Posts Tagged self
Lessons I Learned from Francis Schaeffer No. 2
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Christianity, Lifestyle on January 27, 2009
Lesson 2. There is only one reason to be a Christian.
In 1 John 5:19-20, the Apostle John wrote, “We know that we are God’s children, and that the whole world lies under the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
I can remember hearing Francis Schaeffer say on more than one occasion that the only reason to be a Christian is because Christianity is true. After his death, I remember Edith quoting him as saying, “There is one and only one reason, and not two reasons, to be a Christian, and that is because Christianity is true.”
Over the years, I have thought about his statement, and I have wondered if Francis Schaeffer was right. I would like to share my reflections on what Fran’s statement means to me, rather than claim that he would agree with me in all these particulars below.
When teaching others about faith in Jesus Christ, the Bible, and Christianity, I like his answer. For example, we can reply to a nonbeliever, who accuses us of using Christianity or the church as a crutch that they do not need, that the only reason we are a Christian is because Christianity is true. Our reply might make them think further about the claims of Christianity. No one can accuse us of having a selfish motive for becoming a Christian, if the only reason we became a Christian is because Christianity is true. No one can accuse us of becoming a Christian as some kind of a “fire insurance policy” to keep us out of hell, if we became a Christian because Christianity is true.
Knowing that the only reason to become a Christian is because Christianity is true should have an impact on the way we do evangelism, the way we conduct worship, the way we study the Bible personally and in a Bible study class. In evangelism, we will not try to convert someone to Christianity by giving them selfish reasons to come to Christ. Giving someone a selfish reason and encouraging them to come to Christ for selfish reasons will not help them change from being a self-centered person to living the Christ-centered life.
In the Gospel of John, we learn that Jesus came into the world not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through belief in Him. Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead to save us from sin and death. The Bible teaches that Jesus ascended into heaven, where He sits at the right hand of God and prays for us. These facts are true. They are “true truth,” as Fran was fond of saying. Think again about the verses from John above. Remember, he wrote, “The Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true.” It is true that Jesus Christ came into the world so we might know Him, know what is true, be set free by the truth, because He is true and Christianity is true.
You might also like to learn more about Francis Schaeffer from two of his biographies, now online for you to read for free at http://www.labri.net .
Copyright 2009 by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
International Bible Lessons
Prayer Steps to Serenity
Serenity Groups
A Psalm and A Prayer
Related Reading:
Lessons I Learned from Francis Schaeffer No. 1
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Christianity, Lifestyle on January 26, 2009
Lesson 1. Teach the Truth in Love
Recently, I preached at the Installation Service of the Rev. Tom Sanders at Faith Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Tulsa, OK. Tom had studied the works of Francis Schaeffer, so I preached on “Ten of the Lessons I Learned from Francis Schaeffer.” I will post these lessons one at a time over the next few days and weeks, and perhaps share a few more than ten lessons. BTW: I did know Francis Schaeffer personally from 1978 until his death on May 15, 1984.
In Ephesians 4:15-16, the Apostle Paul wrote, “But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”
Francis Schaeffer demonstrated and taught the life transforming power of speaking the truth in love. He spoke the truth of the Bible to others, especially moral and spiritual truths that might make some feel uncomfortable. But he spoke these truths with such love for others, such love for the individual person, that they knew he was teaching these truths from a heart of sincere love for them. The truths he spoke and the love he showed led them to take what he said seriously, and sometimes led them to make life transforming decisions — even decisions to bow before Jesus Christ and accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
Unfortunately, it is possible to speak the truth without love. If spoken without love, the truth can seem hard, harsh, and judgmental to the person hearing the truth. Just the spirit with which the truth is spoken can lead the person to reject the truth and not make the life-change that would make an eternal difference in their life.
Similarly, some think it is possible to love without speaking the truth. However, I think this is a misconception. If someone is involved in life-destructive behavior, is it the loving thing to say nothing or do nothing? If someone is leaving OK to go to CA and they head east toward NY. Is it the loving thing to let them go the wrong way? It would be the loving thing, no matter how much they might be embarrassed, to call them on their cell phone and tell them to turn around. How much more serious this is in the moral and spiritual areas of life!
