Commenter suggests: I should “apologize to all the people [I’ve] lied to over the years, and then shut down this blog.”

A commenter here at this blog took issue with what was written in this post and then proceeded to suggest that I “apologize to all the people [I’ve] lied to over the years, and then shut down this blog.”

Since this person has been commenting at several sites I have had over the course of ten years, I asked him:

But then…if I did as you requested…what would you do with yourself when you no longer have me here to give you the opportunity to rail against the True God of the Bible?

Luk 10:16

“He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

When Jesus was asked “who is my neighbor?”

See Luke 10:29-37

Back to my comment:

I was awoken last night at 11:30 p.m. because one of our dogs was agitated and barking. He most likely heard a coyote howling in a nearby yard. I turned on the outside lights, waited a bit, looked around the yard with my flashlight and then let the dogs out to do their business. Sometimes it’s difficult to go back to sleep after that, so while I made myself a cup of tea, I checked my email and saw his comment.

[Note: Visitors can scroll down and read the entire comment HERE.]

This is what I thought about saying to him while I was drinking my tea last night:

Wow…for someone who holds equal hatred towards the True God of the Bible (and rejects His Son, Jesus Christ for salvation) as well as the false god of Islam, how could you know what true, genuine, agape love is and what is required of us in return?

Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?

Jeremiahs 17:10 – I, the LORD search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

About the love issue.  The Bible tells us:

Jhn 15:13
 
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

 

Continuing with what I wrote in answer to that comment:

 

Rejection of this greater love puts you and all who reject Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in the same boat.

As for the likes of Zuckerberg? I would never trust a person like him who labels his so-called “followers” on FB as “dumb f***s” and plays “god” over them by manipulating them in various ways via the site; as well as his blatantly evil use of employees to be told to spy on FB users and misuse his “authority” in order to control their free speech as well as dismissing their privacy concerns.

The pride of life is the oldest sin in the world. It is especially egregious when it’s used against God and used as a weapon against His redeemed.

I would suggest that you also read Jeremiah 17:11-13.

Jeremiah 17:14 has some advice for both you and him.

This morning, I watched the final sermon in an awesome series about “The Seven Churches of the Revelation” by Dr. David Jeremiah entitled, A Look Into Heaven.

I am often amazed that the Lord provides for me the right answers to situations that I encounter.  I am humbled when He graciously leads me to His Word to counter statements that non-believers might say or write against me.

In this instance where you would accuse me of “going off the rails” and tell me “to apologize and shut this blog down,” I’d have to say that the look into heaven that I heard this morning gave me an even better perspective (and answer) than the one that I just shared above. God has a great way of doing that for His own!

Now, I’m sure that you would not take the time to watch the entire segment. But I place a link to it here for anyone who reads this thread and would like to view and hear the sermon. Dear readers! If you do take the time – you will be truly blessed today!!!

I came away from hearing and listening to that particular sermon and the following verses came to my mind.  They certainly compliment the Scriptures that have already been shared and add far more wisdom than my initial response.   I praise my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ for enabling the Holy Spirit to lead my mind to them!

Pro 1:7

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Psa 111:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.

Pro 9:10

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Hat tips to all links.

Trump and the Message of the Cross

Found the following blog article yesterday and it’s a really good read! Thought that visitors here might like to read it too.

Donald Trump and the Message of the Cross.

Excerpt:

The cross is everything.  The cross is what unites us.  That is where our spiritual journey begins.  The cross is the whole story.  To not begin repentant, convicted, aware of sin, in need of redemption, is to not even be aware of why one might need a Savior in the first place.  Faith without a Savior is not faith at all.  It is more like just free falling through the universe.

The NY Daily News reported that Trump “made up a verse” from the Bible. Read the article and judge for yourself. It sounded like a paraphrase but I thought it was funny how the reporters there jumped on him about it.

Also, the news commentators are claiming that Trump “misquoted Scripture” during his speech at Liberty University. He said “Two Corinthians” instead of Second Corinthians.” That’s not misquoting Scripture! It is merely saying the reference incorrectly! I have read elsewhere that they do say “Two Corinthians” in England.

The video doesn’t work at that link so readers can see it HERE.

I don’t particularly care for Trump as the next president, but I find that the media going apoplectic over his popularity is funny!   Plus, the establishment RINOS hate him, and he is getting Dem voters away from Hillary.

Trump is obviously a novice when it comes to Bible knowledge. Anyone can easily find a verse to fit ones’ audience.   But the fact that Trump stated that, “I’m Not Sure I Have Ever Asked God For Forgiveness” is troublesome.  Saying such a thing proves that he is so lost. Telling people that he “tries to be good” is sad because he probably thinks he can work his way to Heaven. When someone is so arrogant that they think they don’t need to ask for forgiveness then they are lost.

Even though I would take most anyone over Hitlery, from what I have seen, heard,  and read about Trump, if he wins we might, unfortunately, get stuck with another 0bama-in-disguise in 2016.

Concluding this post with Paul’s words seems appropriate:

1Co 1:17

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.

1Co 1:18

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1Co 1:19

For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” [fn]

1Co 1:20

Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

1Co 1:21

For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

1Co 1:22

For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;

1Co 1:23

but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks [fn] foolishness,

1Co 1:24

but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1Co 1:25

Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Co 1:26

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

1Co 1:27

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;

1Co 1:28

and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,

1Co 1:29

that no flesh should glory in His presence.

1Co 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—

1Co 1:31

that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.” [fn]

Hat tip: Insanity Bytes 2

Hat tips to all links.

Atheists With Dead Souls vs. God’s Wisdom

Every year at Christmastime there seems to be a new take presented in the war against Christianity.  This time, the perps want to appear “edgy,” “a little funny” or “provocative.”  Well, the Bible describes it as something else! Mainly, the term foolishness comes to mind!

