Divided Tongues; a New Look at the Tower of Babel

We're all more or less familiar with 'The Tower of Babel' Bible Story, found in Genesis 11:1-9, but how many have ever seen it as a prophesy of the giving of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2? 'Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech'; as the Story goes; this was the Creator God's response to His Creation when they thought to become gods themselves. From this plain in what we now know as Central Iraq, Yahweh scattered abroad His children, in effect cursing them by separating them. In sending His Spirit, at Pentecost, in the form of Divided Tongues of Fire. The Hebrew 'balal' translated as 'confuse' in the Story ( depending on the version ) & the Greek 'diamerizō', translated as 'divided' the Acts 2 description of the Holy Spirit, while having slightly different definitions & uses, are very similar in meaning.

Speaking of 'division'; in the early 13th century, the Archbishop of Canterbury introduced what we now accept as the chapters & verses of our present-day English Bibles. Whatever the reason for these divisions, it is most important to understand that these divisions are not original & thus, in some ways hinder our understanding of the Story of Scripture. Previous to the story of the Tower of Babel, in what we know as Genesis 10, is a genealogy of the sons of Noah. In this genealogy, when the sons of Ham are mentioned, we see that the beginning of his grandson Cush's kingdom, or dynasty, was Babel. At the end of what we know as Genesis 10, we read that 'from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood.' It is natural to assume, then, that the Story of the Tower of Babel is the story of this division.

From the 'Division of Nations' as elucidated in the 11th chapter of Genesis, we understand that the whole earth was populated, though the Scriptures focus on the nations that we know as the Middle East. From the Middle East, of course, what is often called 'the cradle of civilization', was peopled, as the story goes, the rest of the earth, including Europe & the Americas. Australia, for those who miss the implications of a universal understanding of this passage of Scripture, also bears mention here; the question might be asked, 'from which of the sons of Noah did the Australian Aboriginals come?' Enough about that, though, this post is about the Coming of the Holy Spirit & the Reversal of the Curse, right?

The Fall of Adam & Eve in the Garden produced a long-lasting Curse, one which plagued the children of Israel for generations. Most notably, the Division of the Nations, as recorded in Genesis 10 & 11, was in essence, a result of the separation that our first 'parents' experienced in the Garden. Genesis 3::22 & 23 reads for similarly to Genesis 11:6. In the earlier reference, Yahweh observed that 'the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever”— therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken'. Because of their desire to be as God, they were separated from His Blessings for a time, so that His Purpose might be Fulfilled!

The Curse that plagued the generations of the children of Israel was brought on by the Fall of Adam & Eve, there is no question, biblically speaking! Because of the curse that Yahweh pronounced on the ground
( Genesis 3:17 ), Noah planted a vineyard ( Genesis 9:20 ) since nothing grew of its own, as had the Garden, and further unleashed the Curse against his son & grandson. That it was the grandson of Ham who at least authorized the building of the Tower is speculative, but it seems possible, even likely.

In the Greatest Sense, one might say, the Division of Nations was a Blessing in Disguise, as was the Curse itself ], which plagued the children of Israel from the very beginning till the End! The End, of course, was Jesus, the Messiah of Israel. He it was that truly reversed the Curse through the Power of the Holy Spirit! By sending His Spirit in the visible form of divided tongues of fire, He showed, both that this was the Baptism that John had promised during his ministry ( Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16 ) & that this Spirit was the same One who had confirmed the Covenant with Abraham ( Genesis 15:17 ). This is not to resolve the children of Israel of any responsibility, but all that transpired in the History of Israel happened according to Plan and led to the Revelation of the Son of our Heavenly Father!

One problem, as mentioned previously, with modern Christianity is that, because of the chapter & verse divisions, many often seem to forget that the Scriptures are One Story! The division of the Genealogy of the sons of Noah & the resulting Tower of Babel is just one example among many that could be given. For instance, because of this separation, we are disinclined to remember that Genesis 11 is simply a continuation of the Story that began much earlier in Genesis & the same Story that continued with Abram in Chapter 12.

In a previous post ( several years ago ), we explored the notion that the Tower of Babel was significant of the beginnings of the Church; even though the Curse was still operative, everything was going according to Plan, even back then! Israel was spread abroad, in much the same manner, during the Dispersion, or 'Diaspora', as well as centuries earlier, when they descended into hell ( went into exile ) at the hands of the Babylonians ( Babel ), so, cursed as they were, it was all part of their Heavenly Father's Plan for the spread of the Gospel!

The Tower of Babel, evil as was the purpose of those building it, actually served the Creator's Purpose! From this Story, then, as well as many other similar ones in Scripture serve to remind us that, as evil & grand as wicked people's plans may be, they all serve our Heavenly Father's Purpose. There is no tower that men or women can construct, no plan that evil minds can devise that is not eclipsed & encompassed by that of the Creator of Heaven & Earth!

Charles Haddon Shank

Expanding the Borders

Let me just make this disclaimer; this post IS inspired by one that I came upon this morning, one written by my little sister, Mrs. Virginia Wallace. It's NOT all about me, My relationship with MY Creator, MY journey, MY success! It IS about OUR relationship, OUR journey, OUR success, as the Body of Christ! We are His Beloved One, His arms, legs & feet to do His Will as we travel through this world. In answer to the oft-asked question, 'why are we here?', we can answer truthfully & gloriously, 'we are here to expand the Kingdom of the Creator God & our Heavenly Father!"

Many Christians seem to have settled into a routine! This routine involves 'going to church' on Sunday, then the rest of the week, going about their own business, however mundane it might be. 'I just don't have the time or resources to do much more,' some might complain, 'in fact, there's barely enough, sometimes, to do what I do get done!' Too, often, this attitude sums up our thoughts. There IS more, though, SO much more!

There is much to be done! Sometimes, often, it gets a bit overwhelming & even the best of us is tempted to murmur & complain: sometimes we are driven almost to the depths of despair. When such moments come upon us, we must prayerfully remember that we are not alone. we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, both seen & unseen, that we really have no cause for worry or despair. There IS much to be done, but with every member doing his or her part, those hurdles which seem almost insurmountable may be quickly solved by working together!

'The Kingdom of God', Jesus told His disciples, 'is within you' ( Luke 17:21 ). Some translations render the Greek here, 'the Kingdom of God is in your midst'; this translation may be a bit truer to the text, for as I've speculated previously, Jesus was telling His audience that He was, or that He represented that Kingdom. Whether the Kingdom, as Jesus Himself ( John 14:23 ) is indeed within every individual Christian or if its being in our midst is simply a fulfillment of both the tabernacle in the wilderness & the Temple, whereas we have become, as the apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Ephesus, 'a dwelling place of God in the Spirit' ( Ephesians 2:22 ), we are, in Essence, the Kingdom of God, or Heaven!

'Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!' ( I Chronicles 4:10 ). This prayer, now made famous by some capitalists, was also referred to by our Lord & Brother in a yet more famous prayer! This prayer spoke of a Kingdom to come, the Kingdom of God, which, as Daniel prophesied, would eclipse, in fact, swallow up ( consume ) all other kingdoms. In the days of Jesus & the apostles, this Kingdom was in the process of being established in the hearts, minds & actions of His disciples, but has now come to fruition & is coming to fruition through His Body in a continuously expanding Kingdom!

We should continue to earnestly pray, as in the Lord's Prayer, that His Kingdom would come, for though the words of Jesus were fulfilled in the first century, when & how He said, they are yet being fulfilled through His Body! The apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Philippi, 'He who has begun a good work in you will complete [ it ] until the day of Jesus Christ' ( Philippians 1:6 ). That Day is here, has been for almost 2,000 years now! The Philippians, the original recipients of Paul's letter, are no more, but we may infer that these inspired words were meant for us as well as them. With Strength of Spirit, we His Body & Members individually, are enabled to rise up & accomplish the change which Jesus engendered, oh, so long ago!

There's nothing inherently wrong with tradition, but when tradition stands in the way of Jesus' simple commands, then that tradition must go by the wayside; 'we must obey God, rather than men' ( Acts 5:29 ). It seems that, among certain sects of Christianity, it has been traditional to focus on doctrine, rather than Jesus' command to love one another. If one doesn't hold to certain orthodox doctrines, then that one is not deemed worthy of the status of 'neighbor', unless that one comes around to acknowledge that same doctrine. Though many Christians seem to have fallen into this 'rut'; it must be said that it is not true of an increasingly large number of those who make up the Body of Christ!

