Our country doesn’t have a partisan problem, a political problem, a social problem, an economic problem, or any other problem as big as the spiritual problem we have.
I've never been involved with religion, and have had occasional unpleasant encounters with Christians, but agree with Erickson's essay here. These are the difficulties:
1. There have been and still are too many charlatans pushing traditional Christianity
2. Too many, including my wife, insist that there is one path to righteousness, and I would guess that there are many versions once you get into the specifics
3. Blind acceptance of any doctrine is a stretch. 2000 years, going back to a time when records were sketchy and low fidelity is asking too much
A fresh perspective broadly incorporating modern understanding of existence and that leads to a renewed and far more compelling reinforcement of timeless principles is possible, IMO. Since both sides of this debate are intransigent there seems to be little hope for compromise, however
"We need Jesus, not partisanship. We should expect our President to do anything but say that. Our leaders have failed us on all sides. They’ve led us to idols and performance art on social media."
Amen to that. We know our "leaders" have no interest in God, His Word or His words (unless they can be bent to their message, of course). We must pray for revival within His Body so we can return to being the salt and light He calls us to be. Paul had Nero/Caligula/etc. We have Biden/Pelosi/Schumer. We certainly have it easier than the apostles did, perhaps that is our issue - we do not have the same intense resistance the early church faced, we can waffle here and there, maintain our lifestyle, scream online behind our pseudonyms...do we really love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Are we loving our neighbor despite their ambivalence, or even hatred of us?
I find myself far more like James 1:6-8 than James 1:12. Guessing if we're honest with ourselves, we're a lot more blown to and fro than persevering. I know I am.
I agree with what you said and I would add that as we open the first four seals and read about the White horse, Red horse, Black horse and Pale horse, we read just what is going on in the world today. But the Bible also tells us that we will have a ONE WORLD GOV. when Jesus returns. That is happening as well. Faster than you think. And I agree, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We will not know the day nor the hour, but those that know him will know the season, and the season is coming quickly.
"The FBI agent who provoked the plan to kidnap Governor Whitmer of Michigan had encouraged the main idiot in that plot to write a manifesto. Therefore, this attack in Buffalo must be an FBI coordinated plot"
Well, not a conspiracy theorist, just a realist. When was the last time you saw an 18 year old write 108 pages...of anything? May not have been FBI, coulda been some lunatic fringe group taking Al Qaida's playbook for sending young people in to die. This was not a clever young man. He had "help" of the worst kind, IMO.
I would be interested to know what Christians are hearing from their pulpits. As a PCA member, I know our approach to sermons (expository preaching) is different than most other Christian denominations, but how should preachers be addressing these incredible times in which we live. I’m old, and I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my lifetime and I doubt anyone else has either. Preachers must be challenged like no other time in history.
Oh my! So true! I highly recommend Todd Friel’s monologue, today, on Wretched Radio. This truly IS a battle between darkness and light. Everything else is just a way to get us to “look over here.”
Donna: while I try to drown my members first rather than simply offering them a refreshing shower (I'm giggling as I write this!), I preach exegetical, expository sermons. I believe that as I make every attempt to apply Scripture to the lives and experiences of my listeners, I also believe the Holy Spirit insures that the power of God's Word will not return without affect ("void" in the KJV). When people are committed to the truth of God's Word and Jesus Christ who is Truth, there will exist a spiritual wisdom which will enable understanding.....Yet I also believe it is my responsibility to be well-educated in the ways of this culture.
Amen. How we who by the grace of God believe Him, love Him, fear Him, should be praying fervently that the Lord would give true, spiritual, genuinely biblical understanding to those who live according to their own ideas and understanding, and not like Jesus Christ the Lord!!
Very well put and obviously its true even beyond this country. Maybe it "has" to be? It the way of the world. We keep marching steadily towards the control of globalist powers.......then comes Jesus!
Erick, I totally agree with you. This is not just a "now" problem, it has been a reality for many years starting with the removal of prayer from Public Schools and the erroneous erection of the Wall of Separation from anything government and anything of God. We have two generations of children, now parents of children that find no need or interest in anything of God. It is truly a spiritual problem and not fixed by regime change. It will be fixed however for eternity, Maranatha!
