How Batman v. Superman answers a hard question: If God is good, why is there so much evil in the world?

August 3, 2016March 26, 2021 / asearchingsoul12 / Leave a comment

Though He existed in the form of God, He did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:6-8)

Many of us wrestle with how God can be good in a world full of evil. Relevantly, this hard question is dramatically explored in the movie, Batman vs. Superman.

In the movie, every act of heroism displayed by Superman is coupled with severe collateral damage. As a result, humanity is unsure of whether to praise Superman as an all-powerful savior or condemn him as a dangerous alien.

The film’s villain, Lex Luthor, captures the essence of this dilemma well in his dialogue with Superman. He shouts at Superman: “If God is all-powerful he cannot be all-good, and if he is all-good he cannot be all-powerful . . . and neither can you be.”

To paraphrase Luthor’s philosophical conundrum: If God allows evil to continue because he can’t stop it; then he might be good but he’s not all-powerful. Conversely, if God allows evil to continue when he can stop it and yet chooses not to; then he may be all-powerful but he is certainly not good. Either way, an all-powerful and all-good God cannot exist.

At first blush, Lex Luthor appears to have delivered a fatal blow to the argument for God—as well as create doubt in Superman’s goodness and power. However, before we proclaim the evil genius as the victor, we should be mindful of the wisdom of C.S. Lewis (a real life genius). Lewis taught his readers the critical importance of examining the assumptions within a question. Interestingly, in applying Lewis’ instruction to our hard question (“How God can be good in a world full of evil?”), a very significant assumption is found.

To say there is evil is to assume there is such a thing as good. When Lex announces there is such a thing as “good” he is assuming there is a moral law on the basis from which to differentiate between good and evil. As C.S. Lewis reasoned: some kind of “standard of behavior” which we expect our fellow man to know about (an objective moral standard). Without such an objective moral standard, we simply have value judgments between separate societies, cultures, and persons (e.g. Lex Luthor’s notion of what is good versus Superman’s).

Importantly, if there is an objective moral law there must be an objective moral law giver (i.e. God). Otherwise, where would such an objective moral standard come from? If no objective moral law giver exists, then we have no objective moral standard to live our lives by.

Following this logic further, if there is no objective moral standard then there truly is no such thing as good. And if there is no good . . . then there can be no evil.

Yet, we know this is not true. We know Superman is our hero! We know slavery, rape, and other forms of oppression must be condemned. That’s why we cringe at unjust historical events. That’s why we denounce racism and bigotry. That’s why we abhor senseless violence and cry out for the dignity of all persons. We inherently know right from wrong. We know good from evil. Thus, our hard question (“How God can be good in a world full of evil?”) does not dislodge God but actually provides a powerful argument for His existence.

Ironically, Lex Luthor must therefore rely on God to make an argument against Him. To quote Dostoyevsky: “if God does not exist everything is permitted.” So, the presence of evil actually becomes a bigger problem for disbelief in God. If there is no God, on what basis do we even ask our hard question?

However, our hard question still grieves us. For that reason, philosophical and intellectual arguments will not suffice to completely disarm what the presence of evil does to our hearts. Deep within we know something is wrong with the state of our world and it makes the reality of God and His goodness difficult to believe.

But before we attempt to reconcile this conflict further, let’s get back to the movie. How does Superman seek to resolve the doubt humanity has in his goodness?

WARNING: Major Batman v. Superman spoiler ahead:

In the midst of his rejection by humanity, Superman willingly lays down his life to destroy Doomsday (an evil creature created by Lex Luthor) and save the world from utter ruin. As the world mourns Superman’s death, his sacrifice forever proves his love for mankind and his commitment to the flourishing of humanity.

So, how does God answer our hard question?

He entered into infinite suffering himself.

The son of God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus. He lost his heavenly home and became a wanderer on earth, deprived of all his glory, homeless and hungry, disgraced and ridiculed, abandoned by his friends, and sentenced to death unjustly at the hands of a corrupt tribunal. Ultimately, Jesus experienced suffering to a degree no other human has: He was cast away from God’s presence (the source of all love, light, and life) and thrust into complete spiritual darkness – Cosmic and Infinite suffering.

No other religion even begins to offer such a response to the problem of pain and suffering.

As Tim Keller persuasively argues:

The God of the gospel is the only god that doesn’t just write us a book on the problem of pain and send it down and say here is what that means. He is the only god that actually comes down and shares in the forsakenness that we feel in a universe gone wrong.

But why did he do it?

He did it for us. Jesus underwent cosmic and infinite suffering out of cosmic and infinite love for us—His passion.

He was shut out so we could get access. He was bound, nailed, so that we could be free. He was cast out so we could approach. And Jesus took away the only kind of suffering that can really destroy you: that is being cast away from God. Tim Keller, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering

And He did it at infinite cost to himself.

His sacrifice for us proves his friendship (watch Jesus’s Death as an act of friendship). At the foot of the cross we can say to God, “now we know that you love me, because you laid down your life for me.” (John 15:13)

That is the Gospel.

* * * * *

The Gospel gives us the ultimate Superman who comes down to bear the evil and injustice of this world and die for it so that some day he can end evil without having to end us.

To the degree we rest in that truth, our hard question begins to soften. My hope and prayer for all of us is that we will take our pain and our suffering and place it at the foot of the cross. For it is there where we will find the assurance of His love for us and His promise to one day end all evil—the day when all things are made new.

