Tim Euler

Jun 06

My Response To Today’s Turmoil

By Tim Euler | Public Blog, Uncategorized

Lord Save Us!

First, we faced a nationwide lockdown due to COVID-19. Then, the country exploded in protests and riots because of the senseless death of a man. We are sitting on a powder keg that is ready to explode. What is the answer to all of this?

I have resisted the temptation to speak about the issues facing us today as I, too, have struggled to make sense out of all of it. There are so many voices shouting their feelings from every position imaginable. It is my prayer that I will avoid sharing my opinions but try to approach things from a biblical perspective.

The protests, looting and rioting that are taking place all across the country are said to be reactions to the death of a man named George Floyd. Anyone that viewed the heart-wrenching video that showed this man’s breath literally being choked out of him must condemn the actions of the men involved in his arrest.

My heart was broken by Mr. Floyd’s death and I long for justice to be served. However, I am not grieved by this in the same manner as many others are. Cries of racism, white supremacy, white privilege, black lives matter and police brutality have become the common narratives surrounding this senseless death.

As Christians, we must find our identity and view the identity of each and every other person through the doctrine of imago Dei.

What grieves my heart is that a person who was created in the image of God lost his life because another human being unnecessarily caused his death. I am equally grieved to see another image bearer of God kicked in the head by a protestor that led to his death. The same is true when I learned that a man working to secure a business lost his life. Grief also gripped me when I read the account of a police officer being shot in the back of the head at point blank range while doing his job of protecting people and property.

In addition to each of the travesties, I am appalled by the murder of over 2,000 babies each day and over 700,000 each year here in the United States. Every abortion destroys the life of an innocent image bearer of God.

Please note that I didn’t identify any of these victims by the color of his/her skin but as individuals who were each created in the image of God. Whenever the ethnicity of a person is interjected into injury or loss of life, it seems like others justify injuring or killing of other people, as well as destroying private property.

The worth and value of every human being is found in the truth that each and every person has been, is and always will be created in the image of God.

The death of George Floyd was not tragic and horrific because a white police officer acted in a certain way towards a black man. The same is true for the other deaths that I have mentioned. It doesn’t matter what the color of skin the victims or the perpetrators were. The worth and value of every human being is found in the truth that each and every person has been, is and always will be created in the image of God. We know this to be true when we read the following passages in God’s Word.

Then God said, Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness…So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them…And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7 (NKJV)

Because man is created in the image of God, God says that the shedding of innocent blood is sinful.

Whoever sheds man’s blood, by man his blood shall be shed; For in the image of God He made man. Genesis 9:6 (NKJV)

We have abandoned the teaching of creation and that man was created in the image of God, imago Dei. When one denies the existence of God, then man is merely a result of evolutionary time and chance. Instead of one race there must be many races as various people groups evolved differently over billions of years. One person puts it this way.

Atheistic and evolutionary worldviews teach us that events are random, our origins accidental, our lives meaningless, and tragedy inevitable. Those who close their eyes to the one true God remain blind to His divine plans and purposes. Cameron Buettel

The evolutionary belief that there are many races is not biblical. Therefore, trying to improve race relations, which reflects evolutionary thinking, is impossible. Darryl Harrison states,

The term “race relations” is a misnomer. God created you and me to relate to one another by way of hearts and minds, not skin color. Melanin is passive—it cannot love or hate—but our hearts can—and do. Biblically, murder is an attitude before it is an act (1 John 2:9-11; 3:15).

I am concerned when I see and/or hear Christian leaders addressing these very real issues framed through secular ideas such as critical race theory, white privilege (or any other form of privilege), etc. We must evaluate everything through the lens of Scripture.

God’s Word is totally sufficient to guide us into how to better “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Recently, I saw several social media posts that gave the appearance that some church leaders are supporting the concept of “privilege”. Here are some of the statements I have seen.

White privilege exists as a direct result of both historic and enduring racism, biases, and practices designed to oppress people of color.

White privilege doesn’t mean your life hasn’t been hard. It means your skin tone isn’t one of the things making it harder! There’s plenty of other privileges (socio-economic, male, heterosexual cisgender, Christian, able-bodied) but white privilege is perhaps the most enduring throughout history.

Life can be hard if you’re white, but life will never be hard because you’re white.

You’ve never been judged by the color of your skin. (A statement to a white person)

If you consider these statements, you will find that they contradict themselves. For example, if someone tells me that I will never be judged by the color of my skin, that person has just judged me based on my skin color.

The entire concept that someone has “privilege” because of his/her skin color or gender goes against Scripture. If God has created me in His image (which He has), then He chose my gender and skin color. I had nothing to do with it whatsoever.

If either of these traits cause me to be privileged, then God created me that way. Of course, that means that I must reject Acts 10:34 when Peter preached,

Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons…

The same would be true about what James said when he wrote that not treating everyone the same is sin (James 3:9).

All injustices that anyone commits are the result of sin. It is not an attitudinal or social condition. It is a heart condition.

In order to understand the senseless taking of human life, destruction of private property and the violence that we are witnessing on a daily basis, we must trace this back to its origin. To do this, it is not sufficient to simply go back to times of slavery or to the founding of our country; which is what is commonly being done by many today.

We must go back to Genesis 3 where we find sin entering the world through the Fall of man. In fact, the first murder that was ever recorded was committed by Cain who murdered his own brother, Abel. “Race” played no part in this evil act.

Murder and violence are the result of the sin nature of man. In fact, all injustices that anyone commits are the result of sin. It is not an attitudinal or social condition. It is a heart condition.

So, what is the solution to all of this? The words of G. K. Chesterton come to my mind when trying to answer this question.

It isn’t that they can’t see the solution. It is that they can’t see the problem.

We must first see that the problem is spiritual and is found in the depravity of the human heart.

The heart [is] deceitful above all [things], and desperately wicked: who can know it? Jeremiah 17:9 (NKJV)

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:21-23 (NKJV)

Once we accurately identify the problem, we can then try to find the solution. Trying to reform a person or an organization can’t solve these problems. We must have a heart change. This can only be found in Jesus and the Gospel.

To biblically address the upheaval in society today is challenging because we have all been influenced by decades of secular education and thinking. God’s existence has been ignored or, even worse, denied. Because of this, we have raised several generations of people who do not think biblically.

