God Delusion or Deluge of Refugees?

I am no great scholar to take on Richard Dawkins on his book, “The God Delusion,” but as I started to read the book, it made no sense that such great minds should find it plausible to thumb their nose at God! What audacity or what ignorance! Or how Satan has blinded their minds and intelligence that they should think in this manner and write such books!

Jesus said of such people, in John 12:40, quoting Isaiah 6:10,     

                  “He has blinded their eyes and

                    hardened their heart,

                    lest they should see with their eyes

                    and understand with their heart,

                    lest they should turn, so that I should

                    heal them.”

Again Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4:4,

               “whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”

In the first quote it looks like God himself has blinded these unbelieving people, just like He blinded the reasoning power of the Pharaoh and hardened his heart so that he would not let the Hebrew people go. This sort of hardening of the heart happens, when repeatedly one refuses to acknowledge the power and glory of God, as Pharaoh did.

In the second quote, Paul hints at the ‘god of this age,’ Satan to be the instrument who blinded such people’s understanding. The one main work of Satan is to separate people from the love of God. When he has made a person like Dawkins question the very existence of God, Satan can smirk and feel he has achieved something in this world, where he is temporarily in charge.

In both, such blindness led to their own destruction and demise and eternal separation from God and His goodness. Had they only understood and believed God, they would have repented of their sin, their stubbornness and sought forgiveness from God and received His grace and enjoyed healing and life that comes from God. Not to be, because their hearts and understanding are blinded, as if a curtain has been drawn across their hearts and minds!

While questioning the existence of God and raising Darwin’s theory of evolution through natural selection to the sky, Dawkins clearly bats for evolution over creation. He also affirms the view that in this universe as we see it, there are only physical things or matter and anything that we cannot see or prove, like a supernatural phenomenon like God or miracles do not exist.

For him as an atheist, “there is nothing beyond the natural, physical world, no supernatural creative intelligence…no soul that outlasts the body and no miracles…”  This sort of philosophy is called ‘Materialism.’  For them anything unseen or anything that cannot be proven in the scientific laboratories does not exist. 

What a poverty of experience! When they die they just die, there is no world beyond the river or life after death. They have no hope! If what we have and live in this world is all that there is to a life, then we are really impoverished. We are miserable creatures, after all.

That there is a world beyond this world of injustice and suffering, a world where justice and righteousness will rule and where the there will be no sickness or sorrow, where the redeemed will spend eternity in the sweet presence of God and Christ! That is the hope we believers have. How sad, these atheists and unbelievers do not have such a hope!

Dawkins says he is against the “interventionist, miracle-wreaking, thought-reading, sin-punishing, prayer-answering God of Bible…” Why? Is it that you cannot stand a Father figure who will punish you when you sin, but forgive you when you repent and seek pardon?  Did you have a difficult father while growing up as a small child and boy and suffered emotional damage due to such abuse that you cannot stand any father-figure, even God?

Or is it that you are so arrogant that you do not want anyone to tell you what to do and be answerable to? Isn’t it the same sin for which Lucifer fell due to his pride, that he wanted to raise his throne above that of God, so that he didn’t have to worship the Almighty God any longer, but be a god himself?

Wasn’t the same sin that Eve and Adam fell to when they reasoned that they could be as good as God and know everything, so that they could lead their lives without the superintending power of God? Is that finally it? Wanting to be independent, arrogant, not answerable to any power, be on your own? Be a master of your own fate? That is the real delusion, wanting to lead a life apart from God, who gave life to us.  

His main objection to religious faith, he says is ‘that it does not depend on rational justification.’ Great apologists like Ravi Zacharias, Craig, Warner Wallace and such others, have given rational arguments to prove the existence of God in writing and in debates. Would you listen to them? Or have your heart been hardened and eyes blinded and ears deafened?

Before ending this blog I want to say just one thing. Nietzsche, the famous German philosopher, wrote in the 1845s that ‘God is dead.’ He also argued that human beings could be super-humans themselves and achieve great heights in whatever they set their mind. Fed by these concepts there arose in the land of Germany, Hitler, who thought of himself as a super human and brought devastation to the whole world.

