Blog of Christian philosopher and author C.W. Steinle: encouragements, profundities, observations, and sharing. May or may not have something to do with my books.
In The Stub and the Branch: A Quantum Parable of Life and
Death, author C. W. Steinle presents a bold and illuminating comparison between
modern quantum theory and timeless biblical revelation. With clarity and depth,
Steinle invites readers into a mind-expanding journey where wavefunctions and
multiverses serve as metaphors for mortality, rebirth, and the promise of
eternal life.
At the heart of this captivating book is a powerful parable:
the “Stub” represents the finite, mortal path of humanity, while the “Branch”
symbolizes the eternal life offered through Christ. In the same way that
observation in quantum physics determines reality, spiritual “observation”—the
moment of faith—determines one’s eternal destiny.
✔ Written for both the
scientifically curious and spiritually seeking
✔ Offers edifying,
faith-building insights for Christian readers
✔ Makes complex quantum ideas
accessible without heavy math
✔ Explores the fascinating
intersections of science, salvation, and storytelling
Whether you’re a believer looking for fresh inspiration or a
skeptic searching for meaning, The Stub and the Branch will challenge your
thinking, stir your soul, and reveal a stunning harmony between the spiritual
and the scientific.
Choose to look. Choose to live. Choose the Branch.
In The Stub and the Branch, author C. W. Steinle presents a
visionary fusion of science and spirituality—unlike anything you've encountered
before. Drawing from the mysterious world of quantum physics and the eternal
truths of Christianity, Steinle weaves a compelling modern-day parable that
illustrates how scientific metaphors—especially those found in the Many-Worlds
Interpretation—can offer startling new clarity to ancient spiritual questions.
Unlike traditional analogies, this parable integrates quantum theory with
biblical revelation in a way that has never before been attempted, offering
readers fresh revelations and transformative perspectives on life, death, and
eternity.
At the heart of the book lies the contrast between the
“Stub” and the “Branch”—symbols inspired by quantum mechanics’ concepts of
transient and eternal realities. Steinle explains how quantum observations
collapse possibilities into singular outcomes, drawing a remarkable comparison
to the Christian moment of faith: the soul’s decisive “observation” of Christ.
Through accessible scientific exposition and rich biblical narrative, readers
explore how concepts like superposition, entanglement, and wavefunction-collapse
mirror spiritual transformation, rebirth, and the choice between mortality and
eternal life. These parallels are not merely thought experiments—they are
presented as deeply meaningful reflections capable of inspiring awe,
conviction, and hope.
Written to engage both the scientific skeptic and the
spiritually curious, this book invites formerly non-religious readers to
consider faith through a novel and intellectually satisfying lens, while
offering believers a deeply edifying and inspirational journey. Christians will
find their faith illuminated with renewed wonder, as quantum metaphors breathe
new life into foundational doctrines. The Stub and the Branch is more than a
book—it is an invitation to “observe,” to choose, and to see existence itself in
a radically new light. For those searching for purpose, meaning, and the
intersection of truth across disciplines, Steinle’s work is an unforgettable
exploration of the quantum nature of eternity.
Of course, the Lord's Prayer is always a good place to start. Here are some of the elements that have become my habit over the years: Good morning Father, Lord Jesus; You are holy and righteous.
You have made all things and "for Your pleasure they exist and have their being." And so, I exist and have my being at Your pleasure.
"Cause me to know Your lovingkindness in the morning"; (at this point I am compelled to remember the cross and significant/critical interventions of God's deliverance).
I have been accepted/adopted by You; and according to John 17, I am in You and You are in me. Help me to visualize You in the heavenly realm—to "fix my eyes on Jesus." And also, that You are in me by the Holy Spirit so that I am a member of the body of Christ.
Your will be done in my life today. May I stay close to You; and may You use me in Your ministry. Amen.
Hope this is a blessing for those needing a place to start. Consider sharing your own morning prayer.
Did you know that many of the basic moral actions and attitudes of the heart found in the Bible were expressed in the Egyptian Ma'at Confessions—written 4,000 years ago? Check out this research from SIN by C. W. Steinle. I think you'll by surprised.