Christians have conformed to the world’s way of thinking when trying to address these important life issues and we find ourselves in turmoil.

Therefore, they do not know that every person has value and worth because each one was created in the image of God. As a result, Christians have conformed to the world’s way of thinking when trying to address these important life issues and we find ourselves in turmoil. Dr. Albert Mohler stated the following in one of his recent episodes of The Briefing.

When you deny the creation order as God has given it to us for our good and His glory, you get chaos at every turn.

We must develop a biblical worldview and, then, give our children and youth a biblical worldview education. Without this taking place the sanctity of human life will continue to disappear from society and chaos will become more and more rampant. Consider the words of A.W. Tozer.

When the knowledge of God began to go out of the minds of men, we got into the fix that we’re in now [Romans 1].

In whom or what are you trying to find your identity? As Christians, we must find our identity and view the identity of each and every other person through the doctrine of imago Dei. Then, we must identify with only one person, Jesus Christ. I leave you with the words of pastor, Virgil “Omaha” Walker. His challenge applies to every Christian, whether or not one is a pastor and regardless of the color of one’s skin.

There’s only one man that we’re told to identify with, and that is Jesus Christ and him crucified. So, any identification based upon levels of melanin in the skin – where a pastor is coddling that, where a pastor is amplifying that, where a pastor is encouraging that – I’d argue that they need to repent, and turn from that behavior all together, and make sure that they are pointing their black parishioner, biblically, to Christ and him crucified.

Father, may I see every person as someone You created in Your image. Show me how to love my neighbor as I love myself. May my life reflect Jesus no matter what circumstances I find myself in. Bring healing and peace to our homes, churches, communities and country. Do this for Your glory! In Jesus name, amen.

May 31

What Language Will Future Generations Speak?

By Tim Euler | Public Blog

When you read the title of this week’s blog, you might have thought that this is a very easy question to answer. You probably thought that your children will speak the language of the country in which they live.

Someone who was born and raised in Germany would most likely speak German as this would be his/her native tongue. People living in France would speak French and those of us living in the United States would speak English.

It is also true that many young people learn to, not only, speak their native language, but also, another foreign language. Here in the United States, Spanish seems to be the most common foreign language taught in most schools.

However, I am talking about something entirely different when I ask the question, What language will future generations speak? I was reading through Nehemiah in my quiet time recently when I came across an interesting couple of verses. In chapter 13 of this book, we find these words,

Whenever the Israelites intermarried with the culture, one finds that they eventually worshipped the false gods of the culture into which they married.

In those days I also saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke according to the language of one or the other people. Nehemiah 13:23-24 (NKJV)

Nehemiah was grieved to learn that some of the Jews had intermarried with the people of Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. This is something that God had forbidden His people to do. Nehemiah also saw that the result of this practice was that their children could not speak the language of Judah.

It must be noted that the reason why God warned against this is because it was a picture of God’s people intermarrying with the culture and not remaining pure in their worship of Him. Whenever the Israelites intermarried with the culture, one finds that they eventually worshipped the false gods of the culture into which they married.

This resulted in their children speaking an entirely different language. They no longer understood the language of Judah. The “language” that these children understood was the language of the culture and not the language of Israel.

They no longer understood the language of Judah. The “language” that these children understood was the language of the culture and not the language of Israel.

As I read this, I realized that every belief system or worldview has its own language. I have written in other posts that there are really only two possible worldviews that one can adopt — a God-centered worldview or a man-centered one.

The beliefs, values and assumptions of one’s worldview make up the language that an individual speaks. That language is most clearly seen and understood by the lifestyle one takes on. This is what had happened in Nehemiah’s day.

The children of these Jews who had intermarried with the culture around them had developed a completely different belief system from that of Judah. They didn’t even understand the worldview of Judah.

So the real question we must ask ourselves today is this. Will our children and grandchildren speak a biblical worldview language or a secular one?

This question is answered by looking at the type of education we are giving them. The reason why this is so important is that all education is taught within the context of a worldview. Therefore, the education our children and grandchildren receive will determine what worldview language they will speak or live.

We find an example of this in the book of Daniel. The Israelites had been taken into captivity by the pagan king of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar chose the brightest of the Israelite young men and put them through a 3-year educational program.

Then the king instructed Ashpenaz…to bring some of the children of Israel…young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand…whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. And the king appointed for them…three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. Daniel 1:3-5 (NKJV)

The king changed their names to Babylonian ones, taught them the language of the Chaldeans and educated them so that they would serve Babylon, not Israel. One commentator notes that this was an intensive educational effort to erase any remembrance of their Israelite heritage from their minds.

Every educational system desires to teach its students the language of its worldview or belief system. The goal is to make sure that the young people are fit to serve their “god” or “gods”.

Fortunately, Daniel and his friends had been given a strong biblical education prior to being taken into captivity. We find that they did not forget the language of Judah.

This same motive is behind every educational system in existence today. Each system desires to teach its students the language of its worldview or belief system. The goal is to make sure that the young people are fit to serve their “god” or “gods”.

If the next generation is to speak or live a biblical lifestyle, they must be given a biblical worldview education at home, church and school.

The answer to the question asked in the title will be determined by what worldview system of education will teach them. If the next generation is to speak or live a biblical lifestyle, they must be given a biblical worldview education at home, church and school.

If they receive a secular education, they most likely will speak or live a secular lifestyle. If this happens, we will find ourselves grieved like Nehemiah was because our children will not be able to speak the language of Christianity!

May 24

What Will Change?

By Tim Euler | Uncategorized

It seems like everywhere I turn, I am finding another article, blog or podcast on how education has and will remain changed forever because of COVID-19. There is little doubt that schooling will be done differently than it has been done for years. It appears that schooling will include some element of virtual learning and more parents may fully turn to homeschooling their children. The use of technology will also play a bigger role in the future of schooling young people.

Last week I was invited to participate in a webinar that Dr. Greg Jones of Forward Solutions was conducting. In this webinar I was asked how school leaders can make a successful comeback from COVID-19. I was also asked to share what I had experienced over the past couple of months due to this pandemic. You can watch the full webinar here.

In responding to Dr. Jones questions, I shared my belief that it is important to not merely focus on what might change. I believe it is even more important to focus on things that will never change and on some critical things that we cannot allow to change.

