The definition of Savior is:
"a person who saves someone or something (especially a country or cause) from danger, and who is regarded with the veneration of a religious figure." Why say Everyone is Looking for a Savior? Well, the short and simple answer is because they are. It’s our nature as human beings. Consider why every story containing a heroic protagonist always involves good triumphing over evil. From video games to movies everyone is looking for a savior. Most have a distorted and self-absorbed understanding of this “savior” but the concept holds true all the same. We will consider one video game from years ago and one recent movie. I used to be into the Final Fantasy video game franchise. From FFI to whatever number they are at now, the premise is the same. Some terrible tragedy is happening or about to and it is up to some unsuspecting slightly arrogant and pride filled person to stop it. Along the way the protagonist learns very important things about life and self. There is personal reflection, introspection and a host of other life lessons that turn our once arrogant pride filled goober into a wise, “others focused” hero who would do anything to see the greater good realized. Final Fantasy 10 carried the same premise but in this case our protagonist was a self-diluted insecure boy whose father he thought abandon him early in life to chase a ridiculous dream of becoming a famous blitzball player. Tidus, the protagonist is also a blitzball player like his “dead beet” dad and during a major game in his home town a creature massive in size destroys the city. Auron a longtime friend of Tidus’ father (we realize later in the game) tells Tidus the creature is called Sin. It goes from city / world to city / world and destroys almost everything in its path. Now as the story goes, Tidus meets many other friends and a young woman named Yuna through Auron. He soon realizes that the many friends are Yuna’s “guardians” and she is on a quest to defeat Sin. Tidus therefore becomes the 11th or 12th guardian (I can’t remember) and travels with the team. Yuna goes to various temples and worships to gain strength for her plight. When she comes to a town that Sin has already destroyed, she performs some sort of healing or miracle that helps the townspeople. Starting to sound familiar yet? After Tidus and Yuna develop a close emotionally and conversationally intimate relationship he finds out that the only way for her to defeat Sin is to give her life in the final battle at which time she both defeats and becomes Sin. Does this sound like the game developers picked this story up somewhere… anywhere… or I don’t know perhaps the Bible. Most every other video game that involves good and evil follows this same concept. Next we discuss a recent movie. The Death Cure was the last in the Maze Runner franchise. Many are familiar with either the movies or the books so I will not go into much detail. However, the same premise holds. The protagonist does all he can to help everyone. There is a contagion spreading in the Maze Runner series that turns people into “crazies” who attack everyone and everything and suffer from violent outbursts. Those in power are trying to find a cure but every promised development comes up short. After a lot of running, fighting and rescuing we find out toward the end of the movie that they found a cure. At this point the Maze Runner world is in complete upheaval. There are fires, buildings collapsing, people are dying and the medical staff, down to just one person still desperately trying to find the cure, realizes that the blood is the cure. In a very dramatic way they call back the protagonist by telling him how many lives he can save and how he can make the world a better place. He need only come back, possibly sacrificing himself to save everyone because his blood contains the cure. Does this sound familiar to anyone? Ever heard a story like this before? My point in simply this, everyone is looking for a savior. However, because we live in a sinful world we are prone to make up our savior in our own image so that s/he acts, thinks, speaks, and saves how we want. We commit the egregious sin of idolatry to comfort ourselves. Why are we willing to do that? It is because we are all looking for a savior. We desperately hold onto anything in this life that is good and brings us joy because in this world we will have pain, suffering, heartache, trials, temptations and death. None of which was part of the original design by God. All of this is merely the effects of sin. Genesis 2:16-17 "And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.” Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, in this way death spread to all people, because all sinned." The problem is our desire to make up a savior in our image. If the savior we are so desperately trying to find is made in our image than that savior is wicked to the core (Jeremiah 17:91; Romans 8:62; Revelation 21:83; Ezekiel 18:204), insecure, tired, heartbroken, and is unable to save self let alone anyone else. We desperately search out a savior because deep down we know that we are hopeless and even on our good days we feel a longing that cannot be filled with the worlds fleeting carnal pleasures. God tells us that He is the only savior (Isaiah 43:115). God is the only God there is no other (Isaiah 45:56). God promises a savior to deliver His people all throughout the Old Testament and delivers in Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:217; Acts 5:318). Jesus says He is the only way, the only truth and the only life, no one can get to the Father except through Him (John 14:69).
