I think sometimes we believe that we can manipulate God, or so our actions seem to indicate. Well, if we don’t like something He has commanded we can get away with it if we reinterpret a few choice words in the bible; or if we can convince enough of our friends of our viewpoint. Or we think if we pray a prayer of forgiveness that our actions won’t hurt us. We get what we want and then we are reconciled to God with no real consequence. The truth is that each of our sins does have real consequences. Not only does each sin require the death of Jesus on a crucifix in order to reconcile us to God, each sin has a consequence for us personally. Every time we choose to willingly disobey God it sears our conscience and skews our view of morality. Each time we disobey God we willingly walk away from the only one who loves us unconditionally. And rather than growing in fellowship with Christ we drive our lives into more discord and folly. God does not change in all of this, however. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His will is accomplished through our sin or through our obedience. It’s only our lives that are the worse for the former. God will not be manipulated.
We can grow in knowledge, understanding, and faith when we look to fulfill God’s will in our lives. He works through the lives of His followers to produce fruit. But He will also bring about His will in spite of the evil that transpires in the world. Our understanding is so trivial amidst the backdrop of an eternal God who has infinite, unsearchable understanding. If we think God is limited in His capacity to accomplish anything we are foolish. God is to be feared, for He is all powerful and He will not be mocked. He turned Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt for simply looking back on Sodom and Gomorrah. He took the lives of Judah’s sons because they were immoral. He flooded the whole earth because there was only one righteous man who was seeking God. This is not a God who can be tricked. This is not a God who can be tamed. This is an all-powerful, mighty God whose wisdom and glory are to be praised. To lack a relationship with the God of all the earth is to miss out on the infinite beauty of His design. God did not have a flawed plan. He is not on the back-up plan. This has always been the plan. The view that God did not know that man would sin and had to alter his plan to save us is the same place where someone might arrive at the idea that they could trick God.
Here’s the rub. God is omniscient. He knows all your thoughts and deeds. You cannot do enough good to cover up the bad. You can’t manipulate God into thinking you are a better person than you are. He doesn’t love you because of who you are, He loves you because of who He is. He wants to bring you into relationship with Him so that you can understand that love, but He doesn’t need your help to do that. You have free will to walk away because He gave that to you. He won’t take that free will away because the intent of His design is unchanging and it allows for man to choose to sin. Don’t think for one minute that that means God is not in absolute control or does not have complete authority over all things. He has all the power, but He has chosen to extend us free will. Also beware believing that God does not see all sin as vile. There is no such thing as an acceptable sin. Just because God loves us despite our sin does not mean that He tolerates it. The ONLY reason we can be reconciled to God is that He sent His son to be the propitiation for our sin. We can’t manipulate Him into believing we are good. He knows all our sin, but it is cleansed by the blood of Jesus. You can’t manipulate God into giving you anything. He has already extended a free gift, and if you don’t accept it He won’t make you.
Accepting that gift isn’t as easy as saying a prayer and then walking away from the relationship either. You must be in fellowship with Christ to accept His saving grace. It doesn’t mean you will walk a perfectly sinless life, but it does mean that you will work to grow in relationship with Him. The bible is not something to be read for its highlights. We don’t get to pick and choose the parts we want to believe. If we want to walk in fellowship with Christ we’ve got to read it with an open heart and mind. Allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us and teach us as we study. Bringing our own worldview to the table is not helpful, it only hinders our interpretation of scripture as we try to prove our own viewpoints right. We can make any point we want, but if it’s not the view God holds it’s wrong. Therefore, even if we can convince ourselves that scripture will support a view, it does not change God’s view on that issue. We only hurt ourselves with such thinking. Therefore it is wise to take God at His word, being careful to neither add nor take away. This is the only way to live a life in pursuit of Christ. Otherwise we are looking to fulfill our own vain idols. So lest we risk becoming our own gods, let us not try to manipulate God, for He is unchangeable.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
A God Focus
Lately I have been challenged by God to really focus on the character and nature of God. To draw close to Him because of who He is, because of His faithfulness in spite of my unfaithfulness, because of His goodness in spite of my wickedness, and because of His mercy when I should receive His wrath. It's funny, the bible is a book about God, and yet so often in reading and interpreting it, we make the message about fallen man, about what we should and shouldn't do, about how we should live so that we can be moral people, about how to turn our lives around so that we can be successful. We end up focusing on the faith of sinful men, and look to be more like them.
The prosperity gospel is pervasive in society. Whether it's material gains we desire or societal acceptance, when we read the bible in order to better ourselves we are reading it for the wrong reason. Yes, we will be 'better' people for following God's commands. Yes, we will improve our understanding of truth and how the world works. Yes, we may even build relationship with God. However, the whole purpose of the bible is relationship with God. The book is designed to reveal His character. How can one have relationship with someone you don't know? To build relationship with God is to study scripture. This is where we discover the nature of the Holy God. And if you've ever heard it said we become like those we spend time with, you will understand that in spending time with God you will become like Him. It is impossible to make yourself holy, but in spending time with the Holy God, one has no option but to become more holy. It's the natural response to dwelling in His presence.
So it's not up to us to become willfully better. Self-improvement on our own terms will lead to improvement in one area with increased failure in another. It is up to us to pursue God, the natural consequence of which is a better self. But don't expect that better means easy. God does not call us to a life without suffering. In fact, God often uses suffering in the lives of His people to keep us focused on Him. Consider the life of Joseph: God took him away from his family, into the land of Egypt, where he was alone and imprisoned. There God taught Joseph to rely on Him and Him alone. It wasn't the easy life, but it was better for Joseph to be with God in exile than without God in the land of promise.
So the idea is this: stop focusing on improving yourself, working by your own strength to overcome bad habits or depression. It is of no use. It is absolutely futile. You do not have enough strength or enough will. There is a false sense of security in maintaining power over your life. We feel as if we are capable of keeping our head above water. The truth is, every breath we take is granted by God. We can do nothing apart from His allowing us to do so.
The point is to focus on God, love God, trust God, understand the nature of God! If you truly have your focus on Him, other things (like your value) will fall into perspective because you will begin to see yourself, and everyone around you, as God sees. God is the source of love. Without Him there is no love. So if we are looking to love others or even ourselves without His presence we will fail. It will just be a shadow of a thing. God is not a shadow, and He doesn't want you to be satisfied with that. He wants us to experience true love and it is only found in true relationship with Him. We find this when we focus on Him instead of ourselves.