I hope that I have gained a small amount of wisdom from the 65+ years that I have been involved in schooling, both as a student and an educator. I have witnessed a lot of changes that people said would revolutionize schooling. If I would have focused the majority of my time and energy on those things that changed and not on the things that wouldn’t or shouldn’t change, I don’t think I would have survived.

There is no doubt about it. Schooling will be different in the days ahead. But that isn’t anything new. I have shared before how privileged I was to spend the first 4 years of my schooling in a one-room school with one teacher and 8 grade levels of students.

The black slate chalk board can no longer be found in a school today. The desks with the inkwell holes in the top are also gone. Just about everything about the one-room schooling experience I had is completely gone! But there are some things that are still the same and will remain no matter what other changes will take place in the future.

Allow me to make an analogy at this point. Because of my responsibilities, I have done a lot of traveling over the years. The total number of miles that I have flown in airplanes boggles my mind. I well-remember how air travel changed forever after 911. There are those long security screening lines, the rifling through one’s baggage and the all too common patting down of my body. Air travel has definitely changed.

However, with all these changes there are some things that haven’t changed and I am thankful that they are still in place. Air travel still needs and relies upon good pilots being at the controls. Every airplane still needs to be designed to lift off the ground, cruise at various altitudes and safely land at the end of every flight.

The “how” of air travel is different but the “why” of flight is still constant. The same is true of education, especially schooling. In fact, my challenge in writing this blog is to make sure that we don’t allow certain things to change when it comes to educating our children and youth.

No matter what different methods of instruction etc. that may result from COVID-19, the need for and purpose of education must not change. All children and youth come into life and will continue to do so in a fallen state. They will always need to be guided into truth so that they might come to know the God of creation and to know themselves as image bearers of God.

Education must always prepare students for the future. But not just for the temporal future of life here on earth but also for the eternal future that begins when this life ends.

So, what are the keys to success in the future? Here are two realities that we must embrace.

We must accept the fact that some things about education will be different in the future.
As we prepare for the changes that will be taking place on what and how we educate future generations, we must be committed to making certain that some foundational principles will never be allowed to change.

Dr. Albert Mohler in his book, Conviction to Lead, talks about the importance of convictional leadership needed for a school to survive and thrive. What Mohler says about leaders is also true for schools. Just as new leaders will bring their own ideas, passions and vision for the future to the school, Christian schools of tomorrow may have a different look and/or feel when it comes to how they operate due to this pandemic.

No matter what idiosyncrasies a new leader might bring to an organization, it is critically important that the organization’s foundational beliefs never change. As school boards and administrators adjust budgets, develop new strategic plans and prepare for what the new “normal” will look like, they must never allow the biblical foundation on which Christian schooling was long ago established to change.

My fear for what Christian school leaders might face in the future is that the changes that are being talked about will consume their time, energy and resources. As their attention is focused on face-to-face teaching, virtual instruction or some hybrid of the two, will they give equal or greater attention to God’s purpose for their existence?

As school boards and administrators adjust budgets, develop new strategic plans and prepare for what the new “normal” will look like, they must never allow the biblical foundation on which Christian schooling was long ago established to change.

Change has taken place and it will continue to do so in the days, months and years to come. However, God’s Word is eternal and never changes. We must make sure that we know, understand and remain committed to a biblical philosophy of education. We must also give priority to making sure our teachers and parents do the same.

You and I can’t stop change from happening. However, we can make sure that the convictions on which kingdom education is built never change.

We must make sure that we know, understand and remain committed to a biblical philosophy of education.

I close with some thoughts from Mohler’s book and from his May 12th The Briefing.

The loss of a secular institution is a shame. The loss of an institution founded on biblical truth is a tragedy.

If your Christian ministry does not state clearly what your beliefs are and make those obligatory throughout the institution, then you can basically just watch your institution collapse to the left.

I invite you to consider participating in this summer’s Kingdom School Institute. This year’s institute will be presented online. Find out more information and register here.

Also, I want to encourage your school to become a part of a fast-growing group of schools who are intentionally helping their board and staff members develop a biblical worldview by becoming a KEM Prime Member. Learn more about the wide variety of kingdom resources available to Prime Members here. To become a member, click KEM School Membership and receive a special school discount.

Finally, follow, like and share the information that is posted regularly on KEM’s ministry FaceBook page by clicking here.

Remember, God and His Word doesn’t change. There is not even the slightest turning of shadow with Him. This must also be true for Christian schools as they strive to fulfill God’s plan for educating future generations.

May 17

Examination Day

By Tim Euler | Public Blog

Are You Ready?

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 13:5 these words.

Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.

It is important to take some time every now and then and examine and test ourselves as to what we believe and how we live our lives. With the end of another school year upon us, this is a good time to do just that.

I want to ask you to respond to the 10 ideas that are presented below. As you read each one, simply determine if you would teach it to your children at home and/or would want your child to be taught this at your church. Let’s get started.

He/she is a good child but has made some bad decisions.
Morality is relative and is determined by community consensus.
Math is relative and right answers are arrived at by experts coming to consensus.
Man is a product of evolution and is, therefore, a result of time and chance.
You can be anything that you want to if you set your mind to it and try hard enough.
It is important that you determine your own identity by how you feel including your gender.
There is a body of knowledge that is spiritually neutral and is made up of neutral, observable facts.
There is no such thing as absolute truth or a universal meaning to life. You are to create your own meaning to everything. If someone claims that their truth is absolute, they are trying to control other people.
One must make decisions in life based on science which is the only means to know truth.
It is important to follow your heart and just be you.

How did you do? Were there some things that you believe should be taught to your children either at home or in church or at both places? The truth is that all 10 of these items are derived from a secular worldview. Some of them are more obvious than others but they all reflect a secular belief system that ignores or denies God and the spiritual realm.

I have found that most Christian parents and church leaders would reject the idea that these values and beliefs should be taught in their homes and/or churches. However, the vast majority of these same Christians have no problem with these and other similar beliefs being taught to their children at school.

Why would believers take a stand against such anti-biblical concepts being taught at home and church but are silent when they are taught in secular schools. In fact, they will go so far as to fully support these schools and enroll their children in them.

