WHATEVER BECAME OF SIN?

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Karl Menninger is known as the father of American psychiatry; founder the world famous Menninger Institute. Dr. Menninger was loved and respected by his students and colleagues; he died in 1990 at the age of 96. Interestingly, despite his fame, some turned against Menninger after the release of his 1973 best-selling book Whatever Became of Sin? To them the book repudiated their well-entrenched belief in the secular treatment of mental problems. Dr. Menninger’s book suggested an opposite position---that sin and immorality could be used to explain why some people suffer from depression, debilitating guilt and abject hopelessness.

Most psychiatrists and psychologists avoid using terms like sin, evil or immorality. And for good reason---many don’t believe in sin, evil or immorality. But Karl Menninger thought differently; he wrote extensively on the important role of parents in shaping the impressionable minds of their children; and that love was an essential element in good mental health. Disagreeing with Sigmund Freud’s godless philosophies, Dr. Menninger also came to accept the reality of sin (as outlined in the Bible) and the guilt it produces in the minds of people (Psalm 38:4).

Guilt is a powerful feeling; it is the Hebrew word asam pointing to the sense of indebtedness sin generates. Anthropologists tells us that even the most remote cultures practice some form of crude religion in which sin must be paid for (as in an animal sacrifice). And whereas most people hate the feeling of guilt (2 Corinthians 7:10), it is far worse to never feel guilt; because the presence of guilt is a sign your conscience is still operating within your spirit (Acts 24:25).

Whatever Became of Sin? was a controversial book that mirrors what the Bible repeatedly tells us---we are all sinners guilty before God (Ecclesiastes 7:20; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 3:10, 23). But the sin debt was paid when Jesus became the sacrifice for all (Hebrews 10:12). Don’t neglect sin in your life; take care of it often (1 John 1:8-10). Keep short accounts with the Lord. Whatever became of sin? It’s still here (unfortunately). Think about it.

ONCE AND FOR ALL

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Most of us have probably at one time or another watched a preview trailer of a movie or television show and then after watching the entire production realized it was all hype and little substance. Such was the case of the massively promoted 1988 heavyweight championship boxing match between Iron Mike Tyson (34-0) and Michael Spinks (31-0). For the fight Tyson was to receive $20 million dollars; Spinks, a paltry $13.5 million.

On July 27, 1988 the two heavyweights met in Atlantic City for what was advertised as the “Once and For All” fight. The bell rang and 91 seconds later it was over; only ten punches were landed (eight from Tyson; 2 from Spinks). Tyson knocked Spinks out in the first round. Ironically, the fight was the richest boxing event up to that time, grossing over $70 million dollars, but Michael Spinks never boxed again.

Of the twelve fundamental doctrines of the evangelical church, undoubtedly the most hated of the devil is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And for good reason---his fate (John 12:31-32) and the very foundation of Christianity itself rests on the validity of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 13-17). The resurrection of Christ has been ridiculed, denied and reduced to a trivial fairytale by cynical skeptics and arrogant intellectuals, and yet the reality of the resurrection still stands.

The greatest conflict in the universe began on a Friday afternoon over 2,000 years ago. Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe and Savior of the world willingly gave His life on the cross (John 10:17-18; 1 John 3:16). Satan controlled the crowds that condemned and crucified the Lord (Ephesians 6:12). He landed his best blow and really thought he had defeated Jesus (Genesis 3:15), and for three days he rejoiced. And then early on a Sunday morning, as the song goes, “Up from the grave He arose” (Luke 24:1-3). As victor in the conflict for the souls of man, Jesus raised His hands in triumph (Colossians 2:15). No hype, just sweet victory. Praise the Lord. Think about it. Happy Resurrection Day.

TRANSHUMANISM AND THE KENOSIS

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Much has been written and continues to be reported on the modern-day phenomenon called transhumanism. Transhumanism is a fairly new term, defined as the use of science and technology to overcome human limitations and improve the human condition. Interestingly, a recent tech article reported that mankind will soon be able to “overtake a mouse brain” (a comforting thought!), and that by the year 2025 all or part of our minds will be controlled by a computer.

