JULY 2013
In this issue
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The Only Thing Incapable of Error Charles R. Swindoll
6 Grudges and Grace Robyn Roste 8
Does a Christian who commits suicide go to heaven?
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11 Would You have Chosen Paul? Peter Tyrrell 14 Q & A Steve Johnson
LAUGHING MATTERS The Two Fundraisers Phil Callaway
Cover photo: man Š istockphoto.com/knape. Copyright Š 2013 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Insights is published by IFLC, the Bible-teaching ministry of Charles R. Swindoll. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NASB. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by IFLC staff. Printed in Canada.
by Charles R. Swindoll 3
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ver since I was knee-high to a gnat, I have been taught and have believed in the infallibility of Scripture. Among the upper echelons of doctrinal truths, this one ranks alongside the Godhead, the deity of Christ, and salvation by grace. We may fuss around with a few of the events in God’s eschatological calendar or leave breathing room for differing opinions regarding angels and local church government…but when the subject turns to infallibility, the inerrancy of Holy Writ, there’s no wobble room. Can’t be. Take away that absolute and you’ve punched a hole in your theological dam. Given enough time and pressure, it wouldn’t be long before you and everything around you would get soggy and slippery. Make no mistake about it; the infallibility of Scripture is a watershed issue. But wait…let’s stop right there regarding infallibility. Before I make my point, allow me to quote Webster’s definition: “incapable of error…not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint.”1 That is certainly true of Scripture, but it is not true of people. When it comes to humanity, fallibility is the order of the day. Meaning? Meaning this: there is not one soul on this earth who is incapable of error, who is free from fault, who is unable to make mistakes, or who is absolutely reliable. Can’t be. Depravity, mixed with limited knowledge and tendencies to misunderstand, misread, misquote, and misjudge, should keep all of us from two very common mistakes: first, deification of certain individuals (including ourselves, of course) and, second, disillusionment when we discover faults and mistakes in others. Just as infallibility assures us that each page of the Bible is without error
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The TheOne OnlyThing ThingYour Incapable Father of Needs Errorcontinued continuedfrom fromp.p.33
or deception, fallibility reminds us that each person is capable of both. The implications are equally clear. When it comes to the Bible, keep trusting. But when it comes to people, be discerning.
"Just as infallibility assures us that each page of the Bible is without error or deception, fallibility reminds us that each person is capable of both."
This includes all people. The page isn’t long enough to complete a list, so I’ll mention only one group. I choose this group because, more often than not, it’s one we tend not to question. I’m referring to those professionals whom we trust with our bodies, minds, and souls—namely, physicians, psychologists, and pastors. What influence these men and women possess! What good they do! How necessary they are! Most of us, if asked to name 10 people we admire and appreciate the most, would include two or three from this group. How gracious of God to give us such splendid people to help us through this veil of tears! Yet each one has something in common with everyone else—fallibility. Those whom we most admire can remind us of human fallibility from time to time; nevertheless, everything in us cries out to resist such reminders. Of the three, quite likely it is the minister whom people tend most often to put on a pedestal.
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It is certainly an unscriptural practice. The Berean believers are to be commended for listening to Paul; they “searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth” (Acts 17:11 NLT). Apollos and Paul are referred to merely as “servants through whom you believed the Good News” (1 Cor. 3:5) and later given a rather insignificant place, “it’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow” (3:7). It’s easy to forget all that, especially in a day when we hunger for spiritual leaders whom we can respect, and we come across some whose lives are admirable, whose leadership seems to be blessed of God, and whose instruction is biblical, wise, and dynamic. Everything’s great until one such minister teaches something that is different from another minister who is equally admired. That never fails to send groupies into a tailspin.
