Such Was I

2016-02-06T16:54:00.001-07:00

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Who are you loving? Syrian Refugees

2015-12-04T16:42:00.000-07:00

I've seen many articles, though it seems to be settling down now, on why anyone who opposes the allowing of Syrian refugees into the West is not a Christian.

We are told about loving our neighbors and reminded about the Good Samaritan. I daresay, it's an extended, new version of WWJD.

But who are you loving if you think it's good to allow these so called 'refugees' in? Is it, in your opinion, wise to allow in people from countries with active and powerful terrorist groups? Why won't the nations around them denounce the terrorist activities and allow in people who fit their culture the best?

It's almost funny, if it wasn't such a dire situation, that ISIS basically shouted from the rooftops and spires that they were going to invade the West under the guise of refugees. And tens of thousands of refugees were welcomed into Europe with open arms. And what we saw as a result is day after day of atrocities. Violence, shootings, beatings, rapes, assaults, murders, bombings, shooting sprees...and it continues day after day. But we are told that it isn't Islam. It's just...I don't know what they are trying to make us think. That it's random? That these Muslims are just doing this for no reason and it's just a small group making the rest look bad? Okay then. So, we are told again that we have to let Syrian “refugees” into our nations in North America because it is the Christian thing to do. It is loving.

But...who are you loving?

Are you loving your daughters by putting them in danger? Are you loving the people around you by putting them in danger?

Do you doubt they would be in danger?

Sure, there are supposed non-militant or not extremist Muslims, but do you know what is taught them as the very fabric of their culture and being? Their thinking is alarming when it comes to women. Not only is their attitude toward their own women atrocious – raping and beating their wives to discipline them, and child brides – but their view of women in the west is a normal Islamic mindset for them. They seriously agree that all western women are fair game to rape. Hold on, not just women, but girls too. All western women are whores to them and are to be treated as such. This is not confined to militant or extreme Muslims, but to all Muslims It's their culture. Their way of life.

All Muslims are offended by western culture, whether they are militant or not. Yes, there are peaceful Muslims who have lived among us for years, but they are still offended. They still think the way they are taught under Islam. They still possess the same attitude for women and the disdain for western society as foreign Muslims do. The thing is, they have been a minority here. They are just biding their time.

Do you know there is a thriving slave trade in this world? Do you know who runs it? Islam nicely facilitates men to do this. The main contributor to American slavery were Muslims. It has ended in America, but children and adults all over the world are kidnapped and lost in this this slave trade (including sex trafficking). Watch your children.

This isn't speculation, this has been made known. But for some reason, no one has heard it, or no one wants to hear it.

Islam wants to rule the world. Islam will kill everyone who opposes it.

Islam has over a billion people in it's dark clutches and it has been far more cruel to those in Muslim culture than we've seen on those deemed infidels, and that is a lot.

I do not hate Muslims. I hate Islam.

So, let us move on to a different issue.

Who are you loving when refugees are allowed to come in?

Did you know that the people who are in extreme poverty who need actual help aren't able to leave their countries? Immigrants and refugees are not in extreme poverty and are able to gather all the resources needed to leave. Those who need the most help are left behind to suffer at the hands of whatever atrocity is causing those who are able to run to flee. And those who are left behind outnumber those who can leave by the millions.

Who are you loving when you demand we let in dangerous Syrian 'refugees' while the ones who need the most help are still way over in the Middle East?

Are you loving those people who need help the most by telling others that we need to let in refugees and immigrants and you don't bother to think about going where people need help? We are told to go. Not sit here and judge others about their lack of perceived Christian love.

Are you loving your family and fellow citizens by demanding they be put in danger? Is that loving your neighbor?

Who are you loving?

Is it loving to allow people to come in a do whatever they want? Is that loving them?

If you think being a good Samaritan is passively allowing in refugees, you are not seeing it properly. There are a lot of beaten and bruised people just hanging on to life in Syria who are not able to leave. Those are the ones who need help.

Who are you loving?

Who are you loving?

2015-11-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

This is the first in a series of articles I will be writing on this subject.

This is for those professing Christians who berate the church. Those who believe they know what Christianity is and what Jesus taught but it doesn't line up with the Bible. I warn you, this will be harsh. Are you willing to continue?

This is not aimed at those in the church who are truly saved. No, I don't know who you are, though there is evidence. Same with those who are not saved. I don't know who you are, though there is evidence.

I'm not doing this to point out who is or is not lost. From now on, I will refer to the sheep and the goats. The Bible refers to the sheep as those who belong to Jesus. The ones He has and will save. The goats are the ones who think they are saved but are false converts. This is not name calling, it is figurative language to make a point.

This is to the goats. But I hope all will read it, goat or sheep.

I'm tired of the sheep being beaten along with the goats.

I'm tired of the goats hijacking the church.

I'm tired of the goats being catered to while the sheep starve.

This is not a rant against the church. This is singling out a group within the visible church. The goats. These are people with a worldly mindset rather than a biblical mindset. These are people who claim the Bible is about socialism and that Jesus is a socialist. These are people who tell the church they are doing it wrong and give their own worldly solutions to problems like poverty and homosexuality. These are people who demand that we love. I mean, love in their way. The love that seems right in their own eyes.

The problem with what they think love is, is that it is the same thing the world thinks love is.

We are told to be tolerant. Unfortunately, that means embracing sin. The problem with this is, it doesn't mean actually loving people, it means loving sin. It means that a person will not confront the problem that is destroying someone. Tolerance is self preservation to the detriment of others.

It's difficult to think of so many people being told their sin is perfectly alright as they are being destroyed by it. And this is worldly love.

Isaiah 5:20-23

The goats demand that the government do what the church is called to do. Namely, socialism. They believe it is love and it is right to redistribute wealth. It isn't. That's theft. The government is not supposed to do charity. The church is. And they do. The goats demand others do it rather than do it themselves. Don't get me wrong, they think they are doing charity, when in actuality, it is acts of self righteousness that end up making things worse rather than better. It is devoid of the gospel and it merely makes people more comfortable in their sin. We are told that we have to march in gay pride parades and hand out condoms and clean needles to truly love people. They call this the gospel. They think this is what we are called to do. They tell us that we have to open wide the door to immigration to allow dubious so called “refugees” into our nations instead of going themselves to proclaim the gospel. They think this is loving our enemies.

None of this is love or the gospel. And they never are forced to put their money where their mouths are.

We are told that we have to be involved in the green agenda. That the environment is supposed to be protected and saved. At the risk of a rabbit trail, much of this is based on pseudo-science and theories that have never been proven and climate change is not man made nor can it be fixed by man.

Anyway, the environment is uplifted while abortion is ignored.

The sheep don't go about it in the way the goats want, so the sheep are accused of doing nothing. The sheep are accused of being unloving. They have no idea what the sheep are actually doing.

The goats think that the gospel is lived. That it is their actions. Their works. This is seriously incorrect. Their works don't save anyone. The gospel is God's work. His finished work on the cross. That is something that is proclaimed. Not something any creature can live out. To call our works the gospel is to proclaim our own self righteousness. And we know what God thinks of that. He finds that disgusting.

Isaiah 64:6

Our works have to do with the law. Love God with all we are and love our neighbour as ourselves. This is the summation of the moral law. It is the evidence of salvation. Our works in Christ support the gospel, help others, and glorify God.

Matthew 22:37-40

No one can live up to it. Everyone falls short. Christ alone lived up to it.

So, who are you loving? When you demand that the government provide social programs, who are you loving? When you demand that refugees from Syria be allowed to come in to our countries without question, who are you loving? When you demand that we embrace homosexuality as good, who are you loving? When you demand that we compromise to accommodate sinful lifestyles, who are you loving?

Love doesn't do wrong. It doesn't demand others do wrong. It's not prideful. It doesn't insist on it's own way. Love does not compromise loving God in order to accommodate what the world think is loving our neighbour.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

In Christ, we have the mind of Christ. This means we are able to reason and discern in a true way rather than using human reason and speculation and philosophies. We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds. We know that we cannot trust our own thoughts and feelings, we need to trust God's Word. This is diametrically opposed to how the world thinks and behaves. The church has people in it who have been told a false gospel and think they are saved but they still have the mind of the world. The worldly mind doesn't comprehend the truth readily or willingly, even. The worldly mind doesn't understand what the real solution to the world's problem is. The worldly mind thinks that making people comfortable is what makes everything better. It doesn't challenge wrong. It pursues happiness.

1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Romans 12:2

The solution is the gospel. We are called to confront the sin and evil that runs wild in the world. We find the sin in ourselves and we battle that. We know what sin does. We know it destroys forever. We know that God loves so much, so uncomprehendingly and infinitely beyond our understanding that He rescued us from sin. In order to saved, He has to do some very painful things. He has to kill our love of our sin. We have to be confronted with the painful truth that we are wretches in need of mercy. That we can't save ourselves or ever do enough to have eternal life. This is not comfortable nor is it happiness. It offends many people. They call it hate when their sin is confronted. They will fight and do anything to protect the sin they love. They hate those who tell them the truth. They first hated Jesus.

John 15:18-25

What good is it to be comfortable and happy in this world and then go on to suffer forever? What good is that?

Matthew 16:26

I wrote this, to tell the truth, because I was angry and fed up. But now, I do this for concern for your soul, goats.

I know many nice people, well meaning people who have rejected the truth. Who have undermined the Bible in order to lean on their own understanding. People who think that the church is unloving and hateful. That it is wrong to confront sin and proclaim the gospel.

I used to think that way. To my shame. Over the last few years, I have lost a lot of friendships with these nice people who mean well but do not know the truth and my heart breaks for them. With those who are still willing to speak to me, I can only have a shallow connection.

I write this to you, professing Christian. Who are you loving? Have you repented of your sin? Have you put your faith in Christ alone?

God's Encouraging Word to Women

2015-09-23T21:46:00.001-06:00

Many sermons on the role of women seem to be driven by putting women in their place. Not that there is anything wrong with that, many women do need to be put in their place and there is a need for that. But there are the rare sermons that are encouraging to women because the preacher recognizes how very encouraging the passages are that speak specifically on the role of women in the church. One example of this is God's High Calling for Women by John MacArthur. Another example, if I may, is the sermon my husband preached last Sunday.

Here are his sermon notes:

Let's open our Bibles together as we study God's Word.

1 Timothy 2:11-15 (ESV)

11 Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve; 14 and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. 15 Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.

These aren't the type of verses we like to put on coffee mugs or display on nice canvasses in our front entries.

But the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to correct rampant false doctrine among the church in Ephesus. And that same Spirit is using Scripture today for our instruction! I think I mentioned last time, the words are not comfortable, but they're also not unclear. As we study this epistle, I've been blessed (and challenged) by taking the expository approach – trying to explain God's Word one verse at a time. With Scripture as our guide, we won't miss anything that way!

So far in this passage we've seen Paul address the woman's appearance (v. 9), but more to the heart of the matter he brings up her attitude...her character. How it is to be marked by modesty, propriety, and moderation. A godly woman in the church would be ashamed to cause anyone to be distracted from the worship of God. He said that if a woman makes a profession of godliness, she should support it with good works. In other words, works will be the evidence of her profession. She is to learn the Scriptures. In her conduct in the church she is not to exercise the functions of teaching men or exercising authority over men.

[I would like to interject here and mention that Paul said a woman in the church must learn. Previously, women were shut out of learning the Scriptures for cultural reasons. This is one of many encouraging things that God calls women to do. His original intention was for women to also learn along side men. This was a great equalizing verse in Scripture back then for the original audience.]

This, we noted [previously], is a clarification of role, not a statement of inequality. I would point out that a personal sense, or 'feeling' of being called to pastoral ministry doesn't trump Scripture. We'll see again in chapter 3 that men are to take the roles of church leadership – and even then, not all men, but only a few.

“Women,” John MacArthur says, “must stop believing the Devil's lie that the only role of significance is that of leadership.” Rather she has a role of learning and submission, and this is by God's design. Paul refers back to the creation order to justify his statements. His motivation wasn't simply to address a cultural problem. He points to a breach in the created order.

Verse 14 - “...and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.”

This might give us the impression that women are somehow under God's permanent displeasure. For women, I imagine it's much more comfortable to hear, for example, Romans 5, where Adam is condemned for original sin (and the sin nature – which we all possess). But here in 1 Timothy, Paul focuses on Eve.

