Category Archives: Salvation

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The Word of God is inerrant. His scribes, not so much.

Thursday 17 December 2015 Richard 7 Comments

Jesus is inerrant, but the Bible isn’t.

Anyone who’s spent any time in serious study of the Bible (or even someone who’s only delved into it intermittently) will have discovered, for themselves, apparent contradictions, of which there are very, very many.

Just for example, Ezekiel 33:11 (and Ezekiel 18:32) and Psalm 37:13 seem rather at odds.

Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ (NIV)

but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (NIV)

How should a Christian respond to such apparent contradictions? It’s not easy maintaining contradictions. Maintaining a contradiction is surely the very essence of cognitive dissonance, and cognitive dissonance is something we all naturally seek to minimise.

Of particular concern are the apparent contradictions in Bible verses about salvation. Is justification through good works or by faith alone? Enquiring minds want to know.

The inerrantist response is to hold that the Bible is inerrant. On the premiss (due to Douglas Stauffer) that

God will preserve His word, and not allow it to pass away.

And then try to explain away the apparent contradictions. All of them. One attempt to do this (with particular emphasis on what the Bible says about salvation) is the doctrine of Dispensationalism due to John Nelson Darby.

Now, I can see that the above premiss has merit and that Dispensationalism is, in some sense, a reasonable response to the apparent contradictions in the Bible.

But doesn’t God operate according to the KISS principle?

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (NIV)

Dispensationalism is complicated. Doesn’t God’s fundamental message have to be intelligible to little children and simpletons? Because Dispensationalism isn’t.

The errantist response is to hold that the Bible is not inerrant. To concede that it’s full of contradictions, some of which cannot be adequately explained away. But that, nonetheless

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (KJV)

and that Jesus’s fundamental message remains intact, which it does.

Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (KJV)

My reason for writing this post is my concern that those who hold that the Bible is inerrant are fooling themselves. In a bad way. Notwithstanding that Douglas Stauffer (already quoted above) tells us that

Satan has reveled in creating doubt concerning the authority of the words of God.

the simple fact is that there is doubt concerning the authority of scripture as it has been handed down to us. Not to acknowledge and to express doubt such as this is to deceive oneself and maybe others too. It’s my considered opinion that those who persist in maintaining that the Bible is inerrant are involved in more convolutions and contortions than David Bain trying to explain his movements on the morning of 20 June 1994, more turns than a sluggard on his bed, more preposterous suspensions of disbelief than an atheist proclaiming that this blog post is an anticipated result of the Big Bang. They’re playing the exegetical version of Twister—the game that ties you up in knots.

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Evolutionists admit Global Flood. Joe Rogan Experience.

Monday 7 December 2015 Tim 2 Comments

fuji_off_kanagawa

^ Watch at least the first 10 minutes

Just love it when after the Evolutionists wax lyrical about ‘Their discovery’ of a Cataclysmic Flood … merely thousands of years ago that Joe blerts out that their assertion that Mankind came from a Shrew was way harder to accept than their assertions about the mega Flood!
🙂
They of course claim their dating of the flood @ 10 000 years ago is ‘solid’, and dont fail to say that Cataclysms (like the supposed Comet that wiped out the Dinosaurs) are the impetus of Evolution!

Pause and contemplate just how absurd that idea is… Disasters foster evolution!

dinodead

Add this new validation of the Book of Genesis, to other validations… Read > Noah’s Ark given the seaworthy seal of approval by physicists. NZ Herald

and Genesis is real history: Evidence supporting the account of Noah.

I will expand on this as time permits, yet I will simply say that This ‘new evidence’ of the Flood, like so many facts that I have gleaned is not the biased opinions of vested interests trying to validate the Bible, but comes from those who claim the bible is a myth!
As much as 90% of the supporting evidence I have found comes from such sources.
You just have to recognise the implications of what is being presented, and have the nouse not to be deluded by their Qwazi-excuses and personal bais that they try and foist upon the hard data.
Not only does this take away any infidels ability to claim the facts are subjective fabrications… it also just goes to show how incredulous the Atheists are themselves… that they can stare straight at the evidence that proves the bible is true… yet miss the boat completely.

They have blinders on…. Satan Laughing, spreads his wings.

