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THE RAMIFICATIONS OF EVIL--Continued from Home Page

Competition

The word compete originally carried with it the meaning to seek together. However, over time compete has taken on a broader connotation with the notion of seeking to win by defeating another person or another team, to score more points or to meet certain goals (as to cross the finish line ahead of others), etc. Therefore, whether in sports or in business, competition suggests outdoing or outperforming others for more profit (the market place or commerce), more recognition (climbing the corporate ladder for prestige and wealth), sports (defeating other persons or teams for recognition and praise and sometimes wealth).

Observations: While we can understand the reasons for competition within the world system, unfortunately that same value system based on competition sometimes raises its ugly head within the church, where we may have, what might be called, the barnyard rooster assertion. A church member or a deacon or even a pastor (or bishop) sometimes becomes power crazed to wield undue influence over all the others he may consider beneath him. Such disposition we may rightly refer to as the Pharisee complex (Cf. Matthew 23:5-12). This type of competitive spirit, sadly to say, may on occasions even exist between churches. However, an arrogant spirit has no proper place within the Christian community, for it is totally antithetical to Christ and His attitude. Jesus said, "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matthew 23:11 NKJV).

Analysis: To deal with competition within the context of right or wrong, must we not ask ourselves some very probing questions? For example, what motivates us to compete? Or what benefit to ourselves and to others does it provide? Or what risks does competition pose for ourselves and for others?

We may discover some revealing competitive characteristics through examples in life situations.

Sports provides an excellent opportunity to examine some of the gradations of character within the players. The competitive stress often takes the shape of efforts toward ego inflation through performance and durability. To be the pivotal player thrusting the team toward a win does little to quell the spirit of gloating. Few such gifted and talented team members find ease at sharing the glory. Few reflect an urge to evade the limelight.

Why is this true? Fallen human nature thrives on attention and recognition, prestige and honor, glory and awards, etc. These elements must be understood to promote self rather than Christ, to embrace self-centeredness to the exclusion of self-sacrifice and self-giving. This spirit reflects the antithesis of genuine Christianity.

Having thus made this distinction clearly, we may not honestly conclude that all sports and all players fall into the natural order of competition. Some exceptional players very lovingly enter the playing field to support the team members toward fulfilling the best expression of fairness and harmony possible, and extend the same spirit toward the opponents that the game may benefit everyone participating. The goal for these exceptional players has to do more with everyone’s enjoyment, including the opponents, than the winning of the game itself. When this spirit pervades the sport, there can be no losers. Everyone wins in one way or another.

Ideally, every game in every sport event or every competitive business enterprise or every individual effort within the world of competition should also seek to benefit everyone else, not to push others down such that we may rise to fulfill our own selfish goals. Nevertheless, that noble perspective speaks more of a movement in the right direction than a goal achieved. The human spirit has never arrived at the level on which Christ sacrificially expended Himself for our own salvation and good. The whole point, however, deals with the right attitude, a right direction and movement toward that goal.

The fact that we have not reached that lofty peak should never impede our intentions to keep struggling throughout life and never to throw in the towel.

This struggle to act within the sacrificial principles and lifestyle of Christ should never express a detachment from who we are; rather, the struggle itself should earnestly grow out of the very nature of our relationship with Christ; else, we labor out of duty-mindedness and not out of love. Such duty-mindedness makes the efforts artificial and saps us of energy until we tend to fall by the wayside.

One other important ingredient to prepare us for the effort to surrender everything to God in our quest to become one with Him regards the proper understanding of a myth surrounding the resort to competition. That myth has to do with the value we may improperly assign to special talents, skills, abilities and any addendum attached to the effort to win. Worth can never be measured in terms of special talents, skills, abilities or even mentality or personality or character. Every person has worth intrinsically, never simply extrinsically. This should never distract from those abilities any individual person has that can benefit the team, business, service or any other worthy goal. But no person will ever be cast aside by Jesus simply on the grounds he does not meet certain criteria from the world’s standards. Therefore, we should take courage that we need never be required to prove we are as good as or better than any other person or group (often the illicit goal of competition). Hence, any attitude which fails to recognize equal worth of every person on earth in the eyes of God should be understood for what it is, arrogance and bigotry.

Cure: Consequently, from a Christian perspective competition should be understood as neither good nor bad in and of itself per se. The attitude and the manner in which competition finds expression determines whether good or bad becomes the consequences of that competition. However, competition may certainly be useful for Christian principles as an avenue to achieve good for everyone within its scope. Perhaps competition often takes on the character of self-stretching, endeavoring to perform or to achieve better than we ever have before, not for the sake of elevating ourselves to self-glory or self-gratification, but simply that through more focused and intense effort we can bring greater honor and glory to God. Moreover, others may benefit greater from our competitive efforts. Competition with ourselves within this directed effort may serve to spur our growth (discipleship) and allow the Holy Spirit to reflect God’s presence to us and to others we seek to serve, witness to or in some way minister to. The key element within this purposeful competition must be love, never duty-mindedness nor self-serving.

