Original Sin 4

Picture shows Sinful Nature in Adam versus New Nature in Christ

I want to further elaborate why God is more than fair to us who have original sin. Besides stipulating that “children shall not be put to death for their fathers, but everyone will die for his own sin”, God gives all who put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ a new nature. Our sinful nature in Adam is separated from God, but for those who repent their new nature in Christ is separated from the law and the world. That is, they no longer have to be under bondage to the law, trying to please God by obeying the law and doing good deeds, and they no longer have to be conformed to the world, which is trying to cast us in its mold. In other words, those given a new nature by God are truly free in Christ.

Furthermore, the old, sinful nature is completely eradicated when the believer dies and goes to be with the Lord, or the Lord returns, whichever comes first. Now that’s good news. People have the wrong idea that God gave them a sinful nature and is unfair. The truth of the matter is Adam gave them their sin nature, but God gives those who trust in Christ a new nature. People got it backwards and blame God! Satan had truly blinded people’s eyes!

My last point goes back to Rom 5:12-21 where Paul established a parallel between Adam and Christ. If you want to argue that God is unfair, about the only person He was ever unfair to was His own Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. He was more than fair to Adam and Eve, and He was more than fair to their descendents, i.e. the whole mankind, by giving them a Savior, all at the cost of His own Son. Why should the Lord Jesus, who was perfect and sinless, in fact the only sinless person who ever lived, take upon Himself the penalty of all the sins of all humanity throughout history? Is that fair? No, that is not fair! One innocent person bearing the penalty for all the guilty, that’s not fair! But that’s what love does. Only love, infinite love, will sacrifice Himself for the well-being of the ones loved, who are by nature unlovely and unloving.

Don’t talk about being fair. If God were just fair we would all be in hell, because as a righteous judge He is required to punish all sin. None of us would ever stand a chance, because we are all sinners, by nature and by practice. But besides being just, God is also love. He is more than fair, He is gracious and merciful. That’s why we are given chance after chance because He did not wish any of us to perish. People accuse God of being unfair when they don’t even know what God has done for them. Ponder the depth of God’s love and repent. He is still waiting. Don’t pass that opportunity.

Original Sin 3

Picture shows a wrong view of original sin.

Yesterday we explored whether we are smarter than Adam. My conclusion based on the available evidence is that we are not, and we won’t fare any better had we been in his shoes. But let’s continue to probe whether God has been fair to us. It is true that we did not have a choice in inheriting our ancestors’ sinful nature, but that is not the reason why people end up in hell. In fact, the Law and the Prophets say:

Deut 24:16 Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin.
See also 2 Kings 14:6, 2 Chron 25:4

Jer 31:29-30 “In those days people will no longer say, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Instead, everyone will die for his own sin; whoever eats sour grapes–his own teeth will be set on edge.
See also Ezk 18:2

People wrongly assumed that we die because of Adam’s sin. It was his fault, but we took the fall, and that’s not fair. That is not the case. To be sure, Adam was responsible. Because he was the federal head of all mankind, we inherited original sin and have a sinful nature i.e. we are sinners by nature. We do not become sinners when we sin, we sin because we are sinners, it’s in our nature. But when and why are we sentenced? We are sentenced not because we have original sin, but when we commit sins in accordance to our sinful nature. I say this because of the case of the baby born to David and Bathsheba. Because David committed adultery and murdered Uriah, his son was struck ill. David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and prayed, but on the seventh day the child died. After the baby’s death, however, David washed and changed, worshipped, and ate. His servants were surprised and asked why.

2 Sam 12:22-23 He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Notice the last sentence. At that time David had already confessed and the Lord had forgiven him:

2 Sam 12:13 Then David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan replied, “The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.”

As a forgiven man, David was not going to hell, but will be with the Lord when he dies. By saying that he will not return to me, David meant that the baby will not be raised to life and be reunited with him. But “I will go to him” implies that the baby is with the Lord in heaven, since that is where David will go upon his death.

