A Sudden Change | Full Movie | Trusting God
Friday, March 31, 2023
Thursday, March 30, 2023
AI and the Dommsday Clock
Dennis Edwards: Some eschatology students have speculated that the Abomination of Desolations set up in the temple at the time of the invasion of Israel by the Antichrist may be involved with Artificial Intelligence. They speculate that the Image of the Beast of Revelation 13, may in fact be the Abomination.
Dr John Campbell: Vaccine Safety, Lockdowns and Long COVID
Dennis Edwards: A longer video more adapt for the British audience and a repeat of most of what he has already published on his own page.
Wednesday, March 29, 2023
Quando o futuro parece impossÃvel
Vaneetha Rendall Risner
Um querido amigo meu está
passando por uma doença dolorosa.
Quando soube da
notÃcia, fiquei abalado. Eu, que escrevo sobre o sofrimento, não tinha palavras
para oferecer. O que eu poderia dizer afinal? As palavras pareciam inadequadas.
Banal. Até condescendente. Como você encoraja alguém que está iniciando uma
jornada devastadora rumo ao desconhecido?
Levo alguns dias
para processar o que está acontecendo. Nossos amigos também estão lutando para
processar isso. Ao orarmos, tentamos nos lembrar das verdades que conhecemos.
Verdades fundamentais que nos levaram através de nossa própria dor. Verdades
nas quais todo cristão pode se apegar. Verdades que suportarão o peso de nossa
tristeza.
Em primeiro
lugar, Deus é soberano. Nada do que nos acontece é uma surpresa para ele.
Nenhum pardal cai no chão sem a vontade do Pai (Mateus 10:29). Pelo contrário,
tudo o que enfrentamos foi colocado ali com um propósito. Podemos confiar que é
o melhor para nós. E por mais difÃcil que seja entender, as lutas que batem Ã
nossa porta são também pelo bem da nossa famÃlia, dos nossos amigos, de todos
que amamos, se amam a Deus.
Ele controla o
mundo
No entanto, mesmo
enquanto escrevo isso, pensar que nosso sofrimento será melhor para nossos
entes queridos parece loucura. Garantir parece impossÃvel. Mas o Deus do
universo, que mantém a terra girando em seu eixo, que diz ao oceano para vir
até aqui e não mais longe (Jó 38:11), que comanda o vento e as ondas (Marcos
4:41), que veste os lÃrios do campo (Mateus 6:28–30) e que contou os cabelos de
nossa cabeça (Lucas 12:7) pode garantir que todas as coisas cooperam para o bem
daqueles que o amam (Romanos 8:28).
Deus nos ama. Ele
viu seu Filho morrer uma morte horrÃvel, separado dele em suas últimas horas,
para que nunca nos separássemos dele. Ele quer estar conosco, cuidar de nós e
nos dar bons presentes. Como poderia ele, que não poupou seu próprio Filho, não
nos dar todas as coisas (Romanos 8:32)?
Ele caminha
conosco
Deus tem contado
os nossos dias (Salmo 31:15). Todos os dias determinados para nós foram
escritos em seu livro antes que um deles existisse (Salmo 139:16). Nada pode
abreviar nossas vidas. Ninguém viverá um segundo a menos do que Deus determinou
antes da fundação do mundo.
Deus caminha
conosco a cada minuto de nossas vidas. Jesus diz: “Eis que estou convosco todos
os dias até o fim dos tempos” (Mateus 28:20). Deus diz a Josué: “Ninguém poderá
resistir a ti todos os dias da tua vida. Assim como fui com Moisés, assim serei
com vocês. não te deixarei nem te desampararei” (Josué 1:5). Quando andarmos
pelos rios, eles não nos submergirão, porque o Senhor passa por eles conosco
(IsaÃas 43:2).
Nunca bebemos o
cálice amargo ou suportamos qualquer dor sem ele.
Ele Vai Passar
Cristo está
conosco e nos dará o consolo e a força de que precisamos a cada dia. Como
Deuteronômio 33:25 nos assegura: “Como os seus dias, assim será a sua força”.
Octavius Winslow, um pregador na Inglaterra em 1800, nos lembra que Deus nos dá mais do que precisamos em nossa hora de sofrimento. Ele diz: “O Senhor não tem sido sempre melhor do que todas as suas antecipações perturbadoras, reprimindo seus medos, tranquilizando sua mente duvidosa e ouvindo-o gentilmente e com segurança durante a hora do sofrimento que você temia? Então confie nele agora! Nunca, nunca ele te abandonará!”
No entanto,
apesar da fidelidade de Deus no passado, uma de nossas maiores preocupações é
se o Senhor estará conosco nas provações futuras. John Ross MacDuff, um
contemporâneo escocês de Winslow, entende esse medo. Ele diz,
Deus não dá graça
até que chegue a hora da provação. Mas quando ela vem, a quantidade de graça e
a natureza da graça especial requerida são concedidas. Minha alma, não
permaneça com dolorosa apreensão no futuro. Não antecipe as tristezas que
virão; confundindo-se com a graça necessária para emergências futuras; amanhã
trará sua graça prometida junto com as provações de amanhã. . . e a força que a
hora da prova traz muitas vezes torna o cristão uma maravilha para si mesmo!
Não importa o
que aconteça
Não precisamos
entender agora como enfrentaremos o futuro. Deus nos dará tudo o que precisamos
a cada dia que tivermos fôlego. E quando dermos nosso último suspiro na terra,
o Senhor nos levará em segurança para o céu para que possamos desfrutá-lo para
sempre.
