May 31, 2024

 

Courage in a Culture of Cowards

One of my core priorities and chief concerns is to help my seminary students not only adopt opinions but also develop convictions. We can live with our opinions, but we must be willing to die for our convictions. I am concerned about central theological truths. It takes little discernment to realize the connection between theological truths and ethical standards. But today our culture is trying to make ethical and moral pronouncements without a theological foundation. It is worse than that. Our cultural leaders are trying to force ethical standards without a belief in what is true as they pronounce what is right and wrong. The epistemological trajectory is simple to track. We have moved from a pre-modern world to a modern world and now a post-modern world that is not only neutral to Christianity but downright hateful. Examine the new moral order of our country to see that Biblical Christianity has no place in making social comments about what is right or wrong. There is no longer purity only perversity. The sacred has become secular. Tomorrow, I will celebrate my 71st birthday. But even more important, it is the start of “gay pride month.” We will see not only civic celebrations but also many churches joining in, declaring God loves homosexuality and that it is a gift of God---so much for central theological truth. The frog in the kettle comes to mind. Today is the time for the Biblical Church to flex its muscles of compassion and conviction based upon Biblical truth. There is something to be said for what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “The hottest place in hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict.” Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

May 24, 2024

“Gonna be a twister to blow everything down / That ain’t got the faith to stand its ground.” -Bruce Springsteen-

Pop artists often express theological truth even when they do not know it. It is obvious that we are in a cultural twister that seeks to obliterate Christianity. But this is nothing new. The church has always been in the minority seeking to challenge the world, inviting a lost and dying world to find life in Jesus. It requires the church to flex both its muscles of conviction and compassion. It demands the moral stability to stand its ground. It demands that the people of the church be willing to live better and die better than the people of the world. This can and will only happen if we are living today as we look to the future. Ethics are always encased in Eschatology. We are to live today in light of tomorrow. We are waiting for King Jesus to return. He came at an appointed time, died an atoning death, and has risen to resurrection life so that we could be delivered from death and appropriate the gift of eternal life. (John 3:16, 5:24, 20:31)  We do not know when He comes, but we know when He does come, He comes for us. Let us be ready, living with holy conduct and a heavenly outlook. The music of my youth spoke to racial riots and protests to war and concluded:  "Tell me over and over again, my friend we are on the eve of destruction."  (1965 P.F. Sloan) Sounds like not much has changed in our culture. But it is true now as it was then and will always be: Jesus provides the only durable offer of hope to a lost and dying world. Who will you tell this week?   Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

May 17, 2024

Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing. -William Arthur Ward-

This sounds like a good description of a disciple of Jesus. We must study the word of God tirelessly. We must work diligently, prepare wisely, and dream biblically of the coming of the kingdom of God. This is difficult for Christians who live in America because we have so many distractions and options that clamor for our time and seek to claim our allegiance. Unfortunately, Amy Carmichael is right, “Satan is much more in earnest than we are—he buys up the opportunity while we are wondering how much it will cost.” The Lord Jesus provided for us a present reminder of a future reality to help us keep our bearings and balance as we live in uncharted waters and unmapped territory. It is called the Bema Seat - the Judgment Seat of Christ. Every Christian will give an account for the life they lived. This is not to adjudicate if a person is a Christian, but to evaluate the life a Christian lived. I ask you to consider, 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 and Romans 14:10. Now, read I Corinthians 3-4, 9:27, and I Peter 1:17. This scripture is serious about the importance of the investment of our lives. Since it is true, then remember as Goethe reminds us: "Things that matter least must never come about at the expense of things that matter most." Jesus said it well as He always did: "What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?"   Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

May 10, 2024

"When God wants to judge a nation, He gives them wicked rulers." -John Calvin-

It has been postulated that people are not born stupid. They are born ignorant and then educated to be stupid. Recent events on the university campus and the floor of Congress give ample evidence of this axiom. What is the difference between stupid and smart?  Perhaps the apostle Paul can guide us. Colossians 2:8-10- See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority… Listen to his instruction to his protégé, Timothy. I Timothy 1:3-6: As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration of God which is by faith. But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. I Timothy 4:6-7: In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness…  I Timothy 6:20 – O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”… 2 Timothy 2:14-16: 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, handling accurately the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter for it will lead to further ungodliness. 2 Timothy 3:13 – But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. Notice the focus of Paul as to authority and the action that should flow from it. 2 Timothy - 3:15-16: …and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness… 2 Timothy 4:2-3: …preach the word, be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires… As Rabbi Joshua Haberman reminds us: “The Bible belt is America’s safety belt.” The Bible has always been so and I hope will always be so. Buckle up! Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred

May 3, 2024

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." ~William Arthur Ward~

I have always viewed life with a heightened sense of reality. I am a realist. This opens me up to the charge of being a conspiracy theorist. But it seems that many “conspiracy theorists” can now be called clairvoyant given the preponderance of evidence of the cultural elites’ liberal agenda. The government really does lie to and spy on the people it is to serve. The media really does deceive with its propaganda. The academic world truly does not believe in truth.    The Christian is living in a corrupt and corrosive culture that seeks to eradicate Christ. Our society is seeking to eliminate the sacred and replace it with the secular. There is no more moral shame except when Christians declare that there truly are morals. Ours is a culture that seeks to take God away, remove him/her/it from the equation or existence. The “cancel culture” wants to cancel Christ.   The Irish dramatist, Lady Gregory, expressed it well. You have taken the east from me; you have taken the west from me; you have taken what is before me and what is behind me; you have taken the moon, you have taken the sun from me; and my fear is great that you have taken God from me! The world is trying to take God from you. Do not let them. The culture wants to cancel Christ from the schoolroom and the boardroom, and from the ranks of both military and government. They wish to dismantle your morals and mores so that you affirm what God denies.    Know what you believe. Know why you believe it. Know what you do not believe. Know why you do not believe it. Be ready to give a defense of the hope that is in you! (I Peter 3:15) Serving Him with you Until He comes for us. Fred