Psa 38:5

My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.

Psa 69:5

O God, You know my foolishness;
And my sins are not hidden from You.

Pro 9:6

Forsake foolishness and live,
And go in the way of understanding.

o 14:24

The crown of the wise is their riches,
But the foolishness of fools is folly.

Pro 15:2

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly,
But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.

Pro 15:14

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.

Pro 19:3

The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the LORD.

Pro 24:9

The devising of foolishness is sin,
And the scoffer is an abomination to men.

Ecc 7:25

I applied my heart to know,
To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things,
To know the wickedness of folly,
Even of foolishness and madness.

Ecc 10:13

The words of his mouth begin with foolishness,
And the end of his talk is raving madness.

Isa 32:6

For the foolish person will speak foolishness,
And his heart will work iniquity:
To practice ungodliness,
To utter error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry unsatisfied,
And he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

Mar 7:20

And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man.

Mar 7:21

“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mar 7:22

“thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness.

Mar 7:23

“All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

1Co 2:14

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 3:19

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; [fn]

1Co 3:20

and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” [fn]

1Co 3:21

Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours:

1Co 3:22

whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours.

1Co 3:23

And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

That about covers it…

Man has lived in darkness and needed a way out!

I was thinking about the differences between the colors known as black and white. Often, the question arises about whether or not they are actual “colors.”
Color Matters gives us the answer:

The answer to the question – “Are black and white colors?” – is one of the most debated issues about color. Ask a scientist and you’ll get a reply based on physics: “Black is not a color, white is a color.” Ask an artist or a child with crayons and you’ll get another: “Black is a color, white is not a color.” (Maybe!)

There are four sections on that page that present the best answers.

In line with the purposes here, I would like to share one of them.

1. Black is the absence of color (and is therefore not a color)

Explanation:
When there is no light, everything is black. Test this out by going into a photographic dark room. There are no photons of light. In other words, there are no photons of colors.

2. White is the blending of all colors and is a color.

Explanation:
Light appears colorless or white. Sunlight is white light that is composed of all the colors of the spectrum.  A rainbow is proof. You can’t see the colors of sunlight except when atmospheric conditions bend the light rays and create a rainbow. You can also use a prism to demonstrate this.

Fact: The sum of all the colors of light add up to white. This is additive color theory.

The Bible discusses darkness (black) and light (white). We can start with Genesis:

Gen 1:1

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Gen 1:2

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was [fn] on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

Gen 1:3

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.

Gen 1:4

And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.

Gen 1:5

God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

We see that the “light” was good (according to God) and that God divided the light from the darkness. At this point, man had not sinned, so “darkness” was not yet associated with sin, evil and death.

Since the Fall of Adam and Eve,

Note what is written in the book of Jeremiah:

Jer 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
And desperately wicked;
Who can know it?

I recall a non-Christian’s reaction to that verse when it was spoken of within a sermon while he was a visitor at our church.  Apparently, he rejects the fact that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.

After the sermon, I looked up the verse after it and he seemed pleased by this particular verse.

Jer 17:10

I, the LORD, search the heart,
I test the mind,
Even to give every man according to his ways,
According to the fruit of his doings.

I can only imagine that he thought this was a fair deal from God.  However, when Jesus came along He stated that something as simple as a lie causes us to be “of your father the devil.”

No wonder non-Christians often hate and reject Jesus!  Who wants to be told this?  No one!  But it’s the truth, nonetheless.

Jhn 8:44

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

We see from Psalm 92:15 that the LORD does not have any unrighteousness in Him.  He is upright.  He is my rock.

Psa 92:15

To declare that the LORD is upright;
He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

During this time, the world was still waiting for the Savior, the promised Messiah in Scripture.

The Bible says that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary.  He was later proclaimed by the Father to be God’s Son as he started his 3 year earthly ministry.   We read about this account in Matthew 3.

Mat 3:17

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

(More accounts of God the Father’s proclamation regarding Jesus being His Son at end of post.)

Jesus was with God the Father and the Holy Spirit (also called the Trinity) in the beginning.  At my former Talk Wisdom blog, I have shared how the Three Persons in One God is evident all around us within Creation in a post entitled, The Trinity All Around You.

We see the purpose of Jesus Christ being born sinless so that He had the power to take away our sins.

1Jo 3:5

And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.

We see that His death on the cross, the battle against darkness and evil in the grave, and His resurrection to life was for the purpose of saving us from the grip of the devil through the salvation  of our souls.

 

1Jo 2:2

And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

The darkness that we have known is passing away because the true light of salvation through Jesus Christ is already shining.

1Jo 2:8

Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.

Those who hate others (and we see such hatred leading to death almost nightly on the news) are in darkness!

1Jo 2:9

He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now.

1 John 2:10 describes how to stay in the light and avoid stumbling.

1Jo 2:10

He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.

So much of the killings, immorality, evil, sin, and death are perpetuated by those who hate and walk in darkness.  Why?  Because their eyes have been blinded by the darkness.

1Jo 2:11

But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

As Christians, we are to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Plant seeds in the hearts of others.  God does the saving!

I pray that the following link will help you:

How To Know God Personally

Hat tips to all links.

*******

Endnotes:

The Father proclaiming Jesus as His Son:

Mat 3:17	And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
	Mat 17:5	While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
	Mar 8:38	“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
	Mar 9:7	And a cloud came and overshadowed them; and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”
	Luk 9:35	And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son.fn Hear Him!”
	Luk 15:24	‘for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.
	Act 13:33	“God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.‘fn

Headlines Cause Us to Eagerly Await Christ’s Return for His Own

My blogging friend Black3Actual has two posts up that every person who happens to come to this blog should read today!

Oil For Your Lamp: UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE: God’s Love Will NOT Save You From Hell!

