. The last time I did something prophetic like this was nearly a year ago when I posted a warning to the greater Christian church in America about being too hypocritical, materialistic and too eager to march off to war. This time it's about the country itself. America is in very serious trouble to the point that its very existence is being threatened. This entire country is in danger of going out the same way the old Roman Empire did: one nasty little piece at a time. But instead of being militarily invaded like the Roman Empire was, America's impending destruction will come from within rather than from without. This is very serious stuff, so you will want to take your time and read this closely. Also, you will see that this prediction is coming straight from the Bible, followed by my interpretation of the Word of the Lord. This message is not merely my opinion. For this message from God, we will need to go to the book of Ezekiel chapter seven in the Old Testament. I will begin at verse 5:


This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Disaster! An unheard of disaster is coming! The end has come! The end has come! It has roused itself against you. It has come! Doom has come upon you – you who dwell in the land. The time has come, the day is near; there is panic, not joy, upon the mountains. I am about to pour out my wrath upon you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices. I will not look upon you with pity or spare you; I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes the blow. The day is here! It has come! Doom has burst forth, the rod has budded, arrogance has blossomed! Violence has grown into a rod to punish wickedness; none of the people will be left, none of that crowd – no wealth, nothing of value. The time has come, the day has arrived. Let not the buyer rejoice nor the seller grieve, for wrath is upon the whole crowd. The seller will not recover the land that he has sold as long as both of them live, for the vision concerning the whole crowd will not be reversed. Because of their sins, not one of them will preserve his life. Though they may blow the trumpet and get everything ready, no one will go into battle, for my wrath is upon the whole crowd.” (Ezekiel 7, verses 5-14, NIV)


What does this look like to you? It reminds me of the book of Revelation chapter eighteen that I delivered a message on earlier this year, back in the Spring. Revelation 18 talks about the Great Babylon of the Last Days as foretold by the prophet and apostle John, the half-brother of Jesus Christ. Babylon the Great of Revelation 18, as I have previously proven by way of the Scriptures, is the United States. So we can safely conclude based on verses 5 to 7 that a great natural disaster of some kind or another is coming, probably sooner rather than later. Then the Prophet wrote, “...there is panic, not joy, upon the mountains. I am about to pour out my wrath upon you and spend my anger against you; I will judge you according to your conduct and repay you for all your detestable practices.” What was Ezekiel writing about here? Remember, Ezekiel lived hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. Was he writing about the fall of Jerusalem to the Roman Empire in 70AD? Although this is entirely possible, it is far more likely – based on the wording of the text – that Ezekiel was seeing into the distant future, the 20th and early 21st centuries. God will repay America for what she has done. Until recently, the United States was the world's number one polluter. China now has that dubious distinction. Our country has trashed the planet over the years, waged wars without Congressional approval as required by law, and has murdered millions. Yes, America's armed forces have disposed of its enemies, such as terrorists of all kinds both abroad and here at home. But in the process US assets have killed many hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians throughout the Middle East, in the Balkans before that, in Vietnam, and during WW2.


I will repay you in accordance with your conduct and the detestable practices among you. Then you will know that it is I the Lord who strikes the blow. The day is here! It has come! Doom has burst forth...” What detestable practices could the Prophet have been writing about? Religious Americans vigorously protest against abortion, but they have no problem sending your sons, daughters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren off to war, sometimes to be maimed, killed, or traumatized for life. The more affluent ones don't send their own sons and daughters off to fight their wars, they send yours. My, aren't they efficient! America may be a majority Christian nation (about 70%), but the US is also the birthplace of the “prosperity gospel”, which says that in order to receive, you must first give. Of course, that's not what the Bible says at all! “If you have a need”, Oral Roberts used to say, “you must plant a seed.” What the Bible actually says is that we are to “seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these other things will be given unto you as well”. These are the very words of Christ. They are unquestionably pure truth to every genuine believer. It's not about money, it's about the voluntary giving of ourselves towards others while expecting nothing in return. Tell that to a 'prosperity gospel' believer and they might even cuss you out, I don't know.


