Hey there,

Wanna help us out? We have a few things we'd like help with. If you want to see what might be available or offer a service of some kind, please fill out this form :3

https://goo.gl/forms/JE6vemqVvYrTyrfo2

Thanks and have a blessed day!

Hello there!

Thanks to anyone reading this, it means you follow us despite the silence.

I’d like to give everyone an update on recent events, where we’re at (et cetera). I’ll also talk a little about what our plans are for the future though I won’t go into much detail. Then I’d like to have a quick devotional/reflective moment at the end.

So…

Where have we been?

School. Jude and I are both full-time students and have been trying to pay our respective bills without letting our grades slip. Prayers are appreciated, school is a lot of work. It’s also a blessing just to be able to attend however and It’s currently an object of passion for me.

Now, while we have been at school and we have been overwhelmed, neither Jude nor myself consider this an excuse for inactivity. If anything, I, for one, need to COMMIT to putting in the time on a weekly basis. This ministry is needed and I believe in it, therefore I need to put in the time.


Where are we now?

Still school, but planning for the future and trying to decide what next steps to take so that we can march forward with confidence. The Christian Furry Fellowship intends to do more than just sit around and occasionally say something novel while moderating a chatroom. We wish to resume Bible studies very soon on discord. We do have plans but again, your prayers are appreciated.


What about the podcast?

That’s…also in the planning. It’s not our main focus right now, but we’re sorta bummed out that it got dropped for so long. We have been trying to go about hosting it more professionally with an RSS feed and a slot in the itunes store… YOU KNOW, LIKE A REAL PODCAST.

But, I digress. We will probably start back with a fresh season and a cleaner format and I’d like to personally thank each and everyone of you that have reached out saying that you enjoyed the show and that it made you smile. Thank you, really.


Where are we going?

The current idea is to get this organization up and running as a business. In the long run we’d like to form a non-profit organization, but to get started we may have to just be a regular business on paper (in other words, we may start as a normal business and just put any money it generates back in until we get settled and then convert into a non-profit entity). We may like to have a forum and otherwise expand our web presence. Further, we’d like to give to charity and begin official appearances at conventions.

My big concern and cause for caution (much to the frustration of my peers) is that big projects can be fragile and laying a good foundation is essential. I tend to spend too much time surveying the landscape, but I’m working on that. Keep us in your prayers as it is our hope that this would all be sanctioned by God and blessed by His presence.



Where are you?

I want to break away now to ask some introspective questions and share a couple of thoughts I’ve had as of late.

Where are you at with God?

Where am I with God?

Where are we? What are we doing? Where are we going?

It’s easy to ignore these questions. It’s easy to overlook their gravity. It’s also dangerous.

I stated above that I spend too much time trying to plan out a foundation. So much so that I never get around to laying one down. Then when nothing happens for a while, I get behind in something else and think about that for a while. A poster at my school says, “Wherever you are, be all there.” I don’t know if it’s a famous quote or what but It’s a good saying. More specifically though, we need to “live in the moment.” That almost feels strange coming from this believer’s lips since it sounds like a modern secular proverb of “living life to it’s fullest,” but it actually make sense when we look at it through the right lens. What does it mean to “live life to the fullest?” Well, that all depends on how you define “living” and “life.” Of course we have the scripture saying that whoever loses his life will gain it and also, we know that Jesus is life, but let’s think about it in terms of priorities. What’s important to you? What would make this life a full one? As a Christian, we have some priorities that we should think of as fulfilling. How we meet those is somewhat up to us but what fulfills us? We need to live in that moment.

We need to be present.

We need to be actively thinking about how our daily life and our future goals can serve “life” and those who don’t have it (and I speak all this knowing I have it to work on myself).

We need to be in the present.

We have to live now. I’ll save the ol’ speech on why “we mustn’t live in the past and get caught up in guilt or disappointment over our personal histories” for another time. All the same, we gotta live today to make a better tomorrow.

We have to–I have to– live in today. Planning for tomorrow without getting lost in it. Personally, I try to be a visionary to a fault. Dreaming up plans and goals is FANTASTIC… but it doesn’t matter too much if I don’t ever start building. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes we dream up fantasies and projects that are just fun to think about, but when one really means something or we feel it’s important, we have to do more than just plan.

So I say to myself and to you all, be all there. Whatever your plan or purpose is, be present in it as best you can.

Pray for this organization that it will do the same.

Happy New Year, Mischief! here!

We know that things have been sleepy and slow these last few months, but as always, even when things don't look active, we trust that God is at work behind the scenes. We can't see it, but our Lord is getting things in place, softening hard hearts, setting up opportunities for us and for you to share His love and light to the world, or maybe just into your world.

Thomas and I (as well as our helpers) are going shooting for early March to get the podcast back up and running, but you may see some smaller projects from us before then. We're also working on getting weekly Bible studies back sometime mid-February. We're sorry for the wait, but we want to do right by the Lord and right by you guys and put out the best studies (and other stuff) we can.

Do you have any ideas or concerns? Feel like you can help? Well, we do have a backlog of requests and offers that we are still reading through, but don't let that stop you. Send us a note at either the Christian Furs FA account, the Christian Furry Fellowship FA account, or to Thomas or I personally here on FA. We also have a website contact page that you can use to reach us. By the end of the week, it'll be updated with all the various means you can reach out to us!

Finally, if it's okay for us to ask you, would you mind praying for us and this ministry to the Fandom? There is so much work to be done, so many hearts and lives that are hurting and in need of the comfort that only Jesus can provide. There are so many souls sitting in darkness who don't even know what they're blind to. Thomas and I can't let life get in the way again, and we will definitely need God's help managing all the responsibilities we have in addition to serving you guys here.

Until next time, may the love of Jesus and His Holy Spirit, keep you close to God.

So you’re a Christian now - you’ve acknowledged your sins and your inner rebellion against God, recognized how ugly and wicked that sin and rebellion really is, and have taken a stand with God, trusting that you have been forgiven of your sins because Jesus Himself the penalty for your failures and crimes against God. You’ve been adopted into God’s family, cleansed of the guilt of your sins and been joined to Jesus forever.

So what now?

People everywhere have written a lot about what the “Christian life” looks like. The Christian living section of the nearest bookstore is probably full of books of all sorts. But it can be confusing. You’re partnered with God, now and forever, so what does life look like from here on in? To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, the answer is both easy, and not-so-easy.

If you grew up with any contact with evangelical Christianity, you’ve probably heard that Christianity is “not a religion, but a relationship.” While that’s not the entire truth, it does give us a pretty good place to start. When God welcomed you into his family through your faith in Jesus, he didn’t save you by His good pleasure, just so that you would have to work hard at an impossible list of rules just to stay on his “good side” (Galatians 3.3). Absolutely not! Instead, the Christian life - life with God - is about getting to know, to love and to serve God. Not out of compulsion, or fear, but out of thankfulness at the incredible gift of salvation and honestly, because God is an infinitely incredible person to get to know.

But as you folks probably know, relationships can be difficult.

When you were younger, growing up at your parents’ place, you may have had a list of chores on the fridge or hanging up on the wall detailing in various detail the different things you had to do to keep your room, or your house, clean. Every few days, you’d go down the checklist making sure that you’ve got everything right and in the end, you knew you had a clean house (or at the very least you did everything that was expected of you). But as you grew up and moved away, gained more awareness of your home or deepened your relationship with your parents, that list went away. Instead, you had the notion of what a clean house meant. Instead of a list that told you to wash the dishes, fold the laundry and take out the trash, when you saw the dishes piling up, you’d get to washing them, or the basket of clean laundry in the corner

This is especially true if you don’t live alone, and if you have or want a good relationship with your roommates. Unwashed dishes and a dirty kitchen prevents folks from preparing meals for each other. Scattered laundry gets in the way of getting work done. No one wants to be around smelly garbage.

Your attitude towards doing what needed to be done without a list, often speaks of the condition of your heart. Are those dirty dishes still unwashed because you didn’t have time today, or because you just didn’t care? Did you not care because you’re depressed and without motivation, or because you’re complacent and apathetic?

We are in a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living God Himself. It’s actually more like a layered set of relationships. He’s our Shepherd; we’re His sheep (Psalm 23, Ezekiel 34.15, 23, John 10.11) . He’s our Master; we’re His servants (Revelation 22.4). He’s our King; we’re his subjects. He’s our Elder Brother, we’re His siblings (Hebrews 2.11, Romans 8.29). He’s our Husband; we’re His bride (Isaiah 54.5, Ephesians 5.25-27) . He’s our Boss; we’re His employees (Colossians 3.23). He is the Vine; we’re His branches (John 15.5). The Bible gives us so many images because how we relate to God is so robust and energetic, that it’s unable to be fully described with just a single picture.

But like I said before, we all know that relationships can be difficult. Because we aren’t just going down a checklist of Do’s and Don’ts, we actually have to get to know Jesus. In the end, it’s like a healthy relationship of any sort, loving what He loves, and striving to live in a way that pleases Him out of our gratitude.

All of this is one important facet of the “Christian life” - faith in and obedience toward Jesus can’t be reduced to a list, but we should intentionally do things that we know please Him. And we want to please God, not because He’s angry at us, but because He loves us, we love Him and we’re thankful for the new life He’s given us. The Christian who is living a life of sin, wantonly disregarding what God thinks or makes excuses for his apathy toward the way of Jesus, at the very best, has forgotten the love and grace God has showed him (2 Peter 1.9) or at worst, isn’t a true Christian at all.

