Insights Magazine: Number Four, 2022 by Insight for Living Canada

NUMBER FOUR, 2022

In this issue 3

What Should I Do When I Disagree with My Pastor?

charles r. swindoll

Does a Christian Who Commits Suicide Go to Heaven?

steve johnson

Is God Really in Control?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

insight for living ministries bill gemaehlich

Understanding Our Times 12

Relativism

steve johnson 14

For Such a Time as This

Dr. Terry Boyle Puzzle 15

Suppressing the Truth

Insights is published by Insight for Living Canada, the Bibleteaching ministry of Charles (Chuck) R. Swindoll. Chuck is the senior pastor-teacher of Stonebriar Community Church in Texas. His international radio program Insight for Living has aired for more than 40 years. We hope this publication will instruct, inspire, and encourage you in your walk with Christ. Copyright © 2022 Insight for Living Canada. All rights reserved. No portion of this monthly publication may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture passages are taken from the NLT. Unless otherwise noted, photography and illustration by Tim Schellenberg. IFLC is an autonomous ministry and certified member of the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities. Printed in Canada.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I DISAGREE WITH MY PASTOR? by charles r. swindoll

Cover & Article Photo: Timothy Eberly on unsplash.com

ing their territory than working together Question The pastor at my church is making policy toward the common goal of building the changes at the church that I don’t think he kingdom of God. Let me offer a few other suggestions. can support biblically. I thought the church First, pray before you make any decisions. leaders would stop him, but they are going right along with his plan. A few families Pray for the leadership of your church. For have left the church, and I worry that this a spirit of unity. For wisdom. Pray that your might lead to a church split. What can I do? motives will be pure. As you pray, seek the guidance of Scripture. God often reveals Answer We receive many letters from Christians attitudes of pride or resentment through who are concerned about their pastor. His Word. Your goal is to be a clean vessel Essentially, they want to know whether or for the Lord to use in your pastor’s life. Second, if sin is involved, follow Jesus’s not they should confront him and, if so, how to confront him in a respectful and plan for confrontation. In Matthew 18:15-17, Jesus revealed a four-step strategy for coreffective way. I’ve never met anyone who enjoys con- recting people: frontation. Usually, we avoid it at all costs 1. Talk to them privately because it is so difficult to do and can be 2. If they don’t listen, talk to them again with the help of an objective negotiator very draining emotionally—particularly 3. If they don’t listen when it involves a pasBe careful of using the again, bring the matter tor. However, if done well, revealing a blind truth like a battering ram before the elders 4. If they still don’t spot in a person’s life can to force the pastor to listen, clearly mark the actually save them from change. You don’t want boundaries of right and great trouble. If we truly care about someone, the confrontation to turn wrong, outline the conwe’ll warn them when into a power struggle. sequences of behaving wrongly, and enforce they have veered off the those consequences even if it means way and are heading toward disaster. The removing them from fellowship. If your Proverbs say, “Rebuke a wise man and he pastor is in sin and refuses to repent, his will love you” (Proverbs 9:8b, HCSB). The denominational superiors need to know wise pastor appreciates people who are about it so they can investigate and enact willing to tell him the truth. consequences. However, we must tell the truth...in love. Third, use “I” statements rather than Confronting is not the same as criticizing. If the pastor does not feel that you truly have “you” statements. Confrontation dissolves his best interests at heart, he will naturally into accusation when we make vague become defensive. Be careful of using the statements like, “You’re teaching heresy.” truth like a battering ram to force the pastor Instead, be specific about your concerns, to change. You don’t want the confronta- avoid sweeping judgments, and talk from tion to turn into a power struggle. When your personal point of view. You may say that happens, the real issues get lost, and something like, “I heard you teach suchthe conversation feels more like a tug of war and-such. I understand the Bible differwith both sides more interested in defend- ently on this point, and I wonder whether

or not people in the church are getting confused. I think we need to resolve some of these issues so that we can be unified as a church and more effectively accomplish our task of building the kingdom of God.” Fourth, if you’re asking the pastor to change, be willing to change yourself. Healthy confrontation can be a learning experience for you and the pastor. Be humble as you speak with your pastor, and be open to changes that you might need to consider. He will be more willing to adjust his way of thinking if he perceives a teachable spirit in you. Fifth, sometimes separation is necessary. Sometimes disagreements can’t be resolved. It’s not a matter of right and wrong but simply differences of opinion, and you have to agree to disagree while staying friends. Leaving a church is always painful for your family, the church, and the pastor. There’s no easy way to leave. But if you must go, make sure to leave gracefully, affirming the good things about the church and encouraging those who are staying. Leave with a clear conscience that you have done everything in your power to find a resolution. Months later, you will probably wonder, “If only I had....” Put in

