Contents & Letters - Plain Truth Ministries

THEPLAIN TRUTHF e a t u r e sCHRISTIANITY WITHOUT THE RELIGION19 God So Loved the Whole World God is also the God of our enemies.22 Jesus Christ—God Incarnate Jesus (Immanuel) was fully divine and fully human.24 No Pastor in the Manger Scene God uses unorthodox methods to get our attention.26 “Though I walk through the valley…” An inspiring story of God’s redeeming love.30 The Protector “He had always been there for me…watching as I fell through life....”Departments3 Letters®C O N T E N T SVolume 73, Number 7: December 2008®24261915 He Asked Me to Remind You Steve Brown17 Commentary Greg Albrecht2230CoverStoryChristianfaith is notjust about history or theology—the entire Christmas story isintended to lead up to the divinelife being birthed in us!COVER IMAGE BY MARV WEGNER—PTM8Canada Post Publications MailSales Agreement No. 40029726The address of our lettershop in Canada canbe used for the Canadian return address.Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses toPlain Truth7496 Bath Road Unit 2Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2About This IssueFor most of the year, Plain Truth magazine is published every twomonths. A few years ago we decided to add a special December issue as a“Christmas bonus” to our readers. Every year, our contributing writershad so many great insights, we couldn’t possibly fit them all into aNovember/December issue. This year, we’re especially glad we made thatdecision. If you didn’t know anything at all about Christmas, and you pickedup and read this particular issue, you would understand far more about thereal meaning of the holiday than many committed Christians.Our special issue begins with the basics—PTM’s resident expert ontheology, Jim Fowler, takes us systematically through the meaning andcelebration of this most meaningful of Christian holidays. Then, HankHanegraaff explains how God became flesh and lived among us in “JesusChrist—God Incarnate.”Glen Moyer draws our attention to the conspicuous absence ofinstitutionalized religion at the birth of Jesus in “No Pastor in the MangerScene.” Margaret Kiwiet brings us an unsettling but insightful story ofChristmas during the World War II German occupation of the Netherlands,and Greg Albrecht observes that in celebrating Jesus’ human birth, wecelebrate the perfect wedding of Grace and Truth.While Susan Reedy’s “Though I Walk Through the Valley” and AaronKaiser’s “The Protector,” are not directly about Christmas, they are verymuch about Jesus. Aaron, by the way, is the grandson of the late Arn Shein,who was a longtime Plain Truth contributing writer. We hope you truly enjoythis issue, and we wish you and your loved ones a merry and meaningfulChristmas.—Monte Wolverton, Managing Editor

L E T T E R SMISSION STATEMENTPlain Truth Ministries proclaims authenticChristianity without the religion. Our work isChrist-centered, based on God’s amazinggrace, giving hope to those burned out bylegalistic religion.HOW TO SUBSCRIBEFor an introductory one-year subscription inthe U.S.A. or Canada, call toll free 1-800-309-4466, or visit www.ptm.org. Single copiesor back issues: U.S. $4.Initial, one-year subscriptions outside of theU.S.A. and Canada are U.S. $29.95 a year;credit card orders only.Following initial one-year introductorysubscriptions, Plain Truth is an automaticbenefit for ongoing PTM contributors.TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESSBe sure to notify us immediately of any changein your address by calling us at 1-800-309-4466,visiting our website at www.ptm.org/change(please have your old mailing label availablefor reference) or writing us at The Plain Truth,Pasadena, CA 91129 (please include your oldmailing label and your new address). U.S.Postmaster: Send address changes to The PlainTruth, Pasadena, CA 91129.TO SEND A LETTER OR E-MAILWrite us at Letters to the Editor, The PlainTruth, Pasadena, CA 91129, email us atmanaging.editor@ptm.org or fax us at Lettersto the Editor at 626-358-4846.The editors reserve the right to print or notprint comments so addressed, in whole or inpart, as deemed in