'How are we to accomplish this change?', many might ask; 'what did Jesus mean when He promised, 'he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater [ works ] than these he will do' ( John 14:12 )?' By unselfishly, as He did, serving each other & especially those who are outside the Body of Christ, we encourage the expansion of the Kingdom; through our loving kindness, we may show His Love, the Love of Christ to even our mortal enemy & bring them into the City. The simplicity of the Gospel preached & played out before their eyes will show them, although not all will accept this glorious Truth, that the Creator, the Master of the Universe is not a petty God, as some would posit, but desires to live in Blessed Relationship with His Creation!

Charles Haddon Shank

Connnectivity

Men & women are made for each other, that is all! The physical nature of their compatibility is only the most tangible of proofs. Spiritually speaking, their make-ups are such that they complement each other perfectly, as well. Not being an authority, or even having studied the science of the matter, I can only speak from a bit of experience & negative experience at that. The positive physical connection, as any married couple can tell you, is a very necessary part of a well-oiled biological machine, but without the supremely important & necessary spiritual component, the physical attraction only goes so far before it fizzles out & implodes upon itself.

Human beings are the primary subjects of this post, but other animals as well need this most basic of attributes to survive, as well. We, as the human animal, with our more civilized decorum,would like to think that our way of meeting our needs is somehow moral, while those of mere animals is not. One might blame this on our greater cranial cavity, or some special consideration from the Creator, wherein we are able to discern the right way, as opposed to the wrong way, to meet this most basic of needs.

Call it covenant, call it relationship, call it what you will; connectivity engages the necessary components to form a most powerful combination, one that Scripture calls 'a threefold cord' ( Ecclesiastes 4:12 ). Any relationship requires some sort of compatibility, or connectivity, in order to blossom. To whatever extent the components of this relationship work together determines how long & even if it will last. Probably the most important element, biologically speaking, though inextricably linked with spiritual matters, is communication. Human relationships without this most integral of elements have a tendency to burn from the inside out!

Physical  compatibility between the male & female of really any species, including plant & animal, is pretty much without question! For the purpose of procreation, which, it might be argued, is our primary purpose, the male & female of the species in question are formed so that they mesh together in a way that is marvelous, almost beyond words.For plants, one can easily see that procreation is a very necessary part of  their existence.For the various animal species, the need is no less, though for the human animal, Science & Technology have enabled procreation to be accomplished in increasingly unnatural ways & for perverted reasons!

Spiritual compatibility, of which communication is a primary ingredient, is of utmost importance! Though the human animal is traditionally the only species to enjoy this attribute, one might question the wisdom of averring the 'dumb' nature of any & all other animals. It is known, for example, that certain other species mate for life, in other words that the male & female of this species are wont to choose a certain mate & remain with that one mate till they die. Again, one might question the wisdom of trying to ascertain, through study & research whether other animals are sentient beings, not unlike us, but as creations of our Heavenly Father, we might ask ourselves whether they deserve many of the same considerations our fellow human beings do!

The spiritual nature of any being, human, plant, or animal, is almost without question! As the Work of One Creator, all that has life, which biology necessarily implies, has, to whatever extent, a spirit. Studies have been done & again, I do not claim to be an authority, but as far-fetched as some research might sound, the notion that even plants have feelings seems not implausible.  This is not necessarily to say that plants enjoy the same sentientality & sensuality as we humans, but certain genus of flora seem to be uncannily able to communicate with each other. While movies such as 2009's 'Avatar' certainly portrayed some very far-fetched notions, some portrayals may not be so outlandish, in particular, James Cameron's interpretation of the 'Tree of Life'!

Whether one has in mind the way of a man with a maid, the way rabbits seem to go merrily about their business ( of the birds & the bees ) or the largest natural organism on Planet Earth, a grove of aspens on the slopes of Pike's Peak in Colorado, the connectivity of biology is without question! Though much of this connectivity is yet unexplored & may actually be unexplainable, the fact that it exists is so clear, even logical, that to deny it would be almost to question the wisdom of the Creator Himself! The Spirit of the Creator, traditionally known as 'the Third Person of the Trinity', has, according to our understanding of  Scripture, made Himself known to the human race alone & so it is to Him that we as humans must look to truly bind us together, for though we may have some sort of physical, even spiritual relationship, without the Father of Spirits as our Guide, no relationship will be a lasting one. Bereft of that necessary Connection, our relationships must be based upon feelings & we all know how feelings are!

Charles Haddon Shank

Redemption Story

The Story of Scripture is the Story of Israel. Most would probably say that the Bible begins with the 'creation' of the material universe, narrows in on the nation of Israel beginning in Genesis 12, then returns to the physical universe again toward the other end. Others are of the opinion/belief that the Scriptures are a Book of Covenant & that, although the Creation Story refers to the Beginning of Time & the End of Time, like book-ends, the Covenant with Israel is/was significant of the Greater Covenant, the Eternal Covenant that the Creator established with His Creation. There are yet others who would posit that the Scriptures are all about the Covenant with Israel, from Beginning to End, from Alpha to Omega!

The Story of Redemption begins in the Garden ( Eden ); interestingly enough, its End also involved a Garden ( Gethsemane ). The End did not Come in the Garden, however; like Moses ( a type of the Christ ), Jesus promised to return within a generation to finish the Work He had begun. Having promised to return within the lifetime of some of those standing there, Jesus came, as He had also promised the Jewish High Priest ( Matthew 26:67 ) 'in the clouds' of judgment, having called for the Roman armies to descend upon Judea & Jerusalem like Babylon & Syria had done in times past. While it is reported that the Jews themselves actually set fire to the Temple, the Roman armies destroyed both Jerusalem & the Temple, effectively bringing an end to what the apostle Paul later referred to as 'the ministry of death' ( II Corinthians 3:7 ).

The Fall, as referred to in the third chapter of Genesis, was perpetrated by Adam & Eve, but instigated by a sentient being known as 'the serpent'. Though this 'Fall' traditionally plunged mankind into the darkness of sin & death, it should be noted that closer & further study will reveal that the Beginning recorded in Genesis, rather than referring to the genesis of mankind, allegorically alludes, in prophetic prose, to the 'creation' or formation of the Covenant, that which God chose to reveal through Israel. The Redemption of Israel was necessary because of the Fall of Adam & Eve, the Fall which had enveloped the children of Israel in a shroud which plagued them for their entire existence, until finally the Creator of Heaven sent His only ( begotten ) Son to bring an End to that Curse.

The Redemption of Israel was prophetic, yes, of the redemption of mankind; as the apostle Paul also wrote, it was 'for the Jew first and also for the Greek', but Jesus came as the Messiah of Israel! Some might interpret Paul's words as referring to Jewish privilege & in some sense they might be right, but even beyond that, he alluded to the fact that Israel was ( to be ) 'a kingdom of priests' ( Exodus 19:6 ); they were the ones entrust with the ministration of Life, though through the Fall & subsequent failures, they became the 'ministry of death'. Adam & Eve, because of their selfishness, had doomed the generations to follow ( thousands of years ) to continually fail to rule in a way that was pleasing to their Lord. Jesus came to redeem His People from the Sin & Death of Adam: through Redeemed Israel, then, would come the redemption of mankind!

The Judgment of AD70, also known as 'The Day of the Lord', not only ended in the destruction of Jerusalem & the Temple, thus bringing an end to the reign of terror that had enveloped the Land, it also revealed True Israel, those who remained true to their calling as priests in the Kingdom of their Lord. Not only Jews, but Gentiles made up this True Israel, 'the Israel of God', as Paul called them in His letter to the Church at Galatia ( Galatians 6:16 ). Beginning with the Ministry of Jesus, the Final Chapter of this Redemption Story was inaugurated & brought to its final Glorious Conclusion ( End ) with the Revelation of Jesus the Christ as the Son of God.

The Redemption Story is the Story of Israel; it is also the Story of Covenant, the Covenant that the Creator of Heaven & Earth made with His Creation. There is no doubt that the One who formed Israel in His image also made the universe & all that it contains. The Fall & Resurrection of Israel affected the remainder creation as well, but it was through Israel that He chose to bring Redemption to birth. 'The Time of the End', that Daniel prophesied of, referred, not to the final conclusion of the covenant that Yahweh had made with Israel, but to Jesus Himself, who was the Goal of Redemption, the Dwelling of God in the Flesh!

