Kiwi Christian Blog

2022 has been a very busy year.

New Job: Edwards Engineering/CutFoldNZ as yardsman, plasma cutter operator, and general hand. Cutting, fabricating, and moving steel. Lots of forklift driving.

Studies: Greek A and B, Old Testament Foundations and Prophets + Writings (two OT survey papers). Half a full time load at masters level. Passed with Credit and Distinction grades. Two papers in 2023 to complete the GradDipDiv (with the option of carrying on to complete a full MDiv after). Lots of reading and memorising.

Renovations: Kitchen is finally useable, though we need to finish the floor, install the dishwasher (washing dishes by hand most of the year), install some extra shelves/cabinets, and finish painting. I’ve also been installing new flashings when we’ve had fine Saturdays. Sim has built some garden boxes to expand our “free” food sources. Lots of strawberries and weeds.

Family: April, Amelia, Evelyn, and Gracie are being homeschooled and are learning at a fantastic rate under Sim’s guidance. Tilly and Gus are also developing at a frightening rate. Gus is still a terrible sleeper but happily gets on with his adventures (as long as he knows that mama is nearby, otherwise it’s tears until she returns). The older kids (10, 9, 7, 5) are a fantastic help around the house and with the younger kids (3, 2), though “tidy your room” is often interpreted to mean “tidy everything except for the elaborate game setups which we’re going to use tomorrow”. Lots of Lego.

Miscellaneous: We’ve continued to attend church at Grace Evangelical Church in Hamilton, which is great but quite a drive in from Te Awamutu on a Sunday morning. Sam finished his three year term on the WCS board. Sim is part of a ladies Bible study locally and is well connected with friends in the TA area. She continues to sew and expand her craft skills. We attended Sim’s sister’s wedding in stormy conditions on Mt. Maunganui beach (I still laugh every time at the name of that mountain). We have a new cat, a rescued stray, named Nutmeg (it’s Ginger Nut to me). And celebrating Christmas at Te Aroha and Whangamata. Lots of stuff.

I’m sure I’ve missed a bunch, but I’m equally sure that if you’re reading this you know why I changed jobs and just how disgustingly the reigning rulers of the land have treated its citizens. Why go into that again? The positives that have come from their evil (a very deliberate word choice) have been unexpected but welcome. God has been very kind and has brought a wide variety of different people across our paths who have enriched our lives. Hopefully our salt and light has helped grow His influence in a dark world.

I’m not an optimist or a pessimist. I’m a realist who knows that the world is doomed but the good has already triumphed. The final Day will prove it. We continue to press on in joy and faith, hope, and love.

Please excuse the cringy intro (that was Sam’s attempt to be engaging… Sorry… It won’t happen again!)

Spotify: //open.spotify.com/show/6z7L9av8Bnb1GsDIJpuH6a?si=471a1436e2d54072

Youtube:

Psalm 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Thought I’d share something I’ve often considered regarding Psalm 119 verse 11:

I used to say that if I would get a tattoo I would get this verse done on my chest over my heart. But then I realised that would be ironicly wrong, as the point of the verse is to hide it IN your heart.

Memorisation is a good start here, but memorisation isn’t deep enough. Scripture needs to become embedded in who we are, not like butter spread on bread but instead mixed well into the batter (mixing metaphors there). It’s not just a word association we bring out when our memories are prompted but instead an action and attitude that lives out the truth of those verses.

When you memorise Scripture, think of ways you can live that Scripture. Build the correct thoughts (Romans 12:2) words (Ephesians 4:29), and deeds (James 2:26) as a pattern for your life. Do so in gratitude to the God who has saved you.

How often I forget what he has done for me! Yet his mercy is greater than my sin.

God bless!

Lamentations 5:7-16

[7] Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities. [8] Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand. [9] We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness. [10] Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine. [11] Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah. [12] Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders. [13] Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood. [14] The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music. [15] The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning. [16] The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!

This struck me today as a picture of our time. Western culture has fallen so very far. I suggest reading through this line by line and consider the modern equivalent for each sign of judgement (or call it discipline if you’re hopeful).

“Women are raped…” While this is literal in many cases, the sea of pornography and lust-inciting movies and advertising causes a culture where women (and men) are lusted after and degraded sexually. All evil starts in the heart and mind.

“The old men have left the city gate…” The wise rulers with experience of many years are no longer present in society to guide and correct thinking. All the business of the city was done in the city gate with the wise leaders applying the law and ensuring justice. Now, we celebrate young and fresh leaders and don’t have respect for elders and the wisdom of years. Terrible mistakes are certain.

And notice the end compared to the start. At the start, the previous generation had sinned. At the end, and the result of teaching the next generation by example, they too had sinned.

The rest of the chapter is sobering, hinting at God leaving them in their sin and no longer being their God:

[19] But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations. [20] Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days? [21] Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old— [22] unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.