There is a spirit of pride in seeking to improve oneself or become righteous. And often we are blind to its existence. It's an easy trap to fall into. I find that it's easier to grasp the brokenness of one's fallen state when you are continually looking into the face of Jesus. In His light all my sins are exposed. But He loves me anyway. In that relationship I can learn to love myself and others in the way that God loves. Not loving my own virtues (which are non-existent), but loving the sanctified child of God that He is working in me to create.
The prosperity gospel is pervasive in society. Whether it's material gains we desire or societal acceptance, when we read the bible in order to better ourselves we are reading it for the wrong reason. Yes, we will be 'better' people for following God's commands. Yes, we will improve our understanding of truth and how the world works. Yes, we may even build relationship with God. However, the whole purpose of the bible is relationship with God. The book is designed to reveal His character. How can one have relationship with someone you don't know? To build relationship with God is to study scripture. This is where we discover the nature of the Holy God. And if you've ever heard it said we become like those we spend time with, you will understand that in spending time with God you will become like Him. It is impossible to make yourself holy, but in spending time with the Holy God, one has no option but to become more holy. It's the natural response to dwelling in His presence.
So it's not up to us to become willfully better. Self-improvement on our own terms will lead to improvement in one area with increased failure in another. It is up to us to pursue God, the natural consequence of which is a better self. But don't expect that better means easy. God does not call us to a life without suffering. In fact, God often uses suffering in the lives of His people to keep us focused on Him. Consider the life of Joseph: God took him away from his family, into the land of Egypt, where he was alone and imprisoned. There God taught Joseph to rely on Him and Him alone. It wasn't the easy life, but it was better for Joseph to be with God in exile than without God in the land of promise.
So the idea is this: stop focusing on improving yourself, working by your own strength to overcome bad habits or depression. It is of no use. It is absolutely futile. You do not have enough strength or enough will. There is a false sense of security in maintaining power over your life. We feel as if we are capable of keeping our head above water. The truth is, every breath we take is granted by God. We can do nothing apart from His allowing us to do so.
The point is to focus on God, love God, trust God, understand the nature of God! If you truly have your focus on Him, other things (like your value) will fall into perspective because you will begin to see yourself, and everyone around you, as God sees. God is the source of love. Without Him there is no love. So if we are looking to love others or even ourselves without His presence we will fail. It will just be a shadow of a thing. God is not a shadow, and He doesn't want you to be satisfied with that. He wants us to experience true love and it is only found in true relationship with Him. We find this when we focus on Him instead of ourselves.
There is a spirit of pride in seeking to improve oneself or become righteous. And often we are blind to its existence. It's an easy trap to fall into. I find that it's easier to grasp the brokenness of one's fallen state when you are continually looking into the face of Jesus. In His light all my sins are exposed. But He loves me anyway. In that relationship I can learn to love myself and others in the way that God loves. Not loving my own virtues (which are non-existent), but loving the sanctified child of God that He is working in me to create.
Wednesday, April 05, 2017
Dating verses Singleness
There is a difference between being single and being intentionally single, but I’m not sure it would look much different in my life. All the time I have been single I have spent working out what a relationship that would be glorifying to Christ would look like. Additionally, I haven’t spent most of my adult years yearning for a relationship to fill me. I’ve known the importance of, and hopefully been working towards, a relationship in Christ that fills the longings of my soul. So, a dating/marital relationship would be more for companionship and pushing me more toward sanctification than anything else. I think one thing that may be challenging for me is actually allowing myself to let someone into my life. I’ve got no experience doing that on a romantic level, and so it’s probably something that I have some level of fear and anxiety about. I suppose I could work on that from a place of being single, but I also think that sometimes you have to risk getting hurt in order to grow. The problem is I don’t want that to lead to anyone else getting hurt- a catch 22 situation. Risk is inherent in any relationship, but there are some pretty big differences between friends and romantic relationships in what compromises can and should be made. Clear communication is important in both, but usually you can overlook a lot more in a friendship than in someone you plan to commit to for life.
Learning where to compromise and where to draw lines is important. Sometimes people are just going to walk away from conflict, and sometimes that is a good thing because it’s not constructive. However, I think we have a culture of 'I want it my way,' which leads to an unwillingness to engage on tough subjects. We’re not always going to agree with a significant other on all points, but that is where discussion and communication comes into play. The hyper individualism in our culture makes avoidance of this type of interaction more prevalent. Honestly, the blog I wrote on autologous man and the human view that we have authority over ourselves is pretty pertinent to this discussion. It's really a ridiculous stance and erodes moral values because there is no absolute source of morals if man is his own god. You can’t find absolute morals outside of God. But back to the discussion at hand…
A culture's view of sex affects communities and morality. A biblical view of sex is one that celebrates sex within the marriage covenant, but also warns of its grossly negative affects outside of that God ordained relationship. For Christians singleness is not something to be condemned, but celebrated in its own way. Recently I read an article entitled “The Gospel and Sex.” In it I found the line “There can be no more radical act than this [remaining single], as it is the clearest institutional expression that one’s future is not guaranteed by the family, but by the church.” That idea is super weighty, profound, and true. It made me think of what I was recently studying in Philemon with the youth pastor and other youth leaders. In the passage Paul appeals to a fellow Christian to welcome back his escaped slave as a brother in Christ, Paul seeing Onesimus as his own son. In the body of Christ we are to be true brothers and sisters, with even stronger bonds than one’s own blood relatives. We are all the children of God if we, by faith, accept Christ. In this new family there is eternal purpose. God has ordained marriage for important functions within the body of Christ, such as the training up of children in the way they should go. However, God’s purposes for our lives need to come first, even before a spouse.
I do have a pretty good idea of what I’d want from a marriage relationship (If you’re interested I wrote a blogpost on marriage that sums up my views based on a discussion I was having). For me I think it’s just a matter of breaking down some emotional walls that have developed. I’m not a super emotional person- I’m much more a logical/rational person- so developing emotional connection may be tough. At this point, significant displays of emotion scare me. I certainly would not limit God in His capacity to use any means to bring about His will, but I find building deep relationship is difficult for me. However, it's often the route that we least expect something to happen that God chooses to use. I was listening to a sermon in Genesis on the birth of Isaac. God choose to reveal to Abram that he would have a son who would be the child of promise. However, He did not initially reveal how He would bring about this miracle. Foolishly thinking that they could 'help' God, Sarai and Abram decided that they should use Sarai's servant to bring about this child. What an error. Anyway, this is to say that I really don't pretend to know through what means God may bring about a spouse for me, or if He even will. So, it's worth engaging opportunities, but I think caution is warranted.