The inference is that for babies who die in infancy, even though they have original sin, God does not hold them liable because they do not yet have the capacity to know the Lord and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. God’s grace is extended to them because He had not given them the capacity to understand. But when they grow and do understand and commit actual sins of their own, they are held accountable. That’s why I believe the LORD is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness (Ex 34:6). He is more than fair to us who have a sinful nature.

As a side note, some people teach that baptism removes original sin, and therefore they practice infant baptism, hoping that babies who die in infancy do not go to hell because of original sin. If you really understand the meaning of salvation and baptism you won’t need to depend on such external acts to save you. I will wrap up this mini-series with two more points tomorrow.

(to be continued)

Original Sin 2

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pictures show:
* Adam and Eve banished from the Garden of Eden
* Sinful nature used as an excuse

Yesterday we explained what original sin meant. Today we explore the question many unbelievers ask, “Is it fair? If I’m born with original sin, whether I like it or not, and I’m being sentenced to hell for it, then God’s not fair! In fact, He is a devil!” How do we respond to that? Let’s dissect the question a step at a time.

First, the charge is that God is not fair, but did God cause Adam and Eve to sin, and pass the consequences to their descendents? No, the serpent did. It tempted them, and they chose to listen to it instead of God. In fact, God warned them ahead of time and told them the dire consequences, but they disobeyed. So the responsibility is with the serpent and our first parents, not God. We need to discern who is responsible before we lay blame.

Was the serpent fair to Adam and Eve? Of course not, that’s what sin does! Who ever told us Satan our adversary would be fair! Sin always corrupts, it always destroys and robs you. Life is not fair, because we live in a fallen, sinful world. If we expect the devil, our accuser and slander, to be fair then we are the most naive and gullible people in the world.

Was God fair to our first parents? More than fair, in fact He was gracious and merciful. First, He gave them free will, with only one restriction to test their obedience, and He gave them warning:

Gen 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 when you eat of it you will surely die.”

Next, after they willfully sinned, God still cared and provided for them: first in promising mankind a Savior in the woman’s offspring (Gen 3:15), then in making garments of skin to clothe them (Gen 3:21), which points to substitutionary atonement, and finally in banishing them from the Garden of Eden, so that they do not eat of the tree of life and perpetuate their punishment forever (Gen 3:22). God did not leave Adam and Eve stranded because of sin. He gave them a way out which they did not deserve, and that is more than fair.

So God was more than fair to Adam and Eve, but what about us? We did not do anything wrong, but are stuck with a sinful nature from birth. When we die we will go to hell for this. How is this fair? A milder form of this objection is, “Wouldn’t it be simpler if the sinful nature is not passed on, then we would not be held accountable for Adam’s sin, but only for our own sins?” This objection has an underlying assumption which betrays our pride and arrogance – that we would do better than Adam and Eve. They sinned, but we may not necessarily, hence the unfairness. But is the unspoken assumption realistic? No it isn’t.

Bear in mind that God made Adam perfect. On days 1 to 5, after each day’s creation, God saw that it was good. But on day 6, after He created Adam and Eve, He saw that it was very good (Gen 1:31). Adam was very capable and highly intelligent, as God put him in charge of the Garden of Eden, and he gave names to all the animals. Naming is not simply blurting out the first thing that comes to mind, but involves understanding the nature of the animal before assigning a name that is appropriate to its character. Now, given his capabilities and the best of environment in the Garden of Eden, Adam fell. What makes you so sure that you would do better than him had you been there? How wise are you compared to Adam?

(To be continued. Sorry I underestimated my long-windedness!)

Original Sin 1

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pictures show:
* Original sin from Adam’s fall
* Sinful nature

Q. What do you think of “original sin”? Isn’t it totally unfair if we were born with original sin, and are condemned to hell because of it? If God is a God of love, why would He allow a thing like that? The Bible never taught that, did it? It is a terrible doctrine and must be invented by men.