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Letter from a Birmingham Jail, reasoned that the only way to know a law is unjust is if there is a divine, higher law that tells us so. He argued that if there was no higher natural law, then how could anyone know if a human law was morally wrong?

Perhaps no one has argued this point better than former atheist C.S. Lewis:

My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I gotten this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust . . . . A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal: a fish would not feel wet . . . . Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist . . . I found I was forced to assume that one part of reality—namely my idea of justice—was full of sense. Consequently, atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning.

To summarize MLK and Lewis: If there is no outside criteria for truth, justice, fairness and the like (morality), no criteria outside of me, then I can never rationally urge others to behave the way I think they ought to. It’s merely my personal preference instead of someone else’s. That is to say: if there is no higher, natural law (i.e. God), one may say that a law is unjust, but that would be according to their own standards or their own feelings.

My favorite adaptation of Batman v. Superman (Johny and Joey Lemieux)

For additional resources on this topic, see:

Tim Keller: Walking With God Through Pain and Suffering
Tim Keller Sermons: Suffering:if God is good why is there so much evil in the world; The Final Hour
C.S. Lewis: Mere Christianity; The Problem of Pain

All Dogs (Must) Go To Heaven

July 30, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / Leave a comment

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Recently my family’s first and only dog died. As most dog owners know, he was a beloved member of our household. Sadly, losing him has broken our hearts and reminded us of how painful and devastating death is—a pain we will always collectively share after the passing of my father.

Our dog’s name was Strider. My sister, Jackie, and I named him after our favorite character from the epic novel, “Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien. Like his namesake, Strider was a meek and loving protector. My sister, Nikki, perhaps articulated his temperament best with her facebook post: “I don’t think there was ever a dog that was a greater grief companion.”

To better illustrate Nikki’s sentiment: near the end of my father’s life, Strider guarded his bedside dutifully and comforted him with his youthful playfulness (a well-known trait of the Boxer breed). After my father passed away, Strider became my mother’s chief source of comfort. He was her bodyguard, her defender, her cuddler . . . truly her grief companion.

Strider loved my mom and our family well. If he could have, I know that he “would have gone with [us] to the end, into the very fires of Mordor.” – Strider to Frodo, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (watch scene here)

There is something very unique and wonderful about the love of a dog. The following videos provide a few examples of how remarkable that love is (must watch if you’re a dog lover – click on the description):

Naturally, the loss of our dog’s love here on earth begs the questions: Will we ever get it back? “Is everything sad going to come untrue?” – Sam Gamgee to Gandalf, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Do all dogs really go to heaven?

I’m convinced the answer is YES! Here’s why . . . .

All of creation is a communication from God about God (Romans 1:20). It’s His divine self-expression; revealing His nature, personality, and displaying His attributes (Psalm 19:1). There is no part of creation devoid of his presence (Psalm 139). As C.S. Lewis stated:

“The world is crowded with Him.”

Put simply: the world and all it contains is made of words. “Magic words. Words spoken by the infinite, words so potent, spoken by One so potent that they have weight and mass and flavor. They are real.” – N.D. Wilson

And the words call to us (Psalm 42:7). They invite us in.

If we’re emotionally honest with ourselves, we all desire to be connected with the beauty that surrounds us in creation (i.e. sunsets, waves breaking on shore, snowcapped mountains, sizzling bacon, children’s laughter, the cuddles of our dog). Yet, something about this desire is painfully incomplete. “We cannot mingle with the splendours we see” – C.S. Lewis.

There’s a reason: because of human sin our ability to be united with the beauty has been corrupted and cutoff. We feel its invitation but we can’t go in. Tolkien’s words are instructive on this dilemma:

“We all long for Eden, and we are constantly glimpsing it: our whole nature is still soaked with the sense of exile.”

Interestingly, as 18th century pastor George Whitefield observed, it appears all of nature is privy to our condition: “Haven’t you ever noticed that when you come near the animals they growl at us, they bark at us, the birds screech at us and fly away? Do you know why? They know that we have a quarrel with their master.”

This is why we have the longing. This is why we have the disconnectedness. This is why our hearts break when we lose our dogs. We have a visceral sense that something has gone wrong.

We know we were created for something more . . . .

Scripture teaches that all of the beauty and wonder that calls to us in creation was spoken into existence by the Word of God. The Word revealed His beauty and made Himself known with His words (creation and everything in it).

Applying this truth we see that each hyperlinked video above is not just a dog displaying a charming act of love . . . it’s a message: a meaningful and intentional communication to help us better understand the love of God:

He’s the Love that comforts us like a mother. (Isaiah 66:13).
He’s the Love whose compassions are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)
He’s the Love that is tender towards children. (Matthew 19:14)
He’s the Love that weeps over the death of a friend. (John 11:35)
He’s the Love that runs out to us when we return home. (Luke 15:20)
He’s the Love that brings us back to life. (John 11:25; 43-44)

Do you see it? All of our dog’s personality and love points to Him.

