The Need for Shame!

Shame - noun: The painful feeling arising from the consciousness of something dishonorable, improper, ridiculous, etc., done by oneself or another.

Let’s talk about shame! Have we ever done something that caused us shame, that feeling that tells us what we did was wrong? We live in a world that diminishes the importance of shame. We hear people tell us, “you don’t need to be ashamed of this or that!”  Politicians who lie, cheat and steal smile for their mug shots when they get caught. Legislators legalize abortion and homosexuality calling it justice. It is often hard to tell the church apart from the world for some branches of the church often condone the practices of the world! But none of this saves the sinner from the wrath of God. Saying something is okay, does not make it right! God gave us shame as a natural warning to help us discern right and wrong and to lead us to repentance.

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they felt shame and covered themselves up. (Gen. 3:7-8) Paul reminds the Church in Rome that once they lived sinning unaware of the carnal fruit they were producing but now, after their conversion, they are ashamed of the things they used to do! (Rom. 6:20-23) Without Christ bringing our hearts to life, we are spiritually dead. (John 3) We cannot feel shame. We cannot feel, period! Adam and Eve, the first human creations from the God’s hand, knew they had erred when their eyes were open. Their son, Cain, born from their flesh, was not ashamed of his murder of his brother until God’s word was spoken to him from God’s mouth. (Gen. 4:8-12) And so it is with man today. We need to hear God’s Word spoken today. The Law of God is perfect reviving the soul.  (Ps 19:7) We need to wake up. As Paul writes: But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light, Therefore it says, Awake, O sleeper and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. (Eph. 5:13-16)

Shame is God’s way of reminding us of our errors. “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret whereas worldly grief produces death” (2 Cor. 7:10) And God will cover our shame with the Blood of Jesus Christ. (1 Pet. 1:17-25)  A Christian has a past that has been left behind. Our future is led by the Holy Spirit as we are a new creation, a reborn child of God! (Rom. 8:1-11)

What Do True Christians Smell Like?

 The law of the LORD is perfect,
    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the LORD is sure,
    making wise the simple;
 the precepts of the LORD are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the LORD is pure,
    enlightening the eyes; (Psalm 19:7-8)

Ray Comfort describes how our conscience is like our nose. If it is desensitized, it cannot be of any use to the rest of the person. The Smell. | The Daily Evidence

The Psalmist states the Law revives our soul. We are awakened to our nature when we hear the Law. Through repentance, we seek the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ! (Heb. 10:19-23) What once was dirty has now been made clean. But the pleasing odor of a true Christian, may be a reminder of death to an unrepentant sinner! (2 Cor. 2:14-16)

Jonathan Dudley: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution~A Response

Jonathan Dudley: Christian Faith Requires Accepting Evolution


The above link will take you to an article stating that Christian faith requires accepting evolution. What Christian faith requires is accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We are sinners in need of a redeemer. The question that evolution does not answer is, "How did sin enter into the world?" Nor does it answer the question, "Who was first man?" Or another way to ask this question, "Who are my first grandparents?" I am not opposed to science or scientific inquiry. I am opposed to not thinking. No one doubts Stephen Hawking is a genius. But he has now concluded that we do not need God to create the universe. He states, "Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing," he writes. "Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist." Click here for the Guardian article So, Dr. Hawking, where did the law of gravity come from? Just who created gravity? 


And it is the same with evolution. Sin entered the world through Adam. And eternal life entered this same world through Jesus Christ. (Rom. 5:12-21) If there is no Adam, then we have no need for Jesus. And if we have no need for Jesus, then Christian faith requires nothing as there is no faith without Jesus! (Heb. 12:2)


For a learned response to the theory of evolution, listen to Lee Strobel here

The Holy Trinity in 500 Words or Less!

How does one describe the Holy Trinity in 500 words or less? This may be an impossible task. But the doctrine of the Trinity can be a stumbling block if we do not try to help the average person understand its significance. Below is my attempt for a meditation that goes into my parish's Sunday bulletin for Trinity Sunday. Beneath that is a diagram that has often been used to give a visual of the doctrine. It, too, has less than 500 words. Then beneath that is a link that will take you an article on the Christian and Research Ministry Website. It is more than 500 words!


