What Americans Believe (Part 1 - Afterlife)

This is the first in a series of articles I'm writing about what Americans believe.  LifeWay Research recently conducted a survey that yielded some eye-opening results.  Respondents were presented with a number of statements and asked if they agreed, disagreed, or were unsure.  Without further ado, let's consider what Americans believe about the afterlife.

Statement #1 - "Heaven is a place where all people will ultimately be reunited with their loved ones."  60% agree, 26% disagree, and 14% are unsure.  This means 6 in 10 Americans are convinced that everyone will go to heaven.  Notice that the statement did not discriminate against anyone - "all people."  So then, the majority of Americans believe that all humans will end up in heaven.

Statement #2 - "Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Savior receive God's gift of eternal salvation."  54% agree and 46% disagree, so basically Americans are split on this issue.  Isn't it ironic that 60% of Americans believe that everyone will go to heaven, but 54% think that a person must have faith in Jesus to be saved?  This survey reveals that Americans have no problem contradicting themselves.

Statement #3 - "By the good deeds I do, I partly contribute to earning my place in heaven."  52% agree, 35% disagree, and 13% are unsure.  Over half of Americans are convinced that a person has to earn his/her salvation through good works.  Interesting - I wonder how many good works it takes?

Statement #4 - "Hell is an eternal place of judgment where God sends all people who do not personally trust in Jesus Christ."  Only 40% of Americans believe that those who do not trust Christ in this life will spend their eternity in hell.  In fact, many Americans wonder if hell even exists.

How do Americans compare to Scripture on the afterlife?  Contrary to what Americans believe, heaven is not a place where everyone will go to reunite with loved ones.  Jesus said, "Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction and there are many that go in by it.  Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."  If Jesus is right (and He is) then the majority of human beings will not go to heaven.

That leads to the second statement Americans weighed in on.  Even though almost half of the public believes that faith in Jesus is not a requirement for salvation, Jesus could not have been clearer:  "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).  According to Christ, only those who surrender their lives to Him in faith will gain entrance into heaven.

Over half of Americans believe that a person has to earn his/her salvation.  The Apostle Paul disagrees:  "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9).  If we could earn our salvation through good works, we'd have something to brag about when we stand before God on judgment day.  There will be no bragging in His presence - only eternal thanksgiving for His grace that comes through faith.

Nearly all Americans would tell you they believe in heaven, but far fewer believe in hell, let alone that God would send someone there to suffer forever.  Did Jesus believe in hell?  Jesus said, "Then He will say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me you cursed into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matt. 25:41).  It's not God's desire that anyone would end up in hell (1 Tim. 2:4), but the sad truth is that many will because they refuse to place their faith in Jesus.

So, Americans are slightly misinformed about the afterlife.  It's up to us as God's people to share the truth about these things, in the prayerful expectation that someone would give his/her heart to Christ.  Tune in next time as we'll discover what Americans believe about the Bible.

Learning to Pray

God has called every Christian to make disciples.  Every day I try to think of ways I can be a better disciple-maker.  Lately God has shown me that I need to do more to help Christians strengthen the most fundamental parts of their relationship with Him.  One of the most foundational things we do as Christians is praying.  It is our lifeline to God.  It's been well-said, "no prayer, no power."  Through prayer we can experience God's power and grow in our relationship with him.

I'd like to give you an outline you can use when you spend your daily time of prayer with God.  I don't mean to suggest that you only need to pray one time a day.  In fact, the Apostle Paul instructed us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).  It's a good idea to pray while you're driving, doing the dishes, taking out the trash, etc.  Anytime is a good time to pray!

Yet, we need to set aside time every day to spend in the presence of God.  Christians commonly refer to this as a "quiet time" - time spent in prayer and in the study of God's Word.  I recommend that you prioritize the same time each day to do this.  If we wake up and say, "I'll get to my prayer and Bible study later," the odds are it will never happen because we'll get too busy.  Morning, noon, or night - find the time that works for you.

If you're a rookie at prayer, don't worry.  The following outline has served many Christians well for lots of years:

• Praise & Thanksgiving
• Confession of Sins
• Intercession for Self & Others

The Bible says we should "enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise" (Psalm 100:4).  Begin your prayer time praising God for who He is and thanking Him for what He has done.  Next, confess your sins to God and ask Him to cleanse you and help you to repent.  An unwillingness to confront & confess our sins will hinder our prayer life.  The psalmist once said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Psalm 66:18).

