Fixing Canadian Healthcare

The Canadian healthcare system is broken—or at least problematic in many respects. Problems include long wait times for urgent care, long delays for surgery or specialized care,[1] difficult access to certain kinds of care, an increased tax burden, a lack of innovation, and Canadian doctors working in other countries. We know that these are significant issues because in election season our political parties vow to improve and fix Canadian healthcare—yet it is growing worse rather than better. No matter what our leaders say, when they travel to the US to get treatment done, their actions speak louder than words.

I will suggest a few ideas for improving our healthcare system. I realize that the title of this article promises more than it will deliver. I do not intend to rethink healthcare from the ground up or give a theology of healthcare in an ideal society. I will propose ways to incrementally improve what we have in Canada and seek to see it more aligned with biblical values which will bless a nation.

In addition, I do not intend to give a comprehensive list of suggested fixes. There are many ways to improve health services in Canada. I believe much of the bureaucratic bloat, so common in large corporations, and especially plaguing government-funded corporations, needs to be eliminated. By cutting bureaucracy and executive waste, more funding goes to beds, doctors, and nurses—what the end user sees and needs.

I also believe privatizing more services will lead to greater efficiencies, better quality, more innovation, competitive pricing, and greater accessibility for health services.[2] Consider the success of a company like Space-X which is now contracted by NASA. A private company has been able to deliver a better product at a lower cost than a well-funded government agency.

Undergirding it all, we must understand that socialism is not a biblical (nor viable) model for society and the same applies to socialized medicine. In a bid for equality of outcome, everyone receives marginal care.[3] By privatizing medicine and allowing free-market principles, rather than equality of (a mediocre) outcome, there will be an equality of opportunity to access excellent care. Our country is going the wrong way with socialized pharmaceuticals and socialized dental care.[4] As the government gets bigger, taxes go up, wastefulness increases, and medical choice and quality plummets. Sure, we’ll be in it together, but we’ll all be at the bottom together.

A Needed Attitude Change

It is easy to criticize the government for healthcare problems—and they must own how they’ve perpetuated such problems—but there are also problems with the users of Canadian healthcare. It is not just the provider that needs a worldview shift, it is the user that needs an attitude adjustment.

If you visit the emergency room in a Canadian hospital, you’ll likely be confronted with a room full of people that make you think, “What’s the emergency?” Many people go to the hospital for minor, non-urgent needs. Some go because getting an MRI through your family doctor will take too long, but the emergency department can give you one if you’re willing to wait several hours. Some go because it is better to be safe than sorry. Others go because they haven’t been educated about home treatments or when visiting a doctor is advised. Whatever the reason, many go who do not need to go.

There is also the attitude that health services are free. You can be a hypochondriac and go to emerge once a month and you will never see a bill. You can get scans at radiology, receive physiotherapy, and access many other services and never see a single bill. This gives the impression that health care is free. Whether you use it a lot, or never do, the impression is that it is just there at no cost to you. Deep down, most people know that the government pays for it, but they do not realize that the government doesn’t make money but takes your money.

A Simple Solution

One small way that can help our healthcare system is to introduce a fee for a hospital visit or to access health services. Would the emergency room be just as full if people had to pay $100 for their visit? It is not as if $100 is covering their cost, far from it, but this teaches people that government-funded healthcare operates more like insurance rather than a free service.

Fees or deductibles of this sort have been used by private insurance companies for as long as can be remembered. Private companies must be profitable lest they cease to exist. (Sadly, this is something that government-funded agencies do not need to worry about. When you have your hand in the pocket of the taxpayer and can print your own money, you can afford to never be profitable.) Why wouldn’t an insurance model work with health care?

Consider car insurance. What if there was no deductible for any damage claim for your car? What if you could take your car to an autobody shop and get it repaired or checked without ever seeing a bill? That little scratch you made in your car when it was just a few weeks old would be enough justification for you to bring it in and get it fixed. I can testify that there are a few scratches on our vehicles that I would get fixed if it were free. Yet, the deductible and possibility of increased rates are enough to leave me content with a few scratches and dents. I would willingly pay the deductible for major damages and be thankful for insurance covering the cost for the bulk of the work.

Why not use a similar model for healthcare? The amount of a deductible could be debated. It could even be waived in certain circumstances. The point is not to collect fees but to teach people that healthcare is not free and to incentivize discernment on whether care is truly needed.

Biblical Basis

It can be good to toss around ideas about improving the healthcare system, but is there truth in which we can ground our principles in? The Scriptures are a treasure of wisdom and knowledge. While the Bible doesn’t speak about everything, it does speak to everything. So what are some biblical principles that should undergird our thoughts on this matter?

1. Those Who Benefit Should Pay

In Romans 15 Paul speaks about a collection of funds being taken by the believers in Macedonia and Achaia for the believers in Jerusalem. He said that they “owe it to them” (Rom 15:27) since through the Jews these Gentiles have received the blessing of salvation. He also uses the same argument in 1 Corinthians 9 to speak about the church in Corinth owing him remuneration as he served them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The principle here is apparent. Those who receive a benefit should repay those who have provided that benefit. This is our duty and should be our delight (Rom 15:27; 2 Cor 8:1–15).

There should not be an expectant attitude that one receives without contributing in return. A fee to access medical services is not burdensome, but honorable. By introducing a (small) payment model for care, we’re affirming this biblical principle.

Conversely, those who do not access medical services should not be expected to carry the same financial burden as those who do. How does this incentivize healthy living? Someone can smoke for decades, another can overeat, and both have complex medical needs due to their lifestyle choices. We all want a society that incentivizes good lifestyle choices, don’t we?

2. Each One Should Bear His Own Load

Galatians 6 contains some interesting verses. It says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load” (Gal 6:2–5). This passage is memorable to me because it says on the one hand, “bear one another’s burdens,” and then “each will have to bear his own load.” Which is it? It depends.

We do have a Christian duty to love our neighbor and bear one another’s burdens. However, this duty is not to be presumed upon or coerced such that we expect our brothers to carry our burden while we relax.

We want to be burden lifters, carry our own burden, and not be a burden to others.

In this regard, a person should never have the attitude that they are owed medical treatment at the taxpayer’s expense. A person should never be a perpetual “taker” rather than strive to stand on their own two feet and be a “giver.”

Socialized medicine encourages us to be takers rather than see our part in being self-sufficient and givers. Socialism is a system that coerces charity such that charity is no longer charity. Privatized services or paying a deductible for services reminds us of our responsibility to bear our own load, and not presume upon the kindness of others to bear our burdens.

3. Never Forget Sin

The universal principle of sin and the fallenness of humanity must inform every societal institution, law, or governing decision. Man is sinful (Rom 3:9ff, 3:23; Eph 2:1–3). This principle of sin means that we are selfish and will take advantage of the system. If we don’t see a bill, we take more. If we must pay for it, we restrain ourselves. If someone else is paying, we consume a little extra.

Because of sin, we are wasteful with other people’s resources in ways that we would not do if they belonged to us. Don’t believe me? Why is there so much trash in public places? Do our homes look like this? Why do we use company supplies or tools liberally or recklessly but are stingy and careful with our own? We are selfish creatures. Without restraint, we are greedy, wasteful, and selfish.

If you consider truths that our current culture neglects to its peril, this is certainly up there—man is sinful. This is why we believe in limited government, in checks and balances, in just laws, in quick consequences—because we are sinful people who need to be restrained (1 Tim 1:8–11; Rom 13:1–5). In like manner, a small fee for medical services can aid in restraining the selfishness in each of us.

Conclusion

While sin can be restrained in a society, it can never be dealt with apart from Christ. We’re reminded that a truly free and good society is predicated upon a moral people. We know that moral, self-governed people, are people who have been forgiven by the Lord Jesus Christ and have the Spirit of God in them, granting them desires to do what is pleasing to God and neighbor. Long-term reform in healthcare or any other public service can only happen if hearts are transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes, we need some Band-Aid solutions right now, but more importantly, we need the saving aroma of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be the fragrance that molds and shapes our society to honor God and bless the nation.

—Tim Stephens

[1] “Specialist physicians surveyed report a median waiting time of 27.4 weeks between referral from a general practitioner and receipt of treatment—longer than the wait of 25.6 weeks reported in 2021. This year’s wait time is the longest wait time recorded in this survey’s history and is 195% longer than in 1993, when it was just 9.3 weeks.”

[2] I believe we benefit a great deal from being a border buddy to the United States. Advances in medical treatments, pharmaceuticals, and other technology flow northward as we benefit from their innovation. A privatized system allows companies to invest in innovation in a far greater capacity than publicly funded companies.

[3] Do we really want equality of outcome? Do we really want a cab driver to make the same money as a doctor? In fact, in Cuba, cab drivers make more than doctors. With socialism, Cuba will never be known as a leader in medicine.