The Truth is that with the process of time, and the progress of science more of What we Christians believed by Faith becomes grounded in Scientific fact, and with the advance of Biblical theism… it is atheism that is in Retreat!
Atheism exists in an ever decreasing ‘Gap’ in Human knowledge.

naturalism of the gaps

Atheism is pure ignorance. Read > The Walls are closing in on Atheism… not Theism.

and this is why Honest Atheists like Anthony Flew have the courage to ‘abandon that sinking ship’… in light of new evidence that Scientific progress lays at their feet. Read> Rapturous Amazement! The Advance of Science Converts The High Priest of Atheism to Deism. A Flew.

and > Death of an Atheist. Follow the evidence.

Hang your heads in shame all you liberal Theologians who have abandoned faith in the scriptures in favour of Infidel philosophies.

Nor should we just focus on the Judgement of God upon the wickedness of Humanity, for the Story of Noah is not just about destruction, but also about Salvation, the Arc being a type of Christ and the new life of the redeemed.

Ark-garden

Tim Wikiriwhi.
1611 King James Bible believing Christian Dispensationalist.

More from Tim > The Rock of Divine Revelation.

Do you believe you have the Perfect Word of God? Theism vs Humanistic Rationalism. Seeing The Light! My Testimony.

You gotta Crank up the volume for this one Ye Activists and Radicals…. 🙂

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‘Good Atheists’ and the seriousness of sin. Good God/Evil world. 6

Wednesday 25 March 2015 Tim 5 Comments

good atheists

Several things today have stimulated me to write this post, the second being that Meme above which was posted to my Facebook page by an Atheist friend.
She commented that she actually likes ‘this Pope’, and from this meme it is easy to see why he has impressed unbelievers, and Heretics/Protestants.

On face value…. in the ordinary sense as a Protestant Libertarian I’m impressed too by the simple fact that it is a far cry from the sort of Tyrannical dogma the world has come to expect from Pontiffs, and thus it appears such moderation is a good thing for peace and harmony between The Catholic church, and the rest of us.

Yet on another very important level these Liberal sentiments which appeal to my atheist friend betray some of the most important spiritual truths which are fundamental to understanding The Lord, which leads onto the central topic of my post… The seriousness of Sin.

This Meme is true…. using a yardstick of ‘comparative goodness’.
There are/have been…. comparatively speaking…. many Good atheists, and many Evil doers whom have called themselves followers of Christ.
Eg Dawkins may say with confidence to me “I’m holier than thou!”… and indeed this may be completely true.
I have done many wicked deeds to which Dawkins may have not even come close… I know not his secrets.

Yet ultimately this rationale is a deadly trap!
Why?
Because it is using *the wrong measure*.
The true measure of Goodness in this Universe is not out shining our peers… but is Absolute Holiness… of which we all fall short.
This True measure means *We all* need the Salvation of God which is in Christ.
By God’s perfect standard… “There is none righteous… no not one…”
“For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God”.
Thankfully God is Rich in mercy and has made away for us to be saved from the righteous judgement of our wicked deeds, yet which still satisfies the demands of Justice, and allows us ourselves the liberty to choose redemption or reject it.

“For God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
“…whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved…”

good

I have written on this train of thought before and you can read a more expanded veiw here>>> Hell is for the Self Righteous, Heaven is for Sinners.<<< Of course it is a very peculiar thing for atheists to claim to be 'Good' given their world view denies the veracity of ethics! This is a testament to the fact that many many atheists have not the Steel to countenance the depressing 'reality' of their own Amoral Cosmology. The hardest, most real of them look at the chaos and misery which befalls humanity and say it is a testament to the truth of their assertions... "there can be no God in such a world"... there is no right or wrong... either in Earthquakes, or Rape, or genocide.... any such feelings of injustice have no objective reality... they are merely the pathetic wimpers of Soul-less machines who have no more intrinsic value... or rights... than the stardust of which they are composed. Many simply believe you may as well Kill yourself... return to the painless meaningless nothing that you are. stephen-fry