Verse 15 - “Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control.”

What does that mean?

There has been some difficulty among commentators interpreting this verse. Some church Fathers thought Paul was referring to the bearing of “spiritual children” or good works. Others thought that women's salvation was contingent on their (physical) children's perseverance in holy lives of faith, taking the latter part of the verse as referring as not to the women themselves but their offspring. These are problematic when looking at the Greek sentence structure.

Some have suggested that 'she' is a reference to Eve, and that “through childbearing” is speaking about the birth of Christ, our Saviour. There may be an allusion to that here, but it is not the primary issue.

“She will be saved through Childbearing”

Modern commentators try (in various ways) to make sense of the meaning of the word “saved” (sozo). In the NT gospels, it's usually used in the sense of “to be healed” (like the woman in Mark 5 who sought to receive physical healing from Jesus. But this meaning can hardly work in 1 Timothy 2:15. How could a woman be physically healed or made whole by having children?

Paul uses the term “saved” (sozo) differently. He most often uses the expression to refer to salvation from sin, as in Romans 5:9. Now, clearly we're not talking about eternal, spiritual salvation – that would contradict the teaching of the rest of Scripture that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone!

I'll point out here that the “she” melts into “they”. And the 'if' clause here shows us that the women about whom Paul is speaking are in Christ. The passage concerns those who are continuing in the faith, those who are showing Christian love and being sanctified. They are already believers. They are Christian women who are reflecting Christ in the way they live their lives.

The NT and specifically Paul also sometimes uses this word without any reference to spiritual salvation. It can mean “to rescue”, “to deliver from”, “to heal”, or “to preserve”.

As always, the clear meaning should be found from within the context.

Paul has just forbidden women in the church to exercise authority over men. Then he pointed to the serpent's deception, which she embraced back in the garden. But the point he's making here is that she doesn't carry the stigma of the fall of mankind into sin! She is freed, or preserved, from that, through childbearing. Because of the sovereignty of God...because of the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is hope. And this speaks of the high calling of Christian women.

[I would like to interrupt again to point out another place of encouragement for women. Throughout history in the church, there was this mistaken notion that women are responsible for sin entering the world and that this made them second class. On a level lower than men. What verse 15 is actually teaching is on the contrary. It is teaching that though we still have the physical curse of painful labour and trials in bringing up children, we are free from the curse because of sin because of being in Christ. The Bible never places sole blame on Eve. It usually refers to Adam when speaking of original sin because he is the representative of mankind, or more specifically, of Eve. Both are responsible.]

Childbearing is used in this passage to represent the essence and design of what it is to be a woman. It's shorthand for a woman's involvement in the domestic sphere. It doesn't exclude single women, or childless women. But it celebrates the fact that having children is bound up in the essence of womanhood. No man can bear children!

Just look at the special relationship a mother has with her children. Look at the influence a mother has on her little ones. It's a great responsibility, and women are on the front lines of leading this fallen world out of sin and into godliness by childbearing and raising their children in fear and admonition of the Lord. Though it is often thankless work, it is the front lines of kingdom work! Joyful Christian motherhood magnifies God's salvation in the world, and helps to reverse the curse of the fall.

Timothy himself was the product of a godly mother and grandmother – Eunice and Lois – who Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 1:5 as having a sincere faith, and passing it on to Timothy.

You'll remember that woman's unique experience of the curse was pain in childbearing. But by God's sovereign grace and His calling out of women from the kingdom of darkness, who continue in the faith, and pass on the faith to the next generation , the effects of the fall are, in a sense, reversed! Even things initially related to judgment, such as pain in childbearing, can ultimately be a means of glorifying God. This is what happens when a believing woman bears children and raises them in the fear of the Lord. God's high calling for women is not that they would become like men, but that they would be real women, embracing God's design. He created us to complement each other, not to compete with each other.

One teacher, Andreas Köstenberger also makes a good point that there is a parallel passage in 5:14-15: “So I would have younger widows marry, bear children, manage their households, and give the adversary no occasion for slander. For some have already strayed after Satan.” He makes the valid point that sozo may refer to spiritual protection. He believes Paul is expressing concern that women be kept safe from being deceived by Satan, and therefore encourages women to embrace and pursue their God-ordained calling, centering around family and the home.

A Christian woman named Lindsay Carlson wrote a short article on this passage. She says:

Because God requires my quietness and surrender, I rest, trusting in faith instead of fighting in opposition, within y church's authority structure. When I'm tempted to disagree or doubt, I allow God to fight on my behalf or to change my heart. Submission to authority on earth teaches me to submit to God and vice-versa. As a woman in ministry, am I being sidelined? Absolutely not! The Proverbs 31 woman is said to have “instruction on her tongue”. Scripture affirms women have wisdom to offer the church (Proverbs 22:6, Titus 2:3-4).

God hasn't called us to be silent in all areas of our lives. This passage calls us to intentionality in where we exercise our gifts of teaching, namely within the church's God-ordained structure of authority.

Culture's loud voices of feminism may have trained us to bristle at Paul's words to women, but God's created order of authority, functioning healthily inside the church, is not a reason to recoil. It's a reason to rest.

Read Proverbs 31:10

Studies in this chapter should warn against a Proverbs 21 wife!

Proverbs 21:9, “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife.”

I know my roof is less than habitable.

Proverbs 22:6 Raising Children

Titus 2:3-4 Mentoring

Years ago, John Piper said:

For men and women who have a heart to minister – to save souls and heal broken lives and resist evil and meet needs – there are fields of opportunity that are simply endless. God intends for the entire church to be mobilized in ministry, male and female. Nobody is to be at home watching soaps and reruns while the world burns. And God intends to equip and mobilize the saints through a company of spiritual men who take primary responsibility for leadership and teaching in the church.

There is no cookie-cutter version of what women in ministry should look like. We've already mentioned family: supporting your husband, bearing and raising and teaching children, hospitality, mentoring and teaching other women. Prayer. Evangelism. Serving the church in numerous visible and invisible ways.

As we've considered Christian womanhood, for the remaining minutes I have this morning I want to take a very brief glimpse of four New Testament women. We don't know much about them, but we do know as much as God wants us to know.

Phoebe. Phoebe's name comes up in just one place: Romans 16:1-2. Paul describes her as a “servant of the church”, a “worthy saint”, and a “patron of many”. She delivered this letter to the Roman church. We don't know what she did to serve the church, or whether she was married.
Lydia. Lydia is mentioned twice in Acts 16. We're told she is a “seller of purple goods”, and “a worshiper of God”. We know that she lived in Philippi and that God “opened her heart”. She and her household were baptized and she “...urged us saying, 'if you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.' And she prevailed upon us.” After Paul and Silas' memorable night in the Philippian jail and their subsequent release by authorities, they visited Lydia again before leaving the city.
Priscilla. Of the four women, Priscilla is listed the most – no less than six times in the New Testament. Interestingly, she's always listed with her husband, Aquila, and he is always listed with her. It's as if Paul and Luke couldn't think of one without the other. We mostly hear of Priscilla (and Aquila) in Acts 18. We are told that the couple left Rome during a Jewish persecution, and they, like Paul, were tent makers. They took under their wing the gifted (but inadequately informed) evangelist Apollos, who eventually became a competent minister (1 Cor. 3:6) likely due in part to their instruction.
Nympha. We hear about Nympha only once and briefly. In Colossians 4:15, as Paul is dispensing his usual personal greetings, he writes: “Give my greetings...to Nympha and the church in her house.” We are given no clues as to what kind of church she hosted, if she was married, or any other details about her life. All we're told is that she has a church in her house.

Even from these extremely brief portraits, we see that these four women had different temperaments and different gifting. All four were believers, all four had different life stories. Some were Greek, others Jewish. We know Priscilla was married, and Lydia had a “household”, but we don't know the family situation of others.

Their ministries were different too. Priscilla and Lydia provided hospitality to ministers of the gospel. Nympha hosted a church. We aren't even specifically told what Phoebe did, only that she was a “servant of the church”.

Even though these women are obscure to us now, they were important enough to be included in the inspired Word of God. What set them apart? The common denominator is that they served the church.

All four people served the people of God. And they did it well. How do we know? Because Paul commended them as examples to other believers. We would never say that serving in these ways is what saves us. But because we are saved, our lives are defined by love and service. So don't be weary. Women, and men, find joy in your unique roles.

As we struggle to work out our salvation, even within the effects of sin's curse, know that the pains of childbearing – even if they last a lifetime – are not God's final word to women. He intends (as 1 Peter says) for her to be a “fellow-heir” with man of the grace of life. God's last word on the matter is not a curse. Sin doesn't win. But through faith in the death ad resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's last word is salvation!

Do you see now how in actuality, God's Word to women is uplifting? So many in the church today see complementarianism as a way to oppress women. To stifle them. They refuse to see how unbiblical egalitarianism is. Egalitarianism is merely feminism disguised as a Christian concept. Unfortunately, many people hold to this and will mistreat Scripture to fit in with it.

I have often said that biblical womanhood serves women best.

Agreeing with Michael Coren is not the Christian thing to do

2015-09-19T21:02:00.000-06:00

Canada is facing a federal election in October.

Michael Coren, a professing Christian author, recently wrote about how voting for the Conservative party of Canada is not the Christian choice. Please allow me to show you how very wrong he is. I will share the article with you and insert my comments in italics.

Voting Conservative: not the Christian thing to do

Right off the bat, he condemns those of us who can only vote conservative in good conscience. Not very tolerant or loving. But you'll see.

Why author Michael Coren's Christian faith will keep him from voting Conservative in the upcoming federal election.

By: Michael Coren Published on Tue Sep 08 2015

I will not be voting Conservative at the forthcoming election. Not because I am committed to party politics — far from it — and nor because I am convinced of the righteousness of any particular politicians — I am certainly not — but for one very simple reason. I am a Christian. Yes, I will not be voting Conservative because I am a Christian.

This makes no sense, but still on the “if you are a Christian you will not vote conservative!” imperative that he is imposing. But he goes on to unpack what he means by this.

I appreciate that this might sound shocking and run counter to the now familiar religious and political narrative but that’s an equation established only in the past 40 years and only in the United States. It has no foundation in either theology or government. Up until the 1960s American Catholics traditionally voted Democrat and in Britain the Labour or Liberal Party was the home of evangelicals. In Canada our most famous social democrats were Tommy Douglas and Jack Layton, the first an ordained minister and the second a man deeply shaped by his faith.

Tommy Douglas and Jack Layton may have professed Christian faith, but Mr. Douglas pushed an unbiblical system of socialism and Jack Layton...well...his words and actions were to the contrary.

It was only when the twin issues of abortion and gay rights began to dominate the political agenda of the Christian right that the unnatural alliance of conservative and Christian began first to develop and then to dominate. Within a generation we had the jarring scene of followers of the social and economic revolutionary Jesus giving time and money to parties committed to military spending, immigration controls, reduction in help to the poor and harsh, often thoughtless words about their opponents.

He is now talking like we are obsessed with abortion and homosexuality. We are not. We are trying to be a prophetic voice in a culture that insists on embracing deadly sins. Christianity and conservative values are not an unnatural alliance, conservative values come from the Bible. Despite what Coren is trying to assert here, the Bible is not a proponent of socialism. He also is making unfounded claims that conservatives do not give their time and money to the needy. The thing is, it's not the job of the government to take care of the poor and needy, it is the church. The government is not supposed to be stealing from people to give to those who are hungry. The church is to be (and are in many places) taking care of the poor and needy. The government is to make and uphold laws for the running of all society. Socialism is not good for a country. As for harsh and thoughtless words, those are very much in the realm of liberalism.

My own conservative credentials began to evaporate more than 18 months ago when I embraced equal marriage and once the door is unlocked it has a habit of opening wide. The journey from legalism to love, or religion to relationship, isn’t directly political as such and it’s dangerous and facile to overly politicize faith. But it’s also downright naïve to think that religion and politics have no mutual hinge. Cue the usual attacks because someone has dared to change his mind, as though evolution is a sin and ideological and spiritual stubbornness a virtue.

Marriage was equal. Any adult had the right to marry any adult of the opposite sex. That is equal. Same sex marriage is a special right, and it isn't even the end of what they want to achieve. Same sex marriage is not love. Homosexuality is not love. The Bible is perfectly clear that love does not do wrong.

