Circumcision of the Heart

The Circumcision of the Heart By John Wesley Sermon 17 (text from the 1872 edition - Thomas Jackson, editor) Preached at St. Mary's, Oxford, before the University, on January 1, 1733. ________________________________________ Circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter. Romans 2:29 1. It is the melancholy remark of an excellent man, that he who now preaches the most essential duties of Christianity, runs the hazard of being esteemed, by a great part of his hearers, "a setter forth of new doctrines." Most men have so lived away the substance of that religion, the profession whereof they still retain, that no sooner are any of those truths proposed which difference the Spirit of Christ from the spirit of the world, than they cry out, "Thou bringest strange things to our ears; we would know what these things mean:" -- Though he is only preaching to them "Jesus and the resurrection," with the necessary consequence of it, -- If Christ be risen, ye ought then to die unto the world, and to live wholly unto God. 2. A hard saying this to the natural man, Who is alive unto the world, and dead unto God; and one that he will not readily be persuaded to receive as the truth of God, unless it be so qualified in the interpretation, as to have neither use nor significance left. He "receiveth not the" word "of the Spirit of God," taken in their plain and obvious meaning; "they are foolishness unto him: Neither" indeed "can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned:" -- They are perceivable only by that spiritual sense, which in him was never yet awakened for want of which he must reject, as idle fancies of men, what are both the wisdom and the power of God. 3. That "circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter;" -- that the distinguishing mark of a true follower of Christ, of one who is in a state of acceptance with God, is not either outward circumcision, or baptism, or any other outward form, but a right state of soul, a mind and spirit renewed after the image of Him that created it; -- is one of those important truths that can only be spiritually discerned. And this the Apostle himself intimates in the next words, -- "Whose praise is not of men, but of God." As if he had said, "Expect not, whoever thou art, who thus followest thy great Master, that the world, the one who follow him not, will say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant!' Know that the circumcision of the heart, the seal of thy calling, is foolishness with the world. Be content to wait for thy applause till the day of thy Lord's appearing. In that day shalt thou have praise of God, in the great assembly of men and angels." I design I. First, particularly to inquire, wherein this circumcision of the heart consists; and, II. Secondly, to mention some reflections that naturally arise from such an inquiry. ________________________________________ I. 1. I am, First, to inquire, wherein that circumcision of the heart consists, which will receive the praise of God. In general we may observe, it is that habitual disposition of soul which, in the sacred writings, is termed holiness; and which directly implies, the being cleansed from sin, "from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit;" and, by consequence, the being endued with those virtues which were also in Christ Jesus; the being so "renewed in the spirit of our mind," as to be "perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect." 2. To be more particular: Circumcision of heart implies humility, faith, hope, and charity. Humility, a right judgment of ourselves, cleanses our minds from those high conceits of our own perfection, from that undue opinion of our own abilities and attainments, which are the genuine fruit of a corrupted nature. This entirely cuts off that vain thought, "I am rich, and wise, and have need of nothing;" and convinces us that we are by nature wretched, and poor, and miserable, and blind, and naked. "It convinces us, that in our best estate we are, of ourselves, all sin and vanity; that confusion, and ignorance, and error reign over our understanding; that unreasonable, earthly, sensual, devilish passions usurp authority over our will; in a word, that there is no whole part in our soul, that all the foundations of our nature are out of course. 3. At the same time we are convinced, that we are not sufficient of ourselves to help ourselves; that, without the Spirit of God, we can do nothing but add sin to sin; that it is He alone who worketh in us by his almighty power, either to will or do that which is good; it being as impossible for us even to think a good thought, without the supernatural assistance of his Spirit, as to create ourselves, or to renew our whole souls in righteousness and true holiness. 4. A sure effect of our having formed this right judgment of the sinfulness and helplessness of our nature, is a disregard of that "honor which cometh of man," which is usually paid to some supposed excellency in us. He who knows himself, neither desires nor values the applause which he knows he deserves not. It is therefore "a very small thing with him, to be judged by man's judgment." He has all reason to think, by comparing what it has said, either for or against him, with what he feels in his own breast, that the world, as well as the god of this world, was "a liar from the beginning." And even as to those who are not of the world; though he would choose, if it were the will of God, that they should account of him as of one desirous to be found a faithful steward of his Lord's goods, if haply this might be a means of enabling him to be of more use to his fellow-servants, yet as this is the one end of his wishing for their approbation, so he does not at all rest upon it: For he is assured, that whatever God wills, he can never want instruments to perform; since he is able, even of these stones, to raise up servants to do his pleasure. 5. This is that lowliness of mind, which they have learned of Christ, who follow his example and tread in his steps. And this knowledge of their disease, whereby they are more and more cleansed from one part of it, pride and vanity, disposes them to embrace, with a willing mind, the second thing implied in circumcision of the heart, -- that faith which alone is able to make them whole, which is the one medicine given under heaven to heal their sickness. 6. The best guide of the blind, the surest light of them that are in darkness, the most perfect instructor of the foolish, is faith. But it must be such a faith as is "mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong-holds," -- to the overturning all the prejudices of corrupt reason, all the false maxims revered among men, all evil customs and habits, all that "wisdom of the world which is foolishness with God;" as "casteth down imaginations," reasoning, "and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringeth into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." 7. "All things are possible to him that" thus "believeth." "The eyes of his understanding being enlightened," he sees what is his calling; even to glorify God, who hath bought him with so high a price, in his body and in his spirit, which now are God's by redemption, as well as by creation. He feels what is "the exceeding greatness of this power," who, as he raise up Christ from the dead, so is able to-quicken us, dead in sin," by his Spirit which dwelleth in us." "This is the victory which overcometh the world, even our faith;" that faith, which is not only an unshaken assent to all that God hath revealed in Scripture, -- and in particular to those important truths, "Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners;" "He bare our sins in his own body on the tree;" "He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world;" [N.B. The following part of this paragraph is now added to the Sermon formerly preached.] -- but likewise the revelation of Christ in our hearts; a divine evidence or conviction of his love, his free, unmerited love to me a sinner; a sure confidence in his pardoning mercy, wrought in us by the Holy Ghost; a confidence, whereby every true believer is enabled to bear witness, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," that I have an "Advocate with the Father," and that "Jesus Christ the righteous" is my Lord, and "the propitiation for my sins," -- I know he hath "loved me, and given himself for me," -- He hath reconciled me, even me, to God; and I "have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." 8. Such a faith as this cannot fail to show evidently the power of Him that inspires it, by delivering his children from the yoke of sin, and "purging their consciences from dead works;" by strengthening them so, that they are no longer constrained to obey sin in the desires there of; but instead of yielding their members unto it, as instruments of unrighteousness," they now "yield themselves" entirely "unto God, as those that are alive from the dead." 9. Those who are thus by faith born of God, have also strong consolation through hope. This is the next thing which the circumcision of the heart implies; even the testimony of their own spirit with the Spirit which witnesses in their hearts that [* N. B. The following part of this paragraph is now added to the Sermon formerly preached.] they are the children of God. Indeed it is the same Spirit who works in them that clear and cheerful confidence that their heart is upright toward God; that good assurance, that they now do, through his grace, the things which are acceptable in his sight; that they are now in the path which leadeth to life, and shall, by the mercy of God, endure therein to the end. It is He who giveth them a lively expectation of receiving all good things at God's hand; a joyous prospect of that crown of glory, which is reserved in heaven for them. By this anchor a Christian is kept steady in the midst of the waves of this troublesome world, and preserved from striking upon either of those fatal rocks, -- presumption or despair. He is neither discouraged by the misconceived severity of his Lord, nor does He despise the riches of his goodness." He neither apprehends the difficulties of the race set before him to be greater than he has strength to conquer, nor expects there to be so little as to yield in the conquest, till he has put forth all strength. The experience he already has in the Christian warfare, as it assures him his "labor is not in vain," if "whatever he findeth to do, he doeth it with his might;" so it forbids his entertaining so vain a thought, as that he can otherwise gain any advantage, as that any virtue can be shown, any praise attained, by faint hearts and feeble hands; or, indeed, by any but those who pursue the same course with the great Apostle of the Gentiles - "I," says he, "so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest, by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 10. By the same discipline is every good soldier of Christ to inure himself to endure hardship. Confirmed and strengthened by this, he will be able not only to renounce the works of darkness, but every appetite too, and every affection, which is no subject to the law of God. For "every one," saith St. John, "who hath this hope, purifieth himself even as He is pure." It is his daily care, by the grace of God in Christ, and through the blood of the covenant, to purge the inmost recesses of his soul from the lusts that before possessed and defiled it; from uncleanness, and envy, and malice, and wrath; from every passion and temper that is after the flesh, that either springs from or cherishes his native corruption: as well knowing, that he whose very body is the temple of God, ought to admit into it nothing common or unclean; and that holiness becometh that house for ever, where the Spirit of holiness vouchsafes to dwell. 