Ma’at was the ancient Egyptian concept of truth, balance, and justice. Egyptians believed living in accordance with Ma’at helped maintain cosmic order. Although this association could not be equated with the 19th century metaphysical idea of “mind over matter,” the assumed correlation does indicate the Egyptians believed the condition of their world (cosmos) was subjectively linked to their personal behavior. The Ma’at Principles are prima facie evidence, not only of a general awareness of right and wrong, but of an acute knowledge of what would be required to reach perfection—sinlessness.
These confessions can be seen as a progression in human thinking beyond mere legal guidelines to consequences in the spiritual realm; or, as a completely separate set of laws dealing only with spiritual purity. The 42 Negative Confessions of Ma’at are comparable to many of the Ten Commandments and are also similar to principles taught in the Bible’s New Testament. Keep in mind, these confessions were written 2,000 years before the time of Jesus.
Each negative confession made an appeal to one of various Egyptian gods on behalf of the deceased, as if to appeal to that particular jury of gods. Professing these attitudes and behaviors were meant to convince the gods that the dead had passed all the tests of truth required to pass into the next life. These declarations were able to make an “end run” around the realities of a person’s actual—less than perfect—life. Due to that fact, the Egyptians had no one omniscient God who could see all of a person’s deeds and the attitudes of their heart. The Egyptians simply waited for death and then sought to appease only those specific gods of death who could bar entrance into the afterlife. As other ancient religions, which believed in the three different realms of the “World Tree,” the Egyptians believed in an underworld (the Duat) and the rebirth of the soul.
The Coffin Texts and the Book of the dead describe one of the underworld challenges as fiery rivers and a lake of fire. Living in the lake of fire was Am-heh, the “devourer of millions,” also known as the “eater of eternity.”
1280px-Early_Ammit.jpg
The Confessions
The very first confession claims the deceased had not sinned. The Egyptian hieroglyph for “sin” is represented by the verb “grg,” which means “to do wrong” or “to commit an offense.” In ancient Egyptian thought, this wrongdoing signified a disruption of the cosmic order (maat) in both the moral and spiritual sense. Claiming both 1, “I have not sinned” and 8, “I have uttered no lies” would, by themselves, declare the perfection of the deceased. (Those familiar with the Bible might recognize this is the very declaration addressed by John the Apostle in the first chapter of his first letter.) By listing 42 negative confessions, the text reveals how intricately human behavior was judged in light of moral perfection.
Even though the Egyptians did not worship the same God who would later be revealed as the God of the Bible, their standards for perfection and entry into “the good place” in the afterlife were, in many instances, identical. Precisely because of the quantity of ideals that are strikingly similar to Judeo-Christian instructions, these confessions are listed in their entirety; translated by E. A. Wallis Budge.
(The deity addressed at the beginning of each phrase has been omitted in all instances.)
1. I have not committed sin.
2. I have not committed robbery with violence.
3. I have not stolen.
4. I have not slain men and women.
5. I have not stolen grain.
6. I have not purloined offerings.
7. I have not stolen the property of God.
8. I have not uttered lies.
9. I have not carried away food.
10. I have not uttered curses.
11. I have not committed adultery.
12. I have made none to weep.
13. I have not eaten the heart.
14. I have not attacked any man.
15. I am not a man of deceit.
16. I have not stolen cultivated land.
17. I have not been an eavesdropper.
18. I have not slandered anyone.
19. I have not been angry without just cause.
20. I have not debauched the wife of any man.
21. I have not debauched the wives of other men.
22. I have not polluted myself.
23. I have terrorized none.
24. I have not transgressed the law.
25. I have not been angry.
26. I have not shut my ears to the words of truth.
27. I have not blasphemed.
28. I am not a man of violence.
29. I have not been a stirrer up of strife.
30. I have not acted with undue haste.
31. I have not pried into other’s matters.
32. I have not multiplied my words in speaking.
33. I have wronged none, I have done no evil.
34. I have not worked witchcraft against the king.
35. I have never stopped the flow of water of a neighbor.
36. I have never raised my voice.
37. I have not cursed God.
38. I have not acted with arrogance.
39. I have not stolen the bread of the gods.
40. I have not carried away the khenfu cakes from the spirits of the dead.
41. I have not snatched away the bread of the child, nor treated with contempt the god of my city.
42. I have not slain the cattle belonging to the god.
1. I have not committed sin. This altruistic confession would have been enough to make the other 41 confessions unnecessary. The value of their inclusion was to define exactly which behaviors were considered to be sin.