Um dia nossos
olhos se fecharão na morte e se abrirão para a realidade de tirar o fôlego de
que estamos na presença de nosso Salvador. Nós nos sentiremos mais vivos, mais
vibrantes, mais enérgicos e mais alegres do que nunca na Terra. O Deus que
conhecemos, mas nunca vimos, estará diante de nós. Contemplaremos sua glória
com nossos próprios olhos, sem distorção ou filtro. Nossas almas estarão
completamente em repouso e em paz, cheias na medida de toda a plenitude de
Deus. Será glorioso. Essa é a nossa esperança. Nossa promessa. Nossa âncora.
Estas são as
verdades nas quais nós, como cristãos, baseamos nossas vidas. São promessas
seguras e imutáveis, garantidas por Aquele que detém o universo. Aconteça o que
acontecer, nunca caminharemos sozinhos.
Vaneetha Rendall Risner é autora de Desperate for Hope, um estudo sobre o sofrimento. www.desiringgod.org/articles/when-the-future-feels-impossible#he-controls-the-world
Salmo 23
O Senhor é o meu pastor: nada me falta.
Em verdes pastos me faz descansar
e conduz-me a lugares de águas tranquilas.
Conforta a minha alma e leva-me por caminhos retos,
honrando o seu bom nome.
Ainda que eu atravesse o vale da sombra da morte,
não terei receio de nada, porque tu, Senhor, estás comigo.
O teu bordão e o teu cajado dão-me segurança.
Preparaste-me um banquete à frente dos meus inimigos.
Recebeste-me com todas as honras
e a minha taça transborda.
A tua bondade e o teu amor
acompanham-me todos os dias da minha vida.
E habitarei na casa do Senhor, ao longo dos meus dias.
Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Monday, March 27, 2023
Sobre Esta Rocha Edificarei Minha Igreja
Dennis Edwards
Mateus 16:13-18
“Chegando Jesus à s regiões de Cesaréia de Filipe, interrogou os seus discÃpulos, dizendo: Quem dizem os homens ser o Filho do homem? E eles disseram: Alguns dizem que tu és João Batista: alguns, Elias; e outros, Jeremias, ou algum dos profetas. Disse-lhes ele: Mas vós, quem dizeis que eu sou? E Simão Pedro, respondendo, disse: Tu és o Cristo, o Filho do Deus vivo. E Jesus, respondendo, disse-lhe: Bem-aventurado és tu, Simão Barjonas, porque to não revelou a carne e o sangue, mas meu Pai, que está nos céus. E também te digo que tu és Pedro e sobre esta pedra edificarei a minha igreja; e as portas do inferno não prevalecerão contra ela.”
A Igreja Católica usa esses versÃculos para mostrar que Jesus edificou sua igreja sobre Pedro. Eles afirmam que Pedro foi o primeiro papa com autoridade divina para liderar a cristandade. Vamos olhar para as Escrituras e ver se podemos decifrar o que Jesus realmente estava dizendo.
Em primeiro lugar, o nome Pedro vem do grego “petros”, que significa pedra ou rocha. Jesus estava se referindo a Pedro como a pedra ou rocha sobre a qual Ele edificaria Sua igreja, ou estava se referindo à declaração que Pedro acabara de fazer, a proclamação de que Jesus é o Cristo, o Filho do Deus vivo? Gostamos de usar as Escrituras para interpretar as Escrituras, então vamos olhar para outras áreas onde as imagens da pedra ou rocha são usadas nas Escrituras.
Vamos ler Mateus 21:33-42
“Ouvi ainda outra parábola: Certo proprietário plantou uma vinha, cercou-a com uma sebe, cavou nela um lagar e edificou uma torre. E arrendou-a a vinhateiros e partiu para uma terra longÃnqua. Aproximando-se a época da vindima, enviou os seus servos aos vinhateiros, para que recebessem os seus frutos. E os vinhateiros, agarrando os servos, espancaram um, mataram um e apedrejaram outro. Novamente ele enviou outros servos, mais do que os primeiros, e eles fizeram o mesmo com eles. Por último, enviou-lhes seu filho, dizendo: 'Eles respeitarão meu filho.' Mas, quando os vinhateiros viram o filho, disseram entre si: 'Este é o herdeiro. Vinde, matemo-lo e tomemos a sua herança. Então eles o prenderam, lançaram-no fora da vinha e o mataram.
“Portanto, quando vier o dono da vinha, o que fará à queles vinhateiros?” Disseram-lhe: “Ele destruirá miseravelmente aqueles homens perversos e arrendará sua vinha a outros vinhateiros que lhe darão os frutos em suas estações”. Jesus lhes disse: “Nunca lestes nas Escrituras: ‘A pedra que os construtores rejeitaram tornou-se a principal pedra angular? Isto foi obra do Senhor, e é maravilhoso aos nossos olhos’?”
Jesus citando o Salmo 118:23-24 parece estar dizendo que Ele é a pedra que os lÃderes religiosos rejeitaram e que Ele se tornará a principal pedra angular, ou a pedra mais importante do edifÃcio de Deus.
No Livro de Atos encontramos o próprio Pedro fazendo a mesma comparação. Vamos ler Atos 4:8-12
“Então Pedro, cheio do EspÃrito Santo, disse-lhes: “Chefes do povo e anciãos de Israel: Se hoje somos julgados por uma boa ação feita a um homem desamparado, por que meio ele foi curado, Seja notório a todos vós e a todo o povo de Israel que, em nome de Jesus Cristo, o Nazareno, a quem vós crucificastes, a quem Deus ressuscitou dentre os mortos, por Ele este aqui está são diante de vós. Esta é a ‘pedra rejeitada por vós, os construtores, e que se tornou a principal pedra angular’. E em nenhuma outra há salvação, porque debaixo do céu nenhum outro nome há, dado entre os homens, pelo qual devamos ser salvos”.
