Category: Hear From the President

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In this season of Advent, most Christian churches are in a “countdown” to the celebration of Jesus’ birth at Christmas. It’s common during this time of year to hear discussions concerning whether December 25 is the right day to celebrate Jesus’ birth, or even if it is appropriate to do so at all.

Trying to figure out the exact year, month and day of Jesus’ birth is not new. Theologians have been at it for almost two thousand years. Here are brief samplings of some of their ideas:

• Clement of Alexandria (c. 150-220 A.D.) mentioned several possible dates including November 18, January 6 and the day of Passover, which, depending on the year, would have been March 21, April 24 or 25 or May 20.
• Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 160–240) mentioned March 25.
• Hippolytus of Rome (170–235), a disciple of Irenaeus, mentioned two possible dates in his Commentary on Daniel: “For the first appearance of our Lord in the flesh took place in Bethlehem eight days before the Kalends of January [December 25], on the fourth day [Wednesday], under Emperor Augustus, in the year 5500.” In another document and in an inscription on a statue of Hippolytus, the date given is April 2.
• Based upon statements from the Jewish historian Josephus, some place Jesus’ birth in the period of March 12-April 11, 4 B.C., since Christ was born before the death of Herod the Great.
• John Chrysostom (c. 347–407) mentioned December 25.
• In Computation of the Passion, an early anonymous work, probably of North African origin, the date mentioned is March 28.
• Augustine (354-430), in De Trinitate, writes that, “He is believed to have been conceived on the 25th of March, upon which day also He suffered…and He was born according to tradition on December 25.”
• Messianic Jews mention a couple of options—the predominant one based on the schedule of the priests’ service in the temple, specifically the “course of Abijah” (Luke 1:5). This approach leads them to place Jesus’ birth on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles and his circumcision on the eighth day of that festival.

It’s interesting to speculate that Jesus could have been born (or conceived) during Passover or the Feast of Tabernacles. I like the concept of Jesus reversing the work of the death angel if it happened during Passover. And there would be a satisfying symmetry in his coming to “tabernacle” with us if he was conceived or born during Tabernacles. However, there is not enough evidence to be sure, though perhaps we can make intelligent guesses based on the small amount of evidence available to us.

In Luke 2:1-5, we read that Caesar Augustus decreed that the Roman Empire should be taxed and that everyone had to return to their own city to pay the tax. So Joseph and Mary returned to Bethlehem and there Jesus was born. It is reasonable to assume that such a census would not have been ordered at a time that would interfere with the harvests. It is also reasonable to assume that the census would not have been ordered in the winter when the weather is usually cold and travel is difficult. Since Spring was the time for preparing to plant, perhaps autumn, after the harvest, is the most likely time of the year for the census, and thus for Jesus’ birth. However, it is not clear from Scripture how long Joseph and Mary stayed in Bethlehem. Perhaps Jesus’ birth occurred several weeks after the census was taken.

The fact is, we can’t know the date of Jesus’ birth for sure. Scoffers seize on this vagueness, claiming that the whole idea is a myth, and Jesus never existed. However, even though the date of Jesus’ birth is uncertain, the fact of his birth is founded on verifiable historical evidence. Biblical scholar F.F. Bruce has a nice comment about those who doubt it: “Some writers may toy with the fancy of a ‘Christ-myth,’ but they do not do so on the ground of historical evidence. The historicity of Christ is as axiomatic for an unbiased historian as the historicity of Julius Caesar. It is not historians who propagate the ‘Christ-myth’ theories” (The New Testament Documents, p. 123).

The people of Jesus’ time knew from the prophecies about when to expect the Messiah. But those prophecies, or the Gospels, don’t pinpoint the date with the degree of precision that modern historians might desire. But that is not the purpose of the Bible, which is to make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15).

The main focus of the New Testament writers was not on the date of Jesus’ birth, but that God the Father had sent his Son at just the right time in all of history to accomplish his saving purposes and thus fulfill his promise. The apostle Paul proclaimed, “When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship” (Galatians 4:4-5). And we read in the Gospel of Mark: “Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!'” (1:14-15).