These ideas are the subject of my first blog post in this series ‘How can a Good God exist when there is so much evil in the world? (part1) Atheist Nihilism.’… Click >>>Here<<< to read more. Yet it is the less consistent portion of the Atheists whom I seek to call out tonight. The ones who think their own moral virtues exonerate them from any possibility that even if they are wrong.... and it turns out that there is a god... that it is morally unthinkable that they might face damnation for their sins. As mentioned earlier via the Self righteous Rationale that comparatively speaking, they deem themselves to be not morally inferior beings, but in fact far more moral, and enlightened, and tolerant, than the great horde of savages whom have flocked into churches over the millennia. Having already pointed out the grievous error of such comparisons (first 1/2 doz paragraphs above), I would like to progress further into these disastrous rationalisms, and lay out some more Objective facts about sin, and atheist inconsistency. Setting aside the fact that Atheism is fundamentally an Amoral world view, and that therefore atheists have no 'higher ground' upon which to stand to pass down condemnation upon God and his followers... we all know that this does not faze the bulk of them from proceeding to do precisely that! Their hypocrisy goes much deeper. With one breath they will play down the seriousness of their own moral short comings as 'trivial', yet with the next shake their fists at Heaven decrying the weightiness of the manifold evils of everyone else... and curse God for his inaction! While they think nothing of their own blotches on creation, They boldly declare that no Good God would allow Hitler to rampage across Europe... as if their own existence could not be an affront to morality... yet Hitler's evils... they are God's fault! God is a Bastard on Hitler's account... but not on theirs... they are better than God, they have the right to Judge God, they conciser themselves the innocent victims of God's Amoral inaction. It matters not that all Hitler's actions stemmed from his atheistic world view. They busy themselves trying to make out Hitler was a Christian!...(a topic for another time and an interesting psychological behaviour in itself). hittttllllrrr

Having said all that I may now get down to my main points…. Our personal culpability, and the seriousness of sin.

You see the reality of things is quite different from what these atheists assert… esp the idea that God does not give a toss about the evils of humanity.

God takes sin very very very seriously!
Way more seriously than all these self-righteous God hating atheists do!
Just because God has set up the world in such a way that we human beings have moral responsibility for our own actions… which means he has left us free to act with extreme goodness or extreme Evil *does not mean* he does not care, or intends evil doers to escape Scott free.
God has declared that in his time he will balance the scales and reward everyone their due.
Hitler has not escaped judgement by fleeing to Argentina!
So these notions that God does not care, are simply false.
He has good, valid, righteous reasons, for allowing Humanity to ‘act out their own vain imaginations.
That we are freewill moral agents living in a moral universe, means that our deeds have *moral weight*…. both for good, or ill… and when we do evil… innocent people suffer… that is what it means to live in a moral universe… It is in fact impossible to claim any goodness in a reality in which evil is impossible.
That is why Robots are amoral beings… whether they perform surgeries which save lives or slaughter thousands… they have no choice in their deeds.
The moral responsibility for the actions of Robots falls back on their free-will creators who made them, and so too would God be responsible for all Hitler’s evils… if Hitler was a robot… yet he was not a robot.
In all his deeds Hitler exercised his own freewill.
Thus it is absurd to blame God for Hitler’s deeds.

I have written more on this topic… ‘We are not Robots Ayn Rand. We are Moral Agents.’ Click >>Here<< and another... 'Monism: Evolutionary Psychology and the Death of Morality, Reason and Freewill.' click >>>here<<< So it is folly to suggest that Human evils are evidence against the existence or goodness of God. When Adam sinned, God took that with such seriousness that he separated himself from Mankind, and condemned us all to death! You see Adam's sin... had great moral weight.... affecting countless billions... though many will not be able to appreciate the mechanics of it... how what they see as a small act of disobedience by one man could bring such calamity upon posterity. Yet that is how serious the consequences of Sin are! They upset the entire hierarchy of reality... When Adam disobeyed God, not only did he loose faith in God's Good Character, he was dethroning God and establishing himself and his will above Gods! a little leven leveneth the whole lump! Humanity has been doing that ever since. This is part of the reason why... the pragmatic portion... of why The Standard for Goodness is 100% Holiness... not comparative goodness... not a 'statistical mean/ scale of goodness' The other portion is simply because God himself is Holy. He sets the *Ideal Goodness*. Yet God has sworn eternal Judgement upon sin! Despite what the liberal Bible doubters say... there is a hell! There is eternal damnation. Yet everyone who ends up Damned, will be damned by their own Hatred of God, their pride, and rejection of God's mercy. Jesus-Facepalm