11. Yet lackest thou one thing, whosoever thou art, that to a deep humility, and a steadfast faith, hast joined a lively hope, and thereby in a good measure cleansed thy heart from its inbred pollution. If thou wilt be perfect, add to all these, charity; add love, and thou hast the circumcision of the heart. "Love is the fulfilling of the law, the end of the commandment." Very excellent things are spoken of love; it is the essence, the spirit, the life of all virtue. It is not only the first and great command, but it is all the commandments in one. "Whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are amiable," or honorable; "if there be any virtue, if there be any praise," they are all comprised in this one word, -- love. In this is perfection, and glory, and happiness. The royal law of heaven and earth is this, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." 12. Not that this forbids us to love anything besides God: It implies that we love our brother also. Nor yet does it forbid us (as some have strangely imagined) to take pleasure in any thing but God. To suppose this, is to suppose the Fountain of holiness is directly the author of sin; since he has inseparably annexed pleasure to the use of those creatures which are necessary to sustain the life he has given us. This, therefore, can never be the meaning of his command. What the real sense of it is, both our blessed Lord and his Apostles tell us too frequently, and too plainly, to be misunderstood. They all with one mouth bear witness, that the true meaning of those several declarations, "The Lord thy God is one Lord;" "Thou shalt have no other Gods but me;" "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength" "Thou shalt cleave unto him;" "The desire of thy soul shall be to His name;" -- is no other than this: The one perfect Good shall be your one ultimate end. One thing shall ye desire for its own sake, -- the fruition of Him that is All in All. One happiness shall ye propose to your souls, even an union with Him that made them; the having "fellowship with the Father and the Son;" the being joined to the Lord in one Spirit. One design you are to pursue to the end of time, -- the enjoyment of God in time and in eternity. Desire other things, so far as they tend to this. Love the creature as it leads to the Creator. But in every step you take, be this the glorious point that terminates your view. Let every affection, and thought, and word, and work, be subordinate to this. Whatever ye desire or fear, whatever ye seek or shun, whatever ye think, speak, or do, be it in order to your happiness in God, the sole End, us well as Source, of your being. 13. Have no end, to ultimate end, but God. Thus our Lord: "One thing is needful:" And if thine eye be singly fixed on this one thing, "thy whole body shall be full of light." Thus St. Paul: "This one thing I do; I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus." Thus St. James: "Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." Thus St. John: "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." The seeking happiness in what gratifies either the desire of the flesh, by agreeably striking upon the outward senses; the desire of the eye, of the imagination, by its novelty, greatness, or beauty; or the pride of life, whether by pomp, grandeur, power, or, the usual consequence of them, applause and admiration; -- "is not of the Father," cometh not from, neither is approved by, the Father of spirits; "but of the world:" It is the distinguishing mark of those who will not have Him to reign over them. ________________________________________ II. 1. Thus have I particularly inquired, what that circumcision of heart is, which will obtain the praise of God. I am, in the Second place, to mention some reflections that naturally arise from such an inquiry, as a plain rule whereby every man may judge of himself, whether he be of the world or of God. And, First, it is clear from what has been said, that no man has a title to the praise of God, unless his heart is circumcised by humility; unless he is little, and base, and vile in his own eyes; unless he is deeply convinced of that inbred "corruption of his nature," "whereby be is very far gone from original righteousness," being prone to all evil, averse to all good, corrupt and abominable; having a "carnal mind which is enmity against God, and is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be," unless he continually feels in his inmost soul, that without the Spirit of God resting upon him, he can neither think, nor desire, nor speak, nor act anything good, or well-pleasing in his sight. No man I say, has A title to the praise of God, till he feels his want of God; nor indeed, till he seeketh that "honor which cometh of God only;" and neither desires nor pursues that which cometh of man, unless so far only as it tends to this. 2. Another truth, which naturally follows from what has been said, is, that none shall obtain the honor that cometh of God, unless his heart be circumcised by faith; even a "faith of the operation of God:" Unless, refusing to be any longer led by his senses, appetites, or passions, or even by that blind leader of the blind, so idolized by the world, natural reason, he lives and walks by faith; directs every step, as "seeking Him that is invisible;" "looks not at the things that are seen, which are temporal, but at the things that are not seen, which are eternal;" and governs all his desires, designs, and thoughts, all his actions and conversations, as one who is entered in within the veil, where Jesus sits at the right hand of God. 3. It were to be wished, that they were better acquainted with this faith, who employ much of their time and pains in laying another foundation; in grounding religion on the eternal fitness of things on the intrinsic excellence of virtue, and the beauty of actions flowing from it; on the reasons as they term them, of good and evil, and the relations of beings to each other. Either these accounts of the grounds of Christian duty coincide with the scriptural, or not. If they do, why are well meaning men perplexed, and drawn from the weightier matters of the law, by a cloud of terms, whereby the easiest truths are explained into obscurity? If they are not, then it behooves them to consider who is the author of this new doctrine; whether he is likely to be an angel from heaven, who preacheth another gospel than that of Christ Jesus; though, if he were, God, not we, hath pronounced his sentence: "Let him be accursed." 4. Our gospel, as it knows no other foundation of good works than faith, or of faith than Christ, so it clearly informs us, we are not his disciples while we either deny him to be the Author, or his Spirit to be the Inspirer an Perfecter, both of our faith and works. "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." He alone can quicken those Who are dead unto God, can breathe into them the breath of Christian life, and so prevent, accompany, and follow them with his grace, as to bring their good desires to good effect. And, as many as are thus led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." This is God's short and plain account of true religion and virtue; and "other foundation can no man lay." 5. From what has been said, we may, Thirdly, learn, that it none is truly "led by the Spirit," unless that "Spirit bear witness with his spirit, that he is a child of God;" unless he see the prize and the crown before him, and "rejoice in hope of the glory of God." So greatly have they erred who have taught that, in serving God, we ought not to have a view to own happiness! Nay, but we are often and expressly taught of God, to have "respect unto the recompense of reward;" to balance toil with the "joy set before us," these "light afflictions" with that "exceeding weight of glory." Yea, we are "aliens to the covenant of promise," we are "without God in the world," until God, "of his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a living hope of the inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away. 6. But if these things are so, it is high time for those persons to deal faithfully with their own souls who are so far from finding in themselves this joyful assurance that they fulfil the terms, and shall obtain the promises, of that covenant, as to quarrel with the covenant itself, and blaspheme the terms of it; to complain, they are too severe; and that no man ever did or shall live up to them. What is this but to reproach God, as if He were a hard Master, requiring of his servants more than he enables them to perform? -- as if he had mocked the helpless works of his hands, by binding them to impossibilities; by commanding them to overcome, where neither their own strength nor grace was sufficient for them? 7. These blasphemers might almost persuade those to imagine themselves guiltless, who, in the contrary extreme, hope to fulfil the commands of God, without taking any pains at all. Vain hope! That a child of Adam should ever expect to see the kingdom of Christ and of God, without striving, without agonizing, first "to enter in at the strait gate;"-that one who, as "conceived and born in sin," and whose "inward parts are very wickedness," should once entertain a thought of being "purified as his Lord is pure," unless he tread in His steps, and "take up his cross daily;" unless he "cut off His right hand," and "pluck out the right eye, and cast it from him ;" -- that he should ever dream of shaking off his old opinions, passions, tempers, of being "sanctified throughout in spirit, soul, and body," without a constant and continued course of general self-denial! 8. What less than this can we possibly infer from the above-cited words of St. Paul, who, living "ill infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses" for Christ's sake; -who, being full of "signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds," -- who, having been "caught up into the third heaven;" -- yet reckoned, as a late author strongly expresses it, that all his virtues would be insecure, and even his salvation in danger, without this constant self-denial? "So run I," says he, "not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air which he plainly teaches us, that he who does not thus run, who does not thus deny himself daily, does run uncertainly, and fighteth to as little purpose as he that "beateth the air." 9. To as little purpose does He talk of "fighting the fight of faith," as vainly hope to attain the crown of incorruption, (as we may, Lastly, infer from the preceding observations,) whose heart is not circumcised by love. Love, cutting off both the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, -- engaging the whole man, body, soul, and spirit, in the ardent pursuit of that one object,-is so essential to a child of God, that, without it, whosoever liveth is counted dead before him. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing." Nay, "though I give all my goods to feed the poor, and my body to be burned, and have not love, it profit me nothing." 10. Here, then, is the sum of the perfect law; this is the true circumcision of the heart. Let the spirit return to God that gave it, with the whole train of its affections. "Unto the place from whence all the rivers came thither let them flow again. Other sacrifices from us he would not; but the living sacrifice of the heart he hath chosen. Let it be continual offered up to God through Christ, in flames of holy love. And let no creature be suffered to share with him: For he is a jealous God. His throne will he not divide with another: He will reign without a rival. Be no design, no desire admitted there, but what has Him for its ultimate object. This is the way where in those children of God once walked, who, being dead, still speak to us:" Desire not to live, but to praise his name: Let all your thoughts, words, and works, tend to his glory. Set your heart firm on him, and on other things only as they are in and from him. Let your soul be filled with so entire a love of him, that you may love nothing but for his sake." "Have a pure intention of heart, a steadfast regard to his glory in all your actions." "Fix your eye upon the blessed hope of your calling, and make all the things of the world minister unto it." For then, and not till then is that "mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus;" when, in every motion of our heart, in every word of our tongue, in every work of our hands, we "pursue nothing but in relation to him, and in subordination to his pleasure;" when we, too, neither think, nor speak, nor act, to fulfil our "own will, but the will of him that sent us;" when, whether we eat, or drink, or whatever we do, we do all to the glory of God."

