Doctrine
Demons: Can We Still Believe in Them?
In 1998, four psychologists interviewed twenty hospitalized psychiatric patients from the Hebei province in China.
Chinese physicians diagnosed these patients as hysterical.
The patients, however, believed their bodies were invaded by alien spirits.
In other words, possessed.
Samples of Spirit Possession
One woman spoke of her dead aunt walking through her house as “a white person, but without a head.”
At times she actually believed the spirit occupied her body.
Another women–a 40-year old peasant women with five children and a Buddhist background–complained of chronic possession (some one suggested by a turtle) in which she blacked out and couldn’t remember the episode.
Here’s the million dollar question: Are these patients really possessed? Or severely psychologically disturbed? Let’s explore.
Dismissing the Doctrine of Demons
In today’s world, belief in demons is usually brushed aside as primitive–in company with elves and a flat earth.
In fact, one of the conclusions from the study above was that individuals who lacked education were more susceptible to folk beliefs.
They also raised the question of “whether the possession experience is a socially sanctioned mechanism that allows individuals in an oppressed social role to act out intolerable socio-psychological conflict.”
Both interesting points. Then this shouldn’t come as a surprise: While possession is a common experience in many cultures, in Western industrialized cultures such experiences are not the norm.
As Christians, then, what are we to do when skepticism about angels and demons is contrary to biblical testimony? Let’s see.
Biblical Testimony to Demons
Satan appears in the first book of the Bible and his activity doesn’t let up until Revelation.
And while demonic activity is somewhat subdued in the Old, the frequency of demonic appearances increases during Jesus’ ministry.
We even have a demonic proclamation of Jesus as the Messiah.
But outside the biblical assumption of demons, we have other reasons to affirm their existence.
Science ultimately can’t answer this question.
Science seeks to observe and describe natural phenomena. Like it’s inadequacy in answering questions of morality, science isn’t fit to answer the spiritual.
Purely natural explanations of evil in this world are not adequate.
The horrors of the Lord’s Resistance Army or a mother roasting her child in an oven imply a powerful force at work–not a mere chemical imbalance.
Learn from the broader sweep of history and culture.
When you explore the cultures in Asia, Africa, Haiti and the Pacific Islands, you see a belief in evil spirits is a deep part of their culture. We need to respect that native soft knowledge. They may be on to something our science can’t reach.
In the end, this topic deserves a LOT of sensitivity. We certainly don’t want it to lead to uncritical views on demons. Nor do we want to open the door to bizarre practices of extreme individuals or groups.
Instead, we need to carefully craft a complete view of reality–one that balances both the natural and spiritual.
C. S. Lewis warned in the Screwtape Letters that we can give the topic too little attention–and too much attention. Both are mistakes.
The goal is to seek balance. Let me know what you think.
By the way, got a question you’d like me to answer in a post? Email me.
Why I Didn’t Defend a Six-Day Creation
You may think less of me after this post.
Then again, maybe not.
I guess it just depends on where you land on this debate.
Let’s lay the groundwork first.
Groundwork Ahead
Last Friday I got an email from Daniel Wilson of Desire Spiritual Growth blog.
He asked a simple question. But very penetrating.
The kind of question that, in a sense, “calls you out.” That makes you pause and–well, think.
I knew exactly what he was referring to.
And I had a great reason for doing what I did. Indeed, my motives were good…
Just in the dark, ergo, Daniel’s question. What was THIS question? Here’s Daniel’s email:
There’s a question I’ve seen you avoid twice on your blog. I can understand why, but I am still very curious.
Do you believe in a literal, 6-day creation by God of the various kinds of living things?
Tough question. Let’s run through my thought process on how I answered it. I think you’ll benefit.
How Important Is Creation to Me?
To begin, let’s deal with why I avoided this topic twice on my blog.
Really, it’s pretty simple: I’ve never had a firm opinion on this topic. I’ve never made a firm stand.
Why? I actually haven’t put enough gray matter to it.