There also needs to be some realization that not everyone is compatible. Like we all have different purposes in the body of Christ, we each have personalities that are drawn to certain qualities. Just because we develop an emotional connection to another person does not mean they are obligated to return the same level of affection. You will never find a perfect person in a spouse, but we should definitely not settle on someone we are less than taken with just because they will dote on us. This leads to an unequal stake in the relationship. Anger and resentment tend to be par for the course in those relationships, and it's totally unhealthy. Good marriage relationships should lead to sanctification of one another. If that is not occurring then the relationship does not have its foundation in Christ. It’s better to be unwed than wed to the wrong person. So if I don’t find a person who is seeking Christ first, and who is wholly devoted to Him, then I’d rather remain single and develop my personal relationship with Christ more on my own. Someone who distracts me from my focus on Christ is not someone I need in my life, no matter how much I may want companionship.
Learning where to compromise and where to draw lines is important. Sometimes people are just going to walk away from conflict, and sometimes that is a good thing because it’s not constructive. However, I think we have a culture of 'I want it my way,' which leads to an unwillingness to engage on tough subjects. We’re not always going to agree with a significant other on all points, but that is where discussion and communication comes into play. The hyper individualism in our culture makes avoidance of this type of interaction more prevalent. Honestly, the blog I wrote on autologous man and the human view that we have authority over ourselves is pretty pertinent to this discussion. It's really a ridiculous stance and erodes moral values because there is no absolute source of morals if man is his own god. You can’t find absolute morals outside of God. But back to the discussion at hand…
A culture's view of sex affects communities and morality. A biblical view of sex is one that celebrates sex within the marriage covenant, but also warns of its grossly negative affects outside of that God ordained relationship. For Christians singleness is not something to be condemned, but celebrated in its own way. Recently I read an article entitled “The Gospel and Sex.” In it I found the line “There can be no more radical act than this [remaining single], as it is the clearest institutional expression that one’s future is not guaranteed by the family, but by the church.” That idea is super weighty, profound, and true. It made me think of what I was recently studying in Philemon with the youth pastor and other youth leaders. In the passage Paul appeals to a fellow Christian to welcome back his escaped slave as a brother in Christ, Paul seeing Onesimus as his own son. In the body of Christ we are to be true brothers and sisters, with even stronger bonds than one’s own blood relatives. We are all the children of God if we, by faith, accept Christ. In this new family there is eternal purpose. God has ordained marriage for important functions within the body of Christ, such as the training up of children in the way they should go. However, God’s purposes for our lives need to come first, even before a spouse.
I do have a pretty good idea of what I’d want from a marriage relationship (If you’re interested I wrote a blogpost on marriage that sums up my views based on a discussion I was having). For me I think it’s just a matter of breaking down some emotional walls that have developed. I’m not a super emotional person- I’m much more a logical/rational person- so developing emotional connection may be tough. At this point, significant displays of emotion scare me. I certainly would not limit God in His capacity to use any means to bring about His will, but I find building deep relationship is difficult for me. However, it's often the route that we least expect something to happen that God chooses to use. I was listening to a sermon in Genesis on the birth of Isaac. God choose to reveal to Abram that he would have a son who would be the child of promise. However, He did not initially reveal how He would bring about this miracle. Foolishly thinking that they could 'help' God, Sarai and Abram decided that they should use Sarai's servant to bring about this child. What an error. Anyway, this is to say that I really don't pretend to know through what means God may bring about a spouse for me, or if He even will. So, it's worth engaging opportunities, but I think caution is warranted.
There also needs to be some realization that not everyone is compatible. Like we all have different purposes in the body of Christ, we each have personalities that are drawn to certain qualities. Just because we develop an emotional connection to another person does not mean they are obligated to return the same level of affection. You will never find a perfect person in a spouse, but we should definitely not settle on someone we are less than taken with just because they will dote on us. This leads to an unequal stake in the relationship. Anger and resentment tend to be par for the course in those relationships, and it's totally unhealthy. Good marriage relationships should lead to sanctification of one another. If that is not occurring then the relationship does not have its foundation in Christ. It’s better to be unwed than wed to the wrong person. So if I don’t find a person who is seeking Christ first, and who is wholly devoted to Him, then I’d rather remain single and develop my personal relationship with Christ more on my own. Someone who distracts me from my focus on Christ is not someone I need in my life, no matter how much I may want companionship.
Saving Faith
I've struggled with what it means to know you are saved at times. What is it that the men of the Bible who were considered faithful possessed? What does it look like to have a saving faith? Looking at the patriarchs, they all had a faith in God's promise- even though they hadn't seen it, and the revelation was incomplete. They trusted God to be faithful. Our faith also needs to be in God's promise- though we have seen the fulfillment of that promise. However, it's not just belief that there is a God and He has sent His son as a sacrifice and atonement for our sins. It is a belief that He, and He alone is worthy of our worship and adoration. A belief that were were created for the purpose of glorifying God. A belief that we are totally reliant on Him for every breath we take. There has got to be an understanding of the God we acknowledge, not just a flimsy belief in something greater than ourselves.
I see a lot of people confess Christ with their lips and then go on trusting in their own power. I'm not saying that as Christians we won't have times where our faith wanes and we trust in our own understanding, but saving faith is a reliance on Christ. Just saying you believe in Christ or confessing Him during an alter call at 5 and then going about your life with no visible fruit is a big red flag to me that someone isn't saved and they are trusting in themselves. It's easy to have faith in one's self, it's far harder to trust in something outside yourself. However, God is absolutely faithful and He loves us even more than we can love ourselves. Therefore trusting Him isn't really a risk at all, but it's hard to give up control of your life.
I think the biggest evidence that someone it truly saved is a visible pursuit of God. Works do not produce faith, but they are certainly evidence of faith. If someone's life is not reflective of an understanding that God is the only thing worth pursuing, and that otherwise our lives are forfeit, then they really don't have a grasp on who God is. Relationships take time to grow and develop, so I wouldn't expect a child's faith to look anything like that of an 80 year old man who had walked with God from childhood. However, relationships require that we invest time and energy, they don't get stronger if we don't nurture them. And one sided relationships are not very strong. The more I read about God and His character, and grow in understanding of who He is, the more I realize my need for Him and my complete emptiness apart from Him.
Think about other relationships: If you trust another person with your life it is probably because you know them (and their character) well, and you expect that they will look out for your best interest. So, transfer that idea over to a relationship with God. You must know who He is, and what His character is in order to bring yourself to a place of trust. Only then will you believe that you should surrender your life to His will. Without spending time in His word and continued prayer one is unlikely to get to this place. Self-reliance is an easy default, but it is ultimately self-destructive.
I've started memorizing a verse this week: Isaiah 40:28 "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable." The meat of this verse gives us a small glimpse at the nature of God, His unchanging and everlasting presence, His complete and utter understanding of all things -including our own feeble thoughts. That's the God I have FAITH in; it's the God I will choose to serve because He is deserving.