The Redemption of Israel IS the Redemption of Mankind! As the Resurrection of Jesus signaled the Resurrection of Israel, so the Redemption of Israel signaled the Redemption of Creation. Don't worry, I'm not advocating the sort of universalism that most people think, but I AM advocating universalism to a certain extent! The sort of Universal Redemption being advocated here is not one that says everyone, no matter their actions, will enjoy the Presence of their Heavenly Father for all Eternity, but rather one that says, as Scripture does, from 'every nation' ( Acts 10:35, 17:26 ), the Creator has brought & is bringing His People to expand His Kingdom. As we work within His Kingdom, then, in Redeeming Culture, let us continue to enjoy & share the blessings of Communion!

Charles Haddon Shank

'This is My Body'

Jesus uttered these immortal words as He was about to offer the ultimate sacrifice, as He had said earlier, 'Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends'. The Body that the Creator of Heaven & Earth had prepared ( Hebrews 105 ( Psalm 40:6-8 ) from the foundation of the 'kosmos' was 'fattened', just to be offered for a pleasing aroma, well-pleasing to the Lord! When Jesus spoke these words of instruction during His last Passover celebration, He was doing more, gloriously more than telling His disciples how to memorialize His Final Oblation; He was telling them in metaphor what His Body was made up of, the normal things of life, ordinary, though extraordinary people like you & me!

Communion, or more correctly, 'The Lord's Supper', like water baptism, has become one of the greatest issues to divide the Church, although really, this has been so almost from the beginning! 'How are we to baptize?' Baptists, or baptistic denominations would most likely say, almost without exception, that one must be fully submersed in order for it to be a true baptism. Along the same lines, the one being baptized must understand, more or less, what it means ( Believer's Baptism ). Although there are some Presbyterians who follow this form, most would say that sprinkling & pouring are the more Orthodox way. These same Presbyterians, for the most part, also practice paedobaptism, or the baptism of children & infants before they've reached the so-called 'Age of Accountability'.

Speaking of the Presbyterians, including most if not all Reformed & Orthodox congregations, paedocommunion is also a regular practice. As you can probably guess from the earlier explanation, this refers to the practice of including children & infants when the rite, to whatever extent, is observed. Again, it is to be noted that such is prior to the previously mentioned 'Age of Accountability'. Though most Reformed congregations, including the Presbyterian, follow the same basic order of service, there are still differences among the various congregations on how often & in what manner it should be observed.

For the most part, there is general agreement among all Christian denominations, though, that when our Lord poured the wine & divided the loaf, He was instituting a new way of observing the Passover, of which the first was only significant. Though most would probably not think of it in this manner, Jesus' Final Sacrifice on the Cross led us, His People out of the slavery of sin & death ( Egypt ), into the Promised Land of Rest in Christ ( Hebrews 4 ). The apostle Paul, as this blogger has mentioned previously, referred to this revelation in his first letter to the Church at Corinth ( I Corinthians 11:23-34 ). My conclusion was that, rather than referring to Jesus' own biology, Paul was speaking of the Body of Christ, the Church. Understanding Jesus' instructions in this manner would go a long way toward the cessation of much bickering & division in the Church!

Among the Roman Catholics & even certain Protestant denominations, the doctrines of transubstantiation & consubstantiation have taken hold because of a woodenly literal understanding of Jesus' words. It is not because we physically ingest His Body ( that would be like, cannibalism, right? ) that we partake of His Body; that is just common sense! We are part of the Body because we commune with His People, not just when we gather 4 times a year, monthly, or even weekly to follow a certain rite, no matter if we believe it to be an actual participation in the Body & Blood of our Lord, or whether it's just a memorial to be observed!

We are the Body of Christ! No matter how one looks at it, whether it's understood metaphorically or actually ( literally ), it is we who are the subjects of what has been called 'The Lord's Supper' for so long. As the Body of Christ, we have the duty, the privilege really, of communing with each other, to whatever extent, on a daily, hourly & minutely basis! To divide, as we have in the Church, over these issues is pure heresy; these are issues that unite us, they should not divide us!

Jesus used such common elements as mere bread & wine to symbolize His Body & Blood, not just because they were already extant in the Passover meal, but because they pictured perfectly the simplicity of His Gospel, the Good News that it was not a certain elite that would inherit the Kingdom prepared for them by the Father, but that Jew & Gentile alike would bear these blessings. The bread & wine of the Passover meal were significant of the blessings promised to Israel of old for obedience; they were also significant of our daily bread, the simple bare necessities of life!

As we commune with the Body of Christ then, let us always remember that it is not by following some prescribed rite that we partake of or in His Body & Blood, but through our daily walk, through our communion with each other; this is True Communion & it is not what divides us, it is what unites us!

Charles Haddon Shank

To Restore America

'We can make America great again'! How often do you hear this phrase, or at least something very like it? Among a growing portion of this nation's population, including at least one notable politician, it is becoming more & more popular to echo these words in talking about 'restoring America'. While there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting to restore this country to its foundations, or even of making it great again, for the Christian especially, we should ask ourselves a couple questions; what exactly is meant by 'making America great again' & what all does it entail?

During the previous election season, one politician's campaign was largely founded on his promise  to 'Restore America'! That itself brings up a few questions, such as, 'what did he mean by 'restoring America'?' Does he mean to bring back the Christian principles this nation was founded upon, or does he simply mean to return to the constitutional principles our fore-fathers strained to establish? It is somewhat doubtful & highly questionable that he would wish to repent & return to the principles of the Christian God that make up the bedrock of the foundation of this once-great nation, but suppose he actually does intend to dwell, both on a personal & professional level, on the Constitution!

What made, or makes, America great? Delving back into our history, we might stumble upon examples of why foreign visitors to this country in it's newly-formed heyday thought about it. Alexis de Tocqueville, French author of 'Democracy in America', once wrote 'America is great because she is good. If America ceases to be good, America will cease to be great' The same man, however, wrote this as well; 'It is indeed difficult to imagine how men who have entirely renounced the habit of managing their own affairs could be successful in choosing those who ought to lead them. It is impossible to believe that a liberal, energetic, and wise government can ever emerge from the ballots of a nation of servants'. Considering this statement & the obvious degradation of this nation, can or should this nation still be called 'great'?

Speaking of Foreigners, Winston Churchill reportedly once gave his thoughts on the principle of de Tocqueville's last statement ( above ); 'The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter'. The Prussian Karl Marx, revolutionary author of 'The Communist Manifesto' once said , as one who should know, 'Democracy is the road to socialism'. There are doubtless many other examples of how foreigners have noted how this so-called 'great' nation was doomed to falter & indeed had fallen from her lofty pedestal, but this may suffice for now. We are faced with the question, then; 'if, as many Americans will probably tell you, 'democracy made, or makes, this nation great', do we really want to return to those roots?' The constitutional form of government that the average American 'enjoys' is no more than tyranny in its formative stages: Plato once wrote this enlightening statement, 'Tyranny naturally arises out of democracy'. Though America was reputedly formed with a republican form of government, we have seen that even the best-laid plans quickly devolve into what we now see when destitute of the necessary constituents!

It is all well & good to urge a return to the constitutional principles upon which this nation was founded, but we must remember what one of these founders himself said; 'Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.' Another founder, James Madison, stated that 'if men were angels, no government would be necessary'. A return to Godly standards, not to constitutional principles is what will make America great again, according to our founding fathers & a host of foreigners. The Constitution of these United States was well-written, maybe & with good intent, but a document written with pen & ink can never take the place of the Finger of God! It has been said, in other words maybe, that 'you can't legislate morality'. Scripture itself shows how well this works; time & again, the Law was brought to bear, but it was not till the hearts of the People were changed that it had any effect!

So, what really DID make America great? Was it strict adherence to the Constitution? Even a foreigner noted that it was because the people of the nation ( individually ) had been endowed by their Creator with a certain goodness, a certain Righteousness! Without a repentance & national return to that Righteousness, no mortal document will offer any lasting benefit to this country! If ever this nation WAS great, it was because of an adherence to the principles we find in Scripture; but now, the question should be asked, 'should we, as Christians, seek the greatness of America?' In some sense, as established above, we should pursue the principles that made us good, not just in the eyes of other nations, but moreso the Apple of our Father's Eye, but what did Jesus say in regards to nation-building? In a rather famous passage ( Matthew 6:33 ), Jesus said 'seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you'. It is the Kingdom of Heaven we are to pursue, not making any particular politicaal party or nation!