God has seen every act of evil we all have committed and is reserving his judgement.
Yet still God is loving, compassionate, and merciful.
We may say “It’s not fair that I was born into this cursed world!”… and indeed if we were born without hope… then this may in fact be a legitimate accusation against God’s character… yet he has not utterly abandoned us to Damnation, but instead immediately set in motion his plan to redeem us… and his modus opperandi reflects his absolute justice, The seriousness with which he condemns sin, and his love and mercy…. all displayed in the crucifixion of his sinless son Jesus Christ.

In Christ’s crucifixion we see God himself suffering a grotesque fate at the hands of evil men… he is not, nor has ever been completely insulated from the sufferings of evil himself.

dawwkkknnnzz

That God deemed such a grotesque means was necessary for the payment for sin shows just how extremely seriously he takes sin to be, and how he will not allow his love to violate the principle of Justice… an eye for an eye… tooth for tooth…. The wages of sin is Death… Jesus took the full penalty of our sins upon himself.
He was not guilty of any sin himself and thus he was not subject to the penalty of death… for his own sins.

When Christ rose from the Dead, this was a testament to his victory over sin and death, and his resurrection altered the course of human history!

the-crucifixion-detail-Matthias_Grunewald2
To receive Christ a person must appreciate the gravity of their own sins.
By it’s very nature the proud will reject the crucifixion as un-necessarily barbarous.

And the greatest sin anyone can commit is to *reject the sacrifice of Christ!*
For all their fuming against God, they prove they themselves dont take sin seriously… deeming themselves to be not guilty before God.
It is a hypocritical folly of the highest order.

Yes folks it is appointed unto us once to die and after this, the judgement!
At an appointed time the dead will stand before his judgement seat, and all whose names are not found
written in the book of life shall be cast into the lake of fire… with their Father Satan… to spend eternity where they chose to be…. separated from God.
The reality of hell is a clear demonstration of how weighty a matter God considers sin to be.

In the light of these facts we see the tables turned on the atheist… the reality is *they dont consider sin to be anywhere near as serious a matter as God does….for all their accusations… it is they themselves whom are found wanting in ‘the righteous indignation department’.

Yet millions of sinners like myself will enter paradise… not because we are more righteous than our atheist friends and family, but because we simply received the Gift of God… he placed our sin upon Christ, and clothed us in Christ’s holiness.
And we will see God face to face and sing God’s praises for eternity.
Amen.

Ditch your foolish pride my neighbours, my friends… my family!
get a grip that you are a creation of God… a Moral agent.
Choose Christ and join us in the love of our Holy Heavenly Father!

Tim Wikiriwhi

Salvation is by works (Part 2)

Thursday 26 February 2015 Richard 10 Comments

These verses close the Sermon on the Mount in Chapter 7 of the Gospel of Matthew.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)

Jesus again makes it abundantly clear that salvation is by works.

Just do it.

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Standing on the Edge of the Abyss? Jesus Saves!

Tuesday 10 February 2015 Tim 1 Comment

bkjgvfh

Post by 700 Club Interactive.

Come to the end of your endurance? ^^^^ MUST WATCH!

Salvation is by works (Part 1)

Thursday 8 January 2015 Richard 12 Comments

Here’s the preamble to the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

“What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” (NIV)

Jesus makes it abundantly clear that salvation is by works.

How do you read it?

Ayn Rand, John, Salvation

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his everlasting life for his friends

Sunday 28 December 2014 Richard 1 Comment

Jesus said

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (KJV)

Jesus also said

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (KJV)

Jesus didn’t say

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his everlasting life for his friends.

But suppose that he did. (I added ‘everlasting’ just for the sake of this blog post. It’s an awkward insertion to make you think.)

If you had a ticket to everlasting life, but you had a friend who was destined to eternal conscious torment in hell (or even destined merely to personal annihilation), would you gladly trade places with that friend?