the extra effort now to resolve the personal conflict so that you don’t leave angry at a person. A resource on handling disagreements is Chuck’s sermon, “The Grace to Disagree and Press On,” from The Grace Awakening series. Let these verses give you guidance in matters like this: Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it." (1 Peter 3:8-11 NIV) Seek peace and pursue it. That’s a good slogan to live by. Copyright © 2009 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Resurrected Christ…A Transformed Life SINGLE CD MESSAGE

CHRIST’S RESURRECTION TRANSFORMS DOUBTS INTO FAITH! For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.

DOES A CHRISTIAN WHO COMMITS SUICIDE GO TO HEAVEN? by steve johnson

uicide is one of the most tragic of all human experiences. Besides the tremendous loss it leaves it triggers many questions even for those who have faith. Although the Bible gives several instances of suicide (Judges 16:29–30; 1 Samuel 31:4–5; 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:18; Matthew 27:3–5) it doesn’t address

the issue directly. It does give us some answers that can be applied to a terrible circumstance like suicide. Scripture says, “You must not murder” (Exodus 20:13) and Jesus repeated this (Matthew 19:18). God is the only one who is to decide when and how a person should die. Suicide, the taking of one’s own life,

Article Image: Daniel Mccullough unsplash.com

Some would argue, “OK yes we are saved is self-murder and is ungodly because it rejects God’s gift of life. No man or woman by grace, but we are kept by our works. should presume to take God’s authority And since suicide is an evil work, we are upon themselves to end his or her own life. lost.” But Jesus said it was He who is holdOne reason some Christians have this ing onto us, not us holding onto Him. “I question is because of the Roman Catho- give them eternal life, and they will never lic teaching about mortal and venial sins. perish. No one can snatch them away from Venial sins, they teach, are slight sins in me” (John 10:28). Believers are kept secure that they injure the relationship to God, not because of their works, but because of but mortal sins sever it and unless there what Christ has done and continues to do is final confession the individual contin- in and through us by His Spirit. Is there anything then—including ues eternally separated from God. Obviously in the case of suicide there can be suicide—that can separate us from the no confession and so Catholics teach that love of God and undo His salvation? Not the one who commits suicide does not go according to Romans 8:38–39. Nothing can ever separate us to heaven. Some Christians The Gospel is a message from God’s love. But does this mean avoid the question with of hope. But sometimes that since a Christian convenient theological twisting. They say a things can get very dark in who commits suicide a believer’s life and in the won’t go to hell we can true believer wouldn’t relax and not worry so commit suicide. And dark, hope is lost. much about it? No. We the proof that they were not saved in the first place is in the need to understand the factors, especially fact that they committed suicide. Apart depression, which can lead to suicide from an ignorance of suicide in general, even for Christians.1 The Gospel is a message of hope. But these folks are ignorant of how we are sometimes things can get very dark in a saved and kept. Suicide is a sin but it does not determine believer’s life and in the dark, hope is lost. a person’s eternal destiny. We are not saved Let’s live up to our calling to be lights and by our works but by the grace and mercy of help them recover their hope. If you or someone you know are conGod through the work of Christ (Ephesians 2:1–10; Titus 3:5). We are saved by believing sidering suicide, please seek help now. that we are all sinners, that our sin sepa- Reach out 24/7 to Crisis Services Canada rates us from God, but because He loves us at 1.833.456.4566. God sent Jesus Christ who died to pay the penalty for our sins. Upon accepting His 1 Health at a Glance, Suicide rates: An overview. sacrifice personally for my sin, I have eterStatistics Canada Catalogue no. 82-624-Xby Tanya Navaneelan. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/ nal life. All sins are covered by the blood pub/82-624-x/2012001/article/11696-eng.htm. of Christ. Upon death, no matter how that Last accessed May 30, 2013. comes about, all who receive Christ go to be with the Lord. Eternal salvation is God’s Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for work, not ours. We only have to believe it Living Canada. and receive it.