Of course, speaking or teaching the truth in love requires much prayer. Pray for your loving heart toward someone to shine through to them as you speak the truth. Pray for the right words to use when sharing the truth with them. Pray for them to have an open mind and heart to receive the truth you speak. Pray for the Holy Spirit to make the truths you share and the loving way you share those truths effective in the person’s life.
You might also like to learn more about Francis Schaeffer from two of his biographies, now online for you to read for free at http://www.labri.net.
Copyright 2009 by L.G. Parkhurst, Jr.
International Bible Lessons
Prayer Steps to Serenity
Serenity Groups
A Psalm and A Prayer
Related Reading:
An Authentic Christian Community
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Christianity on December 6, 2007
Most Christians today find themselves looking to join and serve in a church that manifests authentic Christian community. What would such a church look like today? First, the people would love God as God has revealed himself truly in Jesus Christ, His Son and our Savior. Second, the people would believe the Bible is truly God’s word to us (and to them directly and personally). Third, the people would love one another and their love for one another would be evident to others and big enough to keep including new people. Fourth, the people would seek to find God’s specific way and will for them in order to fulfill the unique service to others that God wants them to pursue. Fifth, they would strive to love and serve according to the teachings of the Bible and not rationalize an ungodly standard of living, loving, and serving.
Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God and the Apostle Paul defined the Kingdom of God on Earth as ”righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). An authentic Christian community would strive to maintain right relationships with God and others on the foundation of the Apostles with Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. In other words, everyone in the community would try to line up their lives with the teachings of the Bible and pray for Jesus Christ to give them the power to do His will. An authentic Christian community would try to maintain peace among those in the community and with those outside the community in so far as God enabled them. An authentic Christian community would manifest joy, the joy that the Holy Spirit infills in each person and each person shares with others.
To me, a mature Christian church or fellowship would demonstrate substantially, in a way that others would notice, these qualities. Achieving authentic Christian community is not easy, nor is it easy to maintain, but God gives us that challenge to reach for if we want to seriously meet the needs of people in our world today and tomorrow. At Stonegate Church, we strive to promote and maintain authentic Christian community in everything we do, and I believe we can continue to do so as we prayerfully trust in Jesus Christ and His Spirit.
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Extending Our Circle of Service
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Lifestyle on December 4, 2007
The Internet gives us an opportunity to extend ourselves beyond the people we normally serve in order to meet the needs of an even larger circle of people. Perhaps it is easier to think of more ways to serve more people if we think of this selflessly, putting service above self. One example might stir up our minds to discover some new ways to serve that might really take very little additional effort but really be worthwhile in serving others.
For example, our worship service at Stonegate Church is traditional, and includes a responsive reading and unison prayer each week (printed in the bulletin). In pondering how I could help others who prepare or conduct worship services, I decided that I could put these Psalms and Prayers on the Internet and make them freely available to others for not-for-profit use. This extension of service became A Psalm and A Prayer. It took me until Psalm 119 to think of this idea, so that is where we began. Currently, we have submitted responsive readings through Psalm 150 and have now started from Psalm 1 through Psalm 7. So, you might think of how you can begin to extend your circle of influence from right where you are. Feel free to share your own ideas in the comments below or post to our Simple Forum.
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Our Talents and Our Gifts
Posted by L.G. Parkhurst in Lifestyle on December 3, 2007
Last night on an OETA television program, Red Skelton made a comment very similar to this: “Our talents are our gifts from God. The use of our talents is our gift to God.” Rush Limbaugh often describes himself along these lines: “With talent on loan from God.” The statements by these two entertainers reflect humility and their desire to honor God by using their talents in ways that will benefit others.
In Parkhurst Ponders, I will attempt to use some of the talents that I have “on loan from God” in ways that will encourage people to think along with me and use their talents in ways that, perhaps, they have not thought of before.
Socrates and Plato encouraged people to think by asking questions (and not always by easily giving the answers at the end of their discussions). In my teaching and writing, I enjoy asking questions and hearing the answers people give. Over the years, I have learned a lot from others by asking the right (and sometimes confusing) questions. In my International Bible Lessons and Easy Bible Lessons, I ask questions and provide questions that Bible teachers can use to help their class think and learn.
Asking good questions can be a talent that we can develop. Perhaps the ability to ask questions is one of those talents that you have, but you have never thought of the ability as a talent. Maybe, today, you can start to develop even more your ability to ask questions, learn from others, and help others learn in thinking and talking about your questions.