Current Culture:
The Susan G. Komen Foundation recently withdrew their financial support for Planned Parenthood. Due to negative publicity, the decision was reversed. Although Planned Parenthood offers free mammograms, they are the major provider of abortions inAmericaperforming some 300,000 abortions annually. Those who oppose the funds to Planned Parenthood believe that even though the organization provides some needed services, the negative aspect of abortion far outweighs any good that the group does.
Voices from the Past:
The Bible actually addresses, in principle, the consequences of supporting pro-abortion groups such as Planned Parenthood. Among the seven things that God hates is the shedding of innocent blood (Proverbs 6:16-17). The Proverb writer goes on to say, “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous, both of them are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 17:15). He adds, “He who says to the wicked, ‘You are righteous,’ people will curse him, nations will abhor him . . .” (Proverbs 24:24-25). As king Jehosophat was returning from helping the wicked King Ahab, the prophet Jehu asked him, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord, and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord?” (2 Chronicles 19:2). In the New Testament the apostle John points out that anyone who supports those in opposition to the teachings of Christ are partakers in their evil deeds (2 John 9-11).
2/16/2012
Current Culture
When Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg, Germany, in 1517, there was little resemblance between the church of the New Testament and the church that prompted Luther’s protest. Years of subtle changes had replaced apostolic doctrine with traditions and teachings of men. Luther brought an awareness to the people of just how far the church had been removed from its original state. The current culture should always be on guard against changes that would threaten the doctrine of Christ and His church.
Voices from the Past
F. LeGard Smith noted, “Without our realizing it we can become caught up in a secular mindset that has little regard for the authority of God’s revelation. So subtle is the change in our thinking that we may not even recognize how far removed we are from where we started, nor how great a threat to faith our new thinking has become. There is a common enemy, a revolutionary cultural mindset which threatens to consume us all.” William Ralph Inge wrote, “The church which is married to the spirit of its age will be a widow in the next.” In regard to recognizing authority Baxell Barrett Baxter observed, “The only dependable authority in religion is the authority of God. Neither the internal autonomy which man imagines within himself nor the authority which a group of men claim in concerted efforts is real authority.”
2/4/2012
Current Culture
Many present-day ministers stress God’s continual preference for physical Israel. “Pray for Israel” is a common theme among some televangelists. It is undeniable that Israel is a valuable ally to America but to believe that the Jews remain God’s chosen people and have yet to receive all the promises given to Israel, presents some serious problems with God’s Word.
Voices from the Past
The apostle Paul stresses in practically all of his epistles that there is no distinction between Jews and Gentiles (Romans 10:12; Ephesians 2:14; Galatians 3:26-29; Colossians 3:11, etc.). Joshua noted, “So the Lord gaveIsraelall the land which He had sworn to give to their forefathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. Not one of the good promises which the Lord made to the house ofIsraelfailed; all came to pass (Joshua 21:43-45). Moses gave the conditions forIsraelto remain in the land (Deuteronomy 28:15 ff). Israelfailed to meet the conditions and fell “never to rise again” (Amos 5:1-2). Dan McWhorter once stated, “The modern state of Israel has no mention at all in the Bible any more than China or Japan or any of the multitude of African nations.” Tom Holland observed, “God indeed has a special people now, a holy nation (1 Peter 2:9). They are those who through obedience to the truth have been born again and born into God’s family, the church (1 Peter 1:22-23).
1/27/2012
Current Culture
God’s grace and love manifested through the cross are certainly the foremost theme of the Bible. But there is a subject that is often neglected in our current culture. That subject is hell: eternal punishment and torment. As surely as there is a heaven, there is a hell. The fear of hell should be one motivation to seek redemption in Christ.
Voices from the Past
Jesus tells the story of a rich man who died and was in torment and a poor man, Lazarus, who died and went to Abraham’s bosom. Although just in the unseen spirit world called hades, the rich man lifted up his eyes, being in torment and cried out, “Father Abraham have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue for I am in agony in this flame” (Luke 16:19-24).
John Sire noted, “Hell is a recognition that our decisions have a significance that extends far down the reaches of foreverness.” George Whitefield wrote, “There is something so shocking in eternal torments, and seemingly such an infinite disproportion between an endless duration of pain and short life spent in pleasure that men can scarcely be brought to confess it as an article of their faith that an eternity of misery awaits the wicked in a future state.” Ray Comfort adds, “Sinners don’t flee from the wrath to come because they don’t believe there is a wrath to come.”
