So today was my first philosophy class. I knew going into this class that this would be a struggle for me, as I am bound to disagree with many of the philosophies my professor lives by. As we were sitting in class the professor started going off on why we are on this world. He was soon to mention that Christianity is a bunch of bogus, which I was kind of assuming would happen eventually, but his argument for why was completely invalid.
The professor proclaimed that God is love. This is a true statement. We can find this in 1 John 4:8, 16. The professor then proceeded to ask if God is love, why would He send people to hell and let bad things happen in the world. I raised my hand and stated that God is also a just God, and He has given us commands that we are to live by, so that we can live our lives for Christ.
The professor then proceeded to go on for a fifteen minute rage about how if a God really loved, he wouldn't punish people for eternity in Hell. He argued that Hitler doesn't deserve eternity in Hell, rather he'd only deserve roughly 15million years for all the people hurt and killed in WWII. I'm not going to argue whether or not Hitler deserves Hell, because God is the ultimate judge and it is not my place to make that decision; however, what I will say is that my professor is wrong.
When you look in the Bible, that passage from 1 John 4 is where my professor is getting His statement that God is love. What he failed to mention is why Christians are suppose to believe that there is a Heaven or a Hell, which we will spend eternity in when we die. When you look throughout the Old Testament, which is many years before John wrote this letter one will be able to see that God is clearly just, before He was love. God provided people with a law that we were to follow, and if we failed to comply we were punished to eternal death.
This is really no different then breaking a law today. If I were to go up to someone and shoot them in the head, I could easily expect life in prison, the death penalty, or any other form of punishment for my actions that we see today. When it comes to the 10 commandments, and other laws that God and Christ have provided us it is no different. We are suppose to follow the laws, or else we can expect that our punishment will be eternal death.
Eventually God began to show his loving side to the people. He made a pact with Noah to never flood the entire earth and kill everything on it, by showing a rainbow which can still be found today. He provided Abraham with the circumcision and food laws. These are just a couple of the pacts that God has presented to His people in order to try to give them eternal life.
Eventually God realized that it was impossible for Human beings to keep the law, so he ultimately showed His loving side to the people once and for all.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that we may not parish, but have eternal life."-John 3:16
The fact of the matter is now simple. God gave His Son to come on this earth as the perfect sacrifice so that we may inherit eternal life when we put our faith in Him.
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- Not by works, so that no one can boast."- Ephesians 2:8-9
"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."- James 2:26
We are now able to receive eternal life from God through our faith in Him. We must profess that Christ is our savior, when we are able to do this and believe it with all of our heart then the Holy Spirit is able to consume our bodies and actions, it is at that point when we are able to start doing the deeds that James talks about. Our faith must precede works, but faith alone is not enough, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. (Matthew 16:21-28)
So to get back to my professor's point of God not being a loving God is completely irrelevant. The Bible clearly gives us the law. We must follow it, if we fail we deserve eternal death and punishment. We all fail, and technically all deserve death. However our God is love and He has proven this by sending His son for our sins. In return we need to believe and trust Christ, repent our sins and be baptized. It is at that point where the Holy Spirit consumes us and we are able to live a life like Christ. When we reach this point we can earn eternity in Heaven. If we fail to comply to God's demands, then He shows that He is still just and will send people into an eternity in Hell.
With that being said, I would now like to address the last part of my professor's statement, that Christian's will never listen to and understand what he says. Once again he is wrong. I used to have many of the same question as he does. I couldn't understand why God would hurt. I couldn't understand why God took the man who was like my 2nd father out of my life way before his time. I couldn't understand why He let the person who showed me God completely turn her back on me. I can't understand why He lets natural disasters happen. I can't understand many things in life. However I do know that through all of the hardships in my life, God has had a bigger and better plan for me. God has made me stronger through my failures, and tragedies, and I now have a hope for a life in eternity with Him, where absolutely nothing matters, except for worshiping Him.
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."-Romans 5:3-5
I don't know why bad things happen. I only know they are able to eventually build hope in me. My hope will never die, regardless of the opinions my professor would present me with for being wrong if he read this. I thank God for this opportunity, may His name get the glory.
God Bless,
Chris Arians
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Tebow: Love Him or Hate Him?
Tim Tebow is arguably the greatest college football player of all time. In Tebow's four years at Florida he passed for 9,285 yds 88 tds and rushed for 2947 yds and 57 tds, but the stats don't tell the whole story. In these four years he was also able to win the Heisman Trophy his sophomore year and was a finalist his junior and senior years. Tebow also led the Florida Gators to two National Titles. Many college football programs have been around years and have yet to win a National Title.
When it came time for Tebow to become a pro, the general vibe toward him became sourer than it had ever been before. While in college he became unpopular to some for the bold stances he took on his beliefs.
"But even if you suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightned.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."- 1 Peter 3:13-17
When I look at Tim Tebow I am amazed at the boldness he has in life. In all of his college games he would write Bible verses on his eye black. This seems small to some people, but there are people in the world, that see the Bible verses under Tebow's eyes and find that as the only source of Christ they would get.
