John Piper Syndrome

Are there some important issues in your life which you find so perplexing to affirm them or to deny them? Issues that most people seem to know for certain but you are very uncertain. Issues that you have to act upon them because they are very crucial and pressing.

Well, we all have. I would like to call such a mental condition, "John Piper Syndrome" because I like Dr. John Piper and would like to name after him. By the way, that's tongue in cheek too! He is a godly man, and it's because of that I can afford to make fun of him. Certainly, you wouldn't want to make fun of Kim Jong Un. He would evaporate you!

John Piper is an interesting influential guy with intriguing undecided issues. His other influential friends are certain, but he wonders how they are certain. Sometimes he would attempt to get along with them, sometimes he would not. His very certain friends would call him out when he is not in line with them!

This is about Piper, Grudem, MacArthur, and White on the issues of speaking in tongues and the presidential election of America! The first issue is very important for all Christians in the world. The second issue is important for Christians of America particularly. Piper is uncertain about these issues while those three are very certain!

Grudem believes in charismatic gifts that speaking in tongues, a gift of healings, and prophecy still must be sought after by our present church until the return of the Lord. He wrote many books including one of the most influential Systematic Theology books promoting it. John Piper is caught praying for the gift of tongues in a video. His other friend, MacArthur, on the other hand, believes those specific gifts cease to exist in our time, and called out John Piper for his uncertainty in the 2013 Strange Fire Conference. However, MacArthur was sympathetic towards him and he even wrote a letter of plea to charismatic friends. You will find that letter in the book, Strange Fire.

Grudem believes Trump is a better choice than Biden. MacArthur also believes so. They will vote for Trump and will pray for Trump re-election. Piper believes Biden is disqualified and doesn't want to even talk about him, but he has lots of questions for those who favor Trump. Again Grudem has written a long letter to Anti-Trump Christian Friends. Yesterday Piper puts up a new article to which James White responds by calling him out.

That's what and why and how I call John  Piper Syndrome! 

 

Here are some of the links I am talking about:

1. Grudem's Letter: Letter to anAnti-Trump Christian Friend

2. Piper's Article: Policies, Persons, and Paths to Ruin: Pondering The Implications Of The 2020 Election

3. James White called out Piper (54:20 minutes onwards): The Pope, theRed Pill, the Muslims, and John Piper

Updated 27/10/2020: More links to read

4. Sam Storms’ Response: A brief reflection on John Piper’s recent article concerning the presidential election.

5. Albert Mohler’s Article: Christians, Conscience, and the Looming 2020 Election

6. Wayne Grudem’s Response: A respectful response to my friend John Piper about voting for Trump

Thinking through Pope Francis' Comments on Same-Sex Civil Union

My 2 Cents on Pope Francis’ view on Same-Sex Civil Unions

I'm sure I'm not a primary source of information for you regarding this news. Nor have I ever thought of myself to be an authoritative guy for anyone especially on news such as this. So, if you're reading this, I will assume that you've read from primary and authoritative sources already. Or you can watch the documentary when it is out. I'd like to tackle this issue differently as I often do, to give 2 cents on some current issues for my regular and random blog readers. (Actually, I have posted this article on some WhatsApp groups already. This is just a blog version with minor edits and inclusion of links for further reading or watching.)

This month, I've been watching some recommended mathematical movies to appreciate better the contributions of Mathematicians to our society. Yesterday, I watched The Imitation Game, a Benedict Cumberbatch starrer biographical movie of Cambridge Mathematician, Alan Turing. Nobel Prize of Computer Science is named after him as "Turing Award." 

The movie is about how he and his team decoded the German Enigma, which helped the Allied forces won the 2^nd  World War. The movie also presented the other side of Alan Turing, his homosexual struggle. While I don't know much about the British Law on homosexuality in the early 1900s, the movie presented Alan Turing to be a victim of unenlightened discrimination, which the 21^st Century world should condemn.

It makes the movie-goers to ponder, "Why can't we allow homosexuals to live a normal life, they deserve it!" That's what Hollywood Media wants everyone to believe. Well, we need to define what "normal" is and its ramification before anyone advocates that position.

Let's recall some major events in the history of America. By the late 1980s, same-sex "marriage" has become a very hot political issue in America. Republican politicians sponsored a Defense of Marriage Acts bill and eventually signed it into law by a Democratic president, Bill Clinton in 1996. Bill Clinton was not happy about it, but he couldn't go against it because the Congress and the Senate had passed the bill. That bill clearly defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman in section 3.