A true story may well illustrate this principle of selfless love.

A father strolled through the woods with his partially handicapped son, who seemed to struggle to keep up at times. As they meandered leisurely observing nature and the wonders of the world, they heard the growing chimes of voices. As they came to a meadow just beyond the woods, a group of boys, excitedly engaged in a game of softball, called urgently to encourage their teammates to run or to throw the ball to third base.

The father and his son watched for a little while before the father, noticing his son’s longing expression, mustered the courage to call to the teams, "Would it be possible for my son to join you for a turn? He has never been invited to try to play with anyone before."

"We only have a couple more innings," the pitcher informed, "but I’m sure it would be all right with everyone else to let him join us."

Everyone else on both teams called out together, "Yeah, come on."

"You can be up next for batting," one of the coaches called.

As the young boy walked the best he could up toward the plate, everyone started cheering, for they could see his struggle.

While the lad made it to the plate and took a bat, the pitcher took a few steps closer toward home plate and slowly pitched the ball in a position to help the batter hit the ball. The batter swung weakly a couple of times and the pitcher tried the harder to help him get a hit.

The third pitch was so well placed that the swinging bat made contact and the ball rolled slowly passed the pitcher, who made no effort to get to the ball. The second baseman slowly came and picked it up and threw it deliberately high over the first baseman’s head, and everyone from both teams cheered the handicapped lad on, "Go to second base! Go to second base!"

As the handicapped lad got to second, the ball was thrown over the second baseman’s head and every one encouraged the lad to go to third base.

The handicapped little fellow made it to third and the third baseman deliberately dropped the ball and everyone feverishly called for the boy to head to home plate. The boy made it easily to home plate as everyone cheered him and the coach embraced him saying for all to hear, "Well done, my boy. You just scored!"

What is our take on this? Perhaps we need to zero in on the motivation. What prompted the teams to pull for the young lad?

The opportunity to show love and meet human needs far outweighs the mere commitment to win the game. Do we feel that this approach has merit? After all, which is more important? People or winning?

Hence, the cure for an unchristian competitive spirit must arise from the right focus. Every Christian who keeps his focus on Christ and finds himself developing the mindset of Jesus can more easily reflect the right attitude toward competition, thus keeping the competitive spirit charged with divine purpose.

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
                                                                                      --Philippians 2:3-4 (NKJV)

Sexual Misdirection and/or Perversion

Every one of us who has reached puberty understands the strength of the hormones creating the sexual drive. Even young children do not always escape the urge, especially those who have been prematurely exposed to sexual expressions or stimulation. Some children have unfortunately been victimized by relatives or acquaintances who exploit them and arouse sensitivity to sexuality. Television, the Internet and magazines can also become major concerns of exposure that intensify sex consciousness.

Philosophies espousing so-called free love add fuel to the fire, degrading the sexual act itself to self-centered gratification at the expense of the partner providing the means. In such sexual exploits the partner becomes a means to gain selfish release and gratification and then one or the other partner at some point no longer serves well that purpose and is cast aside. So-called free love (which in reality means a moment of free expression of lust) must be understood merely to mean self-infatuation. There must be no strings attached (referred to as free) such that no responsibility and no accountability can hold one to any relationship.

Grace came home expressing deep disturbance by secluding herself in her room. She ignored calls and knocks on the door from her parents and refused to discuss what problem or problems led to her withdrawal.

Over a number of days, however, bit by bit the truth came out and her parents wanted her to seek counsel from the minister. Yet, her pride and fear seemed to undermine such efforts.

As the pieces came together, a sad picture etched its ugly way onto the minds of the parents. Grace had been persuaded by her peers to date a boy of ill repute. She found herself overwhelmed, and with her urge to belong, she consented to go out with Duke. At first, nothing significant took place, but Duke, being a very witty and intelligent young man, reasoned with Grace concerning the liberties of free love. "We know we love each other by the fact we remain together by choice. Either of us has the liberty to break it off once we determine our relationship can no longer be healthy and rewarding. We can take all precautions to prevent pregnancy."

Grace admitted that she found herself swept into a relationship she knew in her heart lacked genuine commitment and self-giving love. Yet, the heat of the moment blinded other considerations, and in spite of every possible preventive measure, she ended up pregnant, abandoned and overcome with guilt and shame.

And now, of all things for a professed Christian young lady to do, she entertained notions of abortion to save something of her reputation and so-called Christian witness.

While her parents attempted to reason with her, pointing out that a cover up could do little to abate her guilt, Grace determined to save face through resorting to abortion anyway.

Legally, her parents could do nothing to stall her determination; yet, they sought to offer an alternative choice. She could retire to another state to have her child and place that baby up for adoption.

Grace wanted to risk nothing that could expose her guilt to others and insisted on going through with her private abortion.

Sadly, she added the choice of murder to her tragedy and went through with the process to the agony of her parents and the few others who were privy to her plight.