The Holy Trinity is the distinctive nature of our God that we worship. It is very hard to describe in theological terms why this is important to know in less that 500 words, the length of a meditation for a weekly bulletin. But, nevertheless, we should understand that our God has a distinctive nature and not all religions understand our God this way.  So why is this important? Because if we do not understand the nature of something we may misuse it and this can be dangerous.

Let’s take the nature of gasoline. It is a liquid. It is flammable. It is toxic to the human body. While we cannot drink it, it is a very valuable fuel that runs our cars and other machinery to great benefit to humanity. Hence, we argue about it when its comes to supply and demand! To understand the nature of gasoline helps us to understand how we should relate to it. The nature of God is no different. The Trinity describes a quality, not a quantity. And by understanding God’s quality, we better understand His nature. And by better understanding His nature, we better understand how we can relate to God!

Let me give you an example from two denominations that claim to be Christian but are not. The Mormons (LDS) and the Jehovah Witnesses (JW) both deny the Trinity. Both groups believe we can earn our way into heaven through good works. Both have some doctrine that humans can become divine. There are other doctrines that both denominations hold that are non-biblical. So, because there is a false understanding of the nature of God, the JW’s and LDS end up having a false understanding of mankind. Let’s go back to the nature of gasoline. If I do not have a proper understanding of just one of it’s nature, I could burn down my home! To those who say the Trinity is not taught in Scripture, I say, neither is God taught in Scripture. From the very first words of the Bible we read, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” God “is” from the beginning. His divine nature is best described as three persons with one substance. Jesus understood this when He commands us to go and make disciples of peoples in the “Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (Mt 28:16-20) There is no teaching on the Trinity, that’s just God’s nature from the very beginning! For a complete treatment of the nature of God, I refer you the Creed of St. Athanasius (p. 58, 1662 BCP) in our prayer book!

For more on the Trinity with biblical citations go here http://carm.org/trinity!

And when all else fails, use poetry!

Batter my heart, three-person'd God ; for you
As yet but knock ; breathe, shine, and seek to mend ;
That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force, to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town, to another due,
Labour to admit you, but O, to no end.
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be loved fain,
But am betroth'd unto your enemy ;
Divorce me, untie, or break that knot again,
Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me. (John Donne, Sonnet XIV)

What is Trinity Sunday?

What is Trinity Sunday?

The above link takes you to an article by Gotquestions.org!

HOLY SPIRIT: Attorney at Law

...if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you. And when He comes, He will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; concerning righteousness, because I go the Father and you will see me no longer; concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. (John 16:7-11)

We are all familiar with the gifts of the Holy Spirit that St. Paul enumerates in his First Letter to the Corinthians. (1 Cor. 12:1-11) The Holy Spirit empowers the members of the Church with peculiar gifts for the sake of serving the Head, Jesus Christ. We are familiar with the fruits of the Spirit outlined in Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (Gal. 5:16-24) The type of fruit we bear, whether it is of the flesh or of the Spirit, indicates what kind of tree we are. (Mt. 3:8, Mt. 7:15-20). But we often forget that the Holy Spirit has a role independent of our spiritual growth. He is our Helper!

The Greek word for Helper is parakletos. It is sometimes translated as advocate, counselor, consoler, intercessor or Paraclete. No one singular word really describes the role of the Paraclete. The Greek word itself describes someone who stands beside you to make a right call. A more accurate term to describe the Paraclete is a legal advocate speaking on your behalf. Imagine that you are in a courtroom standing before a judge. Beside you is your lawyer speaking for you. You have been counseled by your attorney and know what to say and when to say it. You have an understanding of the charges against you as well as knowledge of your transgressions against the law. This is the work of the Holy Spirit!