To know the date of Jesus’ birth might be interesting from a historical perspective, but it is theologically irrelevant. We need to know that it happened, and what is more important, why it happened. On that, the Bible is abundantly clear. As we lead our congregations in this season of Advent, let’s keep that big picture in mind and not get bogged down in the details.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In the last two issues of Weekly Update our focus has been on the topic of grace (please read Gary Deddo’s important article about law and grace in last week’s edition). Because this week Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, it seems like a good time to talk about a different kind of “grace”—the custom of asking a blessing at a meal. Many Americans will say grace before getting down to the serious business of consuming their Thanksgiving turkey.

Of course, saying grace is not the same as saving grace, although for some it may seem almost that important. Some may feel the need to ask God to remove impurities from the food, or to protect them from harmful ingredients. Personally, I never pray in that way, as I wonder how it makes the person who prepared the meal feel. However, it is always appropriate to remind ourselves of our dependency on God for every aspect of our lives. And that is what saying grace at a meal is all about. The English word “grace,” when used in this context, is derived from the Latin gratiarum actio, an “act of thanks.” If you speak Spanish, you will recognize the similarity to the word gracias.

Most Christian families have their own tradition for saying grace before meals. The Bible provides no “rules” concerning this custom—it does not specify what to say or how long to pray. My grandfather often prayed in Russian and my mom, sisters and I didn’t understand most of it. He would finish in about 30 seconds. But not so for my dad. When he said grace before the meal, we often had to remind him that the food was getting cold!

Some Christians say grace when eating in restaurants. It’s fine to do so, but some discretion is called for, though a brief, unobtrusive prayer thanking God for a meal in a restaurant is unlikely to offend. You’ll remember that Jesus criticized the Pharisees for praying in public, but his concern was not that they prayed in public, but that they were praying to be seen as “righteous.”

Most cultures and all major religions have traditions of praying before or after meals. The Christian tradition comes from ancient Judaism, where the typical custom was to offer a blessing before, but, more often, following the meal. Rather than “blessing” the food, these prayers of thanksgiving acknowledged God as a generous provider. This custom originated in a command given to Israel in the Law of Moses, known among the Jews as birkat hamazon: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you” (Deuteronomy 8:10). This is one of 613 commandments (called mitzvot) found in the Torah. Sadly, some Jews applied it in legalistic ways, adding all sorts of requirements as to when and how to pray.

We know that Jesus followed Jewish prayer customs, at least to some extent. For example, he gave thanks before distributing the loaves and fishes to the five thousand (Matthew 15:36). The fastidious Pharisees, who did everything according to the letter of the Law of Moses, criticized Jesus’ disciples for eating without washing their hands in accordance with the specified Torah rituals. It is thus likely that they neglected other requirements related to prayer.

Of course, Jesus was not promoting poor hygiene, nor was he promoting ingratitude. However, he did use every opportunity to wean his disciples away from a performance-based relationship with God. He wanted them to know what the apostle Paul later wrote to the Christians in Rome: “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Let us remember that in all aspects of our lives, including when we say grace at meals.

As my family sits down for our Thanksgiving meal, I will be offering to God a prayer of gratitude both before and after we eat.

A blessed and happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Non-believers and even some believers see God’s grace as something too good to be true. How about you?

In GCI, we are on an exciting journey from performance-based legalism to the grateful embrace of salvation by God’s grace. I think most of us now understand grace intellectually. But has the astonishing truth of God’s grace sunk in? It is one thing to accept grace as a doctrinal argument, but another for grace to be the truth that defines and thus transforms our lives.

For some, there remains a tension between grace and obedience. This is not new—we see it in the New Testament. “Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace?” challenged Paul in Romans 6:15. “By no means,” he answered, though we can sympathize with these early Christians for having this question.

We too find grace a difficult idea to internalize. Our experience with “special offers” and TV bargains has taught us that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And we all know that there is no such thing as a free lunch. So when we read that God has done all that is required to save even the worst sinner, we are suspicious. Our “Yes but….” program clicks in, and we ask “What’s the catch?” There must be more to it than just “accepting Jesus.” We know we can’t earn salvation, but surely we have to do something? Pastors have told me that by emphasizing grace over legalism they worry that they may be encouraging their people to disobey God.

I love the way Peter’s second epistle opens:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:2-4).

God has already offered to himself what we could not offer. The grace in which we participate is the life of faithfulness that Jesus lived towards the Father. As Thomas F. Torrance wrote: “And in this God-Man we partake in grace, as members of his body, reconciled to God through him and in him, and even it is said, are incomprehensibly partakers of Divine nature!”