Within the post, Rob Bell is described as an “ex-pastor” who now falls more in line with those teaching heresy because this ex-pastor does not adhere to the full Gospel of Jesus Christ. As our author at the link excellently points out, Bell is more of an “itching ears” type of preacher. [See 2 Timothy 4:3-4]

Myths like Bell’s views do not save ANYONE. In fact, he is guilty of turning people to the wayside where they will miss the true totality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and thus end up lost for all eternity. It REALLY MATTERS who you listen to in this day and age of deception!

Next, Black3Actual wrote a post entitled News Headlines Affirm OYL Posts: Islam Working Toward End Of Days!.

Excerpt:

I have written about the importance of the black flags of Islam and how the Obama/Iran deal is setting the stage for Christ’s return.  I am fully aware that those who do not believe the Bible do not believe what I have been trying to explain, but I cannot help them.  They have chosen to remain willfully ignorant.  For those who wish to see and understand, the signs are coming more often and more clearly every day.  Just this week the news has started to affirm and support everything I have been trying to explain.  This story is just one such example:

Islamic State recruitment document seeks to provoke ‘end of the world’

Whether you believe in Bible or Islamic prophecy or not, ISIS does and it is working to bring about the fulfillment of their prophecies.  Ignoring them is no different from the Allies ignoring the clear declarations by Hitler of what he intended to do.

Read the rest: News Headlines Affirm OYL Posts: Islam Working Toward End Of Days!.

Oil For Your Lamp is a blog that I highly recommend as a daily read! Add the link to your favorites so that visitors to your own blogs will find this Holy Spirit led writer’s posts!

The Gospel of Christ can be revealed and understood by a child!

Mat 11:25

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

Mat 19:14

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”

Mat 18:3

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

However, once a person trusts in Christ and is saved, the next step is the study of Scripture (including knowing about end times prophecy) for it is a life-long endeavor!  We have “never arrived” while here on this earth regarding the Wisdom, Knowledge, Mercy, Grace, Forgiveness and the All Encompassing Love of God!  However, the Bible tells us that one day we will know!

1Jo 3:2

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

There are certain individuals who will not heed the warnings that Christians are sharing. However, we know that there will be (and are, right now!) a remnant who are born-again in Christ.  We also can celebrate the fact that there are Christians who are well-informed regarding Bible prophecy. We are heeding what Jesus told us regarding “the signs of the times” and sharing this information with the lost.

My hope is that there will be many more who are quickened by the Holy Spirit of God, knocking on the door of their hearts,  to come to repentance at the cross of Christ. Only His shed blood can… not just “cover” sins temporarily as was the purpose of the shed blood of unblemished animals in the Old Testament… but permanently take away our sins!  Belief in Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life;  for only He provides the mercy and grace in order to be reconciled back unto God.

Jesus Christ was the final sacrifice for sins, and His resurrection back unto life proves His claim that He is the Son of God, the Messiah who was long awaited throughout biblical history. Jesus Christ brings us back unto God for the “it is finished” forgiveness that we all so desperately need!

As we eagerly await Christ’s return for His own (the Rapture), we need to preach the true Gospel, watch for the signs of the times, work for His kingdom, and evangelize those who do not know Him. All that we can do is share the Gospel, as Jesus instructed us to do just before His ascension into heaven.

It is God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, who ultimately does the saving!  He will be with us ALWAYS – even unto the end of the world!

Hat tip:
Oil For Your Lamp

Please see:

How To Know God Personally.

The Bible and same sex relationships: A review article.

There is a very interesting essay written by Tim Keller at Redeemer Report: The Bible and same sex relationships: A review article.

Keller wrote this report in answer to the two most vocal “gay” Christian authors who have written their own books on the subject.

Excerpt:

Vines, Matthew, God and the Gay Christian: The Biblical Case in Support of Same Sex Relationships, Convergent Books, 2014

Wilson, Ken, A Letter to My Congregation, David Crum Media, 2014.

As Bible-based Christians, we need to be armed with biblical arguments against those (especially “gay Christians!”)  who are trying to create their own  ideological case in support for that which is clearly forbidden in Scripture.

Several weeks ago, I started to listen to a rebuttal against Matthew Vines, whose self-identification label is listed as a “Gay Christian.”

I must admit, this man’s discussion was quite refreshing because he spoke of those who oppose his views with cordial respect.  This is entirely unlike the radical homosexual activists who verbally blast, hatefully abuse, erroneously sue, and viciously disparage Christians (or anyone else) whose deep religious beliefs encourage them to hold to God’s idea of marriage as being between one man and one woman.  The video I was watching was very, very long, and I did not complete it. Perhaps I can locate it again and share a link to it within this post for anyone interested in the back and forth between Vines and the biblical marriage traditionalist.

For now, here at Talk Wisdom I will share some significant excerpts, including the subtopics being discussed at the Redeemer.com site. You can follow the link above to read the entire essay.

Excerpts:

1.  Knowing gay people personally.

In this portion, the idea that homosexuality is a sin that cannot be forgiven by God is shown to be incorrect, (and  THAT incorrect notion could also be considered a form of bigotry) but it can’t be used to say that Scripture approves of homosexual behavior.

So I say good riddance to bigotry. However, the reality of bigotry cannot itself prove that the Bible never forbids homosexuality. We have to look to the text to determine that.

2.  Consulting historical scholarship.

This is highly significant! Read it all at the link, but here is the conclusion based on the evidence:

I urge readers to familiarize themselves with this research. A good place to start is the Kindle book by William Loader Sexuality in the New Testament (2010) or his much larger The New Testament on Sexuality (2012). Loader is the most prominent expert on ancient and biblical views of sexuality, having written five large and two small volumes in his lifetime. It is worth noting that Loader himself does not personally see anything wrong with homosexual relationships; he just — rightly and definitively — proves that you can’t get the Bible itself to give them any support.

