HisDOMINION - Winter 2013

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It’s usually the Americans who claim

that their nation was established upon the

rock bed of Christianity, but could the same

ever be said for Canada? For the majority of

our younger teens, it is a common belief that

our nation was always a secular domain, a

home for a diversity of faiths, and the

breeding ground for postmodernistic thought.

It was made clear in their educational

systems that all religions and worldviews

find themselves equal in truthfulness, and

that no individual had the right to claim one

worldview as the only and absolute truth.

However, when we look back at Canadian

history, we see a much different story.

Much like America, Canada was also

established upon the rock bed of Christianity,

and evidence still remains of its previous

state as a “nation under God.” In 1921, the

Canadian coat of arms was officially

approved with the national motto “A Mari

Usque Ad Mare.” 1 The motto is Latin for

“From sea to sea”, making direct reference to

Psalm 72:8. The psalm states “He shall have

dominion also from sea to sea, and from the

river to the ends of the earth,” particularly

referring to God’s sovereignty over all

things. In fact, the motto came into effect in

1906, before the rendering of the coat of

arms. It was directly approved by the Order

in Council on the 21st of April in 1921, along

with the Royal Proclamation that same

November.2

To further build the case for Canada’s

cultural relevance to the Christian faith is the

1 (CCHeritage 2010) 2 Ibid

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updated coat of arms, which sports a ribbon

with the following Latin phrase,

“Desiderantes meliorem patriam”.3 When

translated, this comes to mean “They desire a

better country”, making another direct

reference to Hebrews 11:16 which states

“But now they desire a better, that is, a

heavenly country...” There is no doubt that

our founding fathers were so moved by their

faith in God that their desire was to see a

devout nation under God. To make it even

more blatantly clear, July 1st was originally

called “Dominion Day.” It was the day where

every Canadian citizen

and resident would

acknowledge God’s

sovereignty over the

nation of Canada. It

was not an act of

forced will, but rather

a willing spirit, desiring for a better country

under God’s divine direction.

More historical information is available

on Christianity’s relevance to Canadian

culture, but what astonishes the informed

public is the development of an

unrecognizable Canada from that of a near-

century ago. The face of our nation has

changed with the times, and as times have

changed, so have the people. This could not

have been more evident than in the decision

to pass a private members bill on October

27th of 1982, changing July 1

st from

“Dominion Day” to “Canada Day.” Its

approval without debate passed within five

minutes, and also went on to receive royal

assent.4 It was the government of Canada and

its people saying “no more” to God and the

Christian worldview, “no more” to Christian

3 Ibid 4 Ibid

values and principles. And as a result of the

expulsion of “God” from government, no

longer do the citizens desire a better country,

but a more tailored-fit nation to satisfy their

own selfish aspirations.

Should we then be surprised with the

latest developments? Abortions were initially

illegal, but that quickly changed in 1969.5

Same sex marriages weren’t legally

acceptable either, but that also changed in

2005.6 Brothels, a designated location for

prostitution, were also illegal, but that

changed quite recently

in 2012.7 These social

and legal developments

are driven by the hearts

of men, they reveal the

nature of human

behaviour, and they

also demonstrate what

a nation will turn to when “God” is pushed

aside, out of the greater picture.

Having witnessed the progression of

society and its moral degradation, there has

also been an alarming reaction from the

Christian church. The collective majority

have either sought to become relative with

the current culture (nearly becoming one with

pagan culture), or isolated themselves into

communities where their convictions are kept

quiet from the public view. When a nation

has lost its way, it is the responsibility of the

church to turn a nation back to God.

There have been many Christian activists

protesting controversial laws found in

violation of biblical values and principles,

5 (Federation 2010) 6 (Makarenko 2007) 7 (Humphreys 2012)

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and while the efforts of these men and

women are admirable, they are in vain if they

fail to change the hearts of men. Laws can be

changed throughout time, they may pass as

legislation or be overturned as seen fit, but

they are ultimately driven and defined by

their own people. Hence we find ourselves in

the postmodern perspective that morality is

relative, and that no absolute moral standard

exists. Yet when our founding fathers

contributed to the

national establishment

of Canada, they knew

and understood that

there was an absolute

moral law, and hence a

moral law giver, and it

was that moral law giver that was recognized

and honored as sovereign over our nation.

