Brave New World vs. 1984 (Love God with Your Mind)

Posted on June 13, 2014 by Dana Dill

Overly-Entertained-e1368820692227-634x908This isn’t a usual post, but I have found it helpful in thinking about the world I live in, so I offer it to you as well. I hope we continue to see that our greatest threats are often within ourselves.

In the forward to Amusing Ourselves to Death, Neil Postman contrasts the ideas given in Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932) and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) and by doing so, brings a very chilling reality to mind:

Contrary to common belief even among the educated, Huxley and Orwell did not prophesy the same thing. Orwell warns that we will be overcome by an externally imposed oppression. But in Huxley’s vision, no Big Brother is required to deprive people of their autonomy, maturity and history. As he saw it, people will come to love their oppression, to adore the technologies that undo their capacities to think.

What Orwell feared were those who would ban books. What Huxley feared was that there would be no reason to ban a book, for there would be no one who wanted to read one. Orwell feared those who would deprive us of information. Huxley feared those who would give us so much that we would be reduced to passivity and egoism. Orwell feared that the truth would be concealed from us. Huxley feared the truth would be drowned in a sea of irrelevance. Orwell feared we would become a captive culture. Huxley feared we would become a trivial culture, preoccupied with some equivalent of the feelies, the orgy porgy, and the centrifugal bumblepuppy. As Huxley remarked in Brave New World Revisited, the civil libertarians and rationalists who are ever on the alert to oppose tyranny “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions.” In 1984, Huxley added, people are controlled by inflicting pain. In Brave New World, they are controlled by inflicting pleasure. In short, Orwell feared that what we hate will ruin us. Huxley feared that what we love will ruin us.

This book is about the possibility that Huxley, not Orwell, was right.

Have you, “failed to take into account man’s almost infinite appetite for distractions”? Can it be possible that you are, “slaves to various passions and pleasures” (Titus 3:3)? Are the things you love your heaviest and strongest chains? Are you being ruined by what you love?

This is especially important for Christians who are commanded to love God with all their mind (Matthew 22:37). It is crucial that the church of Jesus does not sacrifice their minds at the altar of entertainment, pop culture, and pleasure. Let it not be said that the Satan’s thinkers are more studious and serious than Christ’s. Satan enslaves with a velvet rope. It feels good to the touch, but enslaves nonetheless.

Throw off everything that hinders and run with your eyes on Christ and your mind fully given to Him.

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Formed by 10,000 Little Moments

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Dana Dill

snow-winter-walk-dog-lonely-friendOften times when I watch a movie or TV show I see scenes where the main character is thrown into a terribly dramatic and climatic situation where he is forced to make a major decision. As a viewer, I quickly realize that this enormous decision will reveal the true character of our hero. Will he cower and buckle under the weight or will he rise up in selfless courage and prove to us once for all the kind of person we have thought him to be. On TV, big moments like these are where true character is made and displayed.

This works on TV, but not really in real life. We sometimes think that our character is made by the enormous moments that we face. We think that our true character is seen by how we act in the big moments of life. To an extent, what we do with the big decisions definitely say something about our character, but not as much as the small decisions we make everyday. In real life, our character is made and displayed, not by the massively important decisions, but by the immensely small and numerous decisions we make with every passing hour.

Dr. Paul Tripp brings this out well:

You and I don’t live in a series of big, dramatic moments. We don’t careen from big decision to big decision. We all live in an endless series of little moments. The character of a life isn’t set in ten big moments. The character of a life is set in the ten thousand little moments of everyday life. It’s the themes of struggles that emerge from those little moments that reveal what’s really going on in our hearts. (Taken from Whiter Than Snow, p. 21)

So do you wish to know who you really are? Then don’t wait for some big moment to come, but look at the ten thousand small moments of your everyday life.

  • How you treat people when you’re tired.
  • The way you speak to your wife and children.
  • The way you spend your 9-5.
  • What you do when thinks don’t go your way.
  • The things you choose to talk about with your friends.
  • The way you speak about other people when they’re not around.
  • The way you choose to resolve an argument with a friend or family member.
  • The way you do your homework or study.
  • The way you eat a meal.