But the problem turned out to be compounded immeasurably through abortion, for she added the consciousness of the empty arms, the lost child she would never be able to recall and her reticence to confess her trauma and grief for her senseless action. Perhaps that accounts for the fact that her life ended abruptly with an overdose of sleeping pills within eighteen months from her abortion.

Observations:  While we cannot conclude that every person who has an abortion is driven to suicide, the scenario of Grace fits the pattern of all too many thousands of cases. What prompted Grace to resist what she knew to be the responsible, righteous and just course to take? Perhaps pride played a central role, leading her first to violate her better senses and understanding by a desire to belong, never to exhibit any action to risk losing her friends.

We may wonder whether people like Grace actually have an adequate concept of what constitutes genuine friendship. Someone has noted with quite revealing insight that fair-weather friends are a dime a dozen, but true friends will stick by us through thick or thin under any and all circumstances.

Analysis: Sexual promiscuity purchases a moment of flaming gratification, but soon evaporates to reveal the same inward void that led to that surface frill in the first place.

However, sexual urge must never be suppressed or denied as some evil monster ready to devour us. God created us to populate the world and commissioned Adam and Eve to make that their goal, even before sin entered the world. Yet, the expression of sexual union should never be made cheap, and flimsy, and a sole means to express self-centered or dominating egotistical exploitation. Genuine, wholesome and rewarding sexual union becomes the intermeshing of two personalities, two individual persons into the ecstasy of mystical union, the miracle of the two fulfilling themselves through mutual self-giving, self-commitment, outgoing and unqualified love toward each other within the accountable and responsible bonds of marriage. Such genuine sexual union can never be less than fulfilling. The void then becomes filled with meaning and purpose.

In spite of this principle (unfortunately ignored by some of us), a number of us do feel an urge within marriage to seek the novelty of extramarital affairs, desiring to enhance sexuality. Yet, such intentions speak more of a symptom than a natural recourse. When marriage ceases to be fulfilling, we do well to seek the root of the problem and deal courageously with that problem rather than to cut the ties to seek answers elsewhere. We can become greatly disillusioned when we discover that the void does not evaporate with new entanglements.

When the façade gives way to honesty and transparency, we begin to see that what we have often brought to marriage regards self-centered and unrealistic expectations. From this disruptive demand to use our spouses toward selfish goals, we forfeit the elements of bonding forged through an unselfish, even sacrificial, surrender of our rights to benefit our spouses. Fulfillment comes through giving ourselves away, not through demands thrust upon our spouses.

Those resorting to extramarital affairs may fall into a routine of keeping the home together in a detached and matter-of-fact fashion to preserve the semblance of conformity. This merely buries the problem and deepens alienation among family members. Others may bring the problem to a crisis for the purpose of bailing out through divorce or legal separation, effectively destroying lives and well being that can only be maintained through family life. Whatever measuring device we may gage these possible avenues with respect to extramarital involvement, it all boils down to self-centeredness in one or both spouses and insufficient concern or even no concern at all for the welfare and rights of the family as a whole (or of each individual member, for that matter).

Cure: As with many of these outcroppings of evil, the focus must change. We must come to see the light from beyond ourselves, untainted by the perverse and distorted nature of self-centeredness and self-serving goals. We must establish authentic relationships which draw us out of ourselves and our little world into the broader, deeper and meaningful world beyond ourselves, the world which centers in Christ and compels us to give ourselves to and for others. Again, we must think outside the box!

Marriages in trouble have been rejuvenated through wholesome, enlightening marriage retreats. These retreats provide a wide variety of approaches that help each spouse rediscover each other in a more fulfilling and dynamic light. The entire conference and counseling sessions center in Christian principles and deal with underlying personality problems and psychological hang-ups to arouse Christian avenues to resolve serious breeches in relationships.

Hence, it would prove worthwhile for couples to research through Churches, Christian schools, etc., toward the possibility of attending such retreats. Such efforts can be very rewarding. Marriages can be strengthened and genuine union between couples can provide fulfilling and spiritual realities enriching the dimensions of marriage and family life. When Christ becomes center of all, the very nature and intention of marriage reflect God’s glory. The sex act no longer becomes an avenue for self-centered gratification, but a true bonding through relationships that reflect a union with God and spouse expressed in ecstasy and fulfillment.

Slaughter

While in Puerto Rico a number of years ago on a mission tour, I encountered a wonderful woman whose faith reflected devout commitment to Christian principles. However, she had much reservations about eating meat, simply because as a young girl she observed the slaughter of cattle for the meat market. Such impression of the horrible suffering of dying animals impacted her life such that she never could overcome that trauma.

This raises certain serious questions in every Christian’s mind. We may surely give thanks and eat steaks or pork or any number of meats on the market, but what about the moral implications? Some people, even some true Christians, abstain from eating meats for the very reason that killing causes suffering.

The lady in Puerto Rico had every reason to express concern. Her experience had sensitized her to the presence of suffering, even if it happened on a lower level of life, as we gage life. Therefore, we cannot glibly dismiss the notion of slaughter as irrelevant and unworthy of pursuit.

