THINK
October, November, December 1995
Volume 26, No. 4
CONTENTS
"No, Virginia..." - Andy Diestelkamp
If Jesus Was Tempted To Sin, Culd He Then Be God? - Roy Diestelkamp
With What Shall We Clothe Ourselves?- Ed Brand
We've Come A Long Way, Baby, But Look Who's Leading the Way - Al Diestelkamp
“NO, VIRGINIA…”
By Andy Diestelkamp
The
subject of Santa Claus and whether or not he really exists might seem
like a ridiculous topic for an article, but for Virginia Hanlon it
would have been the most timely article ever. Over 100 years ago
Virginia wrote The New York Sun seeking the truth about Santa Claus. Her letter and the editorial response follow:
Dear Editor
I
am 8 years old. Some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa
says, “If you see it in The Sun, it’s so.” Please tell me the truth, is
there a Santa Claus? --Virginia Hanlon
The following are excerpts from an editorial in The New York Sun in reply to Virginia
“Virginia,
your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the
skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except what they
see...
“Yes,
Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and
generosity and devotion exist... Alas! How dreary would be the world if
there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no
Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no
romance to make tolerable this existence...
“No
Santa Claus! Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years
from now, Virginia, nay ten times ten thousand years from now, he will
continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”
Before
examining the newspaper’s response, let’s consider the plea of little
Virginia. It is a plea for truth. She says, “Please tell me the truth.”
Throughout Scripture Christians are admonished to speak only the truth.
Truth is important to God. Truth was important to Virginia. Was she
undeserving of it?
The point is that children are important to
God, and their education in truth is the responsibility of parents. To
neglect that for any reason is not right. Here is an eight year old
girl who has been caused by her peers to question something she has
always believed. She looked to her father for the truth. He avoided his
responsibility and sent her to the newspaper. The newspaper was
portrayed as the authority.
In the excerpts quoted, The Sun
editor lied to Virginia no less than three times. He first discredited
her unbelieving friends. He said, “your little friends are wrong.”
Remember, Virginia wanted the truth. Who gave her the truth, The Sun or
her friends?
The second lie is his positive affirmation, “Yes,
Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.” Is that the kind of answer an
innocent little girl seeking the truth deserves? The only evidence
offered by the editor that Santa lives is that life would be dreary
without him. Convincing perhaps to an eight year old, but hardly
substantial evidence by which to determine truth.
The third lie
not only thanks God for Santa’s existence, but goes on to boldly
proclaim that Santa will live forever. Do we thank God in our prayers
for Santa? Is he really the source of joy in childhood? The Sun said
it, so it must be so!
For some I’m sure that words like Grinch
and Scrooge have already crossed your minds. However, have you ever
stopped to think about the parallels between Mr. Claus and Jesus? They
are both unseen and accepted by faith. It would be a dreary existence
without either of them. We thank God for both of them.They both are
eternal in nature. They are both all-knowing (“He knows when you’ve
been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake”).
The dangers
of developing a child’s faith in Santa Claus should be obvious. Though
Virginia begged for the truth, it appears that she did not get it at
age eight. We can be sure that at some point she did learn the truth
that, despite the dogmatic and emphatic arguments of those she
respected, Santa Claus is just a myth.
Do you think Virginia ever wrote a letter to The Sun like the one below?
Dear Editor,
I
am twelve years old. Some of my friends say there is no Jesus. Papa
says that Jesus is real, but he was wrong about Santa Claus. This
time please tell me the truth. Is there a Jesus Christ? Back to Top
IF JESUS WAS TEMPTED TO SIN, COULD HE THEN BE GOD?
By Roy Diestelkamp
The
New Testament emphatically teaches us that Jesus Christ was tempted to
sin against God, by the devil. He “was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). All sin falls in one of three
categories: “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life” (1 Jn. 2:16). Jesus was tempted by the devil to: (1)
turn stones into bread—lust of the flesh; (2) jump from the pinnacle of
the temple so angels could catch him—pride of life; and (3) bow down
and worship the devil so that the devil would give him all nations—lust
of the eyes (Matt. 4:1-11). In this one instance the devil tempted
Jesus using every means at his disposal, and yet Jesus did not yield to
that temptation and sin.
But, “God cannot be tempted with evil”
(Jas. 1:13). Some have assumed, from the connection of all of these
verses, that Jesus Christ was not deity, or God.
Now Jn.
1:1-2; states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with
God.” Jn. 1:14 identifies the “Word” as the one we call Jesus
Christ. It reads: “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among
us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the
Father), full of grace and truth.” The one we call Jesus Christ, was
God, and he was made flesh. He was made like those he came to save,
those who were “partakers of flesh and blood” (Heb. 2:14). That being
the case it “behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he
himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that
are tempted” (Heb. 2:17-18).