Praying for yourself and others is a great way to conclude your prayer time.  This is where it will be important to make a prayer list.  Personally, I pray for my wife, our kids, the church, its leaders, and our country when I have a quiet time.  But there will be many things that won't stay on your list for long.  Some things will only need attention for a few days or a week.  I recommend making a list that includes the elements I mentioned plus anything else God might lay on your heart.

The great Christian reformer Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer."  Sometimes we think we're too busy to pray.  The truth is we're too busy NOT to pray.  If you're not in the habit of praying, start with one minute.  One minute will turn to five, then five to ten.  Soon your life will be transformed by the power of prayer.  Let's not put it off one more day.  Join me and let's begin a prayer revolution!

What Can I Say to My Lost Friends?

I was recently asked this question by a young Christian who is trying to reach his lost friends with the Gospel.  What you can read below was my answer.  It is divided into two parts.  The first section is for those who question the existence of God.  The second is for those who believe that God exists, but they question the validity of the Christian God.  I hope this helps.  Please let me know if you have any other questions!

Arguments for the Existence of God:

1.  Argument from Creation - It is impossible that everything just popped up out of nothing.  Natural matter can't produce itself - it can only reproduce itself.  The natural world (and everything in it) required a supernatural Creator.  That Creator (God) did not require a creation himself, because He is not natural - He is supernatural (not bound by the limits of space, time, and matter like we are).

2.  Argument from Design - The created order is very intricately designed.  The design of the universe implies the existence of a Designer.  That Designer is God.  Consider a wristwatch.  It is very intricately designed with springs, wheels, short/long hands, etc.  Did all those parts just come together by themselves?  Of course not.  The design of the watch requires the existence of a watchmaker.  So the very intricately designed universe requires the existence of a Designer (God).

3.  Argument from Human Morality - Many people believe in evolution.  The theory of evolution is based on the ideas of natural selection and survival of the fittest.  If evolution would require that we eliminate the weakest members of our species, then it would make since to go ahead and kill the terminally-ill, the handicapped, the disabled, etc.  But for some reason humans go to great pains to save the lives of the weakest among us.  Why?  Because even our conscience understands that we are made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26).  That sense of morality comes from God no matter what the teachers of evolution may tell us (Rom. 2:14-15).

Arguments for the Christian God

1.  The Consistency of the Bible - The Bible includes the work of 40 different writers over a period of about 1500 years.  Yet the message of the Bible is consistent throughout - humans are sinners in need of a Savior.  God has made perfect provision for our salvation through the blood of His Son Jesus who died on the cross to set us free from our sins.  If we will simply place our faith in the finished work of Jesus (death, burial, and resurrection) we can be totally forgiven for our sins, experience an amazing life on this earth, and inherit an eternal home in heaven.

2.  The Accuracy of the Bible - The historical accuracy of the Bible is amazing.  Everything from the location of ancient cities and cultures, the reign of kings and their kingdoms, fulfilled prophecy - all of them point to an amazingly accurate Word of God.  The Bible is true in all that it affirms.

3.  The Changed Lives of God's People - Every believer in Christ has a story to share.  Paul shared his story with King Agrippa in Acts 26 - what his life was like before Christ, what happened when he trusted the Lord, and what God did with his life following his conversion.  So moved was Agrippa that he said, "you almost persuade me to become a Christian" (Acts 26:28).  I'm sure the pagan king never thought he'd hear those words come off his own lips.  No one can deny the work of transformation that Jesus has done in our lives.

Do You Want to Be Made Well?

This is the question Jesus asked a man laying at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:6).  The Bible says that the man had been suffering with "an infirmity" for 38 years.  God's Word does not tell us exactly what the man's infirmity was, but it probably had something to do with his legs because he needed someone to carry him to Bethesda's healing waters.  Whatever his disease, it's clear that the man was not able to get to the waters of Bethesda fast enough to be healed (John 5:7).

When Jesus passed by, He knew the man had been handicapped for 38 years - "(Jesus) knew that he already had been in that condition a long time" (John 5:6).  So then, it seems almost ludicrous that Jesus would ask the man if he wanted to be healed.  Of course he wanted to be healed...right?

