How can Christians Better Watch The Chosen?

The Chosen is an emotionally engaging multi-season series about Jesus' disciples. As its promotional material states, this series was made to let audiences "see Jesus as they did." Its creator Dallas Jenkins designed The Chosen so the disciples would appear as realistic people; less like saints and more like neighbors. Jenkins states of previous "Jesus Movies" that "the characters were a bit stiff, going from miracle to miracle with no backstories so you never really connected with them." With The Chosen Jenkins wants to "go into what the disciples were really like," stating, "Getting to know what the characters are thinking and feeling will draw the audience in." Certainly, The Chosen has drawn people in. It is presently the most watched piece of Bible-based entertainment in the entire world, having been translated into more than 50 languages. The show's first two episodes on YouTube have received more than six million views. The theatrical release of Season 4 episodes 1 to 3 made over $14,000,000 in the box office. People, especially Christians, are watching The Chosen.

Yet, The Chosen has encountered controversy. The show has a fair share of faults that even Jenkins acknowledges. Because of this, Christians have debated whether it is wise to watch The Chosen. Many Biblical scholars, such as Travis Kerns, have "concluded that Christians should not watch The Chosen since it breaks the Second Commandment," which is to "not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above," (Exodus 20:4). Some Christians have reasoned, though, that The Chosen does not break the second commandment, since it is not an image of Jesus that was made to be "bowed down to" or "worshiped," (Exodus 20:5). Still, the actor who portrays Jesus, Jonathan Roumie, admits in interviews that "occasionally the line seems a little blurred" and he has had to "remind people that his name is Jonathan," and he is not Jesus. Clearly, The Chosen has led its audience into some unintended confusion, and God does not want His children to be confused about who Jesus is, (1 Corinthians 14:33). Since The Chosen is so committed to portraying historical reality, it would be unfortunate for it to be accidentally misleading Christians.

Dallas Jenkins is the creator, co-writer and director
of The Chosen. What he initially made as a video
project for his church's Christmas service,
has grown into the mega-hit it is today. 

With that said, this blog post intends to offer The Chosen's Christian viewers a few helpful Biblically based tips, for better watching The Chosen. It is not this blog's intention to convince viewers to stop watching The Chosen or to give The Chosen a try. If your conscience is clean about watching it or if it is disgusted by it, that matter is between you, your fellow believers and the Holy Spirit who convicts and guides you. This post is for those who do watch The Chosen, and are beginning to ask themselves questions such as, "When did the father of James and John decide to start making olive oil? Why can't I find that in my Bible?" It is designed to help viewers understand how The Chosen differs from Scripture, why its differences can go unnoticed and what a Christian can do to limit that confusion. Lastly, this post acknowledges that The Chosen is an on-going show, so there will not be any "spoilers."

The Chosen knows it differs from the Bible. As if the show could speak for itself, The Chosen proudly proclaims its slogan, "Get used to different." This phrase appears on most of The Chosen's official merchandise. Creator Jenkins knows the show is different from the Gospels, and encourages viewers to not "rely on him or the show for their entire theological interpretation," and to "be reading the Scriptures." So, how much does The Chosen differ from the Bible?

An average viewer might be led to believe that The Chosen is more accurate to the Gospels than other Biblically based productions. This is because The Chosen has more time to get stuff right than the average "Jesus movie," since it has a longer runtime. It could be expected that a show about Jesus would dedicate more time to its source material, than a movie could. This, however, is not the case with The Chosen.

Episodes of The Chosen are composed of scenes. These scenes are sections of narrative that are separated by a change of setting. (For example: In the episode "Calm Before," Peter and Matthew talking to Gaius in his office is one scene, and Peter, Matthew and Gaius going to Jesus' place is another scene.) An average episode contains about 10 scenes. Approximately two to three scenes in an episode are taken from Scripture, while the rest are fictional. (In the example: The scene in Gaius' office is fictional, while the scene with Gaius at Jesus' place is directly inspired by Matthew 8:5-13.) Based on this, it can be reasonably estimated that roughly 70% to 80% of all scenes depicted in The Chosen are not from Scripture.

In every episode, The Chosen addresses at least one Bible verse or Biblical concept, however, not all episodes of the show feature a Biblically based scene (a scene based on literal Biblical narrative). In fact, several whole episodes do not feature even one scene inspired from the Gospels. These episodes include, but are not limited to, "Shabbat," "Jesus Loves the Little Children," "Spirit," "Intensity in Tent City," and even the show's first episode, "I Have Called You by Name." While these episodes may include added backstory, the disciples' commentary on a previous Biblical scene, or new character introductions, these episodes do not feature any literal Biblical events. (For example: Matthew helping Jesus write the Sermon on the Mount is not a scene from Scripture. However, Jesus giving His sermon is a scene from Scripture based on the book of Matthew from chapters 5 to 7.) Viewers of The Chosen should be aware that most of what the show depicts is extra-Biblical.

It is common for Biblically based movies or shows to have extra-Biblical content, however most of these productions like to hint at which parts are made up. Consider the film The Ten Commandments (1956) and the character of Dathan. Even people not familiar with the story of Moses can tell that Dathan is a fictional addition, because Dathan's presence has no direct influence on the story's Biblical narrative. Whether Dathan is the one to see Moses commit murder or not, the story still has Moses get caught and flee from Egypt as happens in Exodus 2:11-15. The same is apparent of Veronica in The Passion of Christ (2004). When she wipes off Jesus' face, it does not change whether Jesus will go to Golgotha or how He will get there, following the narrative of Luke 23:26-27. These Biblically based films are able to tell their stories with or without their additional characters.