“... none of the people will be left, none of that crowd – no wealth, nothing of value. The time has come, the day has arrived. Let not the buyer rejoice nor the seller grieve, for wrath is upon the whole crowd.” This is clearly referring to some kind of economic disaster. If you have investments of one kind or another, better get your money out of Wall Street before Labor Day. What happens after that is anybody's guess. But everything will lose its value, such as stocks, bonds, futures, money market and/or mutual funds, commodities, gold, silver and real estate. It will be, as Ezekiel wrote in verse 5, a complete disaster. “Because of their sins, not one of them will preserve his life. Though they may blow the trumpet and get everything ready, no one will go into battle, for my wrath is upon the whole crowd.” 'Because of their sins, not one of them will preserve his life' seems to be an apparent reference to a heavy loss of life, presumably American lives. I don't know how this is going to happen, but if it's in the Bible, it's got to be true. “No one will go into battle” is a probable reference to some kind of military activity, or possibly the lack thereof. Since a military invasion of the US mainland is unlikely, mainly due to a powerful military, plus armed citizens as well as superior technology, any military activity that Ezekiel was writing about would have to be something from within, such as mass civil unrest or even a civil war. No one knows for sure, but everybody had better start praying about this right away. And now, let's move on to the last part of this revealing chapter, starting at verse 15.


Outside is the sword, inside are plague and famine; those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. All who survive and escape will be in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valleys, each because of his sins. Every hand will go limp, and every hand will become as weak as water. They will put on sackcloth and be clothed with terror. Their faces will be covered with shame and their heads will be shaved. They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them from the day of the Lord's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin. They were proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols and vile images. Therefore I will turn these into an unclean thing for them. I will hand it all over as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth, and they will defile it. I will turn my face away from them, and they will desecrate my treasured place; robbers will come in and desecrate it. Prepare chains, because the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of violence. I will bring the most wicked of their nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor. They will try to get a vision from the prophet; the teaching of the law by the priest will be lost, as will the counsel of the elders. The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with despair and the hands of the people of the land will tremble. I will deal with them according to their own conduct, and by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” (Ezekiel 7, verses 15-27, NIV)



“ ...those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. All who survive and escape will be in the mountains, moaning like doves....” Here we have another prediction of mass casualties like Ezekiel wrote about in verse 13. Obviously this is going to get ugly. Plus, if the only survivors will be those in higher elevations, there is sure to be fights and shootings over food, gasoline, attempted robberies and other clashes for what may be minimal resources. “They will throw their silver into the streets, and their gold will be an unclean thing. Their silver and gold will not be able to save them from the day of the Lord's wrath. They will not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it, for it has made them stumble into sin.” This isn't just a stock market crash like in 1929, or a financial crisis like in September of 2008, this reads like something far worse. It predicts the collapse of everything, even real estate, gold and silver – a complete financial implosion. So, what we actually have here is a prediction of the collapse of the entire capitalist economic system and all the world's debt-based economies. The “debt bubble” created by “the wonder of compound interest”, as it was called when I was just a school-boy, will most assuredly explode, and at the worst possible moment. “They were proud of their beautiful jewelry and used it to make their detestable idols and vile images. Therefore I will turn these into an unclean thing for them. I will hand it all over as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth...” So long, profits! Goodbye, capitalism! Everything that has been hoarded by the top 1% of America's wealthy will be plundered by anyone who will be bold enough to grab and carry off all they can. Gated neighborhoods will be overrun by enraged mobs of desperately hungry people who haven't eaten in days or even weeks. Pandemonium will rule and reign on earth while God sits on His throne and rules in heaven.


I will bring the most wicked of their nations to take possession of their houses; I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated. When terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none. Calamity upon calamity will come, and rumor upon rumor.” America's biggest debt balance by far is owed to Communist China. As you all must know by now, the interest on America's debt is accruing faster than it is physically possible to pay down the principal. It's only a matter of time before China decides to pull the plug. This will most likely occur by the end of 2016, and maybe even sooner, when the US dollar ceases to be the world's reserve currency. It will most likely be replaced by the Chinese yuan, their equivalent of the dollar. What happens after that only God knows, but don't be surprised to see Chinese troops on America's western shores sometime in the not-too-distant future. I'm also seeing a clear indication of some kind of terrorist attack ('when terror comes, they will seek peace, but there will be none'). “....by their own standards I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord.” When it's all said and done, everybody will know who is in charge. In the meantime, stock up on non-perishable food and lots of fresh water. Canned good of all types, rice, pasta and dried beans are the least expensive. If you have kids at home, be sure and get plenty of powdered milk and eggs. When it comes to water, buy the 1-gallon jugs at the big-box and grocery stores, they're the cheapest. Come this fall, you're very likely going to need all of it.