Jesus has ascended to our Father in Heaven, not leaving us as orphans.  We are aided by the Helper. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts us of our sins. It is the Holy Spirit that leads us to true repentance. It is the Holy Spirit that defends us against Satan’s accusations. The Elect in God’s Kingdom do not stand condemned as Jesus has paid our debt to the Law. The Holy Spirit comforts us in this knowledge. It is by the help of the Holy Spirit that we know ourselves in the light of the Gospel and know our need for Jesus as Lord and Savior. (1 Cor. 12:3)

This is why we can boldly say with St. Paul, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1) and for all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” On this earth we have a Helper, the Holy Spirit and He “intercedes for the saints according to the will of God!” (Rom. 8:26-30)

How do you present the gospel properly? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

How do you present the gospel properly? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry

Good theology supports good evangelism! So often we just hear God loves you. But not the why and how of it. A proper understanding of the Gospel changes the heart of the sinner!

Perfect God, Imperfect Man

"Moses could mediate on the law; Muhammad could brandish a sword; Buddha could give personal counsel; Confucius could offer wise sayings; but none of these men was qualified to offer an atonement for the sins of the world. Christ alone is worthy of unlimited devotion and service" - R.C. Sproul in "Reason to Believe" p. 44

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:4)

Our Father in Heaven is the creator of the universe. He is perfect. Because we are not perfect, we cannot approach Him. Israel understood this as the Holy of Holies was separated from the rest of the temple by a thick veil. Behind it was the Ark of the covenant holding the perfect law, a reminder of our sinfulness. Daily sacrifices were made in the outer court for there cannot be the forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood.  (Hebrews 9:21-23) But daily we remained guilty.

But Jesus, the perfect Son of God, turned all that around. He made one perfect sacrifice. (Rom. 3:21-26) On that day, the veil of the temple was torn in two. (Mt. 27:51-54) We are no longer separated from the holiness of God. We have been adopted as His children. Sure, we are not perfect. But with the aid of the Holy Spirit, we are growing into the likeness of God’s Son. Only Christ, one with the Father, made this atonement, propitiation for our sins! He alone is worthy of our devotion!

And how do we know this once and for all offering was for us, the believer? God’s law is not separated by a thick veil, but is written on our hearts!

And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,"
then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more. "Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:15-18)

Our conscience bears witness to God’s promised redemption.

By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; and whatever we ask we receive from him, because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him. And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us. John (3:19-24)

What is the Pulpit for? A Response to Faithshared.org Uniting in Prayer and Understanding

Until this past year, I have been called to well established parishes to serve as a pastor. So I have been the latest in a long line of preachers to serve a particular church. In more than one pulpit, some caring priest typed a portion of John 12:21 on a piece of paper, cut it down to size and taped it to the top of the pulpit. It reads, "Sir, we wish to Jesus." This statement was said by gentile God-fearers who desired a firsthand knowledge of the Messiah. The priest who placed it on the pulpit desired a reminder for himself and those who would follow, that in our preaching, we must show Jesus to the crowd!  When people walk into a church, they should be looking for Jesus.


This month, June 2011, churches are being encouraged to share their pulpit with Muslims and Jews to help increase our understanding of the three abrahamic faiths. Unfortunately, too many Christians do not understand Jesus let alone another religion! The website, Faithshared.org has recommended passages from the Koran to be read from a Christian pulpit. This one from Surah 5 is not on the list:


5:72-75 “They do blaspheme who say: ‘Allah is Christ the son of Mary.’ But said Christ: ‘O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord.’ Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. They do blaspheme who say: Allah is one of three in a Trinity: for there is no god except one Allah. If they desist not from their word of blasphemy, verily a grievous penalty will befall the blasphemers among them.”


Yes, Islam denies the divinity of Jesus and the Trinity. Islam considers Christians blasphemers. So I have taken it upon myself to show Jesus. What I want to do is talk about who Jesus is! I want Muslims, and everyone else for that matter, to know who Jesus is, to see HIM! There are many Christians who worship the institution, not the Christ. I have posted a video love letter. What love is it to allow someone to drive off a cliff without any warnings of the danger? The pulpit is to share the  Good News of Jesus Christ. That is what the pulpit is for!

 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. And many more believed because of his word.They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:39-42, see John 4:1-45 for the entire context