[4] The national Pharmacare program is fast-tracking drugs for contraceptives and diabetes as a first order of business. It is noteworthy that the Health Minister says the government will be “providing these medications to people for free.” Spot the half-truth? These medicines are not free but are paid for by the taxpayer and the debt loaded on future generations.

Making Our Cities Safe Again

If you live in a city in Canada—or anywhere in Canada for that matter—you’ll see news headlines about rising crime rates. In Calgary, there are plenty of news reports on increasing crimes, especially in public areas like bus stops or LRT stations. Homeless encampments are routine, bringing along criminal activity. The opioid epidemic continues to claim 100 lives every month in Alberta. Even with stricter gun laws in Canada, violent crimes persist. Public spaces are especially dangerous. During the period from January to May 2023, nearly 6,000 calls were made to the police from transit stations in Calgary. That is a 2,000-call increase compared to the same period in 2022. Our civic leaders know this is a problem, but their solutions thus far are impotent to deal with the issue.

Calgary is investing $1.9 million to improve public safety in the downtown core through increased lighting, cameras, and more enforcement personnel.[1]

The city of Calgary has also recently issued a report with 28 proposed recommendations to deal with the issue of public safety.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said, “By collaborating with our partners, we are able to address the complex challenges in our downtown with compassion.”

The mayor makes a point to emphasize that her solution is compassionate. Compassionate for whom? For the criminals, drug users, and homeless that endanger public safety?

It is not compassion for law-abiding, tax-paying, hard-working citizens of Calgary. They will have an increased tax burden to pay for these new measures and upcoming programs, but the problems will continue. It is unjust to make law-abiding citizens pay for the damage and unrest caused by a few. How is that compassionate?

Of course, the ugly ideology of cultural Marxism undergirds the Western ruling class today. Those on the street, using drugs, and causing threats to public safety are seen as victims. Deep down, they are good people who have been downtrodden by an evil system through no fault of their own. In some cases this is close to the truth. However, the problems have increased as “compassionate measures” have increased. Maybe there is a connection.

This is a case where worldview really matters. Public safety is key to a successful society. Our children must live in this city and our wives should not be fearful of heading out the door.

The most basic function of government, according to Scripture, is to keep the peace and punish the evildoer (Romans 13:1–4). By so doing, the righteous prosper and are rewarded by living in a society where neither lives nor possessions are in danger from vagabonds or marauding bands.

I realize that nobody asked for my opinion, but I’d like to offer it anyway. What would I propose if I were special counsel to the mayor? How would I, believing in the inerrancy and authority of Scripture with its sufficiency to handle every situation of life, give counsel? What is a biblical response to the public problems facing our city and all who dwell in it?

Let me (1) outline some principles; (2) suggest short-term fixes; and (3) plead for long-term change.

Principles

Many principles in Scripture are salient to the topic at hand. I want to narrow my focus and consider principles regarding the correction or punishment of crimes. If crime is an issue in our country—and it is—then what tools do we have to correct it and deter those from committing it?

Before considering biblical principles, we must realize that what we’re doing today ain’t working. Having safe injection sites and a clean drug supply isn’t helping reduce crime or addictions.[2] Reducing penalties for crimes and allowing petty crimes to go unaddressed is exacerbating the problem. A litany of government programs—with their correspondingly high tax burden—is not doing it.

When considering punishment for crimes in our society, we typically think of jails and prisons. Of course, in our age of enlightenment, we prefer to call them “correctional facilities.” Having visited the inside of one of these “correctional facilities” for 3 weeks, I can testify that the men inside are not being corrected but are improving their criminal craft by sharing their exploits.

A study from 10 years ago demonstrated that each Canadian pays $550 per year in taxes to cover the nearly $20 billion expenditure for the criminal justice system. $5 billion of this goes to running prisons. The average cost of detaining a prisoner is $115,000 per year—triple the yearly tuition at Harvard!

Evenly divided, every person is Canada is paying $140 every year to keep men in jail. In my family of 10, that’s $1400 every year. In other words, it is as if I’m getting a fine of $1400 every year to pay for a crime someone else committed. To make matters worse, tax-paying, hard-working citizens pay higher “fines” as crime goes up. They pay for crimes that they didn’t commit and have suffered from!

For the true victims of crime, this $20 billion a year doesn’t go to make restitution for their losses, it goes to process criminals through a revolving door, giving many of them clothing and three warm meals a day with a roof over their head. These criminals take a quick timeout before they return to the streets and do more damage and injure more lives. There is a word for this: Injustice. There is a better way.

Principle of Restitution and Corporal Punishment

If you comb the Old Testament for guidance on improving the prison system, you’ll find nothing. There were no prisons in the old covenant. Under God’s law, the principle of restitution and the principle of corporal punishment are included in the preferred and just methods of correction.

What is restitution? It is the principle in which you restore something stolen, damaged, or pay recompense for injury or loss. In essence, those who commit crimes must work to pay back what they stole, damaged, or abused. Rather than the tax-paying citizen paying for the loss or damage, those who committed the crime must pay it back with money or sweat equity—and not pay the government, but the victim. There are numerous examples of restitution in Scripture to provide practical guidance in this area (Exodus 21:33–22:15; Numbers 5:7–10).

The other principle of correction and deterrence is the principle of corporal punishment. What happens when restitution will not or cannot be made? The Scriptures give us guidance. Deuteronomy 25:1–3 says, “If there is a dispute between men and they come into court and the judges decide between them, acquitting the innocent and condemning the guilty, then if the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall cause him to lie down and be beaten in his presence with a number of stripes in proportion to his offense. Forty stripes may be given him, but not more, lest, if one should go on to beat him with more stripes than these, your brother be degraded in your sight.”

People might object that this passage shouldn’t apply today. It is noteworthy to mention that Paul quotes the next verse and applies it as a relevant and abiding principle. “You shall not muzzle an ox when it is treading out the grain” (Deuteronomy 25:4; applied in 1 Timothy 5:18). If Paul applies the principle of verse 4, should we not apply the principle of verses 1–3?

The idea of corporal punishment today sounds so archaic. Yet the Bible teaches corporal punishment in the home—we call it spanking (Proverbs 23:13–14; 13:24; 29:15; 22:15). Not too long ago it happened in school and in the public square. Have there been abuses? Of course. But do we neglect a biblical principle because of those abuses? No. Rather than cede to humanist, enlightenment thinking which ignores the revelation of God, we need to adopt the principles in the word, trusting that what God has said is best.

Our view of compassion, righteousness, and justice may need some reworking to align with the God who is compassion, righteousness, and justice. “But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15). “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you” (Psalm 89:14).

Certainly some particulars need to be discussed, but we cannot deal with crime and public safety while ignoring the principles of God’s word. God’s word is sufficient to speak to every facet of life—including making our cities places of safety and justice.

Short-Term Solutions

With the principles above in mind, let me offer a few short-term solutions to the crime problem in Canada.

  • Restitution. Those involved in crimes must make restitution. Civil service, manual labor, and financial penalties must be levied to turn the guilty into contributors rather than burdens. Hard-working taxpayers should not bear the burden of paying for crimes committed against them in their own cities.
  • Corporal Punishment. Those guilty of crimes should receive swift and decisive punishment. Physical discipline is a neglected tool. Proverbs 22:15 is relevant to a grown “child” who needs discipline: “Folly is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.”
  • Zero-Tolerance Police for Petty Crimes. Rather than being lax about small crimes, the opposite is necessary. Trends suggest that drug possession, drug use, break and enter, theft under $5000, and trespassing are being treated more leniently. It is important to act quickly and decisively to nip this behavior in the bud before problems get too big to uproot. Many of these petty crimes are committed by young people. They need to learn and learn quickly before they are set on a path of increasing crime or lose their own lives.
    Do people with addiction need help? Yes, of course! The current opioid epidemic is terrible. I have sympathy for those who have lost loved ones because of it. But rather than enabling this sin, let us rid our streets of drugs and make it rare through zero-tolerance enforcement.
  • No Homelessness. Homelessness should not be allowed in our cities. There is help for people to avail themselves to get off the streets—and more work needs to be done here. Dealing with the drug problem first will aid significantly in this area. Those who are homeless should be registered (just like law-abiding citizens are “registered” with driver’s licenses, social insurance numbers, and so forth) so that persistent violators can be dealt with.[3] Cities that provide “sanctuary” for the homeless or illegal migrants quickly become dangerous cities. A zero-tolerance policy will lead to safe cities.

Long-Term Solutions

Of course, the short-term solutions above aren’t going to remedy every problem. There are deep-set problems in our society because it has moved away from God and the principles of his word. For true societal transformation, we need the Holy Spirit to change hearts through the power of the gospel. We need more preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, declaring him Lord over all and the Savior of mankind, and calling people to repentance and faith.

