The Passing of Another Giant of Faith
The Christian world lost a giant yesterday. Ravi Zacharias entered into glory after a brief bout with an aggressive cancer. He was just 74 years of age. Ravi was one of the leading apologists of our era, having written over 30 books helping followers of Jesus Christ understand their faith and then to defend that faith. He was an intellectual who could debate powerfully, yet gracefully, with college and university professors over matters of faith. Yet, Ravi also had the ability to communicate to the common person. When you read his books, his arguments just made sense as he communicated with such clarity. I remember after reading one of his books exclaiming, "Why didn't I think of that?"
Ravi Zacharias was one of four men who greatly influenced the construction of my biblical worldview. The first was Dr. Francis Schaeffer, founder of L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland. I remember hearing Dr. Schaeffer in the fall of 1965 during my freshman year at Wheaton College. As I sat in my assigned seat, I kept wishing I had a dictionary so I could understand the words he was using. To be perfectly honest, I did not get anything out of that week's teaching. But I knew I needed to learn. I purchased his book, "How Should We Then Live?" and began to carefully read. (By the way, I still have that book in my library. It is one of my treasures.) Through that book, God began to help me to understand how biblical truth can impact every area of life and how we do a great disservice to that truth when we compartmentalize it. Dr. Schaeffer returned to Wheaton during my senior year and this time I was eager to listen. Friends, I highly recommend Dr. Schaeffer's book. It is somewhat dated, but the truth-threads contained within are relevant for the twenty-first century.
The second giant who influenced the construction of my biblical worldview was Chuck Colson, a man who found Jesus Christ will serving a prison sentence for his role in the infamous Watergate Scandal of the early 1970s. His book, titled, "How Now Shall We Live?", sort of picks up where Dr. Schaeffer's book ends. Dr. Colson quickly identifies how biblical truth is not only relevant to our age and culture, but imperative if we are to know how we should live within that culture. A second book by Dr. Colson that greatly influenced me was, "Kingdoms in Conflicts." This was an eye-opening account of how the follower of Jesus Christ is truly engaged in a warfare with his culture. In fact, as followers of Jesus Christ we are to be counter-cultural. I think that is what Jesus meant when He commanded us to be salt and light in a world of decay and darkness. We are not to be followers of culture, but God desires that we be agents of change within that culture. Not an easy assignment and, sadly, an assignment we have not always handled well.
The third giant was C.S. Lewis, particularly his book titled, "Mere Christianity." I remember reading that book while in college. I must confess it took me some time to learn how to follow Lewis's logic. But, once I did, I was fascinated and drawn into his arguments. Friends, if you have not ever read "Mere Christianity," I strongly urge you to begin today. I would challenge you to find one or two others who will read it alongside of you so you can have someone with whom to dialogue. Over the years I have lead several small group discussions over this book. If your brain and heart want more stimulation, then read "The Great Divorce" or "The Screwtape Letters." If you have younger children or grandchildren, introduce them to 'The Chronicles of Narnia." What a great way for them to begin cultivating a biblical worldview.
And the last giant was Ravi Zacharias. His book titled, "Jesus Among Other Gods," is one of the most profound books on the apologetic for believing in Jesus Christ that I have read. Over the years I have recommended this book to small groups and to individuals for their study. And I will continue to recommend it.
Each of these giants is now home with the Lord, yet the legacy they have left behind is one that will challenge each generation to ask this question: "How can I contend for that faith which was once for all given to the saints?" (Jude 3). Each of the above cited books would make for some great summer reading.
Now why is it so important that we have an established biblical worldview? According to a recent Barna poll, "although we proclaim 'In God We Trust' on our currency a slim 51% majority of Americans believe in a biblical view of God - down from 73% thirty years ago. Increasingly, the research finds mounting evidence that Americans are both redefining - and rejecting - God. ... Stunningly, Americans are more confident about the existence of Satan than they are of God. Overall, 56% contend that Satan is an influential spiritual being, yet almost half (49%) are not fully confident that God truly exists." (an article by Michael Brown, published at www.prophecynewswatch.com/article).
In the above cited article, the author ponders what has led to such a dramatic turn around concerning our belief in God. He comes to the following conclusion: "We are reaping the fruit of preaching a me-centered, self-improvement gospel that is not the gospel at all. We are seeing the results of our failure to teach doctrinal foundations, choosing to major instead on esoteric spiritual experiences and secondary (or tertiary) issues. We have reaped what we have sown. Again, I cannot prove that these are the causes. But what cannot be denied is our failure, especially in some of our largest, most visible ministries, to major on the majors. To preach a clear gospel message that convicts of sin and points to the cross. To call for repentance. To teach more on the nature of God and the centrality of the Lord Jesus (along with teaching on the ministry of the Spirit, which we often do quite well).
"In times past, we preached that sinners were wretched and that grace was amazing. Today we tell sinners they are amazing, making grace a needless afterthought. In times past, we preached a gospel of salvation. Today we preach a gospel of self-improvement. In times past, we preached death to the flesh, death to self, and death to sin, pointing to a brand new life in and under Jesus. Today, we preach that Jesus came so you could fulfill your dreams, that he came to make you into a bigger and better you. We used to preach the gospel of self-denial. Today we preach the gospel of self-realization."