4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Homosexuality is selfish. It seeks its own. It's prideful. It is unbecoming. It rejoices in unrighteousness. It is not love. The main problem here is that the world, and many professing Christians like Mr. Coren have a wrong understanding of what love really is. Love puts others first. Loving God means obeying Him. It never means sinning and going against His design for men and women and marriage.

Coren accuses conservative Christians of politicizing faith, when it is clear even in this very article that it is liberals who politicize religion. Refer to the title of his article. Oh, evolution is a sin. It is a tool of suppression of the truth. See Romans 1.

Back to the basics. There are many fundamentals at play from a Christian point of view that are relevant but I’ll name just four. Stewardship of the environment, care for the poor and marginalized, the pursuit of peace, and personal integrity.

Where does he get the idea that these are Christian fundamentals? Certainly not from the Bible. The environment? He can't be serious. These things might sound good and Christian, but they are socialist fundamentals. If he were to unpack what these are about, they would contradict what the Bible has to say on these issues. The liberal view of these things are believing the drivel about global warming, government taking money from those who work for it and handing it out to those who don't, being anti-war, and then being an activist for liberal ideals.

In terms of environmental protection and ecological concern the argument is almost axiomatic. Contrary to how even other conservative parties and administrations have behaved, the Harper government has allowed ideology to triumph over scientific reality and has empowered deniers who are not given table-room elsewhere. I interviewed many of them over the years and while they’re not always the big oil puppets their opponents claim, they are generally politicians more than experts.

There is no scientific evidence that supports global warming. This sort of environmentalism is a religion in and of itself and requires faith in theories. And don't get me started on the hypocrisy involved in anti-oil rhetoric.

The poor and marginalized? The government’s taxation policies have reversed a long-standing tradition of redistribution and have encouraged the perception that tax is a burden rather than a duty. We’ve heard too much about “the other” and of the so-called undeserving and this is as un-Christian as it is un-Canadian. We share therefore we are.

The govenment is not supposed to be in the business of wealth redistribution. In fact, wealth redistribution is a very bad concept. It is bad for the economy and bad for people. Socialism is legalized theft. It promotes the attitude of “I'll pretend to work if you pretend to pay me.” Liberal economics are a disaster. The best system is the free market economy and you will see this in Scripture (see proverbs). Socialism can only work on the basis of people being good. Unfortunately, people are corrupt and bad. Someone will always have an abundance of ill gotten gain while the majority of people are crippled by big government control. Coren keeps begging the question. He works off of the premises of a false definition of love and then the idea that socialism is a good thing. Charity is in the realm of the church. If he bothered to do some research, he would see that no one gives more of their time and money than conservative Christians.

As for peace, let’s take the single example of the Middle East. The government’s unquestioning support for Israeli policies surprises even Israelis, half of whom are extremely critical of the Netanyahu regime. Supporting Israel is not the same as supporting everything a particular Israeli government does and if we genuinely care about a stable and peaceful future for everybody in the region we will encourage compromise, the removal of settlements and the empowerment of progressive rather than reactionary movements. Rather the Prince of Peace than any kings of the arms trade.

This is a very bizarre thing to me. For some reason that I can't figure out, liberals in general hate Israel. I don't know what it is. The thing is, Israel is the most stable and healthy country in that region and it serves any other country to be its ally. I really don't understand why liberals are adamantly anti-Israel, spreading misinformation and propaganda against her. All I can think of is darkness defends darkness. I don't understand why every country in the world is allowed to defend itself and answer acts of war except Israel. It's bewildering to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Christian Zionist or a dispensationalist, it's just odd to me that there is one standard for every country in the world and another for Israel.

When it comes to personal integrity, democracy is best served when politicians feel uncertain and this government has taken power for granted for far too long. Beyond senators on trial and hidden payments there is simply an overwhelming sense of power at any cost and that bruises the body politic beyond recognition.

For the past 10 years, we have enjoyed a strong and stable government in Canada. We've had a strong economy that has fairly easily survived down times that our neighbours to the south really struggled with. It's an unfounded charge against the present federal government that they are power hungry.

There used to be a fashion for Christians to attach “What Would Jesus Do?” stickers to the back of their cars. Not my sort of thing at all but in that He repeatedly spoke up for the poor, criticized the wealthy, condemned the judgmental, welcomed the stranger and lauded the peacemaker, perhaps we have a few clues to the answer.

As for this, he is breaking the 2^nd commandment. He is fashioning a Jesus to suit his own desires. He is not presenting the Jesus of Scripture. Jesus levelled the playing field and spoke about sin and salvation. He wasn't here to do social action. In fact, he resisted that sort of thing. See John 6:26-40. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19).

Now, I will say that voting Liberal or NDP is not the Christian thing to do. I'll tell you why. It is because they support the culture of death and are in every way contrary to Christian belief and values. We must vote with our conscience. Anyone who can in good conscience vote for a party that excludes those who are pro-life, a party that is for the murder of children in the womb (both NDP and Liberal parties have made this clear declaration) is not voting according to Christian belief. Anyone who thinks that same sex marriage is a good thing is not abiding by the design that God has for men and women and marriage. They must seriously examine where their profession of Christianity comes from.

There are so many hypocritical and sanctimonious profession Christians in our society today who don't even realize that they are the ones being legalistic and unloving. They are the ones being judgmental. If you go back and read this article again, take note of the places he is imposing his own laws on Christians. See where he has made his own standard and pushed aside God's standard and then judged by his own standard.

What do you think? Do you have anything to add?

No Offense

2015-05-22T23:50:00.001-06:00

Being offended is a sin.

Being offended is one of those sins that very few even know is a sin. Not only is it the favorite pastime of the world these days to be offended, and there is a demand to cater to offended people, it is also a problem within the church. It is something expected of unbelievers who do not have the life of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Why is being offended a sin? Because it is pride. It is wounded pride. Over sensitivity. It's an attitude of entitlement. It's lust for vindication. It's the feeling that we deserve to be treated well. It is forgetting that we are sinners. It's a disregard for the cross.

Yet it never seems to be addressed in the church. It is destructive. It creates bitterness and division. It is a heinous sin that seems to be unnoticed.

Disagree that it is a sin?

Let's look at some things that Scripture teaches.

First of all, what do we deserve? The Bible clearly teaches that as fallen sinners we deserve hell.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

In Romans 3, it tells us that no one is righteous. Everyone is a sinner in need of salvation.
We see how Jesus treated those who insulted and mistreated Him. He, of anyone, had every right to retaliate, but He didn't. Instead He prayed for those who were mistreating Him and killing Him.

...who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:22-24

For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:3

When we are offended, we are saying that we deserve to be treated well. That we are better than the person who offended us. This is a denial of the gospel that says we are a sinner dealing with another sinner. It's utter hypocrisy.

Lust for vindication is such a strong desire. It wants the offender to pay. It wants that person to feel as bad as they do. It wants restitution.

We will feel hurt by someone and we will hurt others. It's okay to feel hurt. What is not okay is to sin in your hurt. To retaliate.

We sin when we choose to be offended. It is pride. The Bible tells us in many places how awful pride is and the consequences. Pride is a high esteem of oneself, among other things. It is selfish.

We sin when we punish the person who hurt us.

How exactly do we punish?

We punish someone by retaliating. We being sinners ourselves, it is hypocrisy to take it into our own hands and try to make them pay. Retaliation involves getting angry in our hurt pride and insulting them, putting them down. Calling them names. Insulting their intelligence. To try and set oneself up as better than that person. It is murder of the heart to do this.

We punish by getting angry with the person. This is the anger fueled by pride.

“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. Matthew 5:21-22

Many people don't realize that most of our anger is sin. Very little of it is righteous anger.

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. Ephesians 4:26-27

Ephesians is talking about the rare anger that we can experience when faced with injustice or slander against God. The danger is it turning into sinful anger, so it warns us to not let it consume us and continue and turn into bitterness. Bitter and sinful anger is to do with the old self.

We punish others by ignoring them or giving them the silent treatment. This is possibly the worst way to punish someone. It's fine to take some time to cool off, but let the person know that is what you are doing. Just shutting down and ignoring someone for an extended period of time makes the statement that they don't exist. That they are unimportant and not of any value. It's keeping oneself away from the person. It too is murder of the heart.

We punish others by turning people against them by gossip and slander. We vent about the hurt that has been wrought on us. We tear down their character and cause others to think badly about them.

We punish others by being passive aggressive. This is when there is a grudge being held and it comes out in how the hurt party speaks and behaves around the "offender". Not only is this childish, it never works out well. The other person just gets confused and thinks the person is mean. It makes things worse. It causes tension and bitterness.

We punish others by inflicting physical violence on them. Not always, (hopefully) but being offended has caused people to strike out physically. Even the threat of physical violence is punishment.

These are a few ways we punish people when we respond to offenses sinfully. It is wrong for us to punish others. Either Jesus took their punishment on the cross or God will punish them on judgment day. We, as sinful people, have no right to punish others.

‘You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:17-18

What is the proper way to deal with sin against us?

This is probably one of the most difficult sins to struggle against because it has to do with the very root of sin: pride. Pride taints everything and tries to lead. But there is good news. Jesus has conquered sin and in Him, we are not alone in our struggle, but He is there every step fighting for us. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit in Christ sanctifying us and shaping us. Taking us all the way to glory.

It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Hebrews 12:7-11

Instead of punishing someone who has offended you or hurt you, the Bible gives ways to deal with it properly.

...but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

There are things that we are taught to do in Christ because we are able by the Holy Spirit in us to obey.

Deny ourselves: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matthew 16:24-25

Die to self: ...and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 2 Corinthians 5:15

Be crucified with Christ: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

Consider that in Christ we are able to lean to deal with these things.

We are also given practical things to do. We need to deal with it. That means that in love we confront. We seek restoration.

“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. Matthew 18:15

It's difficult to do the right thing. To not sin and then to confront someone in love and get it into the open and deal with it. We are often tempted to just say, "forget it!" and then not really forget it and hold it against them in our hearts.

So many people don't even realized they have offended someone. It's tragic that someone has been hurt and walks around with that hurt and refuses to deal with it while the one who offended wonders what the problem is. Because, let's face it, it comes out in some sinful way when we don't deal with it properly. When we lovingly deal with it, both parties grow. Both parties are blessed.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all transgressions. Proverbs 10:12

If we can see ourselves and others in light of the cross, that we are sinners and they are too, that we have been forgiven grievous sins against God, we can do as the Bible tells us. We can love others.

It's hard to overlook wrongs. But it is possible in Christ. It's very difficult to forgive, but remember how you have been forgiven.

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he had begun to settle them, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay back what you owe.’So his fellow slave fell to the ground and began to plead with him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ But he was unwilling and went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’ And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.” Matthew 18:21-35

Not only does it affect our relationships with one another, it can hurt our witness. God has called out a holy people who are not like the world. Jesus said that the world hated Him and therefore the world will hate all who are His. Because of the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we are able to not sin in turn when we are sinned against.

Has the case been made? Do you see how being offended or over sensitive is sinful? This does not mean it is okay to be offensive or hurt others. That's another issue for another time. This is just one of those 'acceptable sins' that is allowed to happen in the body of Christ. It is destructive and divisive. It tears down others and hurts. It is sin.

We sin because we are sinners

2015-03-09T21:57:00.001-06:00

The root sin is the desire for autonomy.

Genesis 3:1-7 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked...

The eating of a fruit seems insignificant and may be dismissed as long as one does not think too far on the subject. in fact, many people have dismissed it as a trifle. But the entire point is Adam and Eve's desire to be self sufficient. to be independent. To be what many atheists claim, "good without God".

"...and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings."

This root sin is described over and again in the Bible in books like Judges where it says "every man did what was right in his own eyes."

In a Genesis 3 we see the birth of all worldly wisdom.

"Follow your heart."
"Trust your instincts"
"Do what makes you happy"

THEY DID WHAT WAS RIGHT IN THEIR OWN EYES

The world will claim that defining things is bad, and then they will define things according to their own preferences.

They deny God and then dictate right and wrong while being ignorant of the fact that morality must be based on an objective standard.

They do what is right in their own eyes.

