"Feet, shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace..."

Recently, while attending a beautiful memorial graveside service for a dear Christian lady, a strange experience occurred that could be worth a good chuckle if shared appropriately. Upon my arrival at the cemetery, there was a piece of real estate to be covered on foot from where my vehicle was parked.  Now, mind you, by all means, my feet were prepared with an ideal pair of flat, leather shoes appropriate for the task. This particular pair had never been worn.  Or, at least, this was the impression given of them. After trekking about the yardage of a football field or so, the rest was simply standing in place for the ceremony.  All good, right?

Not so! 

The service began and in my observances of the family and friends of the deceased, noticed many well-dressed young folk before me carrying out the proceedings.  One such sweetheart was very beautiful with a pair of high heels that would barter for a brand new refrigerator.  However, with every step into the cemetery, this dear would aerate the ground beneath her!  One must have a good set of skills to wield such walking techniques!  Never did I see her even with an inclination of a struggle to get around.  Midst my musings, and humorous thoughts on this, I began to feel strange on the bottom of my left foot.  Looking down trying to determine the warm, rough feeling at the sole of my foot, I spotted some shoe sole sticking out at the side of my shoe!  Whuttt???  Upon raising my left foot and looking underneath my shoe, it dawned upon me that about half of my shoe sole was somewhere between the vehicle and where I now stood!  Thanks, Goodwill!

Do we get what we pay for?  Maybe.  Sometimes.  Things aren't always as they seem for sure. This was enough to put me to shame for my tendency to think vanity of a pricey pair of pumps on a well-dressed young lady!  

All fun aside, good shoes are very important.  After all, if the foundation is "crumbly," things can't go well for the upper stories, right? As soon as we could get in the door at home, the shoes came off, and into to trash can they went. Now it's a talking point! 

As Christians, we've been instructed to suit up with the "whole armor of God." A very important part of this is shoes for the feet that have the readiness on them coming from the gospel of peace.  We couldn't possibly stand in a battle situation without the appropriate foundation beneath us.  What good is a shield, a helmet, or a girdle for our loins, if we can't stand?  The Gospel is the strength of our stand. What is this Gospel of Peace?  I Cor. 15:3,4 gives us a compact definition of this Gospel.  "...that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,...."

One who isn't familiar with this peace or how to find it must become aware of His need for it.  This comes by hearing the gospel preached and realizing the need for a Redeemer to pardon one's sinfulness.  Rom. 10:9,10 gives us a promise for the one who seeks to know the pardon of the Lord.  "..because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."

What's on your feet today?  In the long run, does it really matter if your flats are cheap and your heels are pricey?  Maybe not.  But the spiritual feet are another story not so comical.  May we be sure to have the foundation of the Gospel of Peace in our lives. 

Ephesians 6:10-19 "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.  To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak."

Julie

"Faith and Fiction"

 

There is a popular website I use from time to time called Truth or Fiction. It can be helpful when trying to weed through the mass of information or misinformation that one is bombarded with through today's media streams. 

However, it does have its limits, for instance, if you ask it the question "Is it true God created the world?" You get a long list of related questions to which none gives you an answer. If you ask it "Is evolution true?" you get the same response. Now you can find people who will answer those questions for you, but they range from nut cases to people truly trying to answer you the best way they can from both sides of the issue. But you don't find yourself in any better shape, only more information affirming both questions and it is certain both cannot be true. 

In case you are wondering, you can't find out if it is true that God exists there either, you can't even find out if Faith is truth or fiction. And that brings me to the subject of this post, is there a definable difference between faith and fiction?  Let us begin with a couple of definitions:

Definition Faith

Definition Fiction

As you can see, giving a dishonest answer could easily be done if you are not careful in the application of definitions. I have a friend who will not accept any definition of faith other than (2):b: firm belief in something for which there is no proof. It is difficult to discuss the validity of faith and its actual substance with someone who will go no further than that simple definition. His assertion of my faith in Christ and a belief in God is it's nothing more than fiction. He sometimes refers to it as blind faith and as long as he is confined to that small window he will never understand.

Faith is an English word, so we really need to back up to the original language in the context of the faith we are defining. In Gal_2:16 the scriptures state, "yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified."

The Greek word used there that comes over to us in English is πίστις (Pistis). Pistis can mean proof, belief, or state of mind in classical rhetoric (the practice and teaching of rhetoric in ancient Greece and Rome). Philip Rollinson suggests rhetoric (the art or study of using language) in the classical sense can be seen as a 'counterpart of dialectic'(dialectic resembles debate), which seeks not to persuade but to find the appropriate means of persuasion in any given situation. These means are to be found in various kinds of proof or conviction (Pistis). Therefore, when the Christian speaks of faith, he is not speaking of something arrived at beyond any evidence or proof, nor is he leaping into something blindly. He is speaking from his reasoning faculties by which he has been persuaded through his understanding of a sure conviction of certain truths. 

In our Declaration of Independence, we read the statement: "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The term "self-evident" by definition is evident without proof or reasoning; producing certainty or conviction upon a bare presentation to the mind. That's a strong language produced by our founding fathers concerning God as the creator. It is truth such as 2+2=4. It is an equation that is self-evident, you need not have two apples to add to two more apples to know you have 4 apples. The certainty of God as creator was that sure in the mind of the founders. 