I see a lot of people confess Christ with their lips and then go on trusting in their own power. I'm not saying that as Christians we won't have times where our faith wanes and we trust in our own understanding, but saving faith is a reliance on Christ. Just saying you believe in Christ or confessing Him during an alter call at 5 and then going about your life with no visible fruit is a big red flag to me that someone isn't saved and they are trusting in themselves. It's easy to have faith in one's self, it's far harder to trust in something outside yourself. However, God is absolutely faithful and He loves us even more than we can love ourselves. Therefore trusting Him isn't really a risk at all, but it's hard to give up control of your life.
I think the biggest evidence that someone it truly saved is a visible pursuit of God. Works do not produce faith, but they are certainly evidence of faith. If someone's life is not reflective of an understanding that God is the only thing worth pursuing, and that otherwise our lives are forfeit, then they really don't have a grasp on who God is. Relationships take time to grow and develop, so I wouldn't expect a child's faith to look anything like that of an 80 year old man who had walked with God from childhood. However, relationships require that we invest time and energy, they don't get stronger if we don't nurture them. And one sided relationships are not very strong. The more I read about God and His character, and grow in understanding of who He is, the more I realize my need for Him and my complete emptiness apart from Him.
Think about other relationships: If you trust another person with your life it is probably because you know them (and their character) well, and you expect that they will look out for your best interest. So, transfer that idea over to a relationship with God. You must know who He is, and what His character is in order to bring yourself to a place of trust. Only then will you believe that you should surrender your life to His will. Without spending time in His word and continued prayer one is unlikely to get to this place. Self-reliance is an easy default, but it is ultimately self-destructive.
I've started memorizing a verse this week: Isaiah 40:28 "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable." The meat of this verse gives us a small glimpse at the nature of God, His unchanging and everlasting presence, His complete and utter understanding of all things -including our own feeble thoughts. That's the God I have FAITH in; it's the God I will choose to serve because He is deserving.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
What is Marriage about? Why should one get married?
What one is looking for from a marriage is likely greatly affected by one’s worldview. I think a lot of people look to another person to fulfill them. Sooner or later they realize that that's not going to happen. Marriage relationships are designed to be mutually beneficial. If you are in a committed marriage you are working to support each other. If you are looking to be serviced by the other individual, you are going about it all wrong. People are incapable of producing satisfaction in another person. If you place your identity in that person you are bound to be disappointed. That's what people are doing though. And then they feel hurt and upset and take it out on the other person for not being able to fulfill them. That's what is happening.
Marriages teach you how to be less selfish, kids even more so. Going into a marriage with the expectation that it will solve some problem because you've felt empty- that's wrong. Men and women should stay single if they feel this way. Marriage should be a relationship that builds one another, that is full of mutual respect and a desire to improve each other, both spiritually and emotionally. That's why one’s identity can't be in one’s spouse, it has to be in Christ. Otherwise you’ll be disappointed when they fail to fulfill all your expectations. Marriage has to be about self sacrifice. If you wouldn't do everything for that person, well they are probably not the right person for you. And/or marriage is not sacred to you, and therefore you shouldn't enter into it.
For me marriage is a life-long commitment, through thick and thin, whether you love them that day or not. It is a relationship that needs continual nurturing and good communication. It is a sacred trust between two people. Hopefully marriage will mean having a best friend and wise council by my side, someone who I can share a pure and sacrificial love for. I'll point out that unconditional love cannot exist outside the Creator. He is the source of love, without Him love cannot exist. Ideally, this is why a marriage relationship founded on a true commitment to Christ is stronger than one outside Him. So, maybe marital love is conditional, but I'd at least want to trust someone to continue to love me enough to work through issues rather than get frustrated and walk away. I'd hope for someone who cared about the relationship not as just a contract between us, but as a contract made before the Creator Himself as well. I want to marry someone who understands what commitment is and sticks to high moral standards, even if the society around them is failing to do that.
I do have some ideals for what I would expect in a marriage: I think honesty and communication skills are highly important. A foundation in Christ (looking to Him instead of me for perfection- though I think it is very important to try to please your spouse where possible). Someone who is willing to work and not looking to sit around on the couch all day. However, it actually doesn't matter to me the level of salary they bring in. Someone who is willing to stay committed even when things get rough (LIFELONG commitment!). Someone who is willing to "leave and cleave", moving from their parental relationship to focus on the marital relationship.
One thing I do find myself questioning about a biblically founded relationship is the command: Do not be unequally yoked with a non-believer. Thinking about this critically, I think this is difficult to achieve. First, no matter how well you know another person you can never know their heart. You can only see as much as the person reveals to you. Sometimes people are very good at ‘living the life’ without a true heart conversion. I’ve known a lot of people like that, and I’ve been one of them. Therefore, there doesn’t seem like a way I can be sure of this command. I especially think this is true in young people- which the church seems to stress yoking together at a young age for fear of sexual immorality. I think it is just as immoral to enter a marriage on the pretense of avoiding sexual immorality, just to replace it with a hatred towards one’s spouse that eventually leads to divorce (possibly with children involved). Some level of spiritual maturity before entering a marriage is pertinent. However, what level of maturity is required to make a good strong relationship may be debatable.
I have also come across the argument that waiting until marriage to have sex may lead to an undesirable/ poor sex life. I think this is ridiculous. Good sex does take work- I'm sure of it, but in a committed relationship where you are both interested in pleasing the other person, I think you can develop a good sexual relationship with your spouse even if you waited until marriage. Sex is the topping on the cake, if you don't have a great relationship it doesn't matter how great the sex is, you still won't want to spend your life with that person.
Honestly, I think sleeping with a bunch of random people is an ethical dilemma. There is huge risk involved- from spreading disease, to having children you can’t/don’t want to support, to the emotional turmoil of loosing not just a friend, but someone who has shared your body. Biologically speaking women become very attached to sexual partners. When a woman sleeps with multiple men she begins to lose that strong connection. So, it is really of primarily negative value to sleep around before marriage with the argument that you need sexual compatibility to enter into a marriage.
Marriages teach you how to be less selfish, kids even more so. Going into a marriage with the expectation that it will solve some problem because you've felt empty- that's wrong. Men and women should stay single if they feel this way. Marriage should be a relationship that builds one another, that is full of mutual respect and a desire to improve each other, both spiritually and emotionally. That's why one’s identity can't be in one’s spouse, it has to be in Christ. Otherwise you’ll be disappointed when they fail to fulfill all your expectations. Marriage has to be about self sacrifice. If you wouldn't do everything for that person, well they are probably not the right person for you. And/or marriage is not sacred to you, and therefore you shouldn't enter into it.