One of the other areas that needs to be remedied is the breakdown of the family. The government cannot fix this issue. The public safety problem is a family problem before it is a societal problem. More specifically, we need righteous fathers. Failures in society and education can be traced back to the family, and failures in the family can be traced back to the failure of fathers. Is it any wonder that the Bible puts so much stress on fathers leading their homes with righteousness and shepherding the hearts of their wives and children? Oh God, give us men!

But more primal than the failure of fathers is the failure of religion. Churches, for the most part, are not preaching the Christ of Scripture. The church must exalt Christ, boldly proclaim the whole counsel of God, and equip fathers and the family to live faithfully in this world. Judgment begins in the household of God. As the pulpit goes, so goes the church. As the church goes, so goes the family. As the family goes, so goes the world. We need revival and reformation in our churches, in our families, and in our cities. May God be gracious to give us hearts to call upon his name and yearn for his saving power and righteousness in our day and in the days of our children.

—Tim Stephens

[1] The city is adding 65 transit peace officers to the beat, with 12 of them having graduated late last month, while also improving CCTV and lighting coverage on LRT platforms.

[2] These sites become havens for drug dealers and bring crime to the area. Those who supervise the sites wish to teach people how to use hard drugs safely. This is an oxymoron.

[3] I cannot drive around the city without a driver’s license. I cannot setup a tent in a park without a permit. Why should not the same standard apply to all people?

Superheroes & The Christian Family

I admit this is sort of an odd topic to read on. It is certainly not what you might find typically discussed in a theological newsletter. But, as a dad of two young boys, I have pondered the subject on more than a few occasions, and no doubt others have as well. This being, the influence of superheroes in a Christian family. Or, to put it in the form of a question, should Christians, and their children, be introduced to the world of Marvel and DC?   

I watched a lot of superhero TV shows when I was a kid. I was never a comic book guy, as that was a bit before my time, but I loved watching Spiderman and Batman on TV. Ridiculously action-packed episodes of these heroes taking out hordes of bad guys practically without breaking a sweat. It’s what all the boys at my age were into. We’d talk about them at school, pretend to be them, and I’m pretty sure all my pajamas were themed after Spiderman.

So, naturally the verdict for me as a dad would be to introduce them to my boys. I enjoyed them, why shouldn’t they? What’s the harm? They were a source of fun and entertainment for me as a child, I can only assume they’d be the same for them, right?

Now, I admit the internal conflict here as Christian father. We want our boys to be masculine in a modern and twisted age. Society tells them they should cry more and get in touch with their feminine side, and we’re looking to root out that thinking with positive examples. And superheroes (at least most of them) are pretty masculine examples. They fight evil, stand for what is good, they even rescue damsels from imminent peril.

But the big question we must consider, and especially us fathers, is are they the best examples? Well, I don’t believe they are, and here’s why.

The Illusion Problem

One of the biggest issues with the influence of superheroes in the lives of our boys is the illusion factor.

Superheroes are not real, they are fake. They are fictional tales about make-believe characters. But more than that, what they do and what they accomplish are completely unreal and outrageous. Who they are cannot be copied or reproduced. Being able to fly around the world or punch through a wall may sound pretty cool, but those are often their most desirable characteristics. Their lives and decisions may provide the odd nugget of virtue here and there, but they are still a total mirage.  

Now, you might ask, “Well what about characters like Aragorn from Lord of the Rings, or even the children from the Narnia series? They’re fictional, and we expose our kids to them. What’s the difference?” This is a great question, because I do believe there is a difference. Though the above characters may be engulfed by a world that is fictional and even participate in some fanciful things, they are not categorically unrepeatable as examples. The entirety of what a superhero does is outlandish make-believe, whereas characters like these are not necessarily engaged in, experiencing, or making decisions that our children would never experience. In fact, much of what they do or achieve in these stories can be similarly sought after, with a little bit of contextualization. There is a whole lot more life-long substance to be offered here than in a superhuman who dresses up to fight crime.

I’ll put it this way, when we expose our children to the world of Marvel and DC, we are giving them heroes that are wholly imaginary. You might even say outright silly. But what I think is especially significant, is that not only are we giving them imaginary examples to look up to, we are teaching them to live in a dream world. A phony reality. Instead of a hero little Johnny can properly emulate and strive to be, he is taught that it is better to just dream about being a vigilante with spider DNA who doesn’t even exist.

This is the same principle that has made video games (and even pornography) the financial empire that they are today. They’re a dream world, an alternate reality, even a very masculine alternate reality. Men waste away their lives as their pixelated alter-ego, doing the things they dream to do and being the man they dream to be. I bet you didn’t know that the average gamer today is 40 years old. It just goes to show how consuming this all can be.

This is because, like superheroes, this virtual world taps into our God-given desire to conquer and exercise dominion. Men want to fight, build, create, and advance good, most of which are the predominant themes in Call of Duty. Only, instead of truly exercising dominion, one is 36, unmarried, and living in their parents’ basement.

All that to say, I think superheroes can instill a kind of illusion mindset into our children, a mindset that we at least have to begin to discern carefully. Marvel teaches our kids not to strive for true strength and virtue in life, but to settle for the dream of them instead.

The Idolatry Problem

My second issue with the example of superheroes is the problem of idolatry. And this goes hand in hand with what I’ve just said just prior.

All of us struggle with idolatry. It was John Calvin who said, “The human heart is a factory of idols.” In sin, we are inclined to look to something or someone to worship. Instead of running to God, the only worthy party, we go to other objects that suit our fancy and we believe to be superior (Rom 2:21–23). This is mankind’s malady, and certainly the malady within the hearts of little boys. At a young age they are particularly drawn to those things that catch their attention. If something is just incredible enough to them, it’s not hard for obsession to take over without proper guidance.

Consider then, the unique allure of superheroes. For little boys who love to compete, fight, and win (properly so), guys like Superman can practically make them go berserk. He is specifically tailored to all that makes a boy a boy: a manly character who is immensely strong and widely recognized. The only difference is that this caricature is beefed up on steroids to a completely unbelievable level. What boy could resist that kind of hero?

I remember witnessing this in the life of my 2-year-old son. All it took was a couple of episodes of the old-school Superman for him to be hooked. For months it felt like the only person he wanted to be was Superman. I even made the tragic mistake of motivating him to eat his vegetables with the hope of being strong like this superhero. I’m still feeling the fallout from that at the dinner table.

Now, there’s some clarification needed here for sure. A Christian family can be exposed to superheroes and not idolize them. This is of course true. I’m not saying it’s inherently evil to watch a Marvel movie (although it’s definitely painful). However, what I am saying is that we must be mindful of the characters that we introduce to our children and the intensified personal investment that can develop with superheroes in particular.

Another clarification: it’s also not impossible for our children to idolize a good and reasonable hero. George Whitefield for example, a great man of the faith, can also be idolized without proper care. For that matter, so can anyone: a friend, a father, or a pastor. But this is often an issue that can be exacerbated, or properly managed depending on who they are exposed to. Batman is a hyperbolized masculine fantasy and Whitefield was a real man, with real sin, who preached Christ with power.

I believe the introduction of superheroes in the lives of our boys will naturally come with an increased opportunity for idolatry. If we decide to go this route, we must be aware of the pitfalls and navigate their exposure with great care and moderation. Of course, you could save yourself the hassle and avoid them altogether.

An Alternative

Let me suggest an even better option: exposing our children early to real heroes. Those men and women who accomplished great things for God, and even gave their lives for him. There is no shortage of stories we can share with our kids that provide tangible examples to look up. These will foster their desire for true heroics: the service of King Jesus, as opposed to a counterfeit.

If you haven’t watched the Torchlighters series, you can do so here. These are a compilation of episodes accurately depicting the stories of missionaries and martyrs in cartoon form. You can also check out various book series such as Christian Heroes Then and Now and The Trailblazers. These are excellent resources for family worship or even just regular story time.

And if you’re interested in fantasy, there’s always The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. They’re fictional of course, but their characters are far more relatable than superheroes and provide positive examples and principles that can be patterned.

– Alex Russell

Christian Reflections on the “AI Spring”

A 1980s desk with a computer on it with the words 'AI Spring' on the screen.
This image was generated by AI with the prompt: “A 1980s desk with a computer on it with the words ‘AI Spring’ on the screen.”

We’re in a period of history called the AI Spring or AI Boom. Less than a decade ago money and effort went into developing artificial intelligence software—this trend continues today. With the increase in computing power and other technological advancements, we’re seeing the beginnings of an AI race with companies and countries seeking to capitalize on this new technology—its full potential remains unknown.

Is AI a useful tool? Is this a nefarious plot by bad actors? Should Christians avoid it or embrace it? Will it impact my life? What do I need to know? These are important questions and ones that I want to begin to answer in this article and future ones.[1]

What is AI?