It will be said of course my reasoning is flawed, for one can see apples and they can't see God. The fact you can see apples has nothing to do with the self-evident truth that 2+2=4. The equation is invisible, it only becomes visible when applied to the material world. The seeing of the apples only made visible the truth that was self-evident. God's existence is metaphysical, yet He becomes visible when applied to the material world, the seeing of creation only makes visible the self-evident truth of the Creator.  Romans 1:20 ESV (20)  For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

The self-evident truth of 2+2=4 bares upon the mind as a result of knowledge obtained by reason and understanding producing such a said conviction of truth. One with Dyscalculia might not be able to come to that conviction from a lack of reasoning ability in the area of mathematics. The self-evident truth that produces faith in Christ is likewise lacking in the unbeliever because of spiritual Dyscalculia so to speak, their understanding and reasoning are unable to come to the conviction of that truth. 1st Corinthians 2:14 ESV (14)  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

If you only allow for the simple definition "(2):b: firm belief in something for which there is no proof." you don't even arrive at the meaning of the word in question. You are holding to a superficial definition in order to remain in your current state of unbelief. Faith πίστις (Pistis) is not some vapor or imagination of the mind, it is a state of mind concerning the conviction of certain truths produced by reason and understanding of one's intellectual faculties. The lack of that ability such as in Dyscalculia does not make mathematics fiction. Neither does the lack of that ability in spiritual things make those things fiction. The Christian has faith πίστις (Pistis) because he has been given the ability to reason and understand spiritual truths. Ephesians 2:8 ESV (8)  "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,"

When Lee Strobel (Bachelor of Journalism degree) and Yale Law School (Master of Studies in Law degree) and (taught First Amendment law at Roosevelt University) converted from Atheism to Christianity it wasn't because he became smarter or dumber, it was because after two years of investigation to prove God did not exist, his reasoning faculties brought to his understanding the truth of the Gospel which produced his faith πίστις (Pistis). The grace of God was present as in Eph 2:8 to use the means of his discoveries to bring him to such a conviction of mind. While in a state of unbelief, he refused to accept the evidence presented in the Gospel, then grace came and his understanding was enlightened. 

The human race lives in a religious world, 75% of the people on this planet believe in a god or gods as described in Romans 1:25. Romans 1:25 ESV

(25)  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

  This leaves Romans 1:20 standing like a pillow of written evidence in the proclamation of its truth.  They may not know who or what, but they know something brought this all into being by what they can observe. The other 25% know, but suppress the truth (Romans 1:18). Romans 1:18 ESV

(18)  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

The rational mind knows all this did not just happen, the whole book of  Romans demonstrates the condition the human race finds themselves in and the state of mind by which they reason. They suppress the truth about God to escape his existence or change him into something acceptable to their making. They put forth scientific theories to explain God away, but they are left without excuse. 

Matt Dillahunty hosts a television webcast "The Atheist Experience" where he amusingly makes fun of Christians who call in to express their faith πίστις (Pistis). It is amazing how little the Christians know about their bible when calling in, I have listened to many, and I have not heard one of whom Matt did not make look foolish. Granted Matt is a professional at what he does and has hosted the show for 20 years, I dare say he has heard about every angle. Knowing most Christians know very little about their faith πίστις (Pistis) makes his job even easier. However, I have also noticed, that no matter how foolish he makes them look, how twisted he ties up their reasoning, their faith πίστις (Pistis) remains unmoved. Matt of course simply accuses them of being delusionally unable to let go of their (Blank) stupid god and their (Blank) stupid book. The first 300 years of Christianity were filled with much more than simply looking foolish, they were told to let go of their stupid god and their stupid book or be burned alive or fed to lions, and their faith πίστις (Pistis) remained unmoved, it has been 2000 years now and that still remains true. The truth they conceived in their mind was self-evident. Once the mind sees the truth of the Gospel the heart is compelled to remain unmoved even upon the threat of death itself. 

The self-evident truth of mathematics can be seen when counting apples or oranges (Pun Intended), likewise, the self-evident truth of God's existence is seen in creation. It has been said to me, prove to me there is a God and I will believe, I say look at creation. Of course, that answer is rejected and I am then referred to the theory of evolution as proof otherwise. Logic is rejected and a myth is offered in its place. If I am driving down the road and observe a beautiful garden, logic immediately dictates the self-evident truth it belongs to somebody. The observance of the order and design determine it to be so. To suggest that it all just happened over time and produced this beautiful garden is to cast all logic aside. It may be said, prove to me that a gardener exists, I can't see him, I can't hear him, I can't feel him, he, therefore, doesn't exist. I just say, look at the garden, but the logic is rejected. I am told something like, if the gardener wanted to be seen, he would show me some kind of evidence that could be tested and proved. Again, I simply say, (look) (at) (the) (garden). 

The observance of the Universe demands the same logic. The mathematics observed in creation is beyond any natural explanation. The Mandelbrot set is but one source of evidence demonstrated in the Cosmos which demands the knowledge of a Creator by the sheer logic of reason. The Christian faith is not a belief in something for which there is no proof, it is a faith based on self-evident truths evidenced in creation itself.

David