Romans 1:18-21, 23-32 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

The root sin is the desire for autonomy. Fallen man loves sin so much, is so prideful and narcissistic, so full of himself, so desirous to feed his lusts and do things his own way, that he will fight to deny the God he knows exists because he hates the inevitable situation where he must answer to God who has seen it all. He fights to convince himself that this isn't true. He sears his conscience. He pursues his desires with abandon in order to drown out, to dull the knowledge he was born with: God exists and He will demand an account.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

Fallen man attributes what has been made, the very proof of God's existence, to something else. Anything that can be used to fool people. to help them in the suppression of truth. Evolution. Postmodernism. Relativism. All these and more which do not have a shred of logic, but are precarious houses of cards.

"...the tree was desirable to make one wise..."

"...they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened..."

We all see the same creation but what is clearly seen as creation is called random chance by many.

The truth is that man cannot be autonomous. He is not a free agent. He does not possess free will. He is not morally neutral. Moral neutrality does not exist. There is only right or wrong. God is right. Man is wrong. He was created by God as a worshiper. He must worship. Give glory. If not to God, then to self or other creations.

“You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Man believed the lie.

"...exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures."

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

The root sin produces more sin. And with sin comes consequences. And God is blamed rather than man in his elusive quest for autonomy. Sin enslaves. It never frees. It is a great irony. Man wants to be free from God but instead becomes a slave to sin.

For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

Fallen man is unwilling and unable to see reality. In his blindness he shakes his fist at God while loudly proclaiming that which he knows to be untrue, God does not exist. But He does exist.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven..."

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful...

The root sin is the desire for autonomy. The final step after convincing himself that God does not exist and that he will answer to Him is to force the whole world to congratulate him in his sinful pursuits. As he does what is right in his own eyes, those who disagree must be crushed.

...and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

This has been happening since the bite of that fruit. The discerning watch it happening right before their very eyes.

Intimacy, friendship, and sex

2015-02-21T16:18:00.000-07:00

As many women as possible should watch this video. Men too. And teens.

I was listening to wretched radio and Todd Friel had this clip from a Q Conference. It was a woman who was telling her story of being gay and a Christian.

It was remarkable. At first, I thought it was going to be another person advocating gay Christianity. But, as it turned out, it was a testimony full of the gospel and healing and gives great insight into the struggle against the flesh in regards to same sex attraction.

It's a long video, but I really hope you take the time to watch it.

Julie Rodgers: Freedom through constraint

Imagine how confusing it is in this culture when you have to either be straight and have no intimate friendship with the same sex or you have to identify as gay in order to have an intimate friendship with the same sex and that means sinful homosexual acts.

Look at the story of David and Jonathan in the book of 1 Samuel. That was an intimate friendship between 2 men. In our culture, there are many gay people who insist that it was a homosexual relationship. As Christians, we know it was not a homosexual relationship, but I for one find it hard to understand that friendship and even harder to explain it to someone who wonders about it. Do you know what I mean? In our culture, straight people are supposed to behave a certain way to the same sex. No holding hands, men don't hug. No cuddling. Not that I know what is sexual v. non sexual contact really, because I am still at the verge of thinking through all of this. This video gave me some very new realizations. New to me, at least.

So we have this dichotomy in our present, western culture. Maybe even just North America. I've been to many areas of the world and have seen things that my mind couldn't really process. For example, in Africa, men will walk with each other holding pinkie fingers. In Asia, boys will cuddle each other. In Eastern Europe, men hold hands. And the kissing! In Ukraine I had to brace myself to receive kisses from women. These were all straight, same sex friendships and perfectly normal in their culture. Here, we see something like that and it doesn't compute. We think, "they must be gay!" and here we might be right because behavior like that is taboo and if someone is doing that with the same sex, they are essentially identifying as gay. There is no place, it seems, for intimate, straight friendships like the one David and Johnathan had.

Understand how confusing that is?

The brave woman in the video shared her honest feelings and came to the conclusion that as a Christian she must conform to Scripture rather than give in to the flesh. Does she still struggle with same sex desire? Yes, but she has the grace of God taking her through this life and she is fighting it and has found out the way in Christ to live in this life as a Christian despite the sin that threatens to ensnare. This is the Christian life in a nutshell, actually. We all have this flesh for life that strongly desires satisfaction. But God has opened our eyes to the truth and when we cried for mercy, for salvation, He rescued us and is now with us every single step of the way. We are now able to leave that sin behind and His grace gives us all we need to walk that narrow road home even in the valley of our sinful desire.

I hope you watched the video and I hope it helped you to understand the struggle and maybe it will inform us all on how to approach gay people in evangelism. I hope that many more Christians who struggle with homosexuality will come forward and share their valuable insights.

Suppressing the Truth

2015-02-09T15:17:00.001-07:00

Romans 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

This passage of Scripture has been exceedingly informative when delving into what is really behind the smoke screens of atheism.

When I first started interacting with atheists online, this passage quickly became predominant. It still amazes me how very relevant and true God's Word is today. There truly is nothing new under the sun.

At first, I felt overwhelmed. Not equipped sufficiently. But it soon became apparent that all those who consider themselves atheists have a common place from which they think and speak.

It's the suppression of truth.

Why would they do this? As the passage explains, it's to protect sin. They will convince themselves, fight, to protect the sin they love.

They will grasp anything, no matter how untenable it is, to try and remove God from the equation.

Why?

Because they know God exists because of His creation and their consciences cry out that they will have to answer to Him. This is all from the passage.

This is where evolution comes in. This is the main tool for suppression of the truth. If they can convince themselves that what they see all around them came from something other than God's intelligent design, that it was all random, they can talk themselves into believing God doesn't exist and they can silence their consiences, cover the knowledge of a Creator and squish that down, then they can successfully drown out that whisper of the truth with the clamour of a lie. They look at the evidence for the Creator, creation itself, and bend that evidence to make it somehow fit into their evolutionary worldview. Their darkened minds readily embrace anything that contradicts the existence of God.

All to do what they want.

So many people have worked very hard to cultivate this lie to make it seem credible. To make it compelling. But that's all it is. A house of cards built out of deceit and it is staunchly protected.

Back in Paul's time, there may have been rudimentary theories like evolution, but it seems, from the passage, that Greek style philosophies were the tool of suppression of the day.

We still have that today.

Atheists laugh at the suggestion that they are practicing a religion. That they are worshipping a god or gods. It is themselves in their desire for self gratification and often the god they call science. But, evolution is not science. It is pseudo-science. A tool of suppression. Real science doesn't contradict the truth of God's creation. But they are outraged when told this and they desperately try and show proof of evolution which is nothing but twisted evidence and guesses and hoaxes. We are able to calmly rest on the truth that the clear evidence for God is everywhere in what He has made and the fundamental knowledge that all people are born knowing: God is real and we have to deal with Him.

It's incredible, to me, anyway, how evolution and atheism is on the rise today. In fact, atheists are aggressively spreading their beliefs. There are new atheists who seek out Christians in order to ridicule them and harass them.

It's no wonder I have encountered such anger when I tell them they know God exists and that they will have to answer to Him for all they've done. When I aim at their consciences and tell them that God sees everything, it is a huge sore spot. They don't like it when someone pokes around there.

But when the Holy Spirit opens a person's eyes to the truth of their sin, there is the good news to soothe their sin sick soul.

Suppression of the truth is no match against the Saviour when He is bent on saving a soul.

What do I think about Ferguson...

2014-11-25T21:51:00.003-07:00

What is the theological perspective on Ferguson?

Who is right? No one. Not the looters, not the guy who pulled the trigger, not the kid who got shot, not black people not white people, not liberals and not conservatives. Everyone is wrong.

Now, who is more wrong? That seems to be the big fight.

It really doesn't matter.

What matters is, we all have this sin nature and we see it manifested in a million different ways everyday. Much of the time, many of us have mastered the art of ignoring it. Life can seem pleasant for the most part. And then something happens to tear away the veil. Towers crash down. Someone gets beheaded. Riots erupt. Ebola breaks out. Then we are forced to face the truth of this dark world.

The trouble is, we focus on the crashing towers, the beheadings and the riots and then we work hard to blame someone. To lay it all in one place to somehow protect this illusion of detachment we have from it all.

Sure, some groups may contribute to trouble more than others, but that's beside the point.

The problem is sin. We live in a fallen world and we are loathe to look in the mirror and see that we are the problem. The problem isn't "out there" as if we can barricade ourselves away from it. It is us. All of us.

I've encountered people who try and convince people that God is the monster. They point at the trouble in this world. The massacres, holocausts, plagues, and natural disasters and in their rage and ignorance shake their fist at heaven all the while proclaiming that God doesn't exist. As if that makes any sense.

They don't know the truth. God created a perfect and good creation and we sinned. We made it bad. If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we are full of a dark heart that is prideful, wilful, selfish and stubborn in its lust for independence. That we will do anything to get what we want. We will lie, cheat, steal, even murder.

When we see others doing this thing we forget what we've seen in the mirror and point a condemning finger at them.

There are a lot of smashed mirrors and fingers pointed at Ferguson right now.

So, what are we supposed to do then?

Look in the mirror. See what the real problem is and lest we fall into despair, remember the cross. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Because Jesus took God's wrath on the cross, died and rose again, He is able to save looters, killers, gangsters, blacks, whites, liberals and conservatives.

When you look in the mirror and see the truth of your sin, repent of it. Turn away from it and trust in the gospel. Put your faith in Jesus. He saves forever. When you look in the mirror, remember that you are a sinner like those other people you think are so wrong.

Look to the cross. Praise God and in thankfulness, pray for peace in Christ for others. Proclaim what He has done.

The only way to have peace with our fellow man is to first have peace with God.

Things to consider before having sex, kids

2014-08-02T16:04:00.001-06:00

Sex outside of marriage has become the societal norm. Even among teenagers. Parents seem resigned to the fact that their kids are eventually going to have sex as teenagers and all they can do is shrug and give advice about so called safe sex.

The problem is, worldly thinking has separated the consequences from the action.

Here are some things to consider, young person. Ask yourself these things before having sex.

1. Are you ready to die?

In your hormone addled brain, you may think it's worth the risk and that getting a life threatening STD will not happen to you. The truth is, STD's are rapidly increasing among young people even though they are constantly bombarded with information about contraceptives. Are you ready for the rest of your life to be irreversibly altered and to die a horrible death? To lose the ability to even have children?

2. Are you ready to be a parent?

As mentioned above, despite saturation of education about contraceptive use, teen pregnancy continues to rise.

3. Are you willing to grow up before being ready?

The other person involved in sex with you is a human being with feelings. They, like you, are made in the image of God. Sex outside of marriage does not respect that other person. It is not love. It is self gratification. Marriage is a grown up responsibility between one committed man and one committed woman. Sex is a grown up responsibility designed for this union. In marriage, it is an expression of love, respect and commitment. Outside of marriage, it is a rip off.

4. Are you ready for intense emotional turmoil?

Sex outside of marriage is self serving. It does not come from a place of commitment, respect and love. It produces betrayal. Broken promises. Shattered hearts. Intense emotional baggage that will stay with you the rest of your life. Are you ready for this painful, heavy burden? Are you ready for real, grown up regret that you can't shake? Are you willing to go through debilitating depression and anxiety?

5. Will you be able to handle murdering someone?

This one is a tough one. It is never the right option to murder anyone. But thousands of times a day in North America, people are murdering other people. It's done behind closed doors. It's done in secret, even though it is legal, it is done in shadow. It's abortion. It has been marketed to you as choice. As a viable option. It has been packaged as your right and the best way for you to have a bright future. Unfortunately, you will not know the awful truth about it if and until after you commit the act. It is murder. It is not a right that you have. It is snuffing out a life. Are you able to handle the reality of taking a life and carrying that guilt around with you always? Yes, for some insane reason, it is legal to kill a baby in the womb, but that does not erase the fact of what it really is and that it is a sin in the eyes of God. The suicide rate among women/girls who have had abortion is alarmingly high. And the thousands of fathers who are not able to have a say in the killing of their children will forever be broken hearted.

But just give me a few moments to present an alternative, kids.

Like I said before, sex outside of marriage has become the norm. Everyone is doing it, so to speak.

Are you willing to be different?

Are you willing to know what real love is?

Do you want to know how rewarding sex is in marriage?

You see, there's a reason why God told us not to do things. Not to do whatever we feel like. Whatever we think is right in our own eyes.

The world thinks it's to ruin our fun.

But a major reason He gave His commands is because it's good for us. Sin destroys us. It enslaves us.