Whether you have familiarity with computer programming or not, most can understand the basics of how computers work. A computer uses a series of instructions (or code) and outputs text, graphics, or audio based on those instructions. These instructions are written by computer programmers who write code to handle all the logic, handle human inputs (mouse clicks and keyboard presses), and then instruct the computer what to display on the screen, store on a disk, or send to another computer or device. Complex programs or applications involving millions of lines of code are used in every aspect of our society. Phones, computers, telephones, televisions, automobiles, appliances, banks, stores, and governments are all dependent on computers running software written by programmers. We’ve all experienced when applications crash or produce unexpected results—and typically we blame our computer—but the computer simply does what a human being tells it to do. It is a simple machine—a glorified calculator. It doesn’t think. It simply follows the instructions given to it.

AI takes a different approach to the instruction-based approach to computing. Sparing the technical details, AI software seeks to mimic how a brain works by constructing a neural network that can “learn.” Traditionally, computer programs store their information in databases and instructions are given to retrieve the desired information or manipulate it. But AI attempts to mimic the mind rather than mimic a calculator. These AI models are then fed information which creates connections in the neural network much like a brain works in a living creature. These can be connections between words, images, or other pieces of information.

In this way AI is software that must be trained with a body of knowledge (we have plenty of this thanks to the internet and the digital age) and with human trainers. Once trained, the AI software is designed to receive inputs (like text or images) and then generate output that is not pre-programmed or coming directly out of a database or file. Rather, it mimics a mind that can take basic concepts and mash them together to create something unique and unforeseen.

Examples

OpenAI is leading the charge in the AI race. They are the ones responsible for ChatGPT which awakened the world to the power of AI. They’ve developed an image generator based on ChatGPT that you can see examples of here: https://openai.com/dall-e-3. Most recently, they have announced Sora which creates incredible videos with a text prompt. You can see videos generated here: https://openai.com/sora.

I did my own ChatGPT test and asked the AI powered software some theological questions.

Me: “Write a one paragraph summary of the Christian doctrine of the Trinity.”

ChatGPT: “The Christian doctrine of the Trinity asserts that there is one God who exists eternally in three distinct persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are believed to be co-equal, co-eternal, and consubstantial, meaning they share the same essence or substance of deity while maintaining distinct roles within the Godhead. The Trinity is a central tenet of Christian theology, emphasizing the complex yet unified nature of God as revealed in the Bible.”

Me: “Write a paragraph outlining the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

ChatGPT: “The evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is primarily derived from several key historical sources and factors. First and foremost, the New Testament Gospels, written by eyewitnesses and early followers of Jesus, provide detailed accounts of his crucifixion, burial, and subsequent appearances to his disciples. These accounts include specific details such as the empty tomb, encounters with the risen Jesus, and transformations in the lives of the disciples following the resurrection. Additionally, the testimony of early Christian leaders and martyrs, who were willing to endure persecution and death for their belief in the resurrection, lends further credibility to the event. Furthermore, archaeological findings, such as the discovery of early Christian tombs and inscriptions, corroborate aspects of the Gospel narratives. Finally, the rapid growth and enduring impact of the early Christian movement, despite intense opposition, are seen as indirect evidence of the reality of Jesus’ resurrection. Collectively, these historical, textual, and circumstantial pieces of evidence form a compelling case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

It should be noted that these answers from ChatGPT are not pre-programmed. The software is not looking up a Wikipedia article or copying this answer from another text or internet source. It has been trained by thousands of sources and has put together this answer from the parameters in its neural network.

The Impact of AI

The extent to which AI will affect our lives is uncertain at this point. I’m convinced that it will revolutionize how we live our lives. I believe, like the invention of the automobile and the computer changed the world as we know it, continued advances in AI technology will do the same.

You might not like it. You might be unsure of it. But it is here and here to stay.

Already it has begun to revolutionize certain industries. Photos and videos, which would take many hours to compose, can now be generated by text prompts into AI in a matter of seconds or minutes.[2] Other industries like customer service, web development, and programming will also be changed as AI models continue to improve and generate content much faster—and in some cases better—than a human can. There will be applications in the medical field with doctors and surgeons relying on AI to plan and execute medical procedures and treatments. Publishing will be affected as AI generates text and functions as an editor. Politics will be affected as fake images or videos will be harder to identify. Self-driving vehicles will likely use AI to navigate and control the vehicle. Robotics, security, and manufacturing will also be affected.

In the end, there will likely be many sectors of our economy that will be rearranged as AI replaces existing workers. Just like the industrial revolution, it will be a painful transition for many people whose livelihoods will be directly affected.

When the dust begins to settle, will the impact of AI be good or is it dangerous? Like most things, this isn’t black or white. Let me consider the dangers first, and then the good before offering final reflections.

The Dangers

Those at the forefront of developing AI understand the risks and dangers of the software they are designing. I appreciate that they are seeking it mitigate potential problems, but we need to be aware of them. I’ve already mentioned the economic impacts, but here is a list of some of the dangers of AI technology:

  • Security risks from privacy concerns and facial recognition could be exploited by overbearing governments, companies seeking to make money, or bad actors with ill motives.
  • Bad actors will use AI to breach security barriers, commit crimes, promote sexually explicit material, and even potentially engage in cyber warfare between countries.
  • AI has already had issues with false information. Recently Google had to park their Gemini AI software for its woke bias and embarrassingly false information.[3] This reveals that those who train the AI have a bias and can skew results, making them unreliable as a tool.
  • We can stop learning and thinking. When we become dependent, we lose our independence. With the advent of calculators and computers, math proficiency has suffered. Consider how dependent you are on your phone. Technology can easily replace our own learning and thinking skills.
  • We can be lazy and cheat. People have already used ChatGPT to write essays or school assignments. It would not surprise me if even pastors have used it to create sermons. Edit: After a quick search, there is already an AI bot that writes sermon outlines. Very sad.
  • We lose discernment. When you read something, you should consider the source. As AI improves, we can be lulled into trusting the software to provide accurate and reliable answers. How can we compete with something that can read and learn from 80,000 books while you take the time to read this one article? I’ve experienced doctors come into a room and look at the machines and charts, and decide about treatment without ever looking at the patient! We can lose all discernment and critical thinking by depending on machines.

The Good

While there are dangers to this new technology, there are many advantages as well.

First, it is a testament to the creativity that God has put within man. This new technology bears witness to the ability that man possesses to think God’s thoughts after him. Scientists have studied the brain and are now attempting to mimic what God has designed. Similar insights have been made in flight and other man-made technology by mimicking what God has already designed in the natural order.

This shouldn’t alarm or scare us. God’s creation will always be the standard and the pattern for man’s creativity. Consider a camera, it is based on the eye and attempts to mimic what the eye can do. While a camera today is complex and sophisticated, it still doesn’t come close to doing what the eye can do. AI will have a similar result. It will fall short of what God has designed. The student cannot exceed the master. The creature cannot surpass the Creator. However, we should not recoil that man is doing what he has been created to do—exercising his creativity and imaging forth the Creator of heaven and earth.

Second, we should have no fear about AI becoming a true intelligence or reaching self-awareness or personhood. God has given us a soul. We are more than the sum of our parts. We might be able to create a (rudimentary) model of the brain, but we are powerless to breath into that brain the breath of life. While AI can and will be able to do tasks better than a human being, it will never surpass humanity.

Third, AI is an excellent apologetic for God as Creator. It confirms what we see everywhere in nature—intelligence begets intelligence. There is no way that a software model like this came about by chance. Likewise, our minds—many magnitudes higher in complexity—did not come about by chance. The fact that we can design and create is a testament to God’s design of the universe.

Fourth, AI will increasingly be a tool to make our lives easier. It will be used to tackle tedious or dangerous jobs. Like a calculator or computer, it will be a useful tool to increase productivity and efficiency. It will be a beneficial aid in medical treatments, communication, travel, and economic development. There is much potential here that remains to be seen.

Concluding Reflections: What should a Christian do with AI?

Christians should not be Luddites. We should not think technology is inherently bad or something to be feared and resisted. You might not like it, but it is here.

Christians should also not be technophiles, ready to adopt every new gadget on the market.

As Christians, we should exercise discernment, and consider how this new technology will affect us and how it can be used for the glory of God. Today there are people considering how this technology will make them rich, help them commit crimes, or gain them some advantage. We should be considering how this might be used to advance the light of the knowledge of God in an age where darkness pervades.

More to come…

—Tim Stephens

[1] I find myself in a unique position as one who has a Computer Engineering degree and worked as a software developer before my conversion to Christianity and my current vocation as a pastor.

[2] We’ve used AI to generate images for our emails and sermon series graphics. The image for this article was generated by AI. Also, my recent sermon series on Ruth and the Sovereignty of God both used AI to generate the series images and thumbnails.