A. There is a lot of confusion and myth about “original” sin, but properly understood, there is no problem at all. I will reply to your question in two posts, first explaining what it means, then I’ll try to answer some of the objections.

Let us first define what we are talking about. Original sin is the sinful nature or innate tendency to sin with which all humans are born, inherited from our parents, originally caused by the fall of Adam and Eve, the first humans. The term “original sin”, coined by Augustine, is not in the Bible, but it is simply what theologians call our “sinful nature”. The Greek word for “sinful nature” is sarx, which is the “sensuous or animal nature” of man with cravings which incite to sin. The word appears 23 times in 22 verses in the New Testament, all in Paul’s epistles except one (2 Pet 2:10). So original sin or sinful nature is definitely taught in the Bible.

The biblical basis of original sin is summarized in Rom 5:12-21 and 1 Co 15:21ff：

Rom 5:12 Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.
1 Co 15:21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.

Now, how could all sinned, as they were not around when Adam fell and have not even been born yet? The principle, called “federal headship” in theology, is explained in Hebrews:

Heb 7:9-10 One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.

The author of Hebrews wanted to prove that Jesus’ priesthood is higher than that of the Levitical priesthood, and he used a hereditary principle. In Gen 14:19-20 Melchizedek blessed Abram, then Abram gave him a tenth of his spoils of war. Heb 7:7 states “without doubt the lesser person is blessed by the greater.” So Melchizedek is greater than Abraham. But Abraham is the federal head of his family and clan, so he is greater than Levi, his great-grandson, who hasn’t been born yet and was still “in the body of his ancestor. By deduction Jesus’ priesthood, which is of the order of Melchizedek, is higher than that of the Levitical priesthood.

This seems a bit complicated, so let’s clarify by using an analogy from genetics. Just as we inherited our parent’s looks and physical characteristics because we carry their genes, we inherited our spiritual or “sinful nature” from them because we are derived from them. So when Adam as the federal head of all mankind sinned, we all suffer the consequences. Now that we know what we’re talking about, is it fair? We’ll tackle that for the next post.

(to be continued)

Rogers Cup (Tennis Spiritual Lessons 3)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos show:
* Hushed spectators
* No matter how good you are, there’ll always be someone better
* Lucifer’s Fall – Pride goes before a fall
* It’s not too late
* Finish well

The third thing I learned is that good as these players are, eventually they are overtaken by someone younger, stronger, faster or smarter. In my days the men’s No. 1 who reigned 3 years or more included Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras, and Roger Federer. There will always be someone better. In Chinese 强中自有强中手，一山還有一山高。This is a fact of life. So lesson 3: Don’t be proud. Not only will pride make you obnoxious on your way up, it will also be what people remember when you are down. Pride is what caused Satan’s downfall. Don’t follow in his steps:

* Ezk 28:2 “Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre (figurative of Satan), ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: ” ‘In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.” But you are a man and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.
* Ezk 28:5 By your great skill in trading you have increased your wealth, and because of your wealth your heart has grown proud.
* Ezk 28:17 Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings.

My last point is not about this particular match, but the game of tennis as a whole. Unlike basketball, football, hockey or soccer, tennis is not rigidly tied to a clock. You don’t play a designated number of minutes in a “period”, and accumulate as many points as you can during that period. In this system, as in baseball, you may play a very long game and have a poor start, but you can rally, come from behind, and finish as the winner.

It is the same in the game of life. 1 Co 6:9-11 Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Some of us have an ignominious beginning. We were like the Corinthians, but God washed, justified and separated us apart for Himself, all because of His grace. Lesson 4: It’s not too late to change. So long as we finish well, that’s all that matters. So persevere. Heb 12:1 Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Never give up. Finish strong.

As I said, I know nothing about tennis, or golf, or flying hot-air balloons, but a preacher is supposed to apply the Bible to life. Hope you find these crumbs useful.