Observations: But may we not point out that lower animals should never enter into the equation, simply because they are a lower level of existence and much less important than human beings? However, this question merely begs the point, for, given that lower animals are less valuable than human beings, can we rightly conclude that the suffering has no significance? Pain is pain, is pain, is pain, whether greater or less, experienced within the lesser or the greater.

A humorous little story arouses a smile, but indeed illustrates the fallacy for our observation.

It seems that two ladies occupied a certain two-patient room in a hospital. A very thin, skin-and-bones young lady moaned and groaned in considerable pain. The other patient, greatly overweight, looked toward the thin patient and said, "Honey child, I know you must be hurting, but just think: There’s a lot more of me to hurt!"

Allow us to polish this observation with a few provocative questions: Does a newly-born baby have less capacity to experience pain than a fully-grown adult? Furthermore, does a lower animal, such as a dog or a cat, have greatly decreased capacity to experience pain than a human person?

Analysis: Let’s subject these questions to analysis and draw certain conclusions more likely to be credible. Should the degree or capacity to experience pain provide the determination with respect to decisions? If we ponder this question in the light of absolutes, we might be forced to conclude that all pain induced through actions of others must in every case be wrong.

Before we arrive at the bottom line, we might find a bit of wisdom in refreshing our memories with reference to the purpose of pain. Recall earlier that through analysis we discovered that pain provides a communication that something is wrong. If we suffer with severe back pain, we are prodded to investigate, to seek what causes the pain so that we may do what we can to correct the problem. This basically represents the body’s way of protecting itself.

From another perspective, suppose a young child defies the father and runs out into the street. The father physically moves the child to safety and severely scolds that child, inducing an emotional pain (distress). Even though the father induced pain with his action, that pain also communicated to the child that something was wrong.

Allow us to go a bit further. What options were open to the father? Do we feel that the father did wrong by causing pain, even for the child’s own welfare?

Many of us would feel that if there could be a way to maintain the child’s comfort and, at the same time, impress the child with respect to the danger of his action so that he would forever remember it, then the father should have used that other method. The point was never to induce pain, but to communicate. Unfortunately, communication sometimes can only come successfully through pain. Thus, which is better? To induce a little pain? Or to allow the child to run the risk of untold suffering or death from his ventures?

Throughout the Old Testament sacrifice of animals on the altar revealed the seriousness of sin and rebellion against the Creator/Redeemer God. Such became a graphic, but absolutely necessary, picture of the nature of sin and evil. Sacrifice carried the significance of pouring out life to God for the atonement for sin. Such impression engraved into the consciousness of the Hebrew people that their slime and filth must be driven home by a righteous and just God. God could never approve of that which destroys a redemptive relationship between Himself and His people. Ultimately, God would sacrifice Himself through Christ to redeem us once and for all!

Hence, we have formed a basis to understand pain to be the negative which intends to alter actions or communicate the fact that something indeed is wrong. Furthermore, the Old Testament shows the movement of God often to bring judgement, an intended punishment to cause change for the better, to point the wayward people back to the Lord. Through pain and suffering, a communication takes place.

The necessity of pain did not originate until the fall. The first three chapters of Genesis may be reviewed as a background to understand the origin of pain, suffering, loneliness, frustrations, death, etc. Originally, such intrusions into the created order perverted the purpose and status of creation, bringing about the fall through original sin. Because of the entrance of darkness through rebellion against God (you shall be as gods), humanity has become acquainted with grief, hopelessness and destitution.

We do well to take stock that animal flesh did not constitute the original meals of Adam and Eve, the first persons to exist on earth. They were to eat of the fruit of the trees and the productivity of herbs. Death of animals and other living things had no place in the created order before the fall.

Because of the fall, death became a part of life. Survival must depend on death of plants and animals.

We need only look at the beastly kingdom to discover that the lion, for example, kills other animals to sustain its own life. But such did not represent God’s original purpose. We catch a glimmer of the original purpose to be restored in the future kingdom: The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb… (See Isaiah 11:6-9). This actually refers to living together peacefully, without slaughter. No death, pain or threats can be a part of the future kingdom.

But that remains in the future. We find ourselves forced to live at the expense of lower animals and of gathering vegetables to eat. We can not survive without sacrificing other living organisms. Even if we become strictly vegetarians, the plants die to nourish the consumers and even the survival of plant life itself depends on the decay and absorption of organic matter, including that of plants and animals.

While such dying had no place or purpose in original creation, the fall has brought that dreadful reality into our experiences. And according to Isaiah, the original purpose will someday be restored (Isaiah 11:6-9).

Much of the time, dying produces pain, sometimes great pain. Those who eat meat from slaughtered animals rarely reflect upon the suffering involved in some of the animals through the brief process of slaughter. Yet, all of life of every creature becomes bonded to suffering in some form or fashion, not that such is good, but that the current state of the fall leaves no escape.

