Jesus Christ Archives

April 25, 2025April 22, 2025

Soil Moisture and Water Shortages

Living on a river that feeds Lake Michigan, we tend to ignore messages of water shortages. There is some irrigation in our area, but nothing like what we see in other regions of the world. Recent studies of global soil moisture show a very different picture.

Drought events at various global locations have caused the loss of 1.614 gigatons of water between 2000 and 2002. (One gigaton is one billion tons.) In the United States, irrigation has been highly contested as rivers in Nebraska and Colorado cannot supply the water needed to grow wheat and other grain crops. Drawing from the water table has caused it to drop over 10 feet in recent years.

Studies at the University of Texas and Seoul National University show that the problem of water shortages will cause more hunger and human suffering if we don’t do something to stop the soil moisture loss. The solution to water shortages is available.

There was no way to recover water lost to the oceans in the Old Testament days, but now there is. We can use nuclear energy and various processes to desalinate seawater. Removing the salt from seawater provides the salt humans need while producing fresh water for irrigation and replacing soil moisture.

God has provided humans with the water we need. In ancient times, humans lived by bodies of fresh water. With the expanding human population, not everyone could live on the shores of lakes or along rivers, so water had to be moved from places of plenty to places of drought. The Romans did this with aqueducts stretching for miles. In the western United States, we can allow rainfall and mountain ice melt to replace soil moisture while supplementing the need for water in cities by the ocean, like Los Angeles, using desalination.

The teachings of Jesus were ones of peace and concern for others. Water shortages have fueled greed and rivalry in areas of our planet. We need to use the nuclear energy God has given us to desalinate water rather than as a tool of war.

Reference: “Earth’s soil is drying up” by Kasha Patel in the Washington Post

April 18, 2025April 18, 2025

Christ Has Indeed Been Raised from the Dead

Only one thing can explain the birth and growth of the Christian faith, and it is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The entire New Testament centers on the resurrection. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:14 and 20, “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith…But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Factors that verify the truth of the resurrection story include the testimony of direct eyewitnesses recorded soon after the events, which include embarrassing details. The direct sources were the eyewitnesses, especially Matthew, Mark, and John. They were recorded soon after the events while other eyewitnesses would have been alive to refute the information, but they didn’t. Paul was also an eyewitness, and he wrote within 20 years of the resurrection and recorded an early Christian creed that believers were reciting perhaps as early as a few months after the resurrection. (See 1 Corinthians 15:3-7.)

What about the embarrassing details? They are details that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John included in their gospels that a writer making up the story would surely have left out because they reflect badly on the apostles. They include:

When Jesus was arrested, the disciples deserted in fear.

Matthew 26:31, 56; Mark 14:50-52

Peter denied three times that he knew Jesus.

Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:54-62

The disciples doubted the resurrection reports.

Mark 16:9-14; John 20:24-29

The disciples hid from the Jewish leaders.

John 20:19

Women were the first to testify of the resurrection at a time when the testimony of women was considered less reliable.

Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-10

Many other evidences support the truth of the resurrection story, but these embarrassing factors are worth considering. As Paul wrote, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead.”

April 16, 2025April 14, 2025

Wealth and Religious Movements

Many times, rich people have an incomplete feeling when being rich is all they have accomplished in life. Rodney Stark, in his book The Triumph of Christianity, gives a picture of wealth and religious movements:

Buddhism – Buddha was a prince, and 55 of his converts were from nobility.

Zoroastrianism – Zoroaster converted a king, queen, and court of a nearby kingdom.

Taoism and Confucianism – Both began among Chinese elites.

Orphism and Pythagoreanism in ancient Greece – According to Plato, they were based on the upper classes.

Even Moses was an Egyptian prince, but he gave up his position. Compare that to Jesus Christ, who was born to very poor parents in a very simple and poor place. He never owned property or a house. As far as we know, He never traveled by a wheeled vehicle or animal until He came to Jerusalem on a donkey near the end of His ministry, not on a horse as the rich would have.