Torrance is right. There is something incomprehensible about it. God’s grace towards us shows a level of love that seems unnatural to us. Charles Wesley expressed it beautifully in his hymn Amazing Love:

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

It does sound too good to be true. But it is true. We can delight to be alive in Jesus and united in his life. We should rightly be dumbfounded by his grace. When we recognize how and why Jesus takes away the sin of the world, we are immediately brought to a point of disconnection from our own false center and nourished by the true vine of life, which is the fullest purpose of God. Worrying about how we and others are falling short is to maintain a focus that stems from legalism.

We never need worry that we are over-emphasizing God’s grace when we point people to Jesus and a living, loving relationship with him. Grace and obedience are not at odds—rather they are integrated in the source of both—the person of Jesus Christ.

In this week’s Update I have included an article by Dr. Gary Deddo that explores this topic in depth. It’s entitled “Too Much Grace?” I think you will find it helpful and encouraging. And it goes without saying that it is important sermon material. Though it’s long, I believe that the time taken to read it, then share it with others, will be time well invested.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

When I saw the picture of the two shops shown below, the song, “Lookin for Love (in all the wrong places)” came to mind. Depending on how they define the word “love,” a person entering either shop might be a bit embarrassed. Part of the problem is that our English word “love” covers a wide variety of meanings, depending on context. But that was not a problem in the Greek-speaking world of the first century. Their signs would have indicated that in one shop you would find eros and in the other you would find both filia and agape.

Eros speaks to romantic or sexual love and filia to brotherly love or friendship. Agape was a relatively unused word picked up by early Christians to speak of God’s kind of love shown especially in Jesus Christ. Agape is self-giving, perfecting love that is steadfast and faithful. Similar to the Hebrew word hesed, agape indicates God’s everlasting covenant love that is neither contractual nor conditional. Like a covenant promise, agape is freely given.

Had you walked into a first-century church looking for filia and agape, you might have been surprised to hear the preacher reading from a letter written by someone named Paul addressing the topic of law-keeping. Some in the congregation might be nodding in agreement while others are shaking their heads, shouting “No, no!”

The latter group holds a legalistic understanding of the Christian faith, grounded in a religious heritage that emphasized strict conformance to the ten commandments, with the Sabbath command being the ultimate test. To even hint that keeping the law of Moses was not God’s foremost demand for Christians would have sounded heretical to them. Their understanding of law-keeping was so ingrained that they would have dismissed any challenge to that view without giving it a fair hearing. Though they might not have put their hands over their ears or ripped their clothing (as Paul’s audiences sometimes did), many probably felt like doing so.

In his letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul explained that Christians are to fulfill the law of Christ, which is the law of love. That law is people-oriented rather than task-oriented—focused on relationships, not lists of rules (see Galatians 6:2). The law of Christ cannot be imposed according to an external written code because it is written on one’s heart by the Holy Spirit. A written code cannot encompass the law of Christ because that would mean doing the impossible: encompassing Christ himself—his whole heart, mind, purpose and wisdom.

Rather than a written code, the law of Christ is an internal principle that brings forth a life expressive of Jesus’ own “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Indeed, “against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV). The law of Christ arises out of a growing relationship of faith, hope and love with God through Christ Jesus and the working of his Holy Spirit within us.

While trying to explain this to Christians in Galatia, Paul became quite emotional. Some legalists with a Jewish background insisted that Gentiles must keep the law of Moses in order to be part of the new covenant people of God. Paul said “No!” and ended the third chapter of his letter by saying that Gentiles can inherit the promises of salvation without any need to keep the law of Moses.

For Paul, a Christian’s obligation is to love as God has loved us in Christ. Everything else is secondary—even the sacrosanct ritual of circumcision: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6). Now Paul is really meddling! But he was unrepentant. His press secretary (if Paul had one), would no doubt have groaned as he added, “I wish those who unsettle you would castrate themselves!” (v. 12, NRSV). Other translations try to make this sound a bit nicer, but that is what Paul said.

I can appreciate Paul’s anger here. Legalism truly is “looking for love in all the wrong places”—it is a false holiness. Sadly, some don’t recognize or understand that. Legalism is the equivalent of not being able to see the difference between death and freedom. When we have freedom in Christ, the person we used to be is uprooted and torn out. In Christ, we live in newness of life; we are a new creation. Our nourishment comes from being rooted in Christ who accepts us where we are to grow us up into his perfection of holy loving. In Romans 13:8-10 (ESV), Paul summarized his understanding of what it means for a Christian to abandon legalism in order to obey the law of love:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Thankfully, God has allowed us to understand, so we can find and enjoy his love in “all the right places.”