Mr. Loader should be commended for his honesty!

3.  Re-categorizing same sex relations.
The following argument is one that is used quite extensively by homosexual activists. However, as you read through the complete section at the link, you will find that the need to “change their interpretations” in today’s era because views changed against slavery is not supported by evidence.

A third line of reasoning in these volumes and others like them involves re-categorization. In the past, homosexuality was categorized by all Christian churches and theology as sin. However, many argue that homosexuality should be put in the same category as slavery and segregation. Vines writes, for example, that the Bible supported slavery and that most Christians used to believe that some form of slavery was condoned by the Bible, but we have now come to see that all slavery is wrong. Therefore, just as Christians interpreted the Bible to support segregation and slavery until times changed, so Christians should change their interpretations about homosexuality as history moves forward.

[But] historians such as Mark Noll (America’s God, 2005 and The Civil War as a Theological Crisis, 2006) have shown the 19th century position some people took that the Bible condoned race-based chattel slavery was highly controversial and never a consensus. Most Protestants in Canada and Britain (and many in the northern U.S. states) condemned it as being wholly against the Scripture.

David L. Chappell in his history of the Civil Rights Movement (A Stone of Hope, 2003) went further. He proves that even before the Supreme Court decisions of the mid-50s, almost no one was promoting the slender and forced biblical justifications for racial superiority and segregation. Even otherwise racist theologians and ministers could not find a basis for white supremacy in the Bible.

So we see the analogy between the church’s view of slavery and its view of homosexuality breaks down. Up until very recently, all Christian churches and theologians unanimously read the Bible as condemning homosexuality. By contrast, there was never any consensus or even a majority of churches that thought slavery and segregation were supported by the Bible.

Wilson, Vines, and many others argue that same-sex relations must now be put into this category. Since we see that there are sincere Christians who disagree over this, it is said, we should “agree to disagree” on this.

However history shows that same-sex relations do not belong in this category, either. Around each of the other items on Wilson’s list there are long-standing and historical divisions within the church. There have always been substantial parts of the church that came to different positions on these issues. But until very, very recently, there had been complete unanimity about homosexuality in the church across all centuries, cultures, and even across major divisions of the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant traditions. So homosexuality is categorically different. One has to ask, then, why is it the case that literally no church, theologian, or Christian thinker or movement ever thought that any kind of same sex relationships was allowable until now?

One answer to the question is an ironic one. During the Civil War, British Presbyterian biblical scholars told their southern American colleagues who supported slavery that they were reading the Scriptural texts through cultural blinders. They wanted to find evidence for their views in the Bible and voila — they found it. If no Christian reading the Bible — across diverse cultures and times — ever previously discovered support for same-sex relationships in the Bible until today, it is hard not to wonder if many now have new cultural spectacles on, having a strong predisposition to find in these texts evidence for the views they already hold.

What are those cultural spectacles? The reason that homosexual relationships make so much more sense to people today than in previous times is because they have absorbed late modern western culture’s narratives about the human life. Our society presses its members to believe “you have to be yourself,” that sexual desires are crucial to personal identity, that any curbing of strong sexual desires leads to psychological damage, and that individuals should be free to live as they alone see fit.

These narratives have been well analyzed by scholars such as Robert Bellah and Charles Taylor. They are beliefs about the nature of reality that are not self-evident to most societies and they carry no more empirical proof than any other religious beliefs. They are also filled with inconsistencies and problems. Both Vines and Wilson largely assume these cultural narratives. It is these faith assumptions about identity and freedom that make the straightforward reading of the biblical texts seem so wrong to them. They are the underlying reason for their views, but they are never identified or discussed.

4. Revising biblical authority.

Vines and Wilson claim that they continue to hold to a high view of biblical authority, and that they believe the Bible is completely true, but that they don’t think it teaches all same-sex relations are wrong. Vines argues that while the Levitical code forbids homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22) it also forbids eating shellfish (Leviticus 11:9-12). Yet, he says, Christians no longer regard eating shellfish as wrong — so why can’t we change our minds on homosexuality?

This is another very familiar argument.  In fact, several weeks ago a more liberal relative used the old “shellfish” argument with me in order to support homosexuality as now also being exempt from the laws in the Bible.

Tim Keller answers this argument masterfully!

Here Vines is rejecting the New Testament understanding that the ceremonial laws of Moses around the sacrificial system and ritual purity were fulfilled in Christ and no longer binding, but that the moral law of the Old Testament is still in force. Hebrews 10:16, for example, tells us that the Holy Spirit writes “God’s laws” on Christians’ hearts (so they are obviously still in force), even though that same book of the Bible tells us that some of those Mosaic laws — the ceremonial — are no longer in binding on us. This view has been accepted by all branches of the church since New Testament times.

When Vines refuses to accept this ancient distinction between the ceremonial and moral law, he is doing much more than simply giving us an alternative interpretation of the Old Testament — he is radically revising what biblical authority means. When he says “Christians no longer regard eating shellfish as wrong,” and then applies this to homosexuality (though assuming that Leviticus 19:18 — the Golden Rule — is still in force), he is assuming that it is Christians themselves, not the Bible, who have the right to decide which parts of the Bible are essentially now out of date. That decisively shifts the ultimate authority to define right and wrong onto the individual Christian and away from the biblical text.

The traditional view is this: Yes, there are things in the Bible that Christians no longer have to follow but, if the Scripture is our final authority, it is only the Bible itself that can tell us what those things are. The prohibitions against homosexuality are re-stated in the New Testament (Romans 1, 1 Corinthians 6, 1 Timothy 1) but Jesus himself (Mark 7), as well as the rest of the New Testament, tells us that the clean laws and ceremonial code is no longer in force.