If we want to change a nation, it begins

with prayer, evangelism and discipleship.

The necessity of personal evangelism has

never been a more urgent matter than in our

current times. It is after all the law of God

that convicts the heart of man, reveals to man

what sin is, and directs us to the one who can

not only forgive us, but place us in right

standing with God again.

The truth can never be made clearer; it is

winning the hearts of men that brings about

effective and long-lasting

change, not vain man-

made efforts. The task at

hand is not to make God

or the Christian message

relevant to our Canadian

culture, but rather to make

Canadian culture relevant to God and the

Christian message. This is what E&AM

strives for, and this should be the everyday

task of the Canadian church.

Steven Richard Martins

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @StevenRMartins

Bibliography

CCHeritage. Confederation, National Symbols and Emblems. December 4, 2010.

http://www.ccheritage.ca/facts/#confederation (accessed December 08, 2012).

Federation, National Abortion. Legal Abortion in Canada. 2010. http://www.prochoice.org/canada/legal.html

(accessed December 01, 2011).

Humphreys, Adrian. Prostitution Legalized. March 06, 2012.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/26/ontario-court-of-appeal-greenlights-brothels-sweeps-aside-many-of-

canadas-anti-prostitution-laws/ (accessed December 05, 2012).

Makarenko, Jay. Same Sex Marriage in Canada. January 1, 2007.

http://www.mapleleafweb.com/features/same-sex-marriage-canada (accessed December 02, 2011).

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Why Christianity? The question is not

only an important one but an essential

inquiry for any honest thinker. Actually, the

question “Why (insert worldview)” is one

that every person must answer. It is critical

that we know why we put our faith in a

particular philosophy, for it is from our

worldview that we make important decisions

regarding our lives.

But then the famous question I am often

asked is, why Christianity? Why is this world

view true and the others false? Well there are

many different lines of evidence one can

explore, such as: (1) the evidence supporting

biblical text, (2) the evidence for the

resurrection, (3) philosophical arguments for

the existence of God, (4) biblical prophecy

and Jesus’ ministry.

These can all be studied and can all

provide satisfactory answers, but whenever

we’re exploring multiple lines of evidence,

we must apply them to the tests of truth.

Philosophers have given us three tests by

which we can validate or rebuke truth claims

for our own investigation. The first is the test

of logical consistency.8 Does the claim hold

any integrity OR is it methodically

contradictory? The second is empirical

adequacy,9 is there any evidence which

supports the claim, or does it stand

unverified? The last test is experiential

relevance,10

is the claim relevant to life?

These tests can be explored more thoroughly

in personal study for those interested. It is

these tests that must be applied to

Christianity and to all other worldviews to

determine their validity, and I can assure you

that Christianity can and will pass these tests.

Despite all the truth tests, there is one

Christian claim that requires special

attention. When one asks “Why

Christianity?” the simplest answer I can give

is that the Christian faith provides the most

accurate reflection of reality. The bible does

not tell us that the world is a wonderful

perfect place, because it’s not. The bible does

not tell us that the world is the definition of

disaster, because it’s not. The bible does

8 (California State University 2012) 9 (Hricko 2007) 10 (Zacharias 2008)

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however tell us that the world has fallen quite

short of perfection, which given our mental

perceptions of perfection is... quite true.

Jesus Christ digs even deeper into this notion.

His answer is surprising, and quite

controversial, but worthy of speculation. He

does not tell us that the problem with

humanity is that we lack discipline, education

or resources. He does not tell us “If only you

try harder and longer you will get it”, but

rather He tells us that our problem is our

heart, it’s wicked and we thus have a

disposition to lean towards sin. For most of

us that is quite relatable. No matter how hard

we desire to do good, sooner or later we do

something that we ought not to have done.