The message of Christianity is – He’s the Beauty that we were created for and from which the love of our dog flows. And we’ve only barely tasted it. We’ve only been “touched by a finger of that right hand at which there are pleasures forevermore” – Lewis

Here’s the wonder of the Gospel: the Word became flesh (Jesus) and dwelt among us in order to restore our connectedness to Him—the true Beauty we all long for (John 1:14). To do so the Creator of all things had to be fully disconnected from the Beauty (on the cross) so that we could be reconnected to it. He had to be decreated so that we could be recreated. Tolkien captures this allegorically in “The Riddle of Strider”

“From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.” – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

The resurrection of Christ guarantees our reconnectedness. It secures for us a higher hope beyond this world: To be back in our home country. To be fully united with the Beauty. To be in the presence of the King.

And that’s why all dogs must go to heaven . . . because our King is there. He is where all the beauty came from. In His presence we get it all back.

* * * * *

Sam Gamgee’s question, “is everything sad going to come untrue” is at the core of the Christian hope. Theologian Tim Keller writes: “The answer of Christianity to that question is – YES! Everything sad is going to come untrue and it will somehow be greater for having once been broken and lost.”

“But in the end, it’s only a passing thing… this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. ” Sam Gamgee to Frodo,The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Watch it here)

My hope and prayer for all of us is that we may rest in the truth that in the presence of God we will be fully united with the deepest desires of our hearts and reunited with the unique and wonderful love of our dogs.

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Atheism says that we live in a strictly material universe (i.e. this world is all there is; we’re nothing but physical matter). Taken to it’s logical end, atheism has spawned philosophical doctrines like Nihilism, which is the belief that life is meaningless.

Francis Crick, an atheist nobel winning scientist, captured this atheist/materialist view in his book, The Astonishing Hypothesis. In it he writes:

“You,” your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behavior of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules . . . “You’re nothing but a pack of neurons.” (p. 3)

To subscribe to this viewpoint is to conclude the following: we have no soul and we’re only a body. Therefore, all of our thoughts are just chemical responses happening in our brain. If we feel love, it’s only chemical. Consequently, love does not matter. It’s just a chemical response in our brain that has enabled us to survive.

But we know this is not so. We know what our heart intuitively tells us is true: love matters. Nobody lives as if love doesn’t matter. Nobody lives as if their thoughts, feelings, and memories are really just chemical responses. Can you imagine a culture that lived this way? No love songs (no Beatles: “all you need is love”), no romantic comedies, no stories of sacrificial bravery, no pets to give and receive love, no dog rescue organizations, etc. What a sad world that would be.

In a solely material world we shouldn’t weep at the loss of our dogs. “If this world is all there is how can you be mad at suffering? Suffering is natural and so are the causes of suffering.” – Tim Keller

Further, as C.S. Lewis explains, in a meaningless world, we shouldn’t have discovered it: “If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.”

I choose to believe life has meaning and love matters. What say you?

For additional resources on this topic, see:

Tim Keller: The Song of Creation; A Promise of Hope; The Meaning of Christmas
Joe Rigney: The Things of Earth: Treasuring God by Enjoying His Gifts
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings trilogy; The Letter of J.R.R. Tolkien
C.S. Lewis: The Weight of Glory

Kendrick Lamar: Loving ourselves is complicated

July 7, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / 2 Comments

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may . . . grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Kendrick Lamar has gained a considerable amount of acclaim ever since his album good kid, MAAD City dropped in 2012. Personally, I don’t think there has been a better hip hop album since Outkast’s Aquemini—but I’m a nerdy white guy who lives out this scene from Office Space weekly. As a whole, good kid, MAAD City illustrates what it’s like to grow up in Compton: its inescapable gang culture, the pressure to succumb to its violence, objectification, and drugs. Ultimately, the album is an artistic account of a honest and angry young person being pulled between his faith and the violence of his upbringing.

His follow up album, To Pimp a Butterfly, sings a very different tune. It’s dense, it’s complex, and nothing on it was designed to top charts. The most unsettling song on the album is a track called “u.” In “u,” Kendrick gives the listener a peek into the dark caverns of his heart as he exposes the negative inner dialogue which plagues his mind.

The track begins with him screaming at himself, “loving you is complicated!” His reasoning for the complications follows . . . .

“I place blame on you still. Place shame on you still. Feel like you ain’t s***!” he yells at himself. “What can I blame you for?” he asks. “A baby inside, just a teenager, where your patience?” “Where was the influence you speak of?” “You preached in front of 100,000 but never reached her!” “You [expletive] failure—you ain’t no leader!”

He’s blaming himself for not being a bigger influence in his younger sister’s life, which he believes is one of the reasons she ended up pregnant as a young teenager. The song continues . . . but now he’s crying.

“You the reason why mama and them leavin. No you ain’t s***, you say you love them, I know you don’t mean it. I know you’re irresponsible, selfish, in denial, can’t help it.”

The self loathing is palpable. But he is not done.

“You even Facetimed instead of a hospital visit. B**** you thought he would recover well. Third surgery couldn’t stop the bleeding for real. You ain’t try.”

As if missing out on his friend’s last moments before he died wasn’t enough, he takes a few more swings at himself.

“everything is your fault . . . . I know your secrets. Don’t let me tell them to the world about that s*** you thinkin.”

Did you listen? He blames himself for the difficulties of others, he accuses himself of not being talented enough, he challenges the authenticity of his love for his family and friends, he’s lacked charity for his community, he has no faith, he’s not a real friend, he’s a failure, he’s broken multiple relationships, he drinks too much, he has some dark secrets and inner thoughts that would ruin his reputation if exposed. He hates himself. It’s tragic.