Vemos Pedro citando os Salmos e explicitamente chamando Jesus a pedra que foi rejeitada pelos lÃderes religiosos judeus, tornando-se a principal pedra angular, ou a pedra mais importante no edifÃcio espiritual de Deus. Vamos à primeira epÃstola de Pedro e ver o que Pedro escreve lá.
1 Pedro 2:1-9
“Portanto, deixando de lado toda malÃcia, todo engano, hipocrisia, inveja e toda calúnia, como crianças recém-nascidas, desejem o leite puro da palavra, para que cresçam por meio dele, se é que já provaram que o Senhor é misericordioso. Chegando a ele como a uma pedra viva, rejeitada na verdade pelos homens, mas eleita e preciosa por Deus, vocês também, como pedras vivas, estão sendo edificados como casa espiritual, um sacerdócio santo, para oferecer sacrifÃcios espirituais agradáveis a Deus através de Jesus Cristo. Por isso também na Escritura se contém: “Eis que estou em Sião, A principal pedra angular, eleita, preciosa, E aquele que nela crê não será de modo algum envergonhado.”
“Portanto, para vós que credes, Ele é precioso; mas para os desobedientes: “A pedra que os edificadores rejeitaram, tornou-se a principal pedra angular” e “uma pedra de tropeço e rocha de escândalo”. Eles tropeçam, sendo desobedientes à palavra, para a qual também foram designados. Mas vós sois a geração eleita, o sacerdócio real, a nação santa, o seu povo especial, para proclamardes as grandezas daquele que vos chamou das trevas para a sua maravilhosa luz.”
Vemos Pedro continuamente chamando Jesus a principal pedra angular do edifÃcio de Deus. Deus está construindo Sua igreja sobre Jesus, não sobre Pedro. Em João 1:42 vemos Jesus mudando o nome de Simão para Pedro, que significa “uma pedra”. Nós que cremos e seguimos Jesus somos pedras vivas. O apóstolo Pedro faz parte do templo de Deus, a igreja das pedras vivas e nós também. Pedro admite tanto em sua epÃstola.
O apóstolo Paulo usa a mesma imagem de Jesus como a principal pedra angular em suas epÃstolas. 1 CorÃntios 3: 11. “Porque ninguém pode lançar outro fundamento além do que já está posto, o qual é Jesus Cristo.” Efésios 2:20. "E edificados sobre o fundamento dos apóstolos e dos profetas, sendo o próprio Jesus Cristo a principal pedra da esquina."Paulo está nos lembrando que o único fundamento da igreja é Jesus.
Na parábola do próprio Jesus sobre a construção de nossa casa sobre a rocha, vemos que a palavra é o fundamento sobre o qual precisamos construir nossa vida. Mateus 7:24. “Portanto, todo aquele que ouve estas minhas palavras e as pratica, eu o compararei a um homem sábio que edificou a sua casa sobre a rocha:” Jesus é a rocha. A palavra de Deus é a Rocha. Jesus era a palavra feita carne João 1:14. “E o Verbo se fez carne e habitou entre nós (e vimos a sua glória, como a glória do unigênito do Pai), cheio de graça e de verdade.”
Vamos voltar a Mateus 21:42-44
Disse-lhes Jesus: Nunca lestes nas Escrituras: A pedra que os edificadores rejeitaram, essa se tornou a pedra angular; isto é obra do Senhor e é maravilhoso aos nossos olhos? Portanto, eu vos digo: O reino de Deus vos será tirado, e será dado a uma nação que dê os seus frutos. E quem cair sobre esta pedra será despedaçado; mas aquele sobre quem ela cair será reduzido a pó.
Aqui vemos imagens de cair sobre uma pedra ou de a pedra cair sobre você. Antes de decidir o que isso significa, vamos olhar para Daniel 2, onde vimos outra pedra. Daniel 2:34-35
“Viste até que uma pedra foi cortada sem auxÃlio de mãos, a qual feriu a estátua nos pés de ferro e de barro, e os esmiuçou. Então o ferro, o barro, o bronze, a prata e o ouro foram juntamente estilhaçados e tornaram-se como a palha das eiras no verão; e o vento os levou, de modo que não se achou lugar para eles; e a pedra que feriu a estátua tornou-se uma grande montanha, e encheu toda a terra.”
Jesus é a pedra cortada sem mãos que voltará e destruirá os impérios do homem e estabelecerá Seu Reino Milenar. Então, novamente vemos Jesus como uma imagem de pedra. Em 1 CorÃntios 10:4 lemos: “E todos beberam da mesma bebida espiritual, porque bebiam da Rocha espiritual que os seguia, e essa Rocha era Cristo.” O apóstolo Paulo está usando a imagem de Jesus sendo a rocha da qual a água jorrou para dar água aos filhos de Israel no deserto.
No Salmo 18:1-2 vemos que Davi chamou Deus de sua rocha. “Eu te amarei, ó Senhor, força minha. O Senhor é a minha rocha, e a minha fortaleza, e o meu libertador; meu Deus, minha força, em quem confiarei; meu escudo, e o chifre da minha salvação, e minha torre alta.” Jesus é a rocha.
