Discerning the Lies

Those of you who know me know that I am an opinionated person. Recently I've been thinking about this and about sharing my opinions, especially in regards to matters of Truth. Truth (note the capital T) is not an opinion. Truth cannot be altered, changed, or ignored. Truth, as set by an all-knowing, all-loving, all-wise Sovereign Holy God, is the bottom line. And He graciously gave us a direct line to knowing Truth--His Word.

In my recent travels, I spent some time at an airport bookstore. I picked up Rob Bell's book, Love Wins and began reading the first chapter. I barely got 2 pages in before he began to morph Truth into his own twisted interpretation. I felt myself getting nauseated and my heart rate increased as my disbelief turned to anger. I can understand how an unbeliever can misconstrue heavy Truth--an unbeliever does not have the Holy Spirit to give understanding. I cannot, however, tolerate a redeemed believer who purposefully and intentionally twists the Truth of God's Word in order to be more popular with and accepted by the general public. Feeding twisted morsels of truth in order to draw them to the Savior is NOT how Christ intended His message to be spread.

Now, I will admit that I have not (yet) read the whole book. So, my beef right now is simply with Bell's assertion that God--as a loving God-- could not possibly have planned for all the unredeemed to suffer eternity in hell. Are we reading the same Bible, Mr. Bell? Is yours missing the entire book of Romans? God is indeed a loving God--He in fact IS love! But God is also a holy God, a just God, a God whose character and position cannot tolerate wickedness--it is an affront to His very nature. Because many people choose to ignore His love and forgiveness given through Christ on the cross, they choose the only other option--separation from this God who loves His children so much He allows them to CHOOSE. (This could lead me down another road to the discussion of Free Will and Predestination, but I've already touched on that once. Go here to read on that matter)

To return to the beginning, one of the things I realized today is that I do not have to stifle the Truth. I am grateful for the gift of the Holy Spirit who gives me wisdom and the ability to discern Truth, as well as root out lies. And because that is no gray matter, I do not need to offer it up as my "opinion", so as to soften the blow for those who do not agree. Truth = Truth. Anything else is a perversion and deserves to be called out as such.

Xin Nian Kuai Le! (Happy New Year!)

For those who haven't heard yet, I am planning to move back to the States after this school year. It's not because I don't like China or am sick of it or anything like that. In fact, the decision to move back to the States is harder than the decision to come to China was. Coming to China, I had a job and a place to live and an established community. Currently, I have passed up the chance to renew a contract here in China, but don't yet have a job in the States. To think that I don't yet have anything to return to makes me feel strangely...naked. My security has been stripped away, and I'm stepping out wearing only faith in a God who has promised to provide as I follow Him.

I have a plan, but nothing set in stone. A few years ago, God placed on my heart a dream to open some sort of educational business. Over the years, He has molded my heart and morphed the dream to focus more on people living as foreigners in America--specifically, Chinese immigrants and their children. After living in China for 4.5 years, I know how it feels to try to learn a new language and culture...I know what it's like to feel stupid all the time, no matter how hard you work to adjust. I want to help people going through this same exasperating transition.

Currently, my radar is set on Chicago. There is an organization already established there whose mission is to serve Chinese immigrant families and share the Gospel with them. I'll keep you posted on how that pans out.

In other news, my New Year's Resolution is food-related. I love that the Holy Spirit doesn't just stick to the realm of my "spiritual life". My whole life is His, so He has the right to convict in whatever darn area He chooses! Recently, He has been convicting me in regards to my sugar addiction. My resolution is to exercise and tone my self-discipline muscles, which have become quite flabby (along with some other literal muscles!!)

Last thought from one of the books I'm currently reading. (Surrender by Nancy Leigh DeMoss) In one chapter she is discussing the idea of a bond slave, one who would choose to submit his entire lifetime to his master. In discussing the shift in the church from "full surrender" to "commitment" she quotes Josef Tson. "Translators (of the Bible) did not like the term "bondslave" to be applied to people. Who wants to be somebody else's slave? Therefore, they replaced it with "servant." Again, a reflection and demand of the independent spirit! In the Greek, "slave" is doulos; a "servant" is diakonos. In the Greek Bible one never, never diakoneo to God--one never serves God; one only duoleo to God--that is, one slaves to God." (pg. 71-72) 

Here's to a year of learning to truly duoleo!