The Chosen, though, lets its fabricated characters have a direct impact on the show's Biblically based plot. Take, for example, the fictional character of Ramah, Thomas' fiancee. Even though she does not exist, she has a great deal of narrative-weight in The Chosen. Her life profoundly impacts the actions and relationships of the disciples. There are moments when the characters openly state that they would not have made the choices they did, if they were not impacted by Ramah's life. Given how much emphasis is put on her character, it would be reasonable for someone to believe that Ramah must be non-fictional. This emphasis on extra-Biblical content is one reason why The Chosen can lead Christian viewers to confusion.

The Chosen is fond of emphasizing its extra-Biblical content, even during its more Biblically based scenes. This is notable during the scene with Jesus and Nicodemus. On YouTube, Jenkins introduces this scene stating, it is "the most impactful and famous chapter in the Bible, John chapter 3." Jenkins further says this scene "will not only be the Gospel captured accurately," but will also feature historical, cultural and personal human context.

The Chosen's John chapter 3 scene is 9 minutes long. It takes about one minute before Nicodemus says his first line from Scripture, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God," (2). Following Nicodemus' words, it takes 30 seconds for Jesus to say his next Biblical line, "No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again," (3). The conversation then sticks close to Scripture for about two and half minutes, covering verses 4 to 12. After this, the conversation detours for 30 seconds, so the Jesus character can explain the backstory of how "Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness," (14). For the next minute and a half, the conversation covers verses 14 to 18, with occasional extra-Biblical interruptions from Nicodemus. This then leads to the scene's longest section, where Jesus asks Nicodemus to become a disciple. This final section lasts for three minutes, and it has no literal Biblical content. Nicodemus and Jesus then together quote Psalm 2:12, "Kiss His son, or He will be angry...Blessed are all who take refuge in Him." The scene ends, without depicting verses 19 to 21 of John chapter 3. 

In total, this 9 minute scene features more than 5 minutes of extra-biblical material, and about 4 minutes of text from John chapter 3. For comparison, in the word-for-word retelling of The Gospel of John (2003), this same scene is 3 minutes long. The Chosen's scene is 66% longer, and features roughly 60% more extra-biblical material.

Moreso, this scene places its main emphasis on its extra-biblical content. In this scene, background music is added to intensify what is spoken. The music starts when Jesus begins talking about what it means to be "born of the Spirit." It is subtle, and then fades out, after Jesus says anyone can "recognize the Spirit's effect." The Jesus character's words combined with this musical cue implies that the show's music is meant to illustrate when the Spirit is moving. It is interesting, then, that this music does not play again until the start of this scene's 3 minute long extra-Biblical material. Not only does the music return, but it increases in volume. It culminates in a big climax of choral singing when Nicodemus and Jesus share a hug. This scene's music, meant to illustrate a moving of the Spirit, is used to emphasize what is fictional in this scene above what is non-fictional.

This scene's depiction of John chapter 3 could cause confusion. It emphasizes the extra-Biblical notion that Jesus asked Nicodemus to become a nomadic disciple. From this, people could wrongly believe that the only way to follow Jesus is to go on a physical journey. On the contrary, the Biblical Jesus told many eager people not to join Him but to stay in their hometown (one example is in Luke 8:38-39). Secondarily, this scene can also lead people to believe that some of Jesus' commands are just suggestions. After all, this scene features Jesus, who is God, telling someone to do something. In the Bible when people disobeyed Jesus, He scorned them, as happens to the young man in Mark 10:17-23 and to Peter in Matthew 16:21-23. Instead of rebuking Nicodemus' hesitancy, The Chosen's Jesus embraces him. While the show's viewers might question Nicodemus' fictional choices, the Bible, however, illustrates that Nicodemus remaining in his position at the Temple is part of God's plan. From within the Temple, Nicodemus will help Jesus' ministry, as is written in John 7:50-51 and John 19:38-40. This scene from The Chosen can muddle these Biblical teachings, but this might not have been the case, if The Chosen did not emphasize its extra-Biblical dialogue over its literal Biblical content.

This is not the only scene in The Chosen to do this. Many Biblically based scenes in this show climax on moments that are made up. It happens in the scene with Jesus and the Samaritan Woman, which currently has roughly 500,000 more views on YouTube than the John chapter 3 scene. It also happens when Jesus heals a sick woman, when Jesus walks on water, and when Jesus visits Lazarus' tomb. All these scenes depict Biblical narrative, and finish on a climactic section of fictional material. These climaxes usually feature The Chosen's most emotional moments. One recurring moment in The Chosen is the tear-jerker. Since The Chosen is designed to connect with audience's on a primarily emotional level, viewers are often most engaged with The Chosen when it is stirring up an emotional response. The Chosen's characters tend to not be moved to an emotional response, until after the Jesus character further supplies extra-Biblical dialogue. Oftentimes, it is during these extra-Biblical moments that The Chosen's characters become emotionally overwhelmed by a tear-jerking response. This means The Chosen's viewers are likely connecting with the show the most, during its Biblical scenes but not with its literal Biblical text.

It is more than understandable how The Chosen can cause confusion among Christian audiences. The show contains whole episodes without any Biblical narrative, it places a great deal of importance on its fictional characters, it features mostly extra-Biblical dialogue, and it puts strong emotional emphasis on its non-Biblical content. All of these things can confuse Christians who want to learn more about Jesus and watch The Chosen.