For me marriage is a life-long commitment, through thick and thin, whether you love them that day or not. It is a relationship that needs continual nurturing and good communication. It is a sacred trust between two people. Hopefully marriage will mean having a best friend and wise council by my side, someone who I can share a pure and sacrificial love for. I'll point out that unconditional love cannot exist outside the Creator. He is the source of love, without Him love cannot exist. Ideally, this is why a marriage relationship founded on a true commitment to Christ is stronger than one outside Him. So, maybe marital love is conditional, but I'd at least want to trust someone to continue to love me enough to work through issues rather than get frustrated and walk away. I'd hope for someone who cared about the relationship not as just a contract between us, but as a contract made before the Creator Himself as well. I want to marry someone who understands what commitment is and sticks to high moral standards, even if the society around them is failing to do that.
I do have some ideals for what I would expect in a marriage: I think honesty and communication skills are highly important. A foundation in Christ (looking to Him instead of me for perfection- though I think it is very important to try to please your spouse where possible). Someone who is willing to work and not looking to sit around on the couch all day. However, it actually doesn't matter to me the level of salary they bring in. Someone who is willing to stay committed even when things get rough (LIFELONG commitment!). Someone who is willing to "leave and cleave", moving from their parental relationship to focus on the marital relationship.
One thing I do find myself questioning about a biblically founded relationship is the command: Do not be unequally yoked with a non-believer. Thinking about this critically, I think this is difficult to achieve. First, no matter how well you know another person you can never know their heart. You can only see as much as the person reveals to you. Sometimes people are very good at ‘living the life’ without a true heart conversion. I’ve known a lot of people like that, and I’ve been one of them. Therefore, there doesn’t seem like a way I can be sure of this command. I especially think this is true in young people- which the church seems to stress yoking together at a young age for fear of sexual immorality. I think it is just as immoral to enter a marriage on the pretense of avoiding sexual immorality, just to replace it with a hatred towards one’s spouse that eventually leads to divorce (possibly with children involved). Some level of spiritual maturity before entering a marriage is pertinent. However, what level of maturity is required to make a good strong relationship may be debatable.
I have also come across the argument that waiting until marriage to have sex may lead to an undesirable/ poor sex life. I think this is ridiculous. Good sex does take work- I'm sure of it, but in a committed relationship where you are both interested in pleasing the other person, I think you can develop a good sexual relationship with your spouse even if you waited until marriage. Sex is the topping on the cake, if you don't have a great relationship it doesn't matter how great the sex is, you still won't want to spend your life with that person.
Honestly, I think sleeping with a bunch of random people is an ethical dilemma. There is huge risk involved- from spreading disease, to having children you can’t/don’t want to support, to the emotional turmoil of loosing not just a friend, but someone who has shared your body. Biologically speaking women become very attached to sexual partners. When a woman sleeps with multiple men she begins to lose that strong connection. So, it is really of primarily negative value to sleep around before marriage with the argument that you need sexual compatibility to enter into a marriage.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Autologous Man
I recently read an article by Michael Tsarion entitled the Age of Revealing. From what I make of it, he is building the case for autologous man. Self-reliance. Self-awareness. I think that it is deceptive in its argument for self-discovery. It is appealing to rational man's desire to be His own god. That if we could truly understand our own depths we would find all the truth we desire. This is simply not true, and someone who claims that they believe in some form of deity should understand it to be false. If there is a creator, then man alone cannot find all he seeks in his own thought. However, the bible teaches that the Holy Spirit resides within those who have accepted His promise. Therefore, those who have been enlightened in this way can look within for answers. Not because the man himself has answers, but because the creator resides within him.
This statement from the article, "Every faculty we possess is ours alone, and so is the intellectual understanding we gain through life." That is totally contrary to scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." Colossians 1:16-17 "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." We can't, while present on this earth, fully comprehend what is. 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
If the focus in one's life is on the self (autonomous man) or humans in general (humanism), life will be disappointing. Life that is focused on the self leads to depression. Even if your focus is on your own self, your self-awareness, or self-improvement, or self-achievement, you will always be disappointed. You will never live up to the ideals you have for yourself. Romans 7:15, "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." C. S. Lewis reasons it this way, "These, then, are the two points I wanted to make. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in."
Within the context of the Holy Spirit residing within you, introspection can be healthy and revealing, but self-introspection apart from Him has little value. Man is limited, Yahweh is not. However, introspection within the Holy Spirit does not mean loss of the individual, I actually think it provides greater self awareness, because one can then better understand his own soul. "If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them." ~ C.S. mere christianity. Yahweh is that source. Man is not.
This statement from the article, "Every faculty we possess is ours alone, and so is the intellectual understanding we gain through life." That is totally contrary to scripture. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." Colossians 1:16-17 "For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." We can't, while present on this earth, fully comprehend what is. 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."
If the focus in one's life is on the self (autonomous man) or humans in general (humanism), life will be disappointing. Life that is focused on the self leads to depression. Even if your focus is on your own self, your self-awareness, or self-improvement, or self-achievement, you will always be disappointed. You will never live up to the ideals you have for yourself. Romans 7:15, "For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." C. S. Lewis reasons it this way, "These, then, are the two points I wanted to make. First, that human beings, all over the earth, have this curious idea that they ought to behave in a certain way, and cannot really get rid of it. Secondly, that they do not in fact behave in that way. They know the Law of Nature; they break it. These two facts are the foundation of all clear thinking about ourselves and the universe we live in."
Within the context of the Holy Spirit residing within you, introspection can be healthy and revealing, but self-introspection apart from Him has little value. Man is limited, Yahweh is not. However, introspection within the Holy Spirit does not mean loss of the individual, I actually think it provides greater self awareness, because one can then better understand his own soul. "If you want joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, or even into, the thing that has them." ~ C.S. mere christianity. Yahweh is that source. Man is not.
What would happen if my truth weren't absolute truth?
Lately I have had interaction with two people who have challenged me to question what it means to put complete faith in the finished work of Christ. They both seemed to think that if that one statement was not true, that I have set my life up for failure because all my other truth would fall away. I think that is a very deceptive point of view. Honestly, I don’t see how they can think this is a well-founded view, because finding truth elsewhere isn’t any easier. In fact I don’t think any human can understand truth in its absolute sense while here on earth because there simply is not enough conclusive evidence to support any such claim. (1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known."). Just because I already found truth and no longer need to seek for another source of truth does not make all other truth relative.