[3] Gemini couldn’t decide who is worse for the world: Adolph Hitler or Elon Musk… https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-google-war-x-gemini-ai-chatbots-2024-2

Climate Change and Energy Prices

“This is an Alberta Emergency Alert issued by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

Extreme cold resulting in high power demand has placed the Alberta grid at a high risk of rotating power outages this evening.”

The Government of Alberta, January 13, 2024

On January 13, 2024, at 6:44pm every phone in Alberta buzzed and chimed with an emergency alert. We had all experienced a warmer than usual winter, but we had recently descended into a cold snap not atypical of Canadian winters. It bears repeating that cold temperatures in January are not unusual. What is unusual is when our government asks Albertans to limit electricity—including minimizing the use of space heaters, ovens, and block heaters for our vehicles.[1] You can’t get more basic than heating your home, cooking your meals, and starting your car so you can go to work or get other needed supplies. Energy prices were already soaring and now energy access is limited—right when we need it the most.

What is going on? Was a plant down? Was it weather related? No. It was public policy that did us in. We’ve shot ourselves in the foot.

Cheap Energy and Prosperity

It should not be a novel revelation that low energy prices lead to prosperity. I understand that people have gone crazy over emissions—as if CO2 emissions are the only indicator of good energy policy. Today’s messaging is clear that emissions will poison the air, pollute our water, spoil our food supply, and will eventually scorch the planet and end life as we know it. What you don’t hear is that cheap and plenteous energy leads to cleaner air, clean water, and a burgeoning food supply. Consider a Western hospital compared to one in a third-world country. What’s the biggest difference? Available and affordable energy. Air purification systems, unlimited clean water, climate controls, life-saving equipment, nutrition, and medicine require incredible amounts of reliable energy. The reason why we take it for granted that clean water comes out of our taps is because we have energy to make it all work. If a philanthropist wanted to aid malnourished people in Africa, he would set out to see energy become abundant and affordable. It must be acknowledged that our lives are comfortable because of affordable energy.

But that is changing.

With higher energy prices, our family started to use our wood-burning fireplace this year. This brought its own set of headaches from smells, dust, and extra work—but we need to stay warm in a Canadian winter. As more Canadians look for cheaper ways to stay warm, turning to less efficient methods will bring with it respiratory problems with more air pollutants in the home and less time being productive in other areas of life.

The ruling class wants us to use less energy by raising prices through taxation. But this energy tax will only lead to a lower standard of living. Higher energy prices will negatively affect access to clean air, water, and food—the necessities of life.

There is an unwarranted assumption that people are wasteful. As if we just love to leave all the lights on and be careless. As if we like to have the furnace going with the windows open when it’s negative 30 degrees. Who does that?

The ruling class believes that higher prices will move people from wastefulness to efficiency. But what if that isn’t true? What if we don’t leave all the lights on or waste power? What if we are home all day with 8 children? What if we need to drive to work because we live in Canada and can’t ride our bikes 40 kilometers in the winter snow? Why forgo the convenience of cars and switch to public transport which can be unreliable, slow, expensive, and even dangerous?[2] Are poor people with heavy tax burdens the model of efficiency and productivity? To ask the question is to answer it.

If we cannot tax our way into efficiency and productivity, what is driving this policy that is driving up energy prices and making Canada a worse place to live in? Is it wasteful Canadians? No. These climate policies are religiously motivated.

The Climate Cult is the Problem

We’re being told that human-caused climate change is the problem. That is a lie. It should be acknowledged by everyone that humanity has a negligible impact on earth’s climate. (Possible exceptions to this rule include the hair-brained ideas of blocking the sun from space or using aerosols to create clouds.)

How did the ice age start and end? Do scientists understand this? Was humanity a significant factor? What about the Little Ice Age? What about the Medieval Warm Period? These major periods of warming and cooling were before fossil fuels gave us cheap energy and dramatically improved our quality of life.

If earth’s climate has been warming and cooling apart from human influence, why are we punishing ourselves to “save the environment”? Of course, the ruling elites are not impacted by their austerity measures foisted upon the commoners. Can we not say it is unfair that those who make life altering decisions do not have their lives altered?[3]

People who think “science” is going to win the day don’t realize the battle we are in. The science of male and female is clear, isn’t it? What’s complicated about biology or genetics? Today’s science is about as settled as jello. The issue is not science at all. We don’t know what a woman is today because our society has embraced a sexuality cult. Religion informs science. Today, religious ideas of emancipation from creational normativity into a new utopian vision of self-actualized identity trumps the chromosomes of XX or XY. The new secular gospel is a promise of salvation through recreation where we become gods manipulating the external world to bend to our internal desires. Fortunately, this new religion is untrue. It cannot deliver. It is a fable. It is hocus pocus—words without real power. But it is still dangerous and is ruining lives.

Christianity is the Answer

The climate debate won’t be settled with white papers published in academic journals. It won’t be settled with more evidence—we have enough already. The climate debate is downstream from religious convictions. The Climate Cult, with its false prophets making their doomsday prophecies, is built upon religious principles that ape the gospel but pervert, corrupt, and twist the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It must be the truth—Christ himself—that will set us free (John 14:6; 8:32).

It must be Christ, or it will be the Climate Cult. Common sense is downstream of humility and submission to the precepts of our Creator. We live in a religious world—that much is inescapable. Only the true religion, one that honors the Son and pays homage to the King of kings and Lord of lords can bring sense and clarity to a world in chaos. Salvation is from the Lord.

In Christ, fear of the future is allayed. Genesis 8:22, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

In Christ, creation is not worshiped but reveals the glory of God. Psalm 19:1, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”

In Christ, we are stewards of creation and are called to cultivate and be fruitful to his glory. Genesis 1:28, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

In Christ, this world will be purged of sin and death. Christ will reverse the curse and usher in the new heavens and new earth where his will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Revelation 21:5, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Don’t be taken by the Climate Cult, see Christ as the rightful heir and ruler of the earth. The principles of his word will bring salvation and salvation forevermore.

—Tim Stephens

[1] The alert specifically mentioned these uses of electricity. See https://www.alberta.ca/aea/cap/2024/01/13/2024-01-13T18_44_42-07_00=AlbertaEmergencyManagementAgency=1489313F-98D9-4737-8FA1-E84EB73520EC.htm

[2] “Calgary Police Service experienced a considerable increase in calls for service at LRT stations since the end of 2021. Between Jan. 1 and May 31, calls for service increased from about 3,800 in 2022 to more than 5,700 in 2023. While calls from the public increased slightly, 70 per cent of the calls are from officers” (https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/why-did-this-happen-to-me-calgarians-caught-up-in-transit-violence-1.6466549).

[3] It must be noted at this point that in God’s economy, responsibility and accountability go together. But not according to the new religion.

A Needed Conversation about Religious Persecution in Canada

“The lessons of July 1, 1535, are relevant to the project that the Fathers of Confederation began here on July 1, 1867. Representative democracy, our heritage of liberty and the rule of law—all this depends upon a correct understanding of the proper spheres of authority and the limited competencies of state authority.

Saint Thomas More suffered martyrdom because he insisted that there was a limit to the King’s lawful authority, namely that he had to respect the freedom of the Church, guaranteed by the very nature of the State and the nature of the Church. These ancient principles were recognized in the first article of the Magna Carta, which guaranteed the Church’s freedom. When Henry VIII’s Parliament voted him Head of the Church, it exceeded its competence. It was a law, but not lawful, for it violated justice. It did not give to the Church its due, and granted to the King what was not his due.

A State cannot endure in ‘all peaceable freedom and tranquility’ if it does not recognize the due limits to its power. We have seen repeatedly in our own time that states that claim unlimited power over all spheres of common life by that very fact limit, sometimes in brutal ways, the liberty, prosperity and peace enjoyed by their citizens.”

Can you guess who spoke these words? This was a speech delivered by Jason Kenney (pictured above) in 2014. You can read the entire speech here: https://www.convivium.ca/articles/conscience-versus-the-spirit-of-the-age/

Ironically, under Kenney’s leadership as the Premier of Alberta, in 2021, several pastors went to jail—myself included—for not ceding to the state what properly belongs to the church. The state has no jurisdiction to dictate the terms of worship or regulate the assembly of God’s people. Period.

For years governments around the world vainly attempted to stop a virus. While they failed to stop that spread, they did succeed in spreading something much more dangerous—totalitarianism.

By totalitarianism, I do not mean to directly equate socialist Canada’s ruling elites with non-democratic dictators. By totalitarianism I mean a government which believes it rules the totality of life, from economics, education, worship, and the family. For sure, in Canada, we have a softer totalitarianism than past examples. But is this more or less dangerous? It’s not as deadly, but it is more virulent! Is democratic, socialistic totalitarianism just a more polite way to swallow up every sphere of life? Any form of totalitarianism will harm society since it is a disorder of God’s intended design.