What do your daily, small decisions say about you? Further, how are your daily, small decisions forming you? Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you will act nobly in the immensely dramatic moments to come if you aren’t acting nobly in the immensely mundane and small moments of your each and every day.

What if those small moments reveal something terrible about you? Despair not friend, there has been blood shed for, not only the few big sins, but the countless little ones as well (1 Peter 2:24). Our Redeemer lives.

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Do You Podcast?

Posted on June 11, 2014 by Dana Dill

podcastThe Interweb offers lots of things that can do great good or great harm to your soul. Among the good things, there is the Podcast. A Podcast is, for those who may not be up with the techie lingo, an audio file available for download.

Among the countless Podcasts that are available today, I have come across a few that have been helpful for my soul and mind. Now, in love, I offer you the following podcasts to help you in your walk with Christ.

Sermons

Renewing Your Mind: R.C. Sproul’s radio program has been going strong since 1994 and is available for free download as a Podcast. Few have the ability of Sproul to take complex theological concepts and explain them with crystal clarity.

Grace to You: John MacArthur’s sermons offered free everyday. MacArthur walks through the Bible with faithfulness and clarity like a boss. If you want to know the Bible well, listen to him regularly.

Desiring God: If you have listened to John Piper before, then you know why this is good. If you haven’t heard John Piper preach before, listen to one sermon and see why you should listen to him regularly.

Mars Hill Church: I am very thankful for Driscoll’s preaching ministry and find myself often recommending young Christians to listen to his sermons.

Apologetics/Cultural Engagement

Let My People Think: “Let My People Think with Ravi Zacharias is a 30-minute radio program from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries that powerfully mixes biblical teaching and Christian apologetics.”

Unbelievable: My favorite discussion/debate podcast. “‘Unbelievable?’ engages in fundamental questions on Christianity with the intention to openly discuss different opinions between Christians and non-believers.”

The Briefing: The day’s top headlines analyzed from a Christian worldview in 20 minutes. President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Albert Mohler, uses the Briefing to enable, “Christians to think biblically about the world by providing daily worldview analysis about the leading news headlines and cultural conversations.”

Stand to Reason: “This podcast rebroadcasts our weekly radio program. Our purpose is to help Christians think more clearly about their faith and to help them make an even-handed, incisive, yet gracious defense for classical Christianity.”

Theology

Theology Unplugged: This is a great way to get introduced to important theological truths. I am new to this program, but I have quickly grown fond of it. Four smart Christian guys of Reclaiming the Mind Ministries talk through various subjects of theology in a conversational and plain-language manner.

Ask Pastor John: Does suicide mean hell? Are there sports in heaven? How should I think of bikinis? This podcast has, “daily audio clips of John Piper answering tough theological and pastoral questions.”

White Horse Inn: One of my favorite podcasts to listen to. A Presbyterian, a Lutheran, a Reformed pastor, and a Baptist all sit down to talk about important theological concepts they all agree upon. “How important is it for you to know what you believe and why you believe it? What you know matters more than what you feel. Listen to the weekly White Horse Inn podcast to ground your faith in unchanging biblical truth.”

That’s the list!

Where Do I Have Time for This?

I encourage you to download some of these and give a listen. If you aren’t into Podcasts and don’t know when you would have the time to listen to them, here are some of my favorite ways to listen even with my busy schedule. Plug them into your iPhone, iPod, Android, podcast playing device and…

  • Listen while working out. I love to listen to them while I run or lift weights, but you can listen while you are doing any sort of physical exercise.
  • Listen while working around the house. My wife loves to do her work at home while listening to sermons and the same can be done with Podcasts. Chores like weeding, mowing the lawn, cleaning the garage can become quite informative and stimulating.
  • Listen during your commute. My 45 minute commute to school makes for some great time to sit back and listen.

There are more ways, but those should get you started. I hope you enjoy!

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Weeds in Your Soul?

