Karma

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about Karma:

Q:  Does Christianity believe in Karma?  How does Christianity believe peoples actions toward one another are rewarded and punished in this world? 

Karma is an idea that originates in East-Asian religions like Hinduism and Buddhism.  Their understanding of both time and life is one of repeating cycles rather than the linear progression that we in the western world understand.  So, while we illustrate the passage of time with timelines of history, they would draw a shape resembling a coiled spring that wraps back on itself. 

Part of this understanding includes reincarnation, which is the belief that souls are repeatedly born into a series of lives over the course of time.  Karma carries the result that those who do good in one life will advance in the next while those who do evil will regress in the next life.  Many in these religions also believe that Karma also influences events within lives. 

This means that those who do what is right in this life would receive good fortune in return while those who do evil in this life would suffer loss or tragedy in return.  These karmic responses are not seen as being guided by a personal god, but rather an impersonal universe which seeks to keep balance by repaying actions with consequences in kind. 

While such an understanding might seem quite sensible on its surface, such ideas are completely foreign to a Christian understanding of things.  When Jesus’ disciples encountered a man who had been born blind, they asked whether it was he or his parents who had committed a sin to cause such a thing to occur.  Jesus clearly denies that any such thing is true, saying that neither was the cause of his blindness. 

Even though sometimes sinful or unwise behavior has natural consequences, Christianity does not understand any system, with or without the guidance of God, which repays them in this life.  Instead, the unanimous witness of Scripture is that earthly tragedies are a result of sin in the world.  However, this is not a correspondence of one sin or one person’s sin to certain consequences.  Instead, the Bible portrays earthly suffering as the consequences broken by the collective weight of human sin. 

For Christianity, there are consequences to sinful behavior that go beyond the natural results of the action, but these consequences are eternal rather earthly, and complete rather than proportional—any deviation from perfection deserves eternal death and punishment in hell.

Rewards in Christianity are likewise opposite to the idea of karma.  Christianity sees no ability in humans to earn rewards from God.  Because they fail to achieve perfection, they fail the test of God’s law. 

Instead, rewards are received by the Christian based on Jesus’ performance rather than their own.  Whoever trusts in Jesus’ is promised to be rewarded on the basis of His perfect record which replaces their own.  These rewards are received as a gift rather than earned, and like the punishments deserved for sin, they are only realized in eternity. 

While trust in Jesus has benefits in this world such as peace with God and relief from the anxiety of relying on the uncertainties of our imperfect efforts in relation to God, these benefits are secondary to the primary reward of resurrected life with Jesus that will be initiated on the Last Day and continue without end. 

Karma is ultimately the complete opposite of the Christian understanding of rewards and punishments—both because it relies on a different basis (human performance vs. divine gift) and because it awards them in this life or subsequent lives rather than in an eternity which commences following only a single life in this world. 

Doubt and Certainty

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about certainty and doubt in Christianity:

Q:  How can I be certain that I am really Christian?  If I find myself doubting, can I still be saved?

This is a question that Christians throughout the ages have found themselves considering.  Because humans are hard-wired for action for the purpose of survival, we almost automatically translate this capacity in earthly things into our consideration of spiritual things.  In keeping with this, many people even mistakenly attribute Benjamin Franklin’s proverb that “God helps those who help themselves” to the Bible instead. 

Because we are personally responsible for preserving the security of our earthly provisions, although doing so with talents and strength that were given by God, we too often assume that the same applies when we begin considering heavenly matters. 

Even for Christians who acknowledge that Jesus saves us as a gift, which we receive by trusting in and relying upon, the temptation arises to look within ourselves for a measurement of how well we trust in Jesus or how fully we rely upon Him.  But doing this introduces an element of doubt by placing the focus on our believing instead of God’s grace. 

When we consider our standing before God, however, Scripture makes abundantly clear that, spiritually speaking, there is nothing good in us that can cause or improve where we stand with God, and that there is no effort or worthiness in us that is sufficient to participate in saving us. 

Paul quotes the Psalms as evidence of this when he writes in the book of Romans:  “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understand; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; toether they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

However, this is not bad news.  In fact, it serves to prepare us for even greater assurance.  If we were capable of contributing something, we would be expected to do so, and accountable if we failed.  Instead, as Paul tells the Ephesians:  “It is by grace you are saved, through faith…not by works.”  Nothing within man is the determining factor in salvation—not our decision, not our cooperation, not even the quantity or quality of our believing. 