Perhaps the adage "Laws were made to be broken" is practically true. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom (presently the governor of California, who restricts church services in this era of Covid19) defied the marriage law of California, in issuing a marriage license to same-sex couples. Over3000 homosexual couples had been "married," and the court refused to intervene it.

This prompted a Republican president, George Bush to favor the Federal Marriage Amendment Bill in the February of 2004. That amendment bill is a call to protect the institution of marriage as a union of one man and one woman. It was introduced in the Congress from 2002 till 2015, but unfortunately, it was never passed. 

Following the endorsement of that bill to protect the institution of marriage by George Bush were attacks and criticism from same-sex activists. Larry King invited Mayor Newsom and an actor Chad to represent their views on CNN. He also invited pastor John MacArthur and a Colorado Congresswoman for a debate against them. You can watch that exchange on YouTube. In that debate, they wanted not only a Same-sex Civil Union but more, they wanted it to be called "marriage," which they got it by 2013 known as the Windsor decision. It struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Acts which was signed into law in 1996 as unconstitutional.

Then, by 2015, which we all remember, "same-sex marriage" has become legal in America through the Obergefell decision, which struck down section 2 of Defense of Marriage Acts 1996 as superseded and unenforceable.

On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court of India has made homosexuality legal in India. According to that decision, it is not a crime to practice homosexuality. Before that decision, it was punishable by up to 10 years of imprisonment. I don't know much about Indian Marriage Law. Last time, I called up a lawyer friend of mine to talk about Marriage Law in India, and I am told India doesn't have a unified marriage law. 

In India, Same-Sex Marriage or Same-Sex Civil Union is still not recognized. In 2017, the UniformCivil Code was drafted which would recognize same-sex marriages. BJP became the first political party to support it. However, neither the Code nor same-sex marriages have been legalized until now.  In fact, in February of 2020, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad replied,"Presently, there is no proposal to legalize same-sex marriage."

Even in India that has no Judeo-Christian worldview, a same-sex civil union is not recognized. Even in the fallen whole wide world, the term civil union has become popular only by the late 1990s. The Roman Catholic Church over the centuries does not recognize a same-sex civil union. It is not even to be mentioned as a normal acceptable thing. The Bible condemns homosexuality as a sin. It is not normal behavior, but an abnormal one (Romans 1:18-32). For Pope Francis to endorse Same-Sex Civil Union, in saying "They are children of God and have a right to be in a family" is an embarrassment for Conservative Roman Catholics.

Every human being including homosexuals, drunkards, rapists, liars, down syndrome, the fetus in wombs, etc, are created in the image of God. Therefore we can be called children of God, and one another as brothers and sisters. However, the Bible makes a clear biblical distinction between the children of God and the children of the Devil (1John 3:10). For a religious leader like Pope Francis to say "children of God" loosely in such a setting is very telling.

Furthermore, what kind of right is he talking about by "right to be in a family"? A political right? A God-given right? It is in our DNA, and everything around us shows that only a union of male and female brings forth a baby which constitutes a family, which in turn creates a society, a nation, and a human race. Male-Male or Female-Female doesn't bring forth a baby. It doesn't make a family.

Despite this indictment, it doesn't mean that homosexuals are beyond salvation. It doesn't mean they are more sinful than you and me. It just means we must call sin a sin, and not celebrate it. As much as adultery, fornication, debauchery, and polygamy are sinful, homosexuality is. Jesus came to earth not to condemn sinners but to call sinners to repentance. That's the good news, the gospel, that He came to save us from the penalty, power, and the practice of sins. We must turn away from sins and follow Him. Many early Christians were such (homosexuals, fornicators, drunkards, thieves etc), but they turn away from such and followed Christ (1Cor.6:9-11).

In fact, everyone is a sinner including Abraham, Paul, Peter, John, and Mary. Everyone is called to repent and be His life-long disciples. None of us who are Christians now can look at any sinner including a homosexual and say, "You are more sinful than us!" Genuine Christians are more loathful of their own sins than the sins of others. Thanks be to God, Jesus is our propitiation! (Romans 3:25). If you want to know what and how Jesus becomes our propitiation, I would suggest you read the book of Romans.

[The cultural revolution has invaded all form of institutions, including the church. The sexual revolution of Romans 1:18-32 is highly on display. The view of Pope Francis on this is not a biblically-based conviction. It has nothing to do with the Bible, but a conformation with the dictates of the reprobate minds of the world. Christians are not to be conformed to this world, but be a transforming light and salt to the world. And to talk about the presidential election of USA, Christians are to vote for the party and candidate that align most to the Christian values.]