Christ addresses that, that no matter how hard

we try, we still fail to be righteous by our

own merit, we continuously fall short. He

doesn’t end it there though.

Christ, through the moral law, shows us

that our faces are dirty, but he also gives us a

way to wash ourselves clean. He takes the

penalty that we, as repeat offenders of the

moral law, deserve. He decides to take it

upon Himself on the cross to wipe away our

iniquities. You see, although we cannot find

righteousness from within ourselves, we can

obtain it from He who is righteous and who

offers us the forgiveness of sins.

So we are left with the question, “Why

Christianity?” Christianity passes the tests of

truth and it gives us the most accurate

representation of reality. It also offers us

forgiveness, redemption from our

lawlessness, and the promise of eternity in

the presence of God.

Truth be told, when you’ve really blown

it, only your repentance and faith in Christ

can reconnect you to the One who created us

all. God’s forgiveness is available to all those

who seek it, will you seek Him today? As the

apostle Paul stated, “For by grace you have

been saved through faith, and that not of

yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8,

NKJV).

Jiwan Dhaliwal


Bibliography

California State University. Logical Consistency and Contradiction. 2012.

http://www.csus.edu/indiv/m/mayesgr/phl4/Handouts/phl4contradiction.htm (accessed December 23,

2012).

Hricko, Jonathon. Empirical Adequacy & Vagueness. February 2007.

http://wien.jhu.edu/hricko/EmpiricalAdequacyAndVagueness.pdf (accessed December 23, 2012).

Zacharias, Ravi. The End of Reason. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2008.

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Although you may have never found

yourself in a philosophical or theological

debate regarding the problem of evil, you

more than likely have heard about it.

Whether it be after a serious tragedy like the

9/11 hijackings, or for something little like

the printer jamming, you may have heard

someone blurt “How can there be a

wonderful loving God when there is so much

evil in the world?” That is the main question

concerning the problem of evil and suffering.

Many proclaim that God cannot co-exist

in a world filled with evil, or at least not the

God we know to be all powerful and loving,

but perhaps some other god. This appears to

be a good argument at face-value, but this

view foolishly rushes an attack on God’s

omni-benevolence and omnipotence, it fails

to adhere to some sort of theodicy. For those

unfamiliar to the term, a theodicy is a defense

of God and His character while still

accepting the presence of evil in the world. In

short, valid theodicies do exist. You could

stop reading here and have comfort in

knowing that there is an explanation, but I

will delve into these theodicies nonetheless

for your benefit.

Let us say that after a long day’s work, a

man stops by the local bar to unwind and

unexpectedly sees his wife. Yet, there is

another man with her and she kisses this

stranger unaware of her husband’s presence.

Caught red-handed, the wife confesses that

she was cheating on her husband. A few days

following, the media reports the death of the

man with whom she was cheating. Two

wrongs have been done in this story. First

was the adulterous act of cheating, and

secondly there was the vengeful murder

against the other man. Both of these evils

were committed using volitional (free) will.

Whether free will is used here in a Calvinistic

or Arminian11

sense, it is still irrefutable that

human actions bear consequences, good or

bad. We must keep in mind that humans were

designed to have free will, but not to use it in

such matters.

If we are to follow the biblical account of

creation, in the book Genesis we find the

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Calvinism and Arminianism are differentiating

viewpoints on the doctrines of election,

predestination, foreknowledge, free will etc. If you

are a believer, you fall on either side of the

spectrum or in between. I suggest you take a

moment to research these views at a basic level if you are unfamiliar with them.

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world to be without sin and chaos before the

fall. Yet, using volitional (free) will, both

Adam and Eve fell due to their disobedience

against their Creator. Through this we see

that with free will we have the power to do

good, but it naturally and necessarily follows

that we can also do evil if we so choose.

Some may question God, “If He knew

this would be a result of the implementation

of free will, why give it?” I, and many others,

would agree that free will is too great a gift

from God to forfeit in our creation, even if it

allows room for evil. How would you feel as

a puppet? Life would be pretty meaningless

for you, would it not? As such, we have

come to a successful theodicy. But this

theodicy only allows for human evil. While

some may accept that such evils are out of

God’s hands, they still attack pain and

suffering caused by natural disasters.