I could just as easily have used an illustration regarding a physician’s diagnosis or a therapist’s counsel. The issue is identical, and it brings us back to where we started. If I could change a term and put it in the language of Lincoln: all humanity is fallible. Yes, all. If you remember that, you’ll have fewer surprises and disappointments, greater wisdom, and a much better perspective in life. Rather than slumping into cynicism because your hero showed feet of clay, you’ll maintain a healthy and intelligent objectivity. You’ll be able to show respect without worshipping. And when you really need to know the truth, you’ll turn to infallible Scripture with first-hand confidence. Why? Because Scripture is the only thing that’s incapable of error…not liable to mislead, deceive, or disappoint. ▪ 1. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, 11th ed. (Springfield, Mass.: MerriamWebster, 2007), see “infallible.” Photograph of Chuck Swindoll © 2012 by Luke Edmonson
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by Robyn Roste
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ecently I had an encounter with a grudge. It started simply—I felt a friend had snubbed me. She didn’t come to an event I had invited her to. And to make matters worse she didn’t even call to explain why! In fact, I didn’t hear from her for so many days following the missed encounter I wondered if I was being avoided. As my perceived injuries festered I felt the grudge lapping up my feelings of injustice. I knew my grudge was growing but I didn’t care. I had been wronged and I wasn’t going to be the one to end the standoff. After all, I was the one who was snubbed! Maybe at first I would’ve been willing to overlook the offence—after all there was probably a good explanation for her absence and perhaps even for the lack of notice. But to completely avoid me, well that’s the next level. I couldn’t overlook that. I impatiently waited for an apology, or at least some kind of acknowledgement so my friend could know my grudge, but it never came. The days passed but my hurt feelings didn’t. One of the more convicting teachings regarding grudges is found in Mark 11:2225. The Message paraphrase says it like this. Jesus was matter-of-fact: “Embrace this God-life. Really embrace it, and nothing will be too much for you. This mountain, for instance: Just say ‘Go jump in the lake’—no shuffling or shilly-shallying—and it’s as
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good as done. That’s why I urge you to pray for absolutely everything, ranging from small to large. Include everything as you embrace this God-life, and you’ll get God’s everything. And when you assume the posture of prayer, remember that it’s not all asking. If you have anything against someone, forgive—only then will your heavenly Father be inclined to also wipe your slate clean of sins.”
Holding a grudge against another seems like a sure-fire way to separate yourself from an effective prayer life and, thus, a healthy relationship with God. As well the concept of a grudge flies in the face of Jesus’ example—being gracious and noble in spirit, and doing right even when others treat you poorly. Jesus tells a story about a man who was forgiven a great debt by the king. This man, who would never have been able to repay what he owed, then turns around and demands a debt repayment from another man. Even though the first man had been shown great mercy by the king, he had none for the man who owed him money. When the king heard about it he was angry and said “Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy
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on you?” (Matt. 18:33 NLT) Jesus then says that’s what our heavenly Father will do if we refuse to forgive others in our hearts. In order to end the standoff I had to be the one to break. In my heart I knew I was being petty and immature…but that meant humbling myself. Talking about being humble is simple, but it takes practice to actually be humble. And of course it’s always in times of extreme pride the words of 1 Peter 5:6 especially sting. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time.” Once the still, small voice of God nudged those words
into my mind and heart I knew my loitering with my grudge must come to an end. In order to do this I had to completely drop my hurt feelings and remember we were actually good friends. And besides, if people like Joseph (Gen. 45), David (1 Sam. 24), and the Good Samaritan (Lk. 10:27-37)—people who had been wounded so much deeper than I had—can forgive couldn’t I oversee this tiny thing? What made these Bible characters great was not their grudge, but their grace. Didn’t I want the same for my life? ▪ Robyn Roste is the Living Bridge Media manager at Insight for Living Canada.
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LAUGHING MATTERS
t’s not always easy being a big hotshot author. In fact at times it can get downright tiring. I was sitting with my wife in a restaurant and an autograph seeker came over. “Excuse me,” he said. “Would you mind...” I interrupted him. I said, “I’ll sign something, but do you mind waiting until after dinner?” The guy squinted at me and said, “What? I just wanted to borrow the salt shaker.” One of the real perks of writing books is that people come up and tell you a joke or a funny story. Sometimes though, they tell you something that stops you in your tracks. One you can’t stop thinking about for days. On a dark February night not far from where we live, 14-year-old Daniel Garrard took the family van out for a joyride, collided with a semi-trailer and was killed. Daniel’s mother Terra and his three siblings were devastated. As a single mother, Terra worked hard in a grocery store to make ends meet, but without a car and without hope, despair closed in around her. Two teens, Katelin Allert and Amy Fitzpatrick worked in the grocery store alongside Terra. They are followers of Jesus. They wanted to do something. And so they landed on a crazy God-ordained idea. Katelin’s father Gord called to tell me the story and asked me to get involved.
He said there was no stopping them. The girls were hosting a fundraiser. Maybe they could raise enough to buy the grieving family some groceries. Maybe enough for an old van so Terra could drive to work. First, the two asked the store manager to give them 500 dollars as a deposit for the best venue in town. He gladly opened his wallet. Next they began visiting business after business asking for an auction item or donation. Business owners eagerly agreed. “Before we went into each one we prayed,” recalled Katelin. “Only one in the whole city turned us down.”