It amazes me how Tebow wasn't even suppose to survive his birth. Doctors predicted a still birth, and told his mother Pam she should have an abortion for her own life's sake. Through prayer the Tebow family promised God that if they went through with the pregnancy and were given a son they would name him Timothy and raise him to be a pastor. This is a prime example of God hearing the prayers of his people, as he granted the good health to the missionary family to give birth to a son.
God had bigger and brighter plans for Tebow. God granted him with an amazing athletic ability. People were always telling him that he would never be good enough to be a Quarterback in high school, college and now the pros. Tebow consistently was able to prove his doubters wrong, and instead of rubbing it in their face, he thanked God for giving him the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.
Looking at Tim Tebow's life gives me motivation to live a life that is centered around Christ. His boldness amazes me. I know that if I were in his shoes, and was one of the most hated/loved people in America, I would be bitter toward the haters. Tebow has been loving toward his haters, just as Christ calls us to be. When most college kids would go to different places for spring break Tebow would go on mission trips. Tebow's doesn't just talk the talk of being a Christian, through what I have seen he comes close to walking the walk. We are all sinners. None of us are perfect, not even Tim Tebow. We all deserve hell, but the God of this universe loves us all so much that He gave his one and only son to die for us in order for us to receive eternal life in Heaven and not Hell.
Tebow has realized God has given him a great talent, and has done lots to spread the word of Christ to many people who wouldn't have heard it if he decided to sit back and do what the rest of the world would want him to do which is, thank God when you get an award, claim you know Him when your around other Christians, but deny Him, and not be too bold when you get placed in front of people who might not agree with you. As Tebow grows into the man he is becoming, I am excited to see what God has in store for this young man. Tebow has always had his haters, and doubters. Through Tebow's faith in Christ and selfless actions I believe Christ has given Tebow the power to achieve great things because he has ultimately done what he has for Christ's name and not his own. I pray that Tebow is able to remain bold and strong throughout his NFL career and ultimately has a career that will make people look at his progression as not only a football player, but a man and stop and think to themselves...
"Man, that God that Tim Tebow talked about must be real. There is no possible way a man could have accomplished the things he was without the power of an all-powerful eternal being."
God Bless,
Chris Arians
Thanks to espn.com where I was able to get the stats and other personal information about Tebow's background
When it came time for Tebow to become a pro, the general vibe toward him became sourer than it had ever been before. While in college he became unpopular to some for the bold stances he took on his beliefs.
"But even if you suffer for what is right, you are blessed. 'Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightned.' But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil."- 1 Peter 3:13-17
When I look at Tim Tebow I am amazed at the boldness he has in life. In all of his college games he would write Bible verses on his eye black. This seems small to some people, but there are people in the world, that see the Bible verses under Tebow's eyes and find that as the only source of Christ they would get.
It amazes me how Tebow wasn't even suppose to survive his birth. Doctors predicted a still birth, and told his mother Pam she should have an abortion for her own life's sake. Through prayer the Tebow family promised God that if they went through with the pregnancy and were given a son they would name him Timothy and raise him to be a pastor. This is a prime example of God hearing the prayers of his people, as he granted the good health to the missionary family to give birth to a son.
God had bigger and brighter plans for Tebow. God granted him with an amazing athletic ability. People were always telling him that he would never be good enough to be a Quarterback in high school, college and now the pros. Tebow consistently was able to prove his doubters wrong, and instead of rubbing it in their face, he thanked God for giving him the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong.
Looking at Tim Tebow's life gives me motivation to live a life that is centered around Christ. His boldness amazes me. I know that if I were in his shoes, and was one of the most hated/loved people in America, I would be bitter toward the haters. Tebow has been loving toward his haters, just as Christ calls us to be. When most college kids would go to different places for spring break Tebow would go on mission trips. Tebow's doesn't just talk the talk of being a Christian, through what I have seen he comes close to walking the walk. We are all sinners. None of us are perfect, not even Tim Tebow. We all deserve hell, but the God of this universe loves us all so much that He gave his one and only son to die for us in order for us to receive eternal life in Heaven and not Hell.
Tebow has realized God has given him a great talent, and has done lots to spread the word of Christ to many people who wouldn't have heard it if he decided to sit back and do what the rest of the world would want him to do which is, thank God when you get an award, claim you know Him when your around other Christians, but deny Him, and not be too bold when you get placed in front of people who might not agree with you. As Tebow grows into the man he is becoming, I am excited to see what God has in store for this young man. Tebow has always had his haters, and doubters. Through Tebow's faith in Christ and selfless actions I believe Christ has given Tebow the power to achieve great things because he has ultimately done what he has for Christ's name and not his own. I pray that Tebow is able to remain bold and strong throughout his NFL career and ultimately has a career that will make people look at his progression as not only a football player, but a man and stop and think to themselves...
"Man, that God that Tim Tebow talked about must be real. There is no possible way a man could have accomplished the things he was without the power of an all-powerful eternal being."
God Bless,
Chris Arians
Thanks to espn.com where I was able to get the stats and other personal information about Tebow's background
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)