Every person has an innate sense of morality seeded within them from the beginning. And every person also has a propensity to do evil (a result of the Fall). C.S. Lewis states it like this, “we are forced to believe in a real Right and Wrong. People may be sometimes mistaken about them, just as people sometimes get their sums wrong; but they are not a matter of mere taste and opinion any more than the multiplication table. Now if we are agreed about that, I go on to my next point, which is this. None of us are really keeping the Law of Nature.” We know these things to be true of ourselves, yet we still choose to search within ourselves for answers.
It is what every religion, from atheism to scientology, Taoism to Mormonism, teaches. They all teach that you (the self) are able to either be your own god, or find your way to god through self-discovery and discipline. That is with one exception: Christianity. Christianity claims that God does all the work and you can do nothing to earn heaven.
This is all very well and good, and an interesting train of thought, but here I would like to go on with the initial proposed question. What does it mean if I place all my trust in the life, death and resurrection of Christ and then come to the end of my life finding that He did not exist? I think, very simply, the answer is this: It won’t matter. (And by the way, if it is true, it is of utmost importance)
Why do I say this? Well, what are the other options?
One- God does not exist. At this point life has no eternal value, only the value I place on it while I exist on earth. Therefore, life is what I make of it. If I choose to enjoy earthly pleasures at the expense of my fellow man, it makes no difference. If I choose to live a life of poverty and pain, I have simply suffered, it matters not. If I choose to benefit my fellow man with good deeds and generous acts, I simply receive the earthly joy, but ultimately it means nothing.
Two- There is a deity, but heaven is guaranteed to all. Regardless of my actions I get to go to heaven. Maybe it’s a lower realm of heaven, but none the less, it’s still heaven.
Three- There is a deity, but I have to earn my way to heaven with good deeds. If all my good deeds don’t outweigh my bad deeds, at the end of my life I will spend eternity in hell. How does one know what is good and what is bad? One must have a sense of universal morality for this to work. Therefore, when we look inside ourselves we can use our conscience- our God given sense of right and wrong- to determine those things we should and should not do. We can then make good choices based on this innate understanding of right and wrong. I get into heaven simply by choosing to do right.
Four- There is a deity which we must strive to become one with. God is part of nature as He has created it and it is our duty to become one with that nature. To return to God as you will. If I fail at this task during this life I will be given repeated opportunity to achieve this goal, as all life must eventually return to God, and I will be reincarnated until I reach this state of perfection.
So, the last option is this, the Christian option: God is real and alive. He is a living, breathing, all-powerful deity who is Holy and cannot accept sin. Because of this, and because He loves His creation, He has sent His Son to purchase my salvation. The only way to receive forgiveness for my bad deeds is through acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ. Once I have accepted this gift God begins to work in me and through me by the Holy Spirit to rid me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. He helps me to achieve holiness and to attain to a moral behavior. Even if one doesn’t believe that the bible is truth, one can see that it teaches moral behavior and directs us to love one another. This is beneficial for all of society. Truly walking like Christ (not claiming Christianity as your religion, but living as his student) is a call to love one another with self-sacrifice and absolute conviction.
Side note: I think I need to establish here that there is some real, true pre-conceived bias toward Christianity that I will not be able to overcome. The mind of some readers is already made up that Christianity has made the world a worse place. There have been many a war waged in the name of Christ. I do not think that True Christ followers should be saddled with all of the history through the ages that has followed the bible. There are many who have taken its words out of context and have spilt blood out of selfish and evil desires. To saddle Jesus' message with every person who has ever claimed Christianity is to believe that Jesus was a liar. For he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" ~Matthew 7:21-23.
Personally, I choose to believe that the bible in the inspired Word of God. Interestingly enough the Bible repeatedly gives the gospel message of Christ throughout the old and new testament, and then makes the claim that (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. “
I don’t believe the bible is antiquated or manipulated. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It is alive because it IS GOD. Why are we so quick to dismiss God and say that He would allow Himself to be manipulated? If He is (and in my mind He certainly is), then He is sovereign in all things. Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” Then why expect any less from Him than that He would not protect His word from manipulation?
I choose to believe Hebrews 11:1-3 “1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” And vs 6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” So, whether or not men and authorities can be trusted, God can, because He is above reproach. But He expects me to be faithful. Therefore, I must have faith that He will reveal to me His truth.
So here is the point. We are NEVER going to understand absolute truth here on this earth no matter how long we persist at the task. But I know inherently that I want to do right, and yet cannot accomplish this on my own. I have known myself and have seen my soul to possess selfishness and evil. Therefore, my only hope is that the gospel message is true, that Jesus truly saves, and that He is willing to bring the Holy Spirit to life in me in order that I can turn from the evil that I would otherwise chose to do.
Aside: If you think I am demonizing the self, I am not in the sense of individuality. The individual, the intrinsic value of each human, is unique and beautiful. It is to be desired and explored. We build each other up through our unique skills and differences. We learn about life because of our interactions with those who share a different perspective. It is good to dive into one's very soul to achieve an understanding of the self and its potential. It's silly to think I am suggesting that 'the self' in that sense is not something to be explored. Rather, I simply see that at the very core of every man there is a desire to do right, and yet a propensity to do wrong. That is the only self I am demonizing.
And let me also say, I have gone down that road. I have spent many a year focused on my own self: my wants, my desires, my dreams. All it ever got me was a sense of despair and depression. A total hatred for my own insufficiency. I could never live up to the person I want to be. That's why, when I took the focus of my life off myself and placed it in Christ's grace, I achieved a sense of peace I could never achieve on my own. I don't have to be perfect for God to love me, and accepting His grace ensures that I can know that peace for eternity.
Every person has an innate sense of morality seeded within them from the beginning. And every person also has a propensity to do evil (a result of the Fall). C.S. Lewis states it like this, “we are forced to believe in a real Right and Wrong. People may be sometimes mistaken about them, just as people sometimes get their sums wrong; but they are not a matter of mere taste and opinion any more than the multiplication table. Now if we are agreed about that, I go on to my next point, which is this. None of us are really keeping the Law of Nature.” We know these things to be true of ourselves, yet we still choose to search within ourselves for answers.
It is what every religion, from atheism to scientology, Taoism to Mormonism, teaches. They all teach that you (the self) are able to either be your own god, or find your way to god through self-discovery and discipline. That is with one exception: Christianity. Christianity claims that God does all the work and you can do nothing to earn heaven.
This is all very well and good, and an interesting train of thought, but here I would like to go on with the initial proposed question. What does it mean if I place all my trust in the life, death and resurrection of Christ and then come to the end of my life finding that He did not exist? I think, very simply, the answer is this: It won’t matter. (And by the way, if it is true, it is of utmost importance)
Why do I say this? Well, what are the other options?
