Category Archives: Chrisitian Philosophy

Blogs in this category deal with Christianity not from a religious perspective, but from a philosophical viewpoint.

Spirit of Christmas: Keeping it all year (Pt 1)

Posted on January 6, 2016 by | Comments Off on Spirit of Christmas: Keeping it all year (Pt 1)

spirit of christmas

We all have heard the old Christmas song I wish everyday could be like Christmas; we’ve all heard family, friends, and others we’ve met during the holiday season tell us that they wish it were possible to carry the spirit of Christmas with them throughout the year. Beginning after Thanksgiving, many will experience a sudden change in attitude as the Christmas greenery. Many become more focused on the needs and desires of others, some become concerned with sacrificial giving, caring for the poor and elderly, and while others become concerned with developing a deeper faith that only sticks around as long as the Christmas decorations are up. While each of these things are what many consider as the “spirit of Christmas,” we can actually develop an attitude of Christmas that will endure throughout the year.

The spirit of Christmas: a personal relationship with Jesus

There is no possible way we can carry the spirit of Christmas through each day of the year if we do not have a real, personal relationship with Jesus then we can never truly carry the spirit of Christmas with us. There can be no understanding of the importance, the holiness, and the meaning of the birth of Jesus without knowing him. The only way we can truly appreciate the real meaning of Christmas is to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Is He just a baby in a manger and a footnote in the holiday season or is he a Risen Savior, Lord, and King? The gospel of John opens with the following passage: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:1-5).

Those who do not have a personal relationship with the Lord do not understand the excitement that fills the heart of every believer. They don’t see Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the world. It shouldn’t surprise us when those who do not know Christ only see Christmas as a time to exchange presents, to spend time with family and friends, and do not understand the significance of this day we have set aside to worship Jesus. Even the atheist will proudly proclaim that Jesus isn’t necessary to celebrate Christmas. They say this because they are incapable of understanding the importance of Jesus as the Lamb of God that has borne the sins of the world. It should not catch us off guard; Jesus explained to Nicodemus: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:18-19).

As Christians, we have a personal relationship with Jesus. Our personal relationship is a relationship of action. Peter wrote that we must show the praises of Jesus, who has called us out of the darkness and into the light: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light (1 Peter 2:9). It is also important that whatever we do, we do it as a means of bringing glory to the Lord: If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11). Just as in a marriage relationship is strengthened by acts of love and devotion, the bonds we share with Jesus, our faith, and our love for Jesus deepens as we begin to put our faith into motion. The apostle James said: Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works (James 2:17-18). Our personal relationship with Jesus should cause us, as Christians, to bear fruit that give testimony to the goodness of the Lord. 

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Having compassion that makes a difference

Posted on December 28, 2015 by | Comments Off on Having compassion that makes a difference

bible1Having compassion is an important part of our daily walk with Jesus. All it takes is a look around our society to notice the lack of genuine compassion. But what is compassion? How can we be a compassionate people when we do not even know the real meaning of the word? Compassion, according to the Miriam Webster’s Dictionary is a  sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it. In the book of Jude, the Holy Spirit led the author to write, And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 22-23). There is nothing more compassionate within the Christian faith than sharing the gospel of Jesus with those who are lost.

Having compassion without notice of men

True biblical compassion is not driven by a wish to be recognized or rewarded by others. Even in Jesus’ day there were those who were willing to show great compassion on others as long as they believed someone would notice their efforts. Jesus spoke openly to his disciples and all who were around listening:  Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward (Matthew 6:1-2). Just what is the reward of those whose compassion is solely driven by their love of the Lord? Jesus taught on this very topic and used this example: Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:12-14).

What Jesus is teaching here is that our compassion should not be limited to those who could do something for us in return. This is not true compassion as in the biblical sense. Jesus tells us to focus our compassion on those who don’t have the ability to do anything for us. Jesus tells us that our rewards will not come now, but will happen when we arrive in Heaven. If our having compassion was driven by our love for Jesus and for our fellow-man as a creation of God, then our reward will be reflective of the pureness of our hearts: For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works (Matthew 16:27) and I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings (Jeremiah 17:10). No matter what we may say to others what our motivation for demonstrating compassion may be, the Lord knows the real intent of our efforts.

Having compassion that will be acceptable to the Lord

Modern society has a dangerous, unhealthy, and unbiblical understanding of what compassion is. Biblical compassion is simply not writing a check and sending money to whatever charity is being promoted at the time. Television and the Internet are full of promotions by various stars and other famous people asking for financial contributions ranging from animal care to orphaned children in faraway lands. While it is noble to want to help, the scriptures are very clear where the demonstration of our having compassion must start: But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8) and As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith (Galatians 6:10). Additionally, if we include the order specified for the sharing and spreading of the gospel, Jesus told the crowd of believers: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:7-8).

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Night is approaching; Christ’s light shines brighter

Posted on December 21, 2015 by | Comments Off on Night is approaching; Christ’s light shines brighter

Night is approachingNight is approaching but many Christians remain confused about what the night actually is. Some will try to equate darkness and night with the trials, tribulations, and temptations we endure as Christians. While it can certainly be said that these are real spiritual storms, in no means are they the same as when Jesus told the disciples, I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work (John 9:4). Later, He would expand on this earlier teaching and as recorded in scripture, Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them (John 12:35-36).

A storm may bring darkened skies but storms never last

Night is approaching but it is important to understand it is not the same as a spiritual storm. Spiritual storms are nothing more than a crisis of our faith where we are faced with a temptation, a trial, or maybe even the Lord’s chastisement. I think of the verse in Genesis where God, after delivering Noah and his family through a mighty storm, made this promise: And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud (Genesis 9:14). God had made a few promises to Noah that included the storm would pass, He would be there to help them through, and when it was over, He would be there at the end of the flood to welcome them with the promise of the rainbow. As Christians, we are given the same offer when the storms of life come. He offers to see us through the storm, He offers to be there with us in the midst of the storm, and He promises that we have a home in Heaven with Him when our life’s journey is done. Storms always end and the results are we can be closer to the Lord, our faith can be strengthened, and we can rejoice knowing He has given us the victory!

Night is approaching: Encroaching spiritual wickedness

The apostle Paul understood the approaching darkness and wickedness even during his lifetime as he warned the early Christians in Ephesus: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12). The phrase, rulers of darkness, really stands out and defines exactly what the darkness is. Within the Old Testament, there are several verses that explain what the darkness is: A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness (Job 10:22), Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine upon it (Job 3:4), He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail (1 Samuel 2:9), and They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course (Psalms 82:5). 

Even Jesus spoke of the darkness: When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness (Luke 22:53). Within the gospel of John, the first paragraph explains the reason that Jesus came to dwell among men. The fifth verse is still applicable today:  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:5). John, as led by the Holy Spirit, would later write, This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). The darkness is not the storms we know as trials, temptations, and other testings of our faith, but of the world lost in its sins and rejection of God. It was the wickedness of mankind that gave room to Satan which influenced the religious leaders of the day to desire to put Jesus to death. It was the darkness of the times and the wickedness in high places that led to the beheading of John the Baptist. The darkness and wickedness continued after the death of Jesus to assure the apostles died remarkably horrible deaths in trying to extinguish the presence of Jesus from the memory of man.  Where a storm is there to increase our faith; darkness creeps in to extinguish all influence of the Lord.

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