This will probably be the most transparent post I’ll ever write. The truth is, I’ve said every single one of those things to myself.

I’ve let down myself and others countless times. I wasn’t the athlete I hoped to be. I abandoned my little sisters at certain points. I’ve ruined tons of relationships—including one with my closest friend. The list goes on and on; but, most significantly, I missed the last moments of my dad’s life in the hospital. I hear Kendrick’s words ringing, “then he died . . . you [expletive] failed. You ain’t try!”

I realize this is all very dramatic and probably unique to me; but I suspect I’m not the only person who resonates with Kendrick’s inner dialogue or feels the weight of some of his words. Maybe we’re scared to admit it. I certainly am . . . but I’ve struggled with moments of hating myself for the last 13 years. Loving myself is complicated.

If we’re honest, most of us struggle with the complicated love/hate relationship we have with ourselves. Why is that?

I think many of us (including Kendrick) share a similar proclivity: we all tend to look to our works to find our self worth (see Kenrick’s lyric “Am i worth it? Did i put enough work in?”; sing about me, i am dying of thirst; good kid, MAAD City). And therein lies the problem (see Ecclesiastes 1:3).

Looking to our works to find our self-worth will invariably lead to self-doubt and self-condemnation.

But, there’s another way: It’s called Grace.

In the New Testament letters, Paul obliterates the crushing weight of works based self-salvation by sharing the beautiful gift of the gospel. (Ephesians 2:8-9). He wrote that all of our toil and work to get what our heart desperately wants has already been accomplished—and no one can contribute to it.

Before diving deeper into this doctrine it may be helpful to summarize every other belief system in the world. All religions, philosophies, or “ways of life” are trying to reach at something; whether that be enlightenment, happiness, salvation, nirvana, good karma, etc.

To illustrate: everyone places this “something” at the top of a ladder. The steps of this ladder are our virtues, our accomplishments, our beauty (our “works“). If we live up to these works we move up the ladder. If we don’t . . . we end up in our own personal hell. See Kendrick’s words from “u” above.

Paul’s teaching, however, is radically different. He tells us the something we’re looking for comes not from perfectly climbing each step of our metaphorical ladder, but as a gift from God. We are saved through what Jesus does and is, not by what we do or are.

Jesus is the ladder. That is the Gospel.

The freedom the Gospel brings to us is that while we’re all sinful and sinning, in Christ we are accepted and righteous in God’s sight. In Him we already have the love, the applause, the acceptance, and the delight of God. No other religion offers such a thing.

We’re not loved because we’re useful, virtuous, successful, or attractive. We’re loved simply because He loves us unconditionally. This is the only kind of love that will ever make us secure because it is the only kind of love we cannot possibly lose.

And when you give a person unconditional love . . . they blossom.

Back to Kendrick.

The obvious companion to “u” on Kendrick’s album is a song entitled “i.” But “I” is a complete contrast: it’s an anthem full of self-love. Kendrick sings joyfully:

“I done been through a whole lot. Trial, tribulation, but I know God . . . when you looking at me, tell me what do you see? I love myself!”

Kendrick is probably not a staple for rock-solid theology; but, for a moment, I think he gets it. He knows God. He knows what God sees when He looks at him. He lets go of the self-condemnation. He is now free to love himself. Loving himself is no longer complicated. Now watch him blossom.

* * * * *

If you feel like a failure, in any way, a god at the top of the ladder will break you. Believing that the love we are all desperately searching for is based on our looks, accomplishments, or behavior puts us on an endless treadmill of guilt and insecurity. But, we have a God who is the ladder; who took on our ugliness and failures so that when we believe in Him, His beauty and accomplishments and righteousness are credited to us.

So, my hope for all of us is that we can cling to this truth:

We are more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope. Although we still fail, we don’t despair because He is our righteousness. In that righteousness we have no sin, no fear, no guilty conscience, and no fear of death. We are “holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation.” (Col. 1:22).

Therefore, let us sing the old hymn: “well may the accuser roar of the sins that I have done. I know them all and thousands more. Jehovah knoweth none”

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Paul was a hostile opponent and persecutor of the church. He had a reputation that induced fear in the hearts of Christians (Acts 9:13,26; cf. 26:11). He was even a witness and consented to the execution of the first Christian martyr, Stephen (Acts 7:58; 9:1). He beat Christians, imprisoned them, and had many put to death. In his own words he wrote, “beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and made havoc of it” (Galatians 1:13). However, his ambition to exterminate Christianity from the face of the earth radically changed. He ended up writing most of the New Testament—a collection of letters all pointing to the person of Jesus. As a result of his new found passion for Jesus he was tortured and eventually killed. So, it begs the question: Why would he suffer so intensely and face persecution daily for a dead man? What caused it?

There is no reasonable explanation for the radical turnaround of Paul other than the fact that Paul must have actually seen the resurrected Jesus on the Damascus road.

Father’s Day

June 22, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / Leave a comment

Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father”. Galatians 4:6

For all of its absurdities, social media has its positives. Case in point: at no other time in history have we been able to instantly connect and plug into the lives of hundreds (maybe thousands) of people in our “social network”. As a result of this new-found access to one another, we’re given somewhat of a bird’s eye view on many of the complexities and dynamics of the lives around us.