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Howdy folks! You can still sign up for the Bible studies! Just follow this link and fill out the form, and we'll be getting back to you shortly!

Hello! Big mouth   thomas_maltuin is here with an announcement!

...You're fired.


-UP! or at least I hope you're fired up for some Bible study :3

We are almost ready to start and we are planning to have 4 different classes to choose from throughout the week. You can attend whichever one you like or more than one according to you preferences or needs. Also, if you can't attend but want to follow along, we'll make lessons available in blog post form afterwards. Everyone is encouraged to attend but we do ask you fill out our sign up sheet and let us know if you are going to try and attend the live meetings, follow up with the blogs or a mix of both. This is just to give us an idea of how many we should plan for and we have discussed trying to arrange something to reward those who attend and mark the event memorably(more details later).

Jude and Myself will both be leading a pair of studies and leading their own for us is Matthew White-Tail and Nacky :3

Matthew and Nacky will hold their studies covering "Spiritual First Aid" on Sundays at 9:00 p.m. and Tuesdays at 9:30 p.m. (All times CST).

Jude and I will be doing "Comprehensive Studies" - New Testament on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. and Old Testament on Saturdays 6:30 p.m.

ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL STANDARD TIMES.

First meetings are TBA so we'll let you know when the first ones are to be as soon as we know.

Hope to see you there and If you have *any* questions, feel free to send them via private message to Jude or myself.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1p.....pL8vDlLSnR57_4

Howdy, Mischief! Happy Sunday!

Judetherat here, just checking up on everyone after the weekend. Did you get to church today? I know it's popular to say that you don't need to go to church to be a Christian, but that simply isn't true. There's more to church, or the broader concept that we Christians call "fellowship", than just showing up and socializing. In fact, one of the reasons that Jesus made the Church is to provide us with living way for us to unite with one another, just like we're united to Jesus by faith.

See, one of the most important aspects of "fellowship" in the sense that the Bible gives, is a one-on-one, physically present character to the fellowship. The level of technology we have nowadays hasn't reached a point where communicating to someone online has the same sort of tactile feedback or physicality as actually being involved in someone's life.

Even people outside of Christ understand the importance of joining with others who share one's mindset and perspectives on life. We all know about clubs and organizations, political parties and the like. But when God made the Church he had something more than that in mind. It's easy to just hang out with folks who extremely like you, but we end up with an echo chamber of yes-men, who always have the same ideas with very little individuality.

Just like a child needs all his family to help him grow - a mom to nurture, a dad to instill work ethic, siblings to help with homework or to drive them to the mall, aunts and uncles to help with school or whatever.... a person in God's family needs other brothers and sisters in Christ to (informally) teach them loving like God loves.

Older Christians can teach you what it means to be a Christian, can show you how God has been faithful in their lives. Younger Christians, who are newer to the faith, still approach things with a newborn zeal and wonder at "just being born".

It may involve the proper use of Church discipline or excommunication - where there are Jesus-sanctioned, legitimate reasons for giving a person over to the devil and the world in hopes that it draws them to repentance, and a greater love for God, in the end.

Sometimes it's people telling us what we don't want to hear that teaches us of God's love. Sometimes it's us telling people what *they* don't want to hear that teaches us of God's holiness.

All throughout the NT, you'll have commands and principles given to God's people - things that would be impossible to do as a lone-ranger-Christian.

"And let us watch out for one another to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching." Hebrews 10.24-25 CSB

We come together to worship Jesus as a group, to encourage and even to provoke one another to deeper love for each other and good works for everyone and for fellowship.

Fellowship, strictly speaking, isn't something we choose. It's not voluntary. It's something that is a natural trait of being united to Jesus. We're joined to Jesus, and so, we're joined to each other in a deep, spiritual (though not figurative) way.

So if you didn't go to church today, ask the Lord to help you make it next week or as soon as possible. If you don't have a home church, feel free shoot us a note, or visit us on the Christian Furs telegram group. While internet fellowship isn't a substitute, it can supplement your live with Jesus. Also, we have several folks here who can help you find a good church that teaches from the Bible and is grounded in loving and serving Jesus as best as they know how.

Until later, remember to always fix your eyes on Jesus!

Hello all! We will be starting up our Bible studies soon if at all possible. However to effectively do so, we need some help. We need to know roughly how many are interested in attending and what sort of study interests and needs you have. If you would take a moment a fill out a short poll for us we'd really appreciate it, especially if you already know you'll want to join us for Bible studies. The poll is anonymous but requires you to be signed into google to prevent duplicate entries. I've tested it though, and it will not list your account with your response and we do not ask for any identifying information, so you will remain anonymous :3

We thank you for your time!
~CFF

You can find the poll here

Good day, Mischief, and happy Easter!

Jude here, with some interesting updates for you this week!

Sometime in the next couple of weeks, we'll be starting a new weekly devotional series. I hope that everyone here is built up and encouraged by it.

Also, we're starting up weekly Bible studies next week, and we're looking for folks willing to facilitate and lead them. So if you've known the Lord for a few years and want to help the Fandom learn more about Him, fill out an application!

https://goo.gl/forms/bQuDLJvxb1aXfbDi1

Remember, if you have a prayer request, need someone to talk to, or just want to have some friendly discussion, feel free to shoot us a note!

The iiiTails~ podcast is looking for a co-host! If you think you would make a good candidate, please fill out the following form!

Be a iiiTails co-host!

Hello Mischief!

Just a quick update this evening to let you folks know that episode 9 of the III Tails podcast is up and available to listen to!

III Tails, Episode 9: The Fandom is Not...

Howdy everyone! Jude here.

Sorry to keep you folks waiting so long between updates, but rest assured, that I'm working on getting CF back up and running as smoothly as I can. I could definitely use prayers and volunteers and perhaps another 10 hours in the day. But if you've sent me an email or a note in the last month or two regarding helping out or having ideas, please either send them to me again, or bear with me just a little longer while I go through every!

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Happy Advent!

Advent comes from the Latin term for "arrival" and refers to the weeks leading up to Christmas Day. It's one of the ways that early Christians tried to help themselves focus on the realities of God's love and holiness.

There are 5 weeks of Advent, each one representing a different virtue of the Gospel leading up to the "big day" of Christmas. This year Advent started on November 27.

Week 1: Hope - Advent is a time of waiting and hoping. We wait expectantly for the time when we celebrate the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus into our world. We hope that everyone will come to know, love and worship Jesus.

Week 2: Love - Advent is a time of love. John 3.16 says "God loved the world in this way..." and so we celebrate His love in sending His Son. Some don't rightly know the love of others, so it can be difficult for them to understand God's love. We strive to remember God's love so we can share it with others.

Week 3: Joy - The joy of Advent is not the same as happiness. Joy is that deep feeling that comes from knowing that God cares for us. When we look foward to Christmas, we know the joy that comes from remembering that God sent Jesus so that we could always know of God's care for us, even when times are hard.

Week 4: Peace - When sin entered the world, peace was marred. No longer could people know peace in themselves, peace with others or most importantly peace with the God who loves them. The peace of Advent is more than just the calm that comes when a quarrel is over between friends, or that sense when warring parties stop. This is peace with God, where, thanks to the Savior, we can stop our quarrel with the Lord, and cease warring against Him.

Dec 25: Jesus - Advent is the season of waiting for our Lord's arrival in his birth. So of course, on Christmas Day our waiting has ended! But in a deeper sense while our Savior and His Kingdom is here, it's not yet here as well. As we celebrate our Lord's birth, we look forward to that still future time of his Second Advent, when he will come and rule without rivals in our world and in our lives.

Most evangelical churches in the US don't make a practice of celebrating Advent, but if yours does, or even if you just do it personally at home, why not send us a note or make your own journal post about how it's going what you've learned or something that God's showed you this time of year?

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For those who are interested in connecting to the community in a bit more tangible way, we currently have group chats in Telegram, Skype and in Discord.

We just ask that you behave yourselves, stay respectful of nature of these chats - Christian - and don't go around proclaiming a false gospel. (We'll be getting a good set of guidelines and rules to follow together shortly).

Telegram Group
Skype Group
Discord Group


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If you ever want to revive your faith, read through the Hawaiian Pidgin translation of the Gospels. It may sound silly to those unaccustomed to hearing it, but as you parse your way through, perhaps with another English translation nearby, you may find that you understand what the Lord is saying a bit clearer.

God wen get so plenny love an aloha fo da peopo inside da world, dat he wen send me, his one an ony Boy, so dat everybody dat trus me no get cut off from God, but get da real kine life dat stay to da max foeva. You know, God neva send me, his Boy, inside da world fo punish da peopo. He wen send me fo take da peopo outa da bad kine stuff dey doing. Whoeva stay trus me, God no goin punish dem. But whoeva no trus me, garans God goin punish dem, cuz dey neva trus me, Godʼs ony Boy. John 3.16-18

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Remember, friends, the primary way that our love for Jesus manifests is through obeying him (John 14.15). It's not legalism or becoming a pharisee to examine what the Lord expects of us and then to just do so willingly, but instead, it brings with it the highest sort of freedom. Are you living for Jesus today? Do you love him and want to be like him?