Her father Gord is a guitar virtuoso. He plays on records, CDs too. Gord began inviting musician friends to come play at the event. Some hopped on planes. My friend, country star Paul Brandt donated an autographed guitar. I agreed to speak, but, let’s face it, I’m a humourist, what would I ever talk about? When Katelin and her mother Liz told Terra of their plans, she was overwhelmed. “I have nothing to wear,” she said. So Liz
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and Katelin took her shopping. Terra hadn’t tried on new clothing in years. She couldn’t stop grinning. One day she found out about their love for God. “I don’t have a Bible,” she confessed. They found her one. On a Sunday evening in June, 300 people gathered to support the grieving Garrard family in Cochrane, Alberta. Standing before them, I spoke of joy. How it invaded our lives amid our battle with epilepsy and Huntington’s disease. I told them of the peace we’d found in walking with Jesus, how happiness depends on what happens, but joy is rooted in faith. I prayed a prayer of blessing on Terra and her kids. And by the end of the night, we couldn’t believe it. Not only was ample money raised to help them. A local Dodge dealer handed Terra keys to a van. The Christlike actions of two courageous teenagers began to bear fruit. During the next few weeks Terra asked questions. There were “Why” questions. But she also had some “Who” questions. Who causes people to love her the way they had? Who could comfort her in the lonely days to come? As the grief threatened to
pull her into the darkness, Terra opened the pages of the Bible she’d been given. And found light and hope. Hope that God could somehow bring her through this horror. Hope that what she had seen in Katelin and Amy was worth having for herself. On a rock bottom day she called a minister. “I need to talk to you, now!” So Pastor Jason introduced Terra to Jesus. I asked Katelin and Amy what effect this has had on them. They say they’ll never be the same. They have seen God at work. It spoils you for anything less. They’ve discovered that those who put others first, those who give cheerfully and without hesitation, receive more than they could ever have imagined. That even in the midst of great pain and tragedy, a sovereign God can accomplish eternal purposes. And sometimes, when you least expect it, He uses us in that process. They both agree that true joy comes in letting nothing stick to our fingers, in giving it all away. ▪
Phil Callaway is a speaker and the author of When You Need A Good Laugh (Harvest House). He’s also a huge fan of Insight For Living.
ON THE AIR IN AUGUST
LIVING ON THE RAGGED EDGE Like a carrot on the end of a stick, fulfilment eludes us…regardless of how we fill in the blank. Chuck Swindoll examines King Solomon’s vain quest for satisfaction, recorded in the book of Ecclesiastes. In this straightforward study, we discover the ultimate secret for the “good life”—a life of meaning and satisfaction in a world on the ragged edge.
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UPCOMING MESSAGES INCLUDE: Journal of a Desperate Journey Chasing the Wind More Miles of Bad Road Do You Know What Time It Is?
Would You have Chosen
PAUL? by Peter Tyrrell
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ecently I was asked to preach at a church and I chose to speak on grace. It’s such a broad topic and we’re kidding ourselves if we think we can encapsulate the full nature of God’s grace within the confines of a book or a message. But, try we must, as we seek to unravel the layers of God’s bountiful gift and understand its application in the 21st century. At the conclusion of the service I began a conversation with some of the elders of the church about the power that is given us through grace. Very often we consider grace to be nothing more than God’s mercy being extended to us through Christ, and, while this is true, we can stop there and not consider how the breadth of God’s grace is to be characterized in our lives. All too often we look at others around us and consider that they are doing what they’re doing because they are more skilled, better educated, or naturally talented. While that does happen at times, for the most part it’s because people are simply willing to give something a go that they are involved. Let’s take one of “the biggies” of the faith, the Apostle Paul. He was everything you’d NOT expect in the one God would choose to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentile world. He had a shocking resume. The Corinthian church did not become enamoured with Paul and place him on some pedestal for all to follow. No, they became almost dismissive of him because of their view of his characteristics, which he challenged in his second letter. If you were after a gifted orator to lead your church would you select a person who had: • Unimpressive physical presence: Physically small, balding, a weakling • Inferior in public speech (2 Cor. 10:10) • Timid and non-confrontational in person (2 Cor. 10:1) • Frail with inherent limitations (2 Cor. 1:8) • Constantly enduring hardships in his ministry life (2 Cor. 4:7-9) • Has a physical disability—“thorn of the flesh” (2 Cor. 12:7-10) If I were on the search committee I’d probably place Paul’s application in the “maybe later” file. But that’s where God is so different from us. His grace means we are embold-
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Would You Have Chosen Paul? continued from p. 11
