Racism in the Bible

Racism in the Bible

Jesus was no stranger to the problem of racism. The Jews of his day were highly prejudiced against the Samaritans and gentiles. Jesus countered this prejudice in his ministry to break down false distinctions imposed by Jewish traditions (Luke 10:30-36, Luke 17:16, John 4:9). He advocated unity based upon God’s truth to usher in God’s kingdom, the church (Ephesians 2:11-22). Anything that opposes this unity is sinful because it opposes the purposes of God, and racism opposes this unity.racism unity

The problem of racism was so rooted in the minds of Jews that the apostles refused to baptize gentiles for the first ten years of the church. They believed that touching a gentile conveyed impurity. This was why they washed after they visited the marketplaces (Mark 7:1-4). It was not until God confronted the issue directly in Acts 10, through the household of Cornelius, that Christians began taking the gospel to people other than Jews. God disabused them of their false beliefs by personally touching the gentiles with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:44-46). Peter said, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34-35).

We ought not to think, however, that opposition to racism alone is sufficient to satisfy the righteousness of God. It is not. Opposing racism makes one no more righteous than opposing murder, adultery, homosexuality, or any other sin. Jesus makes us righteous. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). It is when we submit to God’s righteousness through Jesus Christ that we become righteous (Romans 10:1-3).

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Questions Raised by the Latest Violence

Violence, Feelings, Mental Health

The latest act of violence happened in my hometown. It’s way past time we put down our ice cream and have a serious discussion. Not a political discussion aimed at getting rid of guns. Not an emotional discussion based on people’s feeling.

Violence School

Violence, Feelings, Mental Health

But a real adult conversation. Since politicians are not going to address these questions (and many in power are too drunk off money to even consider it) we need rational parents and caring Americans to actually think:

1. What are the physical and mental consequences of putting a child on puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for years? (Big pharma doesn’t know the long term effects, so why are we using children as guinea pigs?)

2. At what point are we going to address mental health in this country? While many patients temporarily feel good after cross-sex hormone therapy and sexual reassignment surgery, research demonstrates that depression is actually worse at the 5-year and 7-year mark. The events over the past 2 years have only made depression worse in young people.

3. What are the consequences of telling children a lie about gender being fluid? No matter how many pills or surgeries one has, you cannot change a boy into a girl or visa versa. It’s biologically impossible given our DNA.

4. What are the consequences of raising up thousands of children in schools where God is not allowed? When we will recognize/admit that humanism and atheism have decimated the moral compass of our children and grandchildren?

5. What are the long term consequences of removing discipline from the home and school, and instead only focus on children’s “self esteem”?

6. What is the standard for right and wrong in a nation that no longer bows a knee toward God as the authority for everything? Who gets to determine what is right and wrong?

7. When are we going to actually follow the money trail and start prosecuting people for crimes against humanity. (My research has uncovered that every child they can get to “transition” represents over $1.3 million to the medical industry.)

8. When are we going to have governmental agencies that we can actually trust and rely on to do right, rather than agencies that seem bent on protecting particular agendas?

9. Is there anything that would actually be considered a hate crime if it targeted Christians? Or do hate crimes not exist if they are carried out by individuals who politicians deem politically correct?

10. Do we know if long term dosing of testosterone can cause rage in young ladies who take it for years?

11. When are we going to actually investigate why rapid onset of gender dysphoria has become a CONTAGION in our culture, primarily among young ladies?

12. When will Christians engage our culture and stop just sitting in pews on Sunday morning?

13. When will someone boldly discuss the suicide rate of transgender individuals? And I’m not talking about how the agenda groups talk about these individuals are going to kill themselves if they are not accepted and affirmed. I’m talking about individuals who are suffering from a mental illness that never gets truly addressed or treated.

There are more issues, but this is a starting point.

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His Personal Invitation

His Personal Invitation

How often have you heard these words of Jesus in Bible classes and sermons? “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). They touch our hearts, but they may become even more powerful when we look at the words preceding His invitation.

Before giving His invitation, He spoke to the Father. “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent.” The things He mentioned were the eternal truths He came to reveal. They were hidden from those described as wise and prudent. The wise and the prudent would be the ones you might expect to be given such vital truths, yet Jesus thanked God that it had not been given to those respected by society as being above all others. It may at first seem strange, but if Jesus was thankful for this, shouldn’t we also be thankful?

Jesus continued His thought when He said the Father had “…revealed them to babes.” Obviously, the babes are not infants, but those individuals to whom it was revealed were so different from the wise and prudent. Paul describes this truth in this way. “For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor. 1:26). There was no way to comprehend those prophecies about how God would come in the flesh and the Creator of the universe would suffer crucifixion. When He actually came there was no human wisdom, even among the wise and prudent, that could comprehend it.

Jesus said even more about this before giving His great invitation. “No one knows the Father…except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). To whom does Jesus reveal the Father? He has been revealed Him to “babes” who by human standards are so far removed from being wise and prudent. Jeremiah described those who would be the recipients of the New Covenant. “For they shall all know Me, from the least to the greatest” (Jer. 31:34).

We must never forget that as we respond to His great invitation we come to know God. It is that revelation from God that enables us to so easily understand the crucified Creator! That which the world by its wisdom will never comprehend is the very basis of how we come to the Savior and know Him!

Christendom often asks, “Do you know the Lord as your personal Savior.” Is there any way we can know that we really know God? Here is God’s answer to that question. “By this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:4). Coming to Him involves knowing His will and doing what He says. “Babes” fully understand this.

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The Brothers Karamazov

The Brothers Karamazov

I recently read the book The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. It is an impressive literary work that touches on religion, law, psychology, and philosophy. The author sets forth three brothers. One is a Russian-Orthodox Christian, another is an atheist, and the third is an egotist.Brothers Karamazov

The atheist believes that “all things are lawful,” since God does not exist, including things like murder. The Christian holds that “every man is a debtor to all” meaning that we must take other people into consideration. The third brother is caught between the two. Dostoyevsky takes both beliefs from the apostle Paul. “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). Is Paul saying that a Christian may behave however he wants? No. This expression is about living lawfully. For example, eating food is good if one is not a glutton. The Christians has everything in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:21-22).

The second expression, “every man is a debtor to all,” comes from Romans 1:14, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.” In this context, Paul is speaking specifically about preaching the gospel, but there is a broader application. To be a Christian is to live for others because that’s how Christ lived His life. We owe everyone a Christ-like life because Christ gave His life for us. Philippians 2:4 says, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

At the end of the book, the egotist goes to prison for murder, the atheist drives himself insane, and the Christian lovingly consoles a family that has lost a child. Which life would you choose?

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Points from Joel

Lessons from Joel

Recently, I taught the Lesson: Rethinking Joel.  The lesson below focuses on four points from Joel.  Those concepts are:

    • We Need Thankfulness, Honor, Respect
    • God is Our Shelter
    • God’s People aren’t Powerless
    • God Will Not Leave the Wicked Unpunished

Hopefully, you will find these thoughts helpful in your study of Joel.  While this lesson is a little less information packed than the first, I hope you find it edifying.  God has given us all of the Bible for our learning.  What he has given us is not simply a collection of stories.  It is history.  That which has happened and should now guide how we approach our lives.

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