the public interest, and toprint your name and edit the letter for clarityand space. We will protect the confidentialityof correspondence that we deem to be of apersonal nature. Correspondence published byPlain Truth Ministries does not necessarilyreflect the opinions of Plain Truth Ministries.ADVERTISINGDirect inquiries about advertising rates to SkipDunn; Phone: 626-298-8013; Fax: 626-358-4846.Advertising in Plain Truth does not implyeditorial endorsement or agreement with thebeliefs and teachings of Plain Truth Ministries.EDITORIAL STAFFEDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Greg AlbrechtMANAGING EDITOR: Monte WolvertonART DIRECTION AND PRODUCTION: Marv WegnerASSOCIATE EDITOR: Laura UristaCIRCULATION DIRECTOR: Skip DunnTHEOLOGICAL CONSULTANT: Jim FowlerHow Would Jesus Vote…or Would He Even Bother?After reading your article “How WouldJesus Vote?” in the September/Octoberissue, I just had to tell you that I havenever seen such an accurate, honest andfair assessment of the Democratic andRepublican parties in the U.S. Excellentjob! I pray God will continue to blessAmerica and lead us to wake up and dealwith the critical social, environmental andeconomic issues while we still can.New YorkI am sorely disappointed in yourSeptember/October “voting” issue. Yes,both of the major parties have faults, butonly the Democratic Party supports andpromotes killing the unborn—either inthe womb or those who accidentallysurvive the abortion process. Would Jesusvote? Yes, he would. The Lord has nohands but ours, no feet but ours and novoice but ours. Would He who said,“Whoever causes one of these little oneswho believe to stumble, it would be betterfor him if, with a heavy millstone hungaround his neck, he had been cast into thesea” (Mark 9:42, KJV) vote for those whopromote the destruction of those little ones?WashingtonThank you so much for putting intowords what I have believed for years. Inever vote a party—I vote the issuesaccording to my beliefs and convictions.Sometimes that is Democrat andsometimes that is Republican, dependingon the issues at hand. I have held thispolitical view for many years, and one ofthe reasons I left my most recent churchhome is because the pastor was preachingpolitics—telling me how to vote from thepulpit, and making me feel guilty if Ididn’t feel the same way.I don’t know how Jesus would havevoted—or if he would have voted at all.But I think, if he did, he would havevoted what he felt in his heart was right.That is how I encourage everyone tovote—with what they feel in their heart isright.CaliforniaNo Stones to ThrowA mega high-five to Martin Davis for hisobservations on “Christians in recovery” inthe September/October PT. He correctlyobserves that “too many Christians areafraid to admit our (post-conversion)failures and shortcomings. Instead we spendenormous amounts of emotional energytrying to maintain the façade that we areamong the chosen, that our commitmentto Christ is unwavering and that withgirded loins and the shield of faith wehave overcome the giants in our paths.”Oh the hypocrisy that pervades somuch of the Christian community as we“fall prey to the exhausting belief that wemust make ourselves acceptable to God(and to each other) by becoming faithful,money-giving church-goers, perfect parents,financial successes and untiring prayerwarriors.”The need of the hour, as Davis clearlyexplains, is to “break the chains of legalismand ‘shouldism’ that hold us in bondage,by truly realizing that we are alreadyloved and accepted by our heavenly Father,just as we are, [and] then perhaps wewould be free to accept others just as theyare, not as we think they should be.”CaliforniaBack to the MonasteryThanks for the article by Ron Bensonin the September/October issue. I’m gladto see a magazine like Plain Truth willingto include an article that evaluates alargely unnoticed movement toward themystery of modern monasticism. RonBenson does a great job of noting howthis loosely defined movement towardmonastic disciplines is a reaction to the“flashy, star-powered, marketed, mediaintensive,mega-sized” focus of much themodern church.