Thursday, June 11, 2015

This week's Progressive Christian BIble study will be the second half of 2nd Corinthians chapter 5

There Is Such a Thing As a Spiritual Makeover
[2 Cor. 5; 11-21]



This week we will finish up Second Corinthians chapter 5. When we left off at verse 10 last week, I elaborated on the fact that “we walk by faith and not by sight”, ending with the warning that we will all someday stand before “the judgment seat of Christ”. We can't always trust our human instincts and senses. They can and do decieve us. But we can always trust Jesus completely. Today as we continue our study of the apostle Paul's writings, we will begin at verse 11.


Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart. If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Cor. 5, verses 11-15, NIV)


When the apostle Paul wrote that “we know what it is to fear the Lord”, he was referring to the wrath of God towards those who deliberately disobey Him. To me, the word 'fear' is one of the few places in my New International Version of the Bible where the translation leaves a little bit to be desired. I think a better word choice would have been to 'revere', or maybe be awestruck by, the majesty of the Lord and the unconditional love of his Son, Jesus Christ. While it's also true that people of good conscience everywhere know the consequences of refusing to believe in God or in his Son – and thus fear eternal punishment – in no way should we interpret this as being raw fear of Almighty God in the human sense. As the apostle John wrote in his letters to the church, “God is love”, meaning in modern English that God is the very definition of love. Fear, then, is not of God at all, but instead comes from satan because of its negativity. Anyone who says you must fear God simply doesn't understand the loving nature of God. In my opinion, fear is not healthy unless there is a clear and present danger to life, health and well-being.


Such people, Paul wrote, “take pride in what is seen rather than what is in the heart.” Instead of walking by faith instead of by sight, they are doing the reverse. Their decision making is based on emotions and feelings, leaving logic and spirituality behind in the dust. Christ's love, Paul wrote, “compels us” to have faith in Him and to follow Him. By yielding to the pure love of Christ, we put Him in charge of our life. Putting Christ in charge means we put Him in the driver's seat and surrender control to Him. It means we let go and let God. In order to be able to do this successfully, we must make ourselves humble enough to admit that we can't do everything ourselves without any help from higher places. That's simply not the way God made us. That's also what it means to be 'born again', as Jesus taught Nicodemus in chapter 3 of John's gospel. We who were formerly children of the earth must be born again as children of the Holy Spirit. Paul continues with his commentary, working toward this same theme, beginning in verse 16.


So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God was making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Cor. 5, verses 16-21, NIV)


We should be seeing other believers from a Spiritual rather than a worldly viewpoint, because all have been reborn “of the water and the Spirit”, to quote the Lord. To me, this means becoming a completely new person. If anyone is in Christ, Paul wrote, he/she “... is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” That is exactly what happened to me when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior back in 1992. I became an entirely different person than I was before my encounter with Christ, although for me the change has been happening gradually, having been an ongoing process within myself spanning many years rather than happening all at once. For me, then, Christianity and my faith are a journey, not a destination.


Paul then finishes what later became chapter 5 of 2nd Corinthians by writing on the reconciliation of mankind to God through the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This reconciliation came in two steps. The first was mankind's reconciliation to God, which occurred when Jesus died on the cross and then rose from the dead. The second step was God's reconciliation to man – which could not occur until the first step was completed – on the day of Pentecost when the apostles and other followers received the Holy Spirit. Today in the early 21st century, we similarly reconcile ourselves to God in 2 steps, first by embracing the salvation of Jesus and being baptized with water, and the second step being when we become “born again” with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Since we already studied the gifts of the Spirit in earlier lessons, I will skip over that for now.


Once complete reconciliation has taken place between Christ and ourselves, it is our responsibility as members of the Bride of Christ to become representatives of Him, as Paul wrote, “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God was making His appeal through us.” It isn't so much that we are charged with this responsibility so we can then perform our Christian duties “as best we can”. Instead we are to yield to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which all genuine Christians have, allowing Him to work through us instead of doing it ourselves. Whether people meet us in public or in private, they will know that we are the real deal because they will literally be able to see Christ at work within us while it emanates from without. When we are walking in the Spirit, allowing Christ to work through us becomes like a second nature.