Can I suggest that not everyone really wants to be made well.  There are all kinds of sickness - physical, emotional, mental, etc.  I'm not really talking about those.  My focus is on the spiritual.  Think about it - many people are "sin sick" because they've never trusted Christ as their Savior.  Jesus still asks billions of people all over the world, "Do you want to be made well?"  The only way any of us can be delivered from our sin sickness is through faith in Jesus.

Even among those who are saved, there is still a great deal of sickness.  Many Christians are diseased with "besetting sins" - evil thoughts, words, or deeds that harm our relationship with God.  God has the power to deliver all His children from the sins that trip them up, but we've got to want to be made well.  Wellness comes in the form of daily prayer, Bible reading, and obedience to His commands.

This sin sickness is not just limited to individuals.  Many local churches are diseased and in need of Christ's healing touch.  God has all the power to revitalize diseased churches, but they've got to want to be made well.  The sad fact is that many churches would rather die than to be healed, because healing requires change.  Change is something that too many of our churches are not interested in.  An unbiblical commitment to tradition has left many churches laying at the pool of Bethesda.

So what about you?  Do you want to be made well?  I suggest you follow the example of Bethesda's suffering man - listen to the voice of Jesus, place your faith in Him, obey His commands, and tell the world that Christ has set you free.  "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36).

Is Assisted Suicide OK?

Perhaps you've familiarized yourself with the story of Brittany Maynard.  She's a 29 year-old Portland, Oregon woman who has been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.  Even more tragically, she's only been married to her husband for about 2 years and was attempting to have children.  We always cringe and grieve when we hear of these tragedies affecting the youngest among us.

Brittany is now a volunteer advocate for Compassion and Choices - one of the nation's leading end-of-life choice organizations, or as it has now been called "death with dignity."  Isn't it interesting how our culture renames things over time?  What we used to call assisted suicide (remember Dr. Kevorkian - "Dr. Death") we now call death with dignity.  This renaming has become common in our post-Christian culture.  What was once "gay marriage" has now been re-branded "marriage equality."  What was called "the taking of an innocent human life" has now been renamed "a woman's right to choose."  The new terminology makes our sins sound so much better.

There are two major problems with assisted suicide, among many others.  First, assisted suicide rejects the sovereignty of God.  Only God has the right to end our lives.  He alone is the Giver of life and He alone is to be the Taker.  Bible-believing Christians affirm life from conception all the way to natural death.  That's not to say that there is anything wrong with artificial life-saving methods (ventilators, etc.).  But we should ask ourselves why a Christian would want to go to great lengths to extend his/her life when the Apostle Paul has said "to live is Christ and to die is gain" (Phi. 1:21).

Further, assisted suicide doubts God's power to heal, or at least it denies Him the opportunity to do so.  Remember, there have been a number of people that doctors and nurses have given up on, only for God to step in and heal.  The Bible is filled with examples.  How about the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34)?  She "had a flow of blood for twelve years and had suffered many things from the physicians."  Yet with one touch of the hem of Jesus' garment, she was totally set free.  Or how about the man at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9)?  For thirty-eight years he had suffered with an infirmity, but after Jesus told him to "rise, take up your bed and walk," his life was never the same.  Or how about the man at the Gate Beautiful (Acts 3:1-10)?  He was lame from birth and was carried to the gate by his friends every day to come and beg.  The apostles didn't have any silver and gold, but what they have they gave - healing in Jesus' name!  He went "walking, and leaping, and praising God" (v. 8).  And these biblical examples don't even include the countless other stories that could be told by many of you.  Assisted suicide doubts that God is able to do even the miraculous.

Some may say I don't know what I'm talking about because I've never experienced Mrs. Maynard's kind of suffering.  If I had, then I would have a much different perspective.  What those people may not know is that I watched my dad suffer with prostate and bone cancer for several years prior to his death.  I watched him throw up as a result of chemotherapy.  I watched him burn up as a result of radiation.  I watched him moan & groan and plead for relief.  On one occasion, I even caught him as he fainted at the bathroom door.

Yet never once did my dad curse the Lord.  Never did he get mad at God and ask "Why me?".  In fact, he became an even greater soul-winner after his sickness.  And he certainly never considered or mentioned the taking of his own life.  Why?  Because he trusted that the God who gave him his life was more than capable or taking it in His time.  My mom, brother, and myself were standing right there with dad in the Hospice care facility when God did exactly that.