Howdy everyone!

Jude here, and I've finally started catching up with my work load here and there. I just want to remind folks that if you need someone to talk with, or have a prayer request you can always reach me at my personal FA account  judetherat or my telegram judewriley While I can't always immediately respond, I always do at the first opportunity.

Remember folks, Romans 8.28 -

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

So do you love God? Are you called into his service and into his family? The the Almighty, omnipotent power of the One who called the world into being is working for your good. This good that He has in store for you may not be readily experienced as comfort or ease in this life. In fact, you may hurt at times. But you can't forget, He is using the different building blocks of life to make you into someone who is truly good as He sees goodness - someone who cherishes and relishes in, someone who reflects the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ inside and out.


What's in the works right now
(ie, what you can pray for)

* CFF and CF
I'm trying to pool and consolidate some of the resources between the Christian Furry Fellow ( cff) and Christian Furs ( Christian-Furs). The goals and aims of these two ministries largely overlap anyway, though there are some distinctives to each that I think it's important to recognize. Each "side" will have their own thing, but there will be some crossposting both there and here too.


* Podcasts!

Editing and the wrapping up of season one and the start of recording for season two of the III Tails (pronounced "Three Tails") podcast should be beginning by the end of November if we keep on schedule. The III Tails Podcast is a Jesus-centric, but not always overtly Christian outreach to the fandom, where we talk, have fun and question some assumptions about the fandom and the Christian faith with Intellect, Innocence and Inspiration in the forefront.

Current episodes are up at https://soundcloud.com/iii-tails if you want to give a listen.

We need more help with getting episodes edited and "out the door" so to speak, so if you collaborate well creatively, are sometimes able to sit in on episodes, can try to get an episode complete every week to 10 days and have a good dose of joyful professionalism, contact me and we can get the ball rolling.

I also have a solo podcast called The Jude Doxology where I answer questions regarding the Faith from a somewhat furry perspective. I only have the pilot out here at this time. But send in any questions you may want answered in a fair, balanced and Christian way and I'll get around to producing more.


* Devotionals

There has been talk about reviving the old furry Christian devotional Furrther Truths. I know it could be a great encouragement from the Lord, but I'm not sure if there would be any general attraction toward such a project. Would people have any interest in reading, writing or drawing for a monthly Christian devotional to the furry fandom?


And that's it for now! Don't forget to pray and stay the course.
Soli Deo Gloria

Good afternoon, furry faithful!

I decided that today would be great day to introduce myself to everyone.

I'm Jude, the new facilitator of the Christian-Furs group. I've been in the fandom for a long time, so there's a good chance that I'm a bit older than most of you. I'm a rat-furry, and I really do enjoy all things rodent. I have a really wide range of interests too: bodybuilding, magical girl anime, video games, just to name a few. I consider myself a writer as well, and would like to have some novels published.

I've been walking with the Lord since I was around six years old, though my faith really only became my own faith a few years later into elementary school. I love theology because it helps me understand and see better the One I love the most - Jesus Christ. As my profile says, I'm a pastor-in-training, and I'm saving up money and trusting the Lord that he'll allow me to shepherd his flock again.

Of course, as nice as it would sound, I'm not perfect. I care way too much of what others think of me sometimes, have a lot of crippling self-doubt and I'm really impatient sometimes among other things. But, I'm a Christian, so the Lord is working on me bit by bit, just like he's working in you, so that one day we can look at ourselves and see that we are just as righteous and holy and Godly as Jesus expects of us.

I also work through another Christian ministry to the fandom - the Christian Furry Fellowship - and I hope to integrate the two a bit better, sharing resources and improving the overall outreach. It's my goal to see God's people in the fandom live lives of God-honoring holiness and love, loving God and others not just by the words we say, but strongly reflected in the things we do.

If we truly believe that God loves us enough to save us when we were still His enemies, rebellious and spurning His rule, forgive us of our crimes against Him and joyfulfully welcome us into His family beginning a new sort of life, then of course we'd want to share the news.

So if anyone needs to talk, or has any questions or concerns, feel free to send me a note through FA, or to poke me on Telegram or Skype. (My info is on my personal FA page). I do work most days, so I can't promise an immediate reply, but I will get back to you as soon as I can.

I had the opportunity to speak with several of you over the past few days. Many of you shared the sentiments I expressed in the previous journal. Some of you had well-reasoned dissenting opinions. I respect the opinions of those on both sides. Ultimately, we have to humbly and prayerfully walk in the direction we believe we are called. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with my reasons for stepping away from the fandom, I wanted to share one final treatise in the hopes of stirring others to bolder action on behalf of the Christian faith:

https://carm.org/friendship-evangelism

I was heartened by the number of notes I received from people offering to take over the account. Honestly, as I reviewed the theology of everyone who offered, there wasn't anyone I felt would be too unorthodox to represent the group. Ultimately, the decision came down to experience.  JudetheRat will be taking over, effective immediately. I've known Jude for a good, long while. I'd venture to say he's been representing Christ in the furry community longer than I have. He's counseled me in the past. I trust him implicitly and expect that he will lead the group aptly. Please welcome him, and join me in praying that his time as the leading-servant of C-F will bring about a great awakening within the furry community. :)

In Christ,
JP

Please forgive me, because even I find this tacky, but given my high degree of visibility within the cross-section of the Christian and furry communities, I feel like I'm inviting malicious speculation if I don't offer the following explanation:

Over the past year, I've had several opportunities to ask self-identifying furries the question "what makes someone a 'furry' to you?" Almost unfailingly, they would give an answer like "well, usually it's someone who likes furry art, but I guess it's anyone who wants to call him/herself a 'furry.'" I never much cared for that answer, because it means that the word lacks any normative content for evaluating the claim. I started rephrasing the question as "how would you describe the prototypical person who considers him/herself a furry?" To this, it seemed that furries either lacked the level of introspection to offer an answer, or were just philosophically opposed to "categorizing" people, as though pattern-observation was in some way a violation of the unwritten rule of abject-tolerance.

So I took it upon myself to study my surroundings. For the longest time, I considered myself a "furry" because "hey, I'm into the art, I like playing monstrous races in tabletop games, etc." After spending a little over a year actually getting to know several members in the community at a personal level, I started to realize something: I really have nothing in common with the average "furry." Sure, we both like anthropomorphic art, but that was where our similarities end. Note: I'm not referring to general interests, because naturally there was some overlap there; I'm talking about worldviews (perceptions of truth, reality, morality, values), maturity levels, conversational intellect, etc. Here's what I discovered...

- For years, I argued that "not all furries are perverts; that's just a fringe-minority giving the rest of the community a bad name." The truth is, of furries that I have routinely socialized with over the past year (sample size of approximately 100 individuals), the OVERWHELMING majority are obsessed with talking about sex and fetishes, a large proportion of which is completely incompatible with the biblical worldview.

- Most furries view "inclusiveness" as chief among virtues. While controversial subjects might be considered taboo, very rarely is something condemned as outrightly "wrong" or "immoral." In most cases, the greater evil is to introduce a topic that potentially ostracizes an individual because (if I may be frank) they enjoy their favorite sin too much to be confronted about its potential perils, even in a private, humble and secularly-reasoned manner. This, too, is incompatible with biblical morality.

- Maturity levels tend to be rather low relative to the age of the individual. Before you chalk this up to a pet-peeve, consider the observation that "furry culture" tends to be enabling. Rather than rationally considering solutions to a problem, the vast majority of instances I observed saw the flames of drama fanned higher, in the interest of "camaraderie." Commiserating over inconveniences and perceived slights is treated as a favored form of bonding. Dissenting opinions, however well-reasoned, will typically be viewed as "rude" or "intolerant" or "callous." Honestly, this may be more of a generation problem, with millenials growing up with the notion that feelings trump rational evaluations. Nevertheless, I bring it up because it furthers my following point...

I no longer believe that I can rightly call myself a "furry." My worldview does not fit the ethos of the prototypical "furry," and if I'm being perfectly honest, I never really felt comfortable calling myself a "furry" without qualifying the statement by saying "but I'm not one of the weird ones." Why do I share this with you all? Namely because I don't believe I am the kind of Christian leader this community is looking for. Make no mistake, I believe the community needs to hear an unapologetic, logic-based exposition and defense of the Christian faith, and that is something I can gladly provide. But my observations have shown me that this community is looking for someone with a much gentler touch than I feel comfortable providing. It has never come naturally to me to offer myself as a "shoulder to cry on." That isn't my personality, and as I told one person (I genuinely forget who you are, so please don't take offense to this.): "I cannot help you until you're willing to start taking your faith seriously."

Can a Christian be a "furry?" I've said this before and my opinion has not changed: there is nothing about liking anthropomorphic art that is incompatible with the Christian faith. That being said, the way in which one might consider me a "furry" is literally tangential to the norm; I like the art, but I am wholly dissimilar from the average "furry" in every other aforementioned way. To that end, while the furry community is certainly still filled with folks who need the light of Christ shined upon their lives, I no longer feel that I can honestly consider myself a "part" of the community, nor do I feel that remaining a part of it would be conducive to this goal. So, effectively immediately, I have disabled my personal accounts both here and elsewhere within the furry community. I will not be shutting down this page, and will continue to answer notes (probably concisely) for the time being, but I do expect to transfer ownership of this account to someone else in the near future. If I was discussing something with you on my personal account, and you would like to continue that discussion, please copy my last reply into a new message and PM me here. If you would like me to consider handing the reigns of C-F over to you, please send me a PM with the title "CF Candidate" and give me a brief overview of your theology, what you would hope to do with this account, and why you believe you would be a good witness to the folks here on FA.