Today is Father’s Day . . . and the evidence is all over my Facebook/Instagram feed. There are pictures everywhere of grandfathers, experienced fathers, and first time fathers. It’s a beautiful thing to see so many men honored and cherished for the significant roles they play in their loved ones lives. However, for all the people celebrating Father’s Day on social media, there are many who are not.

Tragically, a considerable amount of people in my network have lost or never had their father. For some, this Father’s Day marks the first of many they will experience without him. For others, this day is nothing but a reminder of the father who has never been there to celebrate. For me, it’s been 10 years since my father passed away. His absence has left a gaping hole in my life. Sadly, it’s a sentiment I share with many.

I once met a highly successful CEO who spoke openly with me about the loss of his father. He was in his early 50’s, responsible for the economic welfare of thousands, and renowned for his business acumen; yet, he admitted to me that he still reminisced of the moments when he could crawl into the safety and love of his father’s lap. It became evident to me that no matter what age we are, we will always have a need for a father.

We have an instinctive desire—beginning at the earliest stages of our consciousness—to reach out for someone that will keep us safe, who will provide, who we can trust, who will love us perfectly, who will always be there.

Interestingly, the passage above was originally written by Paul in Greek to Greek speaking people. However, the term “Abba” is Aramaic. Why would Paul use such language? What significance does it hold?

“Abba” means father; but in the intimate sense used by young children. The nearest equivalent in English would be Daddy or Papa. To put simply, in every language, when a child first begins to reach out for their father and mother they are given a name for their parent. The child will need something simple to say. In a sense, “Abba” is a part of all of our languages—it’s a simple term children use to call out to their parents like “da-da” or “ma-ma”.

Astonishingly, Paul is saying you can know God with all the confidence, intimacy, and trust with which a little child grabs a parent. He’s the one we are reaching out for.

But, why can we approach God as Father?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus himself, the only begotten son of God, prayed to his Abba, Father for the “cup” of sorrow on the cross to be taken from him; and his request was turned down. (Mark 14:32-36). Jesus was the only person in history who deserved to have all of his prayers answered by the Father. Yet, he took our place so that we could share in the relationship that only he merits. (2 Cor 5:21). What He loses, we gain.

And, we gain the right to approach God as, Abba Father, because we are his children, adopted into sonship—a right we inherited from Jesus. (Romans 8:15). To the degree we can rest in that truth, it will fulfill our most instinctive desire: a heavenly Father who will love us perfectly, who delights in us, who is committed to our well-being and happiness, who rejoices in doing us good, who withholds no good thing, and who will never leave us.

As C.S. Lewis states:

“To please God . . . to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness . . . to be loved by God, not merely pitied, but delighted in as . . . a father in a son—it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is.”

So, if you’ve lost or never had a father, we have a God who is so committed to ending fatherlessness that he was willing to come into the world and be a part of that suffering himself. Christianity alone of all the religions tells us that God-incarnate lost a father in an unjust attack. Entering into such suffering Himself is proof that he cares and that he must have some good reason. Accordingly, I can say with Fyodor Dostoyevsky that:

“I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for . . . that in the world’s finale, at the moment of eternal harmony, something so precious will come to pass that it will suffice for all hearts, for the comforting of all resentments, for the atonement of all the crimes of humanity, for all the blood that they’ve shed; that it will make it not only possible to forgive but to justify all that has happened.”

* * * * *

Tim Keller writes that to call God Abba, Father “. . . signifies a confidence of love and assurance of welcome. Just as the young child simply assumes that a parent loves them and is there for them, and never doubts the security and openness of daddy’s strong arms, so Christians can have an overwhelming boldness and certainty that God loves them endlessly.”

It is important to understand that God is our intimate Father. For me, this too often tends to become just an abstract concept. However, it is one of the remarkable qualities that makes Christianity distinct from all other faiths and philosophies.

My hope and prayer is that we all can discover this father-son relationship more deeply and personally.

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Many 19th and 20th century thinkers (e.g., Ludwig Feuerbach, Sigmund Freud) sought to undermine Christianity through the psychogenetic method. The argument goes something like this: human beings created God in their own image as a projection of their own needs and desires. For example, Freud argued that when we are children, we depend upon our fathers as strong protectors who provide. As we grow up, we discover that our fathers are not all-powerful and that they too have failures and weaknesses. In realizing the weaknesses of our fathers, we still have a psychological need for security and provision. So, we project our fathers into the “God our Father” giving ourselves the illusion of control.

A simple counter to the above is called the argument from desire. Per usual, C.S. Lewis says it best:

Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.

To paraphrase Lewis, it’s a pretty strong indication that a thing exists if we have an innate desire for it. It would be a “very odd phenomenon” Lewis writes, if “falling in love occurred in a sexless world.” So, if “we remain conscious of a desire which no natural happiness will satisfy” it’s logical to conclude (or at least consider) that we were made for something more than this world has to offer. To hold the psychogenetic position seems to merely be an effort to comatose our awareness of something else . . . something transcendent.

Me and my father. I miss him everyday, but I’ll see him again

Lebron James And The Return of the True King

June 16, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / Leave a comment

“. . . he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” Revelation 17:14

I’m not from Cleveland and I don’t presume to have a pulse on its culture. Yet, it’s common knowledge that folks around there are sports fanatics. For that reason, I’ve gotten a lot of joy from watching Lebron James’ Cavaliers reach the NBA finals (I’ve always liked to party with people who have cause to celebrate). However, that is not the only reason for my enthusiasm. I confess: I love LeBron James—and not just because I can sympathize with his hairline.