Instead, we place all of our confidence and certainty on Jesus.  He has accomplished salvation.  He forgives sins.  He does it all.  Faith is not a degree of trust that a Christian works up within himself to come to or look to Jesus, but instead, it is the Christian’s denial of themselves and their own participation and their reliance upon Jesus’ death as the complete and already-accomplished cause of salvation. 

When the Bible warns against “doubt,” what it cautions against is unbelief—the prideful rejection of Jesus as the all-accomplishing savior or the denial of His forgiveness.  When the Christian who still trusts in Jesus, finds himself questioning in search of confirmation or feeling a degree of uncertainty because of his own weakness or the deceit of false teachers, this is not the doubt which condemns, but rather, a part of the spiritual battle that rages as long as this life endures.

If embraced or allowed to fester, such doubts could eventually grow like a cancer to endanger a Christians soul, but when treated with the antidote of Scripture and the Sacraments and relieved by the support of fellow Christians, they often prove to be the experiences which ultimately serve to advance the Christian in their understanding of and perseverance in the Faith, as James says:  “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

Duties of Pastor and Congregation

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about the duties of the pastor and congregation toward one another:

Q:  What does the Bible say about the relationship between pastors and congregations?  Are there certain duties that they have toward one another? 

Paul describes pastors in 1 Corinthians 4 as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”  This description may seem different to many American Christians, but it is the Biblical job description for pastors.  It makes clear, first, that pastors are not mere employees who must follow the orders given by their congregations, but instead, they work for Christ and are answerable to Him and serve their congregations on His behalf and at His command. 

In this service to Christ as “stewards of the mysteries of God,” their primary task is to deliver God’s grace by preaching, teaching, Baptizing, forgiving sin, and providing the Lord’s Supper.  All of the administrative, organizational, creative, and other tasks we Americans typically associate with a pastor’s work are really secondary to their foremost task of administering the Word and Sacraments according to the Lord’s institution.  The Gospel of Matthew provides a similar description as Jesus tells the disciples, who were the first pastors, “As you are going, make disciples of all nations by Baptizing and by teaching them to keep all that I have instructed you.” 

In return for their pastor’s commitment to devote His life to serving Christ by delivering God’s gifts to the congregation, the New Testament also assigns duties to congregations in relation to their pastor(s): 

Since the pastor’s time is devoted to delivering God’s Word to the congregation, it is necessary that the congregation provide for the needs of the pastor’s family.  By doing so, they not only honor His providing for their needs, but also remove the anxiety of financial pressures which would ultimately distract from his concentration on serving them. 

This principle dates to the New Testament as Paul tells the congregations, “those who preach the Gospel should receive their living from the Gospel,” and “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor,”  even comparing it to the Old Testament command not to muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain. 

Even more, he instructs the Christians to “respect [pastors] who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.  Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work,” and to “obey your leaders and submit to their authority.  They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.  Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.”

As one who has a high degree of instruction in Scripture, Christian doctrine, and the care of souls, the congregation is commanded to honor and respect their pastor as he fulfills his office and the duties assigned to Him, some of which include making unpopular decisions and enforcing unpopular positions that are commanded by Scripture. 

The pastor is no dictator, though, because both He and the congregation are called to submit together to God and His Word as their highest authority.  The saying that the pastor “must give an account” for His work among the saints emphasizes this responsibility.  They are also to correct one another if they depart from its teachings. 

The Bible describes the relationship between Jesus and the Church as like a husband and wife, and since, when he serves in the office of the ministry, the pastor represents Christ, the relationship between him and the congregation as a whole resembles that of a husband and wife as well, extending Paul’s commands to husbands and wives in Ephesians 5 so that the pastor is commanded to love his congregation and the congregation commanded to respect their pastor(s).

Similarly, the relationship between the pastor and individual members of his parish resembles that of a father and his children, which is the reason Pastors are sometimes called Father among several denominations of Christians, including Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox. 

All of these descriptions of the pastor’s relationship to the congregation are given so that the goal Paul describes would be attained—that the pastor’s service would be a joy rather than a burden, and therefore, his ministry would be an advantage rather than a disadvantage to his congregation. 

Believe in God or Trust Jesus?

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about the difference between believing in God and trusting Jesus:

Q:  If a person believes in God, does that make them a Christian, or does it include something more?    

The phrase “believe in God” can be a difficult thing at times.  I think the meaning of this phrase even tends to vary depending on the generation a person comes from.