Rogers Cup (Tennis Spiritual Lessons 2)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pictures show:
* Williams serving
* Azarenka waiting
* Mental toughness 1
* Mental toughness 2
* Devil as a roaring lion
* Full armor of God

Yesterday we talked about mental toughness, which is an individual’s resilience to succeed despite overwhelming difficulties. Sports psychologists tell us that mental toughness consists of four things:
1. An unshakeable self-belief, or for a Christian, immovable belief in God
2. Staying focussed on the controllable, despite numerous distractions
3. Thriving under pressure, and
4. Using long-term goals as motivation when things are not going your way.

Michael Chang (5’9″), for example, defeated Ivan Lendl (6’1″) in the 1989 French Open using these tactics. Lendl was ranked No. 1, and outclassed Chang, a 17-year-old upstart by a big gap. Chang was behind two sets, dehydrating, close to exhaustion, and developing a leg cramp. Every stretch to serve overhand was extremely painful. He wanted to quit, but he knew that if he quit now, he will quit the next time and never be able to face this opponent again. So he determined to hang in, and bought time by playing high “moonballs” that stayed longer in the air. To minimize the pain, he served slice underhand, which surprised Lendl and broke his concentration. That turned the tide, and Chang won the next three sets to win the title. He was mentally tough. Paul has mental toughness too, and by the power of the Spirit he was able to accomplish great things for God.

But our Enemy knows these tactics too, and he won’t stop at anything to throw us off. For the fearful, Satan uses intimidation. 1 Pet 5:8 Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He plays games with our mind, “Who are you kidding? You’ve sinned before and you’ll sin again! You’ll never change!” What do we do then?

First, know your enemy, know his schemes.
2 Co 2:11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
Second, know yourself, know God’s provision.
Eph 6:11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.
Jas 4:7 “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.“

We do not need to be intimidated by Satan. So long as we submit to God, we will win, because that’s His promise. Lesson 2: We need to know our enemy’s schemes and our rights. Learn to be mentally tough. Avoid the path of least resistance. Do the things that are unpleasant but which are good for you.

(to be continued)

Rogers Cup (Tennis Spiritual Lessons 1)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos show:
* Players settling in
* Warming up
* Victoria Azarenka vs Serena Williams
* Mental toughness
* Mental toughness components

Last Saturday my wife and I had the luxury of attending the Rogers Cup women’s tennis semi-finals at York University. The match was between American Serena Williams (world No. 31 as she dropped out for a year due to foot injury) and Belarusian Victoria Azarenka (world No. 4), which was a very tense game. Let me start with a disclaimer that I am not a tennis player, so you won’t learn any tips on how to be a better player from this article. However, I have a habit of filtering observations through a biblical frame of reference to glean some nuggets, or crumbs, that you might find useful.

The first thing we noticed was the build of the players. Azarenka is a tall, lean 5’11”, while Williams is shorter at 5’9″, but muscular with broad shoulders. I was told that the average height of female professional tennis players is now 5’10”. Male players are even taller, averaging 6’1″, and the average keeps going up. Tennis is a sport like basketball where height carried advantage in that tall players with long arms and legs can get to the ball faster.

I remember a Vitasoy (維他奶) commercial jingle from my high school days that said “Taller, stronger, more well-built！” (更高，更强，更健美) Does that mean shorter players don’t stand a chance? No. I recall that Billie Jean King won 12 grand slam singles from the mid-60’s to the mid-70’s. She was a diminutive 5’4.5″. After her, Chris Evert dominated women’s tennis for over a decade with 18 grand slam titles. She was only 5’6″. Both made up for their “shortcomings” by their agility and speed.

Why did I point this out? Because people look at the externals and wrongly assume that you got to be born with the right genes, a “natural”, to succeed. God, however, does not consider the outward appearance. 1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

Tennis, like other sports, depends on not just the physical endowment. I have never studied sports psychology, but was told that any sport has four components – physical, technical, tactical and mental. You need to master all four to win. And for those who know God, there is the spiritual as well. The world naturally rallies around the tall Goliaths as champions, but with God, Davids without all the physical advantages can win.