In the early days of Eternal Vigilance I posted this letter by Ayn Rand. In it, the usually hostile-to-Christianity Rand tries to cozy up to one Reverend Dudley. She claims that

The first duty of a Christian is the salvation of his own soul. This duty comes above any he may owe to his brothers.

and goes on to say that the foregoing “is the basic statement of true individualism.”

What is the first duty of a Christian? And what is the essence of true individualism? Is Rand right?

I think Rand’s wrong on both counts. Certainly, Rand’s “gospel in a nutshell” is a caricature of Christianity. Thus the question remains. If you had a ticket to everlasting life, but you had a friend who was destined to eternal conscious torment in hell (or even destined merely to personal annihilation), would you gladly trade places with that friend?

(The second duty of a Christian is to love his neighbour as himself. Toss a coin, maybe?)

Alice Cooper, Christian Libertarianism, Gospel music, Merciful Grace, Miracles, Salvation

Alice Cooper; ‘My life is dedicated to follow Christ’

Saturday 27 December 2014 Tim 1 Comment

Alice_Cooper_01

Alice Cooper says he loves God but doesn’t want to become a ‘celebrity’ believer.

The father of shock rock whose music and stage antics have outraged parents for more than 30 years told how the fear of hell turned him to God.

Alice Cooper, who sang about necrophilia and chopped up baby dolls during his concerts, said that although he continues to record and tour with a theatrical horror-style show, “My life is dedicated to follow Christ.”

Although he became a Christian in the 1980s, apart from brief comments in some interviews the 66-year-old singer has always been guarded about his faith – until now. But in a frank interview with a Christian music magazine, he spoke at length publicly for the first time about his love for God and reluctance to become a “Christian celebrity.”

A chart-topper with the teen anthem “School’s Out,” Cooper – who legally changed his name from Vince Furnier – has been credited with paving the way for performers such as Marilyn Manson.

But he maintains that his act was never political or religious and always had “a sense of humor.” He told HM: The Hard Music Magazine that he was always insulted whenever he was accused of being satanic. Raised in a Christian home, he still believed in God, although he was not committed.

That changed when alcoholism threatened his marriage. He and his wife, Sheryl, attended a church with a “hellfire pastor.” Cooper said he became a Christian “initially more out of the fear of God, rather than the love of God … I did not want to go to hell.” Interviewed for HM’s March/April issue, Cooper views his faith as “an ongoing thing.”

“Being a Christian is something you just progress in. You learn. You go to your Bible studies. You pray,” he said.

He has avoided “celebrity Christianity,” because “it’s really easy to focus on Alice Cooper and not on Christ. I’m a rock singer. I’m nothing more than that. I’m not a philosopher. I consider myself low on the totem pole of knowledgeable Christians. So, don’t look for answers from me.”

Yet he has been able to speak to others in the music scene about his faith.

Read more >>> Here <<< And... Alice Cooper Goes to Hell. Nek Minnit!

Jimi vs Jesus.

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The Light of the gospel reaches the utmost parts of the Earth. Bi-Centennial of Samuel Marsden’s Christmas Message. Bay of Islands. 1814.

Thursday 25 December 2014 Tim 1 Comment

samuel-marsden

It is quite a shameful thing for me to confess that I have neglected to investigate such an important historical figure as Samuel Marsden… yet it’s true.
All I can say is that he appears to to have been a Man of Iron will.
I have focused my attentions on the Heroic activities of the Church missionaries whom followed soon after, and the amazing *Civilising power* of Christianity… which Light dawned in this land of Savage Darkness… *Before British Rule of law* was established… in 1840.

For an awesome account of the exploits of the Church Missionaries I recommend ‘Mission and Moko’ Aspects of the Work of the Church Missionary Society in New Zealand, 1814-1882 by Robert Glen.

mission andmoko

One of the great advances The birth and spread of pre-treaty Christianity bestowed upon the ‘Indigenous people’ was the virtual eradication of Cannibalism, which was universally practised here in Pre-European times.

t h p

Many Heroic deeds were performed on the part of the Missionaries themselves and their Early Maori converts to bring about this gigantic change of world-view.