And this is the end of Jeremiah’s lamentation on behalf of Israel… he has submitted them to God’s judgement and has left mercy in the hands of God. Will God have mercy, or will he utterly reject them?

Will God have mercy on the church today, or will he utterly reject her? We know he will not because he delights to save through his Son Jesus. Our response is to trust that he will save us, and to walk in that salvation, living in keeping with that heavenly calling on our lives.

Have you ever been misled by statistics? Someone gives some impressive sounding numbers that make you go “Wow!” but then someone else gives another angle on the numbers that make you go “Oh, not as wow as I thought.”

500 annual deaths from influenza in New Zealand sounds pretty scary, until you realise that is one or two per day. And more than likely that is someone who has lived a long life and has spent some time on the respiratory ward in hospital for the past couple of weeks. A somewhat inevitable ending to life, sad though it is.

One perspective check that I use to test the fear or awe inducing statistics of the hype monster is abortion statistics. If I believe that abortion is the killing of a living baby, then this is my standard for fear or outrage at other things. For example, I should be more outraged or saddened about one baby dying from abortion than I should about one person dying at the end of their life from influenza. If I’m a greater advocate for lower council rates than for reducing abortion, I’m not keeping my perspective right.

Not everyone agrees that abortion is killing babies. But you must be able to see how this is a helpful way to put things into perspective.

So when it comes to pandemics, I have to keep in mind that there are about 13,000 abortions annually in New Zealand.

How many people are expected to die from COVID-19? Predictions vary, but one middle of the road estimate is six times that of seasonal influenza (calculated from here and here). Another pro-vaccination perspective I heard in a webinar was ten times that of seasonal influenza. So, 3000 to 5000 deaths over several years of the pandemic is a reasonable prediction.

If you’ve followed recent news, you’ll be aware that many of the deaths counted as COVID deaths would have happened even without COVID. One person was killed by being shot and was counted as a COVID death. At least two thirds of recorded COVID deaths are in this category according to one article.

If you care to do the math, that means COVID seems to be actually responsible for about 1000 to 1700 deaths in NZ in total over the course of the entire pandemic. Divided over a number of years, that’s pretty low.

Compared to abortion numbers it’s more than an order of magnitude lower, nearly two orders of magnitude lower.

I realise there was a lot of uncertainty 18 months ago that resulted in some guess work from the government in taking courses of action. Now that the modelling is clearer, it’s hard to see why we are so concerned as a nation (or a global citizen).

I realise there is still fear of over loading hospitals beyond capacity, but consider that there are some excellent early treatment options that can keep people out of hospital. For some reason both the NZ Medical Council and the government seem to have taken an active approach to suppressing the use of these safe and effective treatments. Politics and a broken system may be to blame here.

When you consider the economic and wellbeing cost to lockdowns, vaccine mandates, creating a category of lower class citizen, and the lives shortened due to delaying surgeries, along with what has already been discussed above; maybe it’s time to readjust your perspective?

One of the key drivers for division in the Christian church today is an inability to recognise the range of views that conscience allows. For some reason, Christians have a hard time allowing other Christians to take a view on non-essential doctrine that is different to their own.

Classic examples of this are eschatological views (last things), sign gifts of the Spirit ceased or not, whether females can be elders, calvinism vs arminianism, can Christians get tattoos, etc..

These may provide legitimate denominational division, but should they prevent fellowship?

Scripture gives relatively few non-negotiables for salvation in the Christian Faith:

1. Getting the right Jesus (including his full deity and humanity)
2. Getting the right Gospel (including salvation by grace alone through faith alone)
3. The resurrection of Christ

Contained within these are many finer points, such as monotheism and the need to be born again.

You can read an excellent and more full article with Scripture references here: //carm.org/doctrine-and-theology/essential-doctrines-of-christianity/

Christians need to adjust the tone of their discussion (and “righteous anger” perhaps) so that they speak to those who agree on these main points as brothers and sisters. There is no point in railing against someone who has the Spirit of God in them. You need to trust the Holy Spirit to lead them into greater truth as you discuss the Scriptures and how they apply, calmly and lovingly with them.

And try to learn from them as someone who is part of the body of Christ with gifting from God to contribute to the Church.

Showing the world how we can disagree in love brings glory to God, showing the nature of Christ.

Recognise that:

1. Each person who has been born again, who has the Spirit of God, will be at a particular place in their journey toward greater Christlikeness.
2. Another believer can be genuinely seeking to understand the Word of God and apply it, but still end up at a different interpretation from you.
3. You likely took many years to arrive at your doctrinal positions and how you apply those doctrines to your life.
4. Someone may never move from a certain position in this life due to the time and attention they can give to learning.
5. You can’t manipulate or coerce someone into holding a different view – it is understanding that needs to change.