by insight for living ministries

Article Illustration: Tori Matthys

o you ever find yourself wondering, dragged off to a cruel foreign land was “Does God really have things in hand bad enough. Now, the king’s right-hand here, or is my life spinning out of control?” man had talked him into signing a decree I have. Trusting in Jesus Christ at age 18, I to exterminate the Jews. The details of soon concluded that if I simply did enough the plan just happened to become known of the right things, my Christian life to a Jew named Mordecai living in the would be a steady climb toward maturity. capital city. And this man just happened Numerous setbacks and failures later, I to have raised a beautiful Jewish orphan still believed God was in control and had a girl named Esther. Among countless candidates, Esther was the one selected as purpose through it all. But as my career, ministry, relationships, queen by the king, who incidentally had and spiritual life hit a series of dead ends, I just demoted his previous queen. This young woman—still a girl, really— wasn’t so sure. Maybe I had just been fooling myself. Instead of God being in control, had the inner fortitude to risk her life by maybe my life’s course had no real purpose approaching the king on behalf of her peoafter all. Maybe my mistakes were more ple. And the king just happened to have been reading the records of the kingdom, where than God could handle. Haven’t we all looked at our lives at he discovered that Mordecai had never been rewarded for uncovering a times and thought, “Can Haven’t we all looked plot against the king’s life. anything be made of this at our lives at times So when Esther pleaded for mess?” On the outside, at least, life at times looks and thought, “Can the lives of her people, the bleak and chaotic. It often anything be made of king, who loved her, was now favourably inclined toward looked that way to people in this mess?” the Jews. Thus, the Jews were the Bible. Think of Joseph sitting unjustly in a prison cell, David on miraculously saved and their enemy senthe run from a murderous Saul, or Heze- tenced to be hanged. What a story of intrigue in the king’s kiah facing an overwhelming Assyrian army outside the gates of Jerusalem. How court! And what a story of a young woman had things gone so wrong? Was God’s plan whose faith caused her to trust in God’s still on course, or had He taken a vacation? providence, even when God’s plan for His One of the writers of Scripture addressed people looked as though it would be permathis issue in a most unusual way. The book nently derailed. The New Testament writers assure us that of Esther never mentions God, yet it relates a part of Jewish history that has God’s finger- our Father does indeed have everything prints all over it. It’s as if the writer wanted under control in our lives. Paul wrote that to emphasize that God is active behind the believers in Christ have been “predestined scenes, even when things seem out of control. according to His purpose who works all Things definitely seemed that way for things after the counsel of His will” (Ephethe Jews living in Persian exile. Being sians 1:11 NASB1995). In other words, God

has a plan, and nothing is going to derail His plan as a whole and for us individually. The apostle acknowledged that life in this fallen world is a frustrating mess (Romans 8:20–23), but he says we can be assured that God is using even the smallest details and most insignificant events to accomplish His good purpose in our lives. That purpose is that we become like Jesus (Romans 8:28–29). However messy things look on the outside, God is at work behind the scenes in our lives to accomplish His eternal purpose. And He will accomplish it, for His own glory (Ephesians 1:12). Even our mistakes, many though they may be, won’t thwart His plan. “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, italics added). Like Joseph, we may ultimately understand in this life why God allows events to transpire as they do (Genesis 50:20). Or like many Old Testament saints, we may never be able to put the puzzle together this side of heaven (Hebrews 11:35–40). But that’s OK. We are not the tapestry-makers. God is. Currently, we see only the back side of our life’s tapestry—a disorderly tangle of

yarn. When we are tempted to doubt that a beautiful picture is actually being created on the other side, here are some things we can do. First, stay in God’s Word. When things get really bad, flood yourself with God’s Word. It’s the only way to consistently see things from God’s perspective instead of our earthly perspective. Second, don’t try to read the tea leaves. Don’t try to figure it all out. We’re not very good at it, anyway. Besides, when we try to make sense of what appears to be senseless, we are choosing to trust what we can see rather than the God we cannot. Accept that we are incapable of comprehending the complexities of so vast a universe. Third, trust our heavenly Father. Trust that He is sovereign, that He does have everything under His control. And trust that He is good, that His heart is only a heart of love for us, and that He is weaving “an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” for us (2 Corinthians 4:17). Taken from Greg Smith, “Is God Really in Control?” Insights (February 2005), 2,5. Copyright © 2005 by Insight for Living. All rights reserved worldwide.