In the mid-twentieth century, the question, “Do you believe in God?” was synonymous with asking, “Are you a Christian?”  In that era, to be a mainstream American was to be a Christian, and with very few exceptions, such as the Jewish population of New York City, the alternative to Christianity was seen as Atheism.  So, in that context, the question fit the needs of the time in discerning whether one’s conversation partner was a fellow Christian or not.

Today, though, the first response of many people when asked whether they believe in God might be “Which one?”  With the introduction of eastern religions to the American scene by celebrities and popular musicians later in the twentieth century, as well as a shift where immigrants began arriving from Southeast Asia and the Middle East rather than from Europe, many different definitions of god began to reside side-by-side in our country. 

Even though this does not render all of the definitions equally valid, it does mean that one now has to discern which God one is being asked if they believe in, thus complicating the question and necessitating further inquiry before it is possible to answer. 

There is also difficulty regarding the word believe.  Today, this word typically indicates a either the non-factual acceptance of an idea, such as when asked “Do you believe in Santa Claus?” or at least a level of uncertainty about an answer, such as in the reply, “I believe my favorite driver won last night’s race.” 

Instead, the Greek word used in the Bible indicates quite the opposite.  Its definition includes such things as certainty about, reliance on, and trust in the object of belief.  So, speaking Biblically, one does not believe in God the way one believes in the Tooth Fairy or an uncertain recollection of past events.  Instead, one acknowledges God’s existence as factual, reliable, and trustworthy. 

Additionally, even having a proper definition of and certainty about the existence of God does not make one a Christian.  James writes in the New Testament, “You do well to believe there is one God.  Even the demons believe that, but they are terrified!.”  Even believing in one God and knowing who He is does not make one a Christian, since even the demons do that much. 

Believing that God exists makes one a Theist.  Believing that there is only one God makes one a Monotheist, but both fall short of being a Christian.  Instead, what defines a Christian, beyond just acknowledging that God is a Trinity and Jesus is fully God and fully human, is to trust in Jesus to forgive one’s sin and give salvation and eternal life. 

This means complete reliance on Jesus as the one and only way a person can stand in light of God’s judgment.  It includes that one trust that Jesus has both fulfilled God’s law and suffered God’s punishment as a substitute for humanity and that those promises are applied to a person through preaching, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper.

These things, beyond merely acknowledging God’s existence, are the definition of what it means to be a Christian, and are what the Bible means when it speaks of believing in God. 

Born that way?

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about God's response to our inborn desire for sin:

Q:  If a person is born with the inclination to desire certain things or act in certain ways, then how could God judge them for acting on it when He created them that way?    

This is an interesting observation that has resurfaced only recently—that people possess certain inclinations even from birth, as a sort of default programming.  This time, contrary to the usual way of things, the new observation turns out to be quite correct.  For decades, if not centuries, it was assumed that humans began as a neutral “blank slate,” and that from morality to aesthetic tastes to various sorts of desires, they were shaped by authorities and experiences toward certain outcomes. 

It turns out, however, that the idea that humans are born already possessing a variety of inclinations is quite Biblical.  King David lamented the fact in the Psalms that he was sinful “from birth, even from the time my mother conceived me.”  Likewise the Apostle Paul observed how his highest desire to please God and do good was at war within him against an entrenched inclination to do what is evil and disobey God. 

The difficulty with this newly rediscovered truth is the next step that is often taken in argumentation: that such inborn desires are part of God’s creation and therefore not contrary to God’s will or subject to his judgment.  The Bible describes humanity as created in perfect harmony with God’s will and only later plunged into the desire to do evil after Adam and Eve first disobeyed God and introduced sin into the world. 

Although different Christian traditions handle the details in diverse ways, they do hold in common, first, that the desire for sin is not part of God’s original creation; and second, that humans are fully responsible for the way in which they behave in response to their desires.  Therefore, even though the particular sort of desire might vary from individual to individual and across the seasons of life, all desires are subject to the scrutiny of God’s law, as revealed in Scripture.

Consider the partial and biased way in which society often reacts to certain offenses:  if a person is greedy or lustful, it is typically brushed off as a mere weakness or a character flaw, but pedophiles and drunks are judged harshly and made outcasts.  Certainly some actions bring more far-reaching harm to others, but according to this assumption if these individuals were born that way, they should be exempt from any judgment—whether by God or by man. 