Therefore, we would be simplistic, idealistic and/or naïve to expend our efforts to eradicate that which sustains life and makes possible survival simply because pain is attached. Definitely, we would be totally insensitive to suggest that the nature of evil through the fall, which makes pain unavoidable, can by the greatest stretch of the imagination be good or desirable. Not even necessity can make such intrusion into the original purpose of the Creator good, but ultimate good cannot become a realization because of evil in our world. Our hope must be an appendage to the ultimate, perfect new creation found in Isaiah 11:6-9.

Cure: To understand the road toward cure, we must see another aspect to pain and suffering, not only as it relates to slaughter, but as it relates to a radial communication. That is, pain does not only generate a loud cry to the sufferer, but can also be an outward cry to involve others. Thus, a child cries out in pain such that the mother may take some action to relieve the pain or to remove the source of the pain. Communication comes through the cries that bring awareness that the child suffers.

A greater and redeeming communication that radiates from suffering may be easily observed throughout history by those who communicate the grace and love of God in moments of suffering. The classic example of Job shows purpose in suffering, though Job himself did not immediately come to that awareness. Dietrich Bonheoffer suffered greatly for his faith in Germany. Nevertheless, those who observed him in prison drew from his faith and courage. He gave of himself to minister to needs of those around him and even shared his meager food to help those who needed in spite of his own need for food. The love of Christ made an impact through the lives of many such people who suffered for His sake. And the One Person Who suffered most to redeem us communicated infinite volumes through His death for us.

Thus, slaughter has in the end the greatest communication of all—God’s love! That love brings meaning and purpose to our suffering and helps us see beyond the slaughter of animals to a time when no more death will be present in God’s creation.

In this created order, moreover, things can never possibly function with total liberation and unfettered realization. Yet, the beauty and hope of the hereafter can become a distinct and empowering life force in the midst of suffering, death and defeat. This reality reflects the divine purpose providing transforming and redeeming action in the pits of darkness and grief afflicting the human spirit. Hence, while we can never live above the fall in this present world, we have the resource in Jesus Christ to prevail through it with purpose and resolve, with meaning and understanding and with the kind of light which bears fruit in the lives of others to set them on the right course.

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism represents a philosophy focused upon the present, temporal and humanistic perspective. This philosophy affords every effort to establish and enhance any measures that would promote and realize goals (ends) above any other consideration. Whatever works to move toward the purpose takes paramount consideration over the character of the means! Within the scope of our generation (at least, those of us who have been around since the days of the cold war), the Communist cry that the end justifies the means demonstrates this pragmatic approach.

Within this camp we have witnessed the unrestrained slaughter of millions of people under Joseph Stalin to promote the expansion of Communism! Under the Communist slogan, ironically, those millions perished for the so-called good of the many!

Yet, pragmatism, the application of the principles of utilitarianism, has not been sidetracked during our modern, and especially our postmodern, society. While goals have merged into a fog of relativism, each individual goal can gain impetus by taking on the pluralistic cloak expressed by what works for me is right for me; what works for you is right for you. Hence, each little world established and promoted by each individual person demands tolerance such that no one has a right to claim exclusivity.

However, certain radical groups continue to operate on the principle of utility, the resort to any thing which forges their goals, even suicide bombings. These fanatics delude themselves into believing that suicide bombings guarantee eternal bliss, wealth, sexual gratification with many enticing women (as far as the lusting male is concerned) and other rewards for women who likewise die for their cause (see The Parable of the Suicide Bomber).

Of course, these radical fanatics exercise the most extreme utilitarian tactics to assure themselves total dominance over nations and societies. We may easily understand that those who cherish and nourish ignorance and darkness cannot fight fairly nor win the war of ideas. To them, the very notion of truth must be an invention originating within the scope of their fanatical delusions.  Hence, they must resort to destruction of everyone and everything in disagreement with every minute detail of their impoverished beliefs. Neither can these egotistical maniacs be reasoned with in any degree whatsoever.

Can we be surprised that they use children, women, sacred locations, schools—just any and everything to provide for themselves sanctuary from which to launch their assaults against masses of people indiscriminately? It matters not what world criticism may be unleashed. These defiant radicals target any number of people comprised of women, children, innocent bystanders, dedicated doctors, religious people providing all sorts of services and on and on the atrocities mount through their incessant warfare. This self-serving, arrogant and demonic army of terrorists relish their own illusions of rewards such that they would sacrifice every other person in the world to achieve their selfish goals, if they were to consider such necessary and they had the means to do so.

Unfortunately, utilitarianism in its harsh expressions involve much more than the postmodern philosophical perspective, even more than the rebellious, infamous and treacherous terrorists' delusions. The most unlikely place we might expect to find its intrusive, overpowering and hateful explosion would probably be the church, especially the evangelical church.

Yet, sometimes we may even see cunning, manipulative church leaders (or even in some cases, simply any church members) often resorting to utilitarian tactics to forge their own goals. Self-centered piosity presents a façade to gain confident followers moved as pawns such that the church person achieves his goals.

Observations: Each group observed herein provides a definite illustration of the degenerative influence with which utilitarianism impacts societies. By the very nature of utilitarian influence no society can automatically assume security from or immunity to possible utilitarian infestation. The very fact that terrorists employ such radical utilitarian tactics does not guarantee that lesser radical groups (such that we have already observed) fail to employ utilitarian approaches.