Hurricanes have ravaged several

countries and taking many lives. These

disasters are not a result of human free will,

however. So why does a loving God allow

such occurrences? We have to go back to

Genesis. It states that after the fall, the

ground was cursed. I see this to be a result of

sin in two ways. The easy answer would be

to say that this is simply a punishment from

our God for sinful activity. This is not to be

taken as an evil act by God, but instead as an

act of justice. God’s character is after all

good. Justice is part of this goodness because

evil cannot go unpunished. The other

explanation is that the earth and human

beings are intertwined. This is a conclusion I

came to hereafter, pondering Adam’s

creation from the dust of the earth. This

could mean that any human action of sin

corrupts the earth just as it corrupts the

human soul. In conclusion, the answer is that

it is either a justifiable punishment of God, or

some theological symbolism or connection.

In either case, natural disasters are

explainable, a theodicy is available.

These truths should bring us to the

realization that there is no problem with the

co-existence of God and evil. There simply

needs to be some theodicy available to bridge

the gap. However, there are many more

counter-arguments and theodicies to explore.

C.S. Lewis had this to say in his book Mere

Christianity:

“God created things which had free will.

That means creatures which can go either

wrong or right. Some people think they can

imagine a creature which was free but had

no possibility of going wrong; I cannot. If a

thing is free to be good it is also free to be

bad. And free will is what has made evil

possible. Why, then, did God give them

free will? Because free will, though it

makes evil possible, is also the only thing

that makes possible any love or goodness

or joy worth having” (Lewis, 1952).

Perhaps this article has sparked your

interest to know more about the subject

matter, I suggest looking into it, or contacting

us for a more detailed discussion.

George Neos


Works Cited

Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. New York: Harper Collins, 1952.

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A business is a corporation, partnership,

or proprietorship, and oftentimes reflects the

values of the principal owners and managers.

Considering this, given the vicious cycle of

our current business world, how would a

business fare if Christian values were

embraced in every sphere? Is it possible that

there may be fewer lawsuits for breached

contracts where commitments weren’t

honored?

The Bible provides us with directions as

to how we ought to conduct our business

ventures, and if we were to follow these

biblical principles, it’s very possible that

many of our current business problems

wouldn’t persist to exist today.

Benefits of Christian Values in Business

The two most common problems that

most businesses are facing in the current

economy are corruption and dishonesty.

There are numerous cases of fraud and theft

against clients, customers, and employees.

Many businesses and politicians have lost

their credibility and valued clients because of

fraudulent dealings, lies, deception and

misleading products. However, the Bible

teaches us the benefits of integrating

Christian values in business. Some of those

core values teach honesty, integrity, and hard

work. In the book of Leviticus 19:35-36[a], it

states “Do not use dishonest standards when

measuring length, weight, or volume. Your

scales and weights must be accurate” (NLT).

In the same book, Leviticus 25:14 states

“When you make an agreement with your

neighbor to buy or sell property, you must

not take advantage of each other” (NLT).

Author, salesman and motivational speaker

Zig Ziglar said, “Ability can take you to the

top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

What you’re buying and selling is in fact the

number of crops you’re going to harvest. The

Bible teaches us that we should not cheat

each other in order to succeed.

Adopting Christian Business Values

If corporate businesses embrace

Christian values in their business dealings,

their business becomes more valuable in

worth. Proverbs 13:11 states “Wealth gained

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by dishonesty will be diminished,

but he who gathers by labor will increase”

(NKJV). Honesty is the key to good business

practices, and as Scripture states “From the

fruit of his lips a man is filled with good

things as surely as the work of his hands

rewards him” (Prov. 12:14, NIV). To adopt

Christian values in the business world would

mean that clients would have a deeper

appreciation for the corporation and thus

increase its credibility; this in turn brings

forth more customers through word of

mouth. Adopting Christian values opens a

channel for respect, honor and dignity. The

employee in this respect is more appreciated,

and the employer isn’t expected to misuse or

underpay him for his services. In the end,

honesty and justice will prevail.