Today the English Evolutionary biologist has written this book ‘The God Delusion,’ in 2006. It is not even a decade since, but already Europe is under the throes of a great deluge of refugees swamping the European countries, especially Germany. These countries are open heatedly welcoming these refugees, most of whom are young Muslim men. Europe is committing ‘harakiri.’ It is plunging in a knife into its own belly and is going to wallow in its own death blood.

Why such a situation? That, countries which have risen to the pinnacle of civilization should commit such acts, which will harm only them and change the face of Europe? If the population of Europeans is dwindling and there is a need for laborers and workers, why not follow the model of USA and hire educated professionals from developing countries on work-permit and later absorb them?

The reason for such hara-kiri is not far to search. It is writings like that of Dawkins, which destroy even the vestige of religious faith that their population have. When Christ and faith in Him are thrown out of a country, there is a vacuum and who will fill it up? Hoards of Jihadist and Muslims refugees, who thumb their nose at European civilization and proclaim, “We will produce five and six children; we will marry your girls and make them wear the veil.”

Jesus narrated a parable of a man from whom an unclean spirit was thrown out; this spirit returns and finds the place in the heart of that man empty, swept and put in order. Then he goes, gathers seven other spirits more wicked as him and enters and dwells there. “…and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation,” Mt.12:43-45.

Yes, perhaps that is what is happening to Europe and to the West in general. But there is still time to repent, get back to the compassionate and kind God, who is ever willing to forgive such renegades and welcome them back into His fold.

Will people who are swayed by Dawkins and writings like that listen? 

The Day of Return – Can we be sure when it will be?

What is sure from the teaching of Christ in the Bible is that one day He will return to our world in glory and power and judge the nations. The world is definitely hurtling towards the end times. The question is whether it is possible for us to know the day and the time of that awesome day?

In the previous two blogs we examined the events like war, famine, earthquakes and persecution of Christians as the beginning of sorrows. Lawlessness will abound and the Gospel of Christ will be preached all over the world. These two conditions we see being fulfilled in our times. Jesus had said, ‘and then the end will come.’ Mt. 24:14.

The final indication of the end times will be the great tribulation, such as one has never seen or will see. Mt.24:21. False christs and false prophets will rise and perform great signs and miracles, but do not be carried away, warns Jesus. The great tribulation has been described graphically in the last book of the Bible, Revelation.

The last of all signs of His return will be that the powers of heavens will be shaken and sun will be darkened, and stars will fall from heaven as if a mighty tree has been shaken.

Then will appear the sign of Jesus Christ, Son of God, in the sky. Like the lightening that flashes in one area, but is seen all over the sky above us, so will be the coming of Jesus Christ, says Jesus.

So no one can really fool us saying Jesus has come here or there. His coming will be witnessed by the whole world. It will be a powerful display for He will come in His power and glory with all His angels and archangels. Mt. 24:27.

But do we know when exactly it will be? Can we with confidence set a time and say all these will happen at this year or on this day or season?

Many are prophesying that tribulations are already on in the world. Experiencing the scorching sun, which relentlessly beats down without any traces of rain, for the past 15 days or so, in Bangalore, the city of gardens and the air-conditioned city, one wonders may be it is true that we are in the tribulation period!

Be that as it may, Jesus made one thing very clear; no one knows the time or the date of His return, not even the angels who minister God. Only the Father, God of this universe, Creator and Sustainer of this great and wonderful universe, alone knows the time He has set for the end of the world and the return of Christ for the judgment of the world. Mt.24:36.

In another place, Jesus, after his resurrection warns his disciples, “It is not for you to know the times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority.” Acts 1:7.

He says, “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming,” for He will come upon the world as a thief would. If the owner of the house knew when the thief will break in, he would be awake and be ready to deal with the culprit. But no thief announces his arrival and then come. He comes when he is least expected. So also will be the coming of Christ. Luke 12:39, 40.

The understanding that Jesus was trying to impart to his disciples was that they have to be ready any time, because Christ will be returning at an hour when they least expected him. In short, do not speculate, but be ready always for you do not know when he will come.

That is the lesson we need to learn also. Jesus Christ might return today and we will be asked to give an account for all we did during our journey on earth or we might die before He returns and in that case also we will have to give an account before the Judge of the entire world.