Six of the confessions were nearly identical to six of the Bible’s Ten Commandments, which would be given to Moses roughly 800 years later. The last two might not be an exact fit, but they do promote the same general intent. —end excerpt.
"A remarkable read indeed and one that brings amazing Judeo-Christian understanding to a climactic awareness of its impact upon the world's destiny—you won't put this read down." —Douglas W. Krieger (More of review below)
Take a journey from the beginning of this Age right through the Hippie and Woke ideologies to understand how they all deal with the issue of SIN. Ancient moral codes from around the world have striking similarities. For instance, the Egyptian 42 Negative Confessions from 4000 years ago align with the Bible's ethics.
After 4,000 years of progress, what happens when the ancient model for right and wrong is abandoned? How were ethics redefined by the Hippie Movement transforming into the current focus on "Identity?" SIN follows the quest by kingdoms for ethical societies and concern for integrity of the soul.
Steinle explores moral codes from 2100 BCE through 1500 CE, discovering texts and artifacts proving righteousness has been in the minds of humanity from the beginning of this Age. In the 21st-century-atheist view, ethics and moral standards are progressing in step with human advancement.
Consequences of violating pop culture’s ethics might include cancellation, being doxxed, or tagged with demonizing names. According to the CDC, suicide rates for ages 15–19 increased 57% from 2009 through 2017. Guilt and shame are certainly not new; but suddenly decoupled from the ancient ways, and “falling short” of the unforgiving pop standards, where can people turn for acceptance and restoration?
What if the answer to personal peace has been there all along? Not a hoax or gimmick; but what millions of people for thousands of years have actually experienced. Relief from the damage of sin for both the offended and the offender. And it all starts with seeing SIN for what it is.
"To say that I am in awe over the comprehensive societal, cultural and religiopolitical account in Chris W. Steinle's SIN would do it critical injustice—it is breathtaking, stereoscopic in its analysis of where we have been and where we are and eschatologically going! Simply put: Your weltanschauung will not only be interrupted; it will be unalterably adjusted—and for the better. His understanding of the present, affected by the past, lays bare our future—truly; I have not enjoyed a text of this stature since Francis A. Schaeffer's HOW SHALL WE THEN LIVE? A remarkable read indeed and one that brings amazing Judeo-Christian understanding to a climactic awareness of its impact upon the world's destiny—you won't put this read down. I predict it will find itself as a stalwart standard bearer of understanding history—making sense out of the kaleidoscope of the miscellaneous all leading to the inevitable intervention of the Messianic Age!" Douglas W. Krieger, Author; Chair, Commonwealth of Israel Foundation.
Table of Contents
Sin by Any Other Name
Speaking of Sin
Who Makes the Rules?
Part I. An Apocalyptic Paradigm Shift
Choice of a New Generation
Two New Things “Under the Sun”
Existential Nuclear Threat
End-times Israel Regathered
Last Generation Syndrome
The Not So Great Schisms
Hippies without a Cause
Part II. Gimme that New Age Religion
Collective Consciousness
Origins of the Spiritual Realm
Multidimensional Universes
Metaphysical Individualism
Woke Continuity with Hippie Movement
Moral Shift from God to State
The Cicero Principle
Change in Moral Focus
Woke Values Common with Scriptures
From Privilege to Power to Sin
The Social Media Collective
The Tyranny of the Social
Part III. The Ancient Boundaries
Religion at the Beginning of the Age
Göbekli Tepe
Caral-Supe
Early Religious and Legal Codes
Code of Ur-Nammu (circa 2100–2050 BCE)
The Ma’at Principles (c. 2000 BCE)
Code of Hammurabi (c. 1754 BCE)
Iron Age Religious and Ethical Codes
Vedic Ethical Codes (c. 1500-500 BCE)
Ten Commandments (c. 1200 BCE)
Zoroastrian Asha Doctrine (c. 1200 BCE)
Ten Precepts of Jainism (c. 9th-6th Century BCE)
Eightfold Path: Buddhism (c. 6th Century BCE)
Delphic Maxims (c. 6th Century BCE)
Confucian Virtues (c. 5th-4th Century BCE)
Moral Codes in the Common Era
Sharia (7th Century CE)
Inca Moral Code (c. 15th Century CE)
The Myth of Moral Relativism
Part IV. A Solution from the Midst of the Age
The Sacrifice Principle
The Far Side of the Jesus Movement
The Law under Grace
Does the Bible Speak on Abortion?
