What is the Unpardonable Sin?

I have never been a fan of John MacArthur because he is such a crackpot disguised as a theologian. Of course there are some things he has right but his latest book and conference Strange Fire reminds me what a nut he can be. So now that I am done with a little name calling (yes, I feel better) let me get to my point.

MacArthur throws out the baby with the bath water. Sure there are many excesses in the Charismatic stuff but his type of people (Calvinist) have many problems of their own too.

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But here is my point: in looking down his nose at a huge crowd and movement, MacArthur may be putting himself in danger of committing the Unpardonable Sin.

Many people wonder what the Unpardonable Sin is and many answer incorrectly. The usual wrong answer is unbelief. The right answer is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. So if the Holy Spirit is behind some of the things MacArthur attributes to an unholy or false spirit, well you get my point.

Here is the Scripture; Jesus explains the Unpardonable Sin:

Then a demon- oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. And all the people were amazed, and said, "Can this be the Son of David?" But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, "It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons." Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. Or how can someone enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
Mat 12:22-32

Well that's it. Fire away.

Philip

Managing Circus Animals and Addiction

I was thinking of addiction in relation to circus animals. There can be the illusion of them being tamed and under control but they will always be wild and unpredictable. If you let down your guard, destruction is inevitable.

Addiction: Does that make you think of someone else or yourself? Does it make you think of a drug addict? Are you honest enough or broken enough to admit that you are addicted to something or maybe many things? Does that question cause you to bristle?

Think of these examples: The arrest of former Arapahoe County Sheriff Pat Sullivan is one. He was busted for trading Meth for sex.  And what about Pastor Ted Haggard and his involvement with Meth and a gay prostitute. Both guys were successful professionals in important positions. The fall of both is a shock to the public and those close to them.

You may feel sorry for these guys or you may feel they are low-life scumbags. What we need to do is see ourselves in them. Most likely what we see will be different but probably no less dangerous.

I have been around long enough to see that every one of us has a cage somewhere with some animals in it. At times we put on grandiose glasses and imagine we run the greatest show on earth. There we are with our hat and tails, whip and chair in hand. We imagine we are in control.

What is it? Sex, gambling, porn, drugs and alcohol are some we recognize. One of mine is food. I'm also addicted to complaining and tearing other people down. That addiction does incredible damage in my family.

We don't want to think of ourselves as addicts. Maybe we call it by another name like compulsion or bad habits. As Christians we want to think we are free from these things, that in Christ we can master and not be mastered.

We can be free when we remember that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Apart from Him we have no life or power. And just because we are Christians doesn't mean all is rosy.

We can be free when we let Jesus run the show. We have to admit we can't tame the animals and learn what surrender really means. The surrender we normally practice is one full of conditions and usually keeps our hands on the whip and chair. We don't really want to admit the seriousness of the mess we are in. What we think is with a little help from God we can get this thing under control. Another illusion is that the thing we keep having a problem with isn't such a big deal. At least it's not like... The truth is that if we keep having a problem with something then it's obvious we are not the master we thought we were.

There are times in addiction where we get caught or are confronted in some way. If we reject those opportunities for freedom we get ensnared a little more. I would bet that both Pat Sullivan and Ted Haggard had many "close calls" before their spectacular falls.

Let me give an example: a guy gets caught looking at porn by his wife. Big commotion ensues, assurances are given, etc. Usually the last thing he wants is for anyone else to know. But that might be the only hope for long-term change. In community we find strength; isolation keeps us in the cage with the animals. The initial exposure gives him the merciful opportunity for real help. The fantasy of managing it on your own just sets you up for further trouble.

Exposure is the best hope for becoming free from your addiction. That can be voluntary or not. When we hide things they usually build to a point where something spectacular happens and at that point the snare might be so tight that the chance of freedom fades.

So here is the point: don’t hide when the little exposure happens. See it as a chance to lay your life bare with some people who can really help. For guys, a safe place to be real is the Samson Society. It’s an environment that is rare in Christian circles and is an amazing tool for a life of freedom.

Philip

A Tribute To My Dad

This was written for my Dad's funeral.

Al Faustin

Born: May 8, 1913

Gone with Jesus: September 26, 2004

Psalm 116:15 says: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. Two weeks ago, I asked Dad if it was exciting to be getting ready to be with Jesus. His response was that he was looking forward to “adoring Him forever.” That’s how Dad lived his life too.

For many years, I saw in Dad what I wanted to be. Several things stood out: his selflessness, self-sacrifice and willingness to give. Dad had found the secret joy of living his life for others.

Dad’s theology had become biography; it wasn’t just words to him. I learned from Dad that you can’t out give God. Sometimes I thought that he had a hard time accepting things or help from others but what I found out was that he was always looking for a way to give. You would give him something or do something for him and he would look for a way to bless you in return. Many times that took the form of money. I had to learn to gracefully accept it so that his joy could be full.

Dad could receive with gracefulness too. Many times I would get something for him and when presenting it tell him it was a present; then he knew he just had to quietly receive it. Awhile back during the summer he was telling me how when he was going to bed he would get the house nice and cool with the swamp cooler. Then he would wake up and it was too cool so he would have to get up and shut it off. Then he was wide-awake. The next day I got him a remote control so he wouldn’t have to get up. He was so amazed with such a device and thankful for it.