Vamos reler Mateus 21:44: “E todo aquele que cair sobre esta pedra se despedaçará; mas aquele sobre quem ela cair, será reduzido a pó.” Jesus está dizendo, caia sobre mim e você será quebrado, mas eu o levantarei. Ou deixe-me cair sobre você em Minha raiva e vou moê-lo em pó. Vamos ler o Salmo 51:17. “Os sacrifÃcios para Deus são um espÃrito quebrantado: um coração quebrantado e contrito, ó Deus, não desprezarás.” Deus é capaz de viver em nós quando estamos quebrantados. Salmo 34:18 “Perto está o SENHOR dos que têm o coração quebrantado; e salva os de espÃrito contrito”. Salmo 147:3 “Ele sara os quebrantados de coração, e trata dos seus ferimentos.” IsaÃas 61:1 O EspÃrito do Senhor DEUS está sobre mim; porque o SENHOR me ungiu para pregar boas novas aos mansos; enviou-me a restaurar os contritos de coração, a proclamar liberdade aos cativos e a abertura de prisão aos presos;
Deus quer quebrar nossos corações endurecidos por meio de nosso sofrimento e nos dar um coração que possa amar. Ezequiel 36:26 “Também vos darei um coração novo, e porei dentro de vós um espÃrito novo; e tirarei da vossa carne o coração de pedra, e vos darei um coração de carne.” Deus está perto dos quebrantados de coração. Ele pode curar nossos corações partidos, para que possamos ser instrumentos de Seu amor.
Precisamos acrescentar aqui que sim, o apóstolo Pedro foi fundamental nos estágios iniciais da Igreja primitiva. A palavra “igreja” significa um grupo de crentes chamados, ou um grupo de crentes separados do mundo. Pedro foi um dos principais atores que Deus usou para ajudar a mover o cristianismo. Mas Pedro não era a pedra sobre a qual Jesus construiu Sua Igreja. A pedra, a pedra angular ou pedra fundamental não era outro senão Ele mesmo e o fato de que Ele é o Messias, o Filho do Deus vivo.
Construindo na Pedra Angular. [1] IsaÃas 28:16
“Portanto, assim diz o Senhor Deus: "Eis que ponho em Sião uma pedra como alicerce, uma pedra provada, uma preciosa pedra angular, um fundamento seguro; quem crer não agirá precipitadamente."
Historicamente, a pedra fundamental era a parte mais importante de qualquer edifÃcio. O peso total de um edifÃcio repousava sobre esta pedra em particular, que, se removida, desmoronaria toda a estrutura. A pedra angular também era a chave para manter as paredes retas. Os construtores fariam avistamentos ao longo das bordas desta parte do edifÃcio. Se a pedra angular fosse colocada corretamente, os pedreiros poderiam ter certeza de que todos os outros cantos do edifÃcio também estariam nos ângulos apropriados. Assim, a pedra angular tornou-se um sÃmbolo daquilo que mantinha a vida unida.
Nos dias de IsaÃas, os lÃderes de Israel escolheram basear sua segurança em uma pedra angular diferente. Eles escolheram confiar em seu próprio conhecimento polÃtico. Por meio de várias alianças militares, eles pensaram que poderiam manter sua nação unida. No final das contas, porém, essa instável pedra angular falhou e Israel foi levado cativo pelos babilônios.
No entanto, Deus declarou por meio de IsaÃas que estabeleceria uma pedra angular que nunca falharia - uma pedra em que se poderia confiar porque havia sido testada e comprovada como preciosa e segura.
Os escritores do Novo Testamento reconheceram que esta pedra era Jesus Cristo. O Salvador disse a respeito de Si mesmo: “Nunca lestes nas Escrituras: 'A pedra que os edificadores rejeitaram tornou-se a principal pedra angular'” (Mateus 21:42). O apóstolo Pedro repetiu a profecia de IsaÃas e acrescentou: "E quem nele crê não será confundido" (1 Pedro 2:6).
Quando as pressões da vida pesam sobre você, há apenas uma pedra angular capaz de lidar com o peso. Quando sua necessidade de orientação é urgente, há apenas uma pedra angular em que você pode confiar para manter sua vida em ordem. Essa pedra angular é Jesus. Confie nEle em todos os aspectos de sua vida e descobrirá que Ele nunca falha. Ele não é apenas uma Rocha; Ele é a Pedra Angular.
[1] https://www.backtothebible.org/post/building-on-the-cornerstone
Upon This Rock I Will Build My Church
Dennis Edwards
Matthew 16:13-18
“When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”
The Catholic Church uses these verses to show that Jesus built his church upon Peter. They claim Peter was the first Pope with divine authority to lead Christendom. Let us look at Scripture and see if we can decipher what Jesus was really saying.
First of all the name Peter comes from the Greek “petros” which means stone or rock. Jesus was either referring to Peter as the stone or rock upon which He would build His church, or He was referring to the statement Peter had just made, the proclamation that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. We like to use Scripture to interpret Scripture, so let us look at other areas where the imagery of the stone or rock are used in Scripture.
Matthew 21:33-42
“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?”
Jesus, quoting from Psalm 118:23-24, seems to be saying that He is the stone which they the religious leaders have rejected and that He will become the chief cornerstone, or the most important stone of God’s building.
The Book of Acts we find Peter himself making the same comparison. Acts 4:7-12.
“And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
We see Peter quoting from the Psalms and explicitly calling Jesus the stone which was rejected by the Jewish religious leaders, becoming the chief cornerstone, or most important stone in the God’s spiritual building. Let’s go to Peters first epistle and see what Peter writes there. 1 Peter 2:4-9.
”Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, “Behold, I lay in Zion, a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
Peter continually calls Jesus the chief cornerstone of God’s building. God is building His church upon Jesus, not upon Peter. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, which means “a stone.” We who believe and follow Jesus are living stones. Apostle Peter is part of the temple of God, the church of living stones and so are we. Peter admits so much in his epistle.
Apostle Paul uses the same imagery of Jesus as the chief cornerstone in his epistles. 1 Corinthians 3: 11. “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Paul is reminding us that the only foundation of the church is Jesus. Ephesians 2:20 "And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone."
In Jesus’ own parable about building our house upon the rock we see the word is the foundation we need to build our life upon. Matthew 7:24. ”Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.” Jesus is that Rock. The word of God is the Rock.