So, what can a Christian do to enjoy The Chosen 

without entertaining falsehoods?

1. Check your Bible
• Examine your Bible, looking closely to see how its events differ and are similar to The Chosen. It is likely your study of Scripture will make you more appreciative of The Chosen. If you find out that some scenes you thought were fictional turned out to be historically factual, then your appreciation for those scenes could increase.
2. Read outside of the Gospels
• The story of Jesus is not just contained to the Gospels. The books of Acts, Romans, Hebrews and 1st and 2nd Peter all have important teachings on Jesus' life.
• Exploring the books of the Old Testament can also highlight Jesus' ministry. When Jesus came to earth, He fulfilled several prophecies spoken of Him. All of these prophecies are written in the Old Testament. You can find them in books such as Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Daniel and Zechariah. Imagine reading one of these prophecies and seeing how it was fulfilled in a later episode of The Chosen.
3. Ask questions to more knowledgeable believers
• God has placed all Christians in the Church, so they can encourage and strengthen one another (Hebrews 10:24-25). Take advantage of your fellow Christians' knowledge.
• When having conversations about the show, do not ignore the Bible. It is one thing to say that Jesus' talk with little James is entirely fictional. It is another matter to talk about what this scene accurately teaches about God's providence and grace, as illustrated in the Bible.
4. Examine the disciples' real lives
• The Chosen gave its characters a backstory, but that does not mean the real disciples did not have one of their own. Multiple scholarly books have been written about the disciples. One of the most regarded books on the disciples is "Twelve Ordinary Men" written by pastor John MacArthur. He also summarizes this book in one of his sermons.
• Peter and Andrew were both fishermen when Jesus called them (Matthew 4:18-20). Pastors have remarked on this significance for years. It may be beneficial to listen to a sermon on this topic, especially a sermon from the emotionally poignant John Piper.
5. Pray
• 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 17 says believers should "pray continually." When Christians pray they are connecting with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26-27). The Spirit "will guide you into all the truth," (John 16:13), so pray that God will keep you from confusion and help you to focus on the facts.
• Before you watch The Chosen, pray that God will teach you well through the episode's Biblical content. After you watch The Chosen, pray that God will help you to rightly understand the Bible's teachings (2 Timothy 2:15).

Season 5 of The Chosen is coming soon.
Make sure that when it releases
you'll be able to enjoy it in the
most Godly way you can.

It is likely that some people will see these Biblical tips and think, "No thanks. I don't want to know if my favorite parts from The Chosen are made up, because then they will be less important to me." This reasoning follows the assumption that made up stories cannot be as meaningful as true stories. For those who think this way, consider this counterpoint: One of the most influential Biblical characters of all time is completely fictional. 

Arguably, next to Jesus, the second most regarded role model in all of Scripture is the good Samaritan. Although The Chosen hints that the good Samaritan is a real person (as happens in the episode "Thunder"), the good Samaritan is entirely fictional. He is a fabrication, a story that Jesus created in order to answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29). Jesus made up the scenario in which this Samaritan man finds himself. Jesus made up this Samaritan's noble character. Yet, when Jesus had finished telling people of the good Samaritan, He did not say, "But that's just a story. It's not that important." Far from it. Jesus told people, regarding a fictional character, "Go and do likewise," (Luke 10:37). Fiction matters. It mattered enough to Jesus that He could use a fabricated person as a perfect example of God's goodness, and He commands all Christians to follow that fictional example.

Yes, The Chosen is mostly fiction, but fiction can teach people about God. It is a good thing for Christians to be storytellers like Jesus, but it is not easy telling stories. Due to humanity's imperfection, one slip of the tongue, too long of a tangent or a little less research than was required can cause a whole mess of unintended confusion. However, the more a Christian knows about the Word of God, the less likely they will be misled (Matthew 7:24-27). That is why it is essential for Christians to listen to stories with their minds engaged.

Every book, every piece of music, every movie has a worldview. A worldview is the framework by which we make sense of reality. It's how we think about things. It's how we analyze things, and every single piece of media is coming from a particular perspective. So, I try to always keep my brain turned on.

- Alisa Childers

I will admit, though, it is difficult keeping one's mind focused, while watching entertainment. Most people watch shows, without thinking about it, but Christians should watch shows better than others do. This is because when a child of God does something, they do it "all for the glory of God," (1 Corinthians 10:31). Jesus wants His children to love Him with all their mind (Matthew 22:37), and a Christian's love for God "may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight," (Philippians 1:9). So, if you want to watch The Chosen, then by all means watch it, and enjoy it, especially with your mind engaged for the glory of God.

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• The Chosen Official Website
• Alisa Childers: The Line on Entertainment

Ezekiel 36:23 (God's Name among the Nations)

Ezekiel 36:23

I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth," (Isaiah 40:28). He is in control of all things (Daniel 4:35), and is before all things (Isaiah 43:10). When He makes a promise, He seals that promise by Himself, "since there is no one greater for Him to swear by," (Hebrews 6:13). There is no power or person on earth who can match up to God, for "before Him all the nations are as nothing," (Isaiah 40:17). God is the greatest, and He is zealous for this reputation (Exodus 34:14). He will not let His name or likeness be tarnished, even though people attempt to do this everyday. They try to demean God, saying, "God is not good," or mock Him, saying, "God is a joke." They may also try to defame Him, saying, "God is not worthy of worship, but I am. I am above God." In response to this, God promises, "I will show the holiness of My great name, which has been profaned among the nations," and "the nations will know that I am the Lord," (Ezekiel 36:23).