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Years ago, Dr. Herman Hoeh, now deceased, suggested that I subscribe to the magazine Biblical Archaeology Review. Though my subscription ended, I still occasionally look through back issues. Doing so reminds me that archaeology often confirms what is stated in the Bible. It also reminds me that this field of study is a hotbed of discussion and often heated disagreement between various schools of thought. Although vigorous debate can be healthy, it also can lead to unhelpful contention and even hostility that runs contrary to the cause of truth.

Currently, the two main schools of thought in this debate are referred to as biblical minimalism and biblical maximalism. Minimalism views the Bible as purely a literary work, written no earlier than the Persian period, which was long after Moses, David and Solomon. This viewpoint casts doubt on the historicity of these biblical characters, noting a lack of archaeological evidence to substantiate their existence. Minimalists maintain that the Bible should be considered a theological work, not a reliable historical record. In contrast, Maximalism views the Bible as historically reliable—representing actual people and events. This viewpoint maintains that the core stories of the Bible are true, though it concedes that some accounts may have been embellished somewhat by legend.

A third, though fairly minor, school of thought in this debate is sometimes referred to as fundamentalism and sometimes as literalism. It views the Bible as 100% accurate in all respects—even when archaeological evidence is missing or is contradictory. This viewpoint is the archaeological equivalent of young earth creationism. Neither maximalists nor minimalists take this viewpoint seriously.

Does this debate really matter? One might argue that it contributes little to the Christian faith. Let’s get some perspective here. The Bible is not a simple or secular history book. It is God’s revelation to us, told through the story of his people Israel, which prepares the ground for the life and work of Jesus Christ. That is what the Bible is about, and what it is for. The Bible’s principal lessons do not depend on the meticulous accuracy of geographic details nor the exactness of calendar dates.

That said, archaeology has shown that the Bible is remarkably reliable as a record of history. For example, the Bible tells of Israel being taken into captivity by the mighty armies of the Assyrian Empire. Years ago, many scholars dismissed this account as fable, since no trace of the Assyrian Empire had been found at that time. However, mid-19th century archaeological excavations uncovered the ruins of Nineveh, Assyria’s capital city. Ancient cuneiform inscriptions were found there that dramatically confirm the biblical record.

Uncovering the past continues in spite of the turmoil in the Middle East. One such excavation is being conducted by Hebrew University at Khirbet Qeiyafa, a city 20 miles southwest of Jerusalem. Khirbet Qeiyafa had great strategic value in the ancient kingdom of Judah because of its location on the main road from Philistia on the coast to Jerusalem and Hebron in the hill country. It was in this area that the famous battle between David and Goliath occurred.

The excavation at Khirbet Qeiyafa has already uncovered 200 meters of the city wall, two city gates, a pillar building (perhaps a small stable), ten houses and the earliest known Hebrew inscription giving evidence that David and Solomon ruled over a well-organized, fully urbanized Judahite state in the tenth century B.C.E. (the inscription and other artifacts from the excavation are pictured at http://qeiyafa.huji.ac.il/).

Exciting developments like this continue to keep me interested in biblical archaeology. However, my faith does not depend on these discoveries. Frankly, it is far too easy to get hung up on such details—expecting the Bible to say more and do more than God intends.

The Bible is not primarily a history book, although it has proven historically reliable. Therefore, we should not be quick to jump on the “band wagon” of any of the schools of thought in this ongoing debate. Such viewpoints come and go, while God’s written Word stands as what it is: an infallible guide to all matters pertaining to salvation.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In Psalm 113:5-6, the psalmist asks: “Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth?”

We still are asking that question.

The self-help sections of bookstores and online catalogs offer seemingly countless books addressing ways to know God from Christian, quasi-Christian and other religious perspectives. Some of these books teach universalism; others teach pantheism or panentheism. Those with a New Age perspective inevitably promise keys to finding secret knowledge concerning God.