Proverbs 11:24-25 says: One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessings will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. As the end drew near, I thought it was going to be a hard time for us to provide the care Dad needed in order for him to die at home, as he wanted to. In the end, I for one received far more from him than I ever could have given. It’s kind of hard to explain but it’s as if Biblical truth that I had formerly acknowledged has now become much closer. I truly see that it is more blessed to give than to receive. The cry from my heart is that the truths that I learned from my Dad’s life will forever become a part of me.

Selflessness was a hallmark of Dad’s life. He was always thinking of others and how he could help them. In his last two weeks he needed help to and from the bathroom. At first, he would use his walker and then we ended up having to get him in the wheel chair and take him to the bathroom door. From there it was about six steps to the toilet. We had a portable toilet but he didn’t want to use it. The day before he died, I was helping him back to the wheelchair and the pain in his chest and legs was so intense that he was crying. Once we were back to his chair and the pain subsided all he could say was that he thought he had hurt me. He said, “I almost killed you.” That was Dad; in intense agony and worried about someone else. We then decided that like it or not, we were going to make him use the portable. Later that night my son reported that Dad really thought it was a help. He said that he had resisted because he thought it would be harder for us. So what we thought was stubbornness was really selflessness.

St Francis said: Preach the gospel wherever you go; when necessary use words. Dad’s life was his message. Several weeks ago, when it was clear that we were nearing the end of Dad’s life I prayed that he would go quickly and without suffering. Then I was reminded that his whole life had been full of suffering and adversity. What made me think it was going to change at this point? He constantly reminded us that we must take up our cross daily. I realized that the things he went through helped make him the wonderful man that he was. Then I realized that I was probably praying that prayer more for my sake than his.

When Jesus was beaten and died on the cross, what He suffered was not for Him or because of Him but for us. In the morning of Dad’s last two days, he said that he didn’t know someone could have so much pain and live. If you knew him, you know that for him to say that, the pain had to be incredible. Yet, he didn’t complain or whine. He accepted it and went on with his day. On Sunday when he died, the pain never let up until he drifted into the sleep where he died a couple of hours later. An interesting thing was that the sermon Dad heard on TV the morning of his death was on Job. How fitting.

Dad’s suffering had a purpose too. It let us see that his character was the same no matter what. He didn’t change when the fire was turned up. His pain was for our gain. I realized this week that because Dad needed help the last two years I was able to see him almost every day. What a gift that was. The blessing I received had a price for him though; he was no longer mobile like he had been. He was now the recipient of care rather than the one who was able to care for so many others.

So as I sum it up in my mind I realize that the reason Dad was such a great guy was not because he was born that way but because he was a humble and devoted follower of Jesus. As he followed, he was molded and changed into the man we love and will now miss so much.

Second Corinthians 5:15 says: Christ died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. There is Dad’s message to us.

Psalms 90:12 says: Teach us to number our days so that we may present to you a heart of wisdom. Dad lived 33379 days and especially in the later part of his life received each one as a gift. His wisdom I will treasure always.

It is a privilege to have known him, to be his son and to know that I get to spend eternity with him.

Well done good and faithful servant!

Philip

Tribute to my Mom

My experience with motherhood was different from many people. I was given up for adoption as a baby. I was adopted at three months old by Al and Ida Faustin. I have always been thankful that abortion was not common in my birth year like it is today. If it had been, I probably would not have survived.

My mother Ida could not have children. She always had various medical problems and as a result lost the ability to give birth herself. Yet, she desperately wanted to be a mother. My dad and she adopted three children. I was in the middle. An interesting thing is that the earliest memory I have is being at the orphanage when we got my sister. I would have been about three years old. I have several snapshots in my mind from that time. One was going through the orphanage looking at different kids; one was sitting in a courtroom and another of my new sister in the front seat between my mom and dad looking back at my brother and me when we took her home. She had a huge smile on her face.

My mother was sick a lot. She had rheumatic fever as a child and many other health problems. From what I heard, there were many surgeries and hospitalizations. As a child, I remember many of those. It seemed that even when she was home, much of the time she wasn’t very well. I’m sure that made it very hard to be the mother she always wanted to be.

My mom died when I was 15. That changed things dramatically around our house. It made the job harder for my dad but I know he did everything he could to provide structure and care for us. I am absolutely thankful for the parents God provided for me. They were devoted to God and to their family.

Here is a line from a poem that many of us have heard: The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world. Here is the rest of it:

They say that man is mighty,
He governs land and sea,
He wields a mighty scepter
O'er lesser powers than he.
But a mighty power and stronger
Man from his throne has hurled:
For the hand that rocks the cradle
is the hand that rules the world.
-William Wallace

What truth! Be thankful for a good mother. And something so important for today is for us to recognize and support motherhood. It’s value has been diminished both in and out of the church. We need to bring it back.

Even Mother’s Day has been diluted in the church. Something that bugs me is that it is not the big deal it used to be. There may be a mention but then we get on to other things. Or, it is broadened to cover all woman because we don’t want to exclude the infertile, the childless-by-choice, the single, etc. Sorry, it’s Mother’s Day and there is a reason for that.

So I give tribute to my mother and to the mother of my children. The world is a different and better place because of the job they have done.

Philip