L E T T E R SThe pendulum swings to smallercommunal Christian groups with distinctgoals of integration, accountability,nurture and personal discipline. Ronnotes how a grace-based perspective ofChristian living will necessarily besuspicious of legalistic rules, of humanauthority figures, of spiritual disciplinesthat can become yardsticks of spiritualevaluation and of the guilt-producing“Pharisaical approach to holiness.”Email“This is a football!”Thanks for the great commentary byGreg Albrecht in the September/Octoberissue based on Vince Lombardi’s famousback-to-basics speech—“This is afootball!”Here’s something else Lombardi said:“Winning isn’t everything—it’s theONLY THING!” For Christians, that canbe translated to “Jesus Christ isn’teverything—He’s the ONLY THING!”If churches could preach this we wouldn’thave divisions in Christendom.NevadaTender MerciesI read the “Tender Mercies” columnabout Abe Lincoln by Ruth Tucker inthe July/August issue of Plain Truth.Perhaps it was his guilt for having begunthe American Civil War which drove“Honest Abe” to forgive those youngmen who found they could not stomachthe slaughter.Or perhaps after Lincoln institutedfor the first time in our nation’s history(but, sadly, not its last) conscription—which forced young men into battleagainst their countrymen—he realizedthat he had crossed both a legal andmoral threshold.Pennsylvania• Watch for “Abraham Lincoln—aReal Christian?” coming in the January/February 2009 issue of Plain Truth.He Asked Me to Remind YouI love The Plain Truth magazine andthe heaven-sent message it provides. Ithink PTM sends a message of hope andrelief as opposed to a depressing “pack-itin”and hopeless “hang-it-up” hellfireharrangue.I especially enjoy the comedic slant ofSteve Brown’s columns. Please pass alongmy sky-high-fives to Greg Albrecht andthe PTM staff for their good and faithfulservice.MassachussettsChristianity Without theReligionSeveral years ago I decided to exploreand investigate churches of variousdenominations in my community andfound their messages and teaching oftenranged from mixing law and grace tooutright legalism, and I quickly learnedthat “bigger” isn’t necessarily better.Thank you for the CWR worshipservices on tape. Keep up the good workand don’t stop hammering away at thedeadly virus of legalism that permeatesmany of this world’s Christian churches.British Columbia, CanadaI am so pleased with your ChristianityWithout the Religion worship services. Ijust couldn’t be happier—everythingabout CWR brings me great joy!Thank you so much for the CDs yousend me and the monthly ministry lettersand updates that are so helpful andinspiring. I truly thank our heavenlyFather for using you to provide theseCWR services.I listen to my CDs over and over andthen I share them with others!OregonIt has been very rewarding to me toreceive your weekly sermons on CD. Ipass them on to relatives and friends. Youare a true blessing with your messages.Don’t ever stop!WisconsinCOPYRIGHT &POSTAL INFORMATIONThe Plain Truth is published bimonthly byPlain Truth Ministries, Pasadena, CA 91129.Copyright © 2008 Plain Truth Ministries.Printed in U.S.A. All rights reserved. Standardflats postage paid at Pasadena, CA, and atadditional mailing offices. Volume 73, Number7: December 2008. Unless noted otherwise,scriptures are quoted from the Holy Bible,New International Version. Copyright © 1973,1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Usedby permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.The Plain Truth ® is a U.S. trademark.CHRISTIANITY WITHOUTTHE RELIGIONWorship with us, 24/7, at our church withoutwalls, a church without the religion. Arelevant, timely, Christ-centered worshipservice is available right now at www.ptm.org.Christianity Without the Religion ® is a U.S.trademark.OUR WEBSITEVisit our website at www.ptm.org to browsePlain Truth archives for past articles, to findout more about Plain Truth Ministries andour other resources, to subscribe and toupdate your address.SUBMISSIONSThe Plain Truth rarely publishes unsolicitedmanuscripts. Please review our writersguidelines at our website (www.ptm.org)before submitting queries. Include SASEwith query. The publisher assumes noresponsibility for return of unsolicitedartwork, photographs or manuscripts.PLAIN TRUTH MINISTRIESThe Plain Truth is published by Plain TruthMinistries (PTM). If you are interested inlearning more about PTM, please request acopy of Plain Truth Ministries…HelpingChange Lives Around the World by callingus at 1-800-309-4466, visiting our website atwww.ptm.org or writing us at Plain TruthMinistries, Pasadena, CA 91129.CONTRIBUTIONSPlain Truth Ministries gratefully accepts taxdeductible contributions to further theongoing work of proclaiming the gospel ofJesus Christ. We accept contributions in U.S.funds by check or credit card. Call us at1-800-309-4466, or write us at Plain TruthMinistries, Pasadena, CA 91129.MEMBEREVANGELICAL PRESS ASSOCIATION