The approach Jesus takes in the Gospels is not to debate which sins to excuse and which to condemn.  Instead, He preaches that all of God’s law be taken seriously, so that not only murder, sexual immorality, and theft are to be avoided, but even hatred, lustful thoughts, and covetousness.  And just as all sin, whether in thought, word, or deed, whether by commission or neglect, whether against God or against man, is judged equally seriously; all sin is also forgiven equally freely through trust in Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t excuse any sin or declare anyone merely close enough to make it.  Instead, He dies for sin, in the place of sinners, even though not guilty of it Himself.  Then He invites all people to agree with God’s law by acknowledging their failure to keep it and to trust in Him as the substitute who did so in their place. 

Theological Reflections on Pastoral Pornography

I compiled these reflections for the work of a task force I am participating in on the topic of treating habitual pornography use in pastors, and thought perhaps they might be beneficial for others if they were also made available here:

The starting point for any question of sexuality for the Christian is always the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not commit adultery.”  This commandment not only demands that man “lead a sexually pure and decent life,” but also that “husband and wife love and honor each other,” but, as we confess in the liturgy, this decency and honor are to be carried out “in thought, word, and deed.” 

 

Throughout the Old Testament, from Job’s making “covenant with [his] eyes not to look lustfully at a girl,” to King David’s ill-advised glance at Bathsheba, its consequent calamities, and their son’s admonition in the Song of Songs not to awaken sexual desire prematurely; from Ezekiel’s description of the Israelites’ lust after their Egyptian captors to Hosea’s divinely-mandated marriage to the prostitute Gomer, the dangers of lust are demonstrated and the relationship is established that adultery and idolatry go hand in hand.

 

Jesus gives this idea New Testament expression in no uncertain terms when He declares, “You have heard it said that you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you, if a man even looks upon a woman with lustful intent, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”  In saying this, He gives us absolute certainty that there is not a certain plain which one may not cross or a certain base that one may not round.  Instead, the moment that the desire is entertained or the intent is formed, the sin has already been committed. 

 

The Apostle Paul warns similarly in Ephesians that there should not even be “a hint” of sexual immorality among Christians, and to Timothy that young men and women ought to treat one another like siblings outside of marriage.  Although there may be differing degrees of earthly consequences, pornography, “adult” entertainment featuring live nudity, physical extra-marital affairs, and even inappropriate fantasies about other people who remain fully-clothed, are all, spiritually speaking, sinful violations of God’s intentions for human sexuality. 

 

While our identity as Christians and as Church is not found in our morality, nor are we to consider ourselves superior to those whose immorality is of a different, less socially-acceptable, variety than our own, out of love for our neighbor, we confess the goodness of God’s design of our physical bodies and His intent for the marital union exclusively between a husband and wife.  We likewise confess that any thought, word, or action which breaks or interferes in this union is contrary to His will and not to be entertained by Christians. 

 

God institutes all of the horizontal relationships of human life (parent-child, pastor-congregation, government-citizen, etc.) to be reflections of the greater vertical relationships between God and humanity or Jesus and His Church, and whenever an alteration occurs, whether to the number or the identity of the participants (even if only in thought or fantasy) they fail to reflect the greater divine truth as he intended.  Among these relationships marriage is a particular reflection of the relationship between Christ and His Church as described by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 5. 

 

There is one Christ and one Church just as there is one husband and one wife.  Christ does not have many churches or fantasize over other churches, nor is He satisfied to dwell alone, apart from His Church.  Likewise, the Church does not have many saviors or fantasize over other saviors, nor does she satisfy her own needs alone, apart from Christ. 

 

As pornography allows one to achieve sexual gratification based on the image of a partner other than one’s own spouse, it certainly constitutes adultery by Scriptural definition.  Furthermore, it causes the practical consequence of relational destruction between husbands and wives, parents and children, pastors and congregations.  In doing so, it causes pain and division between individuals and places barriers between the earthly vocations through which God desires to bless us and illustrate His fatherly care and deliver his forgiving grace. 

 

This affliction is particularly damaging when the man guilty of such sins is a pastor, because by causing scandal in the congregation it has the potential to become an obstacle to the reception of God’s forgiving grace which is dispensed there.  A fit pastor is therefore described in Paul’s epistles to Timothy and Titus as being “a one-woman man.”  Just as Christ is devoted to His Church, so also is a man to his wife.  While this expectation is true for every Christian, a failure in this respect may disqualify a man from the office of pastor, making pornography habits a particular burden for Christian clergy and, along with the tarnished reputation to the congregation if publicized, a particular concern for their congregations. 