Vines asserts that he maintains a belief in biblical authority, but with arguments like this one he is actually undermining it. This represents a massive shift in historic Christian theology and life.

5. Being on the wrong side of history.

More explicit in Wilson’s volume than Vines’ is the common argument that history is moving toward greater freedom and equality for individuals, and so refusing to accept same-sex relationships is a futile attempt to stop inevitable historical development. Wilson says that the “complex forces” of history showed Christians that they were wrong about slavery and something like that is happening now with homosexuality.

Charles Taylor, however, explains how this idea of inevitable historical progress developed out of the Enlightenment optimism about human nature and reason. It is another place where these writers seem to uncritically adopt background understandings that are foreign to the Bible. If we believe in the Bible’s authority, then shifts in public opinion should not matter. The Christian faith will always be offensive to every culture at some points.

6. Missing the biblical vision.

This section is my favorite part!  Why?  Because it presents a new argument (one that I had not considered until now) regarding God’s design for “complimentary things that [are] made to work together” and how the reason why God made us male and female really do matter – and are designed to work together!

The saddest thing for me as a reader was how, in books on the Bible and sex, Vines and Wilson concentrated almost wholly on the biblical negatives, the prohibitions against homosexual practice, instead of giving sustained attention to the high, (yes) glorious Scriptural vision of sexuality. Both authors rightly say that the Bible calls for mutual loving relationships in marriage, but it points to far more than that.

In Genesis 1 you see pairs of different but complementary things made to work together: heaven and earth, sea and land, even God and humanity. It is part of the brilliance of God’s creation that diverse, unlike things are made to unite and create dynamic wholes which generate more and more life and beauty through their relationships. As N.T. Wright points out, the creation and uniting of male and female at the end of Genesis 2 is the climax of all this.

That means that male and female have unique, non-interchangeable glories — they each see and do things that the other cannot. Sex was created by God to be a way to mingle these strengths and glories within a life-long covenant of marriage. Marriage is the most intense (though not the only) place where this reunion of male and female takes place in human life. Male and female reshape, learn from, and work together.

Therefore, in one of the great ironies of late modern times, when we celebrate diversity in so many other cultural sectors, we have truncated the ultimate unity-in-diversity: inter-gendered marriage.

Without understanding this vision, the sexual prohibitions in the Bible make no sense. Homosexuality does not honor the need for this rich diversity of perspective and gendered humanity in sexual relationships. Same-sex relationships not only cannot provide this for each spouse, they can’t provide children with a deep connection to each half of humanity through a parent of each gender.

This review has been too brief to give these authors the credit they are due for maintaining a respectful and gracious tone throughout. We live in a time in which civility and love in these discussions is fast going away, and I am thankful the authors are not part of the angry, caustic flow. In this regard they are being good examples, but because I think their main points are wrong, I have had to concentrate on them as I have in this review. I hope I have done so with equal civility.

Hat tip:

Redeemer.com

1Co 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, [fn] nor sodomites,

1Co 6:10

nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1Co 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

The Child Who Was Never Born Monument

Last night I saw this “monument to the unborn child ” and stared at it, speechless, for a while.  I could not decide whether or not to “like” the posted photo.  There were no words within the post, just this photo.

In my own mind I was thinking, if I “liked” the post, was I “liking” that there had to be a monument entitled, “The Child Who Was Never Born?”   Or, would  I  be “liking” the fact that it demonstrates unequivocally that ALL LIVES MATTER?

The fact that such a monument was created in order to share the grief of mothers who had their child in the womb taken away (for whatever reason) is an example to us all that all unborn children are precious in the eyes of God.

Those who adhere to the evil lie of a “woman’s right to choose” mantra have to, at the same time,  totally negate the rights of the helpless child (many also female) in the womb.  This shows, IMHO, how egregious the sin of abortion really is!  It is a LIE – sent from the father of lies!

This evil doesn’t only affect the death of the child in the womb, the regret, pain, suffering and extreme grief that many women endure for the rest of their lives after having an abortion is the second evil intent of the murderous, satanic deed of abortion.

I thought about commenting on the post last night, but something (or Someone?) told me to wait.

This morning, I now see why I was motivated to wait.

Read the article link below, take another look at that Child Who Was Never Born monument…and weep.

California AG to review group behind Planned Parenthood videos.

 

Investigating whether or not the group that exposed the selling of aborted baby parts rather than the egregious act of breaking the law that selling baby parts is illegal?  How convoluted is the thinking of programmed regressive totalitarians and their evil activities!

Difficult to read…but extremely disturbing and desperately sad to look at…isn’t it?

It’s unconscionable, and one day, they will all have to answer to God for their murderous sin!

Mat 18:6

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

Mar 9:42

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea.

Luk 17:2

“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

The only path to forgiveness that can be found for this sin, as well as all other sins, is through the blood shed for our sins at the Cross of Jesus Christ!

Rev 21:8

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, [fn] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
Rev 22:15

But [fn] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

1Co 6:9

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, [fn] nor sodomites,

1Co 6:10

nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

1Co 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Hat tip:
Truth 2 Freedom blog

Go With Confidence, Knowing Jesus’ Promises

I have learned over the course of my life that there may be bigger and better reasons why some prayers and requests asked of God are not immediately answered. When I look back, sometimes it was because I made the mistake of going to prayer later…after trying to do something on my own, in my own power, or through the advice of others.  These are not bad things mind you, but I have found that taking a task immediately to prayer works best – even when our prayers may not immediately be answered.

Any readers here motivated to share some examples of answered prayer requests?  Of course, many of us may still be waiting for such answers with confidence in our hearts.

I could give dozens of examples of answered requests through prayer in my lifetime!  One took over 34 years!  That was the prayer request I had for the salvation of my dad.  Others, were answered in less time.  One fervent and most urgent prayer request for someone’s health issue was answered on the same day that I had asked for it!  Praise Jesus!!!