This reality is evidence of what I presented in my last two blog posts, Today’s Real Danger and The Disastrous Consequences of Dualism. It is one thing to know what dualism is and the dangers of it. It is something else to be able to identify it in our own lives.

Unfortunately, most of us have been tainted by a secular worldview and we don’t even know it has happened. This is because we live our religious life by some biblical principles and feel comfortable knowing that this area of our lives is based on truth. At the same time, a biblical worldview does not have any influence on all other areas of our lives.

Unfortunately, most of us have been tainted by a secular worldview and we don’t even know it has happened.

The more I talk with Christian school leaders, the more I have come to understand that this is a common reality with today’s Christian school board members, administrators and teachers. The result is Christian schools are not having the impact that they could have on students’ hearts and minds if dualism were defeated in their own lives.

It is time that we do something about this dangerous condition that is so prevalent in the western church today. The first step in reversing this dilemma is to identify one’s own worldview.

Renewanation has created a tool to help schools, churches, and families measure biblical worldview development. The ViewFinder is a discovery and development tool designed to help teenagers and adults understand what they believe about six areas of biblical worldview: God, the Bible, moral order, purpose, creation, and humanity.

This tool is a must for parents, church leaders and Christian educators to really understand what worldview they have adopted. Christian school leaders should use this tool as part of their teacher interview process and ongoing professional development plan for staff members.

I am excited to announce that Renewanation is providing a special discount to all individuals and schools who are KEM Prime Members. Over the next couple of days I will be sending a special discount code to all Prime Members that can be used when taking the ViewFinder.

I also want to encourage every school and/or individual to consider becoming a KEM Prime Member. All of the resources available to members have been designed to help Christians develop a biblical worldview and a biblical philosophy of education. I am offering deep discounts for both an individual and a school annual membership.

To find out how to become an individual KEM Prime Member at the discounted rate click here KEM Individual Membership

To find out how a school can become a KEM Prime Member at the discounted rate click here KEM School Membership

Let’s defeat dualism by renewing our minds and thinking and acting from a biblical worldview.

May 10

The Disastrous Consequences of Dualism

By Tim Euler | Public Blog, Uncategorized

The Decay of Christianity

We are living in a world that is spinning out of control. There seems to be no absolute guidelines that determine right and wrong. Even Christians seem to be floundering in a sea of uncertainty. Last week I shared how many Christians have developed a dualistic belief system where life is divided into two compartments — the secular and the sacred.

Unfortunately, the consequences of trying to live a dualistic life go unnoticed but they are disastrous in a couple of ways. One of these consequences has to do with our personal lives.

In his book, The Rest of Your Life, Patrick Morley tells the story of a man who had succumbed to dualism. In this account, the man knew that,

…he had stopped growing spiritually long ago. He had completely separated his faith from his work and social life. All in all, Christianity was still privately engaging to him but an irrelevant factor in his day-to-day world.

Whenever one attempts to live his/her life by two different worldview, he/she finds that life cannot have any overarching purpose. Life is fragmented with no cohesive belief system to bring meaning and purpose to one’s existence. Without God and truth, there is no one or thing that one can turn to for meaning and purpose.

When one attempts to live his life by two different worldview, he finds that life cannot have any overarching purpose. Life is fragmented with no cohesive belief system to bring meaning and purpose to one’s existence.

The reason why this disastrous consequence will always be a result of dualism is simple. The beliefs of a secular worldview and those of a biblical one are in total opposition to one another. As Morley points out,

They are radically different and opposite systems of how to approach life, meaning, reality, values, ethics, justice, relationships, eternity, God, and man. As systems, they have no points in common and a wall of ideology separates them.

James understood this when, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote,

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God…But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:5-8 (NKJV)

When a majority of Christians divide their lives up into the secular and sacred departments, Christianity loses its power.

When a person does not believe that God’s Word should control all of one’s life, that person is double-minded. Consequently, a double-minded person is unstable in ALL his ways, not just in some ways. This is because when one’s interests are divided, one’s heart also becomes divided.

The second consequence that results when a Christian tries to live a dualistic life is even more disastrous. This is because dualism in one’s life will be reflected in one’s religion. When a majority of Christians divide their lives up into the secular and sacred compartments, Christianity loses its power.

Morley, once again, brings this to light when he writes,

The choices we make brand us; we are the sum of our decisions…Everyone’s life makes a statement about what is important to him…for many Christians the statement is this: My Christianity doesn’t work.

Why is this true? It is because, no matter how hard one tries, one cannot completely separate two opposing worldviews. Unfortunately, the secular worldview will always influence a biblical worldview. It has been long understood that a major problem in western Christianity is symbolized by the word “syncretism.”

The dictionary defines syncretism as the attempt or tendency to combine or reconcile differing philosophical or religious beliefs. It is trying to have the best of two worlds – the secular and the sacred. In reality, many Christians today have tried to develop a form of Christianity by blending in beliefs and values from other religions.

Again, God’s Word warns us about the danger of this type of worship. He constantly warned the Israelites not to “intermarry” with the people around them. The reason for this was because He knew that it would lead to dualism and pollute their worship.

The Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods. 1 Kings 11:2 (NKJV)

Intermarrying is syncretism and the result is always the same. It will turn one’s heart away from God and towards other gods. The result is we merely become cultural Christians. How does God look at cultural Christians? The Psalmist puts it this way.

But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; they served their idols, which became a snare to them. Psalm 106:35-36 (NKJV)

We are reaping the consequences that are a result of decades of sowing a dualistic worldview into generations of young people. A growing number of Christians are frustrated by dysfunctional lives that lack significant meaning and purpose. Young people are walking away from Christianity because when they look at adults they see their lives telling them, My Christianity Doesn’t Work!

Everyone’s life makes a statement about what is important to him…for many Christians the statement is this: My Christianity doesn’t work.

We must destroy dualism in our lives before it is too late. Every remnant of cultural Christianity must be eradicated completely by the complete renewing of one’s mind where every thought is brought into captivity of Christ or the Word.

Stay tuned there is more to come next week when I will ask some questions to see whether or not we are infected with the virus of dualism.

May 03

Today’s Real Danger

By Tim Euler | Public Blog

The Great Divide

If I have been asked this question once, I have been asked it hundreds of times. It is asked most often after I have presented information about how dangerous secular education is to our children’s and grandchildren’s future.