Lesson 1: Eccl 9:11 The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong.
Zech 4:6 ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

I think players at their world-class level are all competent in basic skills, and that winning or losing will not likely be decided on the technical front. What will set them apart will be their tactics, as well as mental toughness. Williams, for example, exerted pressure on her opponents by having a very powerful serve that hurtled at you at over 180 km./hr. She managed a good number of “aces” (legal serves which are not returnable) each game, which can be intimidating. I believe Azarenka felt the pressure. She howls when she serves or returns a volley, but her grunts got softer and softer as the game progressed in Williams’ favor, possibly betraying that her resolve was weakening. She also made a number of double faults, giving up valuable points with her own hands.

Of all of the Lord’s disciples, I admire the Apostle Paul the most. Not just because he had brilliant insights into the Lord’s teachings, but because I believe he was the toughest mentally based on all that he endured. Just read 2 Co 11:23-28 for yourself. I believe he was able to turn the world upside-down (Acts 17:6 KJV) and lead so many to Christ because of this tenacity, through the power of the Holy Spirit. So my first question is, “Are you mentally tough? Do you persevere? What and how much have you done for the Lord? Do you thrive, or crumble, under pressure?”

(to be continued)

Hot Air Balloon Spiritual Lessons 3 (Part 3 of 3)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos show:

* Descent approaching Barrie private airport
* Flying low over houses
* Disembarking the balloon
* Deflating the balloon
* Packing up the basket

Yesterday we looked at the similarities between a hot air balloon flight and the Spirit-filled life. In this finale we examine spiritual direction and teamwork.

Our pilot told us he has been licensed for 22 years, and had flown about 1,500-1,600 flights. Yet experienced as he is, he said he can only control the altitude, the speed of ascent/descent, and the rotation of the balloon (so that all passengers can take in all views); he has no means whatsoever of determining the direction the balloon will travel. That’s why pilots can decide where they will launch, but have no way of knowing where they will land!

Unlike planes, a balloon has no propulsion. The pilot cannot steer the balloon. There are no sails or rudders, so they can’t even adjust those to point them where they want to go. His only controls are how wide to open (1) the valve of the burner, and for how long, which determine how hot the air gets heated and how fast the balloon will rise, and (2) the parachute valve at the top of the envelope, which will allow some hot air to escape, thus causing the balloon to descend. Both controls are related to the up and down or vertical movement, so how does the balloon move horizontally and travel from one place to another?

Well, the pilot isn’t as helpless as it appears on the surface. Balloons float with the wind, that’s why they glide along smoothly and silently. Before the balloon is launched, the pilot sends up a small piball (short for the helium-filled “pilot balloon”) to see which way the wind is blowing, so he knows the general direction the big balloon will go. The atmosphere actually is in layers, and the air currents in different layers may move in different directions. So to move in a particular direction, the pilot can move up or down to find a layer that blows in that direction, and ride with the wind.

What has that got to do with spiritual direction? A whole lot! The Holy Spirit is like the wind. Jn 3:8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” We can’t control the wind, but we can “catch” the wind and ride along. Just as a surfer can’t control the wave but must ride along or be “buried” in water, so we need to ascertain the will of the Spirit and follow or find ourselves kicking against the goads (Acts 26:14).

Does that mean we don’t plan and leave everything to God? No. Jas 4:13-15 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.“ We still plan, but all our plans are provisional, subject to the over-riding rule of the Lord, because we are not the master, the Lord is. A Spirit-filled life is largely improvised, obediently following the leading of the Spirit, moment-by-moment.