Homosexuality
The Power of Love
What’s Next?
https://amazon.com/dp/B0DHL94DB8
Religious #Antiquities & #Archaeology
Breakdown of the family unit... Denial of the Soul... Acceptance of deviance. After 4,000 years of progress, what happens when the model is broken?
Ancient 4,000 year-old writings show humanity has known right from wrong since the beginning of recorded history. SIN follows the quest by kingdoms for ethical societies and people’s concern over the integrity of their individual soul. Examine moral codes dating from 2100 BCE through 1500 CE. The Egyptian Code even required perfection to pass into the "good place" in the afterlife.
This book begins by examining this consensus of conscience to reveal that righteousness has been in the minds of humanity from the beginning of this Age. In the 21st-century-atheist view, ethics and moral judgments are progressing in step with human advancement. But have they progressed? Or, has the sense of conscience—some kind of moral compass—remained the same from the beginning of this Age?
Consequences of violating pop culture’s ethics might include cancellation, being doxxed, or tagged with demonizing names. According to the CDC, suicide rates for ages 15–19 increased 57% from 2009 through 2017. Guilt and shame are certainly not new; but suddenly decoupled from the ancient ways, and “falling short” of the unforgiving atheist-alternative standards, where can people turn for acceptance and restoration?
What if the ancient writings are true and are filled with answers for the problem of sin? Even palpable love! Not a hoax or gimmick; but what millions of people for thousands of years have actually experienced. Relief from the damage of sin for both the offended and the offender. And it all starts with seeing SIN for what it is.
"9.24% would need to be added to the current tax rate to cover the debt." https://chatgpt.com/c/52595a9f-cca8-4ef5-a721-181ea6a720f9
Why the stock market is topping and why the Dems must win the 2024 election.
Neither of these outcomes are my preferences, but taxes must be raised to accommodate the growing national debt. According to AI, a 9.24% increase is needed just to maintain the current debt. Sure hope #trump has a better plan. Here are the calcs by ChatGPT as of August 21, 2024:
"What annual rate of taxation would be needed to cover the current level of national debt?"
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPTCalculating the annual rate of taxation needed to cover the current level of national debt depends on several factors, including:Total National Debt: The total outstanding debt of the government.
GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total economic output of a country.
Current Tax Revenue: The amount of revenue the government currently collects from taxes.
Government Spending: The total amount the government spends annually.
Target Timeframe: The number of years over which you intend to pay off the debt.
Interest Rates: The cost of servicing the national debt (interest payments).
To calculate this, you can use the following simplified formula:
This is the total amount owed by the government. As of a recent update, the U.S. national debt is approximately $33 trillion.
2. GDP:
The U.S. GDP is around $25 trillion.
3. Current Tax Revenue:
The current tax revenue collected by the U.S. government is around $4.8 trillion annually.
4. Government Spending:
The U.S. government spends approximately $6 trillion annually.
5. Timeframe:
Decide over how many years the debt should be paid off. For example, 20 years.
6. Interest Rate Component:
The interest on the national debt is significant and must be considered. For example, if the average interest rate is 2%, this would add an additional cost.