 

As Christians confronted with the temptations of lust and sexual immorality, we live repentantly, acknowledging our fault for such desires which arise from within our own hearts (Mark 7:21).  Although we do not resist them perfectly, we confess the goodness of God’s law and our failure to keep it; we receive His forgiveness by grace, through faith, on account of His crucified Son; and we desire to go forward in lives which reflect His character and design. 

 

While the Lord has provided the means to forgive our sin in His Gospel and Sacraments, Confession and Absolution, we continue to struggle against sin just as Paul describes of his own experience in Romans 7.  Simultaneously saint and sinner, we are forgiven yet struggle against the habits and desires of our sinful hearts.  For this reason the assistance of a Christian professional skilled in the observation of human behavior and the workings of the mind is a beneficial support alongside the cure of the soul provided by one’s father confessor.  The grace of God relieves the guilt of this sin and produces the desire to amend one’s ways, and the competent guidance of a Christian counselor assists in the practical struggle toward that end. 

"God is love."

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about the statement "God is love."

Q:  If “God is love” as it says in 1 John 4, then why do so many other parts of the Bible seem so unloving?    

As with many challenging portions of scripture, the first step to understanding what is being said is to realize that we are reading something that was written by someone in a different culture, to readers from a different culture, and in a different language than the translation we are reading from. 

On many occasions, words from other languages do not have a direct equivalent in English, leaving translator to come as close as they are able, yet still rendering the idea imperfectly.  Other times, even though there is an adequate English word to select in translation, the concept carries ideas in one culture that differ from those it conveys in another. 

In this example from the Epistles of John, “God is…” is a fairly straightforward translation.  Even “love” is a relatively safe translation—although there are several Greek terms which reflect particular aspects of the very broad English word, love—but most of the difficulty for Americans for understanding this statement comes in the cultural baggage which clings to the concept of “love.” 

Our culture tends to focus on love as a sentiment or emotion that is experienced by and between people.  For us, love tends to be an expression of desire, attraction, or affection.  It is understood as something experienced or felt within. 

In keeping with this understanding, many would argue that if an action or a relationship flows from this sort of internal, emotional motives, then it must be pure.  It must be good.  It must be right.  Many might argue that if the entity or experience they are describing fits this description, then it must be approved by God.  It is assumed that if something feels right it must be right, and that if it is accompanied by the expected emotional characteristics, then that serves as confirmation of its goodness before God. 

But such an approach fits better with the statement “Love is God” than “God is love.”  This is because in this sort of statement, the first word is a known quantity and the second depends on it for definition.  So, the natural approach of most Americans assumes and cultural understanding of love, then continues to build an understanding of God based on that assumption. 

John, on the other hand, does the opposite.  He begins with a history of God’s words and deeds.  By the time John write this letter, the entire Old Testament, all four Gospels, all of Paul’s epistles, and several other New Testament books have already been written.  These documents provide a verifiable definition of who God is and what His will is.  That, John says, is the definition of love. 

So, whatever we understand love to be must be consistent with the character of God, who is the very definition of love.  If God did something, it was loving.  If God commands it, that is loving.  This is true even when it seems hateful or horrible to us.  If it conflicts with God’s prior commands, it is not love, no matter how it feels.  If it is not consistent with the character of God revealed in previous scripture, it is not love, regardless of assumptions to the contrary. 

John even gives the prime example of love in the same chapter when He says, “In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

So, when John says, “God is love,” he is describing to his readers what their lives as Christians are to look like—that as people who have been forgiven by God, called by God, and chosen by God, they now reflect the character of the God who has made them His own, not that they begin with their own desires, assumptions, or understandings, then arrive at conclusions about God in light of them. 

Are babies saved without Baptism?

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about whether infants and young children can be saved:

Q:  If Jesus is the only way to salvation, then what happens to the souls of children who die before they are old enough to express their trust in Jesus to save them?    

The heavy emotional impact of the answer as well as the lack of a clear, concise statement in Scripture that, “all children are saved” or “all unbaptized children are condemned,” make this one of the most difficult questions that Christian theology must make sense of.

Even though we cannot judge with absolute certainty when we deal with questions of salvation in others, we have some indications from mature persons, such as their own statements affirming faith, or at the very least, we understand their regular attendance at a church to mean that they believed what was taught there; but with infants and young children, we lack this sort of observable testimony to faith, making this a particularly challenging exercise in Biblical discernment.