While we certainly need to be on guard against false teachers, we should be actively warm, loving, and generous toward anyone who has the Spirit of God.

This takes effort to cultivate, but we have a model in Jesus our Saviour, who put in the greatest of effort for us, suffering greatly in order to get to the cross to die for our sins. If we are united to him, and share in his death and resurrection, we are also united to the rest of the body of Christ.

It makes sense to love brothers and sisters in Christ who Christ has accepted.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. – John 6:37 (ESV)

Responding to this article:

//www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-delta-outbreak-ministry-of-health-releases-pre-existing-conditions-of-deaths-linked-to-virus/2PVOFYDPE5TSVJD3J5J2DCVEXM/

Screenshot (since articles seem to change over time these days):

“Anyone who died while Covid-infected is included in the Ministry of Health’s number of deceased. That can include those who have not passed away because of Covid-19.”

My Response:

While covid can be a contributing factor when there are comorbidities, it sounds like there are deaths being called covid deaths when covid had nothing to do with the death.

So what is the actual number of deaths due to Covid? There are still complexities with recording these deaths and how much Covid contributes when there are comorbidities, but it seems that less than 10 are likely due to Covid.

33 total deaths (from the screenshot above), subtract 22 from the highlighted material in the screenshot below, subtract the 1 who was shot and recorded as a Covid death, subtract the several sudden deaths from positive tested people in isolation that people are reading between the lines as suicides.

Another Screenshot:

As a percentage of those who have had a positive covid test, that makes an infection-fatality rate of 10 (max) divided by 4983 (considering only those who have recovered from covid so far according to worldometer – screenshot below) then multiplied by 100 to give a percentage is 0.2 percent. That is the highest possible value as we don’t know how many people have actually been infected with the virus. Apparently many delta-infected people are asymptomatic (hence the ease of spread of this variant).

There is still the problem of overwhelming hospitals if there is a sudden influx due to covid. The goal should then be to flatten the curve (which was the original plan if you remember). And now we have great early treatment options that are safe and effective (I’m talking ivermectin in particular, but there are other treatments – sadly blocked by the government…)

Responding to this article (Friday 12th November 2021):

//www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-90-project-hawkes-bay-nurse-on-paris-frontlines-has-warning-for-regions-unvaccinated/6GABNAJYBLWZBZDNBAH37KVNVM/

Screenshot (since these articles seem to change over time!):

Key quote:

“Mahina said without a vaccine, there was not much hope, just death.”

My response:

Vitamin D, Vitamin C, NAC, Zinc, Ivermectin, Monoclonal Antibodies, Hydroxychloroquine, etc…

You can find some good material about early treatment options that are safe and effective here: //aapsonline.org/covidpatientguide/ (Association of American Physicians and Surgeons)

Facebook fact-checkers don’t like the material I’ve posted below. They believe the videos lack context and could mislead people. I think Facebook is wrong, so I’m going to post anything here that they don’t like for later reference.

Here’s one I haven’t posted on FB but I predict it’ll get the treatment:

Matthew 22:35-40

[35] And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. [36] “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” [37] And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. [38] This is the great and first commandment. [39] And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. [40] On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

What is the best way to love God? By keeping his commandments.

John 14:23-24

[23] Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. [24] Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

What is the best way to love your neighbour?

James 2:1-9

[1] My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. [2] For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, [3] and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” [4] have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? [5] Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? [6] But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? [7] Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? [8] If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. [9] But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

So love is treating everyone impartially. Not considering one person in the assembly (church) as worthy of special treatment compared to others.

What else is love?

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

[4] Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant [5] or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; [6] it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. [7] Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Importantly, we don’t have clear guidance for vaccinations here. Whether you believe the most loving thing to do is to get vaccinated or not does not depend on the Word of God. What does it depend upon? It depends upon whether you think there is a serious public health issue that vaccination can help mitigate, or not. It depends on whether you believe that resisting treatments that utilise aborted fetal cell lines is legitimate protest against the evils of abortion or not.

I have to address the “fact” checkers briefly: there are no aborted cells in the NZ jab, there are not even aborted fetal cell lines (cells that were later grown from the aborted fetal cells). There absolutely is evidence that the vaccine was tested using these aborted fetal cell lines though.

Whether the most loving thing to do is to get the jab or not may also depend on whether you think it is important to protest the use of a treatment that has never been used in humans before and will not complete the long-term testing until 2023. You may feel that this sets a dangerous precedent that could cause the loss of life of many due to improperly tested medications.

What we absolutely must do, is allow one another the freedom to decide what is the most loving application of the royal command. If we love our neighbour, we won’t insist on our own way and we will assume the best of them (until we can’t due to clear evidence to the contrary). We must allow our neighbour the freedom of conscience before God to do as they must without coercion.

1 Timothy 1:5

[5] The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.