This past Sunday at Life Mission Church,* [Update!  The video is now up for viewing!] Pastor Jobey led us in a study of the account in Matthew 15:21-28 where Jesus ministers to a Canaanite woman who came to Jesus with her prayer request for the healing of her demon-possessed daughter.

Canaanites are historic enemies of the Jews.  In this portion of Scripture, her request seems to be denied, but there is more going on behind the scenes.

This particular Canaanite woman knows that Jesus is the Messiah because she calls out to him as “Lord” and “Son of David.”

In Matthew 15:22, she asks Jesus for mercy and to heal her demon-possessed daughter.

In Matthew 15:23, “he answers her not a word.” The disciples urged Jesus to send her away, but Jesus had a bigger purpose in mind.

In Matthew 15:24 – But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

The Canaanite woman made her second request.

Mat 15:25

Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

Again, Jesus says something that might have turned the average person away.

Mat 15:26

But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”

The term “dogs” was a real insult in biblical times. But the woman did not react with her own feelings on the matter, she went with confidence, knowing His promises!

Mat 15:27

And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”

The Holy Spirit worked in her mind, but not on her feelings! She pressed in because she knew that Jesus was (and is) the promised Messiah, so she continued with her request because of her knowledge of the promised Messiah!

Mat 15:28

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

What a great message to us today when we feel down and want to quit! Isaiah 41:9-14 brings us back! Why? Because we are His servants!

Notice how the sovereign silence of God worked out to be divine withholding to whet the appetite of the Canaanite woman for the True Bread of Life! She refused to leave!

We know that the God of Israel came for the Jews. But Gentiles were coming to the God of Israel!

Pastor Jobey put up a graphic with two circles. One circle represented Ethnic Israel. The other circle represented the Gentiles.

Romans 1 shows us that all Gentiles have fallen short. Romans 2 shows us that all Jews have fallen short. Romans 3 makes clear that ALL have fallen short.

So who is it that is worthy to be saved? Who is the “remnant” of Israel, the true, faithful Israel worthy to be called a child of God? There is only One, and it is Jesus.

And yet, it doesn’t stop there. Now, through the gift of God’s grace, anyone who calls upon the Name of the True Israel can be saved and become part of the Remnant of Israel. Jesus, through the keeping of the Covenant God made with His people, now allows anyone to hide themselves in Him to receive the full blessing of sonship.

This plan of redemption for both Jew and Gentile was not Plan B. God, from the foundations of the earth, had always planned to save a people from every tongue, tribe, and nation, and call them “My people.”

John 10:16//Ephesians 2:11 – 3:6

 

I did some additional research on the Canaanite woman’s encounter with Jesus, and you can read about it in David Guzik’s Commentary. What stood out the most to me in that commentary, was this portion:

 

c. O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire: Her faith was great enough to receive her request – what she desired from Jesus.

– Her faith was great, even compared to her other virtues. She was humble, she was patient, she was persevering, she cared for her child. Yet Jesus didn’t compliment any of these good things, but only her faith.

– Her faith was great because it was unlikely. No one might have expected a Gentile to trust Jesus so much.

– Her faith was great because she worshipped Jesus even before she had an answer from him.

– Her faith was great because it had been tested so severely. It’s hard to think of a greater test than a demon possessed child; but her faith was also tried by the seeming indifference or coldness to Jesus.

– Her faith was great because it was clever. She turned Jesus’ word inside-out and made what might have been taken as an insult as a door open for faith.

– Her faith was great because it concerned a need right in front of her, and a real need at that. Many people have faith for everything except those things that are right in front of them.

– Her faith was great because it would not give up. She did not stop until she got what she needed from Jesus.

– You could say that her faith conquered Jesus. He not only healed her daughter but He did so immediately, something that she had not even asked for.

i. We read of nothing else that Jesus did during this time in Tyre and Sidon. It would seem that His only divine appointment was to meet the need of this woman of faith and her afflicted daughter.

In closing, we can ask:

What Does This Mean For Us?

We, too, were once dogs, unworthy of being called sons and daughters. But God indiscriminately gave His grace to us. Everyone is a candidate, and there is no one we should withhold the Gospel from. We need to examine our hearts, our prejudices, and our fears, nail them to the cross, and obey the words of Jesus, to “go and make disciples.”

Jesus is the Messiah!  Only He is worthy to save us!

Revelation 5:9-10

Only Jesus was worthy to take the scroll!

 

Hat tips to all links.

*Note: video of the message will be available at above Life Mission Church TV link this week.

“Weep no more, I see the coming of the Lord” – Canton Junction

As a true believer in Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord and King, the prophecies already fulfilled by Him as well as the promises in His Word that will eventually come to fruition, give me the greatest hope, comfort, joy, and peace. One day, Christ will come back and right all the wrongs that have been suffered here in this fallen world.

All believers across the centuries are called the Bride – the Lamb’s wife. He will take His own back to heaven and we will all partake in, and enjoy, the wonderful celebration called the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Because Christ has overcome the consequences of evil, sin and death, we can claim that He has overcome the world.

Jhn 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will [fn] have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

1Jo 4:4

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

1Jo 5:4

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our [fn] faith.

Unredeemed man’s inclination is to fear God. Some may claim to hate God. Others, just claim that He doesn’t even exist. Because we have been given free will, to those who reject God’s provision for redemption, He says, “so be it.”

One day, each of us will come face to face with Jesus Christ. The Book of Life will be opened, and each of us will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ (for believers whose sin has been covered by the blood of Christ and where rewards are given) or at The Great White Throne Judgment (where non-believers not saved by the blood of Christ at the cross will discover their eternal fate.)