When God is equated to something or someone that
is lesser than Him, it makes a mockery of God.
"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows," (Galatians 6:7).

People should be careful what they show or say about God. The Scriptures teach, "Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few," (Ecclesiastes 5:2). One day, God will rightfully repay everyone who tried to discredit or defame Him (Deuteronomy 32:35). God will be just towards His profaners, but He also wants to show them grace (Luke 23:34). It is written, "the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore He will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice," (Isaiah 30:18). Right now, God is holding back His righteous anger, so He can forgive everyone who apologizes for their flippant words (1 John 1:9). This is one reason why He says in Isaiah chapter 48 from verses 9 to 11:

For My own name’s sake I delay My wrath;

    for the sake of My praise I hold it back from you,

    so as not to destroy you completely.

See, I have refined you, though not as silver;

    I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.

For My own sake, for My own sake, I do this.

    How can I let Myself be defamed?

    I will not yield My glory to another.

God is above all creation, and "in Him all things hold
together," (Colossians 1:17). "Who is like the LORD
our God, the One who sits enthroned
on high,"(Psalm 113:5).

It not only matters how people respond to God, but it especially matters how the world's leaders respond to Him. This was shown during the time of the prophets, written in the books of Isaiah through Malachi. 

At this time, God had His prophets write down His words. One of these prophets gave a scroll of God's words to Jehoiakim the king of Judah. When Jehoiakim read this scroll, he burned it up. To this, God responded, "I will punish him and his children and his attendants for their wickedness," (Jeremiah 36:31). God even sent His prophets to the rulers of ungodly nations. The Lord sent the prophet Jeremiah to the kings of the middle east, asking them if they would obey God (Jeremiah 25:15-26). When these kings refused, the Lord said, "You will not go unpunished," (Jeremiah 25:29).

Stone etching of king Nebuchadnezzar II of Babylon

God rebukes the rulers who attempt to defame Him, but just as with everyone else God also longs to show them grace. To king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon who worshiped his own might and glory (Daniel 4:30), God made him "live with the wild animals," and "eat grass like an ox" for seven years (Daniel 4:32). After this time passed, Nebuchadnezzar "raised his eyes toward heaven, and his sanity was restored. Then he praised the Most High," (Daniel 4:34). Afterwards, God restored Nebuchadnezzar "to his throne and he became even greater than before," (Daniel 4:36). Because of this, Nebuchadnezzar "praised and exalted and glorified the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble," (Daniel 4:37).

God is still concerned with how the world's rulers speak of Him, and today's rulers appear to say an awful lot about God. Consider how in recent news two of the United States' leaders addressed God concerning their current situations.

When presidential nominee Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt on his life, he made some comments on this event. Speaking at the Republican National Convention, Trump said, "I’m not supposed to be here tonight," and "I’ll tell you. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God." The Bible says, "all the days ordained for me were written in God's book before one of them came to be," (Psalm 139:16) and not even a sparrow "falls to the ground outside your Father’s care," (Matthew 10:29). It is also true that all men deserve to die for their sins (Romans 1:32, 3:23). No one should be spared, but God in His grace is able to save anyone (Ephesians 2:4-5). Based on its context and taken at its word, Trump's statement on God's grace is an overall accurate one.

In other news, former presidential nominee Joe Biden was asked if he was planning on stepping down from reelection. Biden responded to ABC news, "If the Lord almighty came out to say 'Joe get out of the race' I'll get out of the race. The Lord almighty's not coming down." The Bible says, "A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a sign" (Matthew 16:4), so Biden's demand for a sign is something God denounces. Biden's comment also positions God in a place where He has to come down and answer to Biden. It portrays God telling Biden what to do, rather than Biden seeking the wisdom of the "wonderful counselor," (Isaiah 9:6). Furthermore, Biden did step down, but in his official statement he made no mention of receiving God's word or praying about his decision.

While these news stories may only be two brief instances in world history, they juxtapose how world leaders can address God. They can choose to yield glory to Him or they can try to steal some of God's glory for themselves.

George Washington, the first leader of the United
States, reportedly prayed to God everyday, and
requested that the nation, "most humbly offer
prayers and supplications to the great Lord
and Ruler of nations and beseech Him to
pardon our national and other transgressions,"
as well as "render unto Him our sincere and
humble thanks—for His kind care and
protection of the people of
this country."

What the nations' rulers say of God is just as important as what anyone says about God. This is because everyone who lived will at some point have to "give an account of themselves to God," (Romans 14:12). They will have to justify all their words, or fall on the mercy of the name "above every name," (Philippians 2:9). The angels say of God, "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory," (Isaiah 6:3). Right now, God is keeping the fullness of His glory hidden, but one day all the earth will see Him as He truly is. On that day "at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," (Philippians 2:10-11).

Remember, God has said of all the nations,
"By Myself I have sworn, My mouth has uttered in all
integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before Me
every knee will bow; by Me every tongue
will swear," (Isaiah 45:23).

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Living Waters: Biden causes Blasphemy (inspired by)
• George Washington: Thanksgiving Proclamation and Prayer

Does God Like Me?

"I know God loves me, but does God like me?" It seems the answer to this question should be obvious. Yet, sometimes it is not clear if God really does like someone. It is, however, clear that God loves everyone. In good old John 3:16 it is written that God loves the world, but loving and liking do not always go together. For example, Jesus says His followers should "love their enemies," (Matthew 5:44). Jesus also says His followers' enemies will hate them (Matthew 10:22) and want to arrest them (Mark 13:11). Now, who in their right mind would like someone who hates them and puts them in chains? It is more than possible that God could love someone without liking them, which is why the question remains, "Does God like me?" Well, what's the answer?