So the wise thing to do is to be ready always, so that we are not taken by surprise by the turn of events in our lives. We may die before He comes or He might come when we are still alive. Either way we are to be ready, if not to be taken by surprise, like the people of Noah’s time who perished in the floods, or like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, when fire fell on them and destroyed them. 

Till such time the people of Noah’s generation and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were living as if they were going to live forever, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. Mt. 25: 38. Aren’t we doing the same today? Would we be ready?

What is that ‘to be ready?’ It is to repent for our sinful ways and life, acknowledge the need of a Savior, go on our knees to Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, seek forgiveness, and then live a life in faith as a child of God, justified by Jesus through what he did for us on the cross.

Are you ready? Can you take Christ as your Savior? Can you trust your life, soul with Him? You better answer this soon. 

Once you do that, you need not worry about the time or day or the year of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It can be today or tomorrow or after another 25 or 50 years or even after some 2000 years! That really doesn’t matter.

What matters most would be the answer to the question, are you saved? Can you live in the assurance of Christ’s love as a redeemed person, who will be taken along with Christ, when He comes and be able to inherit eternal life?

Are you sure of your salvation in Christ? 

If not do something about it now, for there may not be much time left for you to decide.

Is Second Coming of Jesus imminent? Is it almost at the Door?

Continuing from my previous blog, is the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ imminent? Is it almost at the door?

For centuries devoted Christians were waiting and longing for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Even the Apostle Paul and his contemporaries were expecting the return of the Lord any time in their own life-time. It slowly dawned on them that it was not going to be that soon. Ever since Christians have speculated that the end times, when Jesus will appear in the clouds, was at hand.

 

This expectation might have been due to one or two promises of the Lord when he was with his disciples on earth. When Jesus was transfigured on a mountain, before the eyes of the disciples Peter, James and John, as narrated in the gospels, (Mt.17:1-8 and elsewhere), his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as snow and he was seen talking to Moses, the Law giver and Elijah the Prophet of renown.

A week before this experience, Jesus while prophesying about his Second Coming,  had told his disciples that ‘there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.” Mt.16:28.

In Mark 9:1, it is reported that Jesus told his disciples, “…there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power.” Luke 9:27, repeats the same prediction that “…there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God.”

These are the predictions and sayings of Jesus Christ, which might have given the impression to the disciples that some of those who were standing with him then, would not die before the coming of the Kingdom of God in power, which will be indicated when the Lord returns to earth, this time in power and glory, accompanied by His angels to judge the world.

Three of the disciples did get to see Jesus in His Glory as he transfigured on the mountain in the sight of Peter, James and John. He was in His glorified body and was seen talking to the renowned prophets of old, who had died long ago. That was the kingdom of God that Jesus mentioned, which is yet to come in full, and a foretaste of which the three disciples were given on earth.

This must have given rise to the belief that Jesus will return before some of the disciples had died, but very soon they discovered this was not what Jesus had meant. Having clarified this issue, I will move on to clarify another saying of Jesus which might have given rise to such expectations of early return of the Lord.

The resurrected Jesus Christ appeared to seven disciples at Galilee, where they had gone to resume fishing, now that their Leader and Mentor Jesus has died and presumably gone, and commissioned Peter to be His shepherd to feed His sheep, after restoring him.

During that appearance when Peter asked Jesus what about the disciple John, and Jesus said, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow me.” John 21:22. This also gave rise to a speculation that this particular disciple, John will not die, but this is not what Jesus meant.

What he really meant was to ask Peter, ‘why are you bothered about the work or fate of another person? You do what I have asked you to do.’  This is a weighty principle which every one of us may have to keep in mind as we do our secular or ministerial calling.

This statement of Jesus also could have given rise to the thinking that Jesus will return soon enough, when some of them were still alive. Every time there were terrible things happening in the world, like the Black Death in Europe or the Crusades or the two World Wars or the holocaust, or presently the horror of ISIS, people have speculated that the time of the return of Christ was imminent. But the world as we know is still going on, so some non-believers and even believers might point out.

Jesus had told a few other things when he was on earth. He famously said, “in My Father’s house are many mansions;…I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be also.” John 14:2, 3.