People often scoff at the notion that Christ will one day return. They wonder why over 2 thousand years have passed, and still He has not returned. Well, it might be because to God, a thousand years is as a day, and a day is as a thousand years. God’s timing is not our own. There are reasons why Christ’s return appears eminent, but it is not going to happen until all that has been prophesied comes to fruition. The signs of the times certainly tell us that we are ever closer to His return.

2Pe 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, [fn] not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Rev 20:4

And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a [fn] thousand years.

 

Last evening, I finally convinced my husband to watch the docudrama “Four Blood Moons.” He loved it! In fact, he wants to view it again!

He now understands why I wanted to see it over and over again. There is so much to take in that additional viewings of the movie help one to better understand the history, Scripture, and science behind the phenomenon of the appearance of four blood moons (called a tetrad) during Jewish feast days.  The fact that remarkable scientific events concerning the people and nation of Israel throughout history,  as well as the fulfillment  of prophecy in Scripture, all combine to indicate that these are signs we should be aware of and pay attention to during the current tetrad that will be completed on September 28th – the date of the Jewish feast of Sukkot.

We have seen huge changes in our nation and across the world (especially when it comes to Israel and the threats she faces)  over the course of the current blood moon tetrad.  Is that just a coincidence?  I don’t think so.

Last night was my fourth viewing of this film.   Each time I see it, I pick up additional information that is not only educational, but also fascinating!

My previous posts on this subject can be found at this link:

Talk Wisdom: Four Blood Moons.

Hopefully, the theme song, “Weep No More” (which is the theme song for the movie)  performed by Canton Junction will play on this site.  If not, go to the YouTube link to view it.

Canton Junction: Weep No More

Weep No More lyrics:

Wring your hands in the dead of night
When the moon is black and the stars don’t shine
Pace the floor when the wind blows cold
You feel it piercing your weary soul
Go on and cry your tears
But when the morning sun appears

Don’t weep no more
Gabriel’s standing up to sound his horn
Don’t weep no more
I see the coming of the Lord

Like a thief at night, the Lord will come
And He’ll set right all the wrong been done
The lonely widow, the orphaned child
Will find their rest in a little while
More than blessed are the weak
For you will get what you seek

Don’t weep no more
Gabriel’s standing up to sound his horn
Don’t weep no more
I see the coming of the Lord

On a white horse
With a sharp sword
I see the coming of the Lord
Where the Lion’s roar
Opened heaven’s door
I see the coming of the Lord

Don’t weep no more
Cause Gabriel’s standing up to sound his horn
Don’t weep no more
I see the coming of the Lord

Like a thief at night, the Lord will come
And He’ll set right all the wrong been done

I see the coming of the Lord
The lonely widow, the orphaned child
Will find their rest in a little while

I see the coming of the Lord
I said I see the coming of the Lord.
I see the coming of the Lord.

Special dedication to my friend Steve at Cry and Howl.

Should Christians be involved with combating the moral decay that is currently raging in our culture?

God’s truth is eternal and Christian convictions must be commitments of permanence. Political alliances and arrangements are, by definition, temporary and conditional. This is no time for America’s Christians to confuse the City of man with the City of God. At the same time, we can never be counted faithful in the City of God if we neglect our duty in the City of man. That’s a good principle to remember as America gears up for a crucial political debate. – Albert Mohler

Before I get deep into today’s topic,  I wanted to first publicly thank and acknowledge my dear blogging friend Steve over at Cry and Howl for placing Talk Wisdom on The 2015 Cry and Howl Top 20 Conservative Blog Award list!   It was so kind of Steve to recognize this “little fish in the big pond” of blogs out there!

I highly recommend checking out the other blogs on that list!  Really great content can be found at those links and I also want to send congratulations to all the other bloggers on the Cry and Howl award list!

Of course, Steve’s blog is always spot on and influential in the crucial political debates between the truth of conservative thought and the lies of “the new totalitarians” that he often battles against in this highly charged political arena that exists today!

When you go to his site, you will notice that next to my blog name he wrote, “not wholly political.” I also appreciate him for writing that!  This brings me to the topic that I wanted to cover today.

Yes, Talk Wisdom often discusses various political, cultural, and moral issues from the Christian conservative perspective.  But this blog also exists for the additional purpose of sharing God’s truth in the Bible and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When I originally decided what the main goal of this blog would be, I wrote:

Talk Wisdom’s goal is to defend the tenets and values of Biblical Christian faith. We defend our Constitutional Republic and Charters of Freedom, especially when speaking out against destructive social and political issues. As followers of our Savior and Lord, we should boldly stand up for Jesus Christ in our present circumstances. He is our Savior, Lord, and King, and His love needs to be shed abroad in our hearts and in our world – now.

For anyone interested, let me share a bit of history about this blog (including the one I previously had at Blogger) and how I came to the decision to write the content that I write here at Talk Wisdom.

Back in October of 2005, Biola University held its first “God blog Conference.” It was three days that were jam-packed with information, instruction, discussion, and Christian oriented blog content awareness and suggestions.

The important question of whether or not Bible based Christians should be involved or engaged in politics; or just be salt and light in this dark world came up and was debated extensively. Many God bloggers were steadfast in their choices. Some just knew that they were “meant to share the Gospel and biblical principles alone” without getting into tiresome political debates. Others were convinced that it was their calling to draw attention to the political battles that are currently raging in our culture. It is certainly an interesting and valid question. Several prominent Christian leaders (and blog panelists) had different opinions on it and backed their views up with Bible verses.