Posted on June 10, 2014 by Dana Dill

plantsmallThe Apostle Paul:

Put to death…what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:5-10)

John Owen:

The heart is like a lazy man’s field, so overgrown with weeds that you can barely see the good corn. Such a man may search for faith, love, and passion, and barely be able to find any. And if he does discover these graces are there, still alive and sincere, they are so weak and so clogged with lusts that they are of very little use. They remain indeed, but they are ready to die. But now let the heart be cleansed by mortification (i.e. putting to death our sin). The weeds of lust must be constantly and daily rooted up, as they spring up daily, our nature being their proper soil. Let room be made for grace to thrive and flourish; how will then every grace act its part and be ready ready for every use and purpose? (Taken from Mortification of Sin. Read it for free here).

The point: growing up as a Christian requires both pulling the weeds of sin and nourishing the fruit of faith. You will never grow if you are not constantly pulling out and throwing away the weeds that choke out the fruit of Christ in you. As a farmer grows crops he must equally pull out the weeds. As you seek to put on Christ you must equally put off sin. To grow in our life in Christ we must kill the sins of death.

What needs to be pulled in you? How will you do it?

 

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Robbery Turned to Worship

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Dana Dill

bank_2244997bThere is much to reflect upon in this short little story.

When Matthew Henry was returning home from his catechism exercise on Tuesday, March 3, 1713, robbers caught him about half a mile from Hackney. They took ten or eleven shillings, and Matthew Henry reflected on his experience so that it would be a blessing to him:

          • What reason have I to be thankful to God, that having traveled so much, yet I was never robbed before now.
          • What abundance of Evil this love of money is the root of, that four men should venture their lives and souls for half a crown a piece.
          • See the power of Satan working in the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2).
          • The vanity of worldly wealth, how soon we may be stripped of it, how loose we ought to sit to it. (Taken from Matthew Henry: His Life & Influence by Allan Harman).

Matthew Henry is a prime example of how when someone truly understands all their life is in the hands of the Sovereign God of the cross (1 Peter 1:18; 2:24), then they can take seriously the command of 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Rejoice always…” As Paul argued, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). When you understand the gospel, even robbery is an occasion for worship.

Also, if you didn’t know, Matthew Henry wrote a commentary on the entire Bible that is mind-blowingly helpful, heart-warming, and practical. Although it cost almost a year’s wage when he initially wrote it, given the gift of the interwebs, you can access it for free here. Look up his comments on your favorite verse/chapter and I am sure you’ll be encouraged.

Thank you, Lord, for the interwebs…

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The Saturday Post(s)

Posted on June 7, 2014 by Dana Dill

Saturday Post

Give Them Bread. What if obeying Jesus greatly hurts our relationships with those we love? “Pledging our hearts to heaven, we will not look back to Egypt or Sodom, trusting that true mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters are those who follow Jesus and that obeying God is worth any cost, including hurting the feelings of those we love. What I mean is, when our children ask for stones, let’s defy them and give them bread instead.”

The Four Principles of Prayer from Augustine. I’ll just say this: when a guy as massively influential as St. Augustine talks about prayer, listen up.

How to Share Your Faith At Work. There is some solid gold counsel in here. “How can we faithfully share the gospel with people at work? Here are five suggestions.”

What the Cross Says. “To whom does the invitation of this cross come?  It comes to the failures, the people who know they have gone wrong, the people who are filled with a sense of shame, the people who are weary and tired and forlorn in the struggle. . . .”

Great Books for the Graduate In Your Life. A very good boo recommendation for those graduating high school or college.

The Rebel & the King. A very instructive and helpful analogy about our sin and God’s jaw-dropping grace. “Consider the man born into a family of terrorists. The man’s father had rebelled against the King of the kingdom in which he lived, and – having so rebelled – all his posterity were brought up to hate and fight the King who ruled in this kingdom. It is to this family that the man belongs…”

How Do You Teach a Child What a Pastor Is? This is cute and helpful. “How do you teach a group of 4-6 year old kids what a pastor is and does?”