Another benefit that arises is that a

business’ scope of activities would become

more transparent to the public world. The

value of the client or customer is thus

enhanced, prompting the business dealers to

do their absolute best in satisfying their

clients, which in turn helps to establish a

deeper sense of credibility and reliability for

the corporation. In the end, business turns out

to be more profitable and fulfilling because

all deals offered on the table are clear-cut

straightforward. Christian values mean that

wise decisions are made in business deals,

amongst business partners, in employer and

employee relationships, along with the

different types of services and products that

are also offered by the company.

In conclusion, as King Solomon wisely

observed, “Whether a tree falls to the south

or to the north, in the place where it falls,

there it will lie” (Eccl. 11:3, NIV).

Businesses have a responsibility to ensure

that every product offered and every

interaction with clients and consumers

conforms to a high standard of excellence,

established on sound biblical principles.

When honesty, integrity, and hard work are

implemented, a business can reflect God’s

love and justice in the life of employees,

clients, and customers.

And although it may be true that we may

never fully attain God’s level of perfection in

our dealings, Solomon advised “Whatever

your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all

your might” (Eccl. 9:10). As a result,

successful employees and businesses will

develop a genuine passion for top-quality

service. John Maxwell, a Christian author

and American business leader, sums it up by

saying “Policies are many, principles are few,

policies will change, principles never do.”

Joel Wilson


Bibliography

CNN. And the 'Lie of the Year' Award Goes To . December 13, 2012. http://yourmoney.blogs.cnn.com/2012/12/13/and-

the-lie-of-the-year-award-goes-to/ (acc. December 24, 2012).

Emerson, Melinda. 10 Bible Verses Every Small Business Owner Needs. January 08, 2010.

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/01/2010/10-Bible-verses-every-small-business-owner-needs/ (acc. December 22,

2012).

Martinez, Michael. California Pension fund sues Wal-Mart execs over alleged Mexico Bribery. May 04, 2012.

http://cnn.com/2012/05/04/us/california-teacher-pension-fund-wal-mart/index.html (acc. December 22, 2012).

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The world we live in today is filled with

unbelievable horrors. Whether it’s teenagers

being shot in the mall, estranged individuals

committing suicide, cancer eating away at the

lives of loved ones, or mass genocides

rippling across the world, we live in a world

where the problems of pain and suffering are

real. It is here where the great evangelist

Charles Templeton, close friend of Billy

Graham, left the faith in search of answers.

The question is daunting, it echoes in the

heart of man, “How can God exist in a world

filled with so much pain and suffering?” It is

an age-old question, most notably asked by

the Greek philosopher Epicurus in a much

more aggressive tone:

“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not

able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he

able, but not willing? Then he is

malevolent. Is he both able, and willing?

Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither

able nor willing? Then why call him

God?” 12

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(Halsted, 2012)

These are the charges brought forth by men

throughout history, perplexed by the issues of

our world. But is there truly an answer, an

explanation in the face of anguish? Although

the problems of evil and suffering are

intertwined, they each deserve their own

separate approach. It is worthy however to

consider that given the nature of the topic, it

is nearly impossible to address every

concerning point in one article. The issue is

much larger than that. We can however,

reach a conclusion that the presence of evil

and suffering leaves us a very urgent

message: “Things are not what they ought to

be.”

A Pain-less World

Can you image a pain-free world? A

question I would often ask myself was, “If

we weren’t capable of feeling pain, would

living in this world be easier?” The mass

majority of people simply want to wish away

the pain, the trials, the sufferings, but would

the world truly be a better place? It would

serve us well to examine a case in which this

is a reality, and it begins with a young

woman named Ashlyn Blocker.

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Ashlyn was born with a rare disease

called congenital insensitivity to pain with

anhidrosis, CIPA in short. This condition

renders Ashlyn with the incapability of

feeling pain or discomfort, something that

perhaps some people would envy. Imagine

working with papers at your workplace and

getting a paper cut, you wouldn’t feel a thing,

or hitting your shin at the corner of your bed

frame, no soreness at all. It sounds great, no

pain, no worries, but the reality is quite

sobering. For the parents of Ashlyn, they are

constantly terrified.