The twelve apostles and other followers of Jesus did not show the same poverty level as Christ. Fishermen could be considered wealthy in Jesus’ day. Peter (Simon) and Andrew were partners of James and John, who owned a boat and left it with their father Zebedee and his hired servants (Mark 1:20). Peter apparently owned two houses, one in Bethsaida and another in Capernaum. Mark’s mother owned a house in Jerusalem (Acts 12:12). Matthew was a wealthy tax collector, and so was Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10). Joseph of Arimathea was very rich (Matthew 27:57), and Joanna and Susanna were wealthy women who supported Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:3).

What is the connection between wealth and religious movements? Why are wealthy people the founders of various religions except Christianity, where Jesus stands out as an exception? Being rich doesn’t seem to bring the security and satisfaction people desire. In America, many of the wealthiest people have failed marriages and troubled children, with many overdosing or committing suicide. A strong argument for Christianity is the words of Jesus: “Therefore by their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:20).

Reference: Rodney Stark, in his book The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion, page 100

April 14, 2025April 13, 2025

Holy Week and Tax Time

Many Christians observe this week, April 13-20, 2025, as Holy Week. For Americans, it is also tax time. As we think about the teaching and sacrifice of Jesus, Christian values and paying taxes become an issue. Some suggest that since the government uses our tax money to support immoral activities, they should not pay taxes. It is true that much of our tax money goes to things that oppose the teachings of Jesus Christ. Others seem to believe they can obtain salvation by observing Holy Week. This human tradition is not commanded in the Bible, but paying taxes is, so it is interesting that Holy Week and tax time fall in the same week this year.

The Bible makes it clear that Christians are to pay taxes. Jesus said, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Romans 13 presents civil government as having a good function. In Romans 13:6-7, we read, “It is right for you to pay taxes for civil authorities are God’s official servants faithfully devoting themselves to this very end. Pay them all that is due them. Pay your taxes and import duties gladly – respect where respect is due, and honor where honor is due.”

Realize that these statements were made during the reign of one of the most violent and immoral governments the world has ever known. The Roman government was morally corrupt, sanctioning prostitution and throwing unwanted babies into the street to die. In spite of that, Christians were instructed to pay taxes. We might compare ancient Rome to America today, but that doesn’t change the fact that law and order are because of the civil government.

On the other hand, there is no biblical command to observe Holy Week. Events like “Ash Wednesday” are not commanded in the Bible nor practiced by the apostles and the early Church. The Bible makes it clear that we are not saved by any works or observance of special days. We are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His death-conquering resurrection. We should remember that every day, especially every first day of the week, not just once a year.

Remember during this Holy Week and tax time that we are not saved by keeping special days, paying taxes, or doing anything else. We are saved only by the blood of Jesus Christ, but Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 25:31-46 that His followers would show they are saved by what they do for others. Serving the needs of others is the best way to serve the Lord and win the lost. Christians must remember that our true allegiance is to God and God’s kingdom, and no matter what happens in this life, we have something better ahead.

April 7, 2025April 6, 2025

Life Isn’t Fair

I am sure you have noticed that life isn’t fair. When my daughter was young, she felt it was unfair for her friends to have so much in the way of clothes, cars, money, and food when we had so little. She was especially bitter when I plowed up our front yard so that we could raise enough food to make it through the winter. While her friends went to fancy restaurants, we ate at McDonald’s only on special occasions. We made applesauce with the Lodi apples from a tree we had planted in our yard and sweetened it with saccharine because my wife was diabetic. My daughter would say, “My friends buy applesauce at the grocery store, and we have to make our own. It isn’t fair!”

When my daughter was in high school, she saw her non-Christian friends driving expensive cars to school when she had to ride the school bus. The disparity in wealth has not changed, as the rich continue to get richer, often at the expense of the poor. Jesus Christ said, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:13).

My daughter attended a Christian college in Texas, where she had professors who knew her by name and often invited her to their homes. Her friends attended private universities where they sat in classes with several hundred other students and had no personal relationship with their professors. They dealt with graduate students who were required to work with them as part of their stipends. Many of the friends who had money, cars, and fancy houses have had enormous problems with drugs, alcohol, broken marriages, and mental illness. Her friends find it incredible that our marriage lasted 49 years and only ended when my wife died.

In the “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus instructed His disciples not to worry about food, water, or clothing (Matthew 6:25-34) because God would provide for them. He began this discussion by saying, “You cannot serve God and money,” because holding to one means despising the other (Verse 24). Life isn’t fair, but God meets our basic needs. The reward for Christians is the fact that after this life, we will have an existence so wonderful that it will surpass anything on Earth.

