The Tip of the Spear

Mark Dunagan
06/05/16 - Sunday Evening

The Tip of the Spear

I love being around people, both young and old, who are bold for God.  Recently some friends related how their sweet, soft-spoken daughter was listening to a teacher pushing Evolution, noting the "amazing similarities between a DNA sequence found in yeast and one found in human beings".  The daughter raised her hand and asked, “Could that not just be a coincidence?”  The teacher responded that the odds of that happening where astronomical and that it could not be just a chance occurrence.  Then the gentle young lady went in for the kill, “But isn’t Evolution chance?”  He knew he was toast, and in turn offered her an internship, which, in her wisdom, she turned down. In the Bible we find the forerunners of this young lady:

Unable to Resist

It is certainly no surprise that Jesus' contemporaries who challenged Him were unable to answer His arguments, for He was God in the flesh (Matthew 22:46).

• “But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6:10).
• “For he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ” (Acts 18:28).

Now we might say that what made Stephen and Apollos so powerful in their preaching or teaching is that they spoke by direct inspiration.  Yet the text says that Apollos was using the inspired Scriptures to make his points.  What a bless that what Stephen or the apostles said by inspiration has been preserved in writing for all time and every believer has access to and the ability to use the very sword of the Spirit that they themselves used (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).

What They Were Given

God did not boost Stephen’s IQ. Neither did God give Stephen a number of tricky arguments that were hard to follow to simply stump the opposition.  God did not make Stephen “clever”, rather, with God, he had wisdom.  We see this in the life of Jesus was well.  The Pharisees and Sadducees were “clever” as they attempted to stump Jesus with their complicated arguments.  Yet cleverness cannot compete with truth or genuine wisdom.  In like manner, the arguments that we will hear in our lifetime against God's existence, Jesus as Savior or the inspiration of the Scriptures will always be arguments designed to obscure the truth.  Without exception, the foundation of all such arguments will always be flimsy, and quite vulnerable to the light of truth.

The Wisdom that Comes From Scripture

“Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.  I have more insight than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts” (Psalm 119:98-100).

• Is the Psalmist boasting about his own abilities? Hardly.In each line he makes it crystal clear that the source of his understanding is not some inherent ability in himself, but his study and application of, and obedience to, the Word of God.So what is the relationship between the word of God and any person becoming genuinely wise? The Bible is written in a way that it anticipates all the arguments against it.
• Since God is the Creator of the universe and everything that exists on the planet was designed by Him it only makes sense that all He created would only function properly when following His wisdom: including people, civil governments, marriages and families and everything else.For that reason. I'll forever side with Him so that I will have the right perspective with regard to everything He has made.If I embrace the truth about Him, I will see the truth on everything else as well.Respecting Him, accepting that He is God (and I certainly am not) is the key that unlocks the fountain of wisdom in all other areas (Proverbs 1:7).
• He sees the end from the beginning, so when I side with His wisdom I will be far ahead of, and have a great advantage in life as opposed to those who opt for "here and now" thinking. Righteousness exalts a nation and sin brings decline (Proverbs 14:34).We already know this in advance.

 “Is not My word like fire?  Declares the Lord, and like a hammer which shatters rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29).   I am simply reminded of this when people say that one cannot fall from grace (although there "just happens to" be a verse that specifically states, “You have fallen from grace” Galatians 5:4).  Or when people say that one is saved by faith alone, and there is verse that clearly says, “A man is justified by works and not by faith alone” (James 2:24).  Or when people say that homosexual behavior is natural, though God says it is “against nature” or “unnatural” (Romans 1:26).

• God has the ability to catch the arrogant or overconfident who consider themselves exceptionally brilliant on their own (1 Corinthians 3:19).
• Sin and rebellion against God inherently brings a darkened understanding, and blind spots in a person’s thinking (Ephesians 4:17-19).The person who is trying to formulate arguments against God or the Bible is seriously handicapped.
• When a person wants to sin, they will never offer the real reason for engaging in the behavior.Which means that what props up every rebellious life or sinful lifestyle is a foundation of deception (John 3:19-20).
• Seeing that all sin is rooted in selfishness (Isaiah 53:6), it follows that all arguments that are formed to justify sin will be absent of truth, because truth is entirely unsupportive of selfishness.In fact, they will be arguments that are designed to suppress the truth (Romans 1:18). Remember that Jesus reminded us that the devil is the father of lies and there is no truth in him (John 8:44). Yet God’s truth cannot be suppressed for long, and will eventually rise to the surface.Suppressing His truth is like trying to keep a large air mattress under water: one end or the other is always popping up.

I am reminded of this fact when I hear non-Christians making arguments that only make sense if there is a God.  Any time unbelievers, who believe there is nothing beyond the physical talk about things that are not physical such as behaviors they see as  “good”, “evil”, “right”, “rights”, “wrong”, “should”, or “ought” they are admitting the existence of God, for none of those concepts are physical and, according to their world view they cannot exist nor do they have any validity if there is no God.

If the Bible is Right

• If the Bible is right, every sinner at some level or at some point their life knows deep down that all their justifications and excuses are just that: excuses – that their arguments are not honest presentations of the facts.That truth does not support their sin (Isaiah 5:18; 30:9-10; 2 Timothy 4:3).
• If the Bible is right, every sinful practice is actually at odds with the way we were created.Therefore, sin by its very nature will only bring temporary pleasure followed by vast amounts of heartache, grief, depression, self-loathing and emptiness.At some level the sinner knows that what the Christian is saying about sin, including their favorite sin, is absolutely true. On occasion, the world admits this.I love old holiday movies for they typically have a similar theme.Someone is living selfishly, has problems in their relationships, and then changes and becomes a better person.No one is interested in making a movie about a hero that simply remains selfish or becomes selfish.No one is interested in making a movie about someone who leaves God and starts living for self. Even Hollywood realizes that such is a horrible storyline.

The Bible is Right:  Psalm 119:128,160

It is self evident that the Bible is right about marriage, relationships, how to raise children, the importance of things such as self-control, virtue, patience, humility, honesty, diligence, and what makes a great nation.  In fact, the people who say that the Bible is wrong often say it is wrong about calling some selfish and destructive action – a sin, but even still, time will eventually reveal the destructive nature of sin and selfishness.

What To Do Now

• Know your Bible well, for it has all the ammo that you need for any false idea.
• Be walking the walk, build a track record of faithfulness.It is very hard to dismiss the godly young person who is making wise decisions and that everyone can see is building the foundation for a great future.Be a living example that the gospel works in real life, and be hard to hate.
• Do not try to hide your faith, it is what the world needs more than anything else. Remember Daniel and Joseph. What would have happened in their lives if they had hidden their faith in God – probably nothing significant. Be fearless. Be a Daniel or Joseph in your generation.
• Get the best grades that you can get in school.Be well rounded and well read.For it is very hard for the world to dismiss the intelligent Christian. Have a great academic track record so if a professor is tempted to mark you down because of your faith, they would think twice for your diligence and good academic reputation.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net