Let’s go back to Matthew 21:42-44
”Jesus said unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.”
Here we see imagery of falling upon a stone or having the stone fall upon us. Before deciding what that means let’s look at Daniel 2 where we saw another stone. Daniel 2:34-35
”Thou saw till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”
Jesus is the stone cut out without hands that will return and smash the empires of man and set up His Millennial Kingdom. So again we see Jesus as an image of stone.
In Psalm 18:1-2 we see David called God his rock. “I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” Jesus is the rock.
Let’s reread Matthew 21:44, “And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.” Jesus is saying, fall upon Me and you will be broken, and I will lift you up. Or let me fall upon you in My anger and I will grind you to powder.
Psalm 51:17. “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” God is able to live in us when we are broken. Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalm 147:3 ”He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.” Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”
God wants to break our hard hearts through our suffering, save us and give us a heart that can love. Ezekiel 36:26 “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.” God is close to the broken-hearted. He can heal our broken hearts so we can be instruments of his love.
We need to add here, that yes, Apostle Peter was instrumental in the initial stages of the early Church. The word “church” signifies a called out group of believers, or a group of believers separated from the world. Peter was one of the key players that God used to help get Christianity moving. But Peter was not the stone upon which Jesus built His Church. The stone, the cornerstone or foundation stone was none other than Himself and the fact that He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
The Importance of Building on the Cornerstone[1] Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily."
Historically, the cornerstone was the most important part of any building. The total weight of an edifice rested on this particular stone, which, if removed, would collapse the whole structure. The cornerstone was also the key to keeping the walls straight. The builders would take sightings along the edges of this part of the building. If the cornerstone was set properly, the stonemasons could be assured that all the other corners of the building would be at the appropriate angles as well. Thus, the cornerstone became a symbol for that which held life together.
In the days of Isaiah, the leaders of Israel had chosen to rest their security on a different cornerstone. They chose to put their trust in their own political savvy. Through various military alliances, they thought they could hold their nation together. Ultimately, however, this shaky cornerstone failed and Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians.
Yet God declared through Isaiah that He would establish a cornerstone that would never fail--a stone that could be trusted because it had been tried and proven to be precious and sure.
The New Testament writers recognized that this stone was Jesus Christ. The Saviour said of Himself, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'" (Matt. 21:42). The apostle Peter repeated Isaiah's prophecy and added, "And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame" (1 Pet. 2:6).
When the pressures of life bear down on you, there's only one cornerstone capable of handling the weight. When your need for guidance is urgent, there's only one cornerstone you can trust to keep your life straight. That cornerstone is Jesus. Trust Him with every aspect of your lives, and you will find that He never fails. He's not just a Rock; He's the Cornerstone.
[1] https://www.backtothebible.org/post/building-on-the-cornerstone
Sunday, March 26, 2023
Saturday, March 25, 2023
Friday, March 24, 2023
Thursday, March 23, 2023
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
Joe Rogan's Objections to Jesus
Dennis Edwards
The Protestants believe Jesus was referring to the affirmation that Peter had just made, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," [Matthew 16:16] as the foundation stone to which Jesus would build His church, not Peter as a person. Apostle John would write, "But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." [John 1:12] Apostle Peter even wrote that Jesus was the chief cornerstone upon which God is building His spiritual house.
"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 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 2:1-9]
The Protestants believe Jesus was referring to the affirmation that Peter had just made, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God," [Matthew 16:16] as the foundation stone to which Jesus would build His church, not Peter as a person. Apostle John would write, "But as many as received Him to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." [John 1:12] Apostle Peter even wrote that Jesus was the chief cornerstone upon which God is building His spiritual house.
"Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believes on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 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 2:1-9]
Apostle Paul uses the same imagery saying, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." [1 Corinthians 3:11] Ephesus 2:19-20 express the same idea. "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." We who are Christ's are building our lives upon Him who is the Rock of our salvation by obeying His words.
"Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." [Matthew 7:24-27]
Jesus is the cornerstone of Isaiah 28:16 to which Peter refers in his letter. "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believes shall not make haste."
In Luke 20:17-18, Jesus implies to Himself as being the cornerstone mentioned in Isaiah and goes on to say, "Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, (upon Jesus) shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it shall grind him to powder " We either fall upon Jesus and He makes our brokenness whole, or we reject Jesus and put ourselves in line for God’s wrath. Therefore, Dr. Marshall, I think a thorough study of God’s word without assuming the doctrine of the Catholic Church and the interpretation that Jesus was referring to Peter, seems to reinforce the idea that Jesus was referring to the statement of faith that Peter made and which all truly born again Christians confess, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
It is upon Jesus that the true church is found, not a building or a denomination, but true followers of Christ scattered throughout "Christendom." "For the time has come and now is that the true followers of God shall worship Him in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him." [John 4:23] There is always a small remnant of true believers who are believing in Jesus, obeying His word and His voice. They are following His, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."[ Matthew 25:40] And the rest of that passage you quoted goes along with Matthew 7:21, "Not every one that says unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven (It’s not just confessing with the mouth if the life is not transformed. Or for the Catholic, it's not just taking the sacraments, if the life is not transformed and walking in obedience to God’s word.)
Jesus Himself warned the religious leaders, "Your TRADITIONS have made the word of God without effect." [Mark 7:13] Be careful that our religious traditions no matter where they come from don't put us into a false sense of security that we are being obedient to God. Get out your Bible and read and let God's word speak to your heart. I think Jesus may have had Isaiah 58 in mind when speaking that passage in Matthew 25. Like Apostle James wrote, "Be ye doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." [James 1:21]
1 Corinthians 10:4 is another verse that shows that the "church," the called-out ones, the separated believers, are founded upon the "Rock," Jesus Christ, and not Apostle Peter. "And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ." Also, in Daniel 2:45, the rock that is cut out without hands and comes and destroys the empires of this world, is not Apostle Peter or the Church, but Christ at His coming.