Sure, I did listen to MacArthur explain his reasons for 6-day creation and agree but walked away with a tad bit of uncertainty.
But why? If the Bible IS the inspired word of God–which I believe–then indeed those days mentioned in Genesis were in fact each 24-hours long as stated.
Hence, I affirm a 6-day creation.
Here’s Where I Started to Sweat
Part of me finds that answer insufficient though. I feel very uncomfortable claiming to be a 6-day creationist.
Why? Science’s domination on this topic. Assert yourself as a 6-day creationist and you’ll get scoffed. Ridiculed. Dismissed.
Scientific opposition 101.
What is that opposition really, though? Evolution and it’s suggestion that macro-evolution [non-observable event] is extrapolated from micro-evolution [observable event] plus time ad infinitum.
Personally, I don’t want to look like a fool because I’m hooked on the approval of man. But do I really have a case?
If I truly believe God to be omnipotent, then I could easily believe he created the world in six days.
Heck, I could believe he created the world in six hours. Standing on one arm. Singing opera. [Note: I don't believe God has a body. Just saying.]
But that’s not the way it’s described. The writer of Genesis stated six days. So I affirm a six-day creation. In opposition to science.
To those who will complain that such a view is credulous and unsophisticated, here’s MacArthur:
“It is certainly superior to the irrational notion that an ordered and incomprehensibly complex universe sprung by accident from nothingness and emerged by chance into the marvel that it is.”
I agree.
Where I Don’t See Eye-to-Eye with MacArthur
There is one point I might disagree with MacArthur: I don’t think defending a six-day creation matters. Let me qualify that statement.
I don’t think it’s worth emotional or intellectual equity defending a six-day creation…especially with a non-believer…when we’ve got bigger fish to fry, namely new birth.
It’d be like me bickering with my wife over the placement of patio furniture on a deck attached to a house that we were losing to foreclosure.
Thus my tendency to avoid the issue and change the topic.
What’s paramount in the creation account is The Fall. The creation narrative is the setting. The Fall and subsequent redemption, the plot.
Don’t get me wrong. We need Genesis 1:1-3 in it’s entirety. Here’s MacArthur again on how important it is:
If Genesis 1-3 doesn’t tell us the truth, why should we believe anything else in the Bible? Without a right understanding of our origin, we have no way to understand anything about our spiritual existence. We cannot know our purpose, and we cannot be certain of our destiny. After all, if God is not the Creator, then maybe He’s not the Redeemer either. If we cannot believe the opening chapters of Scripture, how can we be certain of anything the Bible says?
It’s the WHY in my mind that trumps the HOW.
One Final Thought
Funny thing is, a six-day creation event is small beans when compared to some bigger beliefs we Christians share.
Take the Incarnation, for instance. God invaded his universe as a human. What?
Or what about the new birth–the belief that God raises us from spiritual death? Hell? The Second Coming?
Those, my friend, are tough nuts to swallow.
We are fortunate to live in a region of the world where apologetic materials are abundant. Answers to objections are everywhere.
Not so with those in restricted or persecuted countries. But this shouldn’t bother us. Or them.
While I respect science and what it says, in the end I need to go with God–and so do they–and his purposes revealed in the Scripture.
Listen: This is sometimes very hard for someone who unapologetically embraces the title intellectual snob–but persecution and hardship are the name of the game. Opposition is real.
And sometimes all we have is the Holy Ghost and a Bible. Fortunately, we have more.
Final, Final Thought
Here’s what I learned from Daniel’s email: We worship a creative God who demands singularity in our affections and dismisses all competitors…
And neglecting allegiance to him is simple blasphemy–even if that means rejection from our peers.
Therefore, I’d rather be at odds with the establishment than the God who created and sustains the people in that very establishment.
Christianity is a thinking man’s religion. Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind.”
This means we need to exercise all spheres of our beings–body and soul–if we want to honor God. This means beefing up in areas we are weak in. [For me, that would be the creation account. What about you?]
This also means answering challenging questions–questions that may challenge our very allegiance…questions that come from both outside our camp–and sometimes from inside.