Our need and desire to improve society and our individual lot in life is a laudable ambition, as well as a divine command---the Dominion Mandate was given to our first parents in the garden (Genesis 1:26-28). But it’s important to understand that invention and improvement can only go so far, mainly because of our own human limitations. God in His wisdom and mercy puts limits on us. Simply stated, there is knowledge our Creator doesn’t want us to have and places He doesn’t want us to go. Why? Because He’s God and we aren’t.

The Lord Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1; Colossians 1:15). He was born of a virgin into a world of sin and yet He was without sin (1 John 3:5). Kenosis is a theological word to describe how Jesus became man (Philippians 2:5-11); taken from the Greek verb “kenoo” in verse 7 meaning to empty. Jesus became all man, but never laid aside His divinity (Luke 22:70; John 10:30). He willingly laid down all vestiges of reputation to become our sacrifice.

God never changes (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8), yet He is the ultimate change agent. He wants to transform our thinking (Romans 12:1-2), and one day He will change our sinful bodies into our immortal bodies in heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). But none of this could ever happen had He never came to live with us. No one knows how far God will allow humanity to advance into areas outside our realm of understanding or control. But for us---Praise the Lord, He became like us in order for us to become like Him. Think about it. 

SCAPEGOAT THEORY

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

In 1925 a man wrote a terrible book that changed the world. The man was Adolf Hitler; the book was Mein Kampf (My Struggle). Hitler dictated his long rambling fifteen-chapter diatribe during his imprisonment for attempting to overthrow the German government. Interestingly, Hitler coined the German phrase Grob Luge (Big Lie) in his book. Grob Luge isn’t hard to understand---telling a lie so big it must be true (even though it isn’t). But today we focus our attention on another interesting detail about Hitler and his awful book---the Scapegoat Theory.

The Scapegoat Theory AKA Extreme Prejudice is a sociopathic term to describe an individual blaming another person or group for their anger, frustrations and failures. Prejudice is an ugly human condition as old as time, and scapegoating comes in many forms---racial, business, even religious. Because Hitler and the Nazis blamed the Jews for everything bad in the world it was easy for them to justify in their own minds slaughtering six million Jews. Mein Kampf is a literary example of this extreme prejudice.

Central to the Scapegoat Theory is the scapegoat, (“sent goat” in the Hebrew) which originates in the Old Testament; referenced in only one place--Leviticus 16, the scapegoat was part of the yearly Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Two goats were selected; one was killed as a sin offering. The priest placed his hands on the other goat, symbolically transferring the sins of the Jewish people to that goat. That goat was sent out to a place in the desert to wander aimlessly never to be sought or found.

Theologically the symbolism of the scapegoat can be seen in the fact that Christ took our sins, (1 Peter 2:24) casting them away never to be remembered again (Hebrews 8:12). Atonement was the prescribed means of dealing with sin until Jesus emerged on the scene (Hebrews 10:4). He is our ransom scapegoat (Mark 10:45); sent by the Father as our substitute (John 3:17). His death was not a lie, or a theory; but rather, the highest form of love (John 3:16). Think about it.

SEND YOUR MONEY TO THE LORD (BUT USE MY ADDRESS)

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

“Send your money to the Lord, but use my address” is a funny and slightly altered line. The line can be traced back to County Music legend Hank Williams Jr; however his version is slightly different than the tweaked version. Hank’s 1999 compilation album entitled The Complete Hank Williams Jr featured the song The American Dream in which he referred to money-begging television preachers, “They want you to send your money to the Lord but give you their address.” It’s a funny line no matter which version you prefer.

A few years before ole Hank gave us his memorable line was the true story of a well-known tele-evangelist who claimed that God had threatened to kill him if he failed to raise eight million dollars by his creditors’ “deadline” (no pun intended). The preacher’s 1987 plea to his many followers came as a result of a divine conversation with the Creator. Needless to say and much to the relief of the preacher, his life was spared when a dog-track owner in Florida sent a sizable contribution to fend off the creditor and to save the television preacher’s life.

Amid all the levity of this week’s lesson there is a cogent theological principle to be considered--How does God “speak” to us? Whereas some of us has undoubtedly heard someone say that the “Lord spoke” to them about something; we understand that the communication was not audible, but rather mental. God has spoken audibly; the Bible tells us of nine people who has heard His voice. But all that ended when the Bible was completed (Revelation 22:21).