My last point concerns teamwork. Importantly as the job of the pilot is, he does not work alone. There is a ground crew of at least one assistant to (1) help him prepare and inflate the balloon for flight, (2) follow the balloon in the air with his van on the ground, (3) deflate and pack the landed balloon, and (4) drive the passengers back to the launching point, where their cars are parked. The pilot just can’t do everything himself. The crew even enlists the help of the passengers! This is also true in church work. A pastor may be very gifted and multi-talented, but he is not superman – he can’t do it all by himself. To get the job done, he needs a group of lay leaders, sometimes other staff, to share the burden. Yet sometimes he is foolish enough to attempt to do it all, or the congregation is foolish enough to expect him to be able to handle everything! No, teamwork is essential. The apostle Paul is certainly one of the Lord’s most outstanding disciples, yet he always work in teams. God does not expect us to be lone-rangers. Neither should we.

There you have it, a few spiritual lessons from a short hot air balloon ride. It’s not cheap, but what a ride! Try it sometime. You’ll love it. Now, where can I get a hang-glider again?

Hot Air Balloon Spiritual Lessons 2 (Part 2 of 3)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos show:
* Up, up and away!
* Close-up of the blimp
* Flying towards Lake Simcoe
* Hovering over residential district in Barrie
* Landing at Barrie private airport

Yesterday we learned that hot air balloons make use of Archimedes’ principle, which states that a floating object displaces its own weight of fluid. Spiritually speaking, we need to put in the effort to prepare, and the cumulative effect of small doses can have a significant impact. Today we continue with other observations and the experience of the flight itself.

For the balloon to rise, we need: Buoyancy + Heat > Gravity

The heat of the propane burner causes the air to expand and have buoyancy. When the lift is strong enough to overcome the force of gravity, the balloon takes off.

In spiritual terms, we have: Spirit + Zeal > Sin

That is, when we draw on the power of the Holy Spirit with zeal, we rise above our circumstances and can conquer sin. Two verses come to mind:

* 1 Thes 5:19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire.
* Rom 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

First, just as the balloon is lifted by the hot air’s buoyancy and not by its own power, ultimately it is the Spirit, not ourselves, that gives us the victory. Therefore, don’t quench the Spirit, or we’ll lose, big time!

Secondly, by putting the formula as an addition, I do not mean the Spirit’s power is insufficient by itself, and needs our zeal to supplement it. God’s power is infinite, but the Spirit won’t force us against our will. We need to be willing to obey and rely on Him. As a pastor, I’ve observed that there are many capable people in the congregation, but it is those who are willing and have zeal that are active in service. Those with knowledge but not zeal sometimes criticize the church for not measuring up to their standard, or not following their advice. They actually hurt the church by their negative attitude. That’s why it is better to train zealous people to serve with humility.

What does the flight feel like? First, the ascent was actually quite smooth and fast, at about 500 ft./min. I was a little apprehensive before the flight, because I was not afraid of anything, except height! 😦 However, I did not feel vertigo at all, as the basket feels solid underfoot. The pilot explained that we don’t feel any vibrations because it was supported not from below, as a building would feel the force of an earthquake, but from “above”.

Once we get high up, we get a different perspective of the world, a bird’s-eye view. You can see far across the horizon, because at an altitude of 3,000-4,000 ft., we were higher than all the surrounding mountains. The light wind carried us from south of Barrie towards Lake Simcoe, and we can see many miles away, in all directions. As well, except for the occasional blast of the burner to heat the air so that the balloon can climb higher, everything was still and quiet around us. There was a sense of serenity, because we were far from the maddening crowd, above the noise and din of the rat race below.

Spiritual parallels abound here. We, too, are supported from above. People wrongly assume that if you are committed to God’s work, you would experience only trouble and trials and tribulation. For sure you will have your share, because the Enemy is against the Lord’s servants. But people forget the gentle nature of the Spirit’s ride. Jesus said in Jn 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. That’s why we don’t need to be afraid of anything.