Liking someone and loving them is not the same thing. While love looks past an individual to cross over a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), liking directly focuses on an individual. Whether someone likes someone else, is a matter of similarity and preferences. Liking someone usually involves having shared interests or similar traits. People who enjoy watching the same sports, movies or TV-shows will probably want to hang around each other. Additionally, people who admire the same things or think in similar fashion will enjoy each other's company. How much people have in common helps determine whether they will like each other.

People often like each other, because they are like
each other. In other words, liking someone
often relates to how similar someone is
to someone else.

This is also true of God. He likes people who admire what He admires, think how He thinks or act as He acts. This is written all throughout Scripture, but sometimes it is a bit hard to tell. One reason for this is that most Bible verses do not use the word "like" but use a more Biblical term, "delight." When someone sees that God's "delight" in someone is the Bible's way of saying "God likes them," suddenly the picture of God's preferences becomes clear.

God's delight in His people is abundant in the book of Psalms. Take Psalm 18, for instance. In it the author calls on God to save him, and then writes, "God rescued me because He delighted in me," (18:6,19). Why did God delight in the author? Because the author acknowledged God as his savior. Similarly, God thinks of Himself as the great savior, so the author and God share a common belief. Later on in Psalm 149, another author writes, "The Lord takes delight in His people; He crowns the humble with victory. Let His faithful people rejoice in this honor," (4-5). The Psalmist notes that God's people are faithful. God delights in faithful people, because He too is faithful (Psalm 36:5). Even in Psalm 36 it is written that God's people "feast on the abundance of His house; He gives them drink from His river of delights," (8). God delights in those who want to be in His house, because He too likes where He lives (John 14:2). Yes, God delights in others who want to be like Him.

God likes those who are like Him, but He dislikes

those who are not like Him. This is why the

Bible says of a truthful God, "The Lord detests 

lying lips, but He delights in people who are

trustworthy," (Proverbs 12:22).

Well, in light of God's delight, why do a lot of believers still question whether God likes them? It might be because they are thinking, "If God really liked me, He would give me this thing, but He hasn't given me it, so He must not like me." God, however, does not want to give us everything we want. Instead, Jesus says, "your Father in heaven [gives] good gifts to those who ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11). This does not mean God will give His people anything, but He will give them the best things they could have. Sometimes, this includes hardships and struggles, because God knows that these things can produce great faith, which is "of greater worth than gold," (1 Peter 1:7). What God wants for us is better than what we could ask of God.

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you 

the desires of your heart," (Psalm 37:4).

So, the answer to our question appears undeniable. God loves everyone, but He likes those who want to be like Him. This is one reason why God says of such people, "He is not ashamed to be called their God," (Hebrews 11:16). Think about it. When God introduced Himself to Moses as "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob," (Exodus 3:6) God was making Himself to literally be the object of these people. He is gladly connecting Himself to Abraham, an impatient man who often took matters into his own foolish hands. The Almighty is saying He is the one who helped out Isaac, a man who became blind and weak in his old age. God is even relating Himself to Jacob, the same guy who deceived his own brother and father. God is associating Himself with these people who are far lower than Him. By doing this, essentially, God is saying He likes them. This is what it means for God to gladly say someone's name, which is exactly what He will do when He acknowledges the names of everyone who follows Him, (Revelation 3:5). Just imagine how it would be for God to say of you, "I am their God." It would be one of the many ways for God to say He likes you.

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• OpenBibleInfo: God Delights in You
• John Piper: Desiring God Interview (Inspired by)
• Bible Time With Melonie Mac (Inspired by Psalm readings

Psalm 2:1-3 (War Against God)

Psalm 2:1-3

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?

The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together

against the Lord and against His anointed, saying,

“Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

It is a period of civil unrest. Creation rebels against Creator. Even though people see that their Creator is real, they "suppress the truth by their wickedness," (Romans 1:18-19). They "neither glorify Him as God nor give thanks to Him," letting their hearts turn to the side of darkness (Romans 1:21). In opposition, they raise their own name (Genesis 11:1-9), promote hand-made idols (Exodus 32:1-8), and challenge the Almighty (1 Kings 18:21-24). Their efforts are futile, yet the nations continue to conspire and rage (Psalm 2:1). The world's most powerful leaders band together with one unattainable goal: To "break God's chains and throw off His shackles,” (Psalm 2:3). They do not understand that God's "cords of human kindness," are "ties of love," (Hosea 11:4). God does not want any of His creation to perish (2 Peter 3:9). He continues to speak a saving message to them (Matthew 28:16-20, Revelation 14:6-7), so that He may restore peace and freedom to His galaxy.

"Stop," one of my readers could say. "Let's enhance this argument, and see what it really is. It comes from a culture of Christianity. It is raising false accusations against billions of intelligent human beings, and it will not phase or stun any of them. Its reasoning comes from only one book, but the words of the many outweigh the words of the few. It sees the heavens as a place where an angry and jealous deity lives. But to an enlightened and scientific age, the skies above are much more. They are space, a vast frontier. This is the real enterprise of humanity: To explore strange and unfamiliar ideas. To seek out new ways of improving civilization. To boldly go where no religion has taken us before!"

As a believer, the world may try to take your life

and your land (Revelation 13:5-7), and want to

destroy you for where you stand (1 Peter 4:4).