As we ponder these questions & others engendered by them, we should pause to consider our purpose, especially as Christians. We are not hear to spread the borders of this empire, the political entity known as America, or the United States; we are here to spread the Good News of Reconciliation, that all that was lost is now found & we have inherited our Father's Kingdom. Should we be seeking to 'restore America', then, or trying to make her great, or should we be practicing the Righteousness we have been endowed with & teaching others to pursue & rest in Him?

Charles Haddon Shank

Divisive Christianity?

For the word of God is living and powerful,

 and sharper than any two-edged sword,

 piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, 

and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12 

You will find no argument here that the above statement from Scripture stands just as true today as it did when it was penned in the first century. The question that might arise here is whether or not the context is the same in the 21st century! Most Christians would be quick to tell you that, while we have already entered the Rest to which the author refers, we have not yet fully entered that Rest, for obvious reasons. It is manifestly apparent that we have not yet inherited our Resurrection Bodies, as they still perish, pain & tears continue to plague us & evil persists', they might be tempted to say. John wrote, after all, that 'when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is' ( I John 3:2b )!

Heresy might better be defined as divisiveness. The divisiveness that threatened the early Church, though essence seemingly not that different than the doctrinal differences which plague the Institutional Church today, was of a different nature, so to speak!  The Judaizers that the apostle Paul, in particular, labored against tried to force the new Christians, both Jew & Gentile, to live according to the Law they had held sacred for thousands of years. Jesus, as the Christ, the Jew's Messiah, fulfilled that Law & even, as Paul later wrote 'wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross' ( Colossians 2:14 ). Having ushered in that 'age to come' ( Luke 18:31 ( Luke 20:27-38 ) Ephesians 1:21, Hebrews 6:5 ) which He had promised throughout the Scriptures, Jesus made His disciples a New Creation ( II Corinthians 5:17 ), One which is not divided!

Evil still exists, the can be no doubt, but it only persists as men & women persevere in doing wickedly! Again, there can be no doubt that there are many who continue to do evil & so there must be divisiveness, of a sort, to separate those who do righteously from those who do wickedly. However, within the Body of Christ, there is no such division! The Body of Christ, though different in nature than the Institutional Church, yet seems to be plagued by similar doctrines of demons as those that were adversarial to the Church of the 1st century. There are those among us, in the Institutional Church, who have been influenced by the ungodly culture that surrounds us, who would have us accept those things which the Word of God forbids. On the other hand & at the other end of the spectrum, so to speak, are those who, though the Law was fulfilled by the Christ, still endeavor to keep that same Law & teach others to do the same! 

The Law in question, in essence what we call the Ten Commandments, is still in force, though as Jesus elucidated in Mark 12:30 & 31, not quite quite in the same manner as under that first ( covenant ). In Fulfillment of the Law, Jesus showed Himself ( to be ) the Spirit of the Law; in a manner of speaking, the Law Incarnate! Since we are 'in' Christ, we are, in that sense, in ( fulfillment of ) the Law; no longer must we make every effort to keep those jots & tittles which were about to pass away ( Hebrews 8:13 ). Those who refuse to surrender to their wills to their Heavenly Father are thus guilty of the greatest evil & will never find that Rest, though they search for it with many tears!

Having entered our Rest, as those Christians in the 1st century did with the destruction of Jerusalem & the Temple, we no longer are divided! The Word of God functions still as that 'two-edged sword', helping us to discern between what is good, just & right & what is wrong, wicked & evil, but , as far as the Covenant is concerned, His job is done. We, on the other hand, have only begun; with the Strength of the Spirit that enables us, we must separate ourselves from those who do wickedly by refusing to participate in their wickedness, thus making a division between us & them.

The heresy that the apostle Paul battled in the 1st century was not a question of those within & those without, so to speak; it was rather a matter of divisiveness within the Body, a heresy which separated the Body of Moses from the Body of Christ, or as the apostle put it, 'The first man Adam' & 'The last Adam' ( I Corinthians 15:45 ). The divisiveness which now seems to divide the Body of Christ is not unlike this heresy of old in this sense; it proves which is truly the Body of Christ & which is merely a construct of man, full of doctrines of demons!

As we there continue in Fulfillment of the Law, let us be careful to discern that which unites us & that which seems to divide us!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Cosmic Christ ( Ascended Servants )

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] 

because he will save his people from their sins.

 Matthew 1:21

 We are all very familiar with John 3:16; it is without doubt, one of the most quoted Bible verses ever, eclipsing even the one about judging ( really, it's about 'condemning'-Matthew 7: )! Jesus told His disciples that 'God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life', in other words, that whoever received Jesus as the Messiah would inherit the Promise of the Ages. This Promise, though it was given throughout the Scriptures, was most famously & succinctly iterated in Yahweh's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, 'I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you'. When the Holy Spirit instructed Joseph, through a dream, that they should call the Child Jesus, He was telling those that could understand that this Promise was finally being fulfilled, that Israel would stand again to be a blessing to the nations!

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, 

and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

John 14:12

And I, when I am lifted up^[g] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

John 12:32

 Jesus, when He promised to draw all people to Himself, was not just saying, as the majority of Christians seem to gladly accept, that upon biological death, His People would join Him in a place called Heaven, nor was He simply promising, as others latch onto, that all people, universally & individually speaking, would be drawn to Him eventually, ie., 'get saved'. He had told the Twelve 'Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel' ( Matthew 19:28 ) & though this was fulfilled in the first century, with the destruction of Jerusalem & the temple, which marked the end of an era, we, His disciples of the 21st century, as well as all between & beyond, still occupy those thrones, sitting as judges, ruling with Him!

The apostle Paul told his readers that our Heavenly Father 'has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ' ( Ephesians 1:3 ); with such we have been equipped with the necessary accoutrements for ruling with Him! We are, in that sense & having been baptized, like Him ( Romans 6:4 ( Mark 10:39 ), Anointed. As Jesus was the Christ to that 'world' ( cosmos ), so we, being His Body, are the Christ to our 'world'! 

Many, I'm certain, have wondered how we will do 'greater things' than Jesus Himself; though we are not of the same Essence as the Creator of all, we have been blessed with His Spirit! It is the Spirit Within that enables us to do these 'greater things'. Jesus told & tells His disciples that 'Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all' ( Mark 9:35 ); this is how we do 'greater things', by serving others, as Jesus instructed His disciples earlier, 'the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many' ( Matthew 20:28 )!

Many likely picture Jesus on the Cross when He talked about being lifted up; this is not necessarily a wrong inference, but primarily signified His Ascension. Although it was His Oblation that removed the Veil, so to speak, between Heaven & Earth, it was His Ascension that brought us into 'the heavenly realms'. Now that the Master has ascended to where He was before, in Essence, One with the Father, the Servants are called to continue His Work on Earth, to do those 'greater things' that He promised In Essence, we are the Anointed One who was to come into 'the world' ( I Peter 1:10 ); we ARE the New Adam!

Charles Haddon Shank

Love is Enough, Right?!

The Beatles were right; all we really need is love, but then, 'what IS love? Do you really, honestly think that good ole John, Paul, George & Ringo were dreaming of a true & lasting love, an active love, rather than just a fleeting feeling expressed in sexuality, when they sang those words fifty some years ago? Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm sure they & others like them were very sincere, but I can pretty much guarantee you they did not have scriptural love in mind!

We have explored previously the old-fashioned notion that love is more, so much more than just a feeling; if more people were to figure out in their own minds that glorious fact, then the Beatle's words might be proven true! Love must be a conscious choice, an action, in order to truly be love. As I've witnessed to before, one can say 'I love you' as much as he or she wants, but if they never actually prove through their actions the force of their words, then the intended will never believe their words & they will fall on deaf ears, so to speak!

The Creator formed humanity in Love; He built us for it, if you will! Feelings are natural to us all, they are a necessary part of our make-up! Without feelings, we would never know the love we have for each other. On one hand, if one ignored the feeling that he or she should act a certain way toward another, then that other would never experience the love that the other willingly offered, but on the other hand, if the one on the receiving end did not experience the love in action that the other willingly offered, then again, that love would be lost & fall on deaf ears!

More than a feeling, Love, like the Creator Himself, is active & unchanging! Feelings, however, often change as the weather. One day, the love may flow freely, but as the days, months & years wear on, feelings may begin to wane, disappear, or even turn again & rend the one who formerly benefited from that feeling. Love, true love, is not based on feelings, it finds its roots in the Creator Himself & is an active choice, a conscious decision to treat others, especially maybe, a certain other as we would like him or her to treat us. Our actions are influenced by our feelings, no argument there, but when our actions are based on feelings, which may easily change, then the love which is engendered by those feelings, will not last!