Yours in Christ,
John Prester

Yeah, I know, I still haven't done the "Part 2" portion of my previous journal from 10 months ago. x.x Has it been that long already? Anyway, I still would like to do it, since it generated so much buzz (and a fair amount of vitriol), but my motivation has drawn me elsewhere for the time being so... still to come! But what follows is going to be mostly addressed to the non-Christians who read my posts. (Hey, I appreciate you too!)

For those who don't live in the United States (or those who do but don't follow the news), there has been a lot of heat on the Christian community lately, especially as it pertains to religious freedom laws versus LGBT civil rights. While I'm inclined to debate a variety of subjects like "what the founding fathers meant by freedom of religion" or how Jefferson intended "separation of church and state" to actually apply, those arguments are made at length elsewhere, and frankly, I rarely see them yield any fruit for either side.

Instead, I'd like to address what I perceive as a misconception some people have about the Christian community: that it is some sort of monolithic and superstitious force against social progress. The truth is, for every community like Westboro Baptist Church, you have dozens, if not hundreds, of local churches that are trying to promote peaceful and loving interaction with the community. Sure, we won't make the news as often as the placard-waving folks, spewing threats and insults at your local gay pride rally, but we're out there, trying genuinely to help people as lovingly as possible. What people often miss is that our worldview defines "love" very differently than most naturalists would. Penn Jillette (a staunch atheist) described it phenomenally:

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a Heaven and a Hell, and people could be going to Hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me along and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that? I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

You might believe that using the Bible as the basis for our legal system would infringe upon people's liberties. We (Christians) understand that. You're absolutely right! But we aren't trying to argue on that platform. Our argument comes from a platform of love. Maybe some of us don't display it appropriately. (I'm looking at you mister "God Hates Fags" sign-waver.) But we sincerely believe that you are in eternal danger. We're worried about you! I can't make you agree with what we believe, but at least try to understand why sometimes we might come off as pushy. It's not to annoy you... at least, most of us aren't trying to. We like you, and we want you to like us too, but more importantly, we don't want you to regret your eternity, especially if there was something we could have done. The price is often an awkward conversation. (Yeah, it makes most of us uncomfortable too.)

The vast majority of Muslims are not terrorists. (God help us if they were.) Likewise, most Christians do not hate gays/atheists/people who drink/etc. A vocal and ill-mannered minority is casting a pall over the rest of us. That doesn't mean that we're not going to talk to you about our faith, because a true believer is called to do exactly that, but we're not trying to hurt or annoy you. Exactly the opposite. We love you!

...just one Christian's plea to non-Christians to show us some mercy. :)


~Kal

In the previous journal entry, I asked the question “why Jesus?” What’s so special about this man who lived two thousand years ago that people are still willing to die in His name? Why do Christians say He is the only way to Heaven? What I took for granted, though, was that we are on the same page as to why it matters. Does it matter if we’re right, or (as the Unitarian Universalists say) do “all rivers lead to the same ocean?” What I endeavor to accomplish with this follow-up journal (in two parts) is to answer three questions:

1) Why should we care about being “right?”
2) How do we know we’re right about Jesus?
3) Why do other prominent religions still disagree?


Why should we care?
Not very long ago, I was in a debate with an atheist on Facebook. I opened the discussion with a classic example of risk-versus-reward analysis called “Pascal’s Wager.” In a nutshell, it’s presented as follows:

There are two possibilities: either God exists, or He does not.
We have two options: we can either believe in God, or not.

If God does not exist and we believe in him, we ultimately neither gain nor lose anything.
If God does not exist and we do not believe in him, we ultimately neither gain nor lose anything.
If God exists and we believe in Him, we will be eternally rewarded.
If God exists and we do not believe in Him, we will face eternal judgement.

Of course, the atheist I was debating had heard this before. Needless to say, he wasn’t openly moved by it. Nevertheless, the argument is valid. The outcome of belief in God is neutral at worst and positive at best. Conversely, the outcome of being an atheist is neutral at BEST and negative at worst. While this is not a proof for Christianity in itself, we can logically deduce that it makes sense, at the very least, to investigate the claims of Christianity and other Abrahamic religions. (Note that I say Abrahamic religions because pantheism falls into the same risk/reward category as atheism.)

Why do I bring this up? Because the trend in our culture is toward something we’re calling “tolerance.” While society is pretending that it just means “respectful disagreement,” in actuality it’s being used as a weapon to shut down theological discourse. If you attempt to argue for an objective truth that contradicts someone else’s belief, you risk being labeled as “intolerant.” Possession of that label is grounds for others to immediately discredit your claims. It’s not logical, but if you have spent any significant amount of time trying to convince non-believers, you’ve likely already encountered this bait-and-switch tactic. It stems from a philosophical notion that “happiness is the greatest good we can achieve.” As long as we’re “happy,” it doesn’t matter if we’re “right.” Well, again, that’s playing with fire, as demonstrated above with Pascal’s Wager.

I could write for hours against the intellectual-genocide that is the “tolerance” movement, but I believe it’s more important to discuss the original question:


Why Jesus

How do we verify the claims that Jesus is the son of God, and that belief in Him will get us to Heaven? How do we even know who Jesus really was? Did He really say these things, or did the apostles make it up? Can the Bible even be trusted?

Theologians have dedicated their lives to just answering parts of these questions. I won’t insult them by pretending I can present all the evidence in a couple short journal posts. What I do hope to accomplish is to present at least the framework for how to go about answering these questions. I believe the first question we ought to ask is: if God wanted to communicate with man, how would He authenticate His message?

Religions have different ways of trying to authenticate their claims. For example, the Quran claims divine inspiration from “beauty” and logic (sura 2:23, Mishkat-ul-Masabih, Volume III, etc.). The problem with this claim is that beauty is subjective, and logic is universal. Can we make the argument that Shakespeare was divinely inspired because his works were beautiful? Was Blaise Pascal divinely inspired for devising Pascal’s Wager? Certainly no modern Muslim would make these claims, so we must look for something uniquely divine to show the authentication of God. In my research, I’ve come across just two such methods of authentication. The first is when God violates the laws of nature. The second is when God violates time itself. In simpler terms, we call them “miracles” and “prophecies.”

The lesser proof is miracles. Why is it the lesser? Because the Bible itself says that satan can perform wonders (Matthew 24:24, 2 Thessalonians 2:9, Exodus 7:11). If that is the case, then how are miracles a proof at all? First we have to acknowledge that something beyond human power is occurring. Be it by God or otherwise, miracles (by definition) are not something we’re able to naturally perform. But how do we know if it is God or the enemy? Quite simply, God has shown that He will not be mocked. In the example from Exodus, although pharaoh’s magicians were able to replicate Moses’ miracle, God took things a step further by having Moses’ snake/staff devour those of the magicians. Subsequently, there were signs that the magicians were simply not able to reproduce like Moses. God used miracles to demonstrate His presence through His appointed messengers (like Moses, Elijah and Elisha). God consistently performed miracles through them and was quick to discredit imposters (1 Kings 18:20-40, Daniel 2).

So what can we extrapolate from the fact that Jesus performed many miracles, was never miraculously discredited, and consistently attributed His power to the Jewish God, Yahweh, whom He also claimed to be? The Pharisees knew that demons could perform miracles and even claimed this was the source of Jesus’ power (Matthew 12:24). Yet if Jesus was not, at the very least, from God, then why didn’t God send someone to stop Him? In fact, the Pharisees do us a favor by acknowledging that Jesus was performing miraculous works; it proves that there was a power beyond mere humanity at work. It was only by the hands of men that he was eventually… temporarily… silenced.

Nevertheless, God provides even greater authentication of His word, and it is through a power that He alone possesses: knowledge of the future. Nothing we do surprises God. He exists outside of time, and thereby it presents no challenge for Him to “predict” the future… or at least that’s how it would seem from our perspective. God attests to the uniqueness of this power, using it as a basis for identifying His prophets amongst imposters (Deuteronomy 18:22).


In the next post, I will discuss the prophecies of the Messiah as they were understood by the Jews of that day, the historicity of the Bible, and how these all authenticate the claims of Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah. I’ll also examine some of the counter-arguments from Islam and Judaism.

This has been a very surface-level discussion on some very deep and important subjects. I encourage anyone who is interested to research them further, as I believe questions of faith are truly of the highest important in life. Feel free to discuss in the comments, just please keep it respectful.


Humbly,
Kal

I've been considering the next journal update and I was thinking of discussing the power and importance of prayer. While I still think that would be a good subject, I'm going to temporarily put it on hold as I believe God has led me to discuss another topic first... but I'm not going to post it today. INSTEAD, what I'd like to do is pose a very simple question:

Why Jesus?