It wasn’t too long ago that I was sitting in my college dorm room watching a high school phenom play basketball on a nationally televised stage. I vividly remember the 18 year old demolishing a between the legs dunk. Shortly thereafter he was selected first overall in the NBA draft to the Cleveland Cavaliers (his home town). The marketing powers that be branded him with the nickname “King James” . . . and it fit.

In a sports world filled with quantifiable measures, scathing critiques, and ridiculous comparisons, King James reigns at the very top as the most physically gifted athlete of the modern era. That’s why I love Lebron. He’s the King. Even his superhuman-athlete competitors acknowledge him as such.

Importantly, I think there is something else involved with King James though that resonates with me on a deeper and more subconscious level. More on that in a moment.

After several years in the NBA, King James left Cleveland in order to take his talents to the Miami Heat. While in Miami he won multiple championships and set himself apart as one of the greatest of all time. After achieving NBA glory King James poetically returned back to Cleveland in order to restore promise to his homeland and bring his city a championship. And here we are in the 2015 NBA finals.

Interestingly, there is a common theme that runs through all of the literature of the human race. In all cultures, an overwhelming majority of the ancient legends go something like this: There was a great king who ruled with justice, wisdom, and power. During the king’s reign his people flourished and the land blossomed. But something took the king away and everything deteriorated. Yet, one day the king will return and restore greatness.

This phenomenon has even carried over to our American culture. In his book The Philosophy of Tolkien, Peter Kreeft observes: “Though we do not have kings in America, or want them, our unconscious mind both has them and wants them . . . . Something in us longs to give [a king] our loyalty and fealty and service and obedience. He is lost but longed for and will some day return, like Arthur.”

Perceptively, theologian Tim Keller asks the pointed question: Why all these legends when the actual records of human kings is abysmal? It’s nothing but a record of tyranny, tragedy, and slavery. Why this fascination with kings? Why do the old legends have such a powerful impact on us? Why is it that in lands like America, where there is no king, we create them? We take billionaires, athletes, and media stars and we turn them into kings. We crown and adore them.

Why this need for kings?

Keller answers:

“We need a king. We were built for a king. The reason for the old myths, the reason for the new myths [all the superhero myths are new myths about kings], the reason we adore kings and create them is because there is a “memory trace” in the human race (in you and me) of a great King, an ancient King; one who did rule with such power and wisdom and compassion and justice and glory . . . . We know we were built to submit to that King, to stand before and adore and serve and know that King.”

Invariably, all of us will find our own king. We have to. It’s in our blood. For some, it may be the next president (or current). For others, it may be a prince charming or a girl next door. It could even be a son or a daughter. For clevelanders, it may be King James. But those are false kings. Sadly, placing a false king in the rightful King’s position will cause that false king to trample over us; to crush us with their weight—even unintentionally. Only the true King’s yolk is easy and burden is light.

The message of Christianity is that there is a true King, a King we were built for; and service to the true King will give us freedom—freedom from oppression, freedom from guilt, freedom to love fearlessly, freedom from the sting of death, freedom from judgment. His name is Jesus.

Back to Lebron: King James was chosen to sit on the NBA throne at a remarkably young age. Despite the unprecedented pressure, he’s helped restore the NBA to its former greatness. He truly is a living legend. But, if I’m honest, Lebron has his flaws (e.g., jump shot lacks consistency). Worse, Lebron will eventually be a shadow of his 18 year old between the legs dunking self and be forced to retire.

But for me, Lebron’s return to Cleveland points to something that I deeply long for: A memory trace of some future I have only barely tasted. A homeland I have never stepped into. A day when the true King will return to usher in perfect peace and unleash inconceivable joy (psalm 16:11) (1 Kings 10:6–8).

As for Lebron . . . I’ll let him use his own words:

“When you get your guys back, you prepare just as you prepare before. There’s only one guy ever in the world that everything will be alright when He comes back and that’s Jesus Christ.”

* * * * *

In the end, none of our kings will suffice. All of them will go wrong somehow. But the good news is that there is a King above the kings. There is a King hidden beneath all of our legends. As Keller says, “even the greatest kings and superheroes are just dim reflections of the memory trace in us of the true King.” King Jesus.

When the true King reigns, prosperity will again reign over the land. One day that King will return. I look forward to that.

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Many people believe that the historic person Jesus is just a “good teacher.” However, Jesus left no room for that designation. He can only be 1 of the following: a Liar; a Lunatic; a Legend; or Lord (the True King).

Liar

If Jesus was a liar, his deception should have been revealed at some point. Most probably during his execution. However, the historical accounts don’t present any statements of backsliding (i.e. “It was a joke, I’m not the son of God! Help!”). No, He prayed for his enemies while they were killing and torturing Him. Moreover, if he was a liar, how did he fool His disciples into believing Him and dying for Him while proclaiming his divinity? Surely they would have seen Him falter a time or two.

Lunatic

I’m no psychologist but, his moral teachings—such as love for one’s enemies—are regarded as being among the loftiest articulations of moral values in history. A crazy person is completely incapable of having the world wide influence he has had. His teachings have changed our notions of social justice, education, charity, philosophy, etc. Crazy people don’t have such influence. Further, his responses to his critics left them speechless and without rebuttal. Intellectually, he proved far superior than his detractors. It is impossible for Jesus to have led the life He did and do the things He did if He was Crazy.