Furthermore, each of us may discover within himself sometimes a tendency to resort to tactics which reflect conscious or unconscious utilitarian influences.

Take for example a moment when we resort to cheating on our income taxes with a rationalization such as "Well, Uncle Sam abuses my tax dollars anyway" or "Everybody else does it." What we seek to bring to the formula regards the end. We feel that the use we ourselves have for the money justifies the means to retain it for our own goals.

Of course, genuine Christians may find no real temptations with respect to violation of trust or no thought of stealing, lying or gaining anything by dishonest means. Nevertheless, Christians more often than not find temptations to take short cuts, to reach the end by sacrificing the genuinely effective long-term strategy.

For example, a Christian, who has been praying to reach a neighbor for whom he has been concerned, may resort to pressure tactics in an effort to precipitate a quick decision. "John, you should be in church. Tell you what: I’m coming to pick you up this weekend for Sunday School!"

Concern for the neighbor may very well be genuine, but this example shows that this Christian resorts to the notion that the end justifies the means.

Of course, we dare not make a categorical statement that such an approach never succeeds, but more often than not, it tends to drive away the one we seek to reach. Someone has rightly noted that people are not likely to care about what we say until they know that we care about them. To establish a genuine link, a true personal connection prompted by authentic love, we must be willing to go for the long haul when necessary.

Analysis: Utilitarianism does embrace strategies that nations, groups, religions, politics and businesses often do employ. However, utility can become a means toward an end, without necessarily partaking of the philosophy underlying utilitarianism itself.

The most classic example can be drawn upon from the Scriptures themselves. For God so loved the world that He sent His One and only Son [to die] that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through Him the world might be saved (John 3:16-17 paraphrased).

God absolutely works in and through our world (utility) to achieve His ends!

Then, what makes His reaching toward His ends different from utilitarianism?

Most assuredly from a Christian perspective, the character and the nature of the method can never be divorced from the character and nature of the end! In God’s economy every life remains precious and worthy of redemption. No one can be sacrificed without tarnishing the end.

"But", we may question emphatically, "are not many missions-minded people sacrificed to reach others?" Absolutely, but a vast difference separates these people who express their love and commitment through sacrifice. They move the world toward redemption without laying down their own redemption, for not even death can rob these martyrs of their rewards. When we come to care more for others than we even care for ourselves, we find in that process of sacrifice a joy in reaching others. This world is not our final home, not our resting place. We are moved by the hope of a new heaven and a new earth. Hence, sacrifice willingly marks the very nature of the end through the means itself. This principle runs counter to the essence of utilitatianism.

Indeed utility provides a useful tool, a means toward an end, but when it develops into a brutal weapon to remove obstacles toward an end, the process perverts, pollutes and demeans the end.

Cure:

Some of us may continue to perceive utilitarianism more as an emphasis which, while not strictly justified, nevertheless represents a relatively harmless preference.

While the original use of the word utilitarianism simply stressed utility or usefulness as opposed to appearance, style, form, etc., modern connotation has grown from Marxism and developing Communism and their stress on usefulness or dispensability toward meeting goals. Hence, the end justifies the means. Yet, utility has its place as long as the end is expressed through the means. Indeed, a balance between utility and appearance, stile, form, etc. must be understood and appreciated. It can not be either/or without sacrificing Christian perspective.

Christians must continue to draw the difference between the intrinsic values and the extrinsic values. However, such distinction must never be allowed to create a dichotomy in our perspective. We need to understand that a similar distinction between the sacred and the secular can also divide our allegiance. Confusion here can definitely muddle the vision. For the true Believer the only difference between either intrinsic and extrinsic values or the sacred and the secular lies more in semantics created by world values than Christian values.

May we follow closely this statement: Utility falls primarily within the scope of extrinsic value. Utility serves, not as the end, but as the means. The goal or end from a Christian perspective must relate to intrinsic value. However, the means must in some measure also provide both extrinsic value and intrinsic value within the acknowledgement of Christian principles, for if God works through all things (Romans 8:28), then what we call the means and the end retain both the intrinsic value and extrinsic value.

Stated another way, money normally has extrinsic value. In other words, money represents a means toward an end. But properly understood for the Christian, money can fall under the jurisdiction of God and represents God’s gift of opportunity. Symbolically speaking, we may see God’s gift of opportunities in the possession of the money, like keys to opening doors. When money retains its association to the doors that can be opened and the fulfillment of God’s purpose, we are moved through the Holy Spirit to use money as the key to open up worlds, whether it be specific mission work or ministries or meeting the needs of our families. These worlds of opportunity can expand God’s Kingdom on earth (see the story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-29). Consequently, while the money must never be allowed to take on the glamour of intrinsic value as an end in itself, when rightly understood, it retains symbolically the nature of the end in its use (utility) for the Lord.