But do not despair, because in God you

are free (John 8:36), and no one can take you

away from Him (Deuteronomy 31:6).

While this counter-statement is hypothetically written (and in some ways hyperbolically written), it is based on claims from atheism and similar beliefs. These groups would respond to the question, "Why do you reject God?" with the easy answer, "There is no God to reject." They can say belief in God only appears in a few cultural perspectives, so it is a primitive notion. Some people bring up the logical claim that if such a powerful creator does exist, then they would not tolerate any opposition. They would make their existence obvious. How can there be an all powerful God who is so easy to ignore?

Now, these questions are answered in Scripture, but people could ignore this. This is because these answers come from the Bible (a book about a God in whom they do not believe). Based on this, it may be beneficial to examine this scenario outside of Scripture. In looking at the claim, "No obvious creator could possibly be rejected," the implication is that such an event could not occur in real life. The claim states that there could never be an obvious creator who was reasoned away from their creation. If such an event did occur, though, then it could make the earth's war against God appear much more plausible. So, in this instance, let us look at a historical example where a well-known creator was rejected.

George Lucas on the set of his most famous film.

In the year 1973 in Mill Valley, California, George Lucas wrote "The Journal of the Whills part I." This story went through several changes, until in 1976 it became the shooting script for, "The Star Wars." Lucas says in an interview that the reason he created the film is because he thought the world needed "something more positive." Lucas says in a further interview, "Rather than do some angry, socially relevant film…I realized there was another relevance that is even more important — dreams and fantasies, getting children to believe there is more to life than garbage and killing." Lucas' film, officially titled Star Wars, released in theaters on May 25th 1977. It received critical acclaim and audiences' adoration. Few people expected it to be a success, including those who helped make the film. Actor Harrison Ford, who plays Han Solo, originally thought Lucas' story was poorly written. Ford remarks, "I told George: 'You can't say that stuff. You can only type it.' But I was wrong. [The film] worked." So, Lucas' Star Wars was a hit, resulting in the creation of two sequels, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and The Return of the Jedi (1983). At that time George Lucas was known as the visionary behind Star Wars.

People gather to see George Lucas' creation.

After creating these successful films, George Lucas received a fanbase. One of these fans refers to Lucas as a "god, the great creator." In 1994, this creator began to write another film trilogy. Around this time, Lucas also experimented with new digital effects to "restore, enhance and add" to his previous Star Wars films to create the "Star Wars Trilogy Special Edition" (1997). The majority of fans did not like Lucas' "Special Edition". One fan remarks, "The changes [to the original films] are dramatic. I'm trying to think of something where the changes are that dramatic and caused some debate. Oh yeah! The Bible." Moving on from the "Special Edition," Lucas continued working on his new trilogy and its first film, Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999). The film's previews were well admired, with one fan stating, "I think god must be ashamed as a creator, once he saw this and realized he hasn't made something this good." On May 19, 1999, the film was released to mixed reviews and fan backlash. Many people claimed Lucas' latest film lost sight of what was great about Star Wars. Based on Lucas' words, though, his new trilogy had maintained his original goal of creating fun "adventures in far-off lands." Still, his fans no longer saw him as the worthy creator of what they loved. George Lucas was now seens as a foolish destroyer.

There is a similarity to how people discredit 

George Lucas as Star Wars' creator, and how 

they discredit God as their creator.

By this time, many people (who either liked or did not like Star Wars) questioned if George Lucas was Star Wars' true creator. One group argued that Lucas did not make a great film in 1977, and that "Star Wars was saved in the edit," no thanks to Lucas. Others have pretended that Lucas did not create any movies after his original trilogy, claiming there are only three films in Lucas' Star Wars saga. Some fans have fantasized that Lucas "died on the Van Wyck expressway in a fiery car crash in 1989," before he could release his next trilogy. On and on, the world has come up with ways to not have to acknowledge Lucas as Star Wars' rightful creator. One fan says this is because, "People want the authors of their texts to be dead, and to have complete control over [the author's creation], and [the author] not to tell the people what to do with it anymore." So, George Lucas was widely rejected as Star Wars' creator, even though his authorship can be clearly seen in the movies' credits.

Eventually, George Lucas gave away Star Wars
to people who did not create it, and they made
films nowhere near as successful as Lucas'.
In light of this, perhaps the world should
be more thankful that God has
not relinquished control
of His creation.

People are capable of rejecting an obvious creator. Someone with enough determination and disgust could reason away any individual. It took a couple decades for George Lucas' fans to turn against him. It could certainly take a couple centuries for people to turn against God. That is a similarity in how these two were treated, but the comparison must stop there. If this analogy were stretched any further, George Lucas and his films would snap when placed before God's majesty and His awesome works.

Indescribable, uncontainable

You placed the stars in the sky

And You know them by name

You are amazing, God

- Chris Tomlin

God exists, but many still believe they are able to disprove Him. This is one way that the nations war against Him. No matter how hard they work, though, no one will be able to remove God. He will always be the world's creator and sustainer (Colossians 1:17). He will always be the earth's only hope (Psalm 33:20-22). He will always be the one "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty," (Revelation 1:8). The world might think they can take Him down. They can claim He is dead, and say He didn't make the earth or them. They can continue their war, but God will not be impressed. It is written, "the One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at" those who dare to fight Him (Psalm 2:4). To the rulers of the nations, God "terrifies them in His wrath, saying, 'I have installed My King on Zion, My holy mountain,” (Psalm 2:5-6). This King is Jesus Christ (Luke 9:35), and God says His annointed King will break His opposition "with a rod of iron; He will dash them to pieces like pottery,” (Psalm 2:9). This is how their battle will end. Yet, God is merciful, "forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin," (Exodus 34:7). He offers everyone a peace treaty, so they can avoid destruction. He says to those who will hear Him, as it is written in Psalm 2 from verses 10 to 12:

Therefore, you kings, be wise;

    be warned, you rulers of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear

    and celebrate His rule with trembling.