God has entrusted authority to fathers, to elders, and to the magistrates. These three basic spheres of the family, the church, and the state must submit themselves to our Lord Jesus Christ and understand their jurisdiction and the limits of their authority. (Christian, you should have this all down pat by now.)

You may ask, what gives me the right to instruct rulers in this regard? Shouldn’t I mind my business and stay in my lane? Pastors have forgotten something here. The church, of which I am called as an elder, is given the responsibility to speak the word of God directing the family and the state to honor the Son. The church has no power of coercion—it is the state that wields the sword—but the church has power of persuasion. It is my prayer that Kenney and others learn from the past—whether because of Thomas More, the Magna Carta, or COVID-19—and submit to the Lordship of Christ and his design for society.

—Tim Stephens

P.S. Pastors, let us not allow Jordan Peterson or Tucker Carlson be the main voice of sanity. Pastors must exercise their prophetic voice and be the public intellectuals to call the world to believe the gospel and obey Christ.

Does God Want Everyone to Be Saved?

It’s not uncommon for inquiring minds to ask: “Does God want everyone to be saved?” The answer might seem obvious to many but there are passages in Scripture that can challenge what we think about God and how he operates.

The Challenge

Proverbs 16:4 says, “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.”

Romans 9:17–18, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’ So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.”

Romans 9:22, “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, [could you object?]”

1 Peter 2:8, “They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.”

John 10:26–28, “You do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life.”

John 17:9, “I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

It is clearly taught in Scripture that God has decreed the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:9–10) and that no purpose of his can be thwarted (Job 42:2). “He does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35). Part of God’s plan for the ages is the eternal salvation of his people and the eternal destruction of the wicked. Through this plan God’s glory shines forth through his justice and power in judgment, and God’s glory shines forth through his mercy and grace in salvation (Romans 9:22–23). We could say that God desires to put all his glorious attributes on display in his creation—this includes his holiness, justice, grace, love, power, and wisdom. As Calvin said, God’s creation is the theater of God’s glory. No where is this more stunningly shown than in God’s judgment and salvation of sinners.

With this backdrop of God’s sovereign rule over every aspect of his creation, the question “Does God want everyone to be saved?” increases in complexity. If God desires to display his glory in judgment, then does he desire some to perish in their sin? If God desires all to be saved, does he make a decree that his desires will not come to pass? Does the sovereign God who can do all things thwart his own desires? [1]

The Point

Rather than raising more questions, allow me to get to the point. Here is how I would state the answer to the question “Does God want everyone to be saved?”:

God, in his perfect plan and according to his good pleasure, has chosen to glorify himself through graciously saving many sinners through Christ and justly condemning other sinners to suffer the penalty for their sin.

God is glorified in salvation and God is glorified in judgment (Psalm 96 speaks of both). All people deserve judgment. God, according to his mercy and grace, chooses to rescue some in Christ. In either case, his holiness, justice, power, love, and mercy will be put on display for him to receive all glory and honor.

The Text (2 Peter 3:9)

Yes, but what about passages that clearly say that God desires everyone to be saved? Two are popularly used in this regard: 2 Peter 3:9 and 1 Timothy 2:4.

Second Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” This seems clear and relevant to the question at hand. Let us consider together the context so that we understand this verse properly.

First, let me first quote the entire passage in its context:

“1This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.’ 5For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

8But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

11Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, 12waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! 13But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

2 Peter 3:1–13

A few observations are in order:

1. Look at who Peter is addressing. “I am writing to you, beloved” (v. 1). When he says “you” he is referring to believers to which he is writing (see also 2 Peter 1:1). I’ve highlighted this group in bold.

2. Look at the “they” Peter is warning of. These are the scoffers who believe the Lord will not return. I’ve highlighted references to these “scoffers” with an underline.

3. Notice how the context is about Christ’s return in both judgment and the ushering in of the new heavens and earth. God’s patience (in verse 8) is a reference to the delay in his return. The “scoffers” believe that Jesus will never come back in judgment. But Jesus is delaying for a reason. He delays his return, “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

4. Notice how the text says in verse 9, “The Lord…is patient toward you.” The Lord is patiently waiting to return for “you”—the beloved—before his return.

Is he waiting for the scoffers to repent before he returns? Is he waiting for the entire world to repent before he returns? Since we have so many non-Christians alive today, is that preventing Jesus from coming back? Is he waiting until everyone alive is a Christian before he returns?

The text is clear that he is waiting for his beloved. In other words you could render it this way: Christ’s return is delayed since he is “not wishing that any [of you] should perish, but that all [of you] should reach repentance.“

Consider the implications of this verse. If Christ returned before Peter wrote this letter, then some of those reading that letter would have missed out on the blessed hope. In fact, heroes of the faith like Athanasius, Augustine, Calvin, Whitefield, Spurgeon, and Edwards would also not be redeemed by Christ! But Christ delayed his return purposefully to see these—any many other of his beloved—come to repentance. Christ will not come again until the full number of his beloved is born and come to repentance and saving faith.

The Parallel

A parallel text to consider is Revelation 6:9–11. It says, “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, ‘O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.”

Notice the similarity in theme and language. Jesus isn’t returning to avenge the blood of the martyrs “until the number of their fellow servants…should be complete.” That is, Jesus is waiting until the full number of martyrs have died for the sake of his name before he comes to avenge their deaths.

Similarly in 2 Peter 3, Jesus is patiently waiting for all his beloved to come to faith in him. If he returned in the first century, then believers like you and I wouldn’t be part of the heavenly city. Don’t be dismayed by scoffers. He’s waiting for all his people to come to him and then he will return.

The Conclusion

While it is a common sentiment, the way this verse is typically proof-texted to express God’s desire to save everyone—but failing to accomplish his desire—is not consistent with the plan and purposes of God nor this text in its proper context. If God “not wishing that any should perish” is a reference to his desire to see everyone saved, then his purposes are regularly thwarted (contra Job 42:2). To understand the text this way leaves most concluding that human freedom trumps God’s purposes for the world. However, it is best to see that God’s plans are not thwarted and he accomplishes all his holy will—including the salvation of a multitude that no one can number which he foreknew before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4; Romans 8:29–30; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 1:9).

The Other Text: 1 Timothy 2:4

1 Timothy 2:4 says, “[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Again, this text is often cited as proof to the contrary of what I’ve argued above. But let us consider this verse in context.

“1First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 5For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. 7For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.”

1 Timothy 2:1–7

Observe:

1. Notice the context is Paul asking the church to pray. That’s the command that overarches this passage.

2. Notice how he gets specific by calling the church to pray for kings and other rulers so that the church might live in peace (v. 2).

3. Notice how Paul refers to “all people” in verse 1, “all people” in verse 4, and “ransom for all” in verse 6. What does he mean by “all people”? Does he mean every single person on the planet?

Let’s consider some other verses before we return to 1 Timothy 2.

John 3:26 says, “And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.’”

Was every single person going to be baptized?

Romans 5:18 says, “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.”

Does this verse teach universalism? Does every single person receive justification and life?

2 Corinthians 3:2, “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.”

Did he expect every single person living to read this “letter”?

It is important that we don’t jump to conclusions too quickly. With words like “any” and “all”, we must look at the context because with words like “any” and “all” there is usually an implied qualification (as demonstrated above). We want to read our Bibles in context from a grammatical-historical viewpoint. 

What I want you to see is that the context in 1 Timothy 2 necessitates that “all people” means all kinds or all types of people—theologians call this “all without distinction” as opposed to “all without exception.” That is, by all people Paul means Jews and Gentiles, masters and slaves, men and women—all kinds or classes of people. This fits well with every use of “all” in this passage.

We know this is the case in 1 Timothy 2 since he explains what he means by “all people” in verse 2 where he asks the church to pray for kings and those in authority. He affirms that Christ is the mediator of all men (v. 5), namely Jews and Gentiles—and even Gentile rulers! This would be scandalous to many Jews in the first century. Finally, we see Paul mention that he is an apostle to the Gentiles in verse 7. In context, Paul is calling upon the church to pray for all—without distinction—including Gentiles and Gentile lords.

No matter who you are, whether king or not, slave or master, there is one God for all.  He gave himself as a ransom for all (v. 6).  The “alls” in this context are referring to all kinds of people—we aren’t to be discriminate in our prayers—there is the same God and mediator for us as there is for kings.  ” For God shows no partiality” (Romans 2:11).

Therefore, when Paul declares, “[God] desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” we can say “Yes!” and “Amen!” God desires Jews, Gentiles, Scythian, slave, free, Barbarian, rich, poor, rulers, and subjects to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. From Scriptures already noted above, God did not desire every single person who’s ever lived to be saved, but “by [his] blood [he] ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9).