Unfortunately, we are all born with a sin nature and we desire strongly to sin. We see more than ever how the world revels in and celebrates sin. We see people applauding each other over abortion. We see people being congratulated for homosexuality. We see divorce as inconsequential in the world. But we don't see what is hidden. Shattered lives. Broken hearts. Guilt. Pain. Death. Murder.

A huge reason God gave us His law is so we can see how sinful we are and our main need for salvation.

All people are sinners. No one is good.

Do you know this? Have you ever lied? Stolen? Disobeyed your parents? Do you see how you don't measure up to God's goodness? The wages of sin is eternal death.

When a person dies, they will face this perfect God and have to answer for all they have done. He has seen every thought, word and deed. All those who have sinned will be judged guilty and will go on to
experience eternal, conscious torment, and He is in His every right to do this because sinful flesh cannot live in His glorious, holy presence. His justice has to be served or He is not good.

But...

Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came into the world. He measured up to God's goodness. He never sinned in thought, word or deed. This is important, because the perfect, sinless person was punished and killed on the cross for all He would save. He paid for the sins for all who would repent (turn away, despise, hate) of their sins and believe the gospel (Jesus came and died on the cross and rose from the grave). When He saves a person, he covers them with His goodness. It's like you have this disgusting, smelly, dirty coat with excrement on it and you are standing outside a banquet starving but you aren't allowed in because of what you are wearing. So, the host of the banquet comes out with his pure, clean and fragrant coat, takes it off and puts it on you after taking your disgusting one off and putting it on himself. He then tells you to go in and be filled with food. When Jesus came into the world, He took all the filth and excrement of our sin on Himself, even though He didn't do anything wrong, and took the punishment for that. He killed it on the cross. When He rose from the dead, He displayed His victory over sin and pronounced that He is able to save people. When He saves a person, He puts that clean, pure coat on us and the glorious, holy God sees us as if we had never sinned. This is what God has done to save sinners. This is true love.

True love puts others before self. True love does not do wrong and cause others to do wrong, like sex outside of marriage. True love doesn't want others to die or suffer. True love doesn't want to see others sin and go through those consequences. True love is obeying God. He gives that ability to obey because of what He has done.

Because of what God has done, people can be saved from sin.

The saved person can be different from the world and wait for marriage to have sex.

The saved person can respect other human beings and not sin with them.

The saved person can know the joy and pleasure of sex in the committed protection of marriage.

The saved person does this because they are a new creation in Christ and they live for God, and gratitude for what He has done now informs their actions rather than the enslaving force of sin.

If you have already sinned in the specific way of sex outside of marriage and you are already carrying a heavy burden because of it, there is hope for you. All who carry a heavy burden of sin are invited to go to Jesus. Confess your sin and repent of it. Believe the gospel. Trust in Him to save you from it and take you all the way home to glory one day. He will never turn away a broken and contrite person who is grieving over their sin. Go to Jesus. He is the only way to be saved. Learn from Him. Know Him.

Thank you for reading. I hope you are blessed.

Can the leopard change its spots?

2014-07-06T17:11:00.001-06:00

There seems to be a lot of teaching in the church these days that is focused on self improvement. Bettering oneself.

A lot of fingers are pointed at the emergent movement about this issue, and their "Be the change you want to see in the world" social justice, no gospel mentality.

But what if that very thing, the no gospel problem was also true for the other side?

All of us, whether fundamental, liberal, conservative, or emergent naturally tend to some form of legalism.

With liberals, it's the imposition of their own brand of rules on people.

"You aren't supposed to judge!"
"You must recycle!"
"Stop cutting down trees!"
"Don't eat meat!"

With conservatives, it's imposing morals on people.

"You must not buy Girl Guide cookies!"
"Drinking alcohol is a sin!"
"Don't wear short skirts!"
"Boycot that gay loving company!"

These are extreme generalizations to make a point.

All people tend toward legalism. Self righteousness. Whether liberal or conservative or some place in between. This is something it would serve us all to be aware of.

I'm going to focus on the conservative Christian group. This is the group I belong in. I usually talk about emergents or liberal professing Christians, a group I used to belong to, but for once I'm going for the "Fundies".

This may hurt my friends or it might not. Hurting is not my goal, but take a deep breath and let's go for it.

All of us born again, Biblical Christians know that justification, the act of God saving us is totally His work alone, right? We don't have a problem there. It's an essential we all agree upon if we are truly in the faith.

The confusion and trouble lay in what happens after that.

Now, just wait! Hold on! Don't reduce this to the "Tullian" thing and dismiss it. Please keep reading. I've been discussing this issue and wrestling with it before I heard of him teaching on it. In fact, many of our forefathers in the faith have wrestled with this and studied intensely and taught about the Christian life as gospel centred. More importantly, the Bible presents it in this way.

So, then why is there such a controversy among Bible believing, born again Christians?

Well, like I said before, we tend toward legalism and self righteousness. Even as saved people we struggle with this. Our flesh demands we work for it, that we earn it. Unfortunately, many of us don't even realize that we give into that demand in a subtle way. I hope, Christian, to help all of us to be aware of this and know the truth about sanctification.

How do we give into that demand? We leave the gospel at the door of salvation and think that the Christian life is driven by the law. By our works. That basically, we help God to sanctify ourselves. Is it upsetting to see it stated like that? Here:

Many Christians believe we sanctify ourselves.

I would think that most, if not all of you reading this immediately balked at that. "I don't believe that!" You might have screamed at your monitor or phone.

But it just shows how subtle it is. How so very easily we are unaware of it. It's never said blatantly when it is taught or believed, but the concept is perpetuated in the church nonetheless.

It's a gospel-less, self improvement, "growing in holiness" movement.

By now, you've probably called me an antinomian. I've been called that a lot. The thing is, I have a high view of God's law and I know I can't measure up to it. This is why I rely on His grace. By grace I love His law and desire to obey Him. By grace I bear good fruit. It's not of me at all, but all of Him.

"But what about works!? You think we don't do works!" Well, that is a flawed accusation that isn't even true. Where did I ever say we don't do works?

You see, many Christians immediately focus on works when talking on this issue. This is another way the statement is true: many Christians believe we sanctify ourselves.

It's like the cart/horse analogy. Do our works produce sanctification, or does sanctification produce works?

Just because we do works and produce fruit, does not mean that we have a hand in our sanctification.

It's interesting to me that we are all about God's sovereignty when it comes to salvation, but so many think in a Pelagian manner when it comes to sanctification.

Am I wrong? I hope so. I hope no one believes that our works earn us anything with God. I hope no one believes that our works are what shape us and sanctify us.

I recently spoke to a Pelagian. He thinks that he had a hand in God saving Him. He asked me, "Did Lazarus stay on the bed when Jesus raised Him?" His answer was that Lazarus got up, went to Jesus and bowed, therefore he was saved. Did Lazarus' going and bowing save him at all? Of course not. It was the response to Christ making Him alive. The actions of one living. In the same way, our actions never saved us, and they don't help God to sanctify us either. They are the actions of one alive to Christ.

When the gospel is left at the door and we believe our works take the centre of the Christian life, we are dwelling in the flesh and are not seeing the rich life we have in Christ. It's like we are striving for what He has already won for us. Oh, and think on this: He is still perfect on our behalf. He is still making us pleasing and acceptable to the Father. We can't do that.

All righteousness and holiness is Christ's alone, not one drop is the Christian's. That's the whole point.

The whole point of Chriatianity is grace.

Never our works.

But works do have a place.

So does the law.

The real antinomians, unknowingly I'll concede, are those who disagree with this. You see, not only is the gospel left at the door of salvation, the use of the law as a mirror is left there as well. There is this misconception that since we are in Christ, there is no longer a need to see ourselves in light of God's law, but we need to work hard and grow in holiness. We start looking to ourselves and our performance, and since we've left the gospel behind, we no longer look to the cross. This causes either great sadness and lack of assurance for the Christian or self righteousness.

The Christian needs the law as the perfect standard and the gospel for the relief of grace. The former tells us what we truly are and the latter is the healing balm for our souls. The law is the fuel tank gauge and the gospel is the fuel (sorry for the vulgar metaphor).

It is all of grace.

When we leave the law and gospel at the door of salvation, we focus on self and compare others to our standards. This is a worship of works. Legalism.

Understand how this boils down to thinking we sanctify ourselves?

When we look to ourselves and others, we are focusing on the flesh. We are trying to improve ourselves. We are tring to make a manure pile smell like flowers. We are trying to change our nature. We are trying to change our spots.

Only God can change our nature.

He who saves us is the One who keeps us and takes us all the way. This is the basic point I'm trying to make.

Is there anything we can earn from God that hasn't already been won by Christ for us?

Sanctification is an inner working of God which is manifested externally in the Christian life.

We have to stop trying to change our spots. God is the One producing fruit and giving us the desire to love His law and live it out. Grace is what produces that.

I realize I haven't provided any Scripture so far. This is what I have to say about that. If you are willing to seriously study the issue, here's the thing. It is all through the Bible, most clearly in the New Testament. It is in the red letters. Jesus so clearly teaches this and you can see it if you are aware of our tendency for legalism and can see past that filter. Search His words again and even count how many times his Word teaches it. Look in the letters of Paul. Look in the book of James. What is the core for all the imperatives? The indicative that we are in Christ. Look at how many times the NT uses that small phrase: in Christ. The gospel is Christ and He is the centre. In Christ we obey. In Christ we love God. In Christ we love His law. Wherever you see a command, you see the gospel enabling.

Also, see if there are any verses that say our works sanctify us. Spoilers, there aren't any.

This does not remove our responsibility. Jesus calls all people to repent, for example, it's a command for which all people are responsible, but we know not all will obey.

I hope this all made sense. I've been agonizing for years on how to clearly communicate this and have more than often failed. The whole Tullian controversy hasn't seemed to help either.

Please feel free to discuss this with me.

A Neat Trick

2014-06-25T15:15:00.000-06:00

The agendas against God use a very neat trick. Is it called misdirection? Smoke screen? I hate it when I can't think of the proper term for something. Anyway, maybe I can explain what I mean.

The "pro choice" and "gay" agenda work very hard to make what they are trying to push reasonable.

It is called pro choice rather than killing a baby. They have effectively distracted society from the gruesome act of abortion by drumming away on a different issue of women's rights and reproductive rights.

It is not about reproductive rights. It is about destroying what has already been reproduced.

They sure get upset when we start focusing on the baby and talk about how the baby is killed and show pictures of aborted (murdered) babies. Why? Because it defeats their neat trick. Don't look behind the curtain!

It's called love and equality rather than sodomy. The gay agenda knows that if people think about what it really is that goes on, they will inherently know it is wrong and unnatural. This campaign has been meticulously woven together to distract us from the act of sodomy in order to try and make it an equality issue. A right to openly love.

It's not love. Love doesn't do wrong and it doesn't cause others to do wrong. It is lust. Self gratification. Objectification. Masturbation.

A very neat trick.

As soon as you start talking about the dire consequences to emotional, mental and physical well being that the act of sodomy inevitably brings, watch out, because you are hitting the bull's eye they are trying to hide.

As soon as you call it a sin, you are speaking to their conscience. The place that knows it is wrong.

Never mind the deep depression and high suicide rates among women who have had abortions. Do not talk about that.

Never mind the trail of broken hearts, betrayal, shortened life span, and high suicide rates among the LGBT. That's all someone else's fault. It's those disapproving Fundies!

As long as these agendas are able to maintain their facades, they can make great strides. Using clever words, distraction, smoke screens, equivocation, red herrings...anything to make it not about what it really is: murderous, destructive sin.

The trouble is, the neat trick is working. Tremendous strides have been gained for these awful agendas. People are accepting the propaganda. The media blasts us subliminally and now blatantly. It's in the schools. Those who point out the problem are bullied. We must be silenced.

It's the new morality.

It's the culture of death.

What a neat trick.

We call attention to what these things really are and call them sin for a reason. Murder is a sin. People are made in the image of God and to kill an innocent person (that includes babies in the womb) is a grievous wrong that God must punish. Homosexuality is a sin. It goes against God's created order and the picture of God's redemption plan. It is a perversion that has proven to be destructive.

The wages of sin is death.

God is holy and must punish sin. He is good and just. Sin cannot be in His glorious presence. Darkness cannot survive in the light. All who sin (everyone) have failed to meet his pure and perfect standard and since God is eternal, the punishment for sin is eternal.