Also, reconciliation to Christ does NOT mean being religious. You have no doubt noticed that religiosity is the exclusive domain of church denominations. The problem with denominations is they teach their version(s) of the Bible as being the only true and correct interpretation to the exclusion of everything else. This is not only completely wrong, it is apostasy for any church to knowingly teach wrong or distorted interpretations of the Scriptures. This is why the apostle Paul, when he wrote what became the Book of Romans, stated, “I become all things to all men so that by all means I might save some”. That's also the real underlying reason that God allowed various faiths and denominations to spring up through the centuries. God uses the various versions pf the Scriptures to spread His faith, knowledge and goodness as far and wide as He can. Keep that in mind as you continue your studies, and make as great an effort as you can to be ambassadors for Christ.

Monday, June 8, 2015

Letting your light shine for all the world to see

Being the Light of the World
by Rev. Paul J. Bern



We've all heard or seen the expression “let your little light shine”. This is a truism that dates all the way back to the time of Christ, and it is documented in all the Gospels in one way or another. The apostle Paul also mentioned it in his letter to the church at Ephesus, more commonly known as the book of Ephesians. However, I am posting this commentary because I am becoming increasingly aware that much of the world has turned to darkness, because the light of justice, truth, empathy and compassion is being snuffed out all over the world. The ultimate Light, that of Jesus Christ the Son of God, never goes out. The apostle John, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote about it in his story, known simply as the Gospel of John: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John chapter 1, verses 4-5, NIV) Two thousand years later, things are much the same as this. The reason some evil people stay that way is because they prefer the darkness to the light. They percieve the Light of Christ, but they despise it because evil people are dark-natured. They naturally gravitate towards things like murder, kidnapping or hostage-taking, sexual or other physical assault, and all kinds of thefts. They cannot be trusted under any circumstances. They are dangerous and they are prevalent. Such people should be avoided at all costs.


The apostle Paul also wrote on the topic of the Light of Christ, and I quote: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, oh sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'” (Ephesians chapter 5, verses 8-14, NIV) When any person becomes a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, they become an entirely new person. Without Christ, one is in darkness because they rely only on their five senses, which can decieve us. But with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our senses are taken to a higher level with the addition of a Spiritual sense known as discernment. A discerning spirit within any given individual is not easily taught because it takes a lifetime to acquire one. You've heard or read that the best things in life are those that take the longest time. Discernment is one of those things, a subject that I myself have yet to master. But I continue to learn from the Lord daily.


The “fruit of the light”, Paul wrote, consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth. This lines up with what I wrote back at the beginning of this post and vice versa. Paul then wrote, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” I can think of one person who has been in the news off and on for the last year or two who has made it his mission in life to do exactly that. Of course, I'm talking about Mr. Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor and government whistleblower who blew the lid off of the NSA's and FBI's massive secret collection of people's mobile phone data. Secret spying of American citizens is prohibited by law. As such this domestic espionage can be defined as deeds of darkness, and Mr. Snowden, who is a modern-day hero as far as this preacher is concerned, has gone out of his way to expose them just as the apostle Paul said and wrote. Those who take videos of police brutality against citizens are another modern-day example of following this precept of Paul's. But then Paul wrote, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible......This is why it is said: 'Wake up, oh sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you'.” What light was Paul referring to here? The Light that is the person of Jesus Christ, of course! It is said that the only thing the Roman soldiers who were guarding Jesus' tomb saw when Jesus rose from the dead was a blinding light. When the dead in Christ arise with the rapture of the Church, we too will be instantly transformed into Spiritual beings of light. This is likely to happen in our lifetimes. Now there is something to look forward to!


Last but certainly not least, let's examine what Jesus himself had to say about walking in and being a part of the light we are discussing. I quote from the Gospel of Matthew: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew chapter 5, verses 14-16, NIV) If we are in fact “the light of the world” in the sight of Christ, shouldn't we be acting like it? And if we are the light of the world in Jesus' sight, how much more will we be for the Father? Whether we get a good or positive reaction from others that we try to do this for or not is besides the point. Because ultimately, we're not doing this for them, nor for ourselves, but for God, because He is watching us. A city at night cannot be hidden. Let's not hide the light that exists inside each of us (whether we realized that up until now or not is besides the point). Those who refuse to let His light shine, or who won't let it in at all, dishonor God, themselves, and even their family and friends. Since we are all God's unique and distinct creations, let's honor God by expressing our thankfulness and gratitude towards Him for creating us and for keeping us alive all these years. After all, what else can we do?

