Are You a Stinkin’ Alien?

“Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight.” – Colossians 1:21-22a

Over the years, there have been lots of movies about aliens coming to earth. We’ve had “Signs,” “Independence Day,” “Lilo & Stitch,” “E.T.” … the list goes on and on. Now, I’d like you to chew on this: In all of these movies, whether the aliens are good or evil, the basic premise is the same: Earth is humans’ home planet, and anyone who comes here from somewhere else is an alien.

Interestingly, the Bible disagrees. According to Scripture, WE are the aliens, and heaven is our true home. But on our own, we’re not the nice, cuddly, “E.T.”-type aliens. Nope—left to our own devices, we’re more like those mean, ugly dudes in “Independence Day.” That’s you and me … at least, until we reconcile to God through Jesus Christ.

In Colossians 1:21, Paul points out a stark reality, which many people don’t want to accept: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.” That wasn’t a popular message in Paul’s day, and it’s not a very popular message today. Many people take pride in being very “spiritual” and feel very “connected” to God. So they are taken aback by Paul’s blunt words here. But without Jesus Christ, you’re alienated from God. In fact, you’re an enemy of God. Now, how do you like them apples?

The word “alienated,” as it’s used by Paul, is a translation of a Greek word that means “to be utterly estranged” and “to be utterly the property of another.” So, Paul is saying that before we become believers and followers of Jesus, we are utterly estranged from God; we are completely sold out to someone or something other than God. You see, ever since Adam and Eve first sinned, sin has corrupted everything on this planet: the land, the animal kingdom and human beings. Sin turned this perfect paradise into an alien planet, and sin turned us into aliens.

When Paul speaks about us being enemies of God “in our minds,” he is addressing something much more severe than just a pattern of sinful behavior. As Bible commentator N.T. Wright explains: “It is not simply that habitual wrongdoing has turned the mind away from God…. Thought and act are both tainted, each pushing the other into further corruption…. Wrong thinking leads to vice, vice to further mental corruption, so that the mind, still not totally ignorant of God’s standards, finds itself applauding evil.”

This doesn’t happen today, does it? Our culture doesn’t applaud evil, does it?  Unfortunately, it does … all the time. Millions of our fellow Americans not only support abortion but applaud “a woman’s right to choose.” Millions of Americans applauded sexual perversion a couple of weekends ago by plunking down $46 million on the opening weekend of the latest “50 Shades of Grey” movie. Whether we’re talking about premarital sex, homosexuality, greed, profanity or no-fault divorce, there are any number of lifestyle choices that the world celebrates, even though the Bible condemns them.

So, when we turn to Christ, he doesn’t simply have to transform our moral behavior. He also has to transform our thinking, because in this alien world we live in, both our morals and our thinking have been tainted by sin. This led Paul to write in Romans 12:2: “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

In this alien world we live in, both our actions and our thinking alienate us from God and make us enemies of God. That’s the bad news. But thankfully, there’s good news. Take a look at verses 22 and 23: “But now He [God] has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation—if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.”

The bad news: You’re a stinkin’ alien. The good news: Jesus can wash you up and bring you home. In the movie “E.T.,” Elliot and his friends work together to send E.T. home. In real life, God the Father works together with Jesus and the Holy Spirit to bring us home. And what is home? From God’s perspective, home is His Kingdom. Home is a restored, unbroken relationship with Him. Home is forgiveness. Home is mercy and grace. Home is holiness. Home is faith in Him. Home is freedom from accusation. Home is love and peace and hope. And Jesus is the only One who can get us there.

Doesn’t home sound wonderful?

Dane Davis is the Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 am.

God Is Not the Golden Corral

“We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” – Colossians 1:9a

Nowadays, a lot of people treat their spirituals lives like dinner at the Golden Corral. We grab a plate and step up to the religious smorgasbord, then pick and choose what we like. We might say, “I’m going to take a big helping of Christianity. But I’m also going to get a side of Buddhism and a little bit of Wicca and dash of pop psychology and a big helping of me-centered mumbo jumbo on top.” It might be tasty, and it sure is colorful. But is it anywhere close to the truth?

That’s what we sometimes call religious syncretism, where we try to merge all religions together into one and pretend that the incompatible differences are actually compatible. In this post-Christian culture, more and more people are wondering: “Is Jesus really enough? Is He enough to give my life meaning? Is He enough to help me rise above my problems? Is He enough to make me happy? Is Jesus Christ enough?” And the Bible answers in a word: Yes. Jesus is enough.

Jesus Christ is all-sufficient. Jesus isn’t part of the answer to your deepest needs. Jesus isn’t part of the answer to our world’s greatest problems. Jesus Christ is the answer—He is the whole package. In other words … Jesus plus nothing equals EVERYTHING.

That’s what Paul had to teach the people of Colosse, where they had eagerly embraced the good news of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, a lot of other teachings had begun to seep in, resulting in a mixture of Judaism, Christianity and Eastern mysticism. It was a Golden Corral of religions that didn’t completely ignore Jesus Christ, but it pushed him to the back of the plate. Sound familiar? In this culture we live where most people treat religion like the Golden Corral, the message Paul gives them in the Book of Colossians may be more relevant that ever before.

So, how did Paul address the people who had slid into this religious hodgepodge? With faith, hope and love. In the first few verses of his letter to the church in Colosse, he praises and encourages them in their new-found belief: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your FAITH in Christ Jesus and of the LOVE you have for all the saints—the faith and love that spring from the HOPE that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth the gospel that has come to you” (Col. 1:3-6a).