Perhaps you were raised in the church from a young age. Maybe you became a Christian later in life. Regardless of your history, something led you to accept the message of Jesus Christ and trust in Him for your salvation. But why? How do we know Jesus was correct? Why do Jews reject Him and, subsequently, why to Christians reject Muhammad? We can't all be correct, so how do you know that you've made the right choice on this most important question?

Feel free to share your thoughts below, but please keep things civil. :)

It's been a year since this page was last updated. I don't think it's appropriate to get into the personal stuff here, so I'll offer more details on my user page, for anyone who's interested. For now, I just want to jump right into it:


No, no, this page isn't orphaned. Kal hasn't abandoned the faith or the fandom. In fact, things have been going quite well for Poim and I. Over the past year, I've had the pleasure of probing many different theological issues, but one touched me recently, and it came rather out of the blue...

I'm sure most of you have at least a passing familiarity with Dr. Stephen Hawking. For any of you who may not know, he is considered by many to be one of the foremost authorities in theoretical physics and cosmology. He is, without question, a genius... he's also a self-described agnostic, albeit more of an atheist in practice. So it comes as little surprise that he is heralded as a champion by those who would hope that science can someday rid the planet of religion and extinguish all academic discussions surrounding the notion of a God who rules the cosmos. It's also little surprise that there are many Christians and would-be believers who have had their faith tested, and even shaken, by some of the arguments and conclusions that Dr. Hawking makes. But is there really a cause to fear? Has science really driven the final nail into God's coffin?

One of the key problems for defending the existence of God is the lack of a unified front amongst Christians regarding the origins of the universe. From young-earth creationists to evolutionary interventionists, we argue from a disadvantage by not having a clear-cut position of our own. That's not to suggest that atheists are all in agreement, but they do benefit from having a fluid platform. Any Christian argument for the origin of the universe necessarily has to find a way to conform with the Genesis account. Scientists "punching holes" in the six days of creation have caused Christians, over time, to revise their platform from days to eras, and from direct homosapien abiogenesis to evolutionary interventionism. I believe that in itself is a mistake, but more on that subject another time. For right now, we consider: is the platform of the atheist scientist as ironclad as they would try to present it?

I won't claim to be an authority on the matter; I'm studied, but far from an expert. Nevertheless, it doesn't take an advanced degree and a deep Latin vocabulary to really understand the heart of the debate. There are two big questions at the center: is there a God who created the universe, and does He continue to act as a presence in said universe?

The Christian position should come as a surprise to none; the answer to both questions is a resounding "yes!" For now, we will focus on the former. What is the basis for our beliefs? Our arguments are chiefly historical (and indirectly mathematical). We believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. We don't believe that every passage is literal, but I would suggest that the vast majority are, excepting where definitively indicated. The basis for our belief is rooted in history rather than "scientific" theory. (The importance of this will be shown later.) External sources validate the letter of the Bible to over 99% accuracy. That is to say that over 99% of what our Bible says is verifiably the same as how the original books and letters were written. (And none of the unverified words change the interpretation of any passages in a theologically-significant sense.) The Bible is also so demonstrably accurate in its record of history that it is actually been used as the basis for determining archeological excavation sites. We argue from a solid platform that is tested and routinely proven true via historical record. The verification for our faith comes through the overwhelming degree of accuracy (100%) by which the Bible has both been able to describe past events and predict future ones. In fact, it's accuracy is so surprising that, in many cases throughout history, unbelievers have challenged the supposed timeframes in which the books were written. The books so accurately predicted future events, atheist historians asserted that they HAD to be written after predicted events had already transpired. Such was the case with the book of Daniel, until subsequent archeological findings were able to validate its true a priori authorship. (I won't relate all the evidence here, but I recommend the lectures of Dr. Chuck Missler for anyone who is interested in researching further.)

Atheists benefit from having no specific body of work (ie. the Bible) from which they need to construct their arguments. If one platform proves to be unsustainable, they are able to switch to a new one with impunity. Why? Because a static position is not required; as long as there exists any God-alternative, their platform remains viable. With so much interpretive leeway in forming their arguments, how is any Christian expected to defend him/herself? The "evidence against God" may not be as impressive as lay-Christians have been led to believe. The fact is, most atheist platforms differ only subsequent to the actual creation event. For example, in his book The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking espouses a philosophy of ontological pluralism. That's a fancy way of saying "reality is subjective." In the interest of fairness, I should qualify that by saying that he does concede an agnostic "we can't really know" perspective in the book as well, but the essence of his views are, as such, ontologically pluralistic: your reality may be different from mine, and both are equally valid. While Dr. Hawking's "we can't know" conclusion may conform to his subjective-realities philosophy, to masquerade it under the banner of science is ludicrous because it is, in fact, the antithesis of science. Stephen Hawking overextends his "expert opinion" by venturing into the realm of philosophy and, in fact, champions a philosophy that torpedoes the subject matter of the very expertise by which he claims to be an authority!

Okay... that was verbose and a little "ranty." Translation: Hawking is telling us that we have no means of knowing what is really "real." It's a scapegoat position that is gaining remarkable traction within academia and is starting to bleed into the political spectrum through the legal system. (Need proof? See the defense's arguments in the Slender Man Stabbing Case.) Everyone makes their own "reality." If that's really the case, then what is "science" trying to achieve?

This has become the bastion of the atheist assault; an unassailable non-science, non-philosophy. It's agnosticism with a new name and pop-culture vibe. But what's the basis for this? If everyone's reality is subjective, what does that mean for the origin of the universe? Is there a God who has given us the ability to create our own subjective realities? Acknowledging as much would mean conceding to an objective reality that supersedes our own "sub-realities." Too heavy? Here's what it means to the lay-person like you and I; it's called the multiverse theory. If your any follower of Marvel or DC Comics, or enjoy any of a number of time-traveling shows and movies, you probably already understand what modern "science" is actually trying to feed the masses these days. The current theory is that our universe is one of many (literally infinite) universes that all exist simultaneously. The laws and natural order that govern our universe are actually caused by random configurations and the vast multitude of existent universes are nothing more than inhospitable chaos. It relates to time-travel in that respect. Were you able to do so, you'd actually just be experiencing the universe wherein the changes you made to the past actually took place. Elsewhere in the "multiverse," there exists another universe where it didn't happen. It makes for good science fiction, as Marvel and DC Comics regularly (and lucratively) publish story arcs based on "what-if" scenarios. But good science, it is not.

So why have we come to this place? Scientists who hold to this theory (and they're presently the majority) will readily admit that it's an untestable hypothesis. These same scientists will also state that science must necessarily preclude the possibility of miracles, such as the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the advent of history being the willful act of a sentient creator outside of our universe. Why? Because they are untestable positions that do not conform with the majority of observable experience. But didn't we just say that their own hypothesis is untestable? ...And they call Christians hypocritical. But lest you think I'm being unfair to the naturalist perspective, seek these things out for yourself and you will see they admit that there is "no room for God in science." That's not based on discovery, but rather based on an accepted premise of naturalism. Naturalism is itself a philosophy - a separate realm of study - which presupposes that claims made on reality ought not consider evidence outside the normal range of experience. Yet it is the very outliers of a system that provide the most insight into the behavior of the system as a whole!

Philosophy and science need not - and, in fact, ought not - be mutually exclusive fields of study. Nevertheless, limiting the scope of our investigations by wholly subscribing to the unproven theories of one or the other will almost certainly cause us to ignore outlying evidence that may prove fundamentally crucial to our understanding of ontology as a whole. Consider it this way: if you found that, in the process of baking cookies, you were burning every single batch, would you limit yourself to investigating the proportions of the ingredients? Or would you consider the possibility that your oven is not producing the proper heat? Why would you limit yourself to a philosophy of "always bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes?" By the same reasoning, why do we limit "science" to a precept of naturalism, when contrary evidence has forced it into the position of untestable hypotheses? The answer is: to preserve the philosophy of naturalism. "Science" has become the shield for naturalist philosophy, even at the corruption of its own integrity. And the sad fact is, too many Christians are none-the-wiser, believing that naturalistic science is at the cutting edge of ontological understanding. Nothing could be further from the truth. (If that last paragraph made me sound like an extremist, taking about the "atheist agenda within the scientific community," check out this article.)

I'll admit, this post is aggressive. It's assertive and it doesn't leave a lot of room for opinion. But the reality is that we're playing with fire, and it's more than metaphorical. I've been criticized by atheists before for using Pascal's Wager as part of my argument. I think they misunderstood the sentiment. I wasn't arguing that it was reason to accept the Christian worldview; it was arguing against the levity with which they dismissed all notion of deity using the "we can't prove it" philosophy. Perhaps I would have been better served referring to the atheist philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche's, parable of the madman, Got ist tott. In this parable, a seemingly insane individual comes to the realization that the triumph of naturalism means the death of purpose within human life. Purpose is the basis for morality. Without objective morality, law and order function only in the temperance of self-preservation. But self-preservation, without purpose, is nothing more than a vestige of biological determinism and natural selection. In essence, without purpose, there is no objective meaning to anything, including human life. Actions and their consequences cannot be "fairly" weighed, as "fairness" is merely the product of majority agreement, and not objective reality. And given the inevitable "heat death of the universe" (from a deterministic perspective), a human's loftiest goal can merely be to bide one's time until his or her ultimate and inevitable demise, after which there is only oblivion, with nothing to show and no one the better for all of humanity's "accomplishments..." Do we really wonder why homicides and suicides are on the rise?