Why are Christian parents, pastors and church leaders unwilling to address the issue of education biblically?

Having been asked this so many times and trying to prayerfully answer it, I have come to the conclusion that the main reason this isn’t happening is DUALISM! This is a term that I first read about in the late Dr. Albert Greene’s book, Recapturing the Future of Christian Education.

This same concept is also referred to as the secular/sacred divide and compartmentalization. Those who tie this practice back to ancient Greek philosophers might refer to it as a two-story approach to life.

Simply put, dualism is the practice of dividing one’s life up into two separate compartments — the secular and the sacred and then living each compartment from a different worldview perspective. The result is a fragmented life that has no ultimate meaning. Life simply cannot make sense when dualism is present.

Last week I read a challenging article by Dr. Jim Denison. In the article Denison makes this statement.

Dualism is the practice of dividing one’s life up into two separate compartments; the secular and the sacred and then living each compartment from a different worldview perspective.

Our problem is not atheism, the claim that God does not exist and is therefore irrelevant to every dimension of our lives and world. Our problem is pluralism, the claim that there are many gods and that each should be trusted and served where appropriate. (emphasis mine)

He went on to state,

We have inherited it (from ancient Greece and Rome) in a much more subtle fashion with our gods of Sunday religion and Monday secularism.

Do you see the dualism in his statements? We live life by our Sunday worldview and our Monday through Saturday worldview. I have thought that this dangerous way of trying to live life by two different belief systems was somewhat new. However, it has caused man problems ever since the Fall.

I am currently reading through 1 and 2 Kings during my quiet time. As I was studying 2 Kings 17, it hit me. Dualism was a problem during the time of the kings of Israel.

Israel had fallen to the Assyrians and were taken captive. The king of Assyria sent some of his people to inhabit the cities of Samaria. When these pagan worshippers arrived in Samaria, the Lord sent lions that attacked and killed some of them.

We have inherited it in a much more subtle fashion with our gods of Sunday religion and Monday secularism.

The Assyrians sent word back to the king and told them that some of their companions had been killed by lions because they do not know the custom of the god of the land. So, they wanted the king to send some of the Israelites back to teach them the custom of the god of the land.

Some priests who had been taken into captivity were sent back to Samaria and they taught them (Assyrians) how they should fear the Lord. When I first read this, I found it fascinating that these pagan worshippers recognized that they needed to know the customs of the “god” of Israel. However, they didn’t want to leave their way of life all together in order to follow God. Here is what happened.

However every nation continued to make gods of its own, and put them in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made. 2 Kings 17:29 (NKJV)

The Scriptures go on to describe what became the way of life for these Assyrians after the priests taught them how to fear the Lord.

So they feared the Lord, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. They feared the Lord, yet served their own gods—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. 2 Kings 17:32-33 (NKJV)

Here dualism is clearly described in Scripture. They tried to both fear the Lord YET serve their own gods. They attempted to live according to two worldviews or religions. When I saw this, I realized that even the kings of Judah who did right in the sight of the Lord were guilty of adopting a secular/sacred divide in their lives. One example of how a “good” king tried to live with a dualistic belief system is Jehoash.

Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 2 Kings 12:2-3 (NKJV)

This dangerous lifestyle was repeated by other kings such as Jotham (see 2 Kings 15:34-35). I was amazed at how, time and time again, kings would tear down the altars and statues of Baal and Asherah but they allowed the “high places” to remain. Of course, in every one of these cases God was not pleased and eventually brought judgement on the nation.

Unfortunately, we have not learned from the poor examples like I just mentioned. I agree with Denison that Christians no longer are “setting up a figured stone in our land.” However, we are too often guilty of worshipping God on Sunday and then trusting and serving our secular gods where appropriate during the rest of the week.

I am as guilty of this as the next person. There are those areas of my life that I find that I have yet not surrendered to a biblical worldview. As long as they remain, I am like the Assyrians in 2 Kings 17. I want to “fear God” so I am protected from lions. But I also want to fit into the culture by continuing to live my “secular” life just like everyone else.

We are too often guilty of worshipping God on Sunday and then trusting and serving our secular gods where appropriate during the rest of the week.

In fact, I realize that when I come under conviction for the dualism in my life, instead of tearing down the high places and surrendering them to a biblical worldview, I do something very subtle but still sinful. I will try to intensify my “Sunday life” so that I can still live out the secular side of my life with less guilt.

God will never work the work that He wants to do in, through and around us as long as we are not fully following Him in every area of our lives. The question we must ask ourselves today is this.

Am I guilty of fashioning gods of Sunday religion and Monday secularism?

It is imperative that we develop a biblical worldview and allow it to direct our thinking and acting in every area of life throughout every day of life.

Please follow us and like us on FaceBook. The next Kingdom Nugget will be posted Thursday!

Apr 25

The War Against Christianity

By Tim Euler | Public Blog

One thing that I have become keenly aware of during our current stay-at-home condition is that the cosmic battle of worldviews is becoming more intense. One example of this is an article that hit the news this past week. The timing of the release of this article is interesting considering the fact that school buildings are closed and children are being educated while having to stay at home.

The article I am referring to was published in the May/June issue of Harvard Magazine. The author presents the views of Elizabeth Bartholet, a law professor at Harvard. Bartholet views homeschooling as a threat and suggests that it be banned. Even the picture headlining the article depicts a homeschooled child in prison while other children, supposedly not homeschooled, are outside playing and having fun.

It is interesting that the “jail” holding this child is made up of books. These books are labeled Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Bible. I found it intriguing that a “Science” book was not included. Of course, it made sense when the professor described the typical homeschool parent as people who “question science.”

The backlash from the article has been swift and strong. However, most of the responses to this anti-homeschool article have merely defended homeschooling. Please know that I also believe that homeschooling is a parent’s God-given right and should be protected.

However, what has alarmed me in some ways is the fact that the article and Bartholet are attacking something much more important than the practice of homeschooling. This article is attacking Christianity. This is evident when Bartholet is quoted, (all emphases mine)

Surveys of homeschoolers show that a majority of such families (by some estimates, up to 90 percent) are driven by conservative Christian beliefs, and seek to remove their children from mainstream culture…some of these parents are “extreme religious ideologues” who question science and promote female subservience and white supremacy.