The Mission to New Zealand corresponded with a Humanitarian Enlightenment flourishing in Protestant England … The end of Slavery in Britain… many of the Same Great reformers of English society participating in the same Church societies that sent the missionaries to New Zealand.
This was the Benevolent spirit of the English protestants that it was God’s will that the Maori people receive the Gospel of Grace through Christ… which is a universal message oF Good news to all mankind.

Tim Wikiriwhi.
Libertarian Christian.
Dispensationalist.
1611 KJV Bible believer.

Kai Mate! Kai Mate! Eat you when Your Dead! Copyright Tim Wikiriwhi

Like my Grandfather, Marsden was one of the many exceptional individuals whom served the Anglican faith .

Read >>> The Gospel of God’s Grace.

Samuel Marsden’s Account of Christmas Day 1814 (below)

Duaterra [Ruatara] passed the remaining part of the day in preparing for the Sabbath. He enclosed about half an acre of land with a fence, erected a pulpit and reading-desk in the centre, and covered the whole, either with black native cloth, or some duck which he had brought with him from Port Jackson. He also procured some bottoms of old canoes and fixed them up as seats on each side the pulpit for the Europeans to sit upon; intending to have Divine Service performed there the next day. These preparations he made of his own accord; and in the evening, informed me that everything was ready for Divine service. I was much pleased with this singular mark of his attention. The reading-desk was about three feet from the ground and the pulpit about six feet. The black cloth covered the top of the pulpit and hung over the sides. The bottom of the pulpit as well as the reading desk was part of a canoe. The whole was becoming and had a solemn appearance. He had also erected a flag-staff on the highest hill in the village, which had a very commanding view.

On Sunday morning (December 25th) when I was upon deck I saw the English flag flying, which was a pleasing sight in New Zealand. I considered it as the signal for the dawn of civilization, liberty, and religion in that dark and benighted land. I never viewed the British colours with more gratification, and flattered myself they would never be removed till the natives of that island enjoyed all the happiness of British subjects.

About ten o’clock we prepared to go ashore to publish the glad tidings of the Gospel for the first time. I was under no apprehensions for the safety of the vessel, and therefore ordered all on board to go on shore to attend Divine service, except the master and one man. When we landed we found Korokoro, Duaterra [Ruatara], Shunghee [Hongi Hika] dressed in regimentals which Governor Macquarie had given them, with their men drawn up ready to march into the enclosure to attend Divine service. They had their swords by their sides and a switch in their hands. We entered the enclosure and were placed in the seats on each side of the pulpit. Korokoro marched his men on and placed them on my right hand in the rear of the Europeans and Duaterra [Ruatara] placed his men on the left. The inhabitants of the town with the women and children and a number of other chiefs formed a circle round the whole. A very solemn silence prevailed–the sight was truly impressive. I got up and began the service with the singing of the Old Hundred Psalm, and felt my very soul melt within me when I viewed my congregation and considered the state they were in.

After reading the service, during which the natives stood up and sat down at the signal given by the motion of Korokoro’s switch which was regulated by the movements of the Europeans, it being Christmas Day, I preached from the Second Chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, and tenth verse: “Behold! I bring you glad tidings of great joy.” The Natives told Duaterra [Ruatara] that they could not understand what I meant. He replied that they were not to mind that now for they would understand by and by, and that he would explain my meaning as far as he could. When I had done preaching, he informed them what I had been talking about. Duaterra [Ruatara] was very much pleased that he had been able to make all the necessary preparations for the performance of Divine service in so short a time, and we felt much obliged to him for his attention. He was extremely anxious to convince us that he would do everything for us that lay in his power and that the good of his country was his principal consideration. In this manner the Gospel has been introduced into New Zealand; and I fervently pray that the glory of it may never depart from its inhabitants, till time shall be no more.

When the service was over we returned on board, much gratified with the reception we had met with, and we could not but feel the strongest persuasion that the time was at hand when the Glory of the Lord would be revealed to these poor benighted heathens and that those who were to remain on the island had strong reason to believe that their labours would be crowned and blessed with success. In the evening I administered the Holy Sacrament on board the Active in remembrance of our Saviour’s birth and what He had done and suffered for us.

Source: J.R. Elder, ed., The Letters and Journals of Samuel Marsden 1765-1838, Dunedin: Coulls Somerville Wilkie, 1932, pp.93-94.