Numerous attempts have been made over the centuries to alleviate this uncertainty regarding deceased children and therefore give Christian parents hope (or in some cases anxiety) about the eternal state of these young deceased: 

Some have proposed that all children who have not attained the ability to recognize or form intent to sin are innocent and therefore saved.  A related proposition acknowledges that children are guilty of sin but that it is not counted against them until they attain the ability to understand and believe the Gospel. 

Others have proposed that those who have not been Baptized are absolutely condemned.  Still others have proposed that there is a neutral third place (sometimes called “Limbo”) for those who die apart from the opportunity to receive God’s grace through the preached Gospel or the Sacraments. 

Because of the lack of a single-sentence answer in the Bible, it means that Scriptural answers will have to bring together evidence from throughout the Bible.  When formulating such a Biblical answer to this difficult question, there are several factors to take into consideration. 

First, Scripture is very clear that salvation must come through Jesus, so any answer which proposes salvation apart from Jesus cannot be considered.  Similarly, the only means through which Scripture promises God’s grace, won by Jesus, will be delivered are the Gospel and the Sacraments, particularly Baptism, so any solution which proposes a connection to Jesus through any other means is, likewise, unreliable. 

Additionally, because Paul and James clearly indicate the sinfulness of “all people” in their epistles, and because in the Psalms King David specifically applies this judgment to begin “from birth, from the time my mother conceived me,” answers which deny the children’s guilt for sin prior to their ability to observably commit sin are also unbiblical. 

Finally, there is no scriptural evidence for the existence of any “third place,” and a statement approved by Pope Benedict several years ago eliminated the rationale to teach of such a place based on church tradition. 

In spite of the clarity of the Bible that children are also guilty of sin and that forgiveness can only come because of Jesus, this does not mean that children are condemned by default until an age where they can hear and trust the Gospel.  Scripture gives numerous occasions for hope for children’s forgiveness and salvation. 

Peter’s promise that “Baptism now saves you,” and that “the promise is for you and your children,” along with our Lord’s instruction to “Let the little children come to Me,” are the clearest invitation to apply God’s grace to our children through Baptism and thereby gain certain hope that they have received God’s grace. 

Even when Baptism has not been possible, such as a stillbirth or a sudden accident, Scripture gives ample reason for hope.  This includes the faith of John the Baptizer even prior to birth (Luke 1), David’s declaration of His deceased newborn son’s salvation in 2 Samuel, along with numerous indications that Jesus dies for “the world” and that God desires to save “all people.” 

Martin Luther also found hope for the salvation of the children of Christian parents based on God’s promise to answer the prayers of those who trust in Him, combined with the fact that their parents had certainly prayed for them prior to their birth. 

Ultimately, although we cannot pronounce with absolute certainty the salvation of unbaptized children (or of anyone other than ourselves for that matter), and although why and how remains shrouded in mystery, the plentiful promises and revelations of God’s merciful character found in Scripture mean that there is certainly no cause for despair or anxiety when children of Christian parents die prior to Baptism.

Hypnosis

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about Hypnosis:

Q:  How should Christians approach hypnosis, whether the self-help variety used to quit smoking or lose weight, or the entertainment variety that is often seen during prom season? 

Even though there are diverse methods and definitions, the common thread that defines hypnosis as an intentional practice seems to be that the practitioner of hypnosis induces upon another person a mental state other than that in which they normally exist.  Characteristics of this mental state might include such things as sleepiness, increased suggestibility, decreased inhibitions, or heightened concentration. There are even natural hypnotic states that occur spontaneously, such as when a person spaces out while watching television or becomes sleepy as a result of the motion of riding in a vehicle.

As noted in the question, there are also a variety of purposes for which hypnosis is employed.  Sometimes, it is merely for entertainment (stage hypnosis).  Other times, it is used to achieve behavioral ends, such as smoking cessation or weight loss, or as an attempt to relieve pain, phobias, or anxiety.  On other occasions, hypnosis is used as a spiritual discipline for recovering memories, particularly those from supposed past lives in a cycle of reincarnation. 

For Christians, this final purpose of hypnosis would obviously be inappropriate.  Since we know that humans live once, are judged at death, and will one day be resurrected to live out the rewards or consequences of that judgment, any past-life memories are certainly fraudulent and to be rejected.  Likewise, even if hypnosis were to be used only for the purpose of recovering memories within natural life, research regarding such results suggests that the recovered information is frequently unreliable. 