Insight for Living’s Bible-teacher Chuck Swindoll has spent more than 50 years emphasizing God’s grace alongside a commitment to practical application. Learn more about our pastor at insightforliving.ca/chuck-swindoll

MARTYN LLOYDJONES by bill gemaehlich

s we begin to walk down the road to from the ceiling he looked up, saw a cloud healing for those who are suffering of smoke, and just kept on preaching. Lloyd-Jones wrote, “I preached the mesboth physically and economically through COVID-19, there is a theologian who gives sages to the people in the hope that they some great perspective amid this crisis, Dr. might help them, and strengthen their faith, in the critical days through which Martyn Lloyd-Jones. we are passing.” Facing Lloyd-Jones began his career as a medical doc- Lloyd-Jones taught that the possibility of being killed through bombing tor and left a life of medi- the best thing for us in raids in London was an cine to become one of the difficult circumstances imminent crisis during greatest teaching pastors is to open up God's World War II and in some of his time. He was tired of giving people mediWord and let it act as ways similar to the batcine to heal their physi- medicine for our souls. tles we are facing today. As we come together cal bodies but not doing anything for their spiritual health. He to pray let this be our lens, to focus on is known for his deep commitment to the things that are most important in our Bible exposition. Lloyd-Jones taught that relationship with Christ: prayer, worship, the best thing for us in difficult circum- reading God’s Word, encouraging one stances is to open up God's Word and let another, and deepening our theology, which is anchored to our hope in the it act as medicine for our souls. He was so passionate about teaching person of Jesus Christ as He walks with God’s Word that in November 1940, while us through the trials of our day. the Germans were bombing the city of London, he continued to preach at West- Bill Gemaehlich is the EVP/COO operations at minster Chapel even after a bomb hit the Insight for Living Ministries building during the service. As plaster fell

RELATIVISM

ver heard someone say, “That may be true for you but it’s not true for me”? That, in a nutshell, is relativism. It’s the idea that truth is relative to the individual and the time, culture, situation, and place in which he acts. There are no universal or absolute objective standards. Concepts like true and false, right and wrong, good and bad, beautiful and ugly, are considered to be personal preferences or agreed-upon community values, but not a universally valid standard. Hence, what may be true for one person is not true for another person. Relativism is an incoherent, inconsistent, and self-contradicting worldview. To say all truth is relative is itself a universal statement and thereby self-contradicting. If we accept relativism we can make no universal moral statements like, “men and women are equally valuable.” We can make no absolute historical statements

like, “the Holocaust happened.” And, while relativism seems to be a humble approach on religious questions, it’s actually quite arrogant. If I say “Christianity can be true for me, and Islam is true for you,” I’m not taking the beliefs of either of these religions seriously because they posit truths that are opposite. Here’s the process that results in relativism. First, remove God from the picture. Deny He exists or that He is the creator with authority over His creation. People don’t embrace relativism because they think it makes sense. They embrace it because it provides the cover that people need to do what they want and not what God wants. Next, assume man is in charge and declare that since there is no God with His absolute laws and truth, man is the one who decides what is right and wrong.

Article Image: Kunj Parekh unsplash.com

by steve johnson

Add in belief in evolution and conclude How could one know that the findings of that because man is evolving, so is his science are real? In fact, the very laws of science are founded on the existence of morality, ethics, and culture. Finally, confuse opinions with facts. absolute truth. With relativism, people confuse opinions Religion All the religions of the world attempt for facts and relegate truth, especially any question of God or religion to the realm of to give meaning and definition to life. opinion. “You prefer Jesus—that’s fine if They are born out of mankind’s desire it works for you.” “You believe the Bible is for something more than simple existence. Through religion, humans seek true? That’s your opinion.” There is a difference between opinions God, hope for the future, forgiveness of and fact/truth claims. When someone sins, peace in the midst of struggle, and claims Jesus is not God, that’s an opinion. answers to our deepest questions. ReliWhen Jesus says that He is God, that is gion is really evidence that mankind is a fact/truth claim. It’s not an opinion. more than just a highly evolved animal. And the truth of His statement is based It is evidence of a higher purpose and of on objective reality, namely, the miracles the existence of a personal and purposeHe did which were verified by many wit- ful Creator who implanted in man the desire to know Him. nesses and recorded. Relativism is an And if there is indeed Here are three evidences that there is such incoherent, inconsistent, a C re a to r, t h e n H e a thing as absolute/uniand self-contradicting becomes the standard for absolute truth, and versal truth. worldview. it is His authority that Human conscience It tells us the world should be a certain establishes that truth. Each of us can play a part in challengway, that some things are right and some are wrong. Our conscience convinces us ing the premise of relativism that we there is something wrong with suffer- each create our own truth with the assuring, starvation, rape, pain, and evil, and ance that truth is something that can be it makes us aware that love, generos- known and is worth pursuing. Christianity, compassion, and peace are positive ity assumes that an all-powerful, rational, things for which we should strive. This is self-revealing God has created a world universally true in all cultures in all times. that can be known in all of its dimensions The Bible describes the role of the human and has endowed human beings with the capacity to learn and understand His creconscience in Romans 2:14-16. ation. Sharing this perspective is a meanScience Science is simply the pursuit of knowl- ingful step toward guiding culture away edge, the study of what we know and the from the ethical muddle of relativism and quest to know more. All scientific study toward a clearer understanding of God’s must by necessity be founded upon the good intentions for His creation. belief that there are objective realities existing in the world and these realities Steve Johnson is the executive director at Insight for can be discovered and proven. Without Living Canada. absolutes, what would there be to study?