This is the crux of the worldview battle that is intensifying throughout today’s culture. Christianity or a biblical worldview is the real focus of the article’s attack.

This article isn’t the only evidence that we are engaged in a cosmic battle between God’s truth claims and Satan’s deceptive lies. Let me share some other hard evidence of the war that is raging against biblical truth. Here are some statements that have been made by government leaders this past week. These statements are all related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Science can’t do anything. Science is merely studying the creation ordinances by which God created and sustains the universe.

The ultimate victory in this war will be made possible by America’s scientific brilliance. POTUS

This crisis has shown that government matters. Expertise matters. Science matters. NY Governor Cuomo

…a group of highly qualified evolutionary virologists looked at the sequences there and the sequences in bats as they evolve, and the mutations that it took to get to the point where it is now totally consistent with a jump of a species from an animal to a human. Dr. Fauci

If these statements don’t alarm us, then this statement will surely wake us up.

The number is down because we brought the number down. God did not do that. Faith did not do that. Destiny did not do that. A lot of pain and suffering did that . . . That’s how it works. It’s math. And if you don’t continue to do that, you’re going to see that number go back up. And that will be a tragedy… NY Governor Cuomo

I want to make myself clear about where I stand on these issues. Science can’t do anything. Science is merely studying the creation ordinances by which God created and sustains the universe. The same is true when you see a program on the Weather Channel titled, When Weather Changed History. Weather hasn’t and can’t change anything. God can and has used weather to change history but weather has no power of its own.

People can use science to accomplish many wonderful things. However, that doesn’t tell the whole story. This can only happen because man, created in the image of God, has been given the ability, from God, to research, discover and synthesize things such as vaccines etc.

In most of these statements, the implication is that man is autonomous. Other than Cuomo’s bold statement that God didn’t do anything, the others simply ignore God’s existence and His involvement in the affairs of man.

Getting back to the original article mentioned in this post, it must be noted that the Bartholet and a professor from the College of William and Mary are holding a summit at Harvard. This summit, according to reports, is by invitation only and is called, The Homeschooling Summit: Problems, Politics, and Prospects for Reform.

The co-sponsor of the summit, Dr. James Dwyer, has made the following statements in interviews and written reviews.

The state needs to be the ultimate guarantor of a child’s wellbeing. There is no alternative to that. The reason why parent child relationships exist is because the state confers legal parenthood on people through its paternal and maternity laws. It is the state that is empowering parents to do anything with children – to take them home, have custody and to make any kind of decisions about that.

…the claim that parents should have child-rearing rights—rather than simply being permitted to perform parental duties and to make certain decisions on a child’s behalf in accordance with the child’s rights—is inconsistent with principles deeply embedded in our law and morality.

Education isn’t about academics, athletics or fine arts. It is about worldview formation.

I have been pounding the drum for years that education is never neutral. All education is driven by the desire of one group of people to instill certain beliefs and values into the next generation. Education isn’t about academics, athletics or fine arts. It is about worldview formation.

Again, Bartholet’s own words illustrate that education is about instilling one’s beliefs and values in young hearts and minds.

From the beginning of compulsory education in this country, we have thought of the government as having some right to educate children so that they become active, productive participants in the larger society. This involves in part giving children the knowledge to eventually get jobs and support themselves. But it’s also important that children grow up exposed to community values, social values, democratic values, ideas about nondiscrimination and tolerance of other people’s viewpoints.

The problem with many Christians is that they have not gone through the process of renewing their minds. Therefore, they do not think and act from a biblical worldview. The devastating result of this is that parents, church leaders and educators are not equipped to instill a biblical worldview in the next generation’s hearts and minds.

People can use science to accomplish many wonderful things…because man, created in the image of God, has been given the ability, from God, to research, discover and synthesize things such as vaccines etc.

I am fully aware of the challenges we are currently facing due to the restrictions that have been placed on our lives because of this pandemic. However, parents, church leaders and educators must be trained to know and embrace a biblical philosophy of education by developing a biblical worldview.

If you or your school is not already a KEM Prime Member, I urge you to consider becoming one today. The resources that are available to members have been developed to accomplish this very task. School heads can email me to find out about special pricing that is being offered right now.

We cannot afford to lose this battle! The future of our children and grandchildren hangs in the balance!

Apr 19

Keeping An Eternal Perspective

By Tim Euler | Public Blog, Uncategorized

When life is unpredictable, it is often easy to lose perspective. There are many people who are struggling with staying positive with the lifestyle changes that have been thrust upon them due to COVID-19. Even though it seems like our lives have been turned upside down, God has a purpose that He wants you and me to fulfill today. In order to accomplish His purpose in our lives, we must keep an eternal perspective about life.

Paul wrote something that most Christians have memorized and recited on different occasions. It is a very simple statement; but it it needs to have a profound impact on how we live our lives.

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 (NKJV)

In these few words, God gives us clear direction on how we are to live our lives regardless of what we might be facing. The first part of this verse tells us that we are to live our lives as a reflection of Jesus Christ. John puts it this way.

He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 (NKJV)

When we walk as Jesus walked then everyone around us will see Christ in us. This is what Paul meant when he said that to live is Christ. But what is he saying in the second part of the verse — to die is gain. Paul is telling us that we should live our lives in such a way that people would see that we view death as something that is profitable and better than being alive. Of course, this view of “death is gain” is based on the hope that we have in eternal live.

In this passage, Paul was wrestling with deciding if it would be better to be alive or to die and enter eternity in Christ’s presence. We know that because he wrote:

If you are still alive, your purpose has yet to be fulfilled.

But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Philippians 1:22-23 (NKJV)

I find these words amazing. Paul declared that if he continued to live here on earth, it would mean that he would experience fruitful labor or ministry. As you and I wake up each morning, do we do so with the perspective that being alive means that we are going have fruitful ministry?

I believe that there are many of us that struggle with experiencing this type of life in the midst of COVID-19. I wonder if some of us think that this is fine for Paul to say but I am in self-isolation and have to do everything online. I can’t be with my students, I can only try and teach them through online instruction. In fact, I can’t even go to church and worship with other believers and have to live stream services over the internet.