Kiss His Son, or He will be angry

    and your way will lead to your destruction,

for His wrath can flare up in a moment.

    Blessed are all who take refuge in Him.

God is real. He is speaking through His creation (Psalm 19:1-4). He is calling everyone to lay down their arms or be annihilated, so "see to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks," (Hebrews 12:25). Come to God, because under His command no one needs to "train for war anymore," (Isaiah 2:4). Those who follow Jesus are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17). They have nothing to fear while their Creator is with them (Isaiah 41:10), and the Lord will be with them, always (Joshua 1:9).

For a long time, since creation began, the earth
has engaged in war against God (James 4:4).
Do not take part in the earth's war. Join the
winning side, and become more than a
conqueror through Him who
loves you, (Romans 8:37).

Source

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Brian Jay Jones: George Lucas A Life
• J.W. Rinzler: The Making of Star Wars
• The People vs. George Lucas (Star Wars fan quotes) 
• Chris Tomlin: Indescribable

Do I Have Free Will or Fate?

Have you ever looked up and wondered, "Does mankind have free will or is it just fate?" What is being asked is, "Do I get to make my own choices, or is my life in someone else's control?" Oftentimes, this question is posed with regards to God and eternity. People want to know if they can choose to go to heaven or if God just sends people to hell. Which is it? Could it be both? Neither?

People have looked into these questions but they can get surrounded by them, disoriented and then completely lost. If we are going to travel down these same unfamiliar paths, we will need a guide. The best one anyone could get is the Bible. There is no better way to find answers. The Bible is "completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place," (2 Peter 1:19). It is a firm foundation on which people can orient themselves (Matthew 7:28-29). So, with Scripture as our guide, let us explore and find out what God's Word says about free will and fate.

Starting this journey, without pause, the Bible shows humans have free will. Consistently, Scripture teaches that people can make choices. Joshua spoke for the Lord and told the people to "choose for yourselves this day" whether they will follow God or not (Joshua 24:14-15). It was their choice, as it is ours. Jesus says anyone who believes in Him "will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Him will never die," and He then asks, "Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26). People have a choice to trust or reject. If anyone rejects, then God will respect their choice. He says, "Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them," (Luke 9:26). Conversely, God will respect the choice of anyone who chooses to believe in Him, for "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved," (Joel 2:32). Everyone has a choice.

When God created you, He gave to you an ability 

that He did not give to any of his other creatures. 

He gave you the ability to choose. You can 

live any kind of life you want to. 

And I say this reverently, there is nothing 

God can do about it, because you 

have a will of your own.

- Billy Graham

Further along, again without pause, the Bible shows humans have a fate. God has said this, from the beginning of Scripture. When the Lord called on Abraham, God promised He would shape Abraham's future, (Genesis 12:1-3). He said, "I swear by Myself," meaning nothing Abraham could do would change it (Genesis 22:16). God made a promise that Abraham's descendant and His children would bless the whole world (Genesis 22:18). Further Scripture makes it clear that this promise about Jesus (Galatians 3:16) still holds true and is "an anchor for the soul, firm and secure," (Hebrews 6:17-19). Jesus, Himself, says that those whom God blesses receive it as an "inheritance," (Matthew 25:34). For anyone to receive an inheritance, they must be a member of the family. No human, though, has been directly born into God's family (Psalm 51:5), so God's children must all be adopted. When does God decide to adopt someone? Scripture says that before the creation of the world, before anyone could make a choice, "God predestined us for adoption," and this was done "in accordance with His pleasure and will," (Ephesians 1:4-5). Everyone has a fate.

This is common truth in the early church. He will 

sustain you to the end guiltless in the day of our Lord 

Jesus Christ. God is faithful by whom you were 

called, meaning if He called you, it's done! 

You will be kept. This is what it means to 

have a faithful God.

- John Piper

"WHOAH!" Some of you might say. "Did we go down a wrong turn? Is Scripture contradicting itself?" No, Scripture can never contradict itself. When someone contradicts themself, one or both of the things they have said must be a lie, but God "cannot lie" (Titus 1:2). God's Word will lead people to the truth (John 17:17). "So, which is it?" Some could ask. "Is it free will or is it fate?" Simply put, Scripture guides us to both, so both must be true.

Human beings are incapable of fully grasping a concept such as this. Yes, God is absolutely sovereign and knows all. Yes, human beings are called to make a genuine decision to place faith in Christ unto salvation. These two facts seem contradictory to us, but in the mind of God they make perfect sense.

- GotQuestions

Usually at this juncture, people can throw themselves off-balance: They can seek help from things distant from God's Word. They can trust in their knowledge of how the world is supposed to work. This would be a mistake. People should not trust in their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5) and should focus on heavenly standards over earthly ones (Matthew 6:33). So, let's see how Scripture can clear up some common misconceptions about Biblical free will and Biblical fate:

The Bible can be difficult to understand, but a
misconceived view of it will lead to destruction
(2 Peter 3:16), so people should put effort and time
into seeking out the Bible's wisdom. "Though it cost
all you have, get understanding," (Proverbs 4:7).