The New Birth By John Wesley

The Significance of John Wesley’s Teaching of the New Birth Nicodemus came to Jesus at night to ask him about the kingdom of God because, as a Pharisee, Nicodemus is expecting the kingdom of God to be established in the world. Jesus told him that the kingdom already exists but no one can see and enter the kingdom of God without being born again. Although Nicodemus was convinced and changed his life, it is quite an issue for Christians throughout history. In Myanmar, like other countries, “born again” or new birth was an issue for the past and it is still an issue in the churches today. Basically, some Christians understand that “born again” is related to particular denominations. It is the doctrine or belief of a group of Christians and others do not need to talk about it. Believing Jesus is more than enough. On the other hand, those who profess as “born again” Christians are proud of being “born again” and they do not really know the meaning and the significance of the word born again or new birth. They tend to think that new birth or born again is something special for those who think they are born again. Born again is understood as automatic inheritance for those who belong to a certain church. Although people talk about the new birth, they mainly understand in terms of emotion or feeling. It seems that they stress too much on human experience, rather than thinking the real change in human life. Moreover, there is not much difference between “born again” Christians and others who are so called ordinary Christians. “Born again” Christians do not care much about their life – morality, spiritual life – because they feel that their “born again” experience is enough for their whole life. Born again experience is once for all and it is evident by some outward expressions, not necessarily change in life. It is very clear that although people hear preachers preaching about new birth, they do not understand deeply about new birth. Wesley wrote, Go to church twice a day, go to the Lord's table every week, say ever so many prayers in private; hear ever so many sermons, good sermons, excellent sermons, the best that ever were preached; read ever so many good books—still you must be born again. None of these things will stand in the place of the new birth; no, nor any thing under heaven. Let this therefore, if you have not already experienced this inward work of God, be your continual prayer: "Lord, add this to all thy blessings, let me be born again! In this paper, based on Wesley’s theology and writings, I want to explore the meaning of “born again” or new birth, the significance of new birth in Christian life and the importance of the new birth for all Christians. In addition, this paper also explores the concept of new birth in Buddhism mainly to show how significant is Wesley’s understanding of new birth. Although the word “born again” and “new birth” are used differently by different people, this paper prefers to use the two words interchangeably. Wesley says that there are basically two main Christian doctrines which are really important: justification and new birth. Moreover, Melvin E. Dieter also comments regarding Wesley’s theology, “No Christian leader has ever been more faithful in bringing all observations, experience, and rational conclusions to the scripture for final judgment.” The New Birth in the Bible According to the scripture, man disobeyed God and became sinner. Sin estranges us from God. However, God took initiative by sending his Son to save us from sin and to restore to man’s original position. He also sent the Holy Spirit to work in us. As we are forgiven sinners, God’s power made us to be born in the Spirit. We are born again and became new creatures. Born by the Holy Spirit is a miracle and it is also a mystery. It is hard to explain in detail but we can understand it according to the scripture. Although the New Birth is taught by Jesus in the New Testament, it is also mentioned in the Old Testament. Even though God’s people disobeyed and broke the covenant of God, God restored them (Deut. 30:1). When God gave them the law, God requires his people total obedience to the Law. Circumcision of the hearts (Deut. 30:6) means to love God wholly that they will have covenant relationship between God and his people. According to the covenant, God will restore them not because they have done something good but by God’s grace alone. God gave everything to his people and God also wanted all from his people. Wesley read Deuteronomy and said, God will change and purge our heart from all our idolatry and wickedness, and incline our heart to love God only. God will convert them and help them to be God’s very own. The Old Testament teaching is also clear that the new birth is not about the people, it is God’s doing. This means God is the initiator in the process and people are just the object of change. And yet, God requires total love from his people. The New Testament concept of the New Birth is originated in the Old Testament. As God promised to his people through the words of the prophets, God sent the Holy Spirit to renew his people. The renewing of their hearts means cleaning their sins and making them new creatures. As they are renewed, they enter into a new world, God’s kingdom. Without new birth, man cannot experience the reality of God and man cannot comprehend the things of God. Although Jesus preached about God’s kingdom, they cannot understand what Jesus is preaching to them and it was foolishness to them. Jewish people attacked Jesus because they were blind spiritually. When John Wesley preached on John 3:3, he interpreted the new birth as an entire change of heart as well as life. Collins calls it as “qualitative change” in human life. Unless we see a vast change in life, it is hard to say as the new birth. Wesley explained the new birth as; “From hence it manifestly appears, what is the nature of the new birth. It is that great change which God works in the soul when he brings it into life; when he raises it from the death of sin to the life of righteousness. It is the change wrought in the whole soul by the almighty Spirit of God when it is created anew in Christ Jesus.” In saying the new birth as total change, Kenneth Collins interprets that Wesley did not mean the whole process of sanctification. Collins argues, “The totality of the change of the new birth refers not to the entirety of the process of sanctification, but to the integrity, the thoroughness of its beginning.” When a child is born, he is complete in its stage, no matter how he can grow into maturity. Likewise, the new birth itself is complete. The new birth is perfect in its integrity, which means the whole being is changed totally, not partial. The whole human being is changed into a perfect being, from death to life and to holiness. The New Birth in Other Religions Now, this paper wants to explore the concept of new birth in other religions in order to know why Christian teaching of the new birth is significant and how it is significant. The new birth is not only the teachings of Christ but we can also find similar teachings in other religions too. For instance, Myanmar Buddhists also teach “new birth” or “new life.” When someone’s life is in despair and hopeless situation by drug addiction or by natural sickness or by committing crimes, he becomes a monk. Later, becomes a new man when he studies and meditates on Buddha’s teaching. However, there are several differences between biblical concept of new birth and Buddhists concept of new man. In Buddhism, the man must make effort before he becomes a new man. He needs to study and recite Buddhist scriptures and take time for meditation. He must have a strong determination to be a new man. Second, he must take time to be a new man. It is not an immediate event. He will never become a new man within one day or one month no matter how hard he tries. Third, it is not from outside but by inside power. This is what they call merit from the past life. Unless he had done something good in the past life, he will never be able to attain such new life. Fourth, new birth is not for everyone. This is a very unique event and it cannot be achieved by ordinary people. This means he needs parami to be a new man. At the same time, his new position can be los at any time unless he maintains it with great zeal. Although Buddhists also say that becoming a new person is incomprehensible, there are several steps or things to follow to be a new man. Another significant thing is Buddhists never say that our sins are forgiven or removed though we can become new man. All things that we have done in life will follow us. The Need of the New Birth and Original Sin Regarding the new birth, Wesley strongly teaches that it is not an option but it is essential for every believer. The need for new birth is mainly because of original sin. Man’s nature is totally corrupt by sin. Wesley preached, “In our best estate we are of ourselves, all sin and vanity; that confusion, and ignorance, and error reign over our understanding; that unreasonable, earthly, sensual, devilish passions usurp authority over our will; in a word, that there is no whole part in our soul, that all the foundations of our nature are out of course.” Therefore, there is a strong connection between justification and the new birth. At the same time, the doctrine of original sin is important to understand the new birth. Kenneth J. Collins argues that “If the problem of original sin was misprized or even outright repudiated, then the solution of the new birth would be misprized as well.” His understanding of human nature is what the Reformers also taught. He said that nature man is dead to God. Unless someone is circumcised in the heart, there is no way to see the true nature of human beings. Man cannot see himself as it is because of sin. At the same time, man has no capacity to approach God. The Bible says that man is lost in sin. Wesley also confirmed, “Every man of the offspring of Adam is very far gone from original righteousness, and is of his own nature inclined to evil’s that this corruption of our nature, in every person born into the world, deserves God’s wrath and damnation.” Therefore, Wesley strongly teaches that man is totally corrupted and there is nothing man can approach to God. This means he denied free will or any other power in man to approach God. Only through God’s grace, man can see God. When he writes a letter to Samuel Wesley, Wesley defines the new birth as “inward of change of the earthly, sensual mind for the mind which was in the mind of Jesus Christ.” In his sermon, The Marks of the New Birth, Wesley denied to give a definition on the new birth because the Bible simply says that without the new birth or born again, no one can see the kingdom of God. The most fundamental fact in the new birth is faith. Wesley quoted the scriptural passages which talk about faith in Christ. However, for Wesley, faith is “not a barely notional or speculative faith.” Wesley preached, “It is not a bare assent to this proposition, Jesus is the Christ; nor indeed to all the propositions contained in our creed, or in the Old and New Testament.” Even the devil also believes that Jesus is the Christ, the Bible is the Word of God, even the miracles that Jesus did. He called such kind of faith as “a dead faith.” A true living faith, for Wesley, is “is not only an assent, an act of the understanding; but a disposition, which God hath wrought in his heart; “a sure trust and confidence in God, that, through the merits of Christ, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favor of God.” As soon as a man believes Jesus, he renounces his confidence in his flesh, his own ability and his own power but coming to God as a lost, hopeless, despair sinner who really needs salvation. In this way, Wesley preached that this faith is not only believing the articles of faith but to put total trust in the mercy of God. By this faith, we are born of God, purified from all sins, all unholy desires. Although dead unto sin, but live unto God. The ultimate outcome is to thank God for his mercy because in the past, we were servants of sin but now we become servants of righteousness. After being born of God, man will not commit sin because he is no longer under the power of sin. However, there are some people think that born again Christians will not sin habitually. Wesley denied this by saying that this thought is deceiving. The Bible plainly tells us that those who are born by God “do not commit sin.” Another fruit of the living faith is peace. Wesley said, “It is a peace which all the powers of earth and hell are unable to take from him. Waves and storms beat upon it, but they shake it not; for it is founded upon a rock. It keepeth the hearts and minds of the children of God, at all times and in all places. Whether they are in ease or in pain, in sickness or health, in abundance or want, they are happy in God.” Since we are justified before God, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:1). No matter what comes to our life, we have learned to be content. A born again Christian fully trusts God for any matters that come across in life. Another mark for the new birth is a living hope. By quoting Peter’s message, Wesley said the hope that we have is a living hope because there is a dead hope which comes from the devil. A living hope inspires us to live a life which is holy to God. Unless we are born by the Spirit, we cannot be happy because our nature itself is attached to the evil or sin. After being born by the Spirit, we are new creatures and our joy is full. Then we are able to see our future which is to see Christ as he is. O grant that nothing in my soul May dwell, but thy pure love alone! O may thy love possess me whole, My joy, my treasure, and my crown! Strange fires far from my heart remove; My every act, word, thought, be love! Another mark of the new birth is love. For Wesley, love is also the ultimate goal of a holy life. Without love, it is not true that one is really born by God. A born again believer will love God and he will submit all his desire to God alone. The outcome of loving God is loving someone’s neighbors. It is “a love whereby we love every man as ourselves; as we love our own souls.” Wesley seriously said that if we are ready to lay down our life for our neighbors, it is the sign of the true love. Moreover, loving God includes all aspects of our life – heart, life, speech, and even thinking. Wesley said loving others is “a love not only ever burning in your hearts, but flaming out in all your actions and conversations, and making your whole life one “labour of love,” one continued obedience to those commands, “Be ye merciful, as God is merciful;” “Be ye holy, as I the Lord am holy:” “Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Therefore, without love, it might be difficult to say that one is a true Christian. At the same time, it is not enough to