Brain Implants: Doing the Unimaginable

Would you like to have a memory chip implanted in your brain giving you perfect recall? Or would connect your brain directly to the Internet? Scientists say brain implants may be as common as laser eye surgery in 10 years. Neuroprosthetics will become part of us, enhancing performance, changing how we perceive the world, and opening up possibilities heretofore unimaginable.

I couldn’t help but see the spiritual analogy. You and I already have an implant—the “mind of Christ” (1 Cor. 2:15). And although we ‘have’ His mind, we are responsible for employing it: “let the mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:15). That is, think as Jesus does, with “your mind on things above, where He is” (Col. 3:2). Just like those neuroprosthetics, the mind of Christ becomes part of us, changing the way we perceive the world, doing things heretofore thought unimaginable (1 Cor. 2:9).

Hard-pressed

Today marks the fourth week since my surgery for pancreatic cancer. The majority of the cancer—a tumor—was removed, along with parts of my pancreas, stomach, bile duct, and duodenum—not to mention removal of the gall bladder. It is one of the most invasive surgeries. And the post-operation recovery for this surgery requires absolute confinement. And in this word—confinement—there was/is a great spiritual application.

When Paul referred to his various afflictions as a servant for Christ, he said, “We are hard-pressed, but we are not crushed” (2 Cor. 4:8)—both words connoting confinement, narrowness, or, as one might say, “I’m in a tight spot.” For almost two weeks, I was confined by tubes, needles, and drainage pipes. But, thankfully, my confinement was temporary. And not only was it temporary, I knew it was a portal through which I would find greater freedom.

I am still somewhat confined—by a low energy level, by ongoing medications and treatments that will limit me for an extended period. But the words of the Psalmist have never been more real to me. “From my distress [Hebrew word means a ‘tight or narrow space’] I called upon the LORD, and He answered me, and set me in a large place” (Ps. 118:5).

Driving Without Blinkers

Do you know what kind of car the first century Christians drove? The Bible says they were all in “one Accord” (Acts 1:14). While that may be an especially corny joke, I will take it one corny step further and say it probably didn’t have any blinkers (turn signals).

There are many Scriptures where God commands “Do not turn to the left or to the right” (Deut. 5:32; 17:20; Josh 1:7; Prov. 4). Jesus' followers are warned to stay on the straight and narrow path (Matt. 7:14).

You don’t have to drive for long with the Lord to know it is not easy going straight in this crooked world (Phil 2:15); there are so many temptations to make a wrong turn.  And our enemy is only too ready to confuse us with false signs that will lead us in the wrong direction.  But not to worry! God promises to ‘drive’ them away just as He ‘drove’ out the enemies of Israel (Joshua 3:10). And I am convinced whatever He is ‘driving’ has no blinkers.  "Acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6).

Well then, call me a Fundamentalist!

In response to an editorial in USA Today last week (“The Truth about Evangelicals”), a retired United Methodist minister wrote the following to the editor:

“I am a Christian and consider myself an evangelical—if you mean someone who believes in propagating the Christian faith. But I don’t believe that Christianity holds all the keys to the kingdom of God. It is more appropriate to use the term “fundamentalist” rather than “evangelical” in speaking of those who think that Christianity is the only way to the kingdom of God and that the bible is infallible. Since two-thirds of the people on our planet are non-Christian, the fundamentalist would say these two-thirds will spend eternity in the fiery flames of hell. Many fine people are fundamentalists… But their philosophy of religion is extremely judgmental and exclusive.”

Would Jesus be called judgmental and exclusive today? Let His words answer that question. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me… Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (John 14:6; Matthew 7:13-14). In our 21st century, anyone who dares to have an exclusive claim on religious truth will be labeled judgmental and exclusive and narrow-minded. Count me in.