It’s not always easy. But it’s necessary. Especially if we want to develop a mature Christian mind–a mandate no Christian can avoid.
So tell me: You still love me? Give me your thoughts. Brutal and all.
Monergism.com: A Quick and Dirty Guide
Monergism is the name for the doctrine that the Holy Spirit acts independently of the human will in the work of new birth.
It’s also the name for one of the best online resources for all things reformed: Monergism.com.
In many ways, it’s the reformed communities best kept secret.
But it’s not likely to stay that way for long.
The Birth of Monergism
Around the year 2000, web developer John Hendryx started to get disturbed by the growth of heretical information on the web.
At the same time he also noticed that there wasn’t anywhere online you could go to find sound doctrine in a single place. Naturally, he felt like he should use his God-given creativity to spread the gospel.
So, in his spare time, he built Monergism.com to help recover the true biblical doctrines of the historic faith by collecting and centralizing reformed resources across the web on one site.
And what began ten years ago as a small website with a handful of links has grown into a mammoth directory of all things reformed.
Five Things You Can Do at Monergism.com
Monergism.com amounts to a vast archive of online articles, PDFs, books and mp3s. So if you’re new to monergism–whether the doctrine or the website–start here…
With over 80 links to topics on regeneration, the will of God, justification and biblical devotion you’re likely to be busy for awhile–especially if you settle into the 26-part audio lecture on Calvin’s Institutes.
The second great way to use Monergism.com involves the exposition of Scripture. Simply pop in any Bible verse into the search box, press submit and voila: a stout list of written and audio commentaries on that verse.
The third great feature at Monergism.com is it’s biography pages. Take Tim Keller, for example. On his bio page you get a professional summary then a long list of resources.
Then there’s the Monergism mp3 library–a massive archive of sermons and lectures on just about any topic under the reformed sun. Name a living theologian or pastor–like Tim Keller or D. A. Carson–and you are likely to find all their available sermons.
Lastly, Monergism.com has developed into a bookstore where you can find classic Puritan works by Flavel, Edwards and Newton to current works by Francis Chan, Kevin DeYoung or Adrian Warnock–often at reduced prices.
Keep This in Mind
Monergism.com is a non-profit organization. That means Hendyx and Co. work off of donations and book sales…
Anyone who’s worked in non-profit knows that this often amounts to dirt, which should give you an indication when you consider the size and quality and longevity of Monergism.com that this venture has a lot to do with one man’s unrelenting vision to see the historic confession of Jesus Christ dominate the theological landscape…
Something I can wholeheartedly get behind. What about you?
Four Ways False Teaching Seduces Us
I’m a blessed man.
I’ve got a godly, merciful and hard-working wife.
Kind, creative and compassionate children.
A beautiful, supportive band of brothers.
And a pastor who is not afraid to draw the line between true and false teaching.
The Gritty Gift of Preaching
Granted, he’s not always PC. He doesn’t shoot to be all-inclusive.
Yes, he loves people to death. But he loves the gospel even more.
And that quite often divides.
It divides truth from error. Authentic teachers from the false. Genuine doctrine from the fake.
This is tough to take, no doubt. But the gospel aims to shoot the wolves to protect the sheep. A role that’s not easy for a pastor to play.
But one he must.
So, over the last couple of months my pastor has used 1 John as his text–a text close to my heart.
And this past Sunday, while exhorting us to abide in Christ for the sake of spiritual maturity, he paused to clarify the following about false doctrine, namely why it’s pull on us is so potent.
1. False doctrine offers us short cuts. And we like shortcuts. If we can avoid pain or discomfort and get immediate gratification in any measure, bring it on. Authentic doctrine, on the other hand, says we must reject self and walk the narrow–often difficult–path. Think Bunyan’s Wicket Gate.
2. False doctrine appeals to our base nature. Gnosticism gave us liberty to indulge in sexual promiscuity. The abundant life gospel pushes our greed button. Miracle-rich doctrines feed our sensual gene.