Man had sinned, and man’s life and
blood were required for sin. The life and blood of a bull or goat would
not remit sins, and allow man’s conscience to ever be purged from dead
works to serve the living God (Heb. 9:12-14). Therefore, “God gave his
only begotten Son...” (Jn. 3:16). “The Son of the living God” (Matt.
16:16;) was the “Son of man” (Matt. 16:13). Jesus was both God and man.
In fact, even his name declares it. The angel of the Lord told Joseph
about the one who would be named Jesus. He said: “and they shall call
his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us” (Matt.
1:21-23). Jesus was God with us. Jesus was God in the flesh. The
apostle John said: “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of
antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now
already it is in the world” (1 Jn. 4:3). Jesus, the Christ, Emmanuel,
was God in the flesh.
Does the fact that Jesus was tempted mean
that he was not God (in the flesh)? Not unless we make scripture
contradict itself. Some might wonder, would not Jesus being God
contradict Jas. 1:13, “for God cannot be tempted with evil”?
The
answer is “no.” Again, 1 Jn. 2:16 teaches us about the sins of the
world. The devil can tempt us by no other means, than the world. How
could he tempt God in heaven with the lust of the flesh, with the lust
of the eyes, with the pride of life? What would he offer God in heaven?
But when Jesus came, and was born of the virgin, and became a partaker
of flesh and blood, he could be tempted to sin, and he could have
sinned! I cannot even imagine or speculate at the consequences if Jesus
were to have rebelled against the Father. The fact is, Jesus did not
yield to temptation to sin. Using the scriptures, God’s word (the very
same power we can use to repel the devil), Jesus refused to sin, three
times saying, “It is written” (Matt. 4:4,6,10). Jesus resisted the
devil, and the devil fled from him (Jas. 4:7). Surely as with you
and me, the devil came back later to tempt Jesus again (Lk. 4:13).
Jesus
was God in the flesh (Emmanuel), and man can be tempted with sin. While
Jesus, who was God, dwelt in the flesh in the world, the devil could
and did tempt him with the world. God in heaven, cannot be tempted to
sin, the devil has nothing to offer God as temptation.
If he was
tempted to sin, could Jesus then be God? Yes! What did the
apostle Thomas say of the tempted, yet without sin, arrested, murdered,
buried, resurrected, flesh and bones Jesus (Lk. 24:36-43; Jn.
20:19-25)? Thomas said: “My Lord and my God” (Jn.20:28). John said:
“But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name”
(Jn. 20:31).
Let us never emphasize the deity of Jesus, by
denying his humanity; nor let us emphasize his humanity, by denying
Jesus’ deity. Jesus was God in the flesh, Emmanuel. Back to Top
WITH WHAT SHALL WE CLOTHE OURSELVES?
By Ed Brand
Anxiety
is a common companion in the twentieth century. It is easy to get next
to us because many do not know how they are going to put food on the
table or clothes on the body. Life is full of these great unknowns, so
most people stew and steam in their own juices trying to make ends
meet.
Christians should know better. Jesus taught the cure for
these attacks of anxiety in Matt. 6:25-34. He said God provides for
birds and lilies, so He will provide also for you. He concludes: “Do
not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we
drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’” (6:31). Others are
busy seeking these things on their own terms. Disciples are instructed
that God will provide these things (vs. 33).
Jesus is not
suggesting that God will pick your food and clothing. “What shall we
eat?” does not imply the choices of what to eat, but the source. God
will provide the food, but someone will have to pick it out and prepare
it.
The same is true of clothing. God will provide the clothing
via either animals for their skins (horrors!) or plants for their
fibers. God does not choose the styles—you do; but He provides the
materials to make the garments. I suspect we can all profit from
relying on God more, and less on our own plans to provide these things.
I
recently read an article in a national magazine (Newsweek, March 20,
1995), written by a 15-year-old young man, named Blair Golson. He said
some things which I found interesting and informative (we can learn
something from young people). He explained that he attended a public
junior high school which had a “relaxed” policy about dress. Grunge was
“in” and Blair was a member of the grunge crowd. So what is new about
that? Read on.
He applied and was accepted at Fordham Prep, a
Catholic high school. One of the big differences between his former
junior high school and his new high school—a dress code. He had to wear
“jacket, tie, pants and shoes.” Terrible, I’m sure. But young Blair
conformed, along with the rest of his classmates.
The change
was not just in appearance. Let him tell you what “dressing up”
produced. “I had to crack down, and for the first time in my life I
really did. I consistently did my work. I stopped blowing things off.
The place had instituted a certain degree of seriousness that I just
hadn’t had before.” This young man learned the place he was going
(school) wasn’t a cool rap session, but a place designed to impart
knowledge and accountability. His dress reflected that.
Do you suppose coming into the presence of the Almighty to worship Him should produce the same response? Back to Top
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY, BABY, BUT LOOK WHO’S LEADING THE WAY
By Al Diestelkamp
Satan
is not ignorant! And though he is altogether evil, he is not
“above” using good to accomplish his ultimate goal: the destruction of
souls. In fact, what makes the devil so dangerous is that he
“transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14). It is hard
for people who want good to be accomplished, to resist anything that
appears to be good.