It seems that many people are seeking to know God or at least to connect with some sort of “higher power.” That should not surprise us since God created humans in his image, giving us a “spiritual appetite.” Theologian and philosopher Blaise Pascal is credited with saying that within each person there is a “God-shaped hole looking to be filled” [see footnote (1) for his actual words, translated into English]. That being so, one would hope that a person sincerely seeking to know God would receive clear direction from all Christian churches. Sadly, that is not always the case, as illustrated in this cartoon:

Given our limited minds, we humans are unable to fully comprehend all there is to know about God. Paul put it this way: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33). Though God lives in “unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16), he has not left us completely in the dark. Note Jesus’ remarkable statement in Matthew 11:27: “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” I love how the second-century Christian teacher Irenaeus explained this verse in Against Heresies:

No one can know the Father apart from God’s Word, that is, unless the Son reveals him, and no one can know the Son unless the Father so wills. Now the Son fulfills the Father’s good pleasure: the Father sends, the Son is sent, and he comes. The Father is beyond our sight and comprehension; but he is known by his Word, who tells us of him who surpasses all telling. In turn, the Father alone has knowledge of his Word. And the Lord has revealed both truths. Therefore, the Son reveals the knowledge of the Father by his revelation of himself. Knowledge of the Father consists in the self-revelation of the Son, for all is revealed through the Word.

This means that no one can know God unless and until God reveals himself. And he has chosen to reveal himself through Jesus. The word reveal comes from the Greek word apokalupto meaning to take off the cover—to disclose or reveal. It is the opposite of kalupto, which means to cover up; hide. The Old Testament speaks of the Shekinah glory of God, present within the innermost part of the Tabernacle behind the veil. No one was allowed beyond that veil except the high priest, and then only once a year. For most of the time, God remained hidden behind the veil. So when Jesus said he had come to reveal the Father, his followers were understandably intrigued.

When Philip asked Jesus to show the disciples the Father, Jesus replied: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). God sent his Son to “pull back the covers” and reveal who he is through his Son. We must be careful not to let preconceptions of what God is like determine our thinking and behavior toward God. Only Jesus has perfect and complete knowledge of God. And he shares that knowledge with us.

Through the life and ministry of Jesus, we get the best look at what God is like this side of our resurrection in glory. Jesus alone is one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He alone brings “insider knowledge” of the whole of God as the eternal Son of God. He alone is God’s self-revelation in time and space, flesh and blood. In Jesus, God has come to us in person, meeting us face-to-face so that we may know him truly and personally.

Jesus shared himself and what he knew with his disciples, whom he called his friends. And he commissioned them, and those who follow them, to go into the world and make that knowledge known—not through books and programs offering esoteric, “hidden knowledge” or esoteric, private experiences. And certainly not through a complex web of philosophical arguments and counter-arguments. Jesus told his followers that they could come to know God through relationships, including relationships with each other and with those outside the Christian community. He said that the clearest sign that would point others to him would be the love that his followers have for each other—a love reflecting God’s own love for all people.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Last week the world breathed a sigh of relief as the US Congress voted at the last minute to raise the debt limit, narrowly averting what could have become a global economic crisis. The crisis has only been postponed. It looks like we will have to face it again in the new year.

Sadly, our world has become a suffering, complicated mess. Even rich and powerful nations struggle to govern themselves—a reality that highlights the need for the human race—all of us—to accept the friendship and helping hand of our Creator who made us for better things. I am grateful that God has allowed us to see through the murk and despair to realize that there is a way to live that leads to joy and hope, in loving partnership with God through Jesus. That is the true message of the Bible.

Sadly, some use Scripture to preach a message of impending doom.

In some of my recent visits to churches, I have been asked about the book The Harbinger by Jonathan Cahn who pastors a large Messianic Jewish church in New Jersey. His book, which was published in 2011, is a work of fiction. However, Cahn based it on Bible prophecies (Isaiah 9:8-21 in particular) that he interprets as predicting a series of calamities he says God is bringing on the US. In his interpretive scheme, Cahn draws parallels between the last days of ancient Israel and current events in America since 9/11. He sees nine signs (he calls them “harbingers”) hidden in Isaiah’s prophecies, showing how God is progressively judging America for its sins.

Gripping stuff, I suppose, if you like that sort of thing. Personally I don’t. I found the book hard to read. That, of course, is my personal reaction and I wouldn’t bother to write about it if The Harbinger was intended only as fiction. What we read for entertainment is a personal matter and my opinion of Cahn’s book would matter only as much as my opinion of a book like Winnie the Pooh. However, Cahn has a more serious agenda than mere entertainment. As he writes in the beginning of his book, “What you are about to read is presented in the form of a story, but what is contained within the story is real.” He intends that The Harbinger be taken as a serious call for national repentance.