Thanks for reading and thinking through! You are welcome to post a rejoinder!

A Eulogy To Ravi Zacharias – by Suanlal

[This is a eulogy to Ravi Zacharias written by one of my friends, Suanlal. He is a voracious reader, reading a wide range of books of different genres. You can reach him through Facebook here.]

Suanlal with Ravi-ji, Delhi

“God buries His workmen, but carries on His work.” —Charles Wesley.

March 2016 @ Delhi, I met you, Uncle Ravi. You were so humble to respond to my question, a man who came from a small unknown town. That moment, as I look back I truly understand what you often said, “behind every question is a questioner.” My tryst with you started somewhere around 2012/13. I was a new believer then who had silly questions concerning the Christian Faith. You demonstrate Christianity is intellectually plausible and existentially satisfying and relevant. In other words, you make me understand Why the Mind Matters in Christianity and the role of reason in spiritual transformation.

BACK THEN, to be honest, I didn't always understand what you said or wrote. Your vocabulary was way beyond my comprehension. It has been a journey to coming to know you. I still remember me looking forward to every Friday for your radio program "Let My People Think." I still remember listening to your testimony "Faith Under Fire" in my hostel room and weeping! You will continue to minister to my heart. Uncle Ravi, I will miss your distinct voice. There is something that ticks with it. You have a way of touching the nerve center of life. You left a large void in my heart. Tremendous loss. I am still processing the weight of this loss.

Thank you, Ravi, for your influence on my formative Christian life. It was you who introduced me to the field of Apologetics. My life has never been the same knowing you. I am reminded of what Isaac Newton have said centuries ago "If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants."

Now that, You have met the one who speaks to you in your suicide death-bed “Because I live, you will live also,” you will have all your questions answered personally and hear the word “Well done, good and faithful slave!” Oh, what a thought!

Ravi is a convincing proof of the Gospel power to transform lives. Reflecting on how God’s grace is beyond description over his family, Ravi concluded, “He lifted all of us over the walls of our own imprisonment.” The same God can free you from your bondage too. Friends, we should remember Ravi Zacharias, and in remembering him, remember Jesus Christ, the Savior and Lord he loved and served so faithfully.

“Apologetics is seen before it is heard,” says Ravi. This is one of the many sayings of Ravi that keeps tugging in my heart that I will never forget in my Christian Walk. Coming from a not so good background, I could only cherish what I have heard from him saying, “Jesus Christ does not only change what you do, he changes what you want to do,” which is personally evident in my life.

I would like to end with one of his most inspirational lines that I came across from one of his books, Jesus Among Other Gods: “From then on, my longings, my hopes, my dreams, and my every effort has been

to live for Him who rescued me,

to study for Him who gave me this mind,

to serve Him who fashioned my will,

and to speak for Him who gave me a voice.” – Ravi Zacharias.

#ThankYouRavi

Written by Suanlal Zou

You can also read my eulogy to Ravi Zacharias HERE

Reflection on (a kind of brooding over) the death of Ravi Zacharias.

Ravi Zacharias is without parallel the most influential Christian India has ever produced. We might not see again a person of his caliber in our lifetime. Even in the stage of the whole wide world, he remains one of the greatest Christian apologists of the late 20^th century and the early 21^st century. True to the motto of his ministry, he persuades the believer to think and the thinker to believe.

The death of Ravi Zacharias is heart-breaking to those who look up to him as the defender of the faith. Especially for Indians, whose contribution to the churches across the world is small, he has been the model for many Indian Christians. Now, “we have Ravi Zacharias,” will be “we had Ravi Zacharias.” Surely, he emigrated, but his upbringing, his blood, his fluency in Indian language, and his looks scream out loud that he has been an Indian all his lifelong though his earthly citizenship may not be.

The first time I listened to Ravi Zacharias was 10 years ago in Shillong. The Internet was not available then as these days. I had a friend (bro. Juban Wahlang) who was working in an office of UESI-NE Shillong. He would let me use the office computer sometimes. I used to download the sermons of John MacArthur and had been listening regularly. My friend asked for pastor John’s sermon telling me he will give me the sermons (“let my people think” series) of Ravi Zacharias. Well, that turned out to be one of the best deals I ever had with anyone.