'Actions', it is said, 'speak louder than words'; it is good to fill your loved one's ears with the words 'I love you', it is better to show by one's actions that he or she truly loves the recipient! Love, if truly more than a feeling, will work itself out through the fingertips, so to speak, making the intended experience that love. That experience may then, in turn, engender within the recipient that same feeling toward the other, moving them to act in kind!

Boston had it right as well; love IS 'More Than a Feeling'! The glorious feeling of being loved is almost beyond words & in fact, many would find it impossible to describe it. Some may claim that both the Beatles & Boston, as well as other contemporary music groups have a faulty notion of love; maybe they're right, but at least those musicians & others like them understand that Love IS a necessity & that it IS more than a feeling. How MUCH more?

That, my friend, is up to you!

Charles Haddon Shank

Explaining the Brain

Okay, so the human brain is not a computer! It, according to an article I read the other day, it does not store data ( text OR images ); memories can NOT be reduced to just 'files' stored in 'folders' for future reference. Obviously, however, our memories ARE stored SOMEWHERE for relatively easy retrieval in case of future need. So how DO we explain this remarkable organism; how DO we account for its seemingly limitless capacity for storage of both data & images?

Scientists have deduced that the human brain operates using a multitude of electrical impulses, synapses, if you will, that generate certain chemical reactions in this very intricate 'lump of flesh'! With the aid of technology, we have learned that certain stimuli set off various light-shows inside the cranial cavity of different individuals. Any given action may not spark the same reaction in any given brain. We have determined that there are certain parts of this marvelous muscle that seem to control certain actions & reactions in the exterior members of our body, but the very fact that not everyone responds in the same manner to the same stimuli should be enough to tell us that our brains are NOT computers; they are unique & finely-tuned instruments, formed for the Glory of their Creator!

If then, we cannot simply explain away this marvelous tool, given to us by the Creator, as just a computer that has been programmed by its Author to solve problems & even to exhibit an intelligence of sorts, to varying degrees, how then are we to explain it? If the human brain does not operate like a man-made machine, storing bits & bytes of information, how are we to account for the fact that we DO store up information, HAVE memories & act ( react ) differently according to certain stimuli?

The only explanation that makes sense is that the same Creator God who hung the galaxies in space, the same One that so ordered the universe that certain conditions have been so precisely met that life exists in relative ease on this planet, has used the same intelligence to design a body that holds even a greater wander, a greater marvel of engineering, if you will! The Theory of Evolution as presented by Charles Darwin & perpetrated by manifold rebellious humans since is just that, a theory & an unsound one at that. Although Science has seemingly shown that there are certain equations extant in the universe that could explain the existence of life, it all comes down to 'which came first, the chicken or the egg?'

There are some out there who deny the Existence of the Creator & accept without doubt that the marvels that we bear witness to on a daily basis are just examples of happenstance! Though there are manifold glaring ( shining ) witnesses to the fact of Intelligent Design, there ARE those who rebel so against any higher authority or power that they almost blindly & fervently accept that these wanders are here by chance, that all this order came out of chaos by its own free will. To try to explain how the universe itself came to be, much less how the human body & brain function so marvelously, by any means other than Divine Intelligence, is laughable, even sadly hilarious!

The human brain, as we have explored, to some extent previously, has been mapped, to varying degrees of success. Science & Technology have been, from some reports & again, to varying degrees of success, been able to create a sort of Artificial Intelligence, an an almost human computer, but there is one thing that man will never be able to duplicate; LOVE! Love is the glue that holds us together, the agent that binds molecule to molecule & provides the gravity that enables the planets to revolve in their respective orbits; Love is the Creative Force that set the universe in motion, yet bestowed the same intricacies on that marvelous creature known as a human being!

The electrical impulses, the chemical reactions, if you will, that scientists have observed in the human brain, may be explained by any number of stimuli, but how it stores memories & other data ( images, etc ) cannot be explained by any such means, like that of a mere computer! A computer may be programmed, to whatever extent, by a programmer, to perform certain tasks, but even a computer has its limits, it cannot do more than it was programmed for. Like a 64gb flash-drive cannot contain more than 64gb of information, so a computer is not limitless in its capacity to perform any given task; it cannot do more than it was programmed to do, or function beyond its capacity!

Human beings, unlike mere computers, are infinitely capable of love! We are also capable of great evil, something else that a simple computer, contrary to certain opinions, has no capacity for. Computers are machines, nothing more, nothing less & as such, cannot do anything beyond their programming. Human beings, on the other hand, with their fully-functioning & infinitely self-aware brain, are able to act & react without the programming required by computers. While a human being certainly responds in more or less predictable ways to certain stimuli, every individual will likely react in different ways to these, whereas a computer will always react in the same manner to the same stimulus.

As we continue to explore this fantastically marvelous tool we have been blessed with, this gift that makes biological life possible, let us never forget that it is the Gift of an Infinite Creator! The brain is infinitely more complex than any computer-driven Artificial Intelligence that man will ever be able to 'create'. Though we are creators, of a sort, like our Creator, we can do no more with the abilities we have been blessed with & the means we have been given than to be 'co-creators', or procreators, if you will, using the means provided though through the Creation to bring forth ( bear ) Life itself!

Charles Haddon Shank

A Rod of Iron

'You shall break^[a] them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.'
 ( Psalm 2:9 )

'She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron.
 And her Child was caught up to God and His throne.' 
( Revelation 12:5 )

As the People of God, the Body of Christ, and rulers with Him, as the 'Israel of God',  you might wonder if we are, indeed, in the right to be imposing our 'doctrines' of what is right, and what is wrong on other 'nations'. Is that not the basic meaning of David's prophecy? That, I believe, is exactly what he meant to say here, but then the question should also be asked, 'what, or who, were the 'nations' to whom David was referring?' To answer this question with any degree of accuracy, a study, long or short, would need to be made of how Scripture uses that term.

God told Abraham ( Genesis 22:18 ), 'In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice'. This should sound familiar: we saw above that Jesus would 'rule all nations with a rod of iron', but here the Scriptures are saying that these 'nations' would be blessed through the People of God; so which is it? Are we, through the power of the Holy Spirit of God, to 'rule all nations with a rod of iron', or are they to be blessed by our presence? Maybe what is most needed now is a definition, a clarification of the phrase, 'a rod of iron'. Are the 'nations' to be blessed by our use of this 'rod of iron'; is it by conforming to the Scriptural definition of right and wrong, that the nations will be transformed, or transferred, rather, into the Kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ, where He shall reign forever and ever?

Not being a Hebrew or Greek scholar, as best I could tell, this phrase means just what it says, 'a rod of iron'. The use of metaphor is fairly common and well-known throughout Scripture ( 'fishers of men' ), and thus is the case here! This phrase, at least variations of it, are still used to to denote a firmness in rule; unyielding rulers, whether right or wrong, are said to rule with an 'iron' hand. The rule of King Jesus with 'a rod of iron' is simply His rule of all 'nations' under His dominion with the unwavering firmness of His absolute Truth. There IS one right, and one wrong, one is either right or wrong; it does not depend on his or her situation, whether something is right or wrong for them; there is one rule for defining what is right or wrong, and that is the 'rule' of the Word of God, both in and through us, His Body!

For the longest time, our nation, the nation of America, or the United States thereof, has seemingly endeavored to extend its rule through the use of this 'rod of iron'. Our nation's history, and before this, the nations from which we derived, show manifold proof of this. in the past century, give or take a decade, we have thrust, even forced, our will, our sense of right and wrong, upon 'the nations'. At first, maybe, our rule of law was based, in greater part, upon God's Royal Law, but anymore, especially in the last 50 years or so, it is not God's absolute Truth which has formed the foundation, or core, of our 'rod of iron'. Our imposition on these 'nations', the Middle East, for example, has been anything but a blessing to them; on the contrary, it has earned us their hatred and animosity! ( the terrible events of 9/11 are an example of this ).


Rome, as the fourth beast/kingdom of Daniel's prophecy, might be named, Scripturally speaking, 'the Iron Kingdom. Daniel 2:40 reads, 'Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others'. Historically, Rome was the 'rod of iron' that Yahweh used to bring the nations under His feet. Due largely to the fact that we have misunderstood the narrative structure of history, Rome's place as the 'rod of iron' in the hand of Yahweh has been transferred to these United States, and the U.S. Inc. in particular, the Military Industrial Complex.