But God in His compassion and love has given the way to be saved from His just wrath. He must punish sin, so He punished Jesus. Jesus is God and He stepped into time and space and became a man. Totally man and totally God. He lived a sinless, perfect life. He met God's standard in every way. This sinless One was whipped and beaten and nailed to a cross. The Father poured out His wrath on The Son. He died and was placed into a tomb. On the third day He rose again. This is the gospel.

This is why we tell the truth and call those things sin. We don't want sinners to die and be punished forever. We have good news for sinners! For all who are weary and burdened by sin. We have good news.

Our plea, our cry is for sinners to repent. Forsake their sin. Turn from it and leave it. Hate it. Repent and believe the gospel. Put on the perfection of Christ so that when God in a His glory looks upon you, you will be seen as perfect and will have eternal life. Repent of sin and put your faith in what God has done to save you.

Do Something!

2014-06-10T09:50:00.000-06:00

Social justice - making sure everyone has food and everything they need for survival. This may include wealth distribution.

Liberal professing Christians love to throw around this concept of social justice. They even go so far as to say that is our primary mandate here on earth. They even call it gospel. Brian McLaren declared in a YouTube video years back that he is a social justice Christian. Well, by his own words and actions, he has demonstrated he is not a Christian at all.

The problem with the term justice in this context is that it isn't justice after all. Wealth distribution is not justice. In fact, it is legalized theft. Real justice is makng criminals responsible for their crimes. Feeding people and helping them is called charity. The brilliance of calling it justice is that it is emotionally manipulative. It tells people that if they are not doing things their way, they are unjust.

Here is something interesting: the group that does the most acts of charity and gives the most in this world are born again Christians. Don't believe me? Do some research.

There is this confusion about what the gospel really is and what we are called to do in this world. Secular humanism has come into the church and it somehow has been absorbed as Christian even though it is contrary to Scripture. I have a theory. The church has worked so hard attracting the world in, that the seats have filled up with 'goats' (false converts) and naturally, their worldview came in with them. The church has been catering to the goats while the sheep (born again Christians) starve. Add to that biblical illiteracy and the environment is perfect for all sorts of worldly teaching and values while biblical teaching and principles are shoved aside as outdated and useless.

It's no surprise that so many songs and books labeled as Christian present this worldliness disguised as Christianity.

I was driving home one morning after dropping off my daughter at school when a song came on the Family Friendly radio station.

There's a line that goes something like him asking God what He is going to do about all this trouble in the world and God answered him saying "I did do something..." And as I listened my mind willed the song to say "I died on the cross", but unfortunately, the singer tells us that God said, "I made you."

FAIL

You know what? This might be hard to believe since we are all in love with our awesome selves, but we are not the answer to the problems of the world. You know what else? We are the problem.

Songs like this are basically secular humanism. It celebrates our power to affect change in the world and make the world a better place. Shoving God into the song does not make it a Christian song, the worldview is still the same.

People like this have been yelling at the church for years to "do something!", as the song goes. All the while, the Great Commission is trampled. Lets's make the world a better place! They yell at goats to do something. You are a Christian if you do these things. They yell at the sheep to do things their way. "Get off your knees and do something!" "Stop bothering people on the streets telling them about sin and repentance!" "Stop standing in front of abortion clinics! That's rude!" "Stop handing out tracts, they're useless!" "Deeds not creeds!" "Get your head out of the Bible! Theology doesn't feed people!"

DO OUR THINGS OUR WAY OR YOU ARE JUST A HYPOCRITE

But they don't judge. They are the tolerant ones. They are the loving ones, after all, love wins.

We are the hypocrites and legalists who just want to ruin everyone's happiness. We are mean.

Well, making the wide road to destruction comfortable and enjoyable for sinners sounds like the meanest thing ever. Because, while these people are doing something and revelling in their accomplishments, they don't know the gospel. They don't know that the gospel is not us. The gospel is not digging a well or setting up a health clinic or feeding the hungry.

The gospel is Jesus. The gospel is what has been done by Him.

"But, wait a minute, you said up there that no one gives more or does more than born again Christians and now you're telling us that we aren't supposed to do that stuff?"

No, we are to do acts of charity. But never at the expense of the gospel. The biggest need in this world is the gospel. It is proclaimed, it is not our works. Our works have to do with law and they do not save anyone, but they support the proclamation of the gospel. Of primary importance for the Christian is to proclaim the gospel. A born again Christian will do the works that have been prepared for them in Christ.

Just think about this for a sec. Wherever the gospel has taken hold, what is the quality of life for those people?

A goat quickly loses interest and tires out.

I wish that we never let the worldly teachings into the church to take over. But God, in His infinite wisdom and sovereignty allowed it and I must trust Him.

I guess I'm a bigot

2014-05-24T00:25:00.000-06:00

There is no shortage of liberal professing Christians who believe themselves to be humble and more loving than I am. They believe themselves to be tolerant and accepting and want everyone to know this. If you disagree with them, they will show you just how much more intelligent and enlightened they are compared to you. There are numerous articles and blog posts out by these enlightened ones who deign to condescend and share their thoughts on issues. No, come on, they're not hypocritically judging the church. Wait...

I just read this article and was rendered speechless by it to start with. It still shakes me up when I read stuff like this. It never gets less upsetting or hurts less even though I've encountered this brand of tolerance, judgment and sanctimony so many times.

I still shudder when I remember that I used to be just like this. I had the attitude I described above. I had the clever words and intellectual snobbery. I thought that the thinking in the following article made complete sense. I considered myself tolerant and open minded and accepting...except, of course, if you were what I called a 'fundie'.

Without further set up, here is the article. I will insert my comments throughout.

Is Every Christian Against Gay Marriage Necessarily a Bigot?

The call of today’s anti-gay Christians is, “Stop calling us bigots, everyone! Just because we believe what the Bible says about homosexuality does not make us bigots!”

Right off the bat, he labels biblical Christians 'anti-gay'. I would like to state right now that Christians are not anti homosexual, but anti homosexuality. Very important distinction. I would rather say, we are anti-sin, but since this guy labelled us as anti-gay, I thought I'd address that specifically. Are we bigots because we also believe what the Bible says about lying and fornication?

So, let’s think about that.

That's just it. He doesn't seem to get around to thinking about it here.

Pertinent question #1: When does the anti-gay Christian become irrefutably a bigot?Answer? The moment he or she does anything to restrict the rights of any other person based solely upon the fact that that person is gay.

There's that blatant labelling again. Who's the bigot here? Who is intolerant here? Who is trying to step on rights or beliefs here? Surely not this enlightened and compassionate person. I would like to see what he thinks is restricting rights. Because, you know what? Gay people have the exact same rights as I do. What they want are what Dr. James White calls "uber rights". And it doesn't stop there. They want homosexuality to be embraced and celebrated. Promoted and affirmed. Do you know what this means? The rights and beliefs of Christians are being restricted. Yes, it is already happening. So, who are the bigots?

You, anti-gay Christian, have the God-given freedom and the American right to believe whatever you want, and to worship and congregate with anyone and everyone who shares your beliefs. What sane person would argue that?

There are many groups who argue against that daily, mainly, any LGBT lobbying group. It's true. We keep being called bigots and told that if we do not accept and even verbally affirm homosexuality, our jobs are threatened and we are stifled. Street preachers are arrested and their civil rights violated. Who are the bigots? Anyone who disagrees with the gay agenda must be silenced. How tolerant.

For all practical purposes (and for such concerns what else matters?) it is not beliefs that make a bigot. It’s actions.

Yet, our very thoughts are being policed. If we do not believe the same as this guy and those who agree with him, we are bullied. We must be silenced. Who are the bigots?

If you vote against gay marriage or gay rights, you are a bigot—as surely as anyone who voted against civil rights in the 60′s was a bigot. If you preach against gay rights, you are a bigot. If you write against gay rights, you are a bigot. If you give your money or time to any Christian church or ministry that you know in any way actively works to restrict or limit gay rights, you are a bigot. If in private you intimate to your dearest friend that you don’t think gay people should be allowed to get married, you are a bigot.No one wants to be a bigot, of course: not even the most virulent KKK member will claim that repelling appellation for him or herself. But bigot is as bigot does.

This man is calling us a name over and over again because we refuse to bend to the will of the gay agenda. Because we don't (and can't) agree with him. This is bullying. And he pulls out this comparison between gay rights and civil rights for black people. You know, there are many black people who are outraged at being used like this for the gay agenda. It's not a sin to be black. It's a sin to commit homosexual acts. Is it surprising that Christians who hate all sin, including their own, and know how it is enslaving and detrimental for society as a whole would want to vote to protect what is valuable? Is it really bigotry to vote according to our beliefs? Why should we give into the brow beating and bullying of the gay agenda and vote for something we know is wrong and harmful? How are we the bigots for that? Is it loving to withhold the truth about homosexuality from those ensnared by it? Is it loving to affirm a persons sin and not warn them of the wages of sin? Or does that sound like hate?

And since it’s impossible for a person to hold a conviction—especially one based on religious beliefs—that they don’t in some way live out, it is, alas, safe to claim that any and every Christian who believes that gay people shouldn’t have every last moral and legal right they claim for themselves is a bigot.

Seriously? This guy gets to define the parameters of convictions? I have many convictions that I am unable to live up to. I am a law breaker. A sinner. The law of God is an impossible standard for me. Any real Christian knows this basic fact, yet there are many professors who are not actual Christians, unfortunately, and they peddle a pseudo Christianity that seems loving and tolerant and of Jesus while underneath, it is hateful lies.

You can’t be in the KKK and claim that you’re not a bigot; you can’t be opposed to LGBT rights and claim that you’re not a bigot. Well, you can, of course. But if you do you are fooling no one, least of all God.

So...he brings in the KKK...why? Emotional argument? It's not even an accurate comparison. I am opposed to the gay agenda. I am opposed to sin. This does not make me a bigot. This guy keeps calling me a bigot while revealing by his own words and lack of logic that he is in fact the bigot. Christians are sinners who have found mercy and forgiveness for their law breaking against God. They seek to show other sinners to the cross where Christ paid for sin and sets us free if we would repent of sin and trust Him to save us. The wages of sin is death, but in Christ there is eternal life.

Pertinent question #2: Does the Bible say that being gay is a sin?

Yes. Yes it does. That link down there leads to a blasphemous and ponderous twisting of Scripture that I simply do not have the energy to take on. Maybe someone else already has. Maybe I will be able to one day.

Answer? No, it doesn’t. [← That's a link.]- See more at: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/johnshore/2014/05/is-every-christian-against-gay-marriage-necessarily-a-bigot/#sthash.f3KXmtTA.dpuf

Unfortunately, this article is not from a biblical worldview that seeks to tell the truth and bring good news to those who are weary and heavy laden by sin. It is the words of the worldly minded that seeks self preservation and the praise of man. This is not love and tolerance. It is hatred and the bigotry that the author claims to be speaking against.

Too bad biblical truth is lost on liberal professing Christians like this who influence so many. But God opened my eyes to my black and prideful heart and I am trying to influence with the truth now rather than the drivel I used to proclaim.

My heart aches for these people and those they lie to. Deceived and deceiving. I will not let them do this easily.

May we be found in Christ on judgment day. He who saves sinners like me and Whose grace is enough for the repentant homosexual who is contrite and seeking forgiveness and mercy. God will save every one of His sheep in spite of people, like this man, standing in their way with empty tolerance and alleged acceptance.

A Response to McClure's hit piece

2014-04-17T19:05:00.000-06:00

Here is a balanced and thoughtful response to the hit piece against Prairie Christian Academy from the same publication, the Calgary Herald.

Pennings: You have nothing to fear from religious schools.

Ray Pennings

When I was in school, merely spouting my opinions (of which I had many) did not get me good marks. Without data and supporting arguments for my opinions, they ended up being dismissed as tripe.

That standard is missing from public discourse today, at least with regard to religious schools in Canada.

Last week, another in a rash of anti-religious school stories came from Ontario, where a Toronto-area father won the right in court to send his son to a Catholic school while being exempted from all religious programs.

The father told the National Post the decision relieves the family of “this prolonged anguish we have been put through.”

This week’s story in that vein comes from Alberta, where the Calgary media seems surprised that a Christian school holds to a traditional view of marriage and an orthodox Christian view of hell.