I was with SSEU (UESI-NE) in 2010-2013. We had a very good relationship with RZIM, Shillong. Many times we invited Dr. Balajied, bro. Tejdor to our programs. They also invited us to help them out as volunteers in one of their mega-events. When I graduated from St. Anthony’s College, Shillong, I paid a visit to the RZIM office to meet bro. Tejdor for a career opportunity, but he was out of the station. A few days later he was gracious enough to call me up and ask about my purpose of visit. Surely, the staff, whom I had a lengthy friendly conversation had informed him. Well, I was already on my way to Delhi boarding a train and ended up in Seminary a year later.

I have spent hundreds of hours listening to Ravi Zacharias, and have read some of his best books. Two of my favorites are “Can Man Live Without God?” and “I, Isaac, Take Thee, Rebekah.” Ravi Zacharias has mastered the art of illustrating truth statements and imprinting in the heart and mind of his listener. For instance, I had heard him many times in his lectures reciting the lyrics of “Cats in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, I was so glad to find it in page 109 of “Can Man Live without God?” I have used that lyrics and many other illustrations more effectively thanks to the influence of Ravi.

One of my favorite sermons/lectures is from “Let my people think” about Jonah the reluctant prophet. Many years ago I saw my 11-year old sister misbehaving, and as a punishment for her, I decided to let her stay alone in a room with an earpiece on her ears playing that sermon. Well, she enjoyed the sermon and refused to give me back my phone. I am sure she didn’t understand many of the sophisticated vocabulary of Ravi Zacharias, but it is telling that a man of such intellect could mesmerize even the mind of an 11-year old kid.

Ravi is the first Indian Christian I enjoyed listening to and remains the best Indian Christian I will keep on listening to. He is also the best Indian Christian author I have ever read. He is the first apologist I came to know, and then through him, I let myself be influenced by Geisler and Lane Craig. By now, I have favored presuppositional apologetics but Ravi has always been more than an apologist, he is a preacher, communicator, evangelist, and a voice of clear thinking. I have never met him face to face, and I decided to be contented that I was able to attend one of his lectures in September of 2013 in Delhi. Well, it made no sense for me to waste his time. Maybe something like the attitude of Peter, “O depart from me, for I am a sinner!”

Some of my favorite Christian leaders who I enjoy listening to and reading their works have already gone to be with the Lord. Surely, death will come for all of us if Christ tarries to come. And surely each year, one after another, our favorite and beloved Christian leaders will make their way to heaven. Reflecting this fact is gloomy in one way because we are without giants of faith but the enemies are still roaring. At the same time, we must realize the baton is passed on to us, and the battle will go on and the victory will always be ours in the end for the Lord Jesus is the captain, alive and active.

Below here are some of the top Christian leaders who have gone to be with the King of glory in the last 5 years period, and their top books that have influenced me the most. They have run the race very well influencing millions along the way. Surely, the Lord has welcomed them with “Well Done!” as we bid them with farewell words, “You have lived well!”

Ravi and RC

CHURCH AND LOCKDOWN

—Challenges And Hopes In Times Of Lockdown—

Dear Pastors, Church Members and Christians,

I pray and hope that God's grace is sufficient for us and our church at all times, even in this unusual time of Lockdown. For Christians, to not able to come to church for this long, when we are in good health is very unusual. We don't enjoy it. Yes, there were few Sundays, especially in winter, when we wished to stay under the blanket and skip church. But that feeling is not what we wear in our hearts this time. I am sure every Christian is missing the church fellowship after 5 consecutive Sundays being gone just like that. Sure, we might not be pious and devoted like the Psalmists (Ps. 27:4; Ps. 42:2; Ps. 84:10; Ps. 122:1) but we do agree as genuine Christians that we love to be in the house of God. The teaching of Hebrew exhorting us not to give up the habit of meeting together is not just an issue of sin for us anymore. (For if we skip church continuously, it's a sin because the Scripture commanded us not to. Any disobedience to the teaching of the Scripture is a sin.) Now, it is an issue of missing the blessings of fellowship— the delights, encouragements, services we missed from one another.

Oh! How we miss the fellowship! It is rightly so because we are to grow in the community. A Christian cannot exist individually as a lone Christian. Our calling as a Christian is in the body of Christ, where Christ is the head, and the church is His body. Each of us is a member of the body as an ear, eye, hand, etc. As an eye cannot exist alone and as an eye needs an ear and hand and so on, without a community of believers it is unthinkable for a Christian to exist. Therefore, missing the church in this Lockdown is a sign of being a true Christian. 