The Takeaway

Why is this discussion important? First, we want to be precise and accurate with God’s word and understand it as it is intended. Second, we do not want to view God as a sentimental, doting grandfather whose desires are constantly thwarted by his creatures. Rather, God accomplishes all his holy will. Third, we must understand that God’s salvation is gloriously gracious and worthy of praise and adoration AND that his judgment is gloriously just and worthy of fear and trembling.

—Tim Stephens

P.S. What about Ezekiel 18:23,32 where it says that God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked? We should understand that God endures “with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Rom 9:23). He delights in saving his people not in destroying the wicked. Yet he is resolved to exercise his justice and power (Rom 9:17).

[1] Some think that this “problem” is only a problem if you believe in sovereign election—i.e., Calvinism. However, this is a “problem” for every Christian. If you believe that God knows the future with certainty—and if you are a Christian, you do—then God created the world knowing with certainty that many would perish in their sin. He could create a world free from sin—this is the arrangement in the eternal state—but he has chosen not to. The question we all must grapple with is this: Why?

Pedophiles in the Church

I was asked recently to give counsel for a believer outside of our fellowship struggling to know how to relate to a person in their church formerly convicted of sexual crimes against children but now repentant. Sexual crimes have increased in our day of sexual perversion, and it is important that we know how to navigate such situations with grace, wisdom, and love.

What follows is the substance of my response, slightly edited for public consumption.

——

According to the Old Testament (OT), someone guilty of such an egregious sin should be put to death. The law of God operates on the lex talionis, eye for eye and tooth for tooth. It is true that Jesus warned the Pharisees about using this for personal retribution but the lex talionis remains God’s righteous principle for meting out a punishment to fit the crime. If sexual crimes against children are punishable by death in Scripture, they ought to be treated the same way today. This would make the situation you’ve mentioned—dealing with convicted pedophiles in the church—a non-issue. However, this is not the society we live in.

While some may question whether the OT crimes should still be crimes today, the criminal penalties of the OT do inform us of the severity of certain sins. Not all sins are crimes and not all crimes deserve the same punishment. If a sin was a crime that deserved the death penalty in the OT, you bet we should treat that sin with utmost seriousness today!

With that said, let me share how I would approach this as a leader in the church and then as a congregant.

As a Leader

First, as a leader, I would want some details about the nature of the offense. Things like severity, frequency, and when and how this took place are important in assessing future risk.

Second, I would bar this person from any kind of contact with children at church or with families from church in other locations (e.g., homes or other events). If he was not willing to abide, he would be asked not to attend the church.

Third, I would remind parents of their responsibility to protect their children. Parents must take this responsibility seriously as the church leaders cannot ensure the safety of every child.

Fourth, if the offense was serious, done recently, done while he was a Christian, or he was in a position of trust, I would inform the man that I will be telling the people of the church his past sin. This would be for the sake of the congregation and if he was repentant he would understand. Forgiveness can take place but consequences always remain. The scars of sin are still there even after forgiveness is granted. Protecting children is a higher priority than protecting the privacy or character of a pedophile.

In our church, we’ve had a few cases over the years. And when dealing with it like I’ve stated above most tended to move along quickly. We try to take this sin seriously and I would rather err on the side of being unwelcoming to a repentant pedophile than jeopardize the precious children of the church. Shepherds must be vigilant to protect the flock, especially the young and vulnerable.

As a Congregant

Now as a congregant, if I knew of a pedophile or just got a creepy sense—Mom’s are pretty good at sensing whether guys are creepy—I would start by making sure to educate my own children on appropriate behavior.

We’ve taught our children the following principles:

1. Be suspicious of adults who hang around with children or talk to kids rather than people their own age. This is inappropriate behavior and should be recognized as such.

2. Never go to the bathroom alone without an accompanying parent, sister, or brother.

3. Always say you have to ask your parents if someone offers you anything. We’ve trained our children with scenarios like going to pet a dog, or taking candy, or seeing something around the corner. We practice this with them so that they would not unwillingly be lured somewhere.

4. Never interact if someone has a phone or device and wants to show you something. Tell your parents right away. If families come to our home, no one is allowed on a device near our children. There have been awkward moments when we’ve had to tell people not to show our kids things on their phone (even though it may be innocent on their part).

5. We tell our children to speak with us about their friends or conversations they had at church. They should be looking out for each other and report if one of our children was playing alone or speaking to someone that may be inappropriate.

6. We tell our children about “bad pictures” and that they should turn and come to mom or dad right away (there is a good children’s book on this that we use called Good Pictures, Bad Pictures).

7. We teach our children that secrets are bad. Surprises are ok but secrets are not. Surprises are meant to be revealed, secrets are not. Anyone who tells you to keep a secret should prompt you to tell your parents right away.

8. We tell our children that if we are at church, our children should be in the same room or area as we are. They should not be off in a small room or in the basement while mom and dad are upstairs. Other children should warn us if this is the case and discipline follows.

9. At home, no play or guests are allowed in the bedrooms. In fact, we have toys, computers, etc, in common areas leaving bedrooms for changing and sleeping. We also put at least two children in each room for accountability. Whether young or old, single or married, it’s best to have a roommate.

10. At home there are no screens or devices in bedrooms. All screens are public with care taken as to what they are doing with much communication about what is on the screen. The Internet is not a right. Phones are not a right. These are privileges that should be used as a tool for the mature.

There are other principles that could be added to this list, but this gives an idea of the preparation that every parent should consider in our sexualized age. Pornography, sex abuse, grooming, are all real dangers. It is our responsibility as parents to shepherd and protect our children to live safely in a sexualized world.

Second, more specifically for the scenario of a pedophile at church, I would not allow my wife nor children to have any kind of relationship with this man. I will be courteous, but his sin has the consequence of removing access to my family.

Third, depending on the nature of the sin, I would exhort the elders to act (as I’ve noted above). If I felt unsupported in protecting my family, I would look for another fellowship. This would come after conversations with the elders about the care of children given the MANY cases of child abuse in the church that have destroyed too many lives (and good churches too), and a parent’s responsibility to care for their children over a man convicted of sexual crimes.

Conclusion

This is a challenging situation that we will increasingly face as sexual sin increases, sex for minors is normalized, and criminal prosecution and penalties decrease. The church must be a place of grace but also must take sin seriously.

 “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (Ephesians 5:3).

Trinity Survey Results

I want to say thank you to everyone who filled out the survey. Roughly 1/3 of our congregation completed the survey. This has been helpful to me to pick an area of focus for a research project and sermon series that I’ll be preaching in March, 2024. We’ll be considering the person of the Son from John 1 and John 5 and how that helps us see the triune nature of our God.

I wanted to share the survey results publicly. I’ve added my own comments to each question. I’m not able to comment exhaustively in this post but I hope this will pique your interest and cause you to look more carefully at our God who has made himself known to us.

This question tells me that the orthodox understanding of the Trinity is nearly universally accepted. God indeed is one yet has revealed himself in three persons. John Gill, an ardent defender of the Trinity, says, “there is a Trinity of Persons in the Unity of the divine Essence.”

The keyword in this question is “eternally.” This has been hotly debated in recent years. A controversial teaching within evangelicalism known as the Eternal Subordination of the Son (ESS) or Eternal Functional Submission (EFS) argues that the Son is eternally subordinate to the Father. Clearly there is subordination of the Son in the incarnation, but whether this is an eternal subordination has been rejected and soundly refuted by most theologians. As a result, very few theologians defend ESS or EFS today but it is a common belief in the pew.

Questions 3 & 4 reveal that many believe that the ancient creeds are important but there are many who do not know what those ancient creeds contain. This can be a problem in modern times when we aren’t familiar with the conversations and battles that were fought in previous years to refine our understanding of Scripture. Our forefathers in the faith provide language, nuance, and dealt with errors that continue to crop up. It is best if we understand how the Spirit worked through them to lay a foundation upon which we stand.

This question is a little tricky. It is true that God is seen in what he does, but he cannot be defined by what he does. That is, the economic Trinity (the roles of Father, Son, and Spirit in salvation) do not necessarily tells who God is from all eternity. Historically, theologians have made distinctions between who God is in himself, and what God does.

Most answered this correctly. God has one will. To affirm that God has three wills is to affirm tritheism and not the Trinitarian God of Scripture. It is important to the ESS or EFS controversy to maintain that God has one will. Subordination in the Trinity implies more than one will, yet God is one. (It is true that in the incarnation, the person of Christ, with his human will, submits his will to God. Yet, the triune God has one will.)

The eternal generation of the Son is indeed a biblical doctrine. This language was made famous by Augustine but is rarely taught today. The eternal generation of the Son describes how the Son is from the Father from all eternity. He is eternally begotten but not made. Where this is found biblically, and its consequence will come out later in my sermon series (for keeners, see John 5:26 in context).