When we are filled with the Spirit, we see things with spiritual discernment. We see the big picture of how everything fit together, with a broad perspective, and don’t get bogged down with trivial matters. If you don’t ascend to the heights, you just don’t see as far. In fact the higher the altitude, the further the vision. It’s as simple as that.

Furthermore, since a hot air balloon has no mechanical moving parts, the only noise you’ll hear is the burner when it’s turned on, and your own conversation. You get a feeling of tranquility you won’t get elsewhere. Similarly, when you are in the Spirit, you get away from the noise and the hustle and bustle of life. Isa 30:15 This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Isa 40:31 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Is that what you aspire to?

(to be continued)

Hot Air Balloon Spiritual Lessons 1 (Part 1 of 3)

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Photos show:
* Arrival at meeting point 5:30 AM
* Setting up the burners
* Inflating the balloon with fans
* Ready for launch
* Take-off

Our family and friends gave my wife a special gift for her birthday, something memorable which we would never get for ourselves – a hot air balloon ride! We eagerly cashed in our gift last weekend and were in for a pleasant surprise, as there are many similarities between a balloon ride and the Spirit-filled life.

Due to the cold climate in Canada, flights are available only from late Spring to early Fall. Weather permitting, flights are scheduled 7 days a week, twice daily at sunrise and sunset. We booked a Sat. morning flight, a little hesitantly as we have to get up at 3:30 AM to allow ample time to get to Cookstown about 80 km away. Little did we know that we were very “fortunate” to be able to fly the first time we booked. One fellow passenger said she re-booked a total of 10 times over 4 years before she finally got on board! Guess we were “lucky”, but “fortunate” and “lucky” are not part of Christian vocabulary!

There is actually a lot of heavy work both before and after each flight of 30 min. to an hour. All the equipment are packed in a U-haul trailer, and have to be assembled for each flight, then dismantled and stored until the next launch. There are 3 basic pieces of equipment: the balloon (“envelope”), a burner with fuel tanks, and a basket. Together these can weigh about 850 lbs. for an average system carrying 5 people. You can imagine the heavy lifting involved. Lesson # 1: If you don’t want to spend the effort, you won’t enjoy the experience. It’s the same with the Christian life. If you don’t invest the time and the energy to discipline yourself, you won’t be victorious. Some Christians look for that “magical” seminar where they can learn three easy steps and be instantly victorious. It doesn’t work that way. As in mastering any sports or skill, you have to put in the effort, without which you don’t enjoy the fruit of the labor.

We were amazed by the size of the balloon. When lying flat on the ground, I estimated it to be about 100 ft. long. When it was inflated, it stood as tall as a 10-storey building. Actually, if we remember our high school physics, we should not be surprised. This is because hot air balloons work on a very simple principle: Hot air is lighter than cold air and rises. Each cu. ft. of air weighs about 1 oz. (28 gm.) at room temperature. However, if you heat that air by 100 degrees F., it expands by about 1/3, so that the same volume of 1 cu. ft. now weighs only 3/4 oz. (21 gm.) Therefore each cu. ft. of hot air has a buoyancy of, or can lift, 1/4 oz. (7 gm.). That’s not much, but if you have a 100,000 cu. ft. balloon, it can lift approximately 1,600 lbs., which is the combined weight of an average system (850 lbs.) and 5 people (1 pilot plus 4 passengers, at an average of 150 lbs. per person). Lesson # 2: Each unit’s contribution is small, but if you have lots of units, you can do great things.

The same is true of your Christian walk. The contribution of each worship, fellowship, daily devotion, prayer, memory verse, meditation, fasting, good deed, sharing the gospel etc. may not be huge, but, accumulated steadily over an extended period of time, they amount to a lot and can change your character and your course of history. This is the principle behind the proverbial “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”. The ground covered by each step is insignificant, but step by step, eventually the whole 1,000 miles will be behind you. Don’t ignore your spiritual disciplines. I don’t know of any spiritual giants who are undisciplined.

(to be continued)