We have only a few people here in our church. Actually, looking at the nature and prospect of the ministry, it is difficult to call it a church, but we all know that there's no perfect church anywhere since the beginning of the conception of the first visible local church. So, we do not lose heart to go on as a body of Christ. Though we are young and immature, we understand the nature of the church and continue to seek and value the importance of meeting together at least once a week. So, even in this time of Lockdown, we convene Zoom Meeting. We sing, pray, read and study God's word, exhort and give updates about one another. Those who had the habit of skipping church continue to do so with this and that excuses. Those who love to have fellowship continue to show up irrespective of the timing. While the faithful realize the blessedness of fellowship in this Lockdown, the ignorant enjoy the suspension of church services. I suppose they fool their conscience by saying to themselves, "The government declared Lockdown, so stay home no matter what!" Before the Lockdown, even the nominal Christians had some sense of guilt for not coming to church. Now, they can fool their conscience from the feeling of guilt.

But you who are sensible know that feelings and reality are different. You can be guilty and not feel guilty. Also, you can feel guilty and actually be not guilty. As Ben Shapiro would always put in an effective way, "Fact doesn't care your feelings." Those ignorant who don't feel guilty for not coming to church now has always been guilty. And those faithful who feel terrible and guilty for missing the church for so long aren't guilty. You see, it's not the issue of circumstances, it's the issue of the heart, "Do you truly love the Lord Jesus Christ and His bride?"

We are not naive to have unrealistic expectations in this time of the pandemic, but we expect God to work in His time for His glory alone. We have been open to the idea that those who weren't able to wake up in time for Sunday worship service (before the Lockdown) would be able to join us if we schedule it in the evening. But it is evident that those who are faithful will remain faithful irrespective of circumstances, and those who are ignorant will remain ignorant even if an angel from heaven shows up. Abraham's reply to the rich man concerning the request of the rich man to send Lazarus to warn his brothers from the reality of his damnation in the story narrated by Jesus is indeed telling (Luke 16:19-31). A friend of mine once asked, "Why do you convene a meeting in Zoom seeing that it has only 45 minutes duration, why don't you use WhatsApp or other apps because you are few in numbers? Well, my reply is, "We know we are few, but we aren't supposed to be few. There are people who profess to be Christians, and by their profession, they should be joining us. Whether they join us today or not we are reserving a space for them where they should rightly occupy even if they don't show up today. And BTW, they may show up next time." Well, it has been 5 Sundays, and those who weren't serious before the Lockdown continue to be unmindful of. Some have hardened themselves by terminating the means of communication. As Pastor John MacArthur wisely counseled that a preacher should preach to the ones on the seats, and not be bothered with the empty seats. And as there are tares and wheat in the same field, we must rejoice with the wheat and not be discouraged with the tares of the field.

In summary: The challenge is, of course, the social distancing and the technical issues that come with the technology. Also the hardness of the hearts of some! The hope of ministry is that the Grace of God continues to work in us irrespective of circumstances, that the faithful remain faithful, and realize the grace of God in ordinary times (before the Lockdown) which we hardly took time to consider upon when things were going OK. As we endure this time, Pastors, as Paul exhorted Timothy, we must preach in season and out of season (2 Tim 2:2). Christians, we must remember the question of Jesus, “When the Son of man comes, will He find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8). And Church Members, be of good cheers that Jesus is building His church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against His bride (Matthew 16:18).

Some intriguing observations concerning Passion Week in the time of this Pandemic.

The world is practicing social distancing, but social media helps us keep in touch with one another. We Christians are thankful for the technology. We are not naive of the value of technology, nor are we anti-science, anti-technology, or anti-intellectual. Rather we contend that the reason for all this development of technology and its possibility is because the God of the Bible endowed human beings the potential and the moral obligation to be so. In the beginning, when God created human beings, he blessed them and commanded them to have dominion over the things of the earth. The word “dominion” in Genesis 1:28 has the idea of ruling over, subduing to our advantage. So, man building bridges, curving tunnels, exploring oceans, and etc., defying the law of physics (nature) for our advantage is commendable and not surprising to Christians.