Cahn’s theme is based on the idea that the US is in a special covenant relationship with God. Starting with that premise, it is only a small step to apply prophecies given to ancient Israel to the present situation in the US. Isaiah 9:10, for example, becomes a prophecy of the destruction of the World Trade Center then 9/11. Cahn’s approach reminds me of the central premise of British-Israelism, which we learned is not the secret that unlocks Bible prophecy, nor is it the proper lens through which to interpret Scripture.

Sadly, biblical prophecy can be a rich vein for exploitation in the hands of alarmist preachers. We should not be surprised when people who read The Harbinger ask, “Is there something to it?” While we can applaud the theme of calling for repentance and a return to godliness, misusing prophecy is not the way to do it. Appeals to biblical authority should be based on a correct exegesis of Scripture.

In claiming that the nine harbingers are God’s warnings specifically to America before he passes judgment on the country, Cahn is taking an Old Testament concept out of context. America is not Israel. Israel’s calling and mission culminated in Jesus Christ.

There was a time when God sent prophets to warn a particular person or country. But that was then and this is now. Hebrews 1:1-2 succinctly sums up how God speaks to us today:

In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

God’s message to America, and indeed to all the world, is found in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. That message is a loving call to repentance and an invitation to fellowship—not a threat of terrible punishment upon any one particular nation. So whatever merits The Harbinger has as a novel, it has no special insights for those who value biblical truth. Personally, I would rather read Winnie the Pooh.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Why is it that atheists often are seen as rational and logical while Christians are seen as desperately clinging to their beliefs when all the evidence is against them?

It seems to me that some of the reasoning exhibited by atheists is anything but logical. For example, some of them are pressuring Congress to provide non-believing chaplains to serve members of the U.S. military who do not believe in God.

I am not making this up! Jason Torpy, president of the Military Association of Atheists and Free Thinkers (MAAF), noting that 23 percent of those in the military say they have no religious preference, claims that existing chaplains are unable to provide the “positive outreach and support” unbelievers need. Therefore, he concludes, non-believing members of the military should have chaplains who share their lack of belief.

A chaplain who does not believe in God? To me, that sounds like the ultimate oxymoron.

Though I’m sure you’ll get a chuckle out of the cartoon at right (by GCI elder Monte Wolverton), this situation is no laughing matter. How would an atheist chaplain counsel, console and encourage an atheist colleague? Would the chaplain remind them that they are a cosmic accident, with no purpose other than what they decide to pursue? Would they find consolation and comfort in being reminded that they are only a product of their genes and that their brain doesn’t really have original thoughts, so there is no reason for them to have anxiety before going into battle?

Some of today’s atheists would have felt right at home in ancient Corinth. At the time Paul wrote his letters to the church there, Corinth prided itself on its liberal, freewheeling lifestyle. The city’s “anything goes” approach was adversely affecting the church, and Paul’s letters were wake-up calls to the members, reminding them of their responsibility to come out of that world and embrace Christian values.

Paul wrote, “Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become ‘fools’ so that you may become wise” (1 Corinthians 3:18). He then admitted that he was one of those “fools for Christ” (4:10). I suppose that atheists today would say a hearty “Amen” to that! They consider Christians to be fools for believing in God’s existence and that Jesus Christ died for our sins.

But we are not the only fools. As Psalm 14:1 states, “The fool says in his heart that there is no God.” So both sides are fools. The question is—Who is the bigger fool?

Some atheists and other nonbelievers, seeing that they lack political influence, seek to bring unbelievers together under the common heading of “brights“—those with “a naturalistic worldview, free from supernatural and mystical forces.” Think about that—would atheist military chaplains encourage non-believing soldiers with affirmations that they are smarter than soldiers who seek comfort from God in whom these “brights” do not believe? It’s no wonder that many people see through the “logic” behind atheists’ arguments. Remember, that to be successful, atheists must prove that God does not exist. They cannot claim victory just because we believers cannot prove to their satisfaction that God does exist. However, we must also remember that exposing the weakness in the atheists’ argument does not, in itself, prove God’s existence.