Similarly, for a Christian to subject oneself to a stage hypnotist seems unwise.  In many cases stage hypnotists use deception to make their acts appear genuine to audiences, which would make the Christian who participates with them complicit in deception or fraud.  Even when this is not the case, Christians should instinctively be cautious about an activity which causes them to yield any degree of control over their thoughts or behaviors to someone else, particularly in a scenario where they are likely to experience decreased inhibitions, and especially when the potential gain is merely entertainment and not more significant benefits such as found in the final category in the following paragraph.

This final category of hypnosis is probably the one for which it is most difficult to exclude Christians from participation.  Many people seeking behavioral change or relief from anxiety or physical pain do report benefits from hypnosis.  Although there is debate concerning whether these benefits are an actual result of hypnosis or a placebo effect, even beneficial results would not automatically allow participation, thus necessitating closer examination. 

Even though there are no Bible verses conclusively referring to hypnosis or necessarily naming participation in it a sin, several concerns would still exist for the Christian considering hypnosis.  First among these would be its connection to the meditation practices of Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism and to cultic and New Age philosophies.  Since the Bible forbids Christians from engaging in the worship of other religions, this would require thorough contemplation and research on the part of the Christian before they engage the practice. 

Additionally, because of the reduced inhibitions or suggestibility often associated with hypnosis, the character and beliefs of the practitioner would be of great importance to the Christian considering hypnosis.  A practitioner who follows a false spirituality or is lacking character could potentially cause spiritual harm during the practice of hypnosis. Furthermore, the mental state associated with hypnosis does not seem to be consistent with Biblical admonitions to “be on your guard” (1 Cor. 16:13) or “Be alert and sober minded” (1 Peter 5:8). 

Finally, the orientation of Christianity is that we seek solutions to spiritual problems outside of ourselves (namely from Jesus) and that spiritual benefits are delivered through external means (namely the Bible, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper).  Hypnosis suggests the opposite—that we can achieve desired outcomes or overcome troubling behaviors and thoughts by looking deeper into ourselves—a reversal of the Biblical direction.

In his Large Catechism, Martin Luther defined a “god” as “That from which we seek the highest good.”  For this reason, it seems that even if hypnosis is not a sin, and even if hypnosis did not render a person vulnerable to spiritual harm or to sinning as a result of reduced inhibitions, even therapeutic hypnosis would be an ill-advised choice for Christians, because it seeks solutions to spiritual problems by human manipulation and introspective techniques rather than from God and His divinely-appointed means of delivery.

God in a Box?

Christians and Pornography

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about a Christian response to pornography:

Q:  What is the Christian approach to pornography?  Since a person is not engaging in a physical relationship outside of marriage and nobody is being hurt, is it still a sin?

The starting point for this question would be the same as any other inquiry about sexuality, which is the sixth commandment, “You shall not commit adultery,” along with Jesus’ explanation, “whoever looks with lust upon [another person] has already committed adultery in his heart.” 

Spiritually speaking, pornography, live shows featuring nudity, physical extra-marital affairs, and even inappropriate fantasies about other people who remain fully-clothed, are all violations of God’s intentions for human sexuality. 

God institutes all of the horizontal relationships of human life (father-child, mother-child, husband-wife, pastor-congregation, government-citizen, etc) to be reflections of the greater vertical relationships between God and humanity or Jesus and His Church, and whenever an alteration occurs, whether to the number or the identity of the participants, even if only in thought or fantasy, or to the permanence of the relationship, they fail to reflect the greater divine truth as he intended.   

Video or photographic depictions of other people, which are created for the purpose of arousing erotic desire certainly achieve this relational destruction in a similar manner to live nudity and physical affairs.  Although the practical consequences might build more slowly or seem less severe, the spiritual and relational destruction occur all the same. 

Practically, repeated studies have shown direct relationships between increased levels of pornography usage and decline in measures of marital satisfaction and the user’s desire or ability to please or be pleased by their partner intimately.

It has also been observed that habitual pornography usage alters responses in the human brain so that the ability to achieve pleasure or the degree of pleasure people experience from various forms of stimulus is diminished, which in turn causes a continuous increase in the amount of stimulus necessary to create the desired response, very similar to that observed in drug addiction. 

This often results in further increases in usage, (accompanied by increased withdrawal from health relationships and appropriate outlets) or sometimes escalation to other behaviors such as soliciting prostitutes and other risky sexual actions.