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Christian grace and compassion for the Suffering. Against suicide, yet tolerant of euthanasia.

Monday 27 October 2014 Tim 2 Comments

Mother-Theresa-with-Baby-Mother-Theresa-41801 (1)

Two different perspectives about Life, Death, Suffering, and Euthanasia have appeared here recently…

Why No Christian Should Support Euthanasia, by Blair Mulholland

and

God’s gift to the terminally ill by Richard Goode.

Most thinking people fall squarely into either of these camps.

I would like to suggest that there is a third way… a middle course.

Having come down from my mountain I’d like to wade in 🙂 … Mine is the lonely path… loved by few… because it appears to these antagonists that I’m too cosy with their enemy… not resolute enough… yet I believe it to be the best course.

I support certain aspects of Blair’s Anti-Euthanasia post to a high degree… yet ultimately I support Richard’s conclusion regarding Opium.

Both are arguing from the premise of ‘the sanctity of human life.

It’s a very interesting subject because it’s one of these issues which if the Christian is not careful, he will find himself supporting harsh and inhumane Laws out of a misguided sense of piety (like the twats who support drug prohibition).
It is ‘one of those’ controversial issues which some Christians insist gives them the right to impose *Un-Libertarian* prohibitions on others…. thus these so-called Christians also tend to insinuate that Real Christians *cant be Libertarians*… that there can be no separation of Church and state.

It is my experience to note that most of the Anti-Euthanasia Religionists do this because they still have not figured out the dispensational distinctions of the Christian living under grace, from the OT Jew living under the Law.
They dont yet grasp the reality that Euthanasia is just like the issue of Smoking Cigarettes…. that a Christian can be ideologically *against Cigarettes* yet also ought to be Ideologically *against a prohibition on cigarettes*… and that it is quite right to speak out against the vise of smoking cigarettes… if they be so moved…. yet to maintain a libertarian respect, and compassion for cigarette smokers and their rights rather than the Legalistic spirit *self righteous persecution and hate*.

dare

Let me speak about what I mean with myself as the example.
As a Christian I do believe in the sanctity of human life, and that it would be insulting to God and a gross lack of faith, for me to ‘Commit suicide’ out of depression… yet I also know that we are not under the Law, and that God is a merciful God.
I do believe that he put things like Alcohol, Opium, etc on the Earth to alleviate pain and I am not so silly as to not be able to distinguish someone wishing to avoid a Ghastly and excruciating death, from someone callously throwing their life away out of spite, or sloth.

Not appreciating these distinctions is a bit like those dullards whom cant distinguish Loving discipline from child abuse (forgive my terseness).

Assisting a terminally ill person to end their own life, or taking your own life rather than facing the torture of a brutal enemy, are not the same things as assisting a Depressed, faithless, Godless, and ungrateful, (yet otherwise healthy) person to harm themselves.

The thing is that I dont think *prohibitive Laws* have anything good to add to this situation for the Obvious reason that a depressed person determined to kill themselves is in no way obliged to obey Human conventions…. which is all a prohibition is… when not underpinned by a personal ethic… and those whom actually have such a personal ethic *dont need any such law*.

Depressed yet otherwise able bodied people don’t need help to kill themselves.
Only the dying fear that the longer they endure, the less capable they become to take their own life in a peaceful way…. And so then may come to rely on their loved ones for assistance.
The people who want such prohibitions simply seek to persecute the caring Doctors and Family members whom assist their patients and loved ones from ending their sufferings.
I think many are acting out Malice against people whom dont share their personal religious sentiments, which is far Colder …. far less forgiveable than simple ignorance or delusion, … cloaking their evil hearts under the guise of ‘concern’ and religious piety.

This is the very antithesis of Christian Love.

Worst of all is that fact that many supposed ‘Orthodox’ Christians employ false doctrines … resorting to the time of Jewish Law, and Christs preaching to the Jews about being found worthy to enter his kingdom.
They attempt to say that a Christian risks loosing their eternal salvation if they choose Euthanasia…. Because they have failed to ‘endure unto the end’… etc.