On the other hand, the genuine gospel of Jesus Christ–one that says deny yourself and be willing to die for others–repulses our dead, blind, deaf base nature.
3. False doctrine feels so intuitive. Of course I deserve a big house. A big car. The second house. Promotion. Trophy wife. Naturally God would want my limbs restored. My child cured of leukemia. My deliberate, premeditated sins forgiven.
Authentic doctrine, on the other hand, is counter-intuitive. For example, God said, “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.” Not typically what we think when we think of a “loving” God.
4. False doctrine puts us on the throne. After reading the preceding three reasons, is this any surprise? The word “you” looms large in false doctrine. It’s what John Piper described in God Is the Gospel as the gospel that “makes much of us” instead of making much of God. And it’s why some pastors strive to create churches to amuse us rather than instruct, correct, train and discipline.
In the end, if you want true spiritual alignment, don’t lean on false doctrine.
Instead, lean on the true gospel. That means you need to get back to the basics, trust your heart to God, never let your feelings lead and know what you believe.
So, tell me: What other ways does false doctrine seduce us? Am I missing anything? Do you agree? Disagree? Leave your thoughts, brutal and all.
Creeds + Catechisms: Why You Don’t Have to Be Afraid
Creed and catechism.
Two words that scare a lot of people.
Do they scare you? Turn you off? If so, it doesn’t have to be that way.
Maybe catechisms scare you because of your rigorous Catholic school upbringing.
Perhaps creeds appall you because of your experience in a church that split over “doctrine.”
Or maybe somebody simply told you from the pulpit that creeds and catechisms were of the devil.
Whatever the reason, you don’t have to fear creeds or catechisms. They’re your friend.
Why I’m Talking about Creeds and Catechisms Now
Over the last week I’ve been grooming the idea of what we believe as Christians.
I’ve done this through posts like How Do You Know Christ Is Real? and the Problem with Your Personal Testimony.
Today I want to close this short series by talking about creeds and catechisms and why they are important to a believer’s life.
Short History on Creeds in the Church
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul lays down the backbone of what we believe as Christians–a message he preached as of first importance:
That Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.
Gary Habermas in his book The Historical Jesus argues this is an early creed–a simple statement of belief shared by the early church.
Other early creeds recorded in the New Testament are found in Philippians 2:8, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 and Luke 24:34.
Why Creeds Are Important
Why this emphasis on standard creeds and doctrine by Paul and others in the New Testament? Ephesians 4:12-16 gives us many reasons. Here are four:
1. To equip saints for the work of ministry.
2. To have a unified church.
3. To mature believers.
4. To avoid the seductive power of false doctrines.
The importance of creeds can’t be overstated: Maturity and growth hinge on a unified doctrine. But how do we make creeds part of our faith? Catechisms are one way.
Why You Should Care about Creeds and Catechisms
Catechisms–systematic summaries of doctrine usually recorded as a question-and-answer manual meant to be memorized–are an important part of a believer’s life.
In fact, the purpose behind catechisms is the education of believers–both children and adults–into a full understanding of Christian life.
But if you don’t have a unified, universal creed, you can’t have a unified catechism. And if you don’t have either, you’re at risk of diluting the original message and ultimately retarding spiritual growth.
So, whether you know it or not, creeds and catechisms are very important to your spiritual growth.
Here’s My Point
Creeds frame what we believe. Catechisms help us learn what we believe, namely the good news of Jesus Christ.
But if we don’t have a unified understanding of what we believe, we have chaos. Personally and corporately.
Thus, don’t re-invent the wheel. Creeds, confessions and catechisms are timeless. Read and memorize a few creeds if you haven’t already.
A good place to start is the Apostles Creed. Then the Nicene. Better yet, memorize 1 Corinthians 15:3-7. And other creedal portions of Scripture.
From there you can tackle larger creedal texts like the Canons of Dordt or the Westminster Confession.
So tell me: What’s been your experience with creeds and catechisms? Good? Bad? Have you ever thought of using creeds or confessions in your own family devotion time?
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