If you and I think we have it tough under the current stay-at-home restrictions, we forget that when Paul wrote this epistle, he was in greater isolation than we are — he was in prison! Even in our current COVID-19 circumstances, if God has us here, He has fruitful ministry for us to fulfill. Author, Andy Andrews, once said that if we are still alive, our purpose has yet to be fulfilled.

I know what you might be asking. How can I have fruitful ministry in these circumstances? Paul explained what his fruitful ministry would be as long as he remained alive on the earth.

Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith… Philippians 1:24-25 (NKJV)

Make a list of the people that you know who make it necessary for you to remain alive.

The NASB puts it this way. Yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. Paul understood a marvelous truth. God was keeping him here on earth because it was necessary for the sake of others. There are other people who make it necessary for you and me to remain here on earth.

What is that necessity that causes God to keep us alive, even while struggling with COVID-19? It is for the progress and joy of someone’s faith. It isn’t for my progress and joy but for others.

Don’t Let COVID-19 Get You Down

A couple of years ago, I started a simple little routine to help me keep the right perspective when beginning a new day. I would sit down and ask God to bring some people’s names to my mind. As He did, I would write them down and then thank the Lord that for these people’s sake You have be alive today. Then, I would pray and ask God to show me how I could help them progress with joy in their faith.

It is my prayer that you will develop an eternal perspective that will give you direction each and every day. Make a list of the people that you know who make it necessary for you to remain alive. Next, ask God to show you what only you can do to help them progress in their faith.

If God could do this in Paul’s life while he was in prison, He can do it while you are confined to your home because of COVID-19. Today, I realize that one reason I remain in the flesh is because it is more necessary for YOUR sake! It is my prayer that this blog and other things that God allows me to do will help you grow with joy in your walk with the Lord.

Apr 03

What Are You Trusting In?

By Tim Euler | Public Blog, Uncategorized

Is God Teaching Us Something?

I have heard from many Christian school leaders over the past couple of weeks. There are two things that these men and women have taught me about the leadership challenges they have been facing due to COVID-19. The first thing that caught my attention is that they have been overwhelmed by the task before them. One administrator explained how his days were much longer since the pandemic outbreak and the work is extremely hard.

The second thing that has been mentioned by everyone I hear from is how amazed they are by what God is doing in their lives and their schools. This pandemic has caused us to realize that God’s work is too difficult for any of us and can only be accomplished by our daily dying to self and following Him.

A pastor posted a blog a couple of weeks ago that cut me to the bone. He wrote,

There is a phenomenon happening right now during the Coronavirus crisis that we must not miss. God is systematically stripping every god, every idol we worship, and He’s doing it all across the world. Taken away from us are our idols of sports, entertainment, health, wealth, position, and power. One-by-one we find that the things we looked to for life and meaning are suddenly gone, stripped away by a marauding army of germs that we cannot even see. Dr. Bill Eliff

God has been bringing to my mind verses of Scripture that have caused me to ask an important question. Glen, what are you putting your hope and confidence in? I wonder if all of us have been guilty of worshipping some false gods. I am learning that worshipping false gods doesn’t necessarily mean that we become pagan atheists who deny the existence of God. In fact, I am realizing afresh that I can be heavily involved in ministry for God and be guilty of idol worship. Pause and reflect on the following verses.

What Are Today’s Horses & Chariots?

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin; who walk to go down to Egypt, and have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Isaiah 30:2

For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water…And now why take the road to Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River? Jeremiah 2:13; 18

God is systematically stripping away every idol we worship; idols of sports, entertainment, health, wealth, position, and power. Things we looked to for life & meaning; stripped away by a marauding army of germs we can’t even see.

Whatever I trust in the most is what I worship. This has been a sobering thought for me to ponder over the past few weeks. Have I worshiped my work, this blog and my website because I trusted in them and not God? Has God had to strip away some idols that had slowly replaced Him? Because I am facing a financial hit due to cancelled events etc., am I looking to the government to get me through this crisis? These have been some tough questions that have caused me to carefully examine my life.

Sometimes we think that all idols are bad things that we chase after. The truth be known, idols can be somethings that are good. Remember when God told Abraham to take his only son, Isaac, and sacrifice him on an altar. A son is not something evil. Every child, according to Psalm 127, is a gift from the Lord. However, God had something big in store for Abraham and He tested him to make sure the gift of a son that He gave him had not become an idol. God stopped Abraham from sacrificing his son with these words.

And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me. Genesis 22:12

As God has been stripping away a lot of idols through this pandemic, has it caused us to get back to the what God says is most important? I have been reminded that we have been created to know God and glory in His presence. I am praying that we are having to get back to what the bottom line purpose that Christian education is to accomplish.

It was 20-25 years ago when I sat in a devotion that Mark Kennedy, ACSI Eastern Canada Director, was giving. I was there in Prince Edward Island to speak at Mark’s summer institute.

Mark challenged the Christian school leaders in attendance with some penetrating questions. If the economy completely collapsed, what is your school doing now that you would stop doing in order to stay open and provide your students with a Christian education? What programs would we cut out? What activities would we forgo/forsake/go without so that you could remain open? What budget cuts would we be willing to make?

I have been reminded that we have been created to know God and glory in His presence.

It was interesting to hear what administrators would cut or limit in order to remain open. It is these things that could easily become objects of worship in our schools. Think about some things that we have highly valued in Christian education that God has stripped away from us during this season. As I mention them, I am not being critical of any of these things in and of themselves. I am simply asking you to evaluate what you and your school have put your trust in. These things may be our modern-day horses and chariots. Are we guilty of idol worship because we have trusted in:

academic excellence where our measure of excellence is only horizontal based on comparing and competing with other schools?
athletic, fine arts and other similar programs that we see as giving our schools respectability in the world?
facilities that are first class? Whether a school is meeting in modular buildings or multi-million-dollar complexes, there is one thing they all have in common. All of our facilities are currently sitting empty.
budgets that allow us to offer the best in technology and other instructional resources? With many schools having to move to a digital learning environment, if we are simply trusting technology, God can strip that away as easily as He has done other idols.
(you fill in the blank) _______________________________?

This pandemic will most likely come to an end in the not too distant future. What will happen when we get back to “normal” is yet to be seen. If everything is restored, in what or who will we put our hope and trust? This, I believe, is the critical question on which hangs the sustainability of Christian education. We need to commit ourselves to siding with Joshua in his farewell challenge to Israel.