• Misconception - "When I chose to follow Christ, I was good enough to make that choice."
• Truth - "No one is good—except God alone," (Mark 10:18). Everyone desires to turn away from God, because "we all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way," (Isaiah 53:6). Anyone who is crooked cannot make themselves straight (Ecclesiastes 1:15), but God can make things crooked or straight (Ecclesiastes 7:13). No one is good enough or wise enough to follow God, without God coming to them first (Romans 5:10). He makes people good, for "every good and perfect gift," including the gift of salvation, comes "down from the Father of the heavenly lights," (James 1:17).

• Misconception - "God is a bad man, because the Bible says He predestines people to hell."
• Truth - "This is the evil in everything that happens under the sun: The same destiny overtakes all," meaning everyone apart from God will "join the dead" and be "in the realm of the dead," (Ecclesiastes 9:3,10). This destiny is in accordance with everyone's choice to continue in sin (Genesis 3:19). However, Jesus can overwrite this destiny. He did this for Jonah. While he was inside the fish, he proclaimed "the earth beneath barred me in forever," but "God brought my life up from the pit," (Jonah 2:6). God can place a new destiny in front of (or preceding) our natural one. It's similar to how He writes someone's days before they are alive, (Psalm 139:16). This is why believers can be predestined by God (Romans 8:29), but those without God are destined by their sin (Ephesians 2:1).

The fullness of eternal life in heaven is a
marvelous mystery, but God sees it as one of
the multiple beautiful trees He created for us
to enjoy (Genesis 2:15-16, Revelation 22:1-2).

• Misconception - "You have to choose whether you believe in free will or predestination."
• Truth - "Everyone who believes in God will not perish but have eternal life," (John 3:16) and "Jesus gives them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of His hand," (John 10:28). Since Scripture affirms that God's children have free will to choose and are predestined to receive, then no one should be ashamed of this Gospel, "because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes," and in it "the righteousness of God is revealed," (Romans 1:16-17). One day the children of God will be described as those who have "triumphed over the devil, by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony," (Revelation 12:11). They will be honored because of Jesus' fated sacrifice (Ephesians 1:11) and for their free will to testify to this sacrifice (1 Corinthians 15:2).

Sometimes, Christians who believe in free will call 

themselves Arminians (promote Arminius' teachings) 

and those who believe in predestination say they 

are Calvinist (promote Calvin's teachings). The 

assumption is that Arminians and Calvinist have 

to oppose each other, however these schools of 

theology are not opponents but are different 

focuses on the same salvation.

• Misconception - "Someone can only preach on free will or predestination."
• Truth - "In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus...I give you this charge: Preach the word," (2 Timothy 4:1-2). The Bible teaches about decisions and destinies, so anyone who preaches Scripture must be willing to preach from all of it (2 Timothy 3:16). Along with this, Jesus' followers need to teach what their audience needs to hear "so that by all possible means they might save some," (1 Corinthians 9:20-22). They could preach to a western culture that believes in freedom and "every man for himself," or to an eastern culture that believes in fate and "the whims of the spirits." In both cases, Jesus' children are to "preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block" that trips up everyone (1 Corinthians 1:23). When people let Jesus' teachings shake up their common understandings, then that stumbling block can become "precious" to them, and they can see that what they originally rejected is "the cornerstone," (1 Peter 2:7).

After seeing what Scripture shows about fate and free will, it could be hard for someone to have peace with it. There may be a part of it that they want to change, but what human being could "talk back to God?" (Romans 9:20). They may want to stay longer and wrestle out their thoughts, until they are just right, but no one should try to become "overwise—why destroy yourself?" (Ecclesiastes 7:16). At this point, it is considerably best to take what has been gained and return back to what is familiar. Except now, some familiar things might appear different.

It may have been confusing, earlier, to hear that the seeming opposites of fate and free will could be conjoined. Yet, a quick look at many common things Christians say and do shows that this truth has been present all along. Look at how a believer prays. They ask God for things from their own desires and then say, "In Jesus' name," submitting their request to the Lord's preordained approval (James 4:2-3). Check out what people say when they quote Psalm 23. They state that God leads them and prepares a reward for them (verses 1-3,5). In the same Psalm, they also say they walk through dark valleys and they choose to accept God's offer to live in His house (verse 4,6). Even in worship music, decisions and destiny continually go hand-in-hand. Believers can sing about their choice to follow Christ as well as their need for God to carry them. This is rarely questioned as a puzzle, but is shown as something wonderful and powerful.

When You call to me, I will run to You.

When You reach for me, I lift my hands to You.

When I'm tired and weary, You lift me up.

You place me on the wings like eagles.

That's where I'll find my freedom.

I'll find my freedom in You.

- Martin Kolb

Humans have a fate, as well as a free will. Both are necessary to fulfill God's plan for salvation. When this salvation comes, people will see that the Children of God "follow the Lamb [Jesus] wherever He goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb," (Revelation 14:4). God will give them a crown of victory (Revelation 2:10), and they will hold onto it throughout their life (Revelation 3:11). But, when they get to heaven, then "they lay their crowns before the throne," (Revelation 4:10) and say, "Salvation belongs to our God," (Revelation 5:10). We will not be able to make perfect sense of this now, but one day everything will clear up (1 Corinthians 13:12). For now, though, the nature of this is an unknown environment. But not so for God. It is His garden.

Sources

• The Bible (New International Version)
• Billy Graham: Ability to Choose
• John Piper: Called and Kept
• GotQuestions: Calvinism vs Arminianism
• Martin Kolb: You Are My Hope