I truly sympathize with the Brittany Maynards of the world because I have witnessed their suffering up close & personal.  But no amount of suffering gives us the right to make decisions that are reserved for God alone.  We should all pray that God will relieve Brittany's suffering and that He will give her the courage to leave her life in God's hands rather than taking it into her own.

So Now My Fast Food Has to be Gay?

I'm sure we're all keenly aware that we live in a world of ridiculous headlines.  The stories have gotten so bizarre, I'll have to confess that I've become somewhat desensitized to much of the craziness in our culture.  But then there's that headline that just can't be ignored...something so ludicrous that it makes you wonder if we've reached yet another all-time low.

Check out this story.  Apparently even our fast food must now be gay, or at least gay-friendly.  In honor of Gay Pride month, Burger King announced that it would be selling a gay whopper - "The Proud Whopper."  Wrapped in a rainbow, this flame-kissed sandwich is more about an ungodly agenda than satisfying hunger.  Really?  Has our culture become so perverse that now even our hamburgers have to be homosexual?

This should only remind us that the assault on our Christian faith will only get worse.  Those who do not believe in God or respect His Word will continue to level their assaults against the Lord and His truth.  We would all do well to ask ourselves, "Am I totally surrendered to Christ?"  You may be willing to live for Him, but are you willing to die for the Savior?  We're tempted to think that things will never get that bad.  Living in America, some of us might think that we'll never be forced to choose between our life and our faith.

Think again.  Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation" (John 16:33).  Paul told young Timothy, "All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Tim. 3:12).  The same Paul also said, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22).  Millions of Christians across our world are already being physically assaulted for their faith - some even killed.

If you are forced to choose between Jesus and your life, what will you choose?  Consider the words of our Savior:  "What profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26)  In a world of homosexual hamburgers and collapsing convictions, will you live for Jesus?  Choose wisely, for your eternity destiny (and that of many others) depends on your answer to that question.

Should Christian Business Owners Be Forced to Provide Goods and Services to Everyone?

A strange thing happened to me last night.  I was driving home and listening to what was supposed to be sports talk radio.  But almost as soon as the discussion came on, the conversation turned to whether or not Christian business owners should be forced to provide goods and services to homosexuals.  I'm not sure what sparked such a discussion on a sports talk show, but it might have had something to do with Jayson Collins becoming the first openly gay player in the NBA.  In fact, his jersey has become the top-seller on NBA.com.

While I don't know what prompted the conversation, it immediately caught my attention.  Caller after caller said it is reprehensible that a homosexual would be denied service for any reason.  One brave soul dared to call in with a different perspective and he was laughed off the air.  The hosts routinely compared the "homosexual struggle" to that of blacks during the civil rights movement.  The logic:  Just as service should have never been denied to blacks, neither should it be denied to homosexuals.  That is clearly an apples and oranges comparison, but that's a blog for another day.

There is currently a bill in the Arizona legislature that would protect the freedom of Christian business owners from providing goods and services to anyone (not just homosexuals) for religious reasons.  The governor is receiving heavy pressure to veto the measure so that Christian business owners would be forced to serve all comers, including homosexuals.  The bill was introduced in Arizona because some Christian business owners have refused to provide their services (wedding cakes, photography, flowers, etc.) to homosexual customers.

It begs the question:  Should Christian business owners be forced to provide goods and services to everyone, even if they have a religious objection?  We need to ask ourselves why some business owners have refused to offer their services to homosexual customers.  In most cases, it's because those owners have been asked to provide their services for gay weddings.  If we were talking about selling a cup of coffee to a homosexual, that would be one thing.  But we're not talking about a cup of coffee and a piece of pie - we're talking about goods and services being used for homosexual weddings & receptions.

Why would a Christian business owner object to that?  Because Christians believe that marriage was an institution created by God in the garden of Eden.  Jesus said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh" (Matt. 19:5).  Christians have always believed that marriage was a joining of one man and one woman for life.  Anything beyond the union of one man and one woman is classified as sin throughout both testaments of Scripture.

Clearly, Christian business owners would not want their services being used to celebrate that which God has condemned.  For that reason, some have lovingly refused to do business with homosexual customers.  Should they be forced to violate their deeply-held convictions?  Absolutely not, and all those who support religious freedom should stand and support their "right to refuse."  If the government can force business owners to do business with those who violate their convictions, what will they force them to do next?  This is still "the land of the free and the home of the brave."  Let's encourage our lawmakers to keep it that way.