Legend

The books of the bible and the first church began to form within a handful of years after His death. There is great time evidence that shows some of the first letters that became the gospels beginning to surface in churches and gatherings within three to five years after the crucifixion. The actual gospels were written in the decades to follow as the disciples traveled to spread the word. Even in those decades, the people who knew Jesus, and even those enemies of Jesus, would have boldly stood up and debunked any legendary aspects of the gospels. Again, this is unprecedented. Especially in consideration of other historical authorities that we readily submit to. For example, the biography of Alexander the Great was written 500 years after the death of Alexander. It’s accuracy is not questioned.

Also, you can read about Jesus of Nazareth, Pontius Pilate, and even John the Baptist from non-Biblical sources of the period, such as the writings of the Jewish historian Flavius Josephus (AD 37-c. 100). Other early authors who make reference to Jesus and the early Christian community include the Roman official Pliny the Younger (AD 61 – c. AD 112) and the Roman historians Tacitus (AD 56 – AD 117), and Suetonius (AD c. 69 –c. 122).

Bottom line: we have better sources for Jesus than we do for most of the major figures of history.

True King

I will let C.S. Lewis do the talking: “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to…. Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and consequently, however strange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to accept the view that He was and is God.”

If Jesus was not a liar, a lunatic, or a legendary figure, then we must be prepared to accept him as what he claimed to be—the Lord of the universe and rightful King. It has been nearly 2000 years since His death and no one has been able to prove anything different.

What to say to a grieving friend (Hint: Don’t be Ron Burgundy)

April 12, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / Leave a comment

“Jesus Wept.” John 11:35

I recently attended a grief counseling class with 15 other people who have experienced the death of a loved one. During one of the sessions the instructor asked us to share the most ridiculous things that were said to us after our respective loved ones had died. The responses were startling.

I’ll never forget the worst thing that was said to me after my dad passed away. Despite having a firm grasp on that memory though, I’ve still managed to say some unhelpful (i.e. dumb) things to friends of mine who were grieving. Sadly . . . I should’ve known better.

Here is the problem: death shakes our whole foundation. When it gets anywhere near us it either: (1) turns us into babbling cliché spitting buffoons rivaling the idiocy of Ron Burgundy reading off a teleprompter; or (2) causes us to avoid our grieving friend as if they had something contagious.

In John 11, Jesus has one of those uncomfortable encounters with a pair of grieving sisters (Martha and Mary) who just lost their brother, Lazarus. Interestingly, when he meets face to face with his friend Mary, he has little to say. In fact, his response became the shortest verse in the bible: “Jesus wept”.

This is a confusing passage to me in light of what happens next (Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead). Why the tears? Why not explain to her that everything will be fine and begin with the miracle?

There’s a scene in the Chronicles of Narnia, The Magician’s Nephew between a young boy named Digory and Aslan (the great Lion, creator and king of Narnia) as Digory’s mother is dying. The boy begs Aslan:

“But please, please – won’t you – can’t you give me something that will cure Mother?’” Up till then he had been looking at the Lion’s great feet and the huge claws on them; now, in his despair, he looked up at its face. What he saw surprised him as much as anything in his whole life. For the tawny face was bent down near his own and (wonder of wonders) great shining tears stood in the Lion’s eyes. They were such big, bright tears compared with Digory’s own that for a moment he felt as if the Lion must really be sorrier about his Mother than he was himself.”

The tears that Jesus cried that day—and continues to cry with us—are just like that. Tears so big and so sincere that he must really be sorrier about the painful events of our lives than we are ourselves.

So, why such big tears? Because He knows our brokenness. He knows we weren’t designed for death. He knows there’s no words which will fix the sadness of a grieving friend.

So He grieves with us.

Jesus ended up resurrecting Lazarus from the dead. The party afterwards must have been epic. Yet, this was just a bandaid on a gun wound. Jesus knew Lazarus’ resurrection wouldn’t solve the real issue: that our bodies would still be subject to death and decay (the great human dilemma).

However, the resurrection of Lazarus foreshadowed the solution: a greater resurrection. One which would solve the human dilemma. One which would free us from decay. 1 Corinthians 15:42. One which would put an end to pain and death and wipe away all of our tears (Isaiah 25:8; Revelations 21:4). The resurrection of Christ.

Here is how theologian Tim Keller puts it: “The resurrection of Christ means everything sad is going to come untrue and it will somehow be greater for having once been broken.”

* * * * *

Caring about a friend through big tears and a sincere heart provides a degree of consolation that no cliché, religious, or philosophical words could ever hope to. So let’s grieve with them.

We don’t have to fix them (“I used to want to fix people, but now I just want to be with them” – Bob Goff). That’s not our job. We can hand that over to Jesus.

In the words of Gregory of Nazianzus, He’s the only one “who cries, yet causes tears to cease.”

