God and Injustice

God Deals With Sin in His Own Time

The cry of injustice can never be ignored in heaven. Cain may have thought that the killing of his brother was nothing, but the reality is that the blood of Abel was crying out to heaven for justice! What a lesson every person on earth must know. There is no such thing as injustice that God does not punish in His own time.

Injustice

God Will Deal with Injustice.

God and the injustice of the Amalekites. When the Jews left Egypt, even before they got to Mt. Sinai, they were attacked by the Amalekites (Ex. 17). This was the occasion when the Jews were delivered because of the uplifted hands of Moses appealing to God for His help. At that time, God told Moses to write this in a book so that men would know that God remembered what they had done and that God would utterly destroy them for what they had done. It is likely that most forgot this event, but God’s nature would never let injustice remain unanswered. It was more than 400 years before Saul fulfilled God’s words. God rewards in His own time.

God and the injustice of the Jewish nation. Jesus’ parable in Matthew 21 should be studied and fully understood by students of the Bible. It concerns the vineyard and those husbandmen who refused to give the fruit of the vineyard to the owner of the vineyard. He finally sent his son, thinking that they would not mock, beat or kill him, like they had done to those who first came. The Jews, at first, did not comprehend the parable and that the application concerned God, the prophets and His Son. They unknowingly pronounced their own destiny when they said that the owner of the vineyard would miserably destroy those wicked men. God had been patient with the Jews for 1,500 years as they killed the prophets and even waited forty years after they killed the Son. He then brought the worst tribulation there will ever be, but He did it in His own time.

God and the injustice of America. One cannot read history without seeing the truth that God will turn into hell every nation which forgets Him  (Psa. 9:17). We once proclaimed we wanted to be one nation under God, but our sins cry out against us announcing we want to be a nation out from under God!  We must remember that He is not mocked and whatever we sow we shall reap (Gal. 6:7). If the sins of Sodom had to be dealt with by God, how much greater our sins of immorality! If the blood of Abel cried out to God for justice, how much more the nearly 50,000,000 aborted American children!

God and the injustice of all mankind. Justice is His nature. Every transgression and disobedience will receive just recompense (Heb. 2:3). The fact that it does not happen immediately means nothing. God deals with it in His own time!

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Graciousness and Thankfulness

Graciousness and Thankfulness

Isn’t it just wonderful when two different people or items are paired to make a perfect combination? