TRUTH

Truth by its very nature can not be relative.  

If I say that one thing is true, its opposite cannot also be true.  It makes sense right?

This is easy to prove when looking at examples from the physical world.  The computer I type on is turned 'on'.  It is not off.  A computer cannot be both on and off at the same time.  It is either on or off.

On a clear day, the sky is blue.  The light from the sun reflects off of the water particles in the air so that our eyes view the 'blue' part of the color spectrum.  Just because a person says that the sky is yellow, does not mean that it is yellow.

If I have to pieces of information that contradict each other, either one is true and one is false, or they are both false.  They cannot both be true unless there is a factor that is yet to be seen.

Taking the Bible Literally

I recently heard about a sect of Christians who handle snakes and occasionally drink poison. 
They take Mark 16:18 literally when it says, "they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Each week they include snake handling in their worship services (when the spirit leads them to) and some even drink poison with the faith that it won't make them sick.

Another group called the Christian Polygamy Movement supports husbands having multiple wives using 1 Corinthians 7:2 which says, "each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband." They argue that marriage is a sacred covenant and that the word "own" in this case allows a man to enter into multiple covenants.

And then there are those Jehovah's Witnesses who knock on your door every once in a while who take Leviticus 7:26 literally when it says, "..you shall eat no blood whatever...". They take this verse to mean that they should not have blood transfusions because a transfusion is the same as consuming blood.

I was reading Luke tonight and think I found a passage that I would probably use if I were to start a sect of Christianity.
Check it out:
Love Your Enemies
27"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
32"If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judging Others
37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; 38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
39He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? 40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. 41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.

A Tree and Its Fruit
43"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Build Your House on the Rock
46"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."


I am constantly astounded at some of the ways people justify their actions using the scriptures. Some of these beliefs are downright crazy and others are somewhat dangerous. 

I always wish that there was a group out there that took a passage like the one above literally. You know, not just people who read it and take it as seriously as the rest of the Bible, but so seriously that they would make CNN.com or Fox News because of what they did as a result of adhering to this passage.

When people spend time and energy trying to convince others that they should have multiple wives, handle snakes, or deny blood transfusions, it doesn't seem like they have a true grasp of the Gospel message or that they take the Bible seriously.

But if someone I offended were to turn the other cheek and not retaliate, or if someone were to lend me money and not expect to ever get it back (no questions asked and no resentment either), or if someone were to love everyone they met (even if they were dirty rotten sinners) then I would be more willing to consider to listen to what they have to say and how they live.

Don't worry, I am not asking for you to give me money with no questions asked and I am certainly not starting another sect of Christianity. I try to read the Bible as a whole and with everything in its proper context. 

I write this because this world we live in seems to be getting rougher everyday and that I find hope for this world when I read the words that Christ spoke a long time ago. Those words are radical. They bring peace. They offer Shalom.

I hope that you get as much out of the passage in Luke as I did.

Blessings,
Rich

First Fruits

Firstfruits.  A common theme in the Old Testament is the giving of first fruits.  When the time came for the harvest or when a tree was ripe with the first of its fruit, a person was supposed to offer that first part of the harvest to God and not consume it.  This was especially significant because food stores often ran low before it was time for the harvest.  Giving first fruits would require that a person go a little bit longer with scarce food, requiring more trust in God.  It was a way of dedicating the entire harvest to God.