be a Christian but must be born of the Holy Spirit. The New Birth and Justification Both of these doctrines are Wesley’s main focus in his preaching and teaching. Justification, for Wesley, is what God has done for us and the new birth is what God has done in us. Justification is removing our sins and the new birth is God’s doing of making us holy. In other words, our total being is purified through new birth. In fact, there are arguments for which comes first. In terms of thinking, according to Wesley, it is possible to say that justification comes first and then new birth. And yet, justification and new birth just happen at the same time. Wesley said, without new birth justification is meaningless. There are some people even today that new birth is equal to justification. For Wesley, without new birth which is renewing our nature, even though our sins are cleansed by God, our sinful nature is not left behind. Wesley explained, “If all your past sins were now to be forgiven, you would immediately sin again; that is, unless your heart were cleansed; unless it were created anew.” Without changing our nature into a new creature, our life is still the same. It is not what Jesus says to Nicodemus at night. In other words, Wesley is saying that without new birth, if we affirm justification, we are antinomianism. Therefore, Wesley strongly asserts that there must be something visible change in human life with the justification. Forgiveness is not the end but it is just the beginning of a long journey. The New Birth and Sanctification For Wesley, the nature man becoming a new man is not natural process. This means it is not simply happened by human efforts or human will, but supernatural change. Although it is not possible to explain the nature of change but still possible to understand God’s work of change in human being. Lord, I believe, thy work of grace Is perfect in the soul; His heart is pure who sees thy face, His spirit is made whole. Wesley’s interpretation on the new birth is crucial for us in many ways. Basically, the new birth is the initial stage our spiritual life with God. We begin our life with God since we are totally renewed. Then we continue our journey with God toward entire sanctification. Though we are sanctified at the new birth, it is just the beginning of a long journey. The new birth is perfect in itself and sanctification is also perfect but it must be continue till death. Wesley said, “Entire sanctification, or Christian perfection, is neither more nor less than pure love — love expelling sin and governing both the heart and life of a child of God.” Wesley also said, “At the same time that we are justified, yea, in that very moment, sanctification, begins. In that instant we are ‘born again,’ ‘born from above,’ ‘born of the Spirit.’” Wesley never said that entirely sanctification is sinless life. Any true Christian can fall into sin at any time by disobedience. Of course, we are totally sanctified by God at the new birth, but it does not guarantee that we are not able to sin. Man will never be free from willful sinning in this life. They can be free from voluntary sin by total obedience to God’s will but there is always a tendency to disobey God’s will even a born again Christian. Different from other Reformers, Wesley believed that believers could experience freedom from sin in this life. God desires every man and woman who believes Jesus must be transformed into the image of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Many Christians assume that it is not possible to be like Christ and renewing into God’s image is “a mere mockery of God.” In fact, this is true but only through God’s grace, renewing into Christ’s image is possible. On the other hand, if we are not able to be free from sin, our Christian faith will be in a question. God requires every believer to be holy. If we cannot be holy in this life, God’s requirements will be meaningless. At the same time, many Christians excuse themselves when they commit sins. This does not mean that man can satisfy God by man’s holy living. Even the holy life is made by God himself. And yet, man should live for God alone. By God’s grace, the Holy Spirit works in us to respond to God’s salvation. Then we are moved to respond to God by faith and repentance. In this way, we are born by God through the Holy Spirit and we became new creatures in Christ. We are justified by receiving freedom from sin and sanctified into a new being. We are given the power over sin and conformed into his image. Since that time, we have the promise of victory over sin and the devil, and have the power to live a holy life to God. Wesley strongly rejected “all religions which does not imply the destruction of all the works of the devil, that is of all sin.” The New Birth and Salvation In order to understand Wesley’s teaching on the new birth, we need to know his teaching on salvation too. Wesley wrote, “By salvation, I mean, not barely deliverance from hell, or going to heaven, but a present deliverance from sin, a restoration of the soul to its primitive health, its original purity; a recovery of the divine nature; the renewal of our souls after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness, in justice, mercy and truth.” In fact, many Christians see salvation as God’s saving work for all human beings from this world to another world. Wesley’s soteriology is much deeper than that. For Wesley, our life today is as much important as our future life in heaven. This means a lot to Asians where many people struggle for living. Usually, Christians understand that life on earth is just temporary like a guest and we must strive for the future life in heaven. People misunderstand the meaning of life on earth and they divide spiritual and unspiritual – sacred and secular. For example, in tribal area, people are looking ahead of the future life and they do not want to save money, they do not want to go for education and they also do not care about ecology. Furthermore Wesley explained more detail about how we receive salvation: “Neither is salvation of the works we do when we believe, for it is then God that worketh in us: and, therefore, that he giveth us a reward for what he himself worketh, only commendeth the riches of his mercy, but leaveth us nothing whereof to glory.” Although we receive salvation by believing Jesus Christ, it is not because of how much we can believe on God but only because of God’s work in us. There is nothing to boast about ourselves but we must be humble before God by living a holy life. Wesley encouraged, “That ‘whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed that the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him’: here is comfort, high as heaven, stronger than death!” Wesley’s teaching on salvation is different from other theologians because Wesley stressed the importance of our present life here rather than seeing the future as our reward for what we struggle in this world. In fact, Wesley did not deny that our joy and holiness will be perfect in heaven. However, he emphasized our present struggle as a Christian by saying: “This then is the salvation which is through faith, even in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences of sin, both often expressed in the word justification; which, taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance from guilt and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied to the soul of the sinner now believing on him, and a deliverance from the power of sin, through Christ formed in his heart. So that he who is thus justified, or saved by faith, is indeed born again. He is born again of the Spirit unto a new life, which ‘is hid with Christ in God.’ And as a new-born babe he gladly receives the ἄδολον, ‘sincere milk of the word, and grows thereby;’ going on in the might of the Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until at length, he come unto ‘a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.’” Wesley reminds that the new birth is not ‘gaining habits of holiness.’ It is not gradual change but an immediate change. It is a supernatural change. At the same time, the new birth is perfect in itself like a child. More than that the new birth is not the fulfillment of sanctification but it is the beginning of sanctification. It might be confusing when he talks about holiness but he also said, “Inward holiness is mostly instantaneous . . . but outward holiness is mostly gradual.” In his sermon of “The Means of Grace,” Wesley said that many people focus on doing outward work rather than “a heart renewed after the image of God.” He said the end of every commandments of God is love without pride, anger, evil desire, but by a pure heart coming out of faith. Wesley said, “I believe neither our own holiness nor good works are any part of the cause of our justification; but that the death and righteousness of Christ are the whole and sole cause of it; or that for the sake of which, on account of which, we are justified before God.” Of course, when Wesley says that we need to live a holy life after being born again, many opponents understand that Wesley is talking about doing good work for our salvation. For Wesley, holiness is not “perfected perfection,” but ‘a perfecting perfection.” We are perfected at the moment we are being renewed and we need to continue to grow in that holiness. The Bible clearly says that we must be holy. It is not because we need something to show to God for our salvation but we are called to be holy. Our nature must be holiness. No one can see God without holiness. Wesley strongly preached, “No, it cannot be; none shall live with God, but he that now lives to God; none shall enjoy the glory of God in heaven, but he that bears the image of God on earth; none that is not saved from sin here can be saved from hell hereafter; none can see the kingdom of God above, unless the kingdom of God be in him below. Whosoever will reign with Christ in heaven, must have Christ reigning in him on earth. He must have “that mind in him which was in Christ,” enabling him “to walk as Christ also walked.” Implications Wesley summarized Christian life in several facts: 1. To love God with all one’s heart and one’s neighbor as oneself; 2. To have that is in Christ; 3. To bear the fruit of the Spirit; 4. The restoration of the image of God in the soul, a recovery of man to the moral image of God, which consists of “righteousness and true holiness; 5. Inward and outward righteousness, “holiness of life issuing from holiness of heart”; 6. God’s sanctifying of the person in spirit, soul, and body; 7. The person’s own perfect consecration of the individual’s thoughts, words and actions as a sacrifice to God of praise and thanksgiving; 9. Salvation from all sins. For Wesley, the new birth is the total change of human life. This is really a crucial teaching of the Bible and the most essential teaching for Christians today too because many people tend to focus on emotion, feelings and even experience to approach God. First, Wesley’s teaching on the new birth is the foundation for Christian life. Without the new birth, man cannot understand the spiritual things of God and then it is hard to say that he or she is a Christian. The new birth is not man’s effort or man cannot do anything to be borne by God, it is totally God’s work in us. Therefore, born again or new born Christians have nothing to be proud. But they have to show their life by loving God totally. Second, the new birth is the beginning of our Christian life. After the new birth, a Christian is essential to live a holy life to God. The ultimate goal of a Christian life is to offer a living sacrifice, which is blameless and perfect (Rom. 12:1). According to Wesley, the new birth is perfect in itself because it is an immediate event. We are perfect like a child. Sanctification is not like the new birth, but a process which goes till the full perfection, to the entire sanctification. Finally, the new birth gives a true happiness in life. If human life is full of pride, guilty, and selfishness, there is no way to have happiness. Therefore, for Wesley, the new birth is not much about the future as many Christians understand. His concern is much about how can a man be born into God’s family and then to live a full human being in this life and to enter into his glory after death. In our churches today, including Myanmar churches, there are many nominal Christians who do not know about the new birth. Some of them simply do not know it. Some do not understand the significance of the new birth. Many Christians feel that Christian life is just like others. Many other also think that there is nothing to be serious in Christian life. Some Christians even believe that Christian life is almost similar to Buddhists or other religions. However, if someone reads and understands Wesley’s teaching on the new birth, he or she will understand the meaning of being a Christian. Christian life is full of joy and happiness if we are renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. At the same time, Christians will strive for holy living if we read John Wesley’s teaching on holy life.   Bibliography Collins, Kenneth J. “John Wesley’s Doctrine of the New Birth” Wesleyan Theological Journal, 32 no 1 (Spring 1997). _____________. The Scripture Way of Salvation: The Heart of John Wesley’s Theology. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1997. _____________. The Theology of John Wesley: Holy Love and the Shape of Grace. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2007. Dieter, Melvin E. Five Views on Sanctification. Grand Rapids, MI: Academie Books, 1987. Lay, Robert F. Readings in Historical Theology: Primary Sources of Christian Faith. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2009. Moon, Gary W. and David G. Benner, eds., Spiritual Direction and the Care of Souls: A Guide to Christian Approaches and Practices. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2004. Outler, Albert C. and Richard P. Heitzenrater. John Wesley’s Sermons: An Anthology. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1991. Silber, Ilana Friedrich. “Dissent through Holiness: The Case of The Radical Renouncer in Theravada Buddhist Countries,” Numen, 28 no 2 (December 1981): 164-193. Telford, John, ed., The Letters of John Wesley, A.M., 8 vols. London: The Epworth Press, 1931. Tosa, Keiko. “The Cult of Thamanya Sayadaw: The Social Dynamism of A Formulating a Pilgrimage Site,” Asian Ethnology, 68 no 2 (2009): 239-264. Wesley, John and James H. Potts. Living Thoughts of John Wesley. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing, 2003. Wesley, John. The Works of John Wesley, 3rd ed., Journal, “Thursday, September 13, 1739” (224-225). ___________. The Works of the Late Reverend John Wesley, A. M., John Emory, ed. Waugh and Mason, 1936. ___________. Wesley’s Doctrinal Standards, part I: The Sermons, N. Burwarsh, ed. Salem, OH: Convention Book Store, 1967.