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Genesis 2:18"Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”
It is not good that the man should be alone! Before we get into that we need to make mention of Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 7. To sum, Paul says, in his opinion, that it is better if one is single to remain that way so that their concern will be of serving the LORD. However, if one is without self-control and burns with passion, Paul says to get married. Although, to the one that is married Paul says that his interests are divided between the world and the LORD. One who is married seeks to please their spouse (in the LORD) and has children (Gen. 1:28). Paul makes this very clear that it is not to be taken as God’s word and commandment, rather his opinion. But as we look at Genesis 2:18, God makes it clear that “it is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.” This is paramount to our existence; because,God commands the man and woman to multiply and fill the earth. Without this act there would be no one to write this post nor anyone to read it. Before the rabbits take our attention from the task at hand, let us again focus on Genesis 2:18. It is not good that the man should be alone. This speaks to God’s characteristics and we will address a few. First God is relational. In the God head trinity God has deep meaningful relationship within Himself. Confusing? Sure, but know that God did not need us to have relationship, He created us to enjoy the value of relationship both with Him and other humans. The man could not have a relationship with animals. Yes, I understand the warm fuzzies dogs and other pets bring, but it is in no way comparable to the relational feelings another human can return. While animals can play with you, show unconditional love, and help benefit mental faculties, they are unable to console with words, wisdom, and hugs. You cannot carry on a deep meaningful conversation with your pet. Rather you can but you may trade that conversation for a loss of freedom for fear that you have gone wacky. Joking aside the point is this, God created man to have a deep meaningful relationship with Him and with other humans. In the case of Genesis 2:18 it was “a helper suitable for him.” The woman! I hear the screams now from both genders “I don’t need a man to be happy” and “I don’t need no woman.” I would agree here as we have pointed out in Paul’s words found in 1 Corinthians 7; however, what we are addressing here is God’s perspective. Secondly, God is intimate. Again, within the God head trinity, God has intimacy. However, He created mankind to experience and enjoy that deep intimacy that we feel when we grow close to someone (i.e., our spouse). Better than that, God wanted us to experience the sheer joy that comes from having a deep intimacy with Him. Not because He needed it, rather He knew we would. Intimacy grows when two people experience a level of “togetherness” that is no possible with animals. That intimacy grows to joyous depths when those two people spend an exuberant amount of time with God. Third God is loving. If you wish to examine “true love” in action look no further than the cross of Christ. God came down to be born in human flesh so that He could relate to us, identify with us, live like us, experience all the pain, loss, and temptation like us. Then God went to the cross to die for us as the sinless sacrifice, because your sins and my sins require payment. “The wages of sin is death,” (Romans 6:23) and “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God“(Romans 3:23). Before He went to the cross He was beaten, whipped, mocked, and treated horribly. Why don’t we let Isaiah tell us in his own words in chapter 53 of his book. Isaiah 53 1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. 3 He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment He was taken away; And as for His generation, who considered That He was cut off out of the land of the living For the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? 9 His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth. 10 But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11 As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. When we love our spouse, we love sacrificially. It is difficult and it will bear scars but it is only because God loved us that we are capable of such an act toward another human. We are finally at the purpose of this post, and that is to address Genesis 2:18 in a 1 Corinthians 13:11 world. This world is full of men who act like little boys, sitting around all day playing games and seeking their own interest. My friends, this ought not to be so. It is not good for the man to be alone. What did God create to rectify this foreseeable problem?