We must be careful how we go about trying to prove that God exists. A common mistake is to claim that creation proves God’s existence by quoting Romans 1:20: “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” But this verse does not say that creation proves God’s existence. Rather, it says that if we already believe that God is Creator, then we are able to see in the creation something of God’s own nature.

A stronger proof of God’s existence is the life of a believer who is being transformed—a person who, in relationship with God, through the Holy Spirit, is sharing in the perfect humanity of Jesus Christ.

It is often said that there are no atheists in foxholes. Like all people, when unbelievers find themselves in fear or torment, they need a reason for hope. They certainly don’t need an atheist chaplain who would reinforce their unbelief (as in the cartoon above). What they need is a caring believer who will offer the comfort and unconditional love that come from the one Source of eternal hope. More than anything else, such comfort, hope and love may get them wondering if perhaps God really does exist.

Your brother in Christ,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We believe that prayer is vital to a life of faith. Skeptics may view it as merely talking aloud to an imagined deity, but that is not our problem. The problem we face with prayer is when it seems to go unanswered. When I think of biblical examples, two come immediately to mind. The first is found in the prophet’s prayer in Habakkuk 1:1-4. Perhaps you’ve prayed using similar words:

How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds.
Therefore the law is paralyzed,
and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous,
so that justice is perverted.

God answered Habakkuk’s prayer, but not in the way he expected.

Having prayed for the injustice in Judean society to be corrected, Habakkuk was stunned when God’s answer was that the nation would be invaded by the Babylonians and carried into captivity. Instead of hearing what he hoped would amount to divine justice, Habakkuk was told that he would have to endure even more injustice. He didn’t complain nor did he deny God’s existence for not answering in the way he expected. Instead, Habakkuk received God’s answer and carried on—he was changed by prayer.

The second example of seemingly unanswered prayer is that of Jesus praying in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). There, in agony, anticipating the painful sacrifice that lay ahead, Jesus pleaded with God the Father: “Is there no other way?”

Jesus returned to this prayer after checking on his disciples, his closest friends on earth. They were asleep and after waking them, he returned to entreat God with the same question: “Is there no other way?”

Jesus then went again to seek the comfort of his friends, but they were still asleep. Then the cycle repeated itself once more.

My perspective is that when Jesus saw his disciples sleeping the third time, he realized the answer to his seemingly unanswered prayer. That his closest friends could not comply with his request to merely stay awake, showed Jesus that all humanity ultimately fails due to its brokenness. Thus the answer to his prayer was clear—there was no other way. Though his coming death, resurrection and ascension were not the answer that Jesus sought at that moment, he willingly submitted and carried on. He did so even with joy, anticipating what would be accomplished for his disciples and for all humanity (Hebrews 12:2).

As you know, Jesus added a supplemental clause to his prayer. To borrow from the world of insurance terminology, he added “a rider.” He begins with the words, “If there be any way that this cup can pass from me…” and then the rider: “…yet not what I will but what you will.” Jesus’ prayer was not simply a request, much less a demand. Rather it showed his complete trust in his heavenly Father. His prayer demonstrated faith lived out in action.

Though we tend to see prayer as what we say with our voices, God views it as what we do with our whole lives—all that we say, think, hope, love, believe and desire. God’s answer to our prayer thus addresses all that we (and, ultimately, all humanity) are and need to become in relationship to him. Wouldn’t any answer from God less than that be superficial? I’m sure we’re all thankful that God has not said “Yes” to all of our requests!

Certainly, we can verbalize our prayers to God. But since God’s relationship with us extends far beyond just listening to our words, his answers to our prayers involve more than just a snap judgment of “Yes,” “No,” or “Wait.” In prayer, we not only talk to God but also seek to discern how God is responding to us—trusting that his every response is one of loving us towards maturity in Christ. So while God may say “No” to one of our particular requests, that “No” always comes out of his wisdom and compassion for us as whole persons and so should not be regarded as a rejection of us, but as an affirmation of us as his children. Our heavenly Father is wiser and more loving than we are and so are his answers to our prayers.

I’m not suggesting here that God’s answers to our prayers only involve what he does to change us spiritually and never involve changing our circumstances, relationships and physical conditions or those of others. God is omnipresent and sees and knows the needs of everyone before we observe them. He already has his plan of redemption in motion that includes everyone, even the whole of creation. Prayer is our way of joining him in what he is doing in us, in others and in our world. However, we must be the first to understand that we do not always know what is best for all concerned, or just how he is going to accomplish all that he is doing to bring about his redemptive purposes. God’s answer to prayer takes into consideration all of time, all of space and all of creation. So we entrust all our prayers to him, trusting him to exercise his loving wisdom in his every answer. We can count on his answers to always exhibit the same wisdom and compassion we see lived out in Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, crucified, resurrected, ascended and coming again in the glory of his kingdom.