As I said, fear of the alternative is no reason within itself to become a Christian. The undeniable horror of the alternative is reason to more carefully consider the tenets we treat as "self-evident" when approaching philosophical and scientific discussion. Christians have no reason to fear science itself. However, humanity ought to fear the consequences if the current course of philosophical debate is allowed to continue as it is, unchallenged at its premises. Christians need to be educated on the matter, and those who are called need to speak up.


your brother in Christ,
Kal


Please share your thoughts below, but remember to keep them respectful toward one another.


If you're interested in a more in-depth critical analysis of the subject, particularly regarding Hawking's book and his philosophies, I recommend Dr. William Lane Craig's lecture, The Origins of the Universe: Has Hawking Eliminated God? (link)

After giving it to prayer for several days, I feel compelled to relate the story of the prodigal son. It's probably over-familiar to most Christians, but I'd encourage you not to write it off. It's easy to write-off or under-value the significance of a familiar text, but as I talk with more and more Christians who feel trapped by sin, I notice a common trend: there seems to be an under-appreciation for just how deeply God loves us. The passage, from Luke 15, is as follows:

"There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

In the parable, when the younger son asks for his inheritance, he was essentially saying to his father "you are dead to me." I'd be hard-pressed to think of a more extreme insult that a child could give to their parent. Nevertheless, the father's response is reserved and honorable. He doesn't dispute with his son; he treats him fairly, probably even more than most of us would say he deserved. When the son had squandered all his dad gave him and came crawling back, the father had every right to turn him away at the door. In the eyes of the law, he owed his son nothing… but that wasn't his response. Instead, we see that the father was anxiously awaiting his son's return. It says that "while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him." There was no period of atonement, he didn't even wait for his son to finish his apology. When he saw his son returning, he ran to him.

When Jesus was delivering this parable, he was speaking to a group of people that Luke describes as "tax collectors" and "sinners." They are the “younger son” in this story. Just like the Jews of that crowd, we Christians are also subjected to the traps and snares of this world. The lures of worldly living are ever-present in our modern age, where God is treated like an antiquated concept used to impose morality on the weak-minded masses. If we're not careful, even those of us who have grown up in God's house can become enticed to wander. Solomon describes this "living under the sun" (that is, life ignorant of God) as utter vanity in the book of Ecclesiastes; it is meaningless and always fails to satisfy. When we depart from God's will - especially when we know better - it is fully within God's right to turn us away forever. However, from the mouth of God Himself, we are told that that is not God's nature. When the repentant sinner seeks to turn from his debased living and return to God, God RUNS to him and embraces him, welcoming him back with open arms! He calls for a celebration, when we are unworthy to even serve him!

I have encountered more than a few Christians who have asked me to pray on their behalf because they felt that God would not listen to their prayers because of their sin. If that were the case, then my prayers would be of no use to them either. They’re right in the respect that sin creates distance between us and God, but God doesn’t hold our sins in a measuring cup. He says that for those who come with a truly repentant heart, He not only forgives, but forgets their sins (Psalm 103:12, Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 8:12).The younger son essentially tells his father “you are dead to me” and then lives accordingly. That’s akin to someone growing up as a “Christian” (in the Father’s house), becoming an atheist (telling God “you are dead to me”), and indulging in every lust of the flesh. If God is willing to forgive even that, see if He won’t forgive you and forget your sins… if you’re truly repentant. If you’re not approaching prayer with a true heart of repentance, then there’s nothing any other believer’s prayers can do for you. It takes an act of will, a truly changed heart, and a real appreciation of the Father-son/Father-daughter relationship that God offers us.

“He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear Him.” (Psalm 103:10-13)

We shouldn’t do God’s will just because He can punish us, or even just because He knows what’s best for us. God presents Himself in the role of our Father – a perfect and blameless Father – superior even to your earthly dad, no matter how Godly a man he might be. We ought to follow Him because we love Him, like a father. The metaphor doesn’t end when we stumble in our walk; He continues to treat us as His children, waiting patiently for us to return to Him… but return broken, willing to admit any wrongdoing, and not seeking any concession from Him. Not only can He restore you… He will!

ybiC,
Kal

Did you hear what the pope said? Perhaps it's old news at this point, but before it's too far gone from recent memory, I wanted to address Pope Francis' recent comments that challenge the way Catholics approach evangelism. Now I'm not Catholic, but that doesn't make me anti-Catholic, and I think there's truth in what the pope said that any Christian should appreciate, regardless of denomination. To paraphrase, he said that the church should be less focused on condemnation of sins and more focused on the proclamation of salvation through Christ. I agree... but don't lose the context. With this statement, liberal-leaning American news outlets had a field day, distorting the pope's message into one of unprecedented tolerance. That's not what he said. I don't mean to belabor the point - you can find transcripts of what he actually said online - but suffice it to say, he isn't leading an assault on the moral authority of Scripture. His point was rooted in the Biblical understanding that God's primary charge to us was to spread His love, through the message of salvation by His Son (1 Peter 3:15, Romans 10:14-17, etc.). But choosing not to harass someone about their sins isn't the same thing as accepting it. We have all sinned, making us unfit to judge (John 8:7), but the purpose of Scripture is to serve as an objective point of reproof for how we ought to live. It's the way that God, the only fit judge, communicates to us what is acceptable and what is not.

"Tolerance" is not in my vocabulary... and it shouldn't be in yours. "Mercy" is. What's the difference? "Tolerance" is an attitude; "mercy" is a gift. God is not tolerant. Ask Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19), Nineveh (Jonah), or anyone living in Noah's time (Genesis 7). If God could tolerate sin, then its penalty wouldn't have been eternal separation from Him and Jesus would have died in vain (Romans 6:23). It's a statement on the magnitude of His love that He has chosen to show us such lasting mercy, and it's a disservice to His work on the cross to preach this doctrine of tolerance. I can't count the number of times I've heard or read someone say "I love God but..." or "I know God loves me even though..." Statements like these indicate a profound lack of perspective and understanding. First of all, there ought to be nothing that causes us to say "but" in terms of our commitment to holiness. Anything you're unwilling to give up for God, is your god (Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13 [same speech], Revelation 3:15-16, 1 Kings 18:21, etc.). Last I checked, your money / your hobby / your worldly relationship didn't make a legitimate claim to promising you eternal salvation, so if any of these things are keeping you from submitting wholly to God, for your own sake, I encourage you to reevaluate your priorities.

Secondly, a statement like this proves just how poorly we understand the meaning of the word "love." It's an ambiguous term in English, but when we say that we "love" something, we usually mean that we have some sort of special affection for it. That level of affection varies significantly depending on the object of affection; that is to say we "love" our family in a very different sense from how we "love" a television program. Our definition of "love" is meaningless in terms of holiness. Harsh words, I know, but understanding the difference is crucial. I can give mental ascent to the Word of God, I can even preach it, without truly "loving" it (Matthew 7:21-23). Our understanding of what it means to "love" God needs to come from how He defines it, not how it suits us to express it. God says "if you love [Him], you will keep [His] commands" (John 14:15, 1 John 2:4). This is not a conditional statement. He doesn't say "the more commands you keep, the more you love me." He sees it as you either love Him or you don't; you'll obey Him, or you won't (James 2:10-11). When we willfully disobey God, we're telling Him that we think we know better than He does, or that there is something more important in life than Him. It's tantamount to calling God stupid or a liar, because there's really no other excuse for disobedience.

The problem with the doctrine of tolerance is that there is no objective authority. Christians rely on the word of God for that proverbial line in the sand. Without it, who or what dictates what we ought to tolerate? Public nudity? Bestiality? Murder? With no ultimate authority, morality is subjective. If morality is subjective, then all views are, ipso facto, equally valid, and any attempt to impose 'justice' is hypocritical. Ergo, for morality to exist, there must be a moral absolute. That absolute calls Himself YHVH (Yahweh).

What is our obligation to the unsaved? Understanding the importance of obedience to the believer, many are quick to preach it to the unbeliever. The problem isn't the message, it's the foundation. If you tell someone that E=MC^2, the response you'll likely receive is "so what?" Without foundational understanding of how this equation is applied, or why we ought to care, the knowledge is meaningless. This was the point being made by pope Francis. Preaching doctrine, without first explaining to people why they ought to care, is meaningless. If you don't realize that your sins separate you from God, that Christ was God and that His sacrifice was necessary for your salvation, then what is the Bible to you other than a book of arbitrary rules? Even following those rules, without this foundation, would be ultimately meaningless because we are not saved by the law.

Obedience to God is the proof of our salvation (John 14:21-23, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 5:19-23), not the condition for it (John 3:16, Romans 5:1, Ephesians 2:8-9). Francis identified that many Christians have their priorities backwards: we first ought to preach salvation, but with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15), for worldly adherence to the law makes no difference if your eternity is in Hell. Once saved, however, we ought to be open to reproof and likewise respectfully reprove other believers (Proverbs 27:17), so as to pursue holiness and to better fulfill the role that God has for us in His plan of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10).