ened with His power to do more than we could ever achieve on our own. We learn from Paul’s life that, like him, we are able to undertake the ministry the Lord has destined for us regardless of our innate weaknesses. Our ability does not come merely from us but is part of the grace of God given to us. When Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus he was aware of the problems that existed in Corinth after he had left. He had been
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"If I were on the search committee I’d probably place Paul’s application in the 'maybe later' file." told that those who were trying to stir up trouble for the new church were questioning his qualifications as God’s minister of the Gospel. But, thankfully, Paul understood the fundamental principle of being a Christian in that we are called to service regardless of our education, background or abilities. "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ.” (Eph. 3:7-8 NIV) Churches are full of people who have been saved by the grace of God. But sadly, many have not yet fully understood that
the power that comes from the grace of God will equip them for service. Really there are no excuses. It comes down to whether we trust God or not. If God is calling you to the mission field, He will give you the heart, the ability, the confidence, and the support to make it happen. If you’re called to works of service within the congregation, God will equip you. Paul trusted God, and while he endured many sufferings for his faith, he achieved more than he could ever have imagined. Would you have chosen Paul? Would you have chosen yourself? Consider the power of the grace of God. ▪ Peter Tyrrell serves as the executive director of Insight for Living Australia. Peter and his wife Cornelia have dedicated their lives to helping others apply God’s principals to everyday life.
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by Steve Johnson
QUESTION:
Does a Christian who commits suicide go to heaven? ANSWER: One reason Christians ask this question is because of the Roman Catholic teaching about mortal and venial sins. Venial sins, they teach, are slight sins in that they injure the relationship to God, but mortal sins sever it and unless there is final confession the individual continues eternally separated from God. Obviously in the case of suicide there can be no confession and so Catholics teach that the one who commits suicide does not go to heaven. Some Christians avoid the question with convenient theological twisting. They say a true believer wouldn’t commit suicide. And the proof that they were not saved in the first place is in the fact that they committed suicide. Apart from an ignorance of suicide in general, these folks are ignorant of how we are saved and kept. The key question is: Are we saved and kept by our works or by the grace of God through the work of Christ? 14
Ephesians 2:1-10 makes it clear that we were dead in our sins, but our merciful God made us alive with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavens. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast” (vs. 8-9). Titus 3:5 says “…he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.” Some would argue yes we are saved by grace, but we are kept by our works. And since suicide is an evil work, we are lost. But Jesus said it was He who is holding onto us, not us holding onto Him. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand” (Jn 10:28). If works saved then one would expect that where works are minimal, one would
life ring
© istockphoto.com/Romanchuck
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be lost. But Paul teaches that at the judgment some believers will be saved “yet so as by fire” because they only have minimal good works to show for their life. They still make it into heaven (1 Cor. 3:10-15). While we have a responsibility to do good works even those are the result of God’s Spirit working in us. Believers are kept secure not because of their works, but because of what Christ has done and continues to do in and through us by His Spirit. Is there anything then—including suicide—that can separate us from the love of God and His salvation? Not according to Romans 8: 38-39: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” But does this mean that since a Christian who commits suicide won’t go to hell we can relax and not worry so much about it? No. We need to understand the factors, which can lead to suicide and realize that Christians may suffer from factors contributing to suicide as much as a nonChristian. Being a Christian doesn’t make us immune from things going wrong.
More pointedly, approximately 90 per cent of those who commit suicide have a psychological disorder.1 Among those, depression is more common than any other disorder. Christians need to realize that psychological disorders including depression are not a sin.
“Being a Christian doesn’t make us immune from things going wrong.” Instead of continuing in ignorance we need to educate ourselves on the signs, symptoms, and treatments of suicidal people. We need to provide them with loving help and resources that will give them hope. The Gospel is a message of hope. But sometimes things can get very dark in a believer’s life and in the dark hope is lost. Let’s live up to our calling to be lights and help them recover their hope. I hope this helps. - Steve Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for Living Canada.
1 Health at a Glance, Suicide rates: An overview. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-Xby Tanya Navaneelan. http://www.statcan. gc.ca/pub/82-624-x/2012001/article/11696-eng.htm. Last accessed May 30, 2013.
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