Man of God

Man of God 1 Tim 6:11 “But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.” Christian life is unique. There is always something which we need to run away from and at the same time we are pursuing something in life. This is not a single event but whole life. Paul called young Timothy as Man of God, the one of God or possessed by God. Man of God is not of the world. A man of God will live only for God and will proclaim for God alone. The verse begins with “But” and it is a contrast with the former verses. Paul is talking in the earlier verses that there are many false teachers who are talking about this world, how to get rich and how to have success in this world. They are telling people to run after worldly richness. Contrast to those people, Paul calls Timothy Man of God and gives him the requirements of man of God. When John Wesley preached in the Church of England, his intention was not to begin a new denomination, but to see change in the Anglican Church. He knew that there are many people, including church leaders, who are talking about nice things about Christianity, teaching and preaching the Word of God and talking about the need of new birth. However, their lives were not matching with what they preach or teach. Many church leaders corrupted and they were working in the church for money. Ordinary Christians were also not doing what God pleases but they attended the church because the law requires and they gave money to the church because they wanted to be well-known. Likewise, there are many similar things happening in our churches today. Church leaders are following after worldly richness and they are working in the church for their own benefits. 1. We need to flee from all this Paul is telling the young Timothy that a man of God must flee from certain things that he mentioned. Paul says in the letter that Man of God needs to flee from love of money and false teachers. In Myanmar, students have to recite three duties of a student: Flee from bad people, befriend with good people and approach the wise man. It is true that we need to run away from bad people, false teachers who teach false doctrines. Sometimes they might teach the biblical doctrines but for their own benefit. In Myanmar, there are some people who go around the churches for fund raising by showing pictures and videos. Some people run orphanage ministry or Bible school for getting money. We need to run away from those who teach and preach the false teachings. Especially, today we need to be very careful to choose even Bible schools. There are some Bible schools where we can get scholarship but the way they teach, the subjects which they offer are not really good. At the same time, we can see discriminations and abuses too. Some Bible schools neglect the spirituality of the students. Sometimes, Bible students do not read the Bible, do not pray and do not even want to preach the gospel. However, as John Wesley remained in the church to transform the church, we need to be men of God in the midst of this world. We are not saying that we should live in isolation from those people. Although Wesley lived in the society, he himself was not a part of the problem. He always finds ways to change the church. His mind is always thinking about how to transform the church and the people. In this text, Paul is encouraging Timothy to flee from such worldly things, such worldly people and such worldly pleasure. The word “flee” means to keep from doing something by avoiding it in view of its potential to tempt.” We know that many people fail 2. We need to pursue Paul says that a man of God must pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. I think a man of God needs all these rather than one of these. These all things are required from a man of God. However, there must be some reason for Paul mentioning these things. Actually, many preachers preach that a Christian needs basically believing God, good morality, spirituality, and even giving offering. Prayers, attending bible studies, morning prayers, reading the Bible regularly, be kind to people, behaving like a good man are essential for a good Christian life. Normally, we think that a Christian is also the one who perform such things: attending church regularly, taking time for prayer and bible study, and giving offering, and helping other people. However, here Paul encourages us to pursue something. He use the word “pursue.” When we read commentaries, it is similar to the word chasing someone, especially in the battle if someone runs away, we need to chase him and kill him. This is the picture. We need to chase it. We need to get it. This is not an option, but it is a must. For me, righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness, which Paul mentions in his letter can be used in one word. It is holiness. The message version says, “Pursue a righteous life – a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy.” Like Wesley’s teaching on holiness, these things are essential in a Christian life. It is not said that we need these things to be God’s children or to be accepted by God. But these things are qualities or the nature of a Christian. In other words, without holiness, no one can see the face of God. No one can approach God without these things. At the same time, these things are not man-made qualities. For example, if it is not God’s gift, or given by God, our righteous is very selfish righteous. Although we can have love, genuine love, but that love will also be for our benefit. Many times, we hear people saying that “If you are like him, I will love you more. If those students are like us, they will get scholarship. If my wife is like them, I can love her more.” We love others for our benefit. It is very clear that Paul is not asking Timothy which is not there in Christian life. At the same time, Paul is not foolish to ask Timothy which is not possible to achieve. Paul is strongly encouraging Timothy to pursue the perfection of Christian life. Christian life always ups and downs but we need to pursue it. We need to move forward and we need to reach to the goal. Paul says that we need to fight a good fight; we need to run the race. Christian life is a long journey rather than perfecting in a moment. In conclusion, Paul is saying about a Christian life, to be a man of God. A man of God needs to run away from certain things and need to pursue others. This basically means a holy Christian life is not only adding some thing in our life but leaving something behind us. We need to leave our old nature, as John Wesley preaching about the new birth. I want to conclude my sermon with a joke. There is a man who wants to take water baptism. The pastor tells him about Christian life and he also understands it. When he takes water baptism, the pastor baptizes him in the water. But he raises his right hand up. The pastor holds his right hand and pushes it down to the water but the man denies it. Then, the past asks the reason. That man said, “Please do not let my hand to take baptism because I need to revenge that man. After that I will take whole baptism.” Although this is just a joke, it is true. Many Christians want to give their whole life to God, and they also pray, but in reality, they find difficulties to give all to God. When we give offering in the church, we sing “I surrender all” but we are looking for the smallest notes in our pocket. Paul is encouraging us to give all to God. As John Wesley preached many years ago, But you, O man or woman of God, regard them not; don't be moved by any of these things. You know in whom you have believed. See that no man take your crown. Where you have already attained, hold fast, and follow, till you attain all the great and precious promises. And you who have not yet known him, let not vain men make you ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Don't be terrified by anything, by those who speak evil of the things which they know not. God will soon turn your heaviness into joy. O let not your hands hang down! Yet a little longer, and he will take away your fears, and give you the spirit of a sound mind. He is near "that justifies: Who is he that condemns? It is Christ that died, yes, that rose again, who is even now at the right hand of God, making intercession" for you. “John Wesley, The Way to the Kingdom”

English Teachers in Myanmar

If you can speak and teach, we need you in Myanmar. If you are interested to come to Myanmar, welcome to Myanmar to teach English to students who cannot pay for learning English. We can only provide students and rooms to teach. This means you need to raise funds for your own. While you are teaching English, it is very much possible to talk to people about Christ and other Christian values. If you are interested, please contact me for more information. We will also update you later.

Touching Story

THE EMPTY CHAIR A man's daughter had asked the local pastor to come and pray with her father. When the pastor arrived, he found the man lying in bed with his head propped up on two pillows and an empty chair beside his bed. The pastor assumed that the old fellow had been informed of his visit. "I guess you were expecting me," he said. "No, who are you?" "I'm the new associate at your local church," the pastor replied. "When I saw the empty chair, I figured you knew I was going to show up." "Oh yeah, the chair," said the bedridden man. "Would you mind closing the door?" Puzzled, the pastor shut the door. "I've never told anyone this, not even my daughter," said the man. "But all of my life I have never known how to pray. At church I used to hear the pastor talk about prayer but it always went right over my head." "I abandoned any attempt at prayer," the old man continued, "until one day about four years ago my best friend said to me, 'Joe, prayer is just a simple matter of having a conversation with Jesus. Here's what I suggest. Sit down on a chair; place an empty chair in front of you, and in faith see Jesus on the chair. It's not spooky because he promised, 'I'll be with you always.' Then just speak to him and listen in the same way you're doing with me right now." "So, I tried it and I've liked it so much that I do it a couple of hours every day. I'm careful, though. If my daughter saw me talking to an empty chair, she'd either have a nervous breakdown or send me off to the funny farm." The pastor was deeply moved by the story and encouraged the old guy to continue on the journey. Then he prayed with him, and returned to the church. Two nights later the daughter called to tell the pastor that her daddy had died that afternoon. "Did he seem to die in peace?" he asked. "Yes, when I left the house around two o'clock, he called me over to his bedside, told me one of his corny jokes, and kissed me on the cheek. When I got back from the store an hour later, I found him dead. But there was something strange, in fact, beyond strange-kinda weird. Apparently, just before Daddy died, he leaned over and rested his head on a chair beside the bed." Pastor Mike Walls Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC jmichaelwalls@juno.com Isaiah 41:10

Leadership for leaders

LEADERSHIP Leadership is the process of influencing individuals or groups to achieve goals. It can be correlated to the following: authority, direction, motivator, reinforce, persuasion, cheerleader, coach, nurturer and delegate. Leading- means to guide, to go before and show the way. Leader- essential person in a group/organization. Leadership according to Fiedler 1. Distinguished people in an organization or group 2. An ability 3. A relationship *Leadership refers to those who provide direction and guidance (Fiedler) *Leadership as “the art of inducing subordinates to accomplish their assignments with zeal and confidence.” (Koontz & O’ Donnell) *Leadership as “the relationship in which one person (the leader) influences others to work together willingly on related tasks to attain goals desired by the leader and, or group” (Terry & Franklin) Further, it is planned process, which results in the following: 1. Challenging people to work collaboratively toward an ever-expanding vision of excellence in the achievement of organizational and personal/professional goals and objectives. 2. Creating a threat-free environment for growth, so that the creative talents and skills are used to the best knowledge. 3. Encouraging and building working relationships that are individually and organizationally satisfying, unifying and strengthening in the realization of mutually determined goals and objectives. Such relationship results in effective group problem solving. 4. Optimizing available material and human resources. Function of Leadership 1. Providing Vision – as a leader, it is expected of you to develop a vision for the organization through participatory management. It is also better for you to involve your teammates, because several heads are better than one. 2. Achieving Goals –It is your task to see to it that the objectives you have set are achieved. Your team members will have a good performance if you know how to motivate them. 3. Initiating Camaraderie and Smooth relationship – All organizations cannot avoid conflicts or disagreements, because of the presence of individual differences. It is the task of the leader that this misunderstanding be immediately resolved, so that it will not become worse. Leadership Qualities 1. A leader possesses a striking physical personality and is energetic. 2. A leader possesses a sense of purpose and direction. A leader knows his/her own personal objectives and those of the group. He or she is able to set goals and move towards that direction. 3. A leader has the power of ready to speech. He or she is able to communicate in both written and spoken language. 4. A leader is enthusiastic about the purpose of the group and is devoted to its cause. 5. A leader has keen insight into the human nature of people. He or she has faith and trust in the people he/she leads. 6. A leader displays courage and persistence even in the face of opposition. 7. A leader is decisive. He or she uses independent judgment and does not hesitate to consult others when needed. 8. A leader is cheerful and even-tempered. 9. A leader shows technical mastery that inspires others to do average performance in their jobs. 10. A leader is intelligent, versatile and has sense of humor. 11.A leader has moral vision, integrity and idealism. Leadership Styles • AUTOCRATIC LEADERSHIP  Sometimes called directive and bureaucratic.  Most extreme form-- it implies a leader who uses coercion in the exercise of his/her powers  High concern for task accomplishment but low concern for the people who perform these tasks.  Seldom gets ideas and opinions from their subordinates in solving work problems.  It is also called “centric” because the leader makes decision for the group. He is the center of attention.  Also called THEORY X by Mcgregor. Boss-centered. The leader thinks all workers are lazy, need to be coerced, threatened with punishment, indifferent to organizational goals, resistant to change, not very bright and cannot be trusted, want to avoid responsibility and are more interested in financial incentives than personal achievement. • DEMOCRATICC, PARTICIPATIVE OR CONSULTATIVE LEADERSHIP  People oriented  Focus in human aspects and build effective teamwork  Interaction between the leader and subordinates is open, friendly, trusting.  It allows governance through group participation in decision making  The leader consults his/her subordinates in solving problems and work related decisions are made by the group.  Sometimes called “ consultative” style of leadership  According to Mcgregor this style of leadership is called THEORY Y. The leader considers workers as ambitious. He or she does not resist change, is creative, and exercises self-direction and self-control.  This style will satisfy higher human needs resulting in greater employee responsibility which in turn leads to high productivity. • PERMISSIVE, ULTRALIBERAL OR LAISSEZ-FAIRE LEADERSHIP  Laissez-faire or “let alone” style of leadership is one in which the leader who is appointed manager abdicates leadership responsibility and leaves worker without direction, supervision or coordination.  The worker lacks central direction and control  This FREE-REIN leader avoids responsibility by relinquishing power to subordinates.  He permits his followers to engage in managerial activity such as decision making, planning, structuring the organization, setting goals and controlling the organization.  This style is effective in highly motivated professionals, like those in research, where independent thinking is rewarded.  This kind of leader is permissive with little or no control; motivates by support when requested by the group or individual, puts emphasis on the group, does not criticize, disperses decision-making within the group, and provides little or no direction at all. TRAITS OF A LEADER 1. Adaptability 12. Kindness 2. Considerateness 13. Knowledge 3. Dedication 14. Loyalty 4. Dignity 15. Strong personality 5. Faith 16. Persuasiveness 6. Experience 17. Poise. 7. Honesty 18. Resourcefulness 8. Initiative 19. Tact 9. Integrity 20. Thoughtfulness 10. Judgment 21. Unselfishness 11. Justice LEADERSHIP SKILLS 1. Skills in personal behavior- requires sensitivity to the feelings of others, identification with the needs of the group, acceptance of other people’s suggestion rather than criticizing or ridiculing them and helping others feel important and needed. 2. Communication skills – ability to listen attentively to the opinions of others, establish positive communication within the group and make sure everyone understands what are expected of them. 3. Organizational skills – includes willingness to assist the group in making short and long range plans and objectives; to share responsibilities and opportunities; to implement plans, follow-up and evaluate results and to participate in problem-solving. 4. Skills in Self analysis – means awareness of personal motivations of own strength and weaknesses and willingness to improve them. THEORIES • SITUATIONAL THEORY OF LEADERSHIP  Leader behaves according to a given situation which may vary from one setting to other. The theory considers a person’s qualities and motivations, the role expectations of the group, and the social forces at work such as the external factors that bring forth the leadership potential.  The situational or “contingency” style of leadership is one in which the leader’s style matches the situation and its needs.  There are 5 kinds of leader under this theory 1. Natural leader - who becomes a leader in spite of himself. He or she does not seek the role but the group thrusts the leadership upon him/her by the tide of events. 2. Charismatic leader – who is an authentic hero in the eyes of his followers. To them he/she can do no wrong. He/she inspires people to make sacrifices for the cause they represent. 3. Rational leader – who is consistent and persistent in what he/she thinks is right. 4. Consensus leader – who is perceived to be acceptable to all, he/she rises in the absence of the above three. 5. Leader by force – who dominates by force and fear. He/she is ruthless in suppressing opposition. • TRAITS THEORY OF LEADERSHIP  Describes the personal, physical and mental characteristics which are associated with successful leaders  Based on the belief that leaders are born with certain qualities that are properly developed to enable them to be successful leaders  According to this theory, leaders are gifted with certain qualities that are developed and shown in their ability to get along with people, persuade them to a course of action, have forceful personalities, possess integrity and are efficient in their work.  A broad classification of six categories of traits is as follows: 1. Physical characteristics such as age, build, height , weight, bearing 2. Background information which includes education, social status, experience 3. Intelligence – knowledge, judgment, ability 4. Personality – decisiveness, autho ritarianism, extroversion, alertness, aggressiveness, enthusiasm, independence, self-confidence. 5. Task-oriented characteristics-persistence, responsibility, achievement need, initiative. 6. Social characteristics-supervisory activity, popularity, prestige, tact, diplomacy. • THEORY Z  This theory has humanistic viewpoint and focuses on developing better ways of motivating people. 1. Collective decision-making 2. Long term employment 3. Slower promotion 4. Indirect supervision 5. Holistic concern Prepared by: Ms. Joyce Agullana--SUMULONG COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Note: I just copied from the paper presentation of Dr. Tano for Myanmar Leadership Seminar in Manila