Example Calculation:
Assuming we want to pay off the national debt over 20 years:
Annual Payment Required=33 trillion20+(Interest on debt)\text{Annual Payment Required} = \frac{33 \text{ trillion}}{20} + (\text{Interest on debt}) Annual Payment Required=2033 trillion+(Interest on debt)Let's break it down:
Debt per Year: $33 trillion / 20 years = $1.65 trillion/year
Interest Payments: Assume an average interest rate of 2%, so $33 trillion × 2% = $660 billion/year
Required Tax Rate=2.31 trillion25 trillion=0.0924 or 9.24%\text{Required Tax Rate} = \frac{2.31 \text{ trillion}}{25 \text{ trillion}} = 0.0924 \text{ or } 9.24\%Required Tax Rate=25 trillion2.31 trillion=0.0924 or 9.24%This 9.24% would need to be added to the current tax rate to cover the debt.
Important Considerations:
This is a simplified model. Actual calculations would require more precise data on spending, growth rates, inflation, and other economic factors.
Paying off the debt over a shorter or longer period would significantly change the required tax rate.
The impact on the economy from increasing taxes also needs to be considered.
The question to Republicans is: Where will they get the money for the U.S. national debt coverage?
Chris Steinle 5/5/2024. Sermon given at Stone Creek Bible Church, Phoenix, AZ.
SEEING GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST.
2nd Corinthians 4:1-6 Chris Steinle 5/5/2024. Sermon given at Stone Creek Bible Church, Phoenix, AZ.
The story of God revealing His "face." Starts with the Aaron/Kohanim Blessing of Numbers 6... God revealing His Name as "Lord"... then on to 2nd Corinthians Chapter 4.
What if—when you wake up tomorrow—you can see God? Now I
know that the Bible says we can’t see God the Father with our human eyes. But
what if we could? Just like the sun, He’s right there. Would that change anything
about what you believe? Would you do anything differently?
It’s interesting that when we look at the New Testament
Greek, there’s a word used all over the place that means, “I see, or I know.”
Well, which is it? But we do the same thing in English. You “see” what I
mean?” Or, do you “know” what I mean? You “see” how that works?
Those of us who believe “know” through the Holy Spirit that
God is right here, right now. But in the Old Testament, the priests would
describe the “face” of God at the time of the morning sacrifice so the people might “know” the character of God; and, His
loving care for His them.
Our main text will be 2nd Corinthians 4:1-6, but
we’re going to work our way there with some other verses up on the screen and
in the sermon notes.
Now, as a profession of faith, you would probably say that
your life is blessed. But when you think about God’s attitude toward you, do
you imagine God is smiling down on you? On a heart-level, do you “perceive”
God as approving, or disproving?
We can picture God in a “Santa Claus is coming to town” way:
“He’s making a list, and checking it twice.
Or if you
saw the Pixar short film, “Lifted,” You’ve got this green alien boss
writing down everything the apprentice is doing wrong. And it always starts out
with the loud click of a click-pen: Then you’d know he was about to
document the next thing Junior got
wrong.
Sometimes we
can be our own worst critics. We remember all of the reasons why we shouldn’t
be blessed:
My sins, my
weakness, my faults, my character; and the list goes on... And then, even if
we’re having victory in other areas, we can question, “Am I doing enough?”
Maybe right now you’re thinking of one or more reasons why you’re “in the
doghouse” as far as God is concerned.
Psalm 130 helps
put the brakes on this kind of self-condemnation. Listen
to where the psalmist found himself; but then take to heart even more what
he knows to be true about God. Verses 1-4:
Out of the depths, I cry to you, Lord; Lord, hear my
voice.
Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.
If
you, Lord, kept a record of sins, Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
The Psalm is
obviously saying we have all sinned. And this “standing” is talking
about our being able to stand in the presence Holy God, only because of the
mercy of God’s forgiveness.
The Blessing
that was given at the time of the morning sacrifice was a kind of daily
reset to remind God’s people that they were indeed chosen by God,
and that God cared for them.
In Exodus
29 we see the instructions that one lamb was to be offered in the morning and
the other lamb you shall offer at twilight... And Exodus 29 continues: And
there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall
be sanctified by My glory.
God appears to be making a connection here between the
sacrifice and blessing; the sun shining; and the glory of God. The morning sun
represents the greeting of a new day. The warmth of the sun is imparted through
its “shining.” And nothing in nature is as glorious and bright as the sun.
Before we go on the read that passage, let’s look at a
couple fun facts.