Skimming throughout the news report,

what shocked me the most were the words of

Ashlyn’s mother:

“Some people would say that’s a good

thing (not feeling pain). But no, it’s not...

Pain’s there for a reason. It lets your

body know something’s wrong and it

needs to be fixed. I’d give anything for

her to feel pain.” 13

The truth is that Ashlyn could burn her hand

on a stove and not realize it, bite her tongue

until it bleeds, or have an internal organ

rupture and she wouldn’t have a clue in the

world. It’s reported that the only time Ashlyn

knows when to stop, or when to recognize

something is wrong, is when blood becomes

visible to her.14

It makes you think, that just

as pain can be considered as a sign that

something is wrong with the human body, so

is pain and suffering a sign that there is

something terribly wrong with our world.

The violence, the abuse, the injustice, the

pain, all these things show us the state of our

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(Associated Press, 2004) 14 Ibid

world, it is quite simply like pain to the

human body, a message for mankind.

The Human Condition

This triggers the question, how did we

get here? The Bible is clear that in the

beginning of time, when God created man

and woman, He created them in the Imago

Dei (Image of God). What does it mean to

have been created in the image of the

sovereign God? It isn’t making a reference to

a physical appearance, but rather to qualities

and attributes. For example, we are beings

capable of seeing, hearing, understanding,

even speaking, all things God is capable of

doing. But taking into consideration that

many animals are also capable of such things,

surely that is not at the core of what God

meant. In accordance with Scripture, it can

be best understood as all that is good (Gal.

5:22-23). We were created to be kind, gentle,

loving, long-suffering, compassionate,

sensitive, humble, pure and righteous. The

difference between us and God? Our

capabilities and capacities are finite

compared to God’s infinite capabilities.

We can then understand that if God is the

highest good, then all good within us finds its

root in Him, but why then is mankind so

evil?

The Fall of Humanity

When Adam and Eve ate from the

forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, they

did more than disobey God’s direct

command, they rebelled against Him.

Scripture records it clearly as the first sin of

the world, a direct violation of God’s

command, the first law. Sin is then defined as

the violation of the law; it is utter lawlessness

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and rebellion. And when sin entered our

world, it corrupted mankind and distorted the

image we were meant to reflect. Now,

instead of seeing the image of God, we see

fallen humanity, bellowing in its depravity.

This rebellion against God, this

lawlessness from the perfect standard

established by God, has resulted in the world

we live in now. All the death and destruction

in our world is the consequence of sin, we

have become the authors of our own demise.

It can be quite easily said that religion is not

the cause of wars or deaths, it is fallen

humanity.

The Question of Innocence

But the question must be asked, what

about the innocent, the unsuspecting, the

good people who suffer in our world? We

can almost all agree that a good person

doesn’t deserve to suffer injustice, it’s

common sense. Also,

scripture affirms this as

true, it cannot be denied,

but then the question

changes to “Is there

anyone truly good?”

According to the perfect standard, the

Ten Commandments established by God, no

man on earth is good, all have broken the law

of God. It is therefore just, having become

sinners, violators of the law, that we receive

the consequence of death and eternal

damnation.

But what about the children? Many of

them don’t know what is right or wrong. To

be clear, in God’s eyes they are innocent.

They are innocent due to their lack of

knowledge, but this changes once they

become of age, knowing both good and evil.

We are however aware that this doesn’t stop

evil and suffering from claiming hold of a

child. The truth of the matter is, they may

suffer, not because of their own doing, but

because of the sin of others. In many cases,

we can be blamed as individuals for the

wrong that we do and what we suffer, but in

other cases, we cannot be blamed as sole

individuals, but rather as a collective

community. This reveals the sad state of our

world, the human condition, and the moral

depravity of humanity. It leaves us in a very

sobering position; in a world filled with

injustice, evil, pain and suffering, we find

ourselves in desperate need of a Savior.