In all such cases, the mere presence of a religiously based school, it seems, qualifies as a threat to civility and decency. Simple orthodox religious expression is treated as shocking intolerance.

In the Alberta case, Liberal MLA Kent Hehr, responding to the posting of an orthodox Christian statement of faith on a Christian school’s website, noted: “Fifteen years after the Supreme Court outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it is unbelievable this is still happening.”

But if our high school lessons about supporting arguments with data were observed, we would find Hehr’s claim flies in the face of indisputable facts, as is so often the case with such criticism.The first fact is the Civil Marriage Act passed by Parliament in 2005. The very preamble of the legislation relied on by Hehr notes that “it is not against the public interest to hold and publicly express diverse views on marriage.”

Often overlooked is that the same clause protecting same-sex marriage from discrimination explicitly reinforces the charter’s freedom of conscience and religion provision for “the expression of . . . beliefs in respect of marriage as the union of a man and woman to the exclusion of all others based on that guaranteed freedom.”

The second data point involves nothing less than the Supreme Court of Canada, which has rejected the argument that having a community covenant reflecting traditional views of marriage is in itself discriminatory.

In a landmark case, the British Columbia College of Teachers argued that because Trinity Western University had a community covenant, the school should not have the right to grant teacher’s licences. The Supreme Court sided with Trinity Western, noting that there was no evidence raised of discriminatory conduct.

The court noted that the “proper place to draw the line is generally between belief and conduct.” (It’s worth observing the same discredited argument is playing out again as Trinity Western tries to open a law school.)

In public skirmishes regarding religious schools, the focus is almost exclusively on the beliefs held. That is not to naively pretend that no occasion will ever be found in which a religious school engages in discriminatory conduct of one sort or the other — just as occurs in school systems that do not have religious statements of faith or community covenants. But to connect the pattern of that discrimination to the existence of a belief system rooted in a respect for every person as an image-bearer of God is a leap supported neither by law nor the evidence.

If critics of religious schools did their homework, they would know that, in general, religious schools do at least as good a job — and in many cases, a better job — of achieving the purposes of public education than do public schools.

Religious schools are a misunderstood minority that tend to mind their own business and not worry about promoting themselves. That is hardly justification for media, legal and political elites to run roughshod over the clearly established charter rights of religious communities to organize and operate their own schools as an expression of religious freedom.

The glib headlines and faux outrage expressed by those critical of religious schools requires more careful argument than is being publicly offered. In fact, if those critics did the required study, they might be surprised whose charter rights are really being offended here.

[Ray Pennings is the executive vice-president of Cardus, a think-tank that fosters renewal of social architecture in North America.]

© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Christian Values or Anti Gay?

2014-04-15T20:55:00.000-06:00

Those who push the liberal agenda use dirty tools. They don't have the truth on their side, they don't have logic or reason on their side, so they have to resort to such tactics as emotional arguments and phrases that make their position look noble and those opposed to look hateful. For example, calling pro abortion choice or healthcare for women when in reality it is the murder of an unborn baby and the mother is often scarred for life as well and even can suffer physical consequences. Those opposed to abortion are called anti choice and haters of women when in reality they are pro life and want to help women to not commit such an awful crime.

The liberal media machine is saturated with such language.

Yesterday, I made a blog post on an article that is a shining example of these tactics.

Sun News Network had commentary on it on the Michael Coren show. It greatly upset me when once again I heard that tactic. One of the guests said "teaching anti gay" rather than these schools teaching traditional family values and therefore he thinks these schools should not be funded. Do you see the manipulation there? Once again, finding they don't have the truth or logic on their side, dirty means come in. The public should be outraged at how they are played. Unfortunately, this works on them.

Here is the link to the video. Keep in mind the fallacy and wordplay used throughout.

http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/god-in-school/3472741441001

Unfortunately, this is the way the world is going. Words no longer have meaning and anyone who disagrees with the gay agenda will be silenced. We are quickly losing our rights as parents to teach our children important values.

Please come, Lord Jesus.

Oh! Before you go, take a look at this refreshing article from the Globe and Mail.

Intolerance is now a vice of the left

Thanks, dear reader.

Tolerance in Small Town Alberta: Christian School Under Fire

2014-04-14T23:05:00.001-06:00

There is a Bible college town in Alberta called Three Hills. Prairie Bible college was founded in 1922 and is still going. In 2003, the grade school went from being a private school to being under the alternative category in the public school system. This is a perfectly legal set up for a Christian School.

A journalist for the Calgary Herald started poking around the Prairie Christian Academy website looking for something to sensationalize and he did. I will present his article based on what he found and give critique and correction throughout. I have friends and family on the PCA board. It is shocking how the article compares to the truth.

Taxpayer-funded Christian school forbids ‘homosexual relations,’ warns of 'lake of fire'

An Alberta school funded fully by taxpayers and answerable to a public board requires teachers to abstain from “homosexual relations” and warns students that the unjust risk everlasting torment in the “lake of fire.”

[1. PCA is not fully funded by tax money. The Christian components and programs are funded by PCA association money. 2. Is it really shocking that a Christian school would have abstaining from sexual immorality as a rule?]

An opposition critic expressed shock Sunday that the Conservative government recently committed to spending $7 million to modernize and expand Prairie Christian Academy (PCA), despite the fact the Three Hills facility displays policies on its website that “fly in the face” of both the province’s human rights legislation and the country’s Constitution.

[Nobody is having their human rights infringed upon. They know full well this is the policy when they apply. Plus, any gay student or teacher is allowed to work or attend the school. It is the behaviour that is not allowed. Same with sex outside of marriage. It's a Christian school with Christian values.]

“Fifteen years after the Supreme Court outlawed discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it is unbelievable this is still happening,” Liberal MLA Kent Hehr said.

[This is a liberal politician. Of course he would say that. Again, no one is discriminated against for being a gay person, it is based on behavior. A Christian school has Christian values and codes of conduct. The teachers and staff are expected to model the faith to the students. These people really put on a good show of shock. Seriously. What part of Christian school do they not understand?]

“I am starting to question what oversight Minister Jeff Johnson and his education department are providing to the system.”

[Well, as the ‘journalist’ wrote this ‘article’ left out some crucial details, and sensationalized buzz words and exploited what he chose to share, of course people reading the article would not have a clue about the category that this school is under. Like I said before, no public funds are used for the Christian components and programs at the school. That funding comes from PCA association.]

A private religious school founded more than seven decades ago, Prairie Christian Academy joined the Golden Hills School Division in 2003, a decision the school’s website says allowed it to get increased public funding.

[Yes, for the educational components of which they meet the standard.]

While parents still pay nominal fees for religious education, the regular program of study, busing and even lease and utility costs are fully covered by the local board.

[Yes, tuition is paid so that the Christian components and programs can be funded without tax funding.]

The K-12 school, located about 130 kilometres northeast of Calgary, is one of several dozen faith-based facilities that have become part of the public system since the province amended the School Act in 1988 to make the moves possible.

[So…this guy knows it is perfectly legal and legit…he wanted to rile people up anyway? Huh. Great journalism here!]

A concluding paragraph in PCA’s statement of faith, which all students in Grades 7 through 12 are required to sign, says the unjust will go to Hell and be subject to “everlasting punishment of conscious torment in the lake of fire.”

[It’s the truth. All who sin against God will be punished forever. The thing is, all people are sinners and all people deserve hell. But, God put a plan of redemption in motion.]

The reference from the Book of Revelation entered popular political parlance in Alberta during the 2012 provincial election.

Wildrose leader Danielle Smith faced heavy criticism at the time when she refused to dump candidate Allen Hunsperger for his use of the term in a blog post critical of new policies at some school boards aimed at protecting gay and lesbian students from bullying.

[Yes, the gay agenda is working hard at forcing their brand of ‘tolerance’ on school children. They are the bullies. And now we are seeing another example of liberal tyranny. They just don’t get it though.]

The handbook children at PCA receive threatens suspension or expulsion for serious violations of school rules or a display of attitudes which hinder the growth of other students.

[Yeah, so….should students just be allowed to do whatever they want without consequences?]

“Actions such as social dancing, the use of tobacco, alcohol and non-prescribed drugs are not acceptable,” the discipline section states.

[Christian school…I wonder if this guy is allowed to smoke, drink and do drugs where he works?]

“The same could be said about the use of pornography and participation in elicit (sic) sexual conduct.”

[Yes, Christian values based on the Bible. These things are sinful and destructive to people. Same with sexual immorality. It’s not rocket surgery.]

PCA Professional and Ethical Standards

The school’s professional and ethical standards require all teachers to “uphold the sanctity of marriage, defined as that between a man and a woman, and abstain from homosexual relations and sexual relations outside the bonds of marriage.”

[Christian school…Christian values…wait a minute….is this article tolerant? Me thinks no. It is very intolerant of Christian values practiced by a Christian school where the Christian components are funded by Christians. Hmmm….tolerance is a one way street in this brave new world where liberal tyrants discard the truth and pump out propaganda to achieve their ends.]

Golden Hills’ superintendent Bevan Daverne said he was not aware of any student or staff member at PCA who has been disciplined for sexual misconduct in his three years at the helm.

[There hasn’t been any. This guy should go to Three Hills and meet the staff. He will be blessed. He will find a bunch of sinners who have found salvation and have a desire to educate and teach children in the faith so that they may find salvation in Christ too. WATCH OUT!]

But Daverne said some special requirements were appropriate for staff in alternative programs.

“If we were offering a language school with French or Spanish immersion, we wouldn’t be hiring teachers who weren’t fluent,” he said.

“The same is true with our religious-based programming where we’re looking for staff who have a fluency within that faith.”

[Only logical, right? But logic is lost on this guy and most of society today, unfortunately.]

While Daverne said the board still wants to continue its arrangement with PCA, he said some of the language in the school’s documents needs to be updated and modernized.

[Uh oh. That means compromise and bowing to the liberal tyrants. I hope McClure is still fudging the truth here.]

“Some of the items you’ve mentioned that are in there, even so far as the smoking and the alcohol, we need to look at those items and see if that’s a fit with the current culture,” he said.

[Give me a break.]

“At the same time, we want to be supportive of our community and what they are looking for.”

[So, no interest in upholding biblical values? What a shame.]

Jason Ewert, PCA’s society chair, did not reply Sunday to an email request for comment.

[Jason Ewert got this emal on a Sunday. Jason Ewert is very busy on a Sunday. Before he was given any time to formulate a response, this article was written and posted online that very day. No one affiliated with PCA had a say in this article.]

This is the second public board where the Herald has found a school with rules censuring gays and lesbians.

[Yes, Christian school…Christians do not support or condone any sinful lifestyles but call sin what it is and share the good news on how to be saved from the wages of sin: eternal death. This ‘journalist’ has found a miniscule part of the faith statement, has ripped it out of context and put his own spin on it to try and rile up the public. And it worked. He left out very important information, lied in the very first line, did not check his sources and effectively put a hate piece out there. And this sort of thing is impossible to amend or take back. He has an agenda and he has struck at a Christian school to incite outrage. Notice the language used in this article. Censure, intolerance, discrimination. These are hot buzz words used to manipulate people. The truth is, there is no censure, intolerance or discrimination against any people going on. It is censure, intolerance and discrimination of sinful behavior that is believed to be harmful to individuals practicing it and affects those around them. This is basic Christian values. It used to be basic societal values in this country. This Calgary Herald article not tolerance. This is the brand of hate that is being called tolerance by the liberal tyrants.]

[Then he references another recent case here in Calgary.]

A recent agreement between Palliser Regional Schools and Heritage Christian Academy

in Calgary threatens students with expulsion and staff with dismissal if they engage in a “lifestyle of sexual immorality.”

[CHRISTIAN SCHOOL!]

A prior version of the deal defined that to include premarital relations, viewing pornography and homosexual behaviour.

[Christian school…]

Johnson was not available to be interviewed for this story, but his press secretary said last week that Alberta Education is reviewing conduct policies at faith-based schools around the province to ensure they comply with the Charter and human rights law.
Daverne said the province committed a year ago to spending approximately $7 million to build a larger facility that will hold up to 400 children.
The project got the government go-ahead despite a recent Golden Hills study that found

PCA’s current enrolment of 255 students was stable and unlikely to change in the coming years.

Hehr said the Tories need to act swiftly now or risk being seen as supporting intolerance with taxpayer dollars.