Tradition has it that the priest who was performing the
blessing would lift his hands to give the impression that the blessing was
being imparted on the congregation.
There was a certain hand gesture that became associated with
the blessing that we can see drawn in historical artifacts.
When the actor Leonard Nimoy was
asked to play the role of Spock in Star Trek, he tried to think of a greeting
that someone from a distant planet might make, (instead of just a handshake or
other motion that we are used to “here on earth.” Being Jewish, he remembered
the gesture he had seen in synagogue as a child. And he also decided the
gesture should be associated with the words of a blessing, “live long and
prosper.”
Something else very cool about “the blessing” is a silver
amulet found in West Jerusalem. It’s been dated around 600 BC—roughly the time
of King Josiah, just before Judah’s Babylonian captivity.
The Ketef Hinnom scrolls are from the First Temple
period and contain the Priestly Blessing.
The scroll is the earliest known artifact written in
the Paleo-Hebrew alphabet. In fact, it’s the oldest surviving text from the
Hebrew Bible currently known; and has been called, “one of the most significant
discoveries ever made” for biblical studies.
Now let’s look at blessing in Numbers 6:22-27. Andit lays
the groundwork for what we’re going to read in 2nd Corinthians 4:
And
the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying,
‘This
is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
“The
Lord bless you and keep you;
The
Lord make His face shine upon you,
And
be gracious to you;
The
Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
“So
they shall put [invoke] My name on the children of Israel,
and
I will bless them.”
This blessing could easily be a sermon in itself. But we’ll
just cover some general concepts.
We might think the blessing is nothing
more than a “wish-you-well.” “May the Lord bless thee”—if it just so happens. On the contrary,
God finishes by affirming the reality: “and
I will bless them.”
The blessing is supposed to leave the people with an
impression of God’s heart—metaphorically expressed by His “face.” The Lord make His face shine upon
you.
When the sun shines, it imparts light and heat, which are
very real. Obviously, we can’t see the heart of God, but that doesn’t mean that
God’s love can’t make an impression on us.
Psalms 27 says: When You said, “Seek My
face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” So, obviously, how
God “presents Himself” to us is a big deal to God. He wants to reveal Himself
to us.
In the blessing, it said, The Lord lift up His countenance upon you.
Countenance is an old-fashioned way of describing someone’s facial expression. We
can get a better understanding of how this word was used in Old English by
comparing this “lifted” countenance to the opposite response from the rich
young ruler in Mark Chapter 10 (17-31). There it says the rich young ruler’s “countenance
fell” and he went away sorrowing.
The priestly
benediction was to represent God as
“smiling” on his people. This is where we begin to see how our
perception—how we see things with “the eyes of our heart” can effect our life
and our faith.
Just like an infant responding to the smile of a parent,
this “lifted countenance” was meant to impart a warmth, security, and positive
expectation of what God had in store for them each day.
How do you
start your day? There was a Scottish missionary in the 1800s named Robert
Murray M’Cheyne. In one of his letters, he wrote, “Never see the face of man
till you have seen his face who is our life, our all.” M’Cheyne was talking
about meeting God in morning prayer.
Lamentations 3:22-23 says God’s mercies and compassions are
new every morning. Just how interested is
God in the details of our lives?
Psalm 139 says, “How
precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If
I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake,
I am still with You.”
Based on these verses, let me give you kind of a “corny”
example of the impression we should have of God’s excitement over us each day
of our lives. This could apply to young kids waiting for their parents to wake
up.
But I think most of us have seen how a loyal dog will sit at
the bed and stare, waiting for their owner to open their eyes.
And then what happens?
They’re usually wriggling and bounding with excitement that “------- you” are
finally awake.
Get past the
idea that there’s something inherently blasphemous in using a dog example about
God. Doesn’t God have that much love? That much life/exuberance? That much interest—so
many thoughts that counting them would be like counting sand.
Paul said in Romans 8:32:
“He who did not spare His own Son, but
delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all
things?”Wouldn’t “Giving us all things” include God giving us His
attention? Of course! God is that big; and yet God is that detailed. He knows
and cares for every soul He has made in His own image and likeness.