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Euthanasia

EUTHANASIA

            Euthanasia simply means good death. Many people want to die when their life seems to be too difficult to continue or when they have serious issues which seem to be impossible to solve or when someone suffers from “chronic illness or terminal illness.”[1] In this case, some people, including some Christians are asked others to help end their life. In Christian society, there are some people who believe any form of killing is wrong whether it is done in good or bad intention, killing is wrong simply because the Bible says so. On the other hand, there are some Christians who believe that there are times where killing is not wrong because all killings are not murder. This paper wants to raise the issue of euthanasia from a theological perspective. First, we need to define the meaning of euthanasia and then we will talk about the issues around euthanasia. Then we will also find out what the theologians are saying about this issue and we will conclude with some possible responses from Christian perspective.

The Meaning of Euthanasia

Many scholars define euthanasia means good death. In Greek, eu means good, thanatos means death. But this does not mean that euthanasia is morally right or wrong.[2] Today, euthanasia carries different meanings to different people. By knowing the meanings of the terms we use in our discussion, we can say whether it is morally wrong or morally approvable. John and Paul Feinberg divide four categories of euthanasia.[3]

Voluntary and Involuntary

This category depends on whether the patient requests death or not. If the patient requests death, it is voluntary euthanasia[4] and if the patient does not request it is involuntary euthanasia.  Even when the patient could no longer able to express his wish because of sickness or the patient is too young to express his wish, and help him to die then it is also in-voluntary euthanasia.[5]

Active and Passive

There are several different ways to perform euthanasia. Active euthanasia means taking some purposeful action to take life and passive euthanasia means avoiding medical treatment in order to preserve life or to end life faster. Sometimes these terms are used as action and omission. These terms are also called as killing (active) and letting someone die (passive).  Active euthanasia is sometimes better because it is less pain. Passive euthanasia is more painful because it takes time to die. Doing something to end life is active and doing nothing although we see someone dying is passive.

Direct and indirect

Direct euthanasia refers when the patient himself makes decision to die and indirect euthanasia means someone else makes the decision to die. These terms refer to “whether the individual does the act himself or not.”[6]

Death with dignity, mercy killing, and death selection

Death with dignity means allowing someone to die as truly human being. When someone is ill seriously and incurable, rather than taking treatment, he or she dares to die naturally. Mercy killing is killing someone who is suffering from terrible pain and helping him to release from such pain or suffering. In mercy killing, people use medical help or some other thing to hasten death. Death selection means killing someone who is no longer considered or played as a human being.

The American Medical Association's Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs defines euthanasia that: “Euthanasia is commonly defined as the act of bringing about the death of a hopelessly ill and suffering person in a relatively quick and painless way for reasons of mercy. In this report, the term euthanasia will signify the medical administration of a lethal agent to a patient for the purpose of relieving the patient’s intolerable and incurable suffering.”[7] The New Oxford Dictionary of English defines euthanasia as “the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.”[8]

Contemporary Debate over Euthanasia

Personhood and Quality of Life

In order to justify euthanasia, people define personhood according to their perceptions. Basically, a person is the one who has ability to perform as an authentic human being. Therefore, if a human being cannot have that ability to perform, it is better to terminate biological life.[9] It seems that having only biological life is not called as a person. However, in a human being, biological life is much more important than any other things because it is God’s gift to human being.  Of course, there are times that some people possess merely life and it is not sufficient to be a human being. However, it is also true that man has inherent value because they have life. In the Bible, a human soul is much more precious than the whole universe.

On the other hand, medical assistant may help prolong our biological life but it does not guarantee the quality of life. For instance, there are some people who are paralyzed for some years and could not do any help to the family except making trouble to the family financially, socially and even spiritually. For Asians, although parents are no more helpful for them or cannot perform any responsibilities in the society, they still want to have parents with them. They do not think that taking care of deformed parents is burdensome to them.

Understanding of God

            Our understanding on God also affects our interpretation of euthanasia. For any religions, including Atheists, the perception of God is important to handle the issue of euthanasia. Today, many people believe that there is not life after death. This is the reason, according to Paul and John Feinberg, that we need to take care one another while we have this life. No matter what kind of suffering we have, our responsibility is to help him or her rather than finishing his or her life.[10] However, Joseph Fletcher believes that the God who controls our life and death is dead and the God we believe does not control our life. He has given us the freedom and responsibilities to take care of our life and even death.[11] We can choose whatever we want because we are developed and spiritually mature too.

Utilitarian Concern

            According to John and Paul Feinberg, people attempt to justify ethical issues based on consequences or utilitarian grounds.[12] Joseph Fletcher is a significant example of utilitarian ethicist. Fletcher said the end justifies the means. For Fletcher, “human happiness and well-being is the highest good or summum bonum, that therefore any ends or purposes which that standard or ideal validates are just, right, good.”[13] This is the main concept that he wants to builds his ethical teachings. All human concerns and justice also depend on this idea. Therefore, if the consequences are acceptable, the means to those ends are morally justified.[14]

Freedom of Choice, Cruelty and Euthanasia

            Allowing someone who suffers unbearable or incurable diseases, we should understand and accept his choice. Every human is eligible to choose what they want, including death. According to Anthony Flew, denying the request of a dying person to die immediately because of pain is inhumane.[15] Morally, it is wrong to deny the request of suffering people. Marvin Kohl argued that some people reject euthanasia because it is cruel. Kohl said opponents of euthanasia see euthanasia as causing unnecessary pain or harm to the patient. For Kohl, this overlooks the broader meaning of cruelty which allows harm or pain deliberately.[16] John and Paul Feinberg said “merely taking care not to cause cruelty is insufficient. That tells us what not to do, but not what to do.”[17]

Euthanasia in History

            Euthanasia was an issue for society from the very beginning of history. However, it was not mentioned explicitly in the Old Testament about euthanasia. This means the Bible keeps silent about euthanasia although it presents some events of euthanasia. Two philosophers, Aristotle (384-322 BC) and Plato (427-347 BC), opposed suicide and euthanasia. For Aristotle, the reason was economic and political in nature. The attainment of the human form was of great moral significance: the destruction of human life at any stage was thus naturally morally offensive.[18] For Plato, “we did not create ourselves, we are property of the gods; it is therefore presumptuous of use to desert our station before being relieved.”[19] Although their arguments were not clear, they influenced other thinkers throughout history. Eusebius was the earliest church fathers to talk about suicide and euthanasia. According to his records, there were (1) who killed themselves to avoid being arrested and tortured, (2) who had already been arrested but dramatically ended their lives before being executed, and (3) virgins and married women who killed themselves to avoid rape.[20]

When we look at Christian history, early church leaders gave their responses to euthanasia in several ways. First when we look at Christian reformation giant Martin Luther, euthanasia was not acceptable for him. Luther suffered from “heart problem, kidney and bladder stones, a ulcerated leg, severe constipation and hemorrhoids, migraine, headaches, melancholy and recurrent respiratory difficulties”[21] in his whole life. Luther believed that all these things are natural consequences of human fallen nature to be countered with prayer and medication.[22]  Till his natural death, he bore severe pain and suffering. Luther condemned sickness and suffering as the work the devil. He never attempted to hasten death or to flee from suffering.

            Another giant theologian John Calvin totally rejected any form of euthanasia. In his magnum opus the “Institutes of the Christian Religion”, Calvin mentioned that Christian should not hate the present life because it is ingratitude to God.[23] Calvin said our biological life is a gift of God and we should endure hardships and trials until God calls us. Rather than taking away our life, we need to run away from such temptation. Ending our life or death, for Calvin, is God’s decision rather than handling ourselves no matter we suffer badly or not.[24]

            English Puritan leader Richard Baxter also encouraged his followers that Christians should seek the best medical treatment for their sickness but they should bear with incurable diseases or sickness.[25] Later, Westminster Larger Catechism mentions that Christians should preserve the lives of ourselves and others.