The 'doctrines' spoken of earlier, those with which we 'rule all nations with a rod of iron' are not those of men, or ones formulated by men! These doctrines are those given, first, through Moses, then reiterated by Jesus, who was God Himself. The two new commandments which Jesus gave His disciples are an encapsulation, a fulfillment really, of the famous 'Ten Commandments' given through Moses. These instruct us, first, to love the Lord our God: secondly, He instructs us to love our neighbor as ourselves, then, to top it all off, and this is most important when the rubber meets the road, we are to do unto others as we would like them to do unto us.

The corporate entity known as the United States of America has used a form of doctrine called Foreign Policy, to spread what they call democracy throughout the world.  Time has borne witness to how well this has worked, as this democracy includes the murder of innocent women and children, along with those who are not so innocent, as well as the detrimental effect that our fighting forces have received at the hands of the Lords of War, all in the name of freedom!

Though the American Empire has often been compared with that of Rome, and indeed can almost be viewed as an extension of it, we must understand that the prophecy of Daniel has been fulfilled, not just in part, but the whole! 'In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.' ( Daniel 2:44 ) By correctly understanding the narrative of Scripture, we can tell that this Kingdom has been set up. The majority of evangelical Christians will say that, because of the wars and rumors of wars that we hear about all over the world, as well as the evil which persists in our own nation, that this Kingdom has not been set up yet, though it may have already been inaugurated!

The Promise to Abraham ( Genesis 22:18 ) was fulfilled and is being fulfilled! The nations around them, that 'world', was blessed through the Seed of Abraham. Most nations, particularly those in the Middle East, would doubtless have a bit of a struggle to say that the U.S.Inc.'s gift of 'democracy' has been a blessing to them! The Seed of Abraham continues to be a blessing to the nations, however, because it brings is what brings healing, not death, peace, and not war! Contrary to popular belief, and here is where it becomes most important to understand the narrative properties of Scripture, the 'nation' of priests that we as Christians are is not like other 'nations'; we are not bound by geography: we are spread throughout the world, in  all countries!

The People of God may, in some sense, rule the nations with 'a rod of iron', even though this
Promise was primarily referring to the Roman Empire. the 'doctrine' that we have borrowed, though, could use some work! Rather than following along with that of empire-building, which the corporate structure known as the USA is currently using, we should be Kingdom-building, employing the means by which our God and Father has made us 'healing leaves' ( Revelation 22:2 ). Rather than spreading death and destruction across the globe in the name of democracy, we should instead be seeking to spread the Good News of the present Kingdom of Heaven, not through imposing our will upon the nations, but by employing the principles that Jesus gave His disciples, that of loving our neighbor as ourselves and doing to them what we would have them do to us!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Life of Riley

The origins of the phrase in question are somewhat ambiguous, but the general consensus is that it refers to one who lives or has lived a relatively prosperous life. No matter where the phrase was birthed, it has found universal acceptance as a catchphrase for one who leads a blessed life, if not one of ease. Although it is rather dated, 'the life of Riley' is one very familiar to this writer, as to many who follow in the footsteps of Jesus who was the Messiah of Israel & are willing Vessels of His Glory!

Some may accuse me of arrogance, even of dishonesty, but I believe that when we love our neighbor as we love ourselves & treat others as we would like them to treat us, we will, more often than not, receive blessings in accordance to those we freely bestow! This is a verily Scriptural principle, one espoused & practiced by Jesus Himself. Many there are who, when faced with trials & tribulations, like to blame it on some outside force ( such as 'Satan' ), not willing to accept the responsibility for their own actions or failures.

Some Christians are their own worst enemies; they have missed the forest for the trees, so to speak! So intent are they on what they call our 'Final Reward' that they are often blinded to the importance of being human. We were not awoken simply so that we could go to some place called 'Heaven' when our biological bodies perish; we were placed on this earth to spread the Good News that the Creator has deemed to live in relationship with the Creation!

Life, when you think about it, is ALL about relationship; whether good or bad, relationship defines our very existence! You've no doubt heard the phrase, 'no man is an island'. While it is possible to live as a hermit for a time, it is impossible to live for ANY length of time without the blessings of some sort of relationship. Human beings, in order to sustain biological life, must rely on some sort of relationship, even if they have the capacity to rule their own provender. There are plenty of ready examples out there of men & women who have withdrawn from society for a time to follow their own pursuits, to make their own way, in a manner of speaking.

Try as you might, there is no way to live in this world without relying on relationship; relationship sustains all life! Just as a plants wilts & dies without the proper combination of soil, water & sunlight, so this human experience cannot persevere without relationship of some sort! One MUST have relationship with others in order to sustain life. Anyone who believes they can make it own their own, if they're honest with themselves, soon finds themselves to be dead wrong. Life was meant to be lived & it cannot be without relationship of some sort, good or bad. Even a bad relationship may sustain life for a time, but if it does not turn to good, the life sustained, like a plant, will wither & die!

There are countless people out there who seem to think that they can call themselves Christians & yet live without the Communion enjoyed by the Body of Christ! Without the necessary relationship with those of like faith, the Faith of Christ, they will soon begin to lose the vigor of those associated with the Body. By cultivating the necessary relationship with the Community of Faith, our humanity will flourish & bear fruit to the advancement of the Kingdom of our God & Father!

Life, when lived according to the basic principles given earlier, from the teachings of Jesus, is blessed beyond measure! This is not to say that if you do everything right, you will be living on easy street all the time; by no means, but when one lives by these principles, religiously, one will begin to realize the silver linings to every dark cloud. They will begin to take responsibility for their own actions or inaction & rather than blaming all their problems on someone or something else, will begin to learn from their mistakes & draw strength from trials & tribulations!

As humans, being Vessels of His Glory, willing or unwilling, we get to choose whether we will live a blessed & prosperous life, or whether we will be an adversary to ourselves & fail to grow where we are planted. To a great extent, humanly speaking, how we face our challenges ( we ALL have them ) determines whether we live 'the life of Riley', if we wither & die. I don't know about you, but no matter the challenges I face; I want to live!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Idolatry of the Age

You may have heard it said, 'preach the Gospel at all times & if necessary, use words'; truly, the best way to convey the Good News is through action: conversely of course, the best way to make a bad impression is also through action! How many televangelists do you know of, I'm generalizing here, that don't practice what they preach? Oh, I'm certain there are some that do practice what they preach, but when's the last time you heard one regaling the love of Jesus, while living in a multi-million dollar mansion & speeding past the homeless beggar in his Lexus or Bentley?

Wealth is one of the greatest status symbols of this age & Christendom is no exception! The Prosperity Gospel taught by many televangelists is mostly referring to financial wealth & the accumulation of 'things' that goes along with it! 'God wants you to prosper', they might say, standing on an expensive, elevated sound-stage, accompanied by the latest & greatest technology, in order to heighten the emotions of the lowly masses. All the while, the listening audience, whether live or from the relative comfort of their living rooms, are swept away on this boundless wave of emotion, believing that what this teacher says is gospel & that, unless they are financially prosperous, they are under a curse!

Young men & women, to whatever extent, depending largely on the area they feel 'called' to minister in, are entering the seminaries of this nation in droves! Some are there because they actually want to learn, to make a difference in mankind's search for God, but some, I fear, are there simply because the pastorate is one of the most lucrative businesses out there. This is not to say that a pastor should not be paid for ministering the Spoken Word; just that too many pastors have made a career of it, rather than actively ( ad ) ministering the Love of Christ!

It is one thing to preach; it is another to be a minister! A minister may preach, using words, but he will practice, to the best of his ability, that which he preaches; on the other hand, a preacher, though he may practice what he preaches, often does simply that, he preaches one way & lives another. This is not always the case, but often, a preacher will follow the money faster than he will his chosen calling. Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that a man, whether he is a minister or a janitor, must make a living; if he cannot provide for his family on what he makes in one area, he must make corrections in order to survive. On the other hand, trusting in our Father's wise provision, he may follow his true calling, ministering & being ministered to!

In a nation where many of our young & even some older people are cutting ties with the Institutional Church as fast as some others are entering the seminaries & Bible Colleges, we should ask ourselves, 'why?' Why are as many or more as are training to become pastors or ministers leaving the church scene behind? Maybe it's because they're tired of the 'scenery! Have you ever thought about the possibility that many have noted the hypocrisy, of pastors saying one thing & doing another? If more pastors & preachers would start ministering instead of just preaching, we might see a turn-around in this disconcerting trend.We might also consider, though, that this growing trend is of our God & Father, in order to purge & reveal His True Church!