So what takes our attention away from greeting God with our
first thoughts of the day? Let me suggest a few:
·You’ve just never thought about the
“face” of blessing that God wants to present to you every morning.
·You’re kind of used to walking with
God and tend to forget how special is each new day.
·You’re in the “doghouse.” Some
recent or habitual sin has you sitting-out from close fellowship with God. When
you get your act together or enough time has past,—then… you’ll get closer to
God.
·You’re going through trials that
have worn you down. And the suffering seems to outweigh your knowledge of the
truth that God loves you.
·Or, maybe you’re unsure of God’s
love because you haven’t yet trusted Jesus as your Savior.
And this is one of the issues that we’re going to cover now
in 2nd Corinthians 4:
In 2nd Corinthians Chapter 3, Paul had been
talking about the glory of God; and, how we don’t yet in our mortal bodies see
the face of God clearly. Nevertheless, God’s glory is changing those who have
believed the gospel of Jesus.
Paul, along with other ministers of the Gospel are being
persecuted and slandered by the unbelieving Jews. Paul says that besides having
the human inability to “see” God, their unbelief in Jesus creates a
further “veil” that prevents them from seeing how God had already revealed Himself
in the Old Testament.
The Old Testament portrayed God as
gracious, merciful, and forgiving; but the Jewish leadership were more
concerned about how to interpret all the rules.
Let’s begin reading 2nd Corinthians Chapter 4:
1 Therefore, since we
have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
Peter and John said, in Acts 4:20 “For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
All believers have the ministry of sharing what Jesus has done in their lives.
In fact, no one else can show what it looks like for Jesus to get hold of your “fill
in the blank’s” life.
And we need to have the boldness to be a witness of Christ’s
work in us, even when it doesn’t “look like” we’re being blessed. Many
times, Paul was doing this from prison!
We’ve got something encouraging to talk about. We have
received mercy. Instead of what we deserve, we have received the righteousness
of God through Christ.
And in Christ, there is a paradigm shift in how we define
blessings. The Old Testament standard of blessing was based on possessing “the
Land,” victory in war, or abundant provisions.
Touching back on Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler,
that’s why the Disciples were so amazed when Jesus said, “How difficult it is
for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.”
Jesus presented a new model of blessing in the Beatitudes on
the Sermon on the Mount. To mention a few, He said:
3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be
filled.
8
Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
10
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the
kingdom of heaven.
In all these instances, Jesus says we are blessed NOW,
even in our present circumstances, because of the assurance that these issues
are ultimately resolved through Christ.
Continuing in 2 Corinthians 4, verse 2:
2 But we have renounced the hidden
things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God
deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every
man’s conscience in the sight of God.
This verse reminds me of the multi-level marketing
businesses we’ve seen over the years. I don’t know about Herbal Life or Magic
Chef, but Amway was the flagship.
You’d get invited to some special dinner, but the host wouldn’t
say what it was about. This became so common that people started asking: Is
this Amway? And many times the hosts were taught to say, No. Then, you’d go,
and sure enough—it was Amway.
Before I actually put my trust in Jesus, I remember going to
church or hearing preaching, and it seemed like they were trying to talk people
into something. You may be wondering: What do churches or ministers “get out of
it” to make such a big deal about trusting Jesus?
Paul says in verse 3: “But
even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing…” The
“gospel,” is the good news that God loves us; and, that everything in life we might
question, all the injustices, all of our own character deficiencies, all of our sins… everything has be
reconciled to God through Christ—we
can be at peace with God by believing in Jesus.
Who wouldn’t want that? And then you’d have to wonder: Why
might someone not want that? To give up their argument with God—to have all their
grievances settled. Who wouldn’t want to believe they are loved by their
Creator?
You can see that there’s a problem here, because there’s
really no logical answer why people wouldn’t want to be right with God.
Verse 4 whose minds
the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the
gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
The problem is there’s
an outside influence that urges people to resist God. We’ve
talked about the light shining from the sun. But there’s a “being” in the
spiritual realm whose darkness is blinding.
A force that doesn’t want our “self” to be reconciled, but
to stay independent from God. And this battleground is in our mind, our
thinking, our own heart.