In this pandemic, as the scientists search for the cure and as we Christians stay indoor out of love for our fellow neighbors, we continue to need one another and keep in touch with one another through social media. It is unfortunate that we have to stay indoor for this long especially that we cannot gather together for the events of Passion Week. However, God continues to work in a mysterious way for our own good to the praise of His glory. Here are some of the intriguing observations I see concerning Passion Week in this time of Pandemic. I called it “intriguing,” because they are good but at the same time, we need to be very discerning. I would want them to be far better than these, to go deeper than the peripheral, into the truths revealed in the Scripture.

1.      Some people have a better theology in their WhatsApp status update than their actual theological convictions.

It is good to see people expressing their faith in social media. Actually, we Christians are to be salt and light of the world. With the arrival of the Passion Week, many are updating their WhatsApp Status with gospel-centered quotes, and theologically profound verses. On the other hand, it is also true that some of them have no idea what they are uploading. They are just sugarcoating their spiritual looks. Social media has become like the Athens of Paul’s day. They are for people to tell or hear some new things, new fads, or new trends. While some are doing with a theological conviction consistent with their beliefs, others aren’t. Sure, with the technology, one can easily access the best quotations of our times, the most relevant lines of our day. You could find almost anything by just googling it. Even without googling, there are ways how certain things get your attention through a way of recommendation by artificial intelligence. Moreover, part of what it gets to be in social media is to receive and to see many (if not all) the latest stuff of the time.

My concern is regarding the skin-deep profession of faith. It comes easily and goes away easily. While it may (Oh! I pray) stir up convictions to some of the viewers, it doesn’t last long. One of the great penetrating truth in all these is the availability of the word of God for all of us. God’s word, sound doctrine, Christian ethics, faithful teachings are at our reach. We have no excuse for not accessing them when in need. Also, what it means is though how sinful we may have become, still, the image of God in us continues to reveal to us our moral obligations, what is good for us and what we should be doing. I would like to compare with the sentiments offered by most of the politicians and public speakers in times of calamities. They would often say, “Our thoughts and prayers are with them!” Well, we all know that such statements have become just a way of reacting politely, and not meaning anything. As Donald Trump questioned the sincerity of Nancy Pelosi’s prayer for him, much of the spiritual sentiments of our days are often just a cultural way of conversation. But in expressing so, we are demonstrating that we really have the obligation to do so, which is morally good and right to do so.

2.      Genuine Christians miss the church: the fellowship of the saints, the gathering, the worship, the singing, the unison of prayer, and the hearing of the word of God.

Christian missing the church, which I mean is the emotional aspect of wanting to go church, and not the action of skipping church, is actually deeply encouraging. One of the great revelations of the suspension of church worship services is the distinction of the genuine Christians from the cultural Christians. The genuine Christians come to church because they love to in the manner of Psalmist and early Christians. Oh! How the psalmist loved to be in the worship place! He would rather be in the place of worship a day than to be anywhere else thousands of days. The cultural Christians come to church because it looks cool to be spiritual sometimes. As long as the culture favors, they go along with it. When the culture of social distancing and the government says otherwise, so, the love of gathering not only vanished but they even repudiate those who seek to gather.

It is unnatural for a Christian who has a normal life to be skipping the church consecutively. It is a sin to do so according to the teaching of Hebrews. Just as the deer pants for water, so Christian must long after the fellowship of the saints. It’s natural for Christian to be in the church. It is really encouraging to see Christians expressing their desires to come to church. I admire and share the concerns of Tom Buck when he tweeted here and there questioning the suspension of Church as non-essential while, on the other hand, permitting the industry of abortions and fake news media as essential. Actually, it is not the high morale of an individual Christian that makes him yearn for the gathering of the saints, but it is the Spirit of God that works in us. It is a theological reality.

3.      Some Christians are popularizing the truth written by the humanist and naturalist regarding the environment, which they have discovered on the basis of a Christian worldview, but with a pretense of finding it from their obfuscated worldviews.

Every now and then, social media is sharing the effects of lockdown on the environment. There are really some good outcomes of this lockdown. I am not an environmental scientist to come out with scientific evidence that the sky is brighter, the air is purer, and what else, but I sure hope and believe so. It should be a thing of delight to share such good news, but most of what has been said and shared are unfortunately virtue signaling. They condemn man in third-person as if they themselves are above reproach. And they exalt animals and nature as if they are of more value. What is a Christian response to this? A Christian knows that he is responsible for his sins and his actions. We all are wicked people without exception. No matter what we say or mean, what we do or try to do, how we try to do, each of our motives is mixed with sins. We affirm with the book of Genesis that all the intentions of man are only evil continually. We all live in a fallen world and are inescapable in our participation of sin, directly or indirectly.