During one class question and answer session, I recall stating that I wanted my blog to be one that discusses both Christian apologetics as well as how politics, culture, and moral issues can influence us; either positively or negatively.  The professor said something like, “that would be an impossible endeavor!” Apparently, he was of the opinion that it was too much to do within one blog.  Admittedly, it can be a difficult task to juggle all of those goals in one blog.  However, with all due respect to that professor, I came away from the conference with the steadfast decision that I was still willing to try!  Here is what I wrote back in 2009, five years after attending that first God blog Conference:

In 2004, I attended my first blog conference at Biola University. One of the speakers asked members of his class what each of our goals will be in writing Christian-based blog material. I stated that I wanted to write discernment articles that include the gospel of Christ while exposing how politics, culture, education, the media, and apostate churches battle against the Word of God and the message of the gospel. I recall that the professor told me, “that would be an impossible endeavor.”

Yet, here I am, five years later including all of the above with the discussions here at Talk Wisdom. I don’t quite know why the professor thought that way. Perhaps he thought that I should limit myself to apologetics and not include any criticism of the world around us. Or, maybe he worried that any “politically incorrect” approach might turn individuals away from the Gospel message. (Been there, heard that – MANY TIMES – even by some fellow Christian believers.) Perhaps I should have asked him why he thought such an endeavor was “impossible.” I didn’t get the chance to ask him. The session ended abruptly because we were out of time and he was surrounded by bloggers asking many questions.

The following is one of the great quotes of  C. H. Spurgeon:

The Church of Christ is continually represented under the figure of an army; yet its Captain is the Prince of Peace; its object is the establishment of peace, and its soldiers are men of a peaceful disposition. The spirit of war is at the extremely opposite point to the spirit of the gospel.

Yet nevertheless, the church on earth has, and until the second advent must be, the church militant, the church armed, the church warring, the church conquering. And how is this?

It is the very order of things that so it must be. Truth could not be truth in this world if it were not a warring thing, and we should at once suspect that it were not true if error were friends with it. The spotless purity of truth must always be at war with the blackness of heresy and lies.

– C.H. Spurgeon 1

1. Spurgeon, Charles, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 5 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1879), 41.

In my opinion, Spurgeon’s quote is ever the more relevant in today’s culture – even more so  than it was back in 2004!

As the graphic above implies – sometimes the truth hurts! However, secular society’s love affair for diversity (even at the expense of causing harm) and tolerance (today’s code word for never offending anyone – except Christians and conservatives!) doesn’t WANT to know any kind of truth that may initially hurt someone (emotionally speaking).

The trouble with the “new tolerance” mantra is that common sense is often sidetracked or even eliminated altogether.  Let’s see a non-political example.  Common sense tells us to grab the arm of a child and pull it hard to prevent that child from running in the street in front of a speeding bus! The truth of the need for rescue may hurt the child physically at that moment in time, but the lie of freedom to do what would harm him if he ran in front of the bus can end up killing the child!

Such an illustration is even important when considering spiritual truth. These days, telling someone who adheres to a false religion is detrimental for them and is not the truth given by God in the Bible may hurt a person’s feelings (at first); but the end result of them finding Jesus Christ and becoming a child of God through the biblical Gospel message brings eternal life that they would not have had without Him!

Spurgeon’s ending line is quite the keeper! It sums it all up in one brilliant sentence!

The spotless purity of truth must always be at war with the blackness of heresy and lies.

*******

Yes. The body of Christ contains many different members with different gifts. One person may be better at teaching children. Another, better at writing poetry or songs that honor the Lord. We all have certain gifts that maybe others don’t have. Some, genuinely may believe that they shouldn’t be involved in volatile political debates.

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that Bible based  Christians  MUST BE ENGAGED IN THIS BATTLE FOR MORAL PURPOSES.

Whether their contribution in such an effort means actually working in the political field or just assisting (and/or financial support) in the efforts of certain organizations (e.g. Concerned Women for America; Alliance Defending  Freedom – just to name two) that promote Christian morals, values and ethics; it has always been my opinion that we must not let the secular humanistic crowd overtake what we hold dear as American Christians who love God, Jesus Christ, and His Word, the Bible.

I read the following article back then and thought that it spoke directly to my thoughts, concerns, and beliefs of why I think that Bible based Christians must become motivated and involved in combating the moral decay that is currently raging in our culture.

Albert Mohler shares many good talking points throughout the piece.  The point that is especially important and desperately needed today is that Christians who are gifted in this particular area need to be willing to not only read and pay attention to the details, but also need to be willing to act upon them. Mohler sums it up quite well at the end of his article:

We are concerned for the culture not because we believe that the culture is ultimate, but because we know that our neighbors must hear the gospel, even as we hope and strive for their good, peace, security, and well-being.

This is no time for silence, and no time for shirking our responsibilities as Christian citizens. Ominous signs of moral collapse and cultural decay now appear on our contemporary horizon. A society ready to put the institution of marriage up for demolition and transformation is a society losing its most basic moral sense. A culture ready to treat human embryos as material for medical experimentation is a society turning its back on human dignity and the sacredness of human life.

Trouble in the City of Man is a call to action for citizens of the City of God, and that call to action must involve political involvement as well. Christians may well be the last citizens who know the difference between the eternal and the temporal, the ultimate and the urgent. God’s truth is eternal and Christian convictions must be commitments of permanence. Political alliances and arrangements are, by definition, temporary and conditional. This is no time for America’s Christians to confuse the City of Man with the City of God. At the same time, we can never be counted faithful in the City of God if we neglect our duty in the City of Man. That’s a good principle to remember as America gears up for a crucial political debate. * (bold mine)

No matter what you think your particular calling in this life is, as a born-again, Bible believing Christian it is also your duty to at least do something to help turn the tide of moral decay. This needs to be a top priority not only for ourselves and the ‘here and now,’ but even more importantly, for the sakes of our children and grandchildren and their future lives on this earth.

~  Christine

* Quote from Mohler article:

Engaging the City of Man: Christian Faith and Politics

by Albert Mohler
June 15, 2006

With thanks again to my kind friend Steve at Cry and Howl for including Talk Wisdom in the Cry and Howl Conservative Blog Awards for 2015!