Glad to see that most people understand that the Trinity is relevant and practical. As a bonus you should ask yourself, “In what ways is knowing God as triune practical?”

This is a question that touches on the recent ESS (EFS) controversy. Many mistakes have been made in conceiving God as a reflection of society or persons. While it is common to think that hierarchies reflect the Trinity they do not since God is not a hierarchy in himself.

It seems to me that Pentecostal or charismatic theology has impacted the evangelical world at this point. They maintain that the Holy Spirit is neglected today. However, we do not see in Scripture the Holy Spirit being worshipped in the same measure and manner as the Father and Son. Rather it is the role of Christ to make much of the Father and it is the role of the Spirit to make much of Christ. Consider prayer. Prayer is made to the Father, in the name of the Son, and through the power of the Spirit. Prayer is Trinitarian by nature. It doesn’t become Trinitarian when we pray equally to all three persons. Our worship is Trinitarian when we worship the Father because of Jesus through the Spirit who mediates the presence of God. For more on this, Jesus’ teaching on the Holy Spirit in John 14–16 is helpful.

In March, I’ll be preaching a three-part series on the Trinity looking at John 1 and John 5. May the Lord use his word to build his church and increase our knowledge and love of him.

Tim Stephens

Emergencies Act Abuse

In a landmark decision, a federal court determined that the Canadian government’s use of the Emergencies Act (formerly known as the War Measures Act) was unconstitutional. The Act gives the federal government extraordinary power to handle national emergencies. The judge determined the use of the Act to end the trucker convoy was ultra vires (“beyond the powers”), or quite simply, illegal.[1] The truckers were protesting the government’s abuse of power, and now a federal judge has ruled that the government abused their power to stop truckers from protesting their abuse of power. Got it?

The legal and political ramifications of this decision continue to be discussed and time will tell the full impact this ruling will have. What I want to do is consider how Christians should think regarding this decision. What does this mean for the church of Christ? What lessons can we learn?

Let me offer five points of reflection and application:

1. This is vindication.

The witnesses of the trucker convoy can testify that this protest was no act of insurrection or national crisis. This was an act of (effective) protest after years of government overreach and abuse. How do you get the attention of a government that refuses to listen? Answer: You fill the nation’s capital with tractor trailers and honk! To add to the power of the protest, wave Canadian flags, set up bouncy castles, sing the national anthem, pray together and listen to street preaching.

The Trudeau government refused to listen to the concerns of the truckers (and many other Canadians) whose lives and livelihoods had been adversely affected after years of health mandates—most pernicious were those coercive vaccine mandates. Rather than listen, the government invoked the Emergencies Act which turned our nation’s capital into a police state more reminiscent of Nazi Germany than the free and democratic society Canada wants to be known for.

With that background, this court ruling offers some vindication to those who said the government was abusing their power. They abused their power and they got caught. In fact, both the Alberta lockdown orders and now the use of the Emergencies Act were declared illegal by the courts.

This is not only vindication legally but also for Christians who supported the truckers. Many evangelical leaders siding against the truckers cited Romans 13 as justification to comply with the governing authorities. But they failed to properly consider that our governing authorities were themselves accountable to the law. If the governing authorities break the law or violate the charter, it is incumbent upon lesser magistrates, like police chiefs (and even pastors), to say “No!” Christians who supported freedom were chastised by other Christians are scofflaws and rebellious. It turns out that it was our governing authorities who were the scofflaws and rebellious. We should understand this by now: by no means does Romans 13 compel Christians to submit to unjust laws. Rather, Christians must stand for justice even if they suffer heavy personal consequences.

2. It’s a small victory among a string of losses.

Freedom has eroded in Canada. The courts are not always on the side of truth and justice. Our brothers and sisters at Trinity Bible Chapel have lost multiple appeals and were forced to pay large fines for contempt and breaking the Reopening Ontario Act. This small victory does not alter the trajectory of our nation. Enthusiasm in this court decision must be tempered because the worldview that cast our country into lockdown ruin is still thriving. Canada remains a haven for cultural Marxism, multiple critical theories, communistic socialism, big government, and a militant secularism that wants to eradicate our Christian heritage. This may be a victory in court, but the evil one still uses the public schools, universities, colleges, media, entertainment industry, and government to wage war against the ultimate standard—God’s standard—of truth and justice.

We must remember that real and lasting change won’t come through the courts but through changed hearts as people in our country repent of sin and unbelief and submit themselves to the rightful heir of the universe, Jesus Christ. He is the great judge who will render the final and ultimate vindication when he finally rids the world of sin and death.

3. The silent church must speak up.

The trucker convoy happened because the church remained silent. Before the vaccine mandates and travel restrictions came down heavy upon the truckers, the government restricted the church. Before they went after the physical body with vaccine mandates, they shut down Christ’s body with worship mandates. If the church stood and spoke to resist lockdowns there would be no attempt to coerce vaccination through punitive government measures. Pinching a little incense now will lead to greater sacrifices later.

When James Coates went to jail in early 2021, that should have been the rallying cry for the church to stand and speak. If all the churches were open on that Sunday, the tyranny would have been over on Monday. So many revere the truckers as heroes (and they are), but this could have been the spotlight on the church of Christ. It could have been the church in Canada that was recognized around the world as defenders of liberty and bold to stand against government overreach.

This is not to say that many Christians did not speak up. There were many Christian undertones to the convoy. But the church, and pastors leading them, are not standing to provide the needed spiritual guidance for the spiritual battle that is taking place. Even famous atheists are recognizing that there is a spiritual battle taking place. Where is the church?

If attention was brought to the church, as it continues today for the truckers, then society would be talking about the lordship of Christ and the centrality of Christianity to freedom. Rather than similar trucker convoys around the world being the voice of freedom, it would be the global church doing the same. This was a missed opportunity for the church to bear public witness of the beauty and truth of the Lordship of Christ over all. May this not remain a missed opportunity but a lesson learned with repentance and a commitment to the future defense of justice and truth.

4. We need Christians in all areas of public life.

This court victory before the backdrop of eroding freedom calls not just the church, but individual Christians to live by and speak of Christ’s lordship in all areas of life.

We need Christians in places of prominence and power. Lawyers, judges, members of parliament, members of provincial legislative assemblies, doctors, educators, and every other field and position of influence. Some people, even many Christian leaders today, think this a scary prospect. But why would anyone want to exclude from positions of power those commanded to “do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (Phil 2:3)? Why would we think it bad to have Christians as societal influencers when they are commanded to love their neighbor as themselves? Christianity, more than anything, has been the greatest force for societal good this world has ever seen! Christians need to stop apologizing and making concessions to evil to have evil-minded people think them loving. Christians need to fulfill the cultural mandate and be workers in God’s creation to advance truth, beauty, and goodness.

Christians must live the Christian life in the public sphere and churches must equip them and disciple them in their calling. The church feels comfortable telling fathers and mothers how to live in the home. The church needs to be just as comfortable telling men and women how to live in the culture or in business and politics. Rather that a society submitted to DEI (diversity-equity-inclusion), we need a society submitted to timorem dei (the fear of God). Christians must desire and labor to see all of life yielded to the lordship of Christ.

5. We must prepare for future conflict.

Conflict is inevitable. We live in a world that resists Christ and his advancing kingdom. There are overt enemies of Christ and his gospel. There are counterfeits that ape gospel truth, promise salvation, but send nations to hell. There are many antichrists in this world which pretend to be friends of Christ but are in fact his enemies. We live in an age of antithesis, darkness versus light.

How should one prepare for future battles? Here are a few suggestions:

Take your family to a biblical church that preaches the gospel every week and consistently heralds the absolute lordship of Christ over everything. Get involved. Make friendships. You need the church and the church needs you.

Get your home in order—build a Christian home. Persevere in family worship. Sing the psalms. Pray daily. Read God’s word. Teach your children. Feast and celebrate. Practice hospitality. Order your home for the benefit of the church and the city you’re in. Strong Christian homes make strong Christian churches which are a powerful force for good in a world gone bad.

Don’t spend hours a day in doomsday news. We know it’s bad already. Do something good. Live for Christ where you are. Get involved in living the Christian life in the world rather that flipping through postcards of other Christians out there in the battle.

Have joy. Remember Christ our conquering king has defeated death and rose from the grave. He is presently ruling from the right hand of the Father. He will hold you fast. He prays for you even now. He will receive the reward for his suffering. He will win the day. Christ is our light and song. Take heart and be joyful. Christians must be people with swords and smiles.

Tim Stephens

[1] The COVID health mandates in Alberta were also ruled ultra vires. The health mandates were enacted illegally and therefore not binding nor any prosecution that depends upon them. In brief, it was an illegal use of the law by the ones entrusted to keep the rule of law.