One- God does not exist. At this point life has no eternal value, only the value I place on it while I exist on earth. Therefore, life is what I make of it. If I choose to enjoy earthly pleasures at the expense of my fellow man, it makes no difference. If I choose to live a life of poverty and pain, I have simply suffered, it matters not. If I choose to benefit my fellow man with good deeds and generous acts, I simply receive the earthly joy, but ultimately it means nothing.
Two- There is a deity, but heaven is guaranteed to all. Regardless of my actions I get to go to heaven. Maybe it’s a lower realm of heaven, but none the less, it’s still heaven.
Three- There is a deity, but I have to earn my way to heaven with good deeds. If all my good deeds don’t outweigh my bad deeds, at the end of my life I will spend eternity in hell. How does one know what is good and what is bad? One must have a sense of universal morality for this to work. Therefore, when we look inside ourselves we can use our conscience- our God given sense of right and wrong- to determine those things we should and should not do. We can then make good choices based on this innate understanding of right and wrong. I get into heaven simply by choosing to do right.
Four- There is a deity which we must strive to become one with. God is part of nature as He has created it and it is our duty to become one with that nature. To return to God as you will. If I fail at this task during this life I will be given repeated opportunity to achieve this goal, as all life must eventually return to God, and I will be reincarnated until I reach this state of perfection.
So, the last option is this, the Christian option: God is real and alive. He is a living, breathing, all-powerful deity who is Holy and cannot accept sin. Because of this, and because He loves His creation, He has sent His Son to purchase my salvation. The only way to receive forgiveness for my bad deeds is through acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ. Once I have accepted this gift God begins to work in me and through me by the Holy Spirit to rid me of my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. He helps me to achieve holiness and to attain to a moral behavior. Even if one doesn’t believe that the bible is truth, one can see that it teaches moral behavior and directs us to love one another. This is beneficial for all of society. Truly walking like Christ (not claiming Christianity as your religion, but living as his student) is a call to love one another with self-sacrifice and absolute conviction.
Side note: I think I need to establish here that there is some real, true pre-conceived bias toward Christianity that I will not be able to overcome. The mind of some readers is already made up that Christianity has made the world a worse place. There have been many a war waged in the name of Christ. I do not think that True Christ followers should be saddled with all of the history through the ages that has followed the bible. There are many who have taken its words out of context and have spilt blood out of selfish and evil desires. To saddle Jesus' message with every person who has ever claimed Christianity is to believe that Jesus was a liar. For he said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" ~Matthew 7:21-23.
Personally, I choose to believe that the bible in the inspired Word of God. Interestingly enough the Bible repeatedly gives the gospel message of Christ throughout the old and new testament, and then makes the claim that (John 1:1) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” And John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. “
I don’t believe the bible is antiquated or manipulated. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It is alive because it IS GOD. Why are we so quick to dismiss God and say that He would allow Himself to be manipulated? If He is (and in my mind He certainly is), then He is sovereign in all things. Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, 'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure'” Then why expect any less from Him than that He would not protect His word from manipulation?
I choose to believe Hebrews 11:1-3 “1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” And vs 6 “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” So, whether or not men and authorities can be trusted, God can, because He is above reproach. But He expects me to be faithful. Therefore, I must have faith that He will reveal to me His truth.
So here is the point. We are NEVER going to understand absolute truth here on this earth no matter how long we persist at the task. But I know inherently that I want to do right, and yet cannot accomplish this on my own. I have known myself and have seen my soul to possess selfishness and evil. Therefore, my only hope is that the gospel message is true, that Jesus truly saves, and that He is willing to bring the Holy Spirit to life in me in order that I can turn from the evil that I would otherwise chose to do.
Aside: If you think I am demonizing the self, I am not in the sense of individuality. The individual, the intrinsic value of each human, is unique and beautiful. It is to be desired and explored. We build each other up through our unique skills and differences. We learn about life because of our interactions with those who share a different perspective. It is good to dive into one's very soul to achieve an understanding of the self and its potential. It's silly to think I am suggesting that 'the self' in that sense is not something to be explored. Rather, I simply see that at the very core of every man there is a desire to do right, and yet a propensity to do wrong. That is the only self I am demonizing.
And let me also say, I have gone down that road. I have spent many a year focused on my own self: my wants, my desires, my dreams. All it ever got me was a sense of despair and depression. A total hatred for my own insufficiency. I could never live up to the person I want to be. That's why, when I took the focus of my life off myself and placed it in Christ's grace, I achieved a sense of peace I could never achieve on my own. I don't have to be perfect for God to love me, and accepting His grace ensures that I can know that peace for eternity.
Saturday, January 28, 2017
The cost of a higher education
I watched the Ivory Tower documentary this morning. It brought up so many different ideas about what education should look like. First, I think what is really sad is that the college education has become the place where we think to teach students to learn (something I’m not convinced is happening there either). Students should be taught to learn for themselves before they graduate high school. It should be developed in children, we shouldn’t have to teach that to 20 year olds. They should already know it. The rhetoric involved in selling the college experience- that it is necessary for social equality- that you can’t be successful without it. What a load of bullshit. First, the cost is so egregious that- when you inevitably take out student loans to pay for it and then have to spend the rest of your life paying them back- that’s the opposite of getting ahead. That is defiantly promoting social inequality and elitism. Not to mention the value (or lack there of) of a degree. Especially liberal arts degrees and the like- what does it get you if you can’t get and keep a job after you graduate? Then you are stuck with the debt, which grows increasingly larger when you don’t have a job that will support loan payments. Why should you have to pay $20-40,000 a year to be taught how to learn? Your parents should do that!
I’m realizing that it is not entirely the problem of thinking that everyone needs a college education though. Honestly, if it was affordable, it’s not bad to want to ‘further’ your education. However, there is this perception of elitism within colleges- that they must have the best campus, the best research, the best social atmosphere. What the hell are we paying for? A bunch of administrative salaries which have no effect on whether we learn anything or not. The cost of building a perception, of putting on airs, is high.
So, the pursuit of learning, how is it best accomplished? Can it reasonably be done on the individual level outside of the classic classroom setting in this information age? There are definitely some pluses and minuses. One- if a student is truly motivated they can learn just about anything they desire without the heavy cost associated with the university. Two- there is more diversity of thought available this way; you are not being spoon-fed the ideals of a person or institution. You are able to choose for yourself who you choose to gain insight from. Three- You can learn at your own pace, no need to slow down if the information is quickly understood, no need to keep up if you need more time to process a subject. Four- You can learn only the subjects you find interesting. You are not forced into taking elective courses to gain some perceived insight into other fields of study that don’t interest you.