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS Dr. Terry Boyle

uring my time at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS), I often wondered where and how God wanted me to minister once I graduated with my Master of Theology degree. The graduating class of 1999 that final semester went on a retreat at a ranch near Paris, Texas. Pastor Chuck Swindoll, the president of DTS at that time, shared his ministry insights with us all when we weren’t enjoying food and funny stories around the table with him and his wife Cynthia. After dinner, my wife Rosie and I joined Pastor Chuck and Cynthia for tea—iced tea, mind you! “When in Texas...” as the saying goes. We sat on that porch swing and chatted to the buzz of crickets and the glint of lightning-bugs starting their dance among the oak trees. Cynthia shared her Insight for Living Ministries (IFLM) vision for opening a local office in the UK...someday. We left it at that, nothing more than a casual conversation, before turning in for the night. Then, in 2006, that someday came. Chuck and Cynthia tasked Scott Bean to oversee the establishment of IFLM UK as a registered charity that would serve IFLM listeners in the UK and English-speaking Europe. Scott had worked in IFLM’s International department for five years and had a missionary heart along with a keen gift for details. His first task? To find

and recruit a pastor to represent Pastor Chuck in the region. That person needed the right seminary training at DTS and the right ministry experience as a pastor—not to mention the right passport! It didn’t take Scott very long, nor did he have to look very far, before pitching the idea to his own pastor...me. At the time I was shepherding a lively and eclectic flock near downtown Dallas, putting to use my DTS training and preaching with a British accent! I said yes. But not instantly. Rosie and I had to carefully pray, consider, and seek counsel. We would have to uproot our family to move back to our homeland, England. While the whole idea seemed daunting in every way, the call eventually became undeniable. “If I must die, I must die” (Esther 4:16). Esther seemed fearless when she stood before the Persian king. But not Rosie and me when faced with the daunting task of returning to England! Nevertheless, we knew God had used our journey to the US to bring us to such a time as this. With the full support of the IFLM team in Texas, Scott and I began operating in Surrey. The UK charity was up and running. Excerpt taken from "For Such a Time as This." Read the complete article online at insightforliving.ca/ifl-uk.

Puzzle — Word Search

Suppressing the Truth Difficulty ● ● ○ ○

Hidden in this puzzle are 21 words or phrases from Romans 1:18-32 (NIV). Words can go in any direction and can share letters as they cross over each other.

R E V O M E H T E V A G G K D

Q X H V X S H A M E F U L T E

A Z K C W V Y T E N G L O D G

B Z U X W R V D Z N S O R E N

A S E E R C E D A S I F I G A

E Y T L A N E P E H X V F R H

G O D L E S S N E S S G I A C

M H N K I R D E V A R P E D X

Y H R N N E X J F Z N V D I E

M A F A K W B F I U J Y X N Y

D U H C N O F R O R T I H G U

L N I H S P W O R S H I P E D

M W Q N E E S Y L R A E L C J

Q F F O O L I S H O Z Y E E Q

L A T R O M M I N S O L E N T

Words and phrases ______________________

______________________

Puzzle solutions will be posted at insightforliving.ca/puzzle at a later date.

A MUST-HAVE FOR ANYONE WHO IS SEEKING A PRACTICAL RESOURCE FOR EXPLORING GOD’S WORD. This commentary draws on Pastor Chuck Swindoll’s 50 years of experience with studying and preaching God’s Word. For ordering information visit insightforliving.ca or view enclosed flyer.