Again, you 1 Corinthians 7 men are to devote your time to the LORD. Married or not know that, “when you were a child, you used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when you became a man, you did away with childish things.” Do away with childish things to the Glory of God. Now before any of those that are reading this shame me for misogynistic tendencies, I want to make very clear that the opposite of that title is unequivocally true. Let me explain what I mean. To do that I want to start with a question. How does the abortion industry, the sexual revolution, pornography, and human trafficking exemplify the worthlessness of women?
We will answer this question in separate parts, addressing each industry’s horrid contribution to the degradation of the worth of the woman. Then we will address each industry from an absolute moral authority. Russian novelist, journalist, essayist, and philosopher Fyodor Dostoevsky said, ” If there is no God, then everything is permitted.” Hold that thought as we make our way through each despicable industry. The Industry of Infanticide – Abortion In 1973 the SCOTUS determined the fate of millions of unborn children. The majority agreed that it was henceforth a woman’s right to kill her child. Perhaps in the latter part of the 20th century we did not have the technological advancements we do today that very clearly and coherently detail the personhood of an unborn child. However, if that was the plumb line of measuring our moral compass, would NY have passed a bill legalizing the murder of babies up to the day they are expected to be born? No! Nevertheless, once a dire decision is made the subsequent consequences are irreversible. As a result, abortion was the leading cause of death over and above cancer, malaria, HIV/AIDS, smoking, alcohol, and traffic accidents combined in 2018. Since it became legal for an unborn baby to be disposed of, there is no longer repercussions, temporary consequences, nor immediate ramifications to the two who engaged in sexual promiscuity. Both the abortion industry and sexual revolution are essentially two sides of the same coin and consistently feed each other. Abortion is the willful, taking of a human life through the process known as murder. For more information on the sad reality that is abortion, and how to help combat this modern day evil visit the site below. https://endabortionnow.com/ The Industry of Sexual Promiscuity – Sexual Revolution The sexual revolution told women that it was their right and even compelled them to use their bodies however they wished. This primarily meant giving themselves away to any whom they chose without reserve or remorse. This further exacerbated the demise of modesty, self-worth, and respect. The result of the sexual revolution is men and women who, without reserve practice sexual promiscuity and as a result marriage and family suffer. Fatherless homes, broken and truncated families, and loneliness have all taken a sharp upward turn since the sexual revolution made its debut some 5 decades ago. The Industry of Sexual Degradation & Perversion – Pornography According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “In the 19th century the inventions of photography and later of motion pictures were quickly put to use in the production of pornography. Pornographic films were widely available no later than the 1920s, and in the 1960s their popularity enjoyed a massive upsurge. The development of videocassettes in the 1980s and digital videodiscs (DVDs) in the 1990s enabled the wide distribution of pornographic films and further encouraged their use because they could be viewed in private. Pornographic images and films became even more widely available with the emergence of the Internet in the 1990s.” https://www.britannica.com/topic/pornography The widespread distribution and consumption of pornographic material has fed a continuing detrimental decline in familial structure and marriages. Below is a very short list of the effects of pornography has on the human brain.