We have no trouble seeing Satan behind the
obvious evils that are prevalent in our world. We rightfully blame him
for the blatant iniquity that predominates our newscasts and prevails
in our nation. But this didn’t happen overnight. That points out
another thing about Satan: He’s patient. Generally a good quality,
patience has been employed by Satan to accomplish evil. Satan doesn’t
mind waiting if it means that he can have his way in the end.
We
have seen ample evidence of Satan’s use of the appearance of good,
combined with his patience, to accomplish a complete reversal in the
attitudes and actions of the multitudes. Let me give a few examples:
Gambling
Gambling
has long been a tool used by Satan to destroy the souls of men. Until
recent years the leaders of our nation had recognized the evil that
results from this habit, and enacted laws prohibiting it. One of our
states decided to become the “designated casino” for the whole nation,
and for many years the hard-core gambler had to either do so illegally,
leave the country, or go to Nevada.
Somewhere along the line,
some of the “ministers” of Satan, dressed in their pious robes and
collars, convinced much of our society that bingo and raffles were
acceptable as long as they were to benefit “charity.” This was the
beginning of Satan’s attempt to bring us down the long road which we
have traveled. First, raffles and bingo for a “good” cause; then
lotteries in order to reduce our taxes (yeah, right!); and now
riverboat gambling to inject life into a sagging economy. What’s next?
They’re already talking about casino gambling in our state. Had Satan
tried to accomplish this transformation without this gradual process,
he would have failed. We’ve come along way, and look who has us by the
hand.
Drinking
There
was a time in our nation when our civil leaders recognized the evil of
alcoholic beverages, and outlawed them. Our history books call this
“Prohibition.” How was Satan able to persuade our national leaders to
repeal this good law? His servants focused attention on the lawless few
who were profiting from “bootlegging” operations. The huge profits
which were made by these criminals led to gangsters killing one another
off. Occasionally, some innocent people were victims of these killings.
To stop this, lawmakers were convinced that they must take away the
profits from criminals by making their product legal. Satan used an
appeal to “good” (eliminating crime) as an incentive to abolish
prohibition.
Satan is still using his influence to make sure
we never prohibit this tool of his, by spreading the propaganda that
“Prohibition was a failure.” The only way honest people can be
convinced that Prohibition was a failure is to re-write history and
distort the facts. If you favor more alcohol-related deaths, injuries,
divorces, cases of child abuse and sexual molestation, then Prohibition
was a failure!
Fornication
The
change that has been effected by Satan regarding sins of fornication
has come by this same gradual process. Our society has come from
viewing premarital, extramarital and homosexual relations with the
disdain and abhorrence they deserve, to giving them a place of honor.
All of these sins have been whitewashed by the media to the point that
they are hardly “winked” at. The fornicators have “come out of the
closet” and are filling our neighborhoods.
How did this happen?
Instead of letting our Creator tell us how to fulfill our desires, many
have been fooled by Satan’s ploys. He has convinced much of society
that lust is “love,” and that in order for people to be happy they must
be free to do whatever brings them satisfaction. Government leaders
have been willing accomplices by making quick, easy and even “no-fault”
divorce available as a tool to legalize fornication. Just recently, a
former presidential candidate who was rejected years ago because of his
“sexual misconduct,” said that he might be willing to run again because
our nation has “grown-up” regarding their attitudes about sexuality.
Satan must be proud!
Other Concerns
We
could “write on” with other examples from society, such as feminism,
profanity, humanism, etc., all of which have gained acceptance on a
gradual basis under the guise of being “good” for society, but this
will suffice. Whether any substantial change will come in society, I
doubt, but I hope that Christians will realize that Satan is at work in
the church, as well. He is patiently trying to fool us into thinking
that evil is good (Isa. 5:20). He doesn’t even mind that it might take
a generation or two to bring about a radical change, as long as he has
his way in the end.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid that Satan has
made some inroads among our brethren, even on the moral issues we’ve
mentioned. It is not uncommon to hear “Christians” try to defend
gambling and drinking. I think there has even been a change in attitude
toward some forms of fornication. Even some brethren who are standing
firm against homosexuality and promiscuity may be tempted to let down
their guard against immodesty, dancing and other lasciviousness because
they seem “innocent“ compared to actual fornication.
One more
point ought to be made. Morality is not the only front on which Satan
is attacking. We are to be “wise” to Satan’s devices (2 Cor. 2:11).
Just as we cannot allow what the media, what the government, or what
all of society thinks to override God’s revelation on moral issues,
neither can we allow our own brethren to persuade us to engage in some
work or practice without God’s direction. That’s why, no matter how
“good” something might be billed, we must always demand scriptural
authority for everything we do. Satan may be trying to have his way
with us. Back to Top