Friends, it is because of that reality that we need to rediscover the writings of Francis Schaeffer, of Chuck Colson, of C.S. Lewis, and of Ravi Zacharias.
Ravi Zacharias was one of four men who greatly influenced the construction of my biblical worldview. The first was Dr. Francis Schaeffer, founder of L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland. I remember hearing Dr. Schaeffer in the fall of 1965 during my freshman year at Wheaton College. As I sat in my assigned seat, I kept wishing I had a dictionary so I could understand the words he was using. To be perfectly honest, I did not get anything out of that week's teaching. But I knew I needed to learn. I purchased his book, "How Should We Then Live?" and began to carefully read. (By the way, I still have that book in my library. It is one of my treasures.) Through that book, God began to help me to understand how biblical truth can impact every area of life and how we do a great disservice to that truth when we compartmentalize it. Dr. Schaeffer returned to Wheaton during my senior year and this time I was eager to listen. Friends, I highly recommend Dr. Schaeffer's book. It is somewhat dated, but the truth-threads contained within are relevant for the twenty-first century.
The second giant who influenced the construction of my biblical worldview was Chuck Colson, a man who found Jesus Christ will serving a prison sentence for his role in the infamous Watergate Scandal of the early 1970s. His book, titled, "How Now Shall We Live?", sort of picks up where Dr. Schaeffer's book ends. Dr. Colson quickly identifies how biblical truth is not only relevant to our age and culture, but imperative if we are to know how we should live within that culture. A second book by Dr. Colson that greatly influenced me was, "Kingdoms in Conflicts." This was an eye-opening account of how the follower of Jesus Christ is truly engaged in a warfare with his culture. In fact, as followers of Jesus Christ we are to be counter-cultural. I think that is what Jesus meant when He commanded us to be salt and light in a world of decay and darkness. We are not to be followers of culture, but God desires that we be agents of change within that culture. Not an easy assignment and, sadly, an assignment we have not always handled well.
The third giant was C.S. Lewis, particularly his book titled, "Mere Christianity." I remember reading that book while in college. I must confess it took me some time to learn how to follow Lewis's logic. But, once I did, I was fascinated and drawn into his arguments. Friends, if you have not ever read "Mere Christianity," I strongly urge you to begin today. I would challenge you to find one or two others who will read it alongside of you so you can have someone with whom to dialogue. Over the years I have lead several small group discussions over this book. If your brain and heart want more stimulation, then read "The Great Divorce" or "The Screwtape Letters." If you have younger children or grandchildren, introduce them to 'The Chronicles of Narnia." What a great way for them to begin cultivating a biblical worldview.
And the last giant was Ravi Zacharias. His book titled, "Jesus Among Other Gods," is one of the most profound books on the apologetic for believing in Jesus Christ that I have read. Over the years I have recommended this book to small groups and to individuals for their study. And I will continue to recommend it.
Each of these giants is now home with the Lord, yet the legacy they have left behind is one that will challenge each generation to ask this question: "How can I contend for that faith which was once for all given to the saints?" (Jude 3). Each of the above cited books would make for some great summer reading.
Now why is it so important that we have an established biblical worldview? According to a recent Barna poll, "although we proclaim 'In God We Trust' on our currency a slim 51% majority of Americans believe in a biblical view of God - down from 73% thirty years ago. Increasingly, the research finds mounting evidence that Americans are both redefining - and rejecting - God. ... Stunningly, Americans are more confident about the existence of Satan than they are of God. Overall, 56% contend that Satan is an influential spiritual being, yet almost half (49%) are not fully confident that God truly exists." (an article by Michael Brown, published at www.prophecynewswatch.com/article).
In the above cited article, the author ponders what has led to such a dramatic turn around concerning our belief in God. He comes to the following conclusion: "We are reaping the fruit of preaching a me-centered, self-improvement gospel that is not the gospel at all. We are seeing the results of our failure to teach doctrinal foundations, choosing to major instead on esoteric spiritual experiences and secondary (or tertiary) issues. We have reaped what we have sown. Again, I cannot prove that these are the causes. But what cannot be denied is our failure, especially in some of our largest, most visible ministries, to major on the majors. To preach a clear gospel message that convicts of sin and points to the cross. To call for repentance. To teach more on the nature of God and the centrality of the Lord Jesus (along with teaching on the ministry of the Spirit, which we often do quite well).
"In times past, we preached that sinners were wretched and that grace was amazing. Today we tell sinners they are amazing, making grace a needless afterthought. In times past, we preached a gospel of salvation. Today we preach a gospel of self-improvement. In times past, we preached death to the flesh, death to self, and death to sin, pointing to a brand new life in and under Jesus. Today, we preach that Jesus came so you could fulfill your dreams, that he came to make you into a bigger and better you. We used to preach the gospel of self-denial. Today we preach the gospel of self-realization."
Friends, it is because of that reality that we need to rediscover the writings of Francis Schaeffer, of Chuck Colson, of C.S. Lewis, and of Ravi Zacharias.
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