Actions are, for the most part, authoritative! Everyone makes mistakes, but when mistakes evolve into habits, then judgment must turn into justice. If, for instance, a pastor or preacher fails to practice what he preaches, the first time may be judged a failure, as we are all prone to, but if he or she continually fails to act in accordance with the Message they preach, then justice must be served; judgment should then be passed & they should be relieved of their post: he or she must be branded as the charlatan they are!

'Talk is cheap', the saying goes! Words have meaning & they are not with impact. They can put to rest the hardest misgivings & soothe the savage beast, but they can also lie & turn the slightest misunderstanding into a roaring forest fire. When right words are followed by right actions, however, fear is replaced by love! For example, if we were to witness one of those televangelists that we hear about, actually doing what he said rather than just preaching about it & raking in the dough, while fighting off allegations of scandal; we might see those who are leaving the Institutional Church in droves turn right around & foment a Revolution!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Cosmic Gospel

From the ANE ( Ancient Near Eastern ) context in which the Scriptures were written, we know that the Good News, that Jesus was the Messiah of Israel, was fulfilled through His ministry & that of His disciples! Because of this, many seem to discard the Scriptures as inapplicable, even useless in the world of today; however, much of this reasoning is based on the notion that 'fulfilled' means 'concluded' & has the connotation of 'cessation'. 'Fulfilled', put simply, means '( to be ) filled up'; on one hand, as I have postulated previously, a contract, when fulfilled, does point toward the fact of conclusion & cessation, but a covenant, marriage, for example, is continually being fulfilled!

The Greek 'kosmos', which actually speaks more of the government, or arrangement of the world, than of the world, or globe itself, the sphere, in the context of Scripture, may be seen to refer to the known 'world' of the day, the Roman Empire. The apostle Paul, for example, used this same Greek word when he wrote to the Church at Colosse ( Colossians 1:6 & 23 ) about the Gospel which, he said had been told 'also in all the world'. From the ANE standpoint, especially, the Gospel had been spread from sea to shining sea, so to speak, by the end, or before the end of the first century!

Our modern Western, American mindset tells us, when we read the Scriptures, that they were written directly TO us & so the words of Christ & the apostles are very pertinent to our day! While this is very true in some cases, for the most part, while we may take lessons & make application from these hallowed pages, we must understand that, though they were written 'for' our instruction, etc ( II Timothy 3:16 ), they were written as letters TO a peculiar people, in the first century. Yes, we ARE a peculiar people, we the Body of Christ, but in the 21st, not the 1st century!

Much of what Christ instructed His disciples in the first century is just as applicable to His disciples today, but some of His instructions, though written 'for' our understanding, were primarily meant for His disciples in the first century! For example, when Jesus condensed the 'Ten Commandments', in a manner of speaking, into two 'new' commandments ( Matthew 22:37-39 ), He meant for His disciples of ALL ages, both that present & the one to come, to love God & their neighbor. However, when He told His disciples to 'wait for the Promise of the Father' ( Acts 1:4 ), we can be fairly sure that He never envisioned His disciples from the second century & beyond, waiting in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit to descend upon them!

There are many examples in Scripture, most of which have already been illuminated, where Jesus gave instructions to His disciples, some of which are directly or indirectly applicable to us, but for the most part were meant primarily, indeed only, for His disciples who were about to bear witness to the Great Transition! The Gospel, of which we read in the pages of Scripture, was that the Jewish Messiah, who had long been prophesied & awaited, was finally about to 'save His people from their sins' ( Matthew 1:21 ). Though this Good News was fulfilled in the first century, in the salvation of both Jew & Gentile, culminating in the destruction of the Great Wall of Separation, the Gospel is being fulfilled yet today, in that the separation that still exists in the minds of many is being continually torn asunder!

We live in a similar 'kosmos' today, in some ways, to the one which Jesus ministered in, but there are some pretty major differences! Though 'phariseeism' still exists on many levels & in many forms, we no longer must labor under the oppressive chains of that first covenant. We need not wait in Jerusalem for the promised Holy Spirit. The end of that old 'world' has come & gone; we now live, as a New Creation, in a 'new kosmos'. It is through the application of the universal truths of Scripture that we continue to fulfill the Gospel which was entrusted to His disciples of all time!

The Cosmic Gospel of Jesus the Christ, though it came, first to the Jew, then to the Gentile, is a Universal Truth! For ALL time & ALL people, the Good News is that Reconciliation was made & the Creator now dwells with His Creation! That Jesus came as the Messiah of Israel aligns with what the Creator God told Israel of old ( Exodus 19:6 ); 'you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation'. As Israel of old was to minister the Gospel to the nations, the 'world' around them, so we, as the disciples of Christ in the 21st century, are to minister the Good News to those around us: may we ever administer this Gospel in the Strength of the Spirit in which it was given!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Miracle of Life?

According to Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary, a miracle is 'an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs'. Supernaturally speaking, a miracle is usually something that does not normally occur. Jesus' Resurrection on the third day, way back in 33AD was a miracle, as was John's significant rising from the grave. That the Virgin Mary conceived without knowing a man was a miracle, as was the conception of John the Baptizer & those like him ( Elijah ). Miracles are supernatural occurrences, yes, but just because they occur every day & through natural means doesn't make them any less miraculous!

You may have heard certain people speak of 'the miracle of birth'; well, now apparently, certain others, for some reason, are denying the miraculous, maybe because it IS an everyday occurrence & occurs through natural means! To my Christian brethren, I would say; 'look to the Scriptures'. How many times do we read about a woman who's womb God had shut up? ( Okay, so it's not that many! ) But when the woman had prayed to God, her womb was opened & she was able to conceive. Sure, there's a natural explanation to many of the miracles we read of in Scripture, but even though the Science of Biology has taken amazing leaps since the Days of Scripture, we can still see, as I would say to any other doubters, that the Spark of Life HAS to originate from SOMEWHERE!

The Theory of Evolution, with its insistence that we all came from a single-celled organism, climbing out of the primeval ooze & eventually sprouting limbs & walking upright, first as monkeys, but after several different stages, the human beings we witness today, is easily debunked! You may believe, as I do, in a form of evolution, but it would be more of a natural progression, an adaptation, if you will. Now, did the Creator begin with a lump of clay, as John Milton postulated ( from Scripture ) & numerous songwriters have wondered, or a single-celled organism? It's possible, although the majority of Christians would probably insist that, as Scripture seems to say, the first human beings had no belly buttons, in other words, the Creator God said the Word & POOF, there they were in all their naked glory & with the appearance of age ( 30 years )!

The majority of Christians out there would, in order to stay true to Scripture, would vehemently insist that, as our first parents were formed from the dust of the earth & then given the Breath of Life, so Adam & Eve had no parents of their own! Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things whether or not they had belly-buttons, or if they did, they were created with them?! Were they actually not technically the first humans, just our first spiritual ( covenant ) parents? It DOES seem to make more sense, with what we now know through the advances of Science, to look at it that way! While it IS possible that the Creator God simply gathered up a handful of wet dirt & breathed Life into it, but I'm pretty sure even the most simple among us, if we're honest with ourselves, know that probably ain't the way it happened!

Birth, from conception till the new child exits the womb, IS a miracle! From what we know of the whole process, which includes thousands maybe millions of sperm rushing toward the ovaries, ready to fertilize the egg or eggs that are there, the fact that only one of these actually penetrates the egg, beginning the process of the formation of a brand new human being should give us a clue. Who decides which one of those little fellas lives & which ones die? Is it really that simple? Does a man just randomly spew millions of tiny sperm inside a woman, trusting to chance that one among that ridiculous number may just happen to penetrate the sac? No, he knows from our study of Science that, at a certain time of the month, it is way more probable than at others that one of these seeds will find its mark & produce the desired result!

While one may certainly presume to speak of stages of human development, as the child grows & adapts to his or her surroundings, we may easily see from the same study of Science that human beings, though we share an amazing bit of our structure with them, did not evolve from monkeys! The question might simply be asked, 'why are there old monkeys?' Like the question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, it gets pretty ridiculous rather fast! Were Adam & Eve simply made from a lump of clay as a child fashions an elephant or a giraffe from Play-dough? I'll let my readers play with that one! ( Pun intended! )

To say that the birth of a child is NOT a miracle is beyond ridiculous; if one knows ANYTHING about the intricacies of what needs to happen, down to the minutes detail & I'm talking atomic here, about conception all the way through till the birth, that one cannot honestly say that it's not a miracle! Humans, in their finite wisdom, have struggled & still struggle, for ages to find a natural explanation for everything. To a great degree, they have succeeded; there is a natural explanation for MOST everything that occurs! This is not to say, however, that just because something happens THROUGH natural means that it is not a miracle, nor is this to say that nothing supernatural ever happens anymore. I'll leave my readers to judge that for themselves, but as for me & my house, we believe in the miraculous!