The Solution to the Human Condition

Take all thirty-nine books of the Old

Testament, and you will find that they all

allude to and point towards a coming Savior

that would wash away the sins of the world, a

Messiah who would redeem

mankind, and reconcile us

with God. All the messianic

prophecies pertaining to the

first coming of Christ were

fulfilled in the life and

ministry of Jesus of Nazareth, approximately

two-thousand years ago.

This Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, the

Christ, the Son of God, still is the solution to

the human condition. He performed miracles,

fulfilled prophecy, prophesied future events

with absolute accuracy, and not only raised

people from the dead but was also raised

Himself from the dead as confirmation of

who He claimed to be.

Jesus explains to us in John chapter three

that His purpose was to save the world. The

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entire message of the

Bible is summarized in

John 3:16, which states

“For God so loved the

world, that He gave His

one and only Son, that whoever believeth in

Him shall not perish but shall have eternal

life.” The only way mankind could be

redeemed from lawlessness was for God to

send His only Son, to pay the penalty for the

sins of mankind which was death. As a result,

Christ, living a sinless life, having committed

no wrong, died on the Cross for you and me,

to pay a price that no other man could ever

pay. As the apostle Peter put it:

“He never sinned, nor ever deceived

anyone. He did not retaliate when he was

insulted, nor threaten revenge when he

suffered. He left his case in the hands of

God, who always judges fairly. He

personally carried our sins in his body on

the cross so that we can be dead to sin

and live for what is right” (1 Peter 2:22-

24, NLT).

The Touch of God

What did Jesus Christ do when He

encountered sickness, pain and suffering?

Scripture reveals to us that He healed the

sick, restored sight to the blind, healed the

crippled, the diseased, fed the hungry, and

even raised people from the dead. The

difference between us and Him is this, in the

face of anguish, evil, pain, suffering and

death, we fall, but He rises. Sin has no claim

on Him, evil can’t imprison Him, death can’t

hold Him, sickness retreats rather than

advances, it cannot bear the reality of God.

This is why His death on the cross had an

effect that was unlike any other individual, it

led to our redemption, and

His resurrection was

evidence of that truth.

How fortunate, how

beautiful, how wonderful it must have been

to be one of those who beheld the touch of

God. But most importantly, that reality of

redemption and freedom from what vexes

humanity is available to us today.

Agony on the Cross

When Jesus Christ was crucified on

Mount Golgotha, He was crucified beside

two thieves. Both initially mocked Him, they

were angry with their fates, and even angry at

God. Yet in the final moments of their lives,

there arose a fundamental difference between

the two. One thief continued to mock Christ

up until his death, the other however,

recognized in his greatest moment of pain

and suffering, on the brink of death, that He

needed a Savior.

That thief who repented asked Christ to

“remember me when you come into your

kingdom” (Luke 23:42). It is often in the

times of great trials that we either spit upon

the face of God in anger and rebellion, or fall

at His feet in surrender, acknowledging our

need for a Savior. In the face of anguish, he

found Christ, and as Scripture details for us,

his repentance and desire to be with the Lord

resulted in his salvation.

Who could forget the words of Christ

spoken to the repentant thief? “I tell you the

truth, today you will be with me in paradise”

(Luke 23:43). Although we are not promised

a life without problems, we are promised

victory through life’s trials, comfort in

moments of hardship, and an eternal destiny

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in the presence of God, where there will be

no more suffering.

Will you heed the voice of the Savior today?

Steven Martins


Bibliography

Associated Press. (2004, 11 1). Rare Disease makes Girl unable to feel Pain. Retrieved December 30, 2012,

from NBC News: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6379795/ns/health-childrens_health/t/rare-disease-makes-

girl-unable-feel-pain/#.UODETW_AeM4

Halsted, M. (2012). God and Evil: A Philosophical Contradiction? Retrieved December 30, 2012, from The

Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry: http://carm.org/god-and-evil-a-philosophical-contradiction

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“What you listen to affects who you are, how you think, and what you do.”

– Cindy C.