Those who reject God have nothing when this life is over. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of the rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. When the rich man dies, he has nothing but suffering, and Lazarus is in Abraham’s bosom. The rich man wants Lazarus to help him, but he is told that life isn’t fair. He had good things in life, while Lazarus had evil things. Now Lazarus is comforted, and the rich man is in pain. The bottom line is that life isn’t fair, but Christians have the ultimate reward in eternity.

April 4, 2025April 2, 2025

The Difference Between Meekness and Weakness

What do you understand “meek” to mean? For many in our culture, being meek means being a nerd or pushover, standing for nothing. The Bible shows the difference between meekness and weakness. The Greek word translated as “meek” is “prajos,” meaning power under control, as in a soothing medicine or a gentle breeze. Nelson’s Bible Dictionary defines “meekness” as “an attitude of humility toward God and gentleness toward man, springing from a recognition that God is in control. It is strength and courage under control coupled with kindness.”

The fact is that modern-day males are too weak to have anything to do with meekness. Most church congregations have a surplus of women and children and too few males. Any weakling can live selfishly, but it takes real strength to feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, give clothing to people who don’t have enough, provide medicine to the sick, or visit those in prison.

Galatians 5:22-26 tells us what meekness is about: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The same chapter describes the behavior of the weak in verses 19-21: adultery, fornication (pornography), uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envying, murderers, drunkenness, and reveling.

The biblical record tells us of men who had the strength to do what was right (meekness). They include Abraham, Joseph, Daniel, and Jesus. There are also weak men, including Saul, Lot, Felix, Pilate, Agrippa, and Herod. Being a Christian involves knowing the difference between meekness and weakness. Because many men are weak, women dominate modern Christianity, doing the work of Matthew 25:31-40. Dying congregations and the growth of “Nones” in our society provide evidence of that.

March 21, 2025March 20, 2025

All Humans Worship Something

The New Testament Greek word for worship is “proskuneo.” It literally means “to kiss the hand” and can be interpreted as prostrating oneself in homage. All humans worship something, and it can be politics, a cause, a movie actor/actress, a sports figure, the NFL, glamour, sex, or anything else. The New Testament identifies five kinds of worship.

VAIN WORSHIP – In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13, pointing out that vain worship involves merely following human rules and rituals. We see a form of vain worship in Colossians 2:13-23 involving asceticism, flagellation, and some eating disorders.

IGNORANT WORSHIP – In Acts 17:22-24, we find Paul telling the Greek philosophers about the God who was unknown to them. The willful ignorance described in 2 Peter 3:4-5 still exists today as people are unwilling to look at evidence. This is especially true of atheists and agnostics. (See Romans 1:20.)

PERVERTED WORSHIP – We see this in many New Age beliefs, witchcraft, and the drug culture. Worshipping the body and sex is described in Romans 1:21-25.

TRUE WORSHIP – This is the worship God desires. John 4:23-24 and 1 Corinthians 14:15 spell out what productive, useful worship is all about. True worship will involve our mind so we know what we are doing and why. The passage in 1 Corinthians 14 tells readers to “stop acting like children” and think like adults. Worship is not a spectator sport and has no financial component. Every act, every prayer, and every part of being a Christian involves knowing what you are doing and why.

All humans worship something, but true worship gives value to life and reduces fear and anxiety. We urge you to worship as John 4:23-24 calls us to. When we do that, we will find answers to our life struggles.

March 20, 2025March 19, 2025

Ten Excuses People Use

A friend in Dublin, Ireland, sent me a list of ten excuses people use. His article is titled “Ten Reasons Why I Never Wash,” but it is really ten excuses people use to avoid worshipping God and following Jesus.

1) I was forced to wash as a child, so I will not do it now.

2) People who wash are hypocrites who think they are cleaner than others.

3) There are so many kinds of soap that I could not decide which one was right, so I didn’t use any of them.

4) I used to wash, but it got boring.

5) I still wash on special occasions like Christmas.

6) None of my friends wash.

7) I’m too young to wash. When I am older and a bit dirtier, I might start washing.