[Nice wordplay. It is not intolerance. It is a school. A school that needs updated facilities. People like Hehr and McClure are the intolerant ones and McClure has shown how downright dirty and low journalism has become.]

“Either these schools stop this ludicrous behaviour or their funding should cease immediately,” Hehr said.

[What ludicrous behaviour? Education? Teaching the truth? Learning about the faith? What behaviour is so ludicrous? Sexual immorality and abortion are ludicrous behaviours and that is what Hehr and his party support.]

“I couldn’t care less what these parents believe, but what I want is leadership from our government about what our society believes.”

[That’s nice. Real tolerant. Inclusive even. So, parents are not allowed to teach their children what they believe is important for them to learn? Parents pay for the Christian education, by the way, in case it was missed the first time I already said it in this post.]

Delwin Vriend, a lab instructor at a private religious college in Edmonton who was fired from his job over two decades ago because he was gay, said he’s disappointed.

[He broke the rules at a CHRISTIAN COLLEGE where they have CHRISTIAN VALUES. He wasn't fired for being gay, he was fired for breaking the code of conduct of which he fully knew and agreed to upon employment.]

While Vriend’s successful fight all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada may have changed human rights law in Alberta in 1998 to forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, he said it apparently hasn’t changed practices in the province.

“These policies send a horrible message to students and staff who may already be struggling with the fact they are gay or lesbian,” Vriend said in a phone interview from his current home in France.

[No, it does not. Christians love gay people enough to tell them the truth and give them the good news of real hope found in Jesus Christ who died to save us from sin. We all sin. Those who are weary and heavy laden with sin need to know where they can find rest. To just stand by and applaud sin and celebrate it while acting outraged at the truth about it is the lowest, most despicable brand of hatred there is. These people are using people broken by sin to further their agenda. Christians love the person and sincerely want to see them saved by Jesus who took the wrath of God on the cross for all who would repent and trust in Him alone for salvation. THAT is love. This article is hate. This article is intolerance.]

“It’s disconcerting that a public school board is allowing a school to tell the wider society in Alberta that this sort of discrimination is still OK.”

[Yes, we are not allowed to hold to our Christian values. These people would have us agree with them or we must be destroyed. How inclusive of them.]

mmcclure@calgaryherald.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

I read many of the comments under this article. People are fooled by it. It’s appalling how much vital information this man held back, or maybe he is ignorant of it. Remember a key piece of information: all of the Christian components are paid for by Christians. None of it is funded by tax money. This shoddy excuse for a news article has ignited a landslide of foolish rhetoric. The comments are full of
hatred toward Christians…which is really hatred of Christ. The ignorance and fallacy is almost too much to bear. And this guy proudly posted this article and sits back while it happens. There is no integrity in journalism anymore. I am now fully sceptical and suspicious of anything I read in the newspaper. Now that I’ve experienced what it’s like to know the truth and have to sit helplessly by while lies are being told and people believe it.

Jesus said this would happen. And this is mild, considering what is yet to come.

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Jesus is the victorious one.

You don’t have to answer

2014-03-24T15:15:00.001-06:00

There are a lot of people out there that we will encounter surprisingly often who hold to erroneous doctrines and philosophies and spread those notions around in the church. Unfortunately, these notions are going unchecked and easily. There is no knew heresy. Ancient heresies are still around. One major example is Socinianism.

I was listening to Phil Johnson talking about liberalism in the church and the impact that Lelio Socin had on the church. He talked about a letter that John Calvin wrote to Socin when he finally got fed up with him going around and talking and talking and questioning everything about the Christian faith while claiming to be a Christian and secretly denying the Trinity while affirming it in public. This sort of questioning is touted in liberal/emergent circles these days as humility when in reality it is an echo of Genesis 3 of Satan planting doubt in the minds of Adam and Eve by asking questions. I come from an emergent background and know how much philosophizing goes on and talking and questioning. So many words are used. So many. Questioning everything is a virtue and certainty is seen as arrogance. Words are play things and there is so much speculation.

I was reminded of this passage in 2 Timothy:

Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some. 2 Timothy 2:14-18

In my pride I often answer people like this only to end up in a frustrated state after wasting a lot of time arguing with them and trying to reason with them. Now, I’m a little more jealous of my time and usually cut things off early on when I realize they will not listen but only want to talk and speculate and philosophize and plant doubt.

The reformer, John Calvin, put a stop to this sort of nonsense with Socin because he saw how he was going around trying to plant doubt in people’s minds about the faith. Unfortunately, Socin passed his legacy on to his nephew, Fausto Sozzini (Faustus Socinus), who documented the beliefs that were passed on to him from Lelio Socin. This became known as Socinianism.

Here is the letter:

CCLXXXIX. – To Lelio Socin.
Refusal to reply to the curious questions proposed to him by Socin.
[1551 A.D.]
PREFACE
Lelio Socin, founder of the celebrated sect which bears his name, was born in Sienna of a distinguished family: his father, Mariano Socin, a professor in the University of Bologna, was one of the most learned jurisconsults of his age. Of a bold and active mind, which found pleasure in the most subtle speculations, and which would not stop short of the interpretation of mysteries, Lelio left his native country in 1548, and joined the Reformers of Switzerland and Germany, whose friendship he won by the politeness of his manners, the purity of his life, and his zeal for learning. He resided by turns at Zurich and Wittenberg, and was not slow, by correspondence or conversation, to express his doubts on the common doctrines, which he skilfully advanced rather in the form of questions than as opinions, which he was prepared to maintain and teach. He was beloved by [Hendrich] Bullinger, who did not suspect the heterodoxy of his beliefs, and who wrote to Calvin himself, after having repeatedly broken off correspondence with Socin, could no forbear renewing it, and giving a friendly reply to the doubts which he had expressed on the resurrection, baptism, the trinity, &c. (Calvin. Opera, tom. ix. pp. 51, 57, 197.) The letter, which is published here for the first time, throws valuable light on the relation of the Reformer to the founder of a sect to which even Socin himself was yet a stranger, and whose doubts were afterwards to be setup as dogmas by his disciples. Lelio Socin died in 1562, before he had completed his thirty-seventh year. –M’Crie, Hist. of Ref. in Italy, passim.
LETTER
You are deceived in so far as you entertain the impression that Melanchthon does not agree with us on the doctrine of predestination. I only said briefly that I had a letter written by his own hand, in which he confessed that his opinion agreed with mine. But I can believe all you say, as it is nothing new for him to elude in this matter, the better to rid himself of troublesome inquiries. Certainly no one can be more averse to paradox than I am, and in subtleties I find no delight at all. Yet nothing shall ever hinder me from openly avowing what I have learned from the word of God; for nothing but what is useful is taught in the school of this master. It is my only guide, and to acquiesce in its plain doctrines shall be my constant rule of wisdom. Would that you also, my dear Lelio, would learn to regulate your powers with the same moderation! You have no reason to expect a reply from me so long as you bring forward those monstrous questions. If you are gratified by floating among those aerial speculations, permit me, I beseech you, an humble discipline of Christ, to meditate on those things which tend towards the building up of my faith. And indeed I shall hereafter follow out my wishes in silence, that you may not be troubled by me. And in truth, I am very greatly grieved that the fine talents which God has endowed you, should be occupied not only with what is vain and fruitless, but that they should also be injured by pernicious figments. What I warned you of long ago, I must again seriously repeat, that unless you correct in time this itching after investigation, it is to be feared you will bring upon yourself severe suffering. I should be cruel towards you did I treat with a show of indulgence what I believe to be a very dangerous error. I should prefer, accordingly, offending you a little at present by my severity, rather than you allow to indulge unchecked in the fascination allurements of curiosity. The time will come, I hope, when you will rejoice in having been so violently admonished. Adieu, brother very highly esteemed by me; and if this rebuke is harsher than it ought to be, ascribe it to my love to you.
[Lat. copy. – Library of Geneva. Vol. 107, a.]
pg 330-331, The Letters of John Calvin
- See more at: http://houtz.tv/2012/10/09/john-calvins-letter-to-lelio-socin-on-socinianism/#sthash.uyq41Qxz.dpuf

I don’t have to answer the questions and speculations of someone who wishes to plant doubt, and neither do you. I encourage you, dear reader, to keep reading the Bible and study it properly.

To Live Is Christ

2014-02-18T15:53:00.001-07:00

"just a few more steps for to tote the weary load.”

This line from the classic novel, Gone With The Wind has come to my mind a lot for the past while.

How many of us have become weary? How many if us long for sin and suffering to end? It is too easy to beg God to just take us home.

Sometimes it makes no sense as to why He insists we continue in this world in spite of our lack of strength and comfort.

Paul said in Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” It would be wonderful to go to glory and finally be with our Saviour forever, but in God’s plan and sovereignty, He has His reasons for keeping us here. The main reason being proclaiming His gospel.

May we be constantly reminded and comforted by His promise in Romans 8:28, "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

He is in complete control and He is with us all the weary way. Everything that happens is for our good and His glory. He also cares for us and feeds us. See Psalm 23.

Life is hard and this world is dark and scary, but we have a mighty and Good Shepherd who is taking us all the way home through it all.

May God teach us to rest in Him.

Ken Ham v. Bill Nye Debate

2014-02-14T18:35:00.001-07:00

A very important thing took place. listen to the debate between Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis and Bill Nye the Science Guy. A clash of worldviews took place.

After the debate, Ken Ham and Georgia Purdom provided the answers that Ken was not able to address in the insufficient rebuttal time he was given.

Post Debate Answers

Please listen to the perspective of Dr. James White in his review of the debate.

A few notes from the James White review:

The debate format was set up in Bill Nye’s favour.
There was only 5 minutes of rebuttal time allotted.
Ken Ham came prepared with a specific outline and agenda and was not able to answer every rabbit trail and fallacy aimed at creationism.

Many professing Christians are disappointed in the fact that Ken Ham focused so much on the Bible and didn’t answer every scientific charge aimed at him. It wasn’t enough science for them. The truth is, he did provide very good scientific data but his main goal was to share the truth of God’s Word and the gospel. He did this clearly and thoroughly. To the glory of God, the goal was achieved. Many people heard the gospel including Bill Nye. The focus of Ken Ham’s presentation was in the proper place.

In a debate like this, time is limited and the debaters come prepared with an agenda. This debate was set up shabbily. Ken Ham had a limited time to present what he needed to and there was no way to answer everything. Besides, even if he had hours to rebut and give scientific fact after scientific fact, there would be no value in that. Answering these things in and of itself is worthless. He did explain what real science is and the true scientific method. The only thing that had value in that debate was the proclamation of the gospel. Praise God for this opportunity.

Thanks for listening and reading.

What Christmas is about

2013-12-14T12:57:00.002-07:00

Please listen to this message by John MacArthur about what Christmas really means. What a mighty God who saves sinners.

Thanks for watching. May God bless you with His grace.

Strange Fire: A voice crying out in the wilderness

2013-10-21T18:12:00.001-06:00

Actually, it was several voices. John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, Phil Johnson, Justin Peters, Conrad Mbewe, Tom Pennington, Todd Friel, and Nathan Busenitz. It was the Strange Fire conference. A call to the church for discernment and a clear presentation of the truth into the wilderness of the charismatic movement.

I’m going to interrupt this and share something that cracks me up:

Self Esteem is Not Our Problem

2013-09-23T21:19:00.000-06:00

No one has this made up thing called low self esteem. In fact, we people esteem ourselves too much. We think we are awesome. We love and adore ourselves to no end. It's actually a huge problem for society when people are made to think they should build themselves up, to esteem themselves more. People are told they deserve to be happy, that they deserve whatever they want. They deserve to feel good and to not have any obstacles in the way of self gratification. A high self esteem leads to entitlement and laziness. Not only is this the prevailing attitude of the world, it is also being pushed inside the church. Things that are contrary to Christianity, to the doctrine of man, are being taught in purpose driven, seeker sensitive "churches." Not only do I encounter this narcissism when witnessing to atheists, but I keep seeing it from professing Christians. False teachers are really doing their work to try and thwart the church from the inside.

There is forgiveness

2013-09-17T13:07:00.001-06:00

In a society that continues to grow in its embracing of sinful things, we are going to see so many more despairing people taking their lives. What can we expect when we are not allowed to say wrong things are bad and that there is a way to find help and healing and forgiveness?

Read more »