The Colossians needed to be set straight on a few things, but Paul opens by revealing his heart for the church—and the church’s faith, hope and love. Then, and only then, he goes on to pray for their spiritual wisdom and understanding: “We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (v. 9).

Isn’t that a glorious prayer? It’s perfect for someone who’s stumbled into a trumped-up, Golden-Corral-style version of God’s truth. The Colossians obviously were in need of spiritual wisdom and understanding. But never forget: It applies to you and me as well. Never underestimate how vitally important it is to keep growing in your knowledge of God and His will. If you aren’t spending time in the word, being filled with that knowledge, you will easily be duped by any smooth-talking preacher or celebrity who doesn’t proclaim the truth. It happens all the time. Every day across America, Christians who don’t know God’s word or understand God’s word get pulled into Mormonism, or into the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or into the health-and-wealth heresy that many churches preach.

I’d love for you to start praying a prayer like this, for yourself and any other Christian you’re praying for: “Oh, Father God, don’t just give us SOME knowledge of you. Won’t you fill us to the brim with the knowledge of You and Your will? Won’t You give us, not just SOME spiritual wisdom and understanding, but ALL spiritual wisdom and understanding?”

Paul prays for his Christian readers to be filled to overflowing with spiritual wisdom and understanding. And today I pray the same for you.

Dane Davis is the Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information, visit www.YourVictorvilleChurch.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 am.

Does the Bible Really Have the Answers?

“For the word of God is living and active….Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.”

– Hebrews 4:12-13

Chances are you’ve heard someone say, “When I was a kid I used to go to church all the time, but the church is no longer relevant in my life.” The belief that Christianity has lost its relevance has become increasingly common in recent years. A survey of unchurched millennials revealed that 70% believe that Christianity is “out of touch with reality.” Most who espouse this belief also question the relevance of Scripture: “The Bible is great and all, but it’s so old. It doesn’t contain the answers to our contemporary problems.”

Honestly, how could a 2,000-year-old book contain the answers to questions surrounding the complex, hot-button topics in modern society? How could the Bible possibly contribute to our discussions about gender roles, gay marriage, immigration reform, gun control, health care or climate change? Of what use is the Bible when establishing policies in response to contemporary issues such as abortion, racism and terrorism? When we subject the Bible to a relevancy test, doesn’t it come up short?

Not at all! Surprisingly, the Bible has always been, still is and always will be the most relevant book on the planet. In years past it has consistently offered relevant counsel to those dealing with yesterday’s difficulties and problems, and in years to come it will certainly offer relevant counsel to those dealing with tomorrow’s difficulties and problems. To say that the Bible is ahead of its time is an understatement. However, when considering the question of relevance, it’s important to keep these five truths in mind.

Truth #1: Our culture’s view of what’s relevant and God’s view of what’s relevant are not the same thing. In 2 Timothy 4:3-4, Paul writes, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Suffice it to say: Our culture’s highest priorities are rarely God’s highest priorities. Hence we are prone to label our own irrelevant issues as “relevant” and God’s relevant issues as “irrelevant.” So, when you find yourself questioning Scripture’s relevance, be bold enough to ask yourself this question: “Are my priorities screwed up?”

Truth #2: We have a tendency to major in the minors and minor in the majors. Determining our carbon footprint is a really big deal to many in our nation today. But I’m pretty sure it’s not quite so high on God’s priority list. Last week every major news outlet had a countdown clock running for James Comey’s testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee. Millions of Americans were waiting with bated breath for his testimony to begin. But something tells me that the Lord wasn’t quite so enthralled with the whole ordeal. A wise man once said, “What is good is the enemy of what is best.” Great point! Americans have many “good” priorities. The question is, “Are they God’s best priorities for us?”

Truth #3: We tend to address symptoms and ignore root causes. God’s word deals with root causes. The greatest problems in our government, schools, courthouses, churches and homes could be dealt with much more effectively if we allowed God’s living word to expose and deal with the root cause of our problems: sin. Just as the best medical doctors strive to exterminate the root cause of disease instead of just treating the symptoms, the Bible specializes in identifying and treating the underlying spiritual root of society’s greatest problems.

Truth #4: When the Bible doesn’t directly address a specific contemporary problem, it always contains timeless principles that can be applied to the specific contemporary problem.  For example, nowhere in the Bible do we find any mention of “gay marriage.” But the Bible does give us some clear, timeless principles that deal with both marriage and homosexuality. Long story short, the Bible is clear that marriage and homosexuality are mutually exclusive. In other words, a person must choose one or the other. They cannot coexist.

Truth #5: Contemporary Christians tend to be reactive, but God’s Word is proactive. As the old saying goes: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It’s easy to understand that the best way to address a problem is to nip it in the bud before it festers and becomes unmanageable. The Bible warns us ahead of time about the wages of sin. It cautions us about the dangers of unforgiveness and bitterness taking root. The Bible—in a very real sense—is the most relevant book on earth, because it doesn’t just help us deal with today’s most pressing problems. It addresses tomorrow’s most pressing problems as they germinate today. You’d be hard-pressed to identify any other book that could consistently do what the Bible has proactively done over the past twenty centuries.

So, has the Bible been given a bad rap about its relevance? Yes, it has. It is—hands down—the most relevant book ever written. When we are faced with difficult questions about gender roles, immigration reform, health care or terrorism, it provides timeless principles that help reveal God’s answers. In next week’s article we’ll take a closer look at some of these principles as they relate to a few of the hot-button contemporary issues we face.

Dane Davis is the Lead Pastor of First Christian Church in Victorville. For more information,

visit www.fccvv.com  and join us for worship Sundays at 10 am.