8) I really don’t have time to wash.

9) The bathroom is never warm enough for me to wash.

10) The people who make soap push washing to make more money.

As I read through the Irish list on washing, I thought of what people would say to Jesus when the end comes. In Matthew 25:35, Jesus talks about people who need food or water, and we have to ask what excuse we will use for not helping people who lack food and water. In verse 36, He talks about people needing clothing, those in prison, and those who are ill. We must consider what excuses we will offer for not addressing those needs.

Humans rationalize their selfish inaction. This list of ten excuses people use should pry us from our inconsistent excuses and get us involved in following Jesus and addressing the real problems facing people today.

February 21, 2025February 19, 2025

Churchianity vs. Christianity

One of the things that frustrates congregational leaders and is used by atheists and skeptics to discredit the Church is that many Christians do not understand the difference between orthodoxy and orthopraxy. Orthodoxy is having the correct doctrine, and orthopraxy is having the proper practice. Both are essential, but a vast percentage of those who “attend church” are people who only practice orthodoxy. ”Churchianity” is saying to oneself, “I have doctrine, and I believe, so that’s all I need.” That is logically wrong, but more importantly, it’s biblically wrong.

Read Matthew 8:21-22, 9:9, 16:24, 19:21, and John 21:21-22. What phrase do all of those passages have in common? The answer is “follow me.” What did Jesus do? Did He go to worship service once a week?” Is that all He expects of us? Read Matthew 25:31-46. Does Jesus picture those who are saved as weekly church attendees who could quote selected biblical passages? Is that all there is to Christianity?

Read Matthew 6:19-21 and ask yourself what “treasures” Jesus is talking about. What good are earthly treasures when you face the end of life or the loss of someone you love? At those times, the value of following Jesus becomes clear. Is your heart set on earthly treasure or heavenly treasure?

The loss of young people from the Church today is not because they have a problem with Jesus Christ but rather because they see no practical value in Churchianity. We urge you to follow Jesus and practice orthopraxy as well as orthodoxy. Churchianity is a false way of life and has nothing to do with what Jesus intended for us to do and be.

— John N. Clayton © 2025
Reference: Why Aren’t Christians More Like Jesus by Michael J. Clemens, Keledei Publications, ISBN 9781958139493

January 29, 2025January 28, 2025

Muhammad and the History of Islam

One of the interesting things about Islam in our day is that most Muslims have never read the Qur’an. They also know little or nothing about Muhammad and the history of Islam.

Muhammad was born in Arabia in 570 when the region had many Christian and Jewish towns. There were even several large Jewish communities in Mecca and Medina. Muhammad believed that both Christians and Jews would accept him as a prophet who fulfilled both faiths. When they rejected him, he attacked the Jews in Mecca and Medina. He forced the male members of the Jewish group in Medina to dig a mass grave and then beheaded six- to nine hundred of them and sold the women and children into slavery.

Shortly before Muhammad’s death in 632, he began attacks on Byzantine Syria and Persia. In his farewell address, Muhammad said, “I was ordered to fight all men until they say ‘There is no god but Allah.’” Qur’an 9:5 says, “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush.”

The rest of the story of Islam was one of war, with Muhammad’s followers killing all the Jews and Christians they could find in the Mediterranean area. In 711, Muslim forces invaded Spain and later Italy. Most of my Muslim friends are quiet people who would never want to resort to war or force to establish Islam in America. The reality is that Muslims in America have set up their own communities, putting fences around them and not allowing other belief systems in – not even police, fire, or military personnel.

Contrast Muhammad and the history of Islam with that of Jesus Christ and Christianity. Jesus did not allow his followers to use military force to establish His Church. When Peter cut off the ear of Malcus, the servant of the high priest, Jesus healed the wound and said, “Put your sword in its place: for all they who take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matthew 26:51, Luke 22:50-51 and John 18:26). The difference between the history of Islam and Christianity is huge. We still see it today in the “Holy Land” and in the lives of those who follow Christ in America.

For those who wish to explore Muhammad and the history of Islam more deeply, we recommend Dr. Rodney Stark’s book The Triumph of Christianity: How the Jesus Movement Became the World’s Largest Religion, pages 200-211 (ISBN 978-0062007698).