This is one of the explicit messages that Jesus gave to indicate that he will come back again and will take with him his disciples so that they could also be with him, where ever he would be. But he also said in Mt.10:23, “When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man returns.”

Though many interpretations are offered for this passage, it clearly indicates that before Jesus Christ, the Son of Man returns, his disciples wouldn’t have been able to cover all the villages and cities where Gospel, the Good News has to be announced. It was as if he was saying, “There is work to do folks, so do not get killed unnecessarily, just flee when persecution strikes, so that you will live to tell the News elsewhere.”

I am sure all the nooks and corners of the world are not yet covered with the Good News that Jesus Christ could save us by forgiving us our sins, because of what He did on the cross and give us the hope of resurrection and eternal life to spend eternity with Him. This is the message and the good news for humankind to hear and accept.

God does not want anyone to perish, so He is patient with us, so we could repent and return to Him, which is the core of the teaching and message of Jesus Christ. “He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. He has and is and will give plenty of time for mankind to hear the Good News and accept Him through Jesus Christ. So have two millennia passed without the world really ending as it should have been.

The present question is has the time come now? Is the world ready for the Second Coming and the judgment that will follow it?

More of it in the next week. 

End Times, are they really here?

Christian magazines, writings, prophecies of the modern day prophets and the messages of the prominent Christian ministers are loaded with predictions of the end-times. The imminence of the return of Christ in His glory, which is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, is the most anticipated event of the day.

Predictions and interpretations of red moons over Jerusalem, the Syrian war, entry of Russia in Syrian war, growing persecution of Christians all over the world, especially in the Middle East and by ISIS, not to miss Africa and even India, are all taken as the indications of the imminent return of the Lord. Christians are bullied, butchered, killed, maimed, and throats cut as if they are chicken, in these countries.  

The increase in immorality in the world, especially in the West, like the legalization of the same sex marriage has only added fuel to the fire. Installation of a goat-headed statue with horns at Detroit, USA, which is the symbol of worship of Satan, and the brotherhood that engages in this open satanic worship with all the accompaniments to it, like human sacrifice and blood curdling rituals, including sexual orgies, have definitely been seen as the increase of virulence of the evil in the world.

It is the openness with which these evil and immoral acts are performed without impunity that scares a well meaning, God-fearing person. But are these indicative of a imminent return of the Lord Jesus Christ as He had promised when He was on earth? What did He say about it? What does the Scripture tell us about it? We will analyze some of these.

When His disciples asked Jesus when will these things be, and what will be the sign of His coming and of the end of the age, Jesus took some time to explain to His disciples. He said, “you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:6 (Mt. 24:6).

So wars and rumors of even a Third Nuclear War may not be the sure indications. Yes, the world has seen the Great War and the Second World War. Still the world is on. “For,” Jesus said, “nations will rise against nations, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various parts.” Mt.24:7. Still all these He considered as only ‘beginning of sorrows.’

Famines and pestilences have stalked the world many times over, especially in war-torn countries like Sudan or Sri Lanka or Mali. Earth quakes have devastated the earth with increasing intensity, may be because the population has increased and every calamity downs a huge number of people. Still these are not the indications. “All these are the beginning of sorrows.”

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulations and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.” Mt.24:9. It is not just ISIS that is beheading Christians, but Christians have been thrown to lions and bears to be torn apart and burnt on stakes, ever since the beginning of Christianity.

Still I cannot understand why in India, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the supporting organization of the ruling party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the BJP itself should hate Christians and launch many atrocities against them, excepting that the Lord had said that ‘you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake.’

“Lawlessness will abound, and the love of many will grow cold,” Jesus said in Mt.24:12. Paul talks of the ‘man of lawlessness who will be revealed.’ 2 Thessalonians 2:3. Present Western Christian literature abounds with predictions like Obama being the Man of Lawlessness or the Anti-Christ; and the present Pope Francis being the False Prophet, both moving towards establishing One World Government, as predicted in the book of Revelation.

“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come,” said Jesus. Mt.24:14. This is scary, for today the gospel is preached all over the world through mass media. Is this a sure indicator of the end of the world?  

Bear with me till the next blog, where I will deal with it in more detail, taking up from where I have left now.