January 19, 2012
Current Culture:
Some modern-day ministers have gained notoriety by claiming to perform miracles—events that defy the laws of nature. Jesus raised the dead, turned water into wine and fed thousands of people with two fish and five loaves. These were truly miracles. Often what is referred to as miracles today actually do not defy any natural laws. For example, when a seemingly terminally ill patient recovers, prayers certainly may have been answered, but nothing contrary to the laws of nature resulted. Some claim there is a lack of faith among those who deny miracles.
Voices from the Past:
Television host and minister Eddie Parish explained that miracles were the credentials for the initial proclaimers of the gospel as confirmation that they were messengers from God. Paul gave a list of miraculous gifts that would be done away with when that which was perfect arrived (1 Corinthians 13:8-6). That which was perfect was in contrast to that which was being given in part; therefore, the perfect was the sum of the parts. James referred to the perfect law of liberty (James 1:25). The Hebrew writer explains that the Lord’s teachings were confirmed by those that heard Him with signs, wonders, miracles and gifs of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 2:3-4). Therefore, the denial of modern-day miracles is not a sign of lacking faith but a realization of the purpose of miracles and the completion of that purpose that gives us the confirmed, complete and inerrant Word of God.
January 12, 2012
Current Culture:
We live in an age when a premium is placed on truth. In thousands of laboratories countless workers spend millions of hours in a quest for facts. Because of this insistence on finding facts, men have been able to go to the moon and to build airplanes that span the continent in a few hours. The progress of recent times has been achieved because men waged a relentless war on ignorance and, therefore, discovered facts that enabled them to lift themselves to the present high plane of living.
December 19, 2011
Voices from the Past:
Baxell Barrett Baxter wrote, “When we move into the realm of religion, modern man hauls down the flag of truth and raises in its stead the flag of sincerity, honesty of purpose and depth of feeling. No matter what faith one may hold, if a man is honest and sincere in his religion, he is judged to be all right. No matter how divergent the doctrines, modern man feels that everyone is on his way to heaven, simply traveling a different road from that of his neighbor. In other fields the facts count. In the field of religion the facts are no longer sought, but are buried under an avalanche of tolerance and of generosity of feelings toward one’s fellow men. The motive behind this generosity of feeling is admirable and fine, but the disregard for truth is tragic!”
Current Culture
Christmas is fast approaching. For many it has also become one of the few times that they honor the Savior of the world. Sadly, Christmas eve communion, Christmas cantatas, nativity scenes and similar traditional religious events give many a warm feeling of nearness to God, but they promptly (usually before the night is over) return to a lifestyle that excludes Christ as Lord. Many who are strongly offended by efforts to “remove Christ from Christmas”, willingly remove Christ from their daily lives.
Voices from the Past
Author Allen Webster notes, “The Roman Catholic Church added holy days, including Christmas and Easter to the “Christian calendar” long after the completion of the New Testament.”
Many get enthused about the cultural tradition of “holy days” set apart from our normal routine. God, however, is honored by holy lives that result from holy hearts, holy thoughts, faith that is founded in the “holy scriptures” and a will that is wholly submitted to the LORD Jesus Christ.
The HOLY Spirit says: “Present your bodies a living and HOLY sacrifice, acceptable to God” (Romans 12:1). “Like the HOLY One who called you, be HOLY yourselves in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15). “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the HOLINESS without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). When the Christ of the manger becomes the Lord of our lives, we truly celebrate Him as HE desires.
December 12, 2011
Current Culture
In our fast-paced, materialistic society, many refuse to meditate on the hereafter. The brevity of this life and the vastness of eternity are seldom considered. Even many professing Christians are nominal Christians only and fail to put any real emphasis on spiritual matters. No wonder the Bible has been called, “the best seller never read.” People today simply either do not believe that there will be a judgment day or they refuse to entertain it in their thoughts.
Voices From The Past
The Psalmist speaks of the futility of placing one’s priorities only in this life when he writes, “. . . their inner thought is that their houses are forever and their dwelling places to all generations; they have called their lands after their own names” (Psalm 9:11). George Swinnock noted, “God is resolved that men shall feel sin either here or hereafter.” Henry Scougal added, “It is the highest folly to regulate our actions by any other standard than that by which we must be judged.” Then there are the familiar words of the Hebrew writer, “It is appointed man once to die and after that the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).
December 5, 2011