Rather than becoming weary in prayer and well-doing, we can carry on as did Habakkuk and Jesus. A life of prayer offered to the living, redeeming God will always remind us that our own efforts will not bring the ultimate solutions to humanity’s problems. We need God’s saving, redeeming and transforming power. We acknowledge that we lack the wisdom and all-encompassing compassion that God exercises in deciding just how he will realize his saving purposes. Incorporating our prayers into his loving and wise purposes, God will use them to help us become the Christ-like person he intends for us to be. With that perspective, we will pray more and more like Jesus—from the depths of our hearts, gladly echoing his rider, “Yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Yours in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

In last week’s Update, I wrote that it was the 18th anniversary of my becoming President and Pastor General of our denomination. It was also, of course, the 18th anniversary of the death of my father, Joseph W. Tkach. My dad had the unique, and in some ways unenviable, opportunity to be the appointed successor of our founder, Herbert W. Armstrong.

As the church’s second Pastor General, my dad led the church through the most challenging decade of its history. He presided over tumultuous changes, which resulted in the abandoning of some deeply entrenched doctrinal errors, but also in a massive downsizing of our church, as many rejected the reforms.

This journey of change was often circuitous. Understanding did not come to my dad all at once. He often made course corrections and restatements along the way. But, in retrospect, we can see how one issue led to another as understanding unfolded.

Last week, Ted Johnston sent me an article he had written following my dad’s death in 1995. It was a tribute to my dad’s courage and vision during his ten years as Pastor General. Ted was pastoring two congregations in western Colorado when he wrote the article. Today he is a senior member of our administration and one of my close friends and colleagues. Ted compiled the article from letters that my dad published in the Pastor General’s Report, spanning the time from the commencement of dad’s administration in January 1986 until just before his death in September 1995.

Reading Ted’s article reminded me of how much we all owe to my dad. It has been said that only those who have served as the President of the United States can really appreciate what that office is like. I can say the same about being the President of GCI. As the years of my presidency have gone by, I have understood more and more the pressures my dad was under and the courage and vision he possessed in leading us through our many changes.

As October is pastor appreciation month, I have republished Ted’s article (“A journey of change,” linked above-left). I am sure it will bring back memories for those of us who shared those turbulent times and give valuable perspective to those who either are too young to remember or are new to our fellowship. The article documents an amazing, perhaps historically unprecedented story of change within an entire Christian denomination for which God gets the glory, but my dad deserves our deep thanks.

While I am not sure who designated October as pastor appreciation month, I am grateful that there is such a focus during one month of the year. Of course, pastors ought to be appreciated all year long—as the apostle Paul noted in 1 Corinthians 12, they are one of the Holy Spirit’s gifts to the church. However, pastors are only human and can grow weary and discouraged (see this month’s issue of Equipper at http://mindev.gci.org/Web%20Documents/Equipper8.10.pdf). This can happen especially when there are critics and naysayers in the congregation. So it is a good thing when church members encourage their pastors, thanking them for their ongoing efforts.

One of the most encouraging things I hear from people is that they are praying for me. And I must say that there are times when I feel lifted by the thought that I have many prayer partners. I believe that my own prayers are not equal to the encouragement I receive when others tell me that they are praying for my health, strength and inspiration from God.

It is no accident that God inspired the title and role in the church known as pastor to mirror for us his own shepherd’s heart and mind. In today’s atmosphere of freethinking, rugged individualism, the pastor’s role as the shepherd of a congregation who is called to guard the flock from bad theology may be one of the hardest dynamics to implement in our culture. So as pastor appreciation month begins, let me be one of the first to say to our pastors, “much thanks and congratulations for your perseverance and faithfulness.”

With love in Christ’s service,

Joseph Tkach

PS: For those reading this who are not pastors, I encourage you to say thanks to your pastor this month. For ways to do so, see http://www.lifeway.com/Article/HomeLife-Pastor-Appreciation-Five-Ways-To-Say-Thanks?emid=jhowe-pastorstoday-article-pastorsappreciation-20130930.