Charles Haddon Shank

'My Mom Used To Be My Dad!'

Before we even begin here, I want to make crystal clear that although I AM judging, I am NOT condemning any of those who may feel the sting of this judgement! I believe that, though there ARE special cases, like hermaphroditism & such, for the most part, those affected by gender dysphoria are merely acting in rebellion, for whatever reason, against their Creator. Now, with that said, I am NOT claiming to be an authority on the subject; by no means could I be construed a biologist, but I DO know & trust that our Heavenly Father, the Creator God, designed human beings in such a way that, put simply, copulation is the normal & natural way for reproduction to occur!

Of late ( the past few decades ), phenomena that had barely made the news previously has become increasingly popular. As Paul McHugh, a contributor to The Witherspoon Institute's website wrote, 'The idea that one’s sex is a feeling, not a fact, has permeated our culture and is leaving casualties in its wake.' Foremost in our minds maybe & most famously is the case of the man formerly known as Bruce Jenner, the famous athlete from the mid-70s. Not knowing his situation at all, I do not condemn him for the choices he has made, but I will judge that he was created a man & for him to decide that he wants to identify as a woman is very simply rebellion against his Creator!

I have a theory! My theory is that 99% of those who 'identify' as the opposite sex or seek sexual intimacy with the same sex ( male or female ) are merely reacting to the treatment they have received at the hands of the opposite sex. Several of those I have discussed this proposition with are more or less in agreement with me, but others are still convinced by the 'science' that tells them that this is natural. I won't be so bold as to assert that there is NOT a natural explanation for such phenomena, but I would say that in these cases even, natural evolution has been affected by bad chemistry to the point that it is the main culprit!

By bad chemistry, I  mean anything from a generations-old history of bad diet to a like history of making other bad choices to the natural perversion ( rebellion ) of mankind ( humankind )! Certain choices that we make, whether diet or lifestyle, WILL have an effect on our body's natural chemistry. The Creator, according to Scripture & what little we know of the science of biology, made humankind male & female. Though I will be the first to admit that procreation is by no means the only reason the Creator designed us to work this way, clearly, the primary & natural means for this, among humankind anyway, is obvious!

The question might be asked at this point, 'why ARE we seeing such a surge of people with 'gender dysphoria'?' 50-100 years ago it was almost if not completely unheard of! Why are so many seeking to lose their natural identity & 'identify' as someone or something else? IS it simply because they're not satisfied with their life as the person that they were obviously created to be? In most cases probably, though I WILL freely admit there ARE those who were born & have persevered with both the X & Y chromosomes, for whatever reason. We can speculate till the cows come home as to the 'why', but, clearer to some than to others, the answer must be that the natural rebellion of the creature against the Creator ( 'Why have You made me this way?' ), of the child against the Father, is still at work in the sons & daughters of disobedience!

'Is it natural for a man to be born in the biological body of a woman?' Obviously not; for millenia, the history of humanity has proven that men & women, aside from obvious perversions, have been attracted to the opposite sex & for obvious reasons! Apparently sexual intercourse apart from this natural order can be somewhat enjoyable, but as any honest person will tell you, NOTHING takes the place of this natural order! Phenomena such as hermaphroditism are doubtless a special case & so must be treated so, but for the most part, it is evident that the male's genitalia was meant to fit snugly inside a woman's. Humans have devised many ways for people to bypass the natural order, but it has become more & more clear that it is best to follow the Created Order, that which our Heavenly Father established in the Beginning!

Judgment is a very necessary part of life; in order to continue in this existence, we must choose, or judge, whether this or that is a better choice for us, whether this will harm us & that will heal us or keep us well! People make judgements every day, from the clothing they wear to what they eat to the company they keep. The problem presents itself when we begin to condemn others for their judgements & vice-versa, when others condemn us for the choices we make. The whole 'trangender', 'transexual', even the 'LGBTQ' travesty may be just that, but everyone must judge for themselves: I have made my judgment, but we cannot condemn them for their choices; their choices condemn them & yes, THAT IS MY judgement!

Charles Haddon Shank

'Out of the Frying Pan, Into the Fire'

Why are there so many Syrian refugees? Whether it's because of the fighting going on over there & most just want to get out of harm's way or because they're fleeing religious persecution, many, in large part Muslim, are seeking asylum in this country, as well as others. One would doubtless read or hear many conflicting reports & opinions on why so many Syrians are seeking refuge outside their own nation & even whether or not we should offer them that succor. Aside from any danger or threat that such a proposition might present, are we not instructed to offer our strength to those who need it? Is it not our Christian duty to love our enemies & do good to those who hate us?

Islam is not so different in it's organization than Christianity! Now, before you take my head off, let me explain why I say that; although there are probably not nearly as many forms of Islam as there are denominations within American Christianity, many of these Syrian refugees ARE doubtless fleeing, not only the violence that has taken over much of their Land, but religious persecution as well & while American denominationalism hasn't ( officially ) come to bloodshed yet, those who see ISIS as persecuting Christians to a great extent should realize that they aren't the only ones to suffer from the fear & hatred that has persevered in that part of the world for well over a thousand years!

Here's where I might really be asking asking for trouble & calling down death from the sky! It's no big secret that the U.S. Government, if not directly funding terrorists in foreign countries, has at least contributed, for political reasons, to many a terrorist organization. One might even venture to claim that much if not all of our Government's activities overseas are at least based in a sort of terrorism. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not saying authoritatively here that ALL of the U.S. Government's overseas actions, police or otherwise, are acts of terrorism, but much of their recent 'warfare' ( drone strikes in particular ) is aimed to strike terror into the hearts of the opposition, which sometimes includes innocent men, women & children!

In so many ways, the iron fist that the U.S. Inc. wields, not only overseas, but in this country as well ( more alarmingly ) is not so different than the governments of those foreign nations with whom they deal! Many of those whom they name terrorists are simply seeking retribution for wrongs, real & perceived, that they or their loved ones have suffered at the hands of the Government of the good ole U.S. of A.. This is not to say, of course, that this is always the case, but the point is that when we, or our Federal ( Central ) Government, rather, act in like manner to those whom they perceive as wronging them, more often than not, they are perpetrating the same terrorism against which they so nobly fight!

Islam, many Christians will tell you firmly, is not a religion of peace, but then, on the other hand, there are plenty of peaceful Muslims & others who would heartily beg to differ! As to the claim that Islam is not a religion of peace, I'm sure that any real student of the Quran could clear up that conception for them, but seriously, aren't there radical & fanatical Christians in our storied past who have shed as much blood on the authority of our English Bible? Much of what we call 'terrorism' is simply retribution; many of the recent 'terror attacks' that the world has witnessed recently have somehow ( coincidentally? ) been related to events that have happened in the past. Again, this is not to say that ALL acts of terrorism are justifiable, because there is doubtless evil out there, which we MUST overcome; we must however, take into account our own ( government's ) acts of terrorism, before we judge too harshly those of other nations & religions!

The main reason you will hear from most Americans, Christian or otherwise, for wanting to keep the Syrian refugees out of our country ( or state ) is that they might be harboring terrorists among them! This is definitely a very serious proposition & certainly must be carefully considered. We must also consider the fact that if we refuse them, not only might we be sending them to their death back in their own country, we might be simply creating more 'terrorists'. By coming here, we should realize, these refugees, peaceable as they may be right now, may suffer persecution just because they ARE Muslim & may then turn to their religion, as many do & seek to right those wrongs themselves!

I will not make a judgment here as to whether or not we should accept these foreigners as our neighbors; my readers must judge for themselves; I will however remind my readers of Jesus' instructions in Luke 6:31, 'just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise'. If we wish for them to be at peace with us, we need to remain at peace with them. On the other hand, if we want them to turn terrorist and murder us in our beds, then by all means we should refuse our succor & turn a blind eye to their need. As American Christians, or rather Christians in America, we should consider well that we are, first & foremost, followers of Jesus the Christ & second only ( if that ) Americans!

What WOULD Jesus do?!

Charles Haddon Shank