The “god of this age” is the devil. “This age” is the era in
which we have been corrupted by sin through mankind’s rebellion against god. 1st
John 3:8 says the Son of God was revealed
that He might destroy the works of the devil.
But Jesus said there’s a reason some people don’t want to
see the works of the devil destroyed in their life: John 3:18-20, but he who does not believe is condemned
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of
God.
And this is the condemnation, that
the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light,
because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and
does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.”
Back to 2nd Corinthians 4, verse 5, Paul
continues: 5 For we do not preach
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for
Jesus’ sake.
The Apostles didn’t preach about their
own ability to save people. What did Paul preach? “Christ Jesus the Lord.”
That the Jesus who died on the cross for our sins IS the same LORD referred to
throughout the Bible.
We’ll come back to this, but first let’s read verse 6:
Verse 6 For it is the
God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ.
Paul is going back to creation here; where God said, “Let
there be light. And there was light.” Just as certainly as light had to come
forth because it was commanded by God; so, God has caused the light of
Christ to shine in the hearts of those who believe.
Since Paul has taken us clear back to Genesis, let’s talk
about God’s revelation of Himself. We need to believe that Jesus is Lord. That
means we need to believe in the “Lord” of the Bible—to believe that Jesus is
that Lord.
God revealed Himself to Moses in the light of a burning
bush; and that’s where God announced His Name as “Lord.” God told Moses to tell
His people he was sent by “I Am, that I Am,” which has—from the time of the
Greek Bible—been translated as “Lord.”
For me, believing that Jesus is Lord started with the truth
breaking into my self-absorbed world, that God exists; that “He is, He is real.”
He did this in my life by confronting me with my sins. Jesus said He would send
the Holy Spirit who would convict the world of sin. And man, was I surprised
when God made Himself real to me in this way.
In physics, there is theory about singularities, or “black
holes.” An “event horizon” is a point along a path, that when it is crossed, matter
gets so dense—and gravity so strong—that going beyond that point literally
changes everything. Now imagine this process in reverse.
Starting out in the dark—blinded by that darkness. But by a
supernatural miracle—because of the love of God—there is an “event horizon” to
cross over from darkness to light. A light commanded
by God to shine out of darkness.
Believing in Jesus is that “event horizon.” Once someone
sees their need for a Savior, once they have stepped out in faith and trusted
Jesus, they understand the gospel; the Bible makes sense; they “see” / “know”
the true picture of God—the “face of God.”
This physics example isn’t perfect. Jesus said it in other
ways; that He is the door, the gate, the way.
Verse 6 says we see the glory of God in the face of Jesus.
What do we see in Jesus? The cross. Perhaps God chose the
cross because we remember Jesus with open arms. We see in Jesus “the welcome”
of God. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His
life for His friends.”
In the cross, we see the assurance of God’s love poured out:
our sins paid for and forgiven.
And, at the same time, we see in Jesus: a righteous life, a spotless lamb, received up
in glory.
Only Jesus can rescue us from the curse of sin and
selfishness. And instead, He enables us to stand in the splendid radiance of
God’s glory—in the very presence of God.
Do you see it? The truth of the gospel. On the dark side,
people are blind in their sin and in self.
On the other side of faith in Christ, we can know God.
Those who have made peace with God see the glory of God more
and more. The love of God continues to draws us into the light. [Example of
walking—heat “tiles.”]
Now let’s finish by talking about Paul’s preaching that
Jesus is Lord. He wrote in Romans 10:9-10 that
if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that
God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Paul’s
talking about stepping out in faith to confess to God that you believe
what the Bible says about Jesus.
Just
as the words spoken during the Blessingplaced the Lord’s
name on the people, the spoken
acknowledgement that Jesus is Lord is an act of humility that says
you are ready to come under Christ’s lordship—to be part of God’s people.
People say,
“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Faith says,
“I’ll see it when I believe it.”
Now if you
have placed your faith in Jesus, trust God’s word that you are saved. You have
been obedient to God’s instruction. God doesn’t want you to doubt your
salvation.
Has God been
making Himself known to you this morning?
Has the Holy
Spirit been showing you the problem of sin and separation from God?
How do you
need to respond?
“All who call on the name of the Lord will be
saved.”