May we all be open to such reproof, Lord, never spurning the wisdom or reproof of our brothers and sisters in Christ, especially our elders. And may you keep our priorities straight, so that we may focus on you and not the distractions that Satan has laid for us in this world. For we know that nothing tempts us that is not common to man. There is nothing you are unable to overcome for us. Help us to focus on doing that which is of eternal good, and not laying up treasures on Earth. This we pray in the name of your Son, Jesus the Christ. Amen.

ybiC,
Kal

After some delay, we are on to part three. I confess, this update is not going to be very seeker-friendly. FFRF does bring up some tough subjects that are not well-received by a progressive society. Nevertheless, here's what I believe the Word teaches:


4. How should parents treat a stubborn and rebellious son?

FFRF: He should be stoned to death. --This cruelly excessive Mosaic law was actually enforced at one time by the Massachusetts colony and has been used to justify child abuse and murder. (citations: Deuteronomy 21:18-21, Leviticus 20:9)

FFRF isn't mistranslating this time; they've correctly inferred the meaning of these passages. God commanded Jewish parents to bring their rebellious children before the elders of their city for stoning. It would be easy to make the argument-by-grace, that now that Jesus has died we're no longer subject to these laws, but that doesn't change the fact that this was indeed a law. We have no indication of how often it was practiced or if the threat alone was sufficient to instill good behavior in children. Nevertheless, is it really something that should embarrass Christians? Does this law make God an unsympathetic monster?

Quite the contrary. This law is consistent with the actions of a loving, just and holy God. It seems horrifying to us because our society places heavy emphasis on the tangible and the material. In a similar respect, eating guinea pigs would seem horrifying to us because we view them as pets, but in many South American countries, they're a staple of one's diet. Do we stand on a moral high ground for not eating guinea pigs? No, it's a matter of cultural perspective. In the same way, we have to see issues such as this from God's perspective. Life is but a fleeting moment in the framework of eternity. For those who have no perspective of an afterlife, death is the ultimate punishment. To the Christian (and God) bodily death is but the transition, either into eternal life or eternal death. A rebellious Jew – someone whose actions would turn others away from following God – could lead others into eternal death. Therefore, to God, stoning the rebel was akin to removing a cancerous cell from the body before it could spread.

Remember that the ancient Jews were also humans, like us. It is no small matter for a parent to hand their child over to be killed. “Rebellious” is suggestive of being more than just occasionally disobedient; it implies hostility. To be a rebel, one must willfully and actively oppose the institution. This law does not refer to occasional, childhood indiscretions; it was meant for true miscreants. (Hence why such an accusation need also be passed before the elders.)

The citation of the Massachusetts colony is a red herring. While examples like the Salem Witch Trials, the Spanish Inquisitions, and the Crusades will always hang as a dark cloud over the heads of Christians, it should not be an indictment of the Word, but of those who have abused it.


6. What does the Bible say about witches?

FFRF: Witches should be killed. --Tragically, tens of thousands, if not millions, of innocent women in Europe and the American colonies were cruelly accused, tortured and executed because of one single bible verse. (citations: Exodus 22:18, Leviticus 20:27)

Once again, not an indictment of the text, but of the human misuse thereof. The concept of spiritual warfare can be embarrassing for “progressive” Christians, but the Holy Spirit (as author of the Word), always treats it very seriously. It is, again, a matter of perspective and removing the cancer from the body of believers before it can spread.

Now every time I comment on something like this I feel I need to express that I don't condone anyone going out and taking lives in the name of Old Testament laws. Jesus's death was the fulfillment of these laws, entering us into the “time of grace.” All the same, we should be aware of purpose of these laws and ready to give a defense of the text we hold sacred.


9. What is the origin of the "mighty men" giants known as nephilim?

FFRF: They were the offspring of God's angels and young women. --Can't God maintain better control over his libidinous troops? This is scandal in high places. (citations: Genesis 6:1-4)

This happens to be one of my favorite Bible challenges, and one that I can discuss at great verbosity for anyone who is so interested. Suffice it to say “yes,” FFRF got it right on the money with their interpretation again. There is a more seeker-friendly Sethite interpretation of this passage, but critical examination of the original text (and related texts) pokes so many holes in that argument, the ship sinks in port. (I don't expect anyone to take me at my word for it. If there's enough interest/contention, I'd be glad to present this as a special topic. If not, anyone who is interested can contact me. I'll share my resources and we can make a discussion of it there.)

To give a super-condensed rebuttal, the angels have free will, just as we do. We know these are angels because they are called the B'nai Ha Elohim (literally “Sons of God”), a term only used in reference to Heavenly hosts when expressed in this way. They do not escape punishment for their gross misconduct. They are locked in darkness, in a place called “Tartarus,” which in a rare form of ambiguity, is mentioned only once in the Bible (2 Peter 2:4). The children of this union formed the nephilim (meaning “mighty men”), of whom Goliath was one. Note that this belief is not a Biblical anomaly. References to giants can be found in the legends of almost every ancient culture dating back to this time: from the Greeks to the Egyptians, and the Hindus to the Native Americans. It is my belief that the existence of these creatures is what merited the global flood of Noah, but that's straying somewhat off topic.

If FFRF is correct in deeming this belief absurd, then it should be studied as the most magnificently well-orchestrated hoax of all time: to get ancient cultures spanning the globe to unilaterally subscribe to this “ridiculous” legend.



I hope I haven't scared anyone off with these answers, but I don't believe you can be a cafeteria Christian, picking and choosing just the fragments of Scripture that suit you. I believe it's an all-or-nothing venture. That said, never take Kalibri at his word; test my conclusions against what you know to be true: the Word of God.

As a final, unrelated note, please pray for the families who have lost loved ones to one of the recent senseless acts of violence. While the unexpected loss of life is always tragic, it's especially painful around this time of year. Please keep in prayer everyone who has been affected by these tragedies, including the families of the perpetrators, who have also had their lives irrevocably changed.

ybiC,
Kalibri

Picking up from the last journal. I'm going to start going out of order with these. Reason being, some questions will be easier to answer than others (particularly in the cases of bad scholarship). There were great discussions on the last journal, and I don't want to miss those opportunities by grouping too many of the bigger questions together. For reference, though, I'll keep the numbers from their list.


2. What is the penalty for working on the Sabbath?

FFRF: You will be stoned to death. --Isn't this an excessively violent punishment from a supposedly "Good Book?" What is the harm in working on the Sabbath? It seems the only harm is to the ego of the Sovereign, who demands respect with no respect to human needs. (citations: Exodus 25:2, Numbers 15:32-36)

Numbers 15, shows that the Jews took this seriously: if someone violated the Sabbath, they were literally pelted with rocks until they died. For context, you need look back at just the previous five verses (Numbers 15:27-31) where the Holy Spirit offers an explanation for the serious consequence of this transgression. To summarize: provisions were made for an unintentional sin (such as for foreigners who weren’t aware of Jewish laws), but willful violation of the Sabbath – a day reserved for the honor of the Lord – showed deliberate contempt and disregard for the sovereignty of God. Extreme? Only if you lack the proper perspective.

Have you ever built something out of Legos? If so, did it ever question what you did with it? Suppose you were able to give it autonomy; your little Lego structure could do whatever it wanted. All you asked was that once a week, it made itself available for you. Would you be understanding if it defied you? It's a bit of a hamfisted analogy, but it serves to illustrate the remarkable lack of perspective most humanists have toward God. God built us, gave us free will, and in return asks that just one day out of seven be reserved for Him. And don't forget, there are eternal ramifications to the relationship we develop with Him during our lifetimes. If your focus is set on the life you have on Earth, death seems like a heavy price to pay. But if you look at things from the perspective of eternity, life is but a fleeting moment during which we declare our eternal residence: Heaven or Hell. You see, I'm of the extreme opposite perspective from FFRF. (Surprised?) The commandment by God to kill those who did not follow the Sabbath was a means of ensuring the Jews took their faith seriously, so that they could spend their eternity with Him. As the omnipotent Creator, God already knows our final destination. If it's Hell, what does it matter whether you live twenty years or a hundred?

Please don't take this out of context; I'm not advocating anyone go out and stone their local nonbeliever. I'm just saying they rationality of this law lies in one's perspective. Jesus fulfilled the law with His sacrifice.


3. What is God's name?

FFRF: Jealous. --This is a petty self-described insecurity from a supposedly all-wise leader.
"For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." (Exodus 34:14)

"The name of the Lord is jealous" means that we should call nothing "God" except God Himself. I gather that the point of contention is the word “jealous,” which comes with a certain negative connotation, but in the very verse they reference, the Holy Spirit explains what is meant when it used the Hebrew word "qinah." The one and only God does not want to share our worship with anything or anyone else, be it mad-made gods or demons and angels masquerading as deities. And why should He? This term is used in the same way that a married man is "jealous" for his wife, or a woman for her husband. In marriage, they reserve their affections for each other. Would we question someone's unwillingness to not share their spouse? Extrapolate that any number of ways: boyfriends and girlfriends, parents and children, etc. We understand this “jealousy” (also translated “zeal”) from a worldly perspective, and even have laws that protect it. So how can they act like God is being unreasonable for feeling the same way?


15. According to biblical anatomy, where does thinking happen?

FFRF: In the heart. --Biblical anatomy also rates an 'F.' The heart is an organ that pumps blood--it does not process thoughts, although the biblical writers erroneously thought it did. The word "brain" appears nowhere in the bible.