What If Your Child Is Gay? “You will, without a doubt, have someone close to you in your family come out as gay or lesbian, if not already, then sometime in the future. How should a Christian parent or grandparent respond?”

Bottle Cap Insanity. This guy is deadly with a bottle cap.

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God is Unchanging…So What?

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Dana Dill

LandscapeMany have learnd the Biblical truth of God’s unchanging nature. Moses calls God the Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4) and the Apostle James (the brother of Jesus) calls God, “the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). This is basic truth about God. 101 kind of stuff. But have you ever wondered what the unchanging nature of God (the theological term is immutability) means for our lives?

There are many answers we can give, but allow me to introduce two that aren’t often thought of. In his short and masterful book, The Attributes of God, A.W. Pink explains two consequences of God’s unchanging nature for the believer and the non-believer.

Pink explains that the unchanging nature of God is a…

Solid comfort for the believer. “Herein is solid comfort. Human nature cannot be relied upon; but God can! However unstable I may be, however fickle my friends may prove, God changes not. If he varied as we do, if he willed one thing today and another tomorrow, if he were controlled by caprice, who could confide in him? But, all praise to his glorious name, he is ever the same. His purpose is fixed, his will is stable, his word is sure. Here then is a rock on which we may fix our feet, while the mighty torrent is sweeping away everything around us. The permanence of God’s character guarantees the fulfillment of his promises: ‘For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, nether shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee’ (Isa. 54:10).”

Terrifying promise for the non-believer. “Herein is terror for the wicked. Those who defy him, who break his laws, who have no concern for his glory, but who live their lives as though he existed not, must not suppose that, when at the last they shall cry to him for mercy, he will alter his will, revoke his word, and rescind his awful threatenings. No, he has declared, ‘Therefore will I also deal in fury: mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them’ (Ezek. 8:18). God will not deny himself to gratify their lusts. God is holy, unchangingly so. Therefore God hates sin, eternally hates it. Hence the eternality of the punishment of all who die in their sins.” (Taken from The Attributes of God, p. 50, Kindle Edition).

God is not in the business of changing and this has mass implications for every person on the face of this earth. For those who have taken refuge in Jesus, His promises will prevail. For those who still reject His Son today, so will His justice.

 

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Questions to Ask & Not Ask When Joining a Church

Posted on June 4, 2014 by Dana Dill

CONGREGATION_1943As a Christian, church membership is not an option, but a glorious, joy-filled gift. Even more, it is the new reality we have in Christ. Through Jesus, we have become members of His body (1 Corinthians 12:13) and that spiritual reality must give way to practical manifestation. All Christians are privileged and obligated to commit themselves to a specific local church so they can live out the new grace that is theirs: that of a family member.

We’re called to belong to a church family, but how should we choose the church to join? What are the kinds of things we should be hoping to see and hoping not to see? What should draw us into a congregation and make us put roots down for the long haul? These are necessary questions to ask and answer as you find your way into a local church family.

Thankfully, we aren’t the first to ask these questions.

Questions to Ask When Joining a Church

In an excellent post, Pastor Brian Croft gives four questions to ask when considering joining a church. His four excellent questions, worthy of reflection, are as follows…

    • Is this a church where my family will be regularly fed by God’s Word? “Not just are they faithful to the Word of God, but will this church preach and teach in such a way that my soul and the souls of my family will be nourished?”
    • Is this a church where I am convinced the care of my soul will be a priority? Will your soul be cared for by the pastors and congregation? “Just because they have powerful, biblical preaching does not mean your individual soul will be tended to on a regular basis.”
    • Is this a church where my family will experience meaningful Christian fellowship and accountability? Church is not a building to visit or a service to attend, but a family to commit to. Will this family lean into your life for your good or will you get lost in the crowd?
    • Is this a church where I can serve God’s people and use my gifts for its benefit? Don’t only ask what a church can do for you, but ask what you can do for the church?

There is more to be said and maybe that can be another post on another day. But, nonetheless, my friends, those are very good questions to ask. I encourage you to read the whole post here.