Again, the whole matter boils down to our focus. If we as Christians focus on Christ and His purpose, we’ll develop the mindset of Christ. We’ll dispose ourselves toward a Christian worldview.

Perhaps the following three focal points with respect to utilitarianism will give us some handles more easily to grasp the import and extract principles of attitude and application:

The end justifies the means versus the end must be reflected in character and nature within the means.

A domineering man determined to beat his wife cruelly into submission with an iron rod. His claim that his wife would be a better woman when she learned to "snap to it without question" to meet his slightest whim illustrates the abusive employment of cruelty to suggest that the end justifies the means. In such a situation as the one advocated by the man, the woman would lose her personhood and be reduced to an impersonal robot status. Contrarily, a man and a woman in authentic marital union find fulfillment in seeking to please each other as an expression of genuine love. Each desires what is best for the other. Herein, each grows together with the other. This does not negate problems, but provides strength and resolve to work through problems as persons.

We love things and use people versus we love people and use things.

An executive looks at his employees in terms of dollar signs. They simply fall onto his business chessboard as pawns, dispensable in the overall scheme to make the corporation successful such that he would gain recognition and advancement up the corporate ladder. This executive demonstrates the love of things (profit, success and gain in recognition) and uses people. In the use of the word love within this context, we speak of the base desires, not true love. On the other hand, another executive climbs the corporate ladder by loving people and using things as opportunity to serve his business and meet the needs of his employees.

We live in our own little world, our own box, and protect what is ours versus we are always expanding beyond our own world with light from beyond and sacrificially give ourselves to serve others (see thinking outside the box).
Utilitarianism often sacrifices anything and everything to meet the goals emerging from our own little world, our own box. Our own little world consequently determines the nature of the end. A young lad saw a beautiful little tree in the forest. He thought it would be attractive in his little clubhouse. Thus, he severed it from its roots with a saw and brought it to his clubhouse. Soon, however, much to his chagrin, the tree withered and dried up. Another lad in a similar situation carefully and lovingly dug up a little tree, preserving the root system, and set it out near his clubhouse. There it grew into a lush green marvel. What made the difference? The first lad thought only from his limited world (within the box). His end became tarnished by his means. He failed to expand his thinking and consider all aspects. The second lad willingly thought the matter through and sacrificed the additional time and effort to secure his vision. His end pervaded the nature of his means. On an infinitely greater level Christians willingly sacrifice to meet God’s purpose through promoting His Kingdom on earth. The Christian can see the end within the means.

Anxiety

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

                                                                                                                         --Matthew 6:34 (KJV).

Anxiety appears to be the one ramification of evil which has flourished into ubiquity. We may dare declare every human life to be afflicted in some measure with anxiety from time to time, even to the level of tarnishing the most devout Christians. Thus, this shadow may slip upon us subtly and set up residence within the recessed corridors of our thinking such that we cannot easily bring into conscious realization that we violate the commands of our Lord with respect to anxiety.

Observations: Before we examine the true character of anxiety, we may do well to discover what anxiety is not so that we may discard certain misconceptions.

First, anxiety is not necessarily the absence of concern. While concern can indeed be an avenue of anxiety, genuine concern growing out of love and care about our loved ones, about our responsibilities, about what we can do as opposed to what we can not do may very well express reliance upon God and a commitment to action. Such right concerns motivate us and couch themselves within the context of optimistic anticipation, because we understand that God is really in control.

Sometimes having to wait for relief can also be confused as a sure cause of anxiety. Indeed, while waiting may become a pitfall to trap us into the clutches of anxiety, waiting itself cannot be equated to the cause of anxiety. We may seek to resign to waiting, but will discover that such resignation brings little to no relief.

Absolutely, it is quite true; anxiety cannot necessarily find a cure by retiring to wait on God to act. Sometimes we must exercise patience to wait for God to reveal Himself, to act in some fashion that constitutes a clear expression of His Will, to move us with the warmth of His revealed presence, etc. However, this waiting upon God does not mean we cease to fulfill our stewardship responsibilities, our expression of love toward others, our seizing upon the opportunities to share God’s love through witness and/or service. This waiting upon God most often does include prayer and seeking (Matthew 7:7-12), interaction with the Loving Creator/Redeemer (John 17:21). This waiting, however, does most often provide the space of time for us to become one with God, to find ourselves in union and purpose with God, as the disciples found themselves on the Day of Pentecost after waiting in prayer until they all were in one accord (Acts, chapter 2).

We cannot rightfully declare either planning, preparation, organization nor looking to the future synonymous with anxiety, though, once again, these elements may sometimes signal expressions of anxiety. Indeed, we must assess the cost, for our willingness to follow Christ and place our confidence and trust in Him must be measured by our willingness to bear the expense brought through our decision to follow (see Luke 14:28-30). Christ suggests that we be aware of the requirements of discipleship.

However, all these elements can show our trust in the Lord as our security! Only when we divorce these factors from God and place our security in these things rather than in God, the Creator and Giver of these things, do we express the sin of anxiety.