Some may agree with this quote, others

may not, it’s a common saying often not

realized. The question however that usually

springs up is “how does what we listen to

affect our well-being?” To better illustrate

my points, I have labelled Christian music as

“nurturing music” and secular music as

“starvation music.” Let’s examine this

together.

Christian (nurturing) music was created

with a purpose. That purpose is to exalt God

in his wholeness, and as we worship Him,

His Holy Spirit brings to our hearts love, joy,

peace, patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control

(Gal. 5:22-23, NLT). The lyrics we find in

worship songs are actually found to ignite

restoration and revival within our hearts; it’s

designed to bring life to our mind and soul.

In times of trouble, it brings us to rest and

hope in Him who is greater than all things,

increasing our faith and expectation of

greater and better things to come. Songs that

nurture are the ones that fill you completely

from the inside out, so much so that it

overflows, bringing light to where there was

darkness within.

It’s a delight, when you listen to worship

based on sound biblical doctrine, it ministers

to your soul and reveals the purpose of your

life. It is this nurturing music that can help

bring healing to the sick, both in body and

mind. We are reminded of the amazing feats

of men and women of God in the Bible,

where ordinary people believed, fought, and

conquered their giants. This nurturing music

clarifies who you are, it either unveils

whether you’ve been saved and adopted into

God’s family, or whether you’ve lost the

mark and are still in need of salvation.

Worship also points towards God’s

perfect plan for mankind, which is good,

pleasing and perfect (Rom. 12:2), it births

within the joy and hope we have in our

Savior’s coming. All these things and more

we find to nurture the spirit, body and mind;

it is the position where mankind, created as

worshippers, humble themselves and exalt

the Lord Most High. Why? Because He is

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worthy. This is why the seraphim sang

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the

whole earth is full of his glory” (Is. 6:3,

NIV).

Secular (starvation) music has the

opposite effect on your being, it leaves you

dry and thirsty, ultimately unsatisfied.

Throughout the music industry, many

musicians create their music based on pain,

hatred, violence, sexual immorality and

impurity. When you tune in to this music,

you’ll find yourself reliving the past, the

heartbreaks, the pain, the betrayal, the hate

and anger. And although the beats and

rhythms of these songs are very creative, the

message it carries is one which encourages

the living in the here-and-now, a complete

disregard of our eternal futures. They also

warp the minds of listeners, blurring the line

between right and wrong, twisting the truths

of our world, and consequentially influencing

the thoughts and behaviors of its listeners.

Personally, I would recommend that you

test this out yourself, pay more attention to

the songs you’re listening to regularly, and

then examine as to how your behavior has

been influenced by what you hear. It’s also

important to consider that although it may

seem that some of the world’s songs may

nurture you momentarily, the time will come

where you’ll feel empty again. Why?

Because Christian music brings you back to

God, it’s the restoration of our God-given

role as worshippers, while secular music

keeps you walking in circles with no sure

direction.

When it comes to choosing the right

music, I have always said that the most

important components are the lyrics, its

message, and the kind of impact that it would

have on my being. If what I listen to affects

who I am, how I think, and what I do, then I

mustn’t invest time in listening to empty

songs, they’ll lead me to a much deeper

spiritual bankruptcy. My desire is to listen to

songs that nurture the soul, not the flesh,

music that will transform who I am, and for

the better.

Your response may be that “I have the

right to do anything,” so why restrict secular

music? It can’t be all that bad. The apostle

Paul tells us otherwise, “I have the right to do

anything,’ you say—but not everything is

beneficial. ‘I have the right to do anything’—

but not everything is constructive” (1 Cor.

10:23, NIV). Although I am allowed to listen

to anything, not everything is for my benefit.

My counsel then, in accordance with

Scripture, is to listen to only what is

beneficial and constructive for your lives.

And, at all times, remembering that what you

hear is what you are; similar to the saying

“you are what you eat.” Music does, bottom-

line, affect your thoughts and your behavior;

how do you want to live today? Or better yet,

WHO do you want to live your life as?

Cindy Calderon


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HisDOMINION - Winter 2013

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