Apostle Peter confesses himself in Acts 4:11-12, "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is their salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Peter indeed was a little stone, but Jesus was saying that upon this stone, upon Himself and the truth that He is indeed the Messiah, He would build His group of believers, His called-out ones, His Ecclesia. God's word seems to verify that Peter, which means stone, was a little stone, but God’s church was and is being built on Jesus Himself, a big stone, a Rock. Jesus is the solid foundation stone that cannot be shaken.
Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Who Really Caused the Ukraine War?
https://twitter.com/GraphicW5/status/1637446518952058882?s=20
University of Chicago Professor John Mearsheimer: I think that In the rivalry between us (the Americans) and the Russians, the Russians will win. Now you're probably going to say, "Why does he say that?" Think about it: who has more determination? Who really cares more about this situation, the Russians or the Americans? The Americans don't care that much about Ukraine. The Americans have made it clear. They're not even willing to fight and die for Ukraine. So for us, they don't care that much. For the Russians, they've also made it clear, it's an existential threat. So the balance of resolve, I think, is in their favor. And as we move down the escalation ladder, I think—and this is just my assumption—that the Russians will win, not the Americans. I don't think it matters much to the U.S. if we lose in the sense that the Russians prevail in Ukraine. I think the real losers in this war are the Ukrainians. And I think what has happened here is that we have guided the Ukrainians down the path of Primrose. We pushed very hard to encourage the Ukrainians to become part of NATO. We pushed very hard to make them part of NATO. We pushed very hard to make them a Western bastion on Russia's borders, even though the Russians made it clear that this was unacceptable to them. We, as a result, and here I am talking about the West, took a stick and poked the bear in the eye. And as you all know, if you take a stick and poke a bear in the eye, the bear probably won't smile and laugh at what you're doing. The bear will fight back. And that's exactly what happens. And this bear is going to tear Ukraine apart. This bear is in the process of tearing Ukraine apart. And again, we're back to where we started. Who is responsible for this? Are the Russians responsible for this? I don't think so. There is no doubt that the Russians are doing the dirty work. But the question is, "What made the Russians do it?" and I think the answer is very simple: the United States.
University of Chicago Professor John Mearsheimer: I think that In the rivalry between us (the Americans) and the Russians, the Russians will win. Now you're probably going to say, "Why does he say that?" Think about it: who has more determination? Who really cares more about this situation, the Russians or the Americans? The Americans don't care that much about Ukraine. The Americans have made it clear. They're not even willing to fight and die for Ukraine. So for us, they don't care that much. For the Russians, they've also made it clear, it's an existential threat. So the balance of resolve, I think, is in their favor. And as we move down the escalation ladder, I think—and this is just my assumption—that the Russians will win, not the Americans. I don't think it matters much to the U.S. if we lose in the sense that the Russians prevail in Ukraine. I think the real losers in this war are the Ukrainians. And I think what has happened here is that we have guided the Ukrainians down the path of Primrose. We pushed very hard to encourage the Ukrainians to become part of NATO. We pushed very hard to make them part of NATO. We pushed very hard to make them a Western bastion on Russia's borders, even though the Russians made it clear that this was unacceptable to them. We, as a result, and here I am talking about the West, took a stick and poked the bear in the eye. And as you all know, if you take a stick and poke a bear in the eye, the bear probably won't smile and laugh at what you're doing. The bear will fight back. And that's exactly what happens. And this bear is going to tear Ukraine apart. This bear is in the process of tearing Ukraine apart. And again, we're back to where we started. Who is responsible for this? Are the Russians responsible for this? I don't think so. There is no doubt that the Russians are doing the dirty work. But the question is, "What made the Russians do it?" and I think the answer is very simple: the United States.
Monday, March 20, 2023
Sunday, March 19, 2023
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Thursday, March 16, 2023
Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Stephen Hawking on Heaven
by Shane Cessna
World-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has made major news again. No, this isn’t the revelation of some new theory about the formation of the cosmos or the discovery of a phenomenon that supposedly proves the Big Bang. This time, he throws his hat into the theological ring. In an exclusive interview in The Guardian (UK) in May 2011, he said, “There is no heaven; it’s a fairy story.”1 This comes as no surprise given what he wrote in his 2010 book, The Grand Design, where he said that there is no need for a creator to explain the existence of the universe (see our refutation). In the interview, Hawking shared his thoughts on the non-existence of the afterlife, our purpose as humans, and why we exist.
When atheists talk about theology, should we as Christians listen to them and take their word for it? Not at all. That makes as much sense as the mechanic listening to my diagnosis of the car.
It always surprises me when professed atheists try to tell Christians what we should believe. Hawking, like fellow atheist Richard Dawkins, is way out of his depth when it comes to theology. To give an analogy, I know nothing about fixing cars. Now, let’s suppose that my car breaks down and I have it towed to my local mechanic. When trying to diagnose the problem, he hears me say something like, “I think the main problem lies in the catalytic converter.” Since I know nothing about cars, should the mechanic take my word for it and attempt to fix the catalytic converter? Of course not. My words will likely, and should, go in one ear and out the other. Similarly, when atheists talk about theology, should we as Christians listen to them and take their word for it? Not at all. That makes as much sense as the mechanic listening to my diagnosis of the car. Hawking is a physicist, not a theologian. He has as much business talking about heaven as Billy Graham does about quantum mechanics.
Science: the all-powerful force?