Questions Not to Ask When Joining a Church

When considering joining a church, knowing which questions to ask is crucial. Equally important is recognizing questions to avoid. Just as wise questions guide us to a suitable fellowship, unwise ones can lead to foolish choices.

Here are some particularly unhelpful and dangerous questions to avoid when thinking about joining a church:

    • Is it cool? What is considered “cool” only lasts a few years before it changes into something else. This is like choosing a wife based on what clothes she wears. She may be the most well dressed hipster at the ball, but is that really going to make you put a ring on that? Alas, there is more than outward adornment to consider.
    • Is the pastor funny and engaging? This isn’t a bad thing. Humor is a gift from God. But, it is a dangerous criteria for choosing a church. A lot of false teachers are very funny and enjoyable to listen to, but their teaching kills nonetheless. Poison served in a golden goblet. They may make you LOL, but do they make you holy? Also, you will need a lot more from your pastor(s) than laughs on Sunday, make sure they are able to fulfill all their pastoral duties (e.g. shepherding, counseling, disciplining, etc.).
    • Are the people just like me? It’s ok to look for people who share things in common with you (culture, stage of life, etc.), but taken too far, it can keep you away from good churches. Don’t demand that your church be filled with your clones; people with the same likes, dislikes, preferences, and of the same age. The good news of the cross is for all nations, classes, races, ages, and genders and that should inform our church choice.
    • Do I like the building? If you need explanation for this one, there is no hope for you.
    • Do they play the music I like? When it comes to content of the lyrics, have a strong standard: I want to sing undiluted, unashamed, beautiful biblical truths. Stick to that hard. But, when it comes to style, although I think there are still certain standards to be maintained, I think it is prudent to have a little more flexibility. It seems that each generation of the church brings certain musical preferences with it and Christians would be wise to allow for a little flexibility here.
    • Is it inspiring? I’ll be careful here. There is a good inspiration to look for such as being inspired to follow Christ in radical, uncompromising obedience and to desire the glory of God above all things. Most certainly look for that! But there is also a bad inspiration to look for. If by inspiring, you are looking for Hallmark Card-ish, American Dream-ish, make-me-live-my-best-life-now-ish kind of inspiration then you are in trouble because you may get what you are looking for. Don’t look for your church to make you be excited about and focused on you and your life. Demand your church to help you be excited about and focused on the life of Jesus Christ, His work on your behalf, and His glory above all. Be inspired to look to Christ and away from self.

These questions aren’t inherently bad, but prioritizing them can lead to trouble. A humorous pastor is great! A beautiful church building is a blessing! Enjoy these, but they shouldn’t be the main factors in choosing a church. Don’t elevate minor matters above major ones.

Make Sure to Get Yourself in a Church

At the end of the day, we all need to know this: we have to join a local church. In this vein, I can’t improve upon the exhortation of Pastor Croft.

You and your family should feel a sense of persistent unease knowing that you are not in covenant fellowship with a local church and are not under the authority of undershepherds caring for your souls. The freedom and absence of accountability many experience in the search for a new church can cause a sinful complacency.

In other words, you do not ever want to become comfortable being one of God’s sheep who has wandered away from the fellowship of the flock and the accountability of shepherds to care for you, even if that journey at the time feels fun and exciting.

As they say, nuff said.

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Don’t Despise a Small Ministry

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Dana Dill

megachurchIn an interview, Pastor Mark Dever was asked this question: “What single bit of counsel has made the most significant difference in your (pastoral) leadership?” His answer has provided me with one of the most needed and sobering truths I have ever heard.

He answered:

John Brown in a letter of counsel to one of his pupils newly ordained over a small congregation:

“I know the vanity of your heart, and that you will feel mortified that your congregation is very small, in comparison with those of your brothers around you; but assure yourself on the word of an old man, that when you come to give an account of them to the Lord Christ, at his judgment-seat, you will think you have had enough.”

Pastors, may our goal never be to pastor a large congregation, but to faithfully pastor whatever congregation we are sent to. May the shepherd’s eye not be on having a big flock, but to faithfully give himself to the flock he’s been entrusted. The sheep we have been entrusted have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, handle with care and dare not neglect them in hope for bigger ministry.