This is a clear demonstration of mishandling the word of truth and results in a horrible in-humane doctrine which increases the un-necessary misery and human suffering in the world and when these false doctrines are used to Rally zealots into lobbying the government against Libertarian Law reform…. It causes unbelievers to despise Christianity as Barbaric and oppressive.
It causes Christianity to stink and makes a mockery of the Grace and compassion of God.
It Damns men’s souls via unbelief.

The Truth is quite different.
Under God’s Grace…. In this dispensation we are free from the Law, and salvation is absolutely a free gift…. Not determined at all upon our good works, endurance, etc.

So the Libertarian Christian (like me) does believe in the Sanctity of Human life, and intends to do what I believe is the Godly thing to do… with as much bravery as I an muster…to endure… and face my own fate (Following in the footsteps of my Heroic Grand Father) yet I confess that certain terminal conditions terrify me… and I reserve the right to chicken out and take matters into my own hands.

I know that such a decision would be to opt for the ‘weaker’ path for the Christian to take, yet I am confident of God’s grace and mercy.

I certainly don’t desire any legal prohibitions to prevent me having this option, and I would never be so cold and uncaring as to desire to prohibit others having the right to make this decision for themselves either… or loving parents making the painful decision that it is not in their child’s best interest to postpone the inevitable!

*This is a fundamental principle of Christian Libertarianism … That we are not the property of society… or the government…. We own ourselves… and it is up to us whether or not we will impose upon ourselves certain religious convictions regarding our own death.*
Parents must have their parental rights and responsibilities respected by the state.

Though I hate the false doctrines which try and ensnare fearful souls back under Law, and I have contempt for people whom seek to use the Law to unnecessarily prolong human suffering, I have no problem with people peacefully… and without recourse to political coercion propagating their belief that Euthanasia is wrong…. From forming associations which seek to propagate that belief… from boycotting Doctors whom are known to assist terminal patients to end their lives with dignity.
This is how Libertarianism works… Nobody *forcing* their opinions on others.

* The most important Political reality is that having legally assisted suicide (of itself)does not effect any third party’s rights…. And thus such prohibitions cant be justified*… I’m not saying there cant be any legal challenges Re: debts, and other contractual obligations)

When it comes to my loved ones, there is no way I would assist any of them to die, if they have still have the power of reason, yet have not receive the Gospel.
Death in that case will not end their suffering… it will be but the beginning.
Yet I would assist them if they are trusting in the Resurrection of Christ…. and even though…. perish the thought that many may so choose…. I would not seek a law to forbid people from arranging for their own death… or assisting their loved ones… even if they reject Christ.
God has given them the right to go to their deaths un-repentant, and in their own sins.

Christianity is properly a tolerant liberal faith…which seeks to make the world a better place via preaching the gospel and Christian values to whomsoever hath an open ear… not a Religion of Political force.
Christianity seeks to convert hearts and minds… not impose an artificial draconian order.

Man’s knowledge and powers of Medical intervention have made these sorts of Moral dilemmas far more acute as we understand a lot more about things like Opium, Diseases, and how to prolong life than in the past, and so a lot of the so-called ‘life’ many people ‘endure’ at the end is wholly due to the Un-natural interventions of Humanity… orchestrated in the name of ‘the Sanctity of human life’… ie this so-called ideal results in untold more *un-necessary and futile* misery.

*And it is to a large degree this *artificially engineered period of misery* which we are talking about here… as if Nature… and Human concerns were left to themselves… death would naturally end this misery a lot sooner.
Ie Medicine could concern itself more with ‘Mother Theresa…hospice care’ rather than Frankenstein type fanaticism…. Living Heads in a Jar… trying to steal a few last breaths… under delusions that this is honouring God.

And If I am ever undone…. laid out flat… writhing in agony … beyond repair… I hope my caregivers are not Frugal with the ‘Milk of the poppy’….
Fear not for me… My time will be done…. And my soul is secure in Christ.
Likewise all you whom have loved ones knocking on Heaven’s door… Tell them to trust their souls to the Gospel of Grace and the Resurrection of Christ… and to ‘relax’… accept death … in the faith and hope of God’s Love and promises.
That’s what I intend to do.
Tim Wikiriwhi.
Christian Libertarian.

Give me Liberty, or give me Death!