In addition to the marital consequences, many sources are beginning to report that fathers’ use of pornography negatively impacts their ability to relate to and express affection toward their daughters as they grow from little girls into young women, which then may manifest in undesirable emotional or behavioral consequences in their daughters. 

Even further, an alarming relationship has recently been observed between pornography and human trafficking, so that many of the women involved in the making of pornography (along with large numbers in prostitution and exotic dancing) are actually victims of kidnapping, rape, and other atrocities, who are deceived or forced into various forms of sexual slavery. 

Even those who enter this profession voluntarily report dramatically increased rates of mental illness, as well as alcohol and drug abuse as a consequence of the psychological trauma of their occupation.  Most experience short careers followed by extreme guilt and regret over their involvement.  Meanwhile those who produce and sell the product rake in yearly revenue that exceeds that of all professional sports combined.

Even if a person disagrees with the spiritual and moral evaluations of pornography usage based on Biblical commands, it ultimately has to be acknowledged that the human suffering created by the industry would inspire nearly-unanimous agreement that it is necessary to refrain from this product in order not to contribute to the extreme consequences experienced by those employed by the industry, as well as to avoid the negative impact on the marriages and families of those who use it. 

Christians and strip clubs

My article from this week's Algona Upper Des Moines about a Christian response to strip clubs and other "adult" entertainment venues:

Q:  Is it acceptable for Christians to patronize or operate “adult” entertainment establishments featuring things like nude dancing, peep shows, or other similar content?

In this life, we live in a world, in a nation, and in communities, that are populated entirely by sinners.  Some of these are forgiven, while others are not, but all are sinners the same.  Therefore, we should not be surprised when we see that Biblical morality fails to be reflected around us, and that every manner of disobedience is practiced openly, even as legal commerce.

The establishments described in the question would certainly be included under this description, but even though they might be legal, and even though the best attempts of Christians might fail to shield their communities from the harmful consequences of such establishments, it would not excuse Christians who disobey divine commands by operating or participating in them. 

Beginning in the earliest books of the Old Testament, where God lays out His commandments, a clear connection is drawn between nakedness and sexual sin.  “Adultery” in the sixth commandment is explained as not merely unfaithfulness in marriage, but as all sexual intimacy, even if imagined and not executed, that that occurs between anyone other than a husband and wife. 

We see this occurring with King David as he sees Bathsheba bathing on a rooftop.  His visual infidelity with another man’s wife eventually leads to physical expression of that infidelity and an unplanned pregnancy for Bathsheba.  In order to cover up the adultery, King David places Bathsheba’s husband Uriah in a military situation where he is certain to be killed and thus adds murder to the list of offenses, after which their child dies as a consequence of the chain of events. 

The Apostle Paul warns similarly in Ephesians that there should not even be “a hint” of sexual immorality among Christians, and to Timothy that young men and women ought to treat one another like siblings outside of marriage.  Even the most erotic book of the Bible, Song of Solomon, warns its readers not to awaken such desires prematurely (which is, prior to marriage). 

Jesus makes the clearest statement when He tells His followers, “You have heard it said that you shall not commit adultery, but I say to you, if a man even looks upon a woman with lustful intent, he has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  He gives us absolute certainty that there is not a certain plain which one may not cross or a certain base that one may not round.  Instead, the moment that the desire is entertained or the intent is formed, the sin has already been committed. 

All of these commands fit well with what we can observe in biology and human behavior, as we observe a near-automatic, even biochemically induced, jump from nudity to inappropriate sexual desire, if not actual consummation of such desire. With the exception of a few extraordinary individuals, the jump from seeing erotic dance, which has as its intentional outcome to arouse erotic desire, to entertaining lustful intent is unavoidable.

Therefore, patronizing, owning, or otherwise supporting such establishments would be unquestionably forbidden for Christians.  Whether a patron intentionally goes for the purpose of entertaining lust, or knowingly puts themselves in a position to be tempted by it in an effort to be more accepted by a group of peers, it is absolute misconduct for a Christian to engage in such activities.  At the very least, their economic support of the establishment participates in the owners’ sin of shamefully monetizing the bodies of the women they employ and commercially providing outlets for the already-rampant lust of their patrons.

As Christians, our identity is not be found in our morality, not are we to consider ourselves superior to those whose immorality is of a different, less socially-acceptable, variety than our own.  At the same time, there remains no excuse for Christians to openly engage in obvious immorality or to support those who provide opportunities for the same.