But wait, there’s more…

This principle is not only applicable to pastors, but also, in a very significant way, to all Christians. All of us will stand before Christ to give an account for the things He has entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14-30). Fathers and mothers will give account for the children entrusted to them to raise. Employees will give account to Christ for the work they did in their lives. All things have been given to us from Christ and we will give our account to Christ for how we used those things in His service. How we use our resources, how we love our neighbors, how we shepherd our families, we will answer for all of it. Therefore, the goal of all Christians should not be to covet larger ministry, influence, etc., but to faithfully serve where we have been placed. However small we may think our responsibilities are today, I am sure that we will not see them as such when we answer to our Lord for how we fulfilled them.

May we never make it our aim to have larger, bigger and better ministries/influence. Fathers and mothers, don’t despise the family ministry you are called to. Employees, don’t grumble about the little you do from 9-5. Christians, don’t despise the small field you are responsible for. But may we all put our hand to faithfully work the field that God has given us; no matter how small it is.  Let us all consider the word of this old man.

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When Believing in God Doesn’t Matter

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Dana Dill

keep-calm-and-believe-in-god“I believe in God!” Ever hear that? I do. A lot. Now, there isn’t anything wrong with that statement. In fact, there is a lot right with that statement. But the statement – I believe in God –  is only good depending on one’s answer to this essential question: in which God do you believe? Is He a kind god? Is He a just god who will punish all evil without compromise? Is he a weak god who is powerless against the terrors of this world? Is he created? Is it the god of Islam or the many gods of Hinduism? That’s cool you believe in god, but that doesn’t say much. Which god do you believe in? Belief in a god makes you a theist or deist of some kind and not an atheist, but it doesn’t make you a Christian and it doesn’t say much of anything about your relationship with god.

However, a lot of people don’t get that. Some folks believe their mere belief that there is a god is more than enough. But this is far from the truth. J.I. Packer explains:

We must be clear here. Today’s idea is that the great divide is between those who say “I believe in God” in some sense and those who cannot say it in any sense. Atheism is seen as an enemy, paganism is not, and it is assumed that the difference between one faith and another is quite secondary. But in the Bible the great divide is between those who believe in the Christian God and those who serve idols – “gods,” that is, whose images, whether metal or mental, do not square with the self-disclosure of the Creator. (Taken from Affirming the Apostles Creed, p. 31-32)

Essentially, many believe the important thing is whether or not you acknowledge that God exists. Many people think of god like a socially inept high schooler yearning for the cool kids to notice that He exists. If you do that – if you acknowledge the existence of the attention hungry guy upstairs – then He will be happy and things will be swell for you. But these people are sorely mistaken.

To know God savingly is to know God as He has revealed Himself in the Bible. To believe in God means nothing if your conception of God is not the God of the Bible; the Triune God of the gospel; the God who has created the heavens and the earth by the power of His Word (Gen. 1:1); who formed Adam from the dust and Eve from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2); who promised salvation to come from the Jews (Gen. 12:1-3); who rescued the Israelites from Egypt (Exodus 14); who thundered His Law from Sinai (Exodus 19-20), who sent His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to bear the sins of Man for their forgiveness (1 Peter 2:24) and to resurrect from the grave for their life (John 3:16-17; Galatians 4:4-5; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4); the God who is today calling all men to be saved today through the Church’s proclamation of the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 20:24; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21). This is the true God. This is the only God who saves. This is the only God there is to believe in. If someone’s “belief in God” misses this God, then it hits nothing.

As Jesus prayed, “This is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). If someone believes in a God who is different than the God who is perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ, then they, according to Jesus, do not have eternal life. As I said above, “Do you believe in God?” is no where near as important of a question as, “In which God do you believe?” Don’t be mistaken, although atheism most definitely does not please God, neither does paganism. Atheists and pagans both need the same thing: to know the Triune God of the Bible through faith Jesus Christ.

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