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

C.S. Lewis (a former atheist) was a literary scholar who concentrated much of his work on historical literature. He makes an interesting argument pertaining to the veracity of the gospel accounts. Here is a quick summary:

Ancient fiction was nothing like modern fiction. Modern fiction is realistic, and it didn’t appear until about 300 years ago. The gospel contain tons of random details (e.g., John reports that “Jesus wept”; Mark reports that Jesus was asleep on a cushion in the stern of a boat; Peter was 100 yards out in the water when he saw Jesus on the beach; Peter jumped in the water and together they caught 153 fish; etc.). Such details were not in any ancient literature, and the only explanation of them is as recollections of eyewitnesses. Lewis states: “I have been reading poems, romances, vision-literature, legends, myths all my life. I know what they are like. I know none of them are like this.”

For his own part, Lewis had little doubt that the Gospel of John was reliable history. Lewis continues: “Either this is reportage, or else some unknown writer in the second century, without known predecessors or successors, suddenly anticipated the whole technique of modern, novelistic, realistic, narrative.”

What a high school linebacker taught me about overcoming fear . . . and Jesus

April 3, 2015August 3, 2016 / asearchingsoul12 / 1 Comment

Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard below. One of the servant girls who worked for the high priest came by and noticed Peter warming himself at the fire. She looked at him closely and said, “You were one of those with Jesus of Nazareth.” But Peter denied it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, and he went out into the entryway. Just then, a rooster crowed. When the servant girl saw him standing there, she began telling the others, “This man is definitely one of them!” But Peter denied it again. A little later some of the other bystanders confronted Peter and said, “You must be one of them, because you are a Galilean.” Peter swore, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know this man you’re talking about!” And immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Suddenly, Jesus’ words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And he broke down and wept. Mark 14:66-72

You didn’t have to grow up going to Sunday school to know that the apostle Peter has quite the reputation for being a coward (his name’s a verb). If you read the above passage you’ll see that Peter denies having any relationship with his friend on 3 separate occasions (once to a little girl).

Admittedly, I’ve always connected with Peter. My life is marked by many moments of cowardice. However, there are other moments in my life where I’ve had some courage . . . just like Peter.

Ironically, the coward Peter (referenced above) is the same Peter who jumped into rough waters in the middle of the night to encounter what appeared to be a ghost (Matthew 14:24-33). He is also the same Peter who attacked a group of surrounding soldiers in defense of his best friend (John 18:3-11).

So what’s the disconnect? Why is Peter so brave at certain points and so cowardly at the most pivotal? More about that in a sec. Let me tell you about my friend Corey.

I went to high school with a guy named Corey. He was a man among boys. In case you need some stats to help form an illustration: at the juvenile age of 17 he benched 365lbs, cleaned 305lbs, and squatted 425lbs. To add further, he earned all-state honors in Florida at middle linebacker. Translation: he is fast, tough, hits hard, and fearless. Yet, coupled with the hard exterior is a man who has one of the most loving, giving, protective, and caring personalities of anyone I’ve ever met. He’d do anything for you.

Going to high school with a guy like Corey was a privilege . . . one that many took advantage of. Here is why: when Corey was for you, nobody was against you. If he was on your team, the other team wasn’t intimidating. If there was a fight and Corey was on your side, you weren’t losing.

Do you see a similar connection with Peter? Let’s go back to Peter’s bravery in the rough waters and with the surrounding soldiers. Who was with Peter? Jesus. Who was not with Peter when he committed one of the most infamous acts of cowardice in the history of the world? Jesus.

Having a savior at your back makes the obstacles of life a whole lot smaller.

When Corey was around, I was never too concerned with whatever was against me. I had a lot more courage. But good high school linebackers go away to play in college; they don’t stay around forever . . . and Corey was no exception. He went away to play out of state. Sadly, those of us accustomed to our friend’s protection and care had to make other arrangements for finding courage when he left. The linebacker that made so many of us bold and brave was gone.

Thankfully, the person of Jesus overcame the condition of death so that he could be around forever; so that nothing will be able to stand against us all the days of our lives. He’s committed to us (Joshua 1:5). He’s at our back always, to the very end (Matthew 28:20). His victory over death ensures us of that. He’s the savior we’ve all been looking for.

In the real world most of our fears can’t be extinguished by a high school linebacker. However, whatever fears we have (cancer, failure, providing for your family, being a good father/mother, unemployment), Jesus can handle all of them. His perfect love for us drives them all away (1 John 4:18). We need not fear (Isaiah 41:10). He has our back.

Not so long after cowering from the little girl, Saint Peter boldly declared to the Roman authorities his allegiance to Jesus (not a coward). As a result, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion. So, why did Peter have such a drastic shift from fearfulness to bravery? An empty tomb (reasons to believe in an empty tomb) plus an encounter with a risen savior (John 21); I think it’s safe to presume that this time around, Peter knew his Savior was with him.

* * * * *

I’m thankful for that high school linebacker. We all knew he cared about us, that he had our back, and that he loved his friends. He taught me a lot about Jesus.

Like Peter at the end of his life, I pray that we can all learn to rest in the perfect love of Jesus – a love that is so deeply for us that it drives out all fear.

* * * * *

FOR A SEARCHING SOUL

Based on a variety of historical testimony (not just the bible), the disciples were frightened and cowardly when Jesus was arrested and crucified. However, the disciples became bold and risked their own lives to proclaim His name shortly thereafter. For me, this is great evidence that Jesus is who He said He was. Cowardly people aren’t just inspired to sacrifice their lives for a dead person that they previously abandoned. I’m convinced that 3 days after the death of Jesus they witnessed something miraculous.

That high school linebacker is on the right