As for me and my house (school), we WILL serve the Lord!

Mar 26

Panic Over Toilet Paper

By Tim Euler | Public Blog

Why?

The coronavirus pandemic has turned life upside down in many ways. With schools closing, many teachers have had to resort to online learning as a means to keep students up-to-date with their studies. Many people are trying to balance watching their children and working from home. Others are suffering withdrawal pangs as most sports venues have been shut down.

One of the common practices that seems to take place whenever there is a hint of disruption of everyday life is being witnessed all round the world. This practice can be seen when a major storm, such as snow or a hurricane, is forecasted. It is also seen when there is a threat of an economic collapse. Currently, we see it happening with the panic over COVID-19.

What is this practice? It is what is called panic buying. I can remember moving from Buffalo, NY to Lynchburg, VA many years ago. During one of my basketball practices I was informed that I had to shut down practice immediately because of a snow storm that was approaching. I couldn’t believe that I had to close practice when it was just starting to flurry in Roanoke, over 50 miles away.

As I drove home on completely dry streets, I saw grocery stores packed with customers rushing in to prepare for the “big” storm. Within hours, store shelves that once were filled with bread and milk were stripped bare.

Panic buying took an unexpected turn with this new crisis. What item have people rushed to purchase? What was this necessity that caused fights between grown adults and shopping carts to be filled to overflowing? It was toilet paper!

We are a couple of weeks into fighting this dangerous virus and what is everyone talking about? You guessed it — toilet paper. As I recently watched several church services streamed over the internet, the only common topic that just about every pastor mentioned was the binge buying of toilet paper.

A couple of days ago, I joined 50-75 other shoppers waiting for Walmart to open its doors. When the doors were finally opened, I watched grown men and women race down aisles and even climb over and/or through empty shelves hoping to buy this scarce commodity. The rush for toilet paper screeched to a halt when shoppers got to where they thought they would find their pot of gold only to find empty shelves.

Empty Shelves

Everyone I come in contact with is asking the same question related to this unusual shortage. Why toilet paper? Well, I wanted to see if I could find an answer to this phenomenon that I had been witnessing. In my research, I came across an article, Here is why people are panic buying and stockpiling toilet paper to cope with coronavirus fears.

In this article, one psychologist explained this unusual behavior this way.

“It’s about ‘taking back control’ in a world where you feel out of control,” he said. “More generally, panic buying can be understood as playing to our three fundamental psychology needs.”

I quickly read through the article to find out what are man’s three fundamental psychology needs. When I read them, I realized they are all related to how God created us and how sin has distorted and twisted His magnificent creation. Here is why there is a rush for toilet paper around the world today. It is because man has an insatiable need for:

Autonomy — the need to be in control
Relatedness — panic buying is seen as “we shopping” vs “me shopping”
Competence — people want to be known as “smart” shoppers

In the article another psychologist explained why people were filling their shopping carts with toilet paper. His explanation was that the bigger the fear, the bigger the item everyone rushes to buy. In this case, one of the biggest packages you will find in a grocery store is toilet paper.

Throughout human history, every person is born with a sin nature. That nature is driven by the desire to be autonomous – to be like God.

As the entire world tries to navigate through this pandemic, one can witness the best and the worse of human nature. I found it fascinating to read how the main reason for the rush to buy as much toilet paper as possible is man’s need to be autonomous. The reality is that this drive to be autonomous has its origin in what happened in Eden at the beginning of human history (see Genesis 3). Satan tempted Eve with the possibility for her to become autonomous and in complete control.

Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5 (NKJV)

Throughout human history, every person is born with a sin nature. That nature is driven by the desire to be autonomous — to be like God. This is the driving force behind the theory of evolution. If man is merely a product of time and chance, then there is no supernatural being that created everything. Man, therefore, can do whatever he desires. To be human is to be autonomous. He, in essence, is his own god.

The drive to be autonomous only leads to captivity and loss of freedom. God created man to be not only free but also dependent.

Even if science indicates that there must have been a designer behind creation, the autonomous man will not allow that to even be considered. Why? It is because if one has to admit that there is someone who designed and created the universe, he/she is, then, accountable to that person. Fallen man recoils at the very thought that he is accountable to someone other than himself. The autonomous person believes that this is the only way to experience freedom.

Therefore, man must prove to himself that he is autonomous and he is in complete of his life. The resulting action is to show the world that I can get everything I need, including toilet paper, by my own efforts. Man, on his own, will survive any crisis by whatever it takes. The survival of the fittest mentality is built on the idea that man must do whatever it takes to survive. This carries with it the belief that there really isn’t any absolute right or wrong.

Unfortunately, the drive to be autonomous only leads to captivity and loss of freedom. God created man to be not only free but also dependent. True freedom only comes from living one’s life in total submission to the One who created him/her.

The Bible is full of proof that the only way to be free is to submit to God. Consider the following examples.

Israel lived in freedom through submission to God. Throughout the OT one finds God going before and/or fighting for His people.
Paul experienced true freedom but considered himself a bondservant to Christ. He also submitted himself to God when he wrote that he could do all things through Christ who was his strength.
Jesus declared that we can do nothing unless we fully abide in Him.

It is freeing to focus on the sovereign God of the universe and simply follow Him as He directs one’s path.

When Jesus addressed man’s worrying over clothing, food and shelter, He told his disciples that they needed to seek His kingdom first. Then, Jesus said all your needs will be added to your life. What Jesus was saying was that when you seek God’s kingdom reign in your life, your needs will be met.

I don’t need to rush to the store to hoard toilet paper or any other product. I merely have to trust God to meet my needs and live my life in submission to His will. It is freeing to focus on the sovereign God of the universe and simply follow Him as He directs one’s path. I don’t have to panic. I don’t have to buy everything I can get my hands on. I simply have to seek His kingdom first and watch Him provide everything I need — even toilet paper!

My Response To Today’s Turmoil

What Language Will Future Generations Speak?

What Will Change?

Examination Day

The Disastrous Consequences of Dualism

Today’s Real Danger

The War Against Christianity

Keeping An Eternal Perspective

What Are You Trusting In?

Panic Over Toilet Paper

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