Biblical and Theological Considerations

Sixth Commandment Not Absolute

            When we talk about euthanasia, the first Bible passage we consider is the sixth commandment (Exod. 20:13). Many Bible believing Christians think that this passage is absolute for all times and all situations. This commandment is God’s truth to people. However, many other Christians question the validity of this passage. There are times Christians take some commandments of the Old Testament seriously and there are times Christians neglect even the same passage. Sometimes Christians consider one part of the commandment is absolute and we totally neglect other parts of the same commandments although the context is the same. For instance, according to John and Paul Feinberg, Christians totally oppose killing or murder, but they support capital punishment. Paul and John Feinberg said, “the prohibition in the Sixth Commandment seems to be against vengeful killing, not all killing. If so, then clearly some forms of voluntary and even involuntary euthanasia are permissible if no other considerations rule them out.”[26] There are many cases in the Bible where life-taking is not considered as murder or morally wrong. For example, life-taking in a just war against nation’s enemies, accidental killing of one’s neighbor are not morally wrong. There are three kinds of killing in the Old Testament – condemnable killing, excusable killing and mandatory killing.[27] Therefore, it is true that some forms of euthanasia are not wrong because the intention is for the sake of the patient. The Bible clearly says “You shall not murder (Ex. 20:13).” However, there are many cases in the Bible where life-taking is not considered as murder or morally wrong. For example, life-taking in a just war against nation’s enemies, accidental killing of one’s neighbor are not morally wrong.

According to Norman L. Geisler, there are two differences between murder and justifiable life-taking. First, to qualify as a murder the life-taking must be intentional. If a man killed a neighbor by accident, he is not committed murder. Second, killing a man in self-defense or in defense of one’s country is not murder. Therefore, we can conclude that the prohibition against taking the lives of innocent people does not rule out the rightness of taking the life of a guilty murderer.  It is both unbiblical and unrealistic to categorize all life-taking as morally wrong because there are times when taking the life of another human is justified in order to protect the innocent.  It is even necessary to assassinate a dictator (tyrannicide) who has assumed the role of God may be a merciful act for masses of oppressed men.[28]

Perspective on Death and Life after death

            According to the Scripture, it is clear that a human being will face death one day. No one can avoid it and it must be accepted as God’s will. Only through death, human beings can enter into eternal home. Paul also said many times that he was ready for death and to die was gain for him. Thus, death is not totally a curse or not outside of God’s plan.

            The objection that miracles happen even in “incurable cases” is sometimes leveled against allowing mercy killing.  There are some statements that say that why should we pray for healing. Or scientists may find some new ways to cure the diseases.  It is necessary to keep alive as long as there is any reason for hope that he can recover to a meaningful human life.  However, when there is no reason to live for, we can assume that God wants him to die a natural death.  One should not perpetuate an inhumanity while futilely waiting for a miracle. Hoping for a cure without any assurance it will come while on delays an act of natural mercy does not seem morally justifiable. Waiting without reasonable expectation for grace is not a justifiable basis for refusing to allow mercy to do its work.[29]

Voluntary Euthanasia and Suicide

            If one wants to deny euthanasia is sin, then he will also deny that suicide is wrong. According to David Hume, we cannot say that God owns our life just because he created us. Hume attempted to justified suicide along with Euthanasia. He argued that human lives are under the control of natural causes, and we do not need to ask God for life and death. Many people understand that God is sovereign over whatever happens in this world, attempting to escape from this world by suicide is rebellion against God. If God is really in control of this world, even suicide, for Hume, will not happen unless God allows it.[30]  If someone is in a situation there he cannot perform any good to the society and a burden to the society, according to Hume, taking life and choosing death is much better. Even in the Bible, there were many cases of suicide, but they were not condemned.

            Active/Passive – Killing/ letting die

            James Rachels said there is no difference between active and passive euthanasia. Sometimes, active euthanasia is more humane than passive because rather than letting die slowly with terrible suffering, helping the man by killing is more ethical.[31] Even today, many people will deny active euthanasia, but in practical life if his or her dear one is suffering, we cannot bear and we agree to take his or her life rapidly.

            Regarding this, Rachels gave an example. Smith and Jones got two cousins. If the two cousins die, Smith and Jones will receive a huge inheritance. Smith killed his cousin by drowning in the water. Jones attempted to kill another cousin but while the cousin was taking bath, he falls face down in the water. Rather than saving him, Jones watches and lets his cousin died. In these two cases, no one is more right than the other. If we accept this argument, there will be no difference between active and passive involuntary or voluntary euthanasia. Singer also argued there are times that we can distinguish between the two and there are times not easy to do. If we do not see the difference, we are saying that “failing to aid starving Africans would be the moral equivalent of sending them poisoned food.”[32]  The conclusion of the argument will be absurd. Because to kill a person is worse than allowing a person to die. Therefore, there are times that we need to distinguish the two although the difference is not always prevailed. We are as responsible for our omissions as we are for our actions.

According to Geisler, taking a life is wrong but letting one die in the same situation is not wrong. Geisler gives example for this. To withdraw the medication from a terminal patient and allow him to die naturally is not wrong morally.  If an illness is incurable and the individual is being kept alive only by a machine, then pulling the plug may be an act of mercy. However, this does not mean that the doctor should give a medicine for speed death. In order to relief pain, the doctor needs to give medicine but for death, God is responsible.

            However, this does not mean that we should not protect people from killing someone. It is wrong not to prevent a murder if there are possibility to prevent. Preventing a murder is preventing the suffering of an innocent victim. But preventing a death of someone already suffering is actually perpetuating the continuance of one who has the desire and possibility of living a meaningful human life.

A Christian Response to Euthanasia

The Sanctity of Life

            Opponents of euthanasia are arguing that only in very exceptional case, we should keep the human life in any means because human life is so valuable. Even in the Bible, there were some exceptions such as just war and self-defense. However, the exceptions do not allow us to find more exceptions in life. We should use our efforts to keep human life rather than terminating human life.

            Human life is precious because human beings are created by God. No matter what situation they are in, they are so valuable. They have inherent value although they are abnormal or serious ill. God gives the human life as a gift and sustains it. God owns it and we should be grateful to God for giving such precious life. The act of terminating life is insulting to God and ingratitude to God. Although the Bible mentions about exceptions, these exceptions are telling us the value of human life and the importance of keeping human life. According to consequentialists, the end result of active or passive are not different, so there is no moral difference between the two. However, the Bible does not agree with such kind of arguments because there are times that we are not so sure about the end result.

Abortion is morally justifiable because it saves a mother though it needs to take the life of a pre-human. However, it is really difficult question when it comes to a real human being or a full human being. Taking a life is a much more serious than letting one die naturally and taking a pre-human or subhuman life is less serious than taking a fully human life. However, it is not merely a question of the seriousness but of the justification of life-taking. It is always wrong to kill another human being. However, there are some circumstances which may exempt one from this duty. There are times when it is necessary to take one life in order to save many lives.

When someone is trapped helplessly a burning airplane or those who are hard to die, it is always helpful to think that fulfilling their desire is an act of mercy.[33] It is sure that human life has intrinsic value and should not be taken by another person. It is also true that God is sovereign over all existence and where there is human life there is hope for that human life. However, it is not right to watch a dying people who cannot die for days. In such cases, the Bible allows to use certain means to help the victims.

Medical Concerns

There are some arguments regarding medical help to terminate human life. First, a request to end his or her life from a patient is based on “fear or misinformation than anything else.”[34] The patient might think that his situation is worse than the reality. He thinks that he is serious than it actually is. This is the reason why he requests to die.  Second, advanced medical findings may be found to cure the incurable diseases.[35] There are full of examples in human history that people think incurable but later they found out new medical methods to cure the diseases. It is true to say that sometimes we cannot say some diseases as incurable diseases. Third, in order to relief pain and suffering, we do not need to choose death because the medicines can help to reduce pain. Fourth, every doctor takes oaths to save human life and not to harm any patients, just to protect and to save their lives. However, today many people think that this oaths are not really applicable.[36]

The Value of Suffering

            Although suffering is not enjoyable, it does not mean that it does not have any value for human beings. The Bible does not see suffering as totally evil. Sometimes it seems that suffering and pain in life does not have any good to thing to human being but there are times it brings good things to man. God also uses suffering as a channel to reveal his plan to human beings (Job 14:5, Ecc. 3:2, Jas 4:13-14). Alex Tang describes the role of suffering in Christian life: “Being a  Christian does not exclude one from suffering. The Scriptures note that sometimes Christians are afflicted as a means of punishment (Pslam 94: 12-13); to be kept humble as with the Apostle Paul (2 Cor. 12:7); or to prove to Satan that there are those who love God because of who He is, not because of what He gives (Job 1-2).[37]

            In reality, the meaning of pain, suffering and death is tied to the meaning of life itself. Christian belief tells us that suffering can be transformed. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus tells us that the tragedy of suffering, including dying and death cannot be stronger than God’s love. By suffering, the sufferer is brought near to God. United with Christ is the means to overcome suffering in life. Actually, no human can avoid suffering in life although we pretend to be free from suffering and we try to run away from suffering and pain. However, suffering and pain, including death is a part of our life.

Perspective on Life, Death and after death

            The Bible mentions several times that God is in control of all lives including human beings. Nothing will happen to human being without God allows it. According to the Bible, no one can add a single day to human life because “there is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecc. 3:2). For those who are seriously ill, death is a good to hope for although the Bible mentions about unavoidable death. When God first created human beings, they were created to glorify God rather than to suffer pain and die. Only because of sin and disobedience, death entered into the world. The Bible does not mention that death is a good thing but it says that death is the last enemy of human beings. Paul Ramsey argues that we should not talk about the beauty of death or death with dignity.[38]

            In the Bible, there were some people who asked God for good death. For instance, Balaam, Simeon. However they did not ask for early death. What they asked is “for deliverance and restoration to a full active life.”[39] When Paul encouraged his readers not to grief like people who do not have hope, he did not say that Christians should rejoice in death. Paul sees the hope that we have is not deliverance from suffering and pain through death, but a resurrection to life which occurs at Christ’s return (1 Thess. 4:13-18).  Although Paul says that death is gain, but he never encourages us to perform speedy death. For Christians and even non-Christians, death is not the end of suffering and pain, but the resurrection is the only hope and victory over pain and suffering including death.

            According to The American Journal of Psychiary, “The striking feature of our results is that all of the patients who either desired premature death or contemplated suicide were judged to be suffering from clinical depressive illness; that is, none of these patients who did not have clinical depression had thoughts of suicide or whished that death will come early.”[40] This means that if we could give enough care and warm environment to those who are suffering, they will not ask to end their life although they are terminally ill. Herbert Hendin also said, “Patients who request euthanasia are usually asking in the strongest possible ways they know for mental and physical relief from suffering. When that request is made to a caring, sensitive, and knowledgeable physician who can assure them that he or she will remain with them to the end and relieve their suffering, most patients no longer want to die.”[41]

Active/Passive – Killing and Letting Die

            For consequentialists, the end is important and there is no difference between killing and letting someone die. However, for deontologists, the two are quite different because they emphasize on the means. However, when we look at these two, the distinction between killing and letting die is not a simple issue. According to John and Paul Feinberg, there are times active and passive euthanasia is morally different and other times the two are not different. In Jones and Smith example, they are free to kill or to let them die. They choose death although they knew that it was morally wrong. In cases like these, although active and passive euthanasia is morally different, but it is morally wrong.