I heard you make this point on radio yesterday and I was so hoping you would put it in writing so I could pass it on. Everything you said is so true. Evil has always been with us, but it seems many are EMBRACING it now....look at the lunatic protesters for abortion. They scream the most obscene things they can possibly think of in order to bring us to their side???? I know God has this in His hands, I just need to do my part to try to love like Him, have faith and forgive. Christianity ain't for sissies.....
The main difference between sin and "high-handed" sin is the intent/purposefulness. To your point, celebration of sin in whatever form arrogantly thrusts a fist at God in pure rebellion. We can see the left moving from the "please tolerate us" position to the "we no longer tolerate you" position as perceived political power shifts to their favor.
Loving my hateful neighbor, whoever it may be, appears to be today's cross to bear. Praying for strength now... :-)
Erick, Thank you for pointing out the truth. We all need to examine our lives and repent of the evil we find there. It is always easy to look outwards, and hard to look inwards. But revival starts within each of us individually, and then the change brings forth a overflowing hope that attracts others to the truth. Our world needs real hope and only a spiritual change will bring that. Thank you. Charles
Agree that this really is not a left/right issue causation as it is the Church's responsibility to dispense salt/light. As a member of that body, I will only point to myself to be more present in my community. The Gospel is the only news that is good and redemptive for my neighbor.
We are in the end times. I believe that 100%. And the devil has the left by the tail. They hate and ridicule Christians daily on Twitter. They laugh and scoff at our God. I'm telling you - a HUGE reckoning is coming and his name is Jesus Christ.
Best as I recall from my Catechism, God was there when the angels rebelled.
I've never been involved with religion, and have had occasional unpleasant encounters with Christians, but agree with Erickson's essay here. These are the difficulties:
1. There have been and still are too many charlatans pushing traditional Christianity
2. Too many, including my wife, insist that there is one path to righteousness, and I would guess that there are many versions once you get into the specifics
3. Blind acceptance of any doctrine is a stretch. 2000 years, going back to a time when records were sketchy and low fidelity is asking too much
A fresh perspective broadly incorporating modern understanding of existence and that leads to a renewed and far more compelling reinforcement of timeless principles is possible, IMO. Since both sides of this debate are intransigent there seems to be little hope for compromise, however
"We need Jesus, not partisanship. We should expect our President to do anything but say that. Our leaders have failed us on all sides. They’ve led us to idols and performance art on social media."
Amen to that. We know our "leaders" have no interest in God, His Word or His words (unless they can be bent to their message, of course). We must pray for revival within His Body so we can return to being the salt and light He calls us to be. Paul had Nero/Caligula/etc. We have Biden/Pelosi/Schumer. We certainly have it easier than the apostles did, perhaps that is our issue - we do not have the same intense resistance the early church faced, we can waffle here and there, maintain our lifestyle, scream online behind our pseudonyms...do we really love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength? Are we loving our neighbor despite their ambivalence, or even hatred of us?
I find myself far more like James 1:6-8 than James 1:12. Guessing if we're honest with ourselves, we're a lot more blown to and fro than persevering. I know I am.
Come quickly, Lord Jesus
I agree with what you said and I would add that as we open the first four seals and read about the White horse, Red horse, Black horse and Pale horse, we read just what is going on in the world today. But the Bible also tells us that we will have a ONE WORLD GOV. when Jesus returns. That is happening as well. Faster than you think. And I agree, Come quickly, Lord Jesus. We will not know the day nor the hour, but those that know him will know the season, and the season is coming quickly.
"The FBI agent who provoked the plan to kidnap Governor Whitmer of Michigan had encouraged the main idiot in that plot to write a manifesto. Therefore, this attack in Buffalo must be an FBI coordinated plot"
Well, not a conspiracy theorist, just a realist. When was the last time you saw an 18 year old write 108 pages...of anything? May not have been FBI, coulda been some lunatic fringe group taking Al Qaida's playbook for sending young people in to die. This was not a clever young man. He had "help" of the worst kind, IMO.