Analysis: Perhaps this sin of anxiety reflects the very essence of the sin state or attitude more than the actual resort to the apprehension about the future, the present pressures or any anticipated risk. In other words, anxiety may well be the symptom rather than the source!

If this is true, then anxiety would prove to be a ramification of evil, rather than the initial source or evil itself. For an example, a person with an allergy may sneeze, cough or experience itchy, burning eyes. The cause is not these reactions, but the body’s sensitivity to certain allergens in the environment which triggers the body’s defense mechanism in an attempt to throw off the allergens.

Since allergens in and of themselves per se pose no real threat to the well being of the human body, the real problem lies in the faulty sensitivity the body develops toward the allergens. It’s as though the body perceives the allergens as invasion of detrimental foreign bodies and reacts accordingly to ward off the invasion, producing symptoms of illness that, in some rare cases, can be severe enough to incapacitate or even become life-threatening.



A person with an allergy may very well understand that his body need not become sensitive to substances that otherwise would be absolutely harmless, but the mechanisms of his physical body, the biological processes and bodily functions do not lend themselves to control of volition. In other words, he cannot communicate with his body on that level and educate his mechanisms to ignore certain substances coming into contact with his body.

However, anyone with allergies does have recourse. One step may be to suppress his body’s reaction such that symptoms may be alleviated. Such is often done with antihistamines or decongestants. Another course would be to limit exposure to the allergens. Sometimes, both steps are taken together to lessen the symptoms. However, neither of these remedies effects a cure. A cure comes when the body can be desensitized to the presence of the substance or substances that had triggerd the reaction.

Claims as to the degree of desensitizing and the duration or effectiveness of the technique has been subject to considerable controversy. Be that as it may, the point remains that actual desensitizing of the body, if such has or can be done, would assure a cure.

We may ramble on and on, but what, we may ask, does this have to do with anxiety, other than allergies creating anxiety in some people?

That point reflects a valid concern. However, the above illustration with respect to allergens provides a perfect example from the visible, physical world of a principle to illustrate a spiritual reality. An understanding of this spiritual reality becomes a part of the cure.

Cure: Anxiety can be understood as the consequences of an unfounded emotional sensitivity to events, situations, circumstances, threats, etc.   Anxiety may be seen as an overreaction to these elements that, to the Christian, remain harmless simply because God works through adverse circumstances, situations, events, etc. to bring forth His purpose (this relates in principle to the above illustration of allergens). When our focus falls short of God and intensifies our awareness of the plight we face, anxiety grows naturally out of our shortsightedness. At that point, we perceive our security and peace threatened. However, security should lie only in God for true Christians, never in His created order divorced from God which produces plights inherent therein because of the fall (see Psalm 91).

“But the threat is real to me!” some of us may cry. “If I do lose my job, how will I provide for my family? The problem is compounded by my dear, sweet children. What about them?”

While we ourselves may understand the resolution to this problem, we should never give pat answers which would communicate insensitivity to the perceived problem, which to the seeker exhibits a perceived real threat.

We must honestly concede up front that truly there can be little the person within the grasp of such concerns can do about it. He can never come to a sense of security to rely upon himself and his own efforts.

This, however, does not suggest that the person do nothing, but in fulfilling his own responsibilities and taking advantage of opportunities the Lord may give him (and he should always be alert to such doors God opens for him), he must be aware that even that which he can do represents his dependence upon God and not an inherent right of himself per se.

Neither can anyone who suffers immeasurable struggles, pain or even physical death cope with those mountains. However, a clue catches our attention in the words of our Lord: “…If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; nothing shall be impossible to you… (see Matthew 17:20).”

The question what constitutes faith? demands our consideration. Do we take faith to mean faith in ourselves? Faith in humanity? Faith in circumstances?

Of course, it obviously stands to reason that faith exercised in ourselves can leave us disillusioned and despondent. Likewise, faith in humanity often brings us to regret our misplaced confidence. No! Only faith in God can bring answers to our prayers and genuine resolution to our most difficult circumstances and conditions.

Therefore, the cure must involve our focus. As long as God remains center of all our lives, actions and expectations, our eyesight will not fall short and rest upon our circumstances, difficulties, problems, risks, etc.

The Apostle Paul knew how to persevere under the most difficult circumstances; yet, he never relied upon himself but on a power far beyond him (see II Corinthians 12:7-10).

This is not to suggest that It is always an error to pray that difficulties be removed. Christ Himself prayed that if it were possible, His cup (that is, death through separation from His Father on the Cross) be removed from Him (Luke 22:41-44). However, since He came into the world to bring Salvation via His death, His prayer in the garden reflected His desire that Salvation come by any other means, if possible. Yet, He was willing that His Father’s will be done. If there could have been any other way for Salvation, God the Father would have provided it. Hence, Christ was strengthened to endure the open shame and separation from God to atone for our sins such that we are provided access to Salvation.

Are we ever called upon to abandon our own desires and take the painful trail? How should we pray? We probably have heard it said that God did not answer Paul’s prayer with respect to the thorn in the flesh. Not only did God