            John and Paul Feinberg gives another perspective where active and passive euthanasia might be different but they are morally not wrong. Even though we have a desire to save the dying patient with medical help, but we cannot. We want to preserve life but we are not free to do and we are not guilty letting someone die. Likewise, when we know the patient has incurable diseases, we are free to  help him by killing. If we kill, it is morally wrong because we can choose not to kill. Hence, in this way, the act of killing (active) is wrong and letting die (passive) is not wrong. John and Paul Feinberg argues, “the reason is that the moral differences stems not from one’s ethical theory, nor from different means used in an attempt to reach ends, nor from different intentions in the two cases.”[42] Therefore, it is important to look at different cases of euthanasia in different ways rather than making general conclusion. For Catholics, the distinction between killing and allowing to die is important because it is grounded in the principle of the sanctify of life which affirms the sublime dignity of human life as a reflection of God.”[43] Gula argues that two obligations come along with the meaning of “sanctity of life.” Positively, we need to preserve and to support life. We need to respect all human life and to help others to grow spiritually and even physically. Negatively, “sanctity of life” reminds us that we are not allowed to harm and not to destroy life.[44]

Voluntary/Involuntary Euthanasia

            Many people agree voluntary is right because the patient requests it. Since the patient grants permission and the intention is also to fulfill the desire of the patient, voluntary euthanasia is morally right. However, it is difficult to say whether it is right or wrong only because it is performed by the permission or it is done by good intention. Killing is prohibited although it is done by good intention. Taking the life of innocent people is wrong.

            We cannot say that an action is right or wrong mainly because it is voluntary or involuntary. Sometimes, right or wrong is depended on one’s own ethical assumption. For consequentialists, the end result determines the act is right or wrong. If the patient is happy and death brings some good results for him, then killing is not wrong. On the other hand, the non-consequentialists argue that the act is more important than the result. Whether it brings good or bad, any kind of killing is wrong. Alex Tang said, “To opt to end the process prematurely means that we are truncating it, with the result that there may be no closure for the person involved and for his family.”[45] Death is a process just like living. Euthanasia will short-circuit the dying process. Alex Tang argues that human beings are free but they are not free to end their life. From the moment we are born to the moment we die, we are a product of our environment, upbringing, racial make-up, cultural conditioning, education and socio-economic moulding and sexual orientation. We have always been guided by our own society’s norms. A decision to end one’s life does not operate in a vacuum. It will affect others – families and friends, and the whole community. Daniel Callhan also said euthanasia “cannot properly be classified as a private matter of self-determination or an autonomous act of managing one’s private affairs.”[46]

            According to Singer, however, every human being values their lives and their interest is always to continue to live in their normal situation. This means if they want to die, and the person asks to end his life, the one who kills or the one who lets die is “not harming but benefiting the person whose life it is.”[47] Therefore, in many cases, euthanasia is not killing and it is not wrong.

            The issue of euthanasia is not only a challenge to our character but also to our moral principles. In life, we need to endure hardships, bear suffering, helping the sick, taking care of the elderly and even those who are dying. Rather than seeing these things as they are, if we avoid them by ending our life, this is opposing to the natural process and even to God. If we agree a sick person or a dying man to end his life, then it tells us what kind of person we are and how we see our community. By developing humility, courage, hope and faith, we need to see death and dying person as it is. Those who live in a faith-based community will see euthanasia as unthinkable.

Conclusion

            Euthanasia is an issue which we cannot say right or wrong simply because the Bible says that we should not kill. This was an important issue for the church in history and it will continue an issue in the future too. On the one hand, it is quite clear that we are not allowed to kill in any situation. Killing is wrong because it is morally wrong too. On the other hand, we are given the authority to rule the world and we have the responsibility to take care the world including human beings. We have authority to make decision in very special case. This means that we can involve in euthanasia without violating God’s commandments. In saying this, we should be careful that we are not free to do whatever we want to do. Richard M. Gula says, “Freedom is not having absolute control but it requires submission to what cannot be controlled. We exercise such freedom in the face of death by accepting ourselves as creatures of God and by admitting to our powerlessness before death.”[48]

Bibliography

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Baxter, Richard. A Christian Directory. Ligonier, PA: Soli De Gloria, 1990.

Blacker, Russell. “ Suicide Down the Ages: A Judeo-Christian Perspective” http://www.cmdscanada.org, accessed on February 20, 2012.

Brown, James H. Paul Hemteleff, Samai Barakat and Cheryl J. Rowe, “Is It Normal for Terminally Ill Patients to Desire Death?” in American Journal of Psychiatry, (February 1986) 143, 2: 210.

Calvin, John. Institutes of the Christian Religion. London: R. Tegg, 1838.

Daniel Callahan, “When Self-Determination Runs Amok” in Hastings Center Report, 22.

Davis, John Jefferson. Evangelical Ethics: Issues Facing the Church Today. Philipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 1993.

Feinberg, John S. and Paul D. Feinberg, Ethics for a Brave New World. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997.

Fleming, John. “Care for the Chronically and Terminally Ill,” Celebrating the Gospel of Life Basic Issues in Bioethics, Fausto B. Gomez, ed., Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas, 2006.

Flew, Anthony. “The Principle of Euthanasia,” in A. B. Downing, ed., Euthanasia and the Right to Die. Los Angeles: Nash Publishing, 1970.

Geisler, Norman L. Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2010.

Gula, Richard M. “Euthanasia” in Christian Ethics: An Introduction, Bernard Hoose, ed., London/New York, Continuum, 2002.

Hendin, Herbert. Seduced by Death: Doctors, Patients and The Dutch Care. New York: Norton, 1997.

http://www.abc.net.au, accessed on March 23, 2012.

http://www.quantonics.com, accessed on March 4, 2012. The Ethics of Euthanasia, by Garn LeBaron Jr.

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Larson, Edward J. and Darrel W. Admundsen, A different Death: Euthanasia and the Christian Tradition. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998.

Rachels, James. “Active and Passive Euthanasia,” in Tom Beauchamp and Seymour Perlin, eds., Ethical Issues in Death and Dying. Eaglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1978.

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[1] John Fleming, “Care for the Chronically and Terminally Ill,” Celebrating the Gospel of Life Basic Issues in Bioethics, Fausto B. Gomez, ed., (Manila, Philippines: University of Santo Tomas, 2006), 164.

[2] John Jeferson Davis, Evangelical Ethics: Issues Facing the Church Today (Philipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 1993), 108.

[3]John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg, Ethics for a Brave New World (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1997), 104.

[4] Mary F. was dying from a progressively debilitating disease. She had reached the stage where she was almost totally paralyzed and periodically, needed a respirator to keep her alive. Knowing that she has no hope, she asked the Doctor to end her life. After consulting with family members and other medical workers, the doctor finally give lethal injection and she died. (See more at Helga Kuhse, “Euthanasia” in Blackwell Companions to Philosophy: A Companion to Ethics, Peter Singer, ed., (Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 1993), 295).

[5] Singer called this non-voluntary euthanasia because he views three kinds of euthanasia: voluntary, non-voluntary and involuntary. Ibid. 295.

[6] John and Paul Feinberg,105.

[7] http://www.quantonics.com, accessed on March 4, 2012. The Ethics of Euthanasia, by Garn LeBaron Jr.

[8] The New Oxford Dictionary of English, s.v. “euthanasia.”

[9] Feinberg, 106.

[10] Ibid. 107.

[11] Ibid., 108.

[12] Ibid.

[13] Ibid., 108.

[14] Ibid.

[15] Anthony Flew, “The Principle of Euthanasia,” in A. B. Downing, ed., Euthanasia and the Right to Die (Los Angeles: Nash Publishing, 1970), 33; Quoted by Feinberg, 109.

[16] Ibid.

[17] Ibid., 109.

[18] Alex Tang, 63.

[19] Russell Blacker, “ Suicide Down the Ages: A Judeo-Christian Perspective” http://www.cmdscanada.org, accessed on February 20, 2012.

[20] Edward Larson and Darrel Admundsen, A different Death: Euthanasia and the Christian Tradition (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 114.

[21] Edward J. Larson and Darrel W. Amundsen, Euthanasia and the Christian Tradition: A Different Death (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1998), 147.

[22] Ibid.

[23] John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (London: R. Tegg, 1838), 568-569.

[24] Ibid., 569.

[25] Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory (Ligonier, PA: Soli De Gloria, 1990), 780-781.

[26] Feinberg, 110.

[27] Ibid.

[28] Norman L. Geisler, Christian Ethics: Contemporary Issues and Options (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2010), 233.

[29] Ibid., 233.

[30] David Hume, “On Suicide”, quoted by Feinberg, 116.

[31] James Rachels, “Active and Passive Euthanasia,” in Tom Beauchamp and Seymour Perlin, eds., Ethical Issues in Death and Dying (Eaglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1978), 214.

[32] Singer, 298.

[33] Recently, two Uruguay nurses were arrested for killing 16 patients. According to the papers, they were suspected killing more than 50 patients. The judge in the case, Rolando Vomero, says they killed their victims out of pity. See more on http://www.abc.net.au, accessed on March 23, 2012.

[34] Feinberg, 116.

[35] M. Pabst Battin, “The Least Worse Death,” Hast Center Rep 13 (April 1983): 14. Quoted by Feinberg, 116.

[36] Robitscher, “Living and Dying: A Delicate Balance,” E/SA 1 (October 1973): 44; Quoted by Feinberg, 116.

[37] Alex Tang, A Good Day to Die: A Christian Perspective on Mercy Killing (Singapore: Genesis Books, 2005), 51.

[38] Paul Ramsey, “The Indignity of Death with Dignity,” in Dennis Horan and David Mall, eds., Death, Dying and Euthanasia, Passim (University of Publications of America, 1977), 296; Quoted by Feinberg, 117.

[39] Feinberg, 117.

[40] James H. Brown, Paul Hemteleff, Samai Barakat and Cheryl J. Rowe, “Is It Normal for Terminally Ill Patients to Desire Death?” in American Journal of Psychiatry, (February 1986) 143, 2: 210.

[41] Herbert Hendin, Seduced by Death: Doctors, Patients and The Dutch Care (New York: Norton, 1997), 204.

[42] Feinberg, 121.

[43] Richard M. Gula, “Euthanasia” in Christian Ethics: An Introduction, Bernard Hoose, ed., (London/New York, Continuum, 2002), 282.

[44] Ibid.

[45] Alex Tang, 85.

[46] Daniel Callahan, “When Self-Determination Runs Amok” in Hastings Center Report, 22.

[47] Singer, 298.

[48] Richard M. Gula, “Euthanasia” in Christian Ethics: An Introduction (London/New York: Continuum,1998), 280.