God does communicate with us (John 10:4, 16, 27), but today it is through His Word (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:16). Interestingly, the Bible instructs us to question any message we receive (even those we perceive to be of the Lord); AKA discernment (1 Thessalonians 5:21). God is the Author of all truth (John 14:6; 17:17); therefore when you get a “spiritual” message, put it to the Truth Test to fully understand where it’s coming from (1 John 4:1-3). Think about it.

THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL PERSON

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Despite all the heated pre and post-presidential election rhetoric, would it surprise you to learn that Donald Trump is not the most powerful person in America or even the world? In fact, the most powerful person in the world (humanly speaking) is not even a man---it’s a woman named Janet Yellen, the head of the Federal Reserve Bank in Washington. It is Yellen and her board of governors that controls all the money in America, which in turn affects the economies around the world. But consider Yellen’s powerful position in contrast with the world’s first woman.

In 1967 Drs. Vincent Sarich and Allan Wilson, research scientists at the University of California Berkeley discovered that genetically every human came from one mother. Their research led to them a genetic material in the human genome called Mitochondrial DNA, which is inherited from one woman and never changes. Ironically, the evolutionary scientists named her Eve. A January 1988 Newsweek magazine article entitled The Search For Adam and Eve confirmed Sarich and Wilson’s remarkable breakthrough.

Eve, the first woman and mother is specifically mentioned four times in the Bible (only twice in Genesis); conversely, her husband is mentioned twenty-nine times by name in the scriptures. Eve’s name in the original Hebrew is Chavvah which means life-giver (Genesis 3:20). We do not know how many children Adam and Eve had (Genesis 5:4), however, Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian wrote that Eve bore 56 children (33 sons and 23 daughters).

God created Eve from the genetic material in Adam’s side (Genesis 2:21-22). His purpose for Eve as Adam’s “help meet” is often misunderstood. Theologically, the Hebrew words for help meet point to God’s original intent; the word help is neged means corresponding to or equal with; meet is ezer meaning powerful enabler. Women may not be as physically strong as men (1 Peter 3:7), but they can be (and sometimes are) smarter, more influential and more powerful than men. Seventy percent of Americans polled do not know who Janet Yellen is. Hopefully more Christians know who their ancient mother was. Think about it.

THE BENEFITS OF UNION MEMBERSHIP

By Dr. M. R. Dowler

Not far from the modern town of Selcuk, Turkey is the ruins of the ancient city of Ephesus. Government statistics report that Selcuk is Turkey’s most visited Christian tourist destination, and for good reason---Ephesus is a familiar name in the New Testament, specifically mentioned seventeen times. The Book of Ephesians is the Apostle Paul’s letter to the believers in this ancient city, written from his Roman prison cell some thirty years after the death of Christ.

Central to everyday life in ancient Ephesus was the Temple of Artemas, AKA the Temple of Diana (Acts 19:24, 27); one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built upon a two-acre platform, the Temple of Diana was the largest Greek worship center, larger even than their famous Acropolis in Athens. As the center of religion, finance and culture in Ephesus; the temple was the city’s bank and source of a thriving industry of idol production and sale. So great was the power of idol worship that a labor union of idol producers rioted because so many Ephesians were converting to Christianity (Acts 19:23-41).

The Bible speaks of a union that every born-again believer belongs to, however this union does not involve labor, because salvation cannot be acquired through any kind of work (Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5). This eternal connection, referred to 170 times as being “in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3-4) is facilitated through the life and death of the Savior (Galatians 2:20). Simply stated, Jesus’ life actually flows into our “inner man” by renewing our inner nature (2 Corinthians 4:16)

Theologically, this spiritual union is mysterious in nature (Colossians 1:26-27) and activated by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13). We have peace (Philippians 4:7) and providence through our “in Christ” union relationship (Philippians 4:19). Everything we have or need in the Christian life comes through our union membership with Him. Although sadly there are disputes and disagreements between churches and believers over superficial issues, all true believers are brothers and sisters in a union that cannot be dissolved. Talk about union benefits. Wow! Think about it.