Thursday, June 4, 2015

This week's Bible study will be 2nd Corinthians chapter 5, verses 1-10

Home Is Where The Heart Is




This week we will move on to 2nd Corinthians chapter 5. We'll be breaking this chapter into two parts since this is one of the deepest books in Second Corinthians. So let's go directly to the Word as we continue our study of the apostle Paul's letters to the early churches in their order of appearance in the New Testament, beginning at verse 1.


Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Cor. 5, verses 1-5, NIV)


Here we see a clear comparison of a tent to a human body. You go camping, you put up the tent, and when the trip is over, you take it back down again. I agree with Paul's analogy. You put up the tent that your spirit, or your soul, dwells in, which is your physical body. You leave the tent up for the duration of the camping trip we call life until, some 70+ years later if we're both lucky and wise, the trip is over and we go back home, except that 'home' is eternal life with the Lord. Jesus said to his apostles, “I go and prepare a place for you. In my Father's house there are many mansions...”, and this is exactly what Paul is referring to in the first couple of verses.


Then Paul writes something else in the very next sentence that again hearkens back to Christ and His ministry. He wrote, “Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.” Paul was referring to what is now a passage in the gospel of Matthew in chapter 22 known as 'The Parable of the Wedding Feast'. It starts at verse one, but I want to go down to verses 11-14, which read as follows: “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend', he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot and throw him outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Since the Bible as we know it today did not yet exist, Paul's referral to one of Jesus' parables was based on what he had heard from the original surviving apostles.


No doubt this occurred during the time when Paul received his sight back after being struck down on the road to Damascus in the book of Acts, at the very beginning of his ministry. At any rate, I think it's more than just incidental that Paul was quoting Christ in this passage. Like Paul, we too are blind until we receive Jesus into our hearts. But when we let Him in, we acquire a Spiritual vision that we could not have had previously without Him. God, Paul writes, has made us for this very purpose. Let us now continue at verse 6.


Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away in the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confidant, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor. 5, verses 6-10, NIV)


Although we are all currently “at home in the body”, as the apostle Paul put it, he – and all of us who are followers of Jesus – would rather be “away from the body and at home with the Lord”. If we become too comfortable and complacent while in our physical bodies, we can lose sight of the Spiritual aspects of life and drift away from God. That's why Paul wrote in the very next sentence that “we walk by faith and not by sight”. Do not rely on only what you can see, touch and feel, nor rely only on what you hear, because we can be deceived by our human perception. Walk by the faith in Jesus that will save and protect you, and do not trust your feelings or your intellect, judging only by what you can see and touch. That way, even when we are “at home in the body”, we are maintaining a connection with the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord, and we “make it our goal to please Him”. It is in our best interest to do all these things since we will all have to stand before the judgment seat of Christ when the end finally comes and give an account of ourselves and how we lived our lives, with special emphasis on what we did for others from within and outside of our families, particularly strangers.


It would be in all our best interest to not only begin learning how to better live our lives this way, but to do so with the understanding that living our lives this way brings us closer to Christ as it prepares us for eternal life with Him forever in Heaven, a place where time as we know it stands still. Only then will we be “at home in the Lord”, and home with the Lord is the place we are intended to be when our physical lives are over. That does not include those who do not inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ. Those who refuse to believe, together with the majority of the religious establishment of its time, will be spending eternity in hell instead, another place where we know time also stands still. And so we find ourselves faced with a stark choice here in the early 21st century, as the age of the American Empire is winding down while the highly vaunted capitalist economic system continues on the path to self-destruction. Will we place our faith in only what we can see around us, or do we place our faith in that which is unseen, relying only on things that come directly from God for our sustenance? We may as well go ahead and rely on God, because in the end He is going to be the only thing left standing. The dollar may be devalued, the price of gold, silver, copper and other semi-precious metals may crash, and the stock market may evaporate into the same thin air from which it was conceived more than 200 years ago. In a worst case scenario, World War 3 could even break out at any time in the Middle East. But God will still be on His throne, and Jesus will still be seated at His right hand, for all eternity. Nothing about Him has changed because He is the same today, tomorrow and forever.