I would be interested to know what Christians are hearing from their pulpits. As a PCA member, I know our approach to sermons (expository preaching) is different than most other Christian denominations, but how should preachers be addressing these incredible times in which we live. I’m old, and I’ve never witnessed anything like it in my lifetime and I doubt anyone else has either. Preachers must be challenged like no other time in history.
We are challenged regularly that the battles we fight are spiritual, not cultural. We who are believers must live in unity and fight together for the glory of God. https://fellowshiproswell.org/sermons/ephesians-stronger-together-part-one/
Oh my! So true! I highly recommend Todd Friel’s monologue, today, on Wretched Radio. This truly IS a battle between darkness and light. Everything else is just a way to get us to “look over here.”
Donna: while I try to drown my members first rather than simply offering them a refreshing shower (I'm giggling as I write this!), I preach exegetical, expository sermons. I believe that as I make every attempt to apply Scripture to the lives and experiences of my listeners, I also believe the Holy Spirit insures that the power of God's Word will not return without affect ("void" in the KJV). When people are committed to the truth of God's Word and Jesus Christ who is Truth, there will exist a spiritual wisdom which will enable understanding.....Yet I also believe it is my responsibility to be well-educated in the ways of this culture.
Very well said. Thank you. John the Baptist would be proud.
...as would John the Presbyterian ;-)
Amen. How we who by the grace of God believe Him, love Him, fear Him, should be praying fervently that the Lord would give true, spiritual, genuinely biblical understanding to those who live according to their own ideas and understanding, and not like Jesus Christ the Lord!!
This is the human condition without that relationship with God.
Very well put and obviously its true even beyond this country. Maybe it "has" to be? It the way of the world. We keep marching steadily towards the control of globalist powers.......then comes Jesus!
Erick, I totally agree with you. This is not just a "now" problem, it has been a reality for many years starting with the removal of prayer from Public Schools and the erroneous erection of the Wall of Separation from anything government and anything of God. We have two generations of children, now parents of children that find no need or interest in anything of God. It is truly a spiritual problem and not fixed by regime change. It will be fixed however for eternity, Maranatha!
I heard you make this point on radio yesterday and I was so hoping you would put it in writing so I could pass it on. Everything you said is so true. Evil has always been with us, but it seems many are EMBRACING it now....look at the lunatic protesters for abortion. They scream the most obscene things they can possibly think of in order to bring us to their side???? I know God has this in His hands, I just need to do my part to try to love like Him, have faith and forgive. Christianity ain't for sissies.....
The main difference between sin and "high-handed" sin is the intent/purposefulness. To your point, celebration of sin in whatever form arrogantly thrusts a fist at God in pure rebellion. We can see the left moving from the "please tolerate us" position to the "we no longer tolerate you" position as perceived political power shifts to their favor.
Loving my hateful neighbor, whoever it may be, appears to be today's cross to bear. Praying for strength now... :-)
Erick, Thank you for pointing out the truth. We all need to examine our lives and repent of the evil we find there. It is always easy to look outwards, and hard to look inwards. But revival starts within each of us individually, and then the change brings forth a overflowing hope that attracts others to the truth. Our world needs real hope and only a spiritual change will bring that. Thank you. Charles
My log before your splinter, indeed!
Agree that this really is not a left/right issue causation as it is the Church's responsibility to dispense salt/light. As a member of that body, I will only point to myself to be more present in my community. The Gospel is the only news that is good and redemptive for my neighbor.
Evil has no preferences, will use whoever is open to being used for its purposes. Beware the tares in the wheat of conservatism!
Amen!
We are in the end times. I believe that 100%. And the devil has the left by the tail. They hate and ridicule Christians daily on Twitter. They laugh and scoff at our God. I'm telling you - a HUGE reckoning is coming and his name is Jesus Christ.
Not the end of time but the time of the end. No turning back. Prepare accordingly. Matthew 24:12
(12) And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.
Amen and Amen.
Totally agree