Hawking was first asked, “What is the value in knowing ‘Why are we here?’” He responded:
“The universe is governed by science. But science tells us that we can’t solve the equations, directly in the abstract. We need to use the effective theory of Darwinian natural selection of those societies most likely to survive. We assign them higher value.”
Hawking’s answer makes science the authoritative all-powerful force in the universe. However he is committing a very common logical fallacy most commonly referred to as reification. Science, since it is abstract and not a concrete entity, cannot govern anything. We as creationists would rather argue that the universe is upheld by the power of God. Science is an abstract tool that can be used suitably or unsuitably. The laws of science describe the phenomena that we observe, just as a map describes the coastline. The laws of science don’t prescribe anything, so saying that science tells us that we can solve equations is logically fallacious (see for example Is evolution allowed by scientific laws?).
Hawking goes on to say that we need to use the effective theory of Darwinian natural selection. Hawking presumes that evolution is a fact, and was driven by natural selection. But this is impossible. Natural selection cannot be the driving mechanism behind particles-to-professors evolution, as it culls genes rather than creating them (see Muddy Waters: Clarifying the confusion about natural selection). Typical evolutionary scenarios need a huge increase in genetic information in order to get from a single-celled organism to a complex creature such as a horse or human. But almost all examples of evolution in action involve sorting or loss of information—see How information is lost when creatures adapt to their environment. This includes antibiotic and pesticide resistance, sickle cell anemia conferring resistance to malaria, wingless beetles on windswept islands and blind fish in caves. If evolution were true, we should see numerous examples of information going uphill, but instead we have only a tiny number of highly debatable cases, such as bacteria that digest nylon, citrate or xylitol (see the hyperlinked articles for why they likely have nothing to do with increase of information).
Multiverses and why science works
Hawking was then asked, “You’ve said there is no reason to invoke God to light the blue touchpaper. Is our existence all down to luck?”1 to which he replied, “Science predicts that many different kinds of universe will be spontaneously created out of nothing. It is a matter of chance which we are in.” The first part of this question refers back to what Hawking wrote in, The Grand Design, where he stated that there is no need for a creator to explain the existence of the universe.
Hawking has always been at odds with the concept of religion as noted in an interview he did with Diane Sawyer in June of 2010 where he said:
“There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win, because it works.”2
This ignores the fact that Christianity is also based on observed events: the disciples were witnesses to what they saw—Jesus’ ministry, miracles, and ultimately His death, resurrection, and ascension. All of the central claims of Christianity rest on these claims, and they were made within the lifetime of people who could have contradicted them if their claims weren’t true.
An underlying question could be asked here. Why does science work? Science works because of the uniformity of nature and the reliability of our senses to observe and analyze the results of the scientific method. Why, in an atheistic universe, should we trust our senses if they’re merely random chemical reactions in our brain? Why should nature be uniform? Where exactly, in the atheistic worldview, does reason come from anyway? We know that the laws of logic are immaterial, universal, abstract entities. So how can an atheistic worldview account for these things which he takes for granted? Ultimately, atheists have no way of explaining the origins of the laws of logic.
Also, in this answer Hawking states that many universes will spontaneously be created out of nothing. Where is the observational evidence for this claim? Have we ever encountered another universe? Have we ever seen anything created out of nothing? Again, Hawking brings a lot to the table with no clear evidence in sight. He then goes on to say that we’re here just because of chance; a lucky roll of the dice. So, every part of our existence is just the product of chance. All of our morality is just chance. The love we express to our children is just chance. I could go on, but the point Hawking is making here is very clear. Everything is chance and no one is special.
Why should we seek the ‘greatest value’?
The interviewer continues:
“Hawking rejected the notion of life beyond death and emphasised the need to fulfil our potential on Earth by making good use of our lives. In answer to a question on how we should live, he said, simply: ‘We should seek the greatest value of our action.’”
Ultimately there is no problem of evil in an atheist’s universe, because there is no evil in an atheistic worldview.
This seems completely contradictory to his previous answer. Why should we seek the greatest value of our action? If we’re all just rearranged pond scum here by chance, why does doing good or evil matter? And by what standard do we judge the value of our actions? If “making good use of our lives” is nothing more than chance chemical reactions in our brain, or as the interviewer calls it, “brain flickers,”1 what is good or evil? In the atheistic view, there is no way to consistently argue a moral difference between genocide and mowing the grass. Ultimately there is no problem of evil in an atheist’s universe because there is no evil in an atheistic worldview. Since there is no God, there is no absolute moral standard and therefore nothing is wrong. This is not to say that all actions by atheists are immoral. Deep down in their heart of hearts they do know the God of the Bible from what has been made (Romans 1) and from their conscience (Romans 2).3
Heaven: a fairy story?
Next, the interviewer pries a bit deeper, asking, in the context of a 2009 health scare, what if anything Hawking fears about death. Hawking replied:
“I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.”
Regarding the brain as something as simple as a computer is a huge mistake. With most computers, we can install different operating systems on them and they function just fine. However, our brains are not quite like that. No computer has ever been built that can equal the processing power and capability that compares to our brains. Additionally, computers are not capable of having conscious, moral, and decision making thought. A computer cannot be given a moral choice to make and it end up choosing the best option unless it is preprogrammed to make a specific moral choice by a programmer. Furthermore, nothing Hawking said proves his dogma that that the mind is entirely an epiphenomenon of the brain; the evidence is consistent also with a non-material mind using the brain. The late philosopher and former atheist Antony Flew argued against such materialist dogma. He compared it to people on a remote island who find a transmitter with voices coming from it, and think because they’ve figured out the workings of the transmitter, they’ve disproved the existence of the people whose voices are transmitted. See The “God spot”: Does it prove that God is all in our heads?