The basis to care for the environment is very much a Christian teaching. We are just a steward of God’s world. And by the way, God is not done with the creation, He is preserving it. No greed of man nor threat from an extraterrestrial object can exhaust the resources of the earth unless God wills so. In fact, God in an amazing way has a way of preserving the environment. For the Israelites, He has the concept of Sabbath, Sabbatical year, and Jubilee. It could be true that the lockdown we are experiencing could be a way of preserving the environment, but we don’t know that for sure. But no matter what, only human among the creations of God is the bearer of God’s image. What that means is Human is of infinite value if we are to weigh it in the scale of our material possession. Sure, what is the profit if one gains the whole world and loses his own soul?

I can’t intellectually appreciate the activities and saying of the environmentalist and naturalist especially when they are outspoken deniers and rejecters of God. They have no basis for their values from their worldviews. Some of the things they said are true but it is because they happened to live in God’s world, though they denied its Lawgiver. It has to be true because God created the world and preserves it continually through various means. With the true thing they discovered, they mixed it with this and that with their atheistic assumptions. And the unthinking people received it without discerning what is true and what is not. They are the hijacker of Christian worldviews. As I think of this I remembered what Ravi Zacharias said of Richard Dawkins when Dawkins forgot the name of a book and said “Oh God!” Ravi commented that Dawkins had invoked the name of the Lord whom he denied in order to help him deny His existence. It’s true that even the atheist can only exist in God’s world.

4.      Many have expressed the reality of God’s mysterious grace in this pandemic without acknowledging the Creator but attributing to the Coronavirus.

One of the resounding testimony of the Bible is that God is and always remains faithful. He remains faithful even if we are wicked and gone astray. He sends sunshine and rain for the just and unjust alike. So, it is not a surprise for Christian to see many people saying good things that come with the coronavirus. People are dying of this coronavirus, more than a lakh have succumbed to this virus already. It is also true that with or without coronavirus over 56 million people are dying every year. The bible says it is God who gives life and takes life. We can’t live longer nor die earlier than the will of God. God continues to preserve us. Despite the falling of stock markets, and the rate of unemployment soaring up, many are thanking for some of the things they get in this time such as the quality time with family members, a vacation like suspension of works, a generosity from neighbors, a love for a fellow human, and many more.

We know that these are not the gifts of coronavirus. The virus cannot give anything. In fact, these are abstract things that cannot be handed over to someone as gifts which we normally do when we talk about giving. Also, this virus is invisible (to our naked eyes). If there is anything this virus can give is itself, which of course is the one we dislike most currently. We Christians know that it is God who is working for our own good to the praise of His glory. It is His mysterious grace. I agree with Obadiah Sedgwick, a Puritan: “No good man ever lacked anything that was good for him. I may lack a thing which is good, but not which is good for me: ‘For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.’ ‘God has a special providential care for His church because we are the apple of His eye, His children, His lambs, and His jewels. God's care for His people is gracious, tender, mysterious, glorious, exact, and often extraordinary.’” This should help us to worship God.

5.      Some Christians are delighted to share the live streaming link of their church service or of other churches like those competitive exams minded people who were uncannily excited to share the link of each and every match of Barcelona vs Real Madrid, and McGregor vs Mayweather.

It is delighted to see Christians seeking for some kind of Christian fellowship through any means. We thank God that many churches could continue to minister to their members through live streaming technology. It’s equally a delight to see Christians inviting and encouraging others to join them by sharing the live streaming links of their churches or of others. It reminds me of some people who are too excited to share the news of their favorite footballers and celebrities. Not a long time ago, when La Liga wasn’t suspended, many have the habit of updating their WhatsApp status update about the matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The first time I heard of “El Clasico,” I thought it was chocolate, but it turned out to be one of the most exciting events of the Laliga football league. I also remember the time my WhatsApp world is filled with the news of the match between McGregor vs Mayweather. Many were excited to watch the match. While the watching of El Clasico is not amoral, even if that means staying up late till 03:00 AM, and inviting others to join is also not amoral, it is telling what our hearts are after. In fact, sometimes I wondered why some people, who are supposed to be preparing for competitive exams are so obsessive about football matches. Their online activities seem to suggest that they are looking for a career in a football club.