On the flip side- you often loose some valuable tools as well in the individual study. First- some people learn best from interaction and question based study. While you can still ask questions and seek for answers, sometimes this is more easily done on a personal basis. Second- you miss out on the questions that your peers might pose. While it is great to get your questions answered, sometimes you don’t think of all the questions yourself. Therefore it is useful to gain this perspective. Thirdly- you may not be able to acquire the level of knowledge that is required for some jobs in your field of interest. And even if you can, employers may not find it valid. I’m sure there are other issues with both sides of this issue, so clearly there is no a simple answer to deciding on whether college is a worthwhile endeavor.
One thing I find fascinating is that college is claimed as a place of self-discovery. While I think that this can be true, I don’t think this is necessarily the best place for self-discovery, and it is certainly not the most rational place for it. Great, some students figure out what they are good at, what they want to do with their life during their college years. Many people get a degree that they find useful and can use in the workforce. But what of everyone else? What of the students that flounder, spending 5-6 years gaining a degree that they ultimately don’t use. What if they discover after all that time that they have interests that don’t benefit from a college degree? They are still saddled with an immense amount of loan debt and have nothing worthwhile to show for it.
I think we need to work on self-discovery at a younger age. What is it that you are passionate about? What skills do you have, and what can they be used for? Do you need a college degree? Can you pursue a career that doesn’t require higher education? I actually see college as a way to put off thinking about the future rather than looking to explore options. Half the students seem to be there to party and check out of life for a few years. They don’t do any introspection- they simply live for the moment. And really, how can you have deep thoughts when your face is in the toilet after 3 continuous nights of partying?
I suggest to all the students that I meet who think they want to pursue college- WAIT. Take a year- go out into the world and see what it has to offer. Get a job; understand what it means to work. Don’t be boxed into a perception that if you don’t obtain a college degree you are somehow going to fail at life. Sure, if you have a well-established passion and it requires a college education- go for it- realizing the loan to income ratio that you may well end up with after you’re done. However, this idea that student loan debt is different than other kinds of debt- that it is good debt- that is FALSE. It is a mindset of consumerism which states that you are entitled to this, that, and the other thing. Don’t worry if you have the money for it, you’ll be able to get ahead and pay it back later. This is a LIE. I’d even go so far as to say it is part of the consensus trance. We are being spoon fed garbage, people!
Another problem I see with the education system is that we have dumbed it down. Let’s pass everyone. Let’s give everyone a gold star for participation. The level of education that most students have upon graduating high school is appalling. We wouldn’t all need a college education to understand basic life-skills if we were taught them in high school. Let’s teach young people how to think instead of telling them they need to follow a certain path to success. The American dream is over-rated and over-sold. This society would be a much more pleasant place to exist if we weren’t all tied to the materialistic, consumerism that is drilled into our psyche. Happiness can be achieved in many different ways.
I’m realizing that it is not entirely the problem of thinking that everyone needs a college education though. Honestly, if it was affordable, it’s not bad to want to ‘further’ your education. However, there is this perception of elitism within colleges- that they must have the best campus, the best research, the best social atmosphere. What the hell are we paying for? A bunch of administrative salaries which have no effect on whether we learn anything or not. The cost of building a perception, of putting on airs, is high.
So, the pursuit of learning, how is it best accomplished? Can it reasonably be done on the individual level outside of the classic classroom setting in this information age? There are definitely some pluses and minuses. One- if a student is truly motivated they can learn just about anything they desire without the heavy cost associated with the university. Two- there is more diversity of thought available this way; you are not being spoon-fed the ideals of a person or institution. You are able to choose for yourself who you choose to gain insight from. Three- You can learn at your own pace, no need to slow down if the information is quickly understood, no need to keep up if you need more time to process a subject. Four- You can learn only the subjects you find interesting. You are not forced into taking elective courses to gain some perceived insight into other fields of study that don’t interest you.
On the flip side- you often loose some valuable tools as well in the individual study. First- some people learn best from interaction and question based study. While you can still ask questions and seek for answers, sometimes this is more easily done on a personal basis. Second- you miss out on the questions that your peers might pose. While it is great to get your questions answered, sometimes you don’t think of all the questions yourself. Therefore it is useful to gain this perspective. Thirdly- you may not be able to acquire the level of knowledge that is required for some jobs in your field of interest. And even if you can, employers may not find it valid. I’m sure there are other issues with both sides of this issue, so clearly there is no a simple answer to deciding on whether college is a worthwhile endeavor.
One thing I find fascinating is that college is claimed as a place of self-discovery. While I think that this can be true, I don’t think this is necessarily the best place for self-discovery, and it is certainly not the most rational place for it. Great, some students figure out what they are good at, what they want to do with their life during their college years. Many people get a degree that they find useful and can use in the workforce. But what of everyone else? What of the students that flounder, spending 5-6 years gaining a degree that they ultimately don’t use. What if they discover after all that time that they have interests that don’t benefit from a college degree? They are still saddled with an immense amount of loan debt and have nothing worthwhile to show for it.
I think we need to work on self-discovery at a younger age. What is it that you are passionate about? What skills do you have, and what can they be used for? Do you need a college degree? Can you pursue a career that doesn’t require higher education? I actually see college as a way to put off thinking about the future rather than looking to explore options. Half the students seem to be there to party and check out of life for a few years. They don’t do any introspection- they simply live for the moment. And really, how can you have deep thoughts when your face is in the toilet after 3 continuous nights of partying?
I suggest to all the students that I meet who think they want to pursue college- WAIT. Take a year- go out into the world and see what it has to offer. Get a job; understand what it means to work. Don’t be boxed into a perception that if you don’t obtain a college degree you are somehow going to fail at life. Sure, if you have a well-established passion and it requires a college education- go for it- realizing the loan to income ratio that you may well end up with after you’re done. However, this idea that student loan debt is different than other kinds of debt- that it is good debt- that is FALSE. It is a mindset of consumerism which states that you are entitled to this, that, and the other thing. Don’t worry if you have the money for it, you’ll be able to get ahead and pay it back later. This is a LIE. I’d even go so far as to say it is part of the consensus trance. We are being spoon fed garbage, people!
Another problem I see with the education system is that we have dumbed it down. Let’s pass everyone. Let’s give everyone a gold star for participation. The level of education that most students have upon graduating high school is appalling. We wouldn’t all need a college education to understand basic life-skills if we were taught them in high school. Let’s teach young people how to think instead of telling them they need to follow a certain path to success. The American dream is over-rated and over-sold. This society would be a much more pleasant place to exist if we weren’t all tied to the materialistic, consumerism that is drilled into our psyche. Happiness can be achieved in many different ways.
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