IT IS NOT HARMLESS, IT IS NOT FREEING TO WOMEN, IT IS NOT SAFEFor more information you can visit https://fightthenewdrug.org/ The Industry of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation – Human Trafficking Human trafficking is an epidemic of egregious proportions. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, they received over 14,000 calls through June 2018. 3,178 of the cases were for sex trafficking where the majority were adult women (age 18 and over) and young women (age 17 and under). The pornography industry accounted for 262 cases reported. The industry of human trafficking purports a message that humans are dispensable whos worth is determined by the highest paying customer. The worthlessness of the woman is a mantra in each of these industries. It treats women as tools to be used, abused, disrespected, and exploited. For more information on human trafficking and how to help stop the traffic visit the sites below. https://humantraffickinghotline.org/ https://polarisproject.org/resources We started with a question. How does the abortion industry, the sexual revolution, pornography, and human trafficking exemplify the worthlessness of women? We answered that question in small detail. We then said we would address each of these industries from an absolute moral authority, that is God. Remember our previously quoted philosophical friend Fyodor Dostoevsky said, ” If there is no God, then everything is permitted.” Because God sets the moral standard on right/wrong and what is good, without Him humans naturally feed a carnal desire prone to evil pervaded by a sinister wickedness explained only in the fall of mankind (sin). What then, does God say about all of this? We will address a) the sanctity of life, b) the fall, c) our creator as it pertains to our bodies, and d) how we can live a holy life before God. The Sanctity of Life Genesis 1:26-27 — 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. In the beginning God created everything. He created by His word and everything He created was deemed good. It was not until God created mankind that He used very different phrase to create. He made us in His image. Therefore, we have value directly from God our Creator. Genesis 9:6 — “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” Furthermore, we can see the importance God places on mankind in Genesis 9:6. Murder is an assault on the image of God. Leviticus 18:21 — You shall not give any of your offspring to offer them to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God; I am the LORD. Molech was a pagan deity and the people of that time sacrificed their children to this idol. They would either burn them or murder them before this false god. God clearly demands that child sacrifice be eradicated and not practiced by His people. Jeremiah 1:5 — “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you God knows every single human even before they are formed in the womb. There is huge implications in this verse in support for the sanctity of life. Luke 1:41 — When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; Babies are capable of joy, laughter, feeling, emotion, and every other personhood characteristic both inside and outside the womb. The industries of infanticide, sexual promiscuity, sexual degradation and perversion, and sexual abuse and exploitation are antithetical to the very clear revelation in scripture regarding the Sanctity of human life. The Fall Genesis 2:16-17 — 16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.” Romans 3:23 — For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 6:23a — For the wages of sin is death You see it was and is our choice to either freely and loving worship our Creator or deny His existence. Without God there is no moral authority, there is no absolute truth and so mankind is free to do what it wills irrespective the level of depravity. We belong to God 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 — 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body. We cannot glorify God with our bodies if we abuse them with drugs, alcohol, or abuse them for sexual promiscuity. The industries of infanticide, sexual promiscuity, sexual degradation and perversion, and sexual abuse and exploitation do not glorify God through the body, they glorify the god of this world (Satan) through the abuse and exploitation of the body. Living Holy Lives Before God Leviticus 19:2 — “Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. Holy means to be set apart or “other” from the world. If we look, act, talk, and live like the world we are not set apart from it. The worthlessness of the woman is a societal belief pervaded by the industries of infanticide, sexual promiscuity, sexual degradation and perversion, and sexual abuse and exploitation. Everywhere in scripture, we can see the high worth God places upon women. The problem is that in our day and time we do not seem to understand it. 2000 years ago God sought to fix the problem of our sin. He loving created us and gave us one rule (obey); not because He was tyrannical, because he loved us enough to protect us from ourselves. God’s rule and reign is much like the guard rails on the side of the cliff; you could care less about them until your car spins out and they keep you from going over the cliff. God’s rules and commandments are to keep us from going over the cliff. As we saw in Adam and Eve, we climbed the rail and without reserve jumped over plunging to our death. God went to the bottom of the valley where we lay dead and in the God-man Jesus brought us back to life. Jesus, who like us was tempted in every way yet without sin lived the life we could not, He stayed within God’s safety rails and obeyed without fail. He then sacrificed His life on a blood stained cross trading in His life for ours; so that the wrath of God was satisfied, thus freeing us from condemnation. On the third day He arose from the grave (because sin is what keeps us in the grave), and granted eternal life to all who would confess with their mouth Christ as LORD and believe in their heart that God raised Him from the dead. Christ is your only hope in a world that uses, abuses, and exploits. Christ died for you and He is faithful. He does not use, He does not abuse, He does not exploit, He loves, cherishes and cares so deeply for you that He payed the ultimate price in your place. Glorify God in your body and serve Him only. |
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