Flagrantly incorrect. The word “heart” is used as the English translation of the Hebrew word “leb” (transliterated). The word “leb” is never used in reference to anything biological. More accurately, it means “in the mind” or “in the midst” of a person; their inbeing; their deepest thoughts, emotions or beliefs.



While I respect and even appreciate some of the questions FFRF raises, it seems like poor (and sometimes deceitful) scholarship is all too often the point of contention. It's disappointing, angering and saddening all at once. God wants to dote on us and share His affections with us. It must break His heart to see His creation work so actively to ignore Him, even to the point of accepting irrational arguments, at face value, just to avoid following his guidance. Please, join me in prayer, not only for the members of the FFRF, but for all those who actively campaign against God. In these troubled times, let's not be a sword against those in need of salvation, but a light for those who are lost in darkness.

Amen and God bless!

YbiC,
Kal

As some of you may have noticed, the group has been inactive since finishing up our study of Jude. I'll call it my quasi-sabbatical. I didn't want to post again before having a clear direction of where to go next. Having found that direction, we'll take a temporary break from the recently-established Bible study format to address a growing challenge to the faithful around the world: a lack of Spiritual defense.

As anyone who is plugged-in to Christian news has probably heard, there is a group making waves in the United States (and abroad) known as the Freedom From Religion Foundation. For those who are unfamiliar with it, it's exactly what it sounds like: a group of atheist proselytes trying to suppress religious expression in the public arena. Sadly, they are led by a former pastor who claims that leaving the faith has been the most freeing experience of his life. Now, he is crusading against all-things-Christian here in the United States, going so far as to offer scholarships to children who fight against statements of faith in their schools.

While it would be a tall order for me, an unfinanced and relatively unknown internet apologist, to strike a real stinging blow against them, I believe that we can collectively curb their efforts by arming ourselves with knowledge and committing to sharing truth boldly and intelligently. To that end, I am grateful that Dan Barker (co-president of the FFRF) posted a list of questions designed to embarrass Christians about the Bible. He poses it innocently enough under the title "What do you really know about the Bible?" Game on, Dan.

1. What is the last of the Ten Commandments?
a. Don't steal.
b. Don't covet your neighbor's wife and property.
c. Don't boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.
d. Love your neighbor as yourself.

FFRF (Freedom From Religion Foundation) says the answer is C. To summarize their justification, they point to Exodus 34, where indeed God does give ten instructions to Moses and commands him to write them on the stone tablets he has cut. The last of these instructions is not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother, unlike the final commandment in Exodus 20, which is summarized by answer B (thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife or possessions). Tongue-in-cheek, they ask if God forgot what He wrote on the first tablets. I confess, this one gave me pause, but after prayer and some personal research, here's what God showed me:

The first set of instructions (found in Exodus 20) are what we commonly call “The Ten Commandments.” The Hebrew word used here (as transliterated by and English-speaker) is “mitzvah”. We see the same root word used in Deuteronomy 5, when these specific commandments are referenced again by Moses. Exodus 34 gives ten more commandments, but understand the difference: these are instructions that God is giving to the Israelites in response to the blasphemy of the golden calf. SOME English translations mistakenly title this “The Ten Commandments” in verse 28. I was hung up on this problem until I referenced the literal translation from the Septuagint (the original translation of the the Hebrew Old Testament into extremely precise Greek). These are not called the “Ten Commandments.” The Hebrew word used in Exodus 34 is transliterated “dabar," which means "things, sayings or phrases." So more literally, these were described by God as "the Ten Phrases," which is a distinct title from "the Ten Commandments."

Now, if that isn't reason enough to dismiss Barker's insinuated error in the Scripture, examine how the “original” Ten Commandments are handled by God. In Exodus 24:12 and Exodus 34:1, He makes clear that He (God) is the one who writes the Commandments. However, after delivering the ten new rules (the “ten phrases”) in Exodus 34, He instructs Moses to write them down (Exodus 34:27). An FFRF respondent might point to this and say it's another error; God forgot what He said again. Wrong! And here's where I'm disappointed in Dan Barker as a former pastor: if he did his due diligence, he'd know that “The Ten Commandments” were not the only things God recorded on the first stone tablets. Exodus 24 tells us that the commandments AND THE LAWS were recorded on the tablets given to Moses. So it should come as no great surprise that something else is being recorded on the new tablets, but beyond that, understand the content of these new laws against the context of the situation. The first tablets were destroyed when Moses saw the Israelites were worshiping a false god. These new instructions all deal with the covenant (Exodus 34:10) that God makes with the Jews in reference to the proper worship of Him. This was God's response to a sin issue! Confusion only exists through the weakness of English translations, and a pastor should be studied enough to know the answer (or at least how to find it). Dan is either willfully trying to deceive weakly-rooted Christians, or he was never the deeply-rooted Christian he claims to be.


I intended to answer the whole list in five parts (ten questions each time), but this question alone took me a few hours research, so I'll conclude the introductory journal here and try to answer some of the upcoming questions more succinctly... no promises, though. ;) I want to conclude with a suggestion for anyone who would like to strengthen their faith and experience the mind-blowing reality of God. A respected theologian challenged his audience (myself among them) to do the following: whenever you come across a challenge in your Christian walk – be it directly from a non-believer or just a confusing section of Scripture – seek out the answer! He asserted that, more often than not, a profound revelation lies within the answer, and I have found that to be true. I think Proverbs 25:2 is a fitting verse for the series we've begun: “it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.” God encourages diligence. Let's not disappoint!


YbiC,
Kal



If any of you feel inclined to research some of these questions on your own, the list can be found here: http://ffrf.org/legacy/quiz/bquiz.php

Concluding our study on the book of Jude:

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Noice that the word “ungodly” occurs four times in verse 15. Think the author is trying to drive something home? In the last days, ungodliness will become commonplace, and I don't think he's just referring to open opposition to God. I believe anyone teaching or believing anything other than Christ's finished work on the cross will be lumped into this category. It should not be seen as just a lack of morality, since it's plenty possible to be an athiest and yet live by the moral codes of the Bible. Sin can not be judged from the vantage point of man; it must be seen against the perfection of Christ.

For 490 years, God's people did not respect his Sabbath law for crop-yielding land. Thus, He subjected them to Babylonian captivity for 70 years. God isn't turning a blind eye toward the nations He has blessed; He's giving us every opportunity to come back to Him. Billy Graham has been quoted saying “if God doesn't judge America, He'll have to apoligize to Sodom and Gomorrah.” That doesn't mean we should abandon hope; rather, we should more diligently seek the promise of 2 Chronicles 7:14.

16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

A reiteration of 2 Timothy 4:3: “for the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” Grumblers and malcontents are those who would sooner oppose sound teaching, than be convicted and changed by it. They are too comfortable in their sin.

We need to be extra leery of teachers who are liable to buckle under the pressure of political correctness. Even more so, I believe we need to stand by those who stand up for the truth, despite the possible consequences. For my part, I support Dan Cathy and the Chick-Fil-A organization, who through their hardline Christian convictions, have brought mainstream media attention to the increasing political incorrectness of having Biblically-grounded beliefs.

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”

What Jude is telling us should come as no surprise; even before him, the apostles predicted that there would come a day when the Word of God would seem like foolishness to people. Since the advent of Darwinism and secular humanism, I think we can easily make the claim that that day has come.

19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

There's an adage that goes “a man ought to be judged by where he stores his treasure.” In a worldly sense, it speaks of a fool who stores his valuables in a place that can be easily found, versus the shrewd man who stores it where it will not be so easily taken from him. This can be applied to the Christian worldview as well. “Worldly people” are those who store up their treasures on earth, and for what? All the money in the world won't change the fact that you'll eventually die and be forgotten. Christians need to focus their efforts on storing up treasures in Heaven, where they will never perish. This is the difference between the worldly-minded and the Spiritually-minded. Matthew 6:24 tells us that we can not serve two masters. Teachers who follow the world will only cause divisions within the church.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

A call to perserverence. God is faithful; He has not forgotten about his followers in the time of the apostates.

22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Penn Jilette, a self-proclaimed atheist, made an eye-opening statement:
“I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell, and you think, ‘Well, it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward’… How much do you have to hate somebody not to proselytize?”

If we truly understand the love the Lord has for us, we should be all the more eager to show it to others, regardless of how they may react. If you can't share your faith because it might be awkward, I'd have to question just how strongly you believe in what you know.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

Recognition that it is through the power of Christ alone that we are able to discern the truth of God from the lies of the world. Time and again, the Word tells us that God will grant us understanding. Take Him up on His promise; pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal His truth to you. We ought never assume we have the answers, for true wisdom comes from God. (Proverbs 2:6)

25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Amen!



And thus we wrap up our look at the book of Jude, while still leaving so much to be explored within the text. I hope it's proven beneficial, either as a summary of an oft-overlooked book, or as a review for those who have studied it on their own. I'd love to hear your feedback on what you liked and how I can improve studies in the future.


May God guide us all, giving us wisdom, a bold spirit, and a humble heart, to spread the Truth of His Love to those who would receive it. And may the people, who are called by His name, humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from iniquity, for the good of this world.

ybiC,
Kal