Hawking is also calling those of us who believe in heaven and an afterlife as believers of fairy tales. This is just another fact-free tirade intended to persuade believers into taking his side or simply engage in name calling. Apparently, Hawking isn’t afraid of the dark either. This might seem to be a nonsensical statement on the surface, but I think it may have an underlying meaning in this case. John 3:19 states that men love the darkness rather than the light. Is it really so surprising to hear someone outside of the Christian faith make such a statement?
Beauty in science
Finally, the interview ends with this question, “What are the things you find most beautiful in science?” Hawking finally answers a question with observational science. “Science is beautiful when it makes simple explanations of phenomena or connections between different observations. Examples include the double helix in biology, and the fundamental equations of physics.” Indeed, science is a wonderful thing that God has blessed us with in order to discover the intricacies of the universe that He created for us. In fact, science would not be possible but for God upholding the universe by His sustaining power. Without the uniformity of nature, science would be impossible—but science can’t prove uniformity; rather it is an axiom underlying science. In a “matter of chance” universe as Hawking puts it, we would have no reason whatsoever to expect the physical laws of the universe to be consistent, like the law of gravity.
It seems clear that Hawking did not put much thought into the answers he gave to The Guardian regarding our existence, death and purpose in life. For an atheist, Hawking has a lot of faith in things that have never been proven; string theory, the Big Bang and particles-to-professor evolution. The answers given by Hawking make a clear statement about the stability of his foundation atheistic evolutionary thinking. Having a foundation based on theories that do not require the intervention and presence of God are much like the man who built his house upon the sand. On the other hand, having a firm foundation on God’s Word and the Christian worldview is like the man who built his house upon the rock. When the waves of science truth bring these two opposing worldviews to light, the only one that will remain standing is the one built on the foundation of scripture.
Published: 21 July 2011
References
- Sample, I., Stephen Hawking:‘There is no heaven; it’s a fairy story’, Guardian, 15 May 2011, 15 May 2011. Return to text.
- Physicist Stephen Hawking Says There Is No Heaven, 16 May 2011 Return to text.
- Bahnsen, G. vs. Stein, G., “The Great Debate: Does God Exist?” Debate held at the University of California, 1985: transcript available at http://www.bellevuechristian.org/faculty/dribera/htdocs/PDFs/Apol_Bahnsen_Stein_Debate_Transcript.pdf, last accessed 25 May 2011, p. 35. Return to text.
Monday, March 13, 2023
The Story to the Hymn "Great is Thy Faithfulness"
The History of "Great Is Thy Faithfulness"
The words of many of our favorite hymns are born out of life-changing experiences.
Charles Wesley composed the joy-filled "And Can It Be" after his dramatic, personal conversion experience. And Horatio Spafford penned the words of comfort found in "It Is Well with My Soul" after the tragic death of his children in a shipwreck over the Atlantic Ocean.
On the other hand, the words of some hymns spring not from a traumatic occurrence in the writer's life but in the midst of the daily routine. That is just the case in the writing of one of the 20th century's most loved hymns: "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."
A School Teacher Turned Prolific Poet
Thomas Chisholm was born in a simple log cabin in Franklin, Kentucky, in 1866. Lacking a high school education or any college training, he became a school teacher at the age of 16 and later entered the newspaper business.
The following years found him ordained a pastor, but poor health forced him to leave the ministry. After a time of recuperation, he moved to New Jersey to work as an insurance agent.
A prolific writer of poetry, he sent a collection of his poems in 1923 to his good friend William Runyan, a musician associated with Chicago's Moody Bible Institute, who also worked for a hymnal publishing company.
Melody Forms Out of A Simple Prayer
While on a trip to Baldwin, Kansas, Runyan leafed through the poems sent by Chisholm and was immediately taken in by the depth of meaning and lyrical beauty of the words found in the poem "Great Is Thy Faithfulness."
Years later, Runyan recalled, "This particular poem held such an appeal that I prayed most earnestly that my tune might carry over its message in a worthy way."
Out of a simple prayer, Runyan's melody took shape, and the completed hymn was published by Runyan that same year.
The Song Catches on with Billy Graham
Due to Runyan's association with Moody Bible Institute, "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" became a favorite with the students and faculty alike and has become the Institute's unofficial college hymn.
Yet, it was slow to catch on in churches across the United States until Billy Graham began to include the hymn in his crusades. It was introduced to the people of Great Britain during Graham's crusade there in 1954 and has since become one of England's most popular hymns.
An Explanation of the Poetry
The hymn's first verse is a simple expression of God's unchanging faithfulness, based on Lamentations 3:22 (KJV): "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not."
Verse two continues with an expression of God's faithfulness to us in the natural world He created—the changing of the seasons, the movements of the celestial bodies—all joining together in praise to their Creator.
The hymn culminates in the final verse with the testimony of peace that comes through redemption, God's abiding presence in our daily lives, and the blessed hope of heaven.
The refrain echoes the infinite faithfulness of God to extend mercy and compassion: "They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23, KJV).
Chisholm's Thoughts on the Hymn
Looking back on the writing of the hymn, Chisholm recalled in 1941, "My income has not been large at any time due to impaired health in the earlier years which has followed me on until now. Although I must not
fail to record here the unfailing faithfulness of a covenant keeping God and that He has given me many wonderful displays of His providing care, for which I am filled with astonishing gratefulness."
Lyrics to the Hymn
Great is Thy faithfulness O God, my Father; There is no shadow of turning with Thee. Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not; As Thou hast been, Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with all nature in manifold witness, To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside!
Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided; Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
Article courtesy of Mature Living magazine.
https://www.lifeway.com/en/articles/the-history-of-great-is-thy-faithfulness