My main concern is not that some people are too obsessive about football matches (though I am concerned somehow) but that not many professing Christians are taking the time to watch the live streaming of the church services in this lockdown when they are staying at home with almost no works. In fact, even if there is any work, must a Christian not lay aside his time to spend time with the word of God? What I am trying to accomplish from this comparison is to encourage more people to be committed (even if not excited) to the live streaming or church services in this time of lockdown, and also to encourage one another to do so by means of sharing the links. At the same time, we thank God for the many preachers who have decided to preach to webcams and empty rooms. That’s not a very comfortable experience. Also, we thank God for pastors and leaders of small churches who are organizing meetings through video conferencing apps. It is the experience of many that technology comes with lots of distractions. No Christians want this to be normal, nor should never be, and will never be. Nothing will prevail against the bride of Jesus Christ for He continues to build the Church.

10 Reasons Why Suicide is NOT the Solution:

Last night I read news about JarridWilson, a US megachurch pastor committing suicide. As my usual habit would have me, I quickly jotted down a few thoughts regarding Suicide and whatsApped to my circle of friends. I realized it was a bit lengthy for a typical WhatsApp post. Moreover, because of my quick typing, I had committed a few mistakes in it. So, I decided to have a minor edit and publish it on this blog.

So, here are the ten reasons (or as a friend of mine would have it) ’10 soothing truths to know for those contemplating committing suicide:’

1. Only God gives life and has the right to take life. (1 Samuel 2:6-7). The context of this passage is Hannah rejoicing in the Lord for an answered prayer after many, many years of bitterness, weeping and anguish of her soul!

2. Your life is not your life, especially if you are in Christ. Your past and even future accusations are already crucified. You are made blameless before God (Gal. 2:20).

3. The Loving-kindness of God is better than the PLEASURES or the PROBLEMS of life (Ps. 63:3). He has demonstrated that at the cross. The context is King David was made to flee away from his own son. He was betrayed and was desperately longing for God’s loving-kindness.

4. Everyone struggles with sins. He that is holiest feels the most wretchedness (Rom. 7). Battling sins and temptations (and even failings) with grief and convictions are actually the signs of growing in sanctification and are pleasing unto God.

5. Nothing can separate us from Jesus— neither sins nor mental retardation, Alzheimer, sickness, persecution, devils or anything. Trust Jesus for who He said to be, not because of what your circumstances made you feel (Rom. 8).

6. If there's any area in our life to consider, it's waiting on God for deliverance (Ps. 130). He often looked slow from our perspective, but He always delivered in a way that we normally don’t understand at the moment of crisis. The family of Moses waited 80 years to see the deliverance of God. Abraham waited 25 years for a promised child.

7. Suicide doesn't cure the struggle, rather the struggle is passed on and is often multiplied upon the survivors. It's one thing to be tagged as a selfish act, and another thing to make the loved ones miserable.

8. Btw, Suicide is sin like any other sins, but a sin that you could not repent of because life is over. However, even it cannot take you away from the fold of God. God’s provision is greater than the deception of Suicide. (cf. Psalm 139)

9. Our true happiness and purpose are found in pleasing the Lord— through knowing God more. And the more we live the more we experience God truer. In the end, nothing we do or don't do changes the election of God. He is able to keep his child from falling away forever (Jude 24).

10. You are not alone struggling it. Talk about it. Seek out for help! Biblical figures like Moses, Elijah, and Jonah anticipated death.

On the flip side, the world has lots of fun to explore such as Niagara Falls, Grand Canyon, marital love, etc., but yes, they fade away in comparison to the New Earth with Christ. Even then, we can live and are commanded to live anticipating for the imminent return of Christ, the Author of perfect and complete deliverance. We long for His return, and not we going our own way to Him.

NOTE: I do not know Pastor Jarrid Wilson. I am not writing about him nor about his struggles. I mention his name just because the news triggered me to write about Suicide especially when the world is observing World Suicide Prevention Day recently. As far as that news is concerned, I would encourage the readers to just pray for his wife and his children!

The other side of Facebook

Billions of people are on Facebook

Are they in the book of life (Lifebook)?

Thousands of users increasing in the former,

Numbers of people missing in the latter.

Have you ever ponder, face-bookers

That Christ wants us to be soul-bookers?

He came to the fishermen,

Calling them to become fishers of men.

They followed, leaving behind their net.

Must we not go beyond the internet?

Wait not for the comfortable time,

For we are told to redeem the time.

You may have friends more than ever

The fans of Justin Bieber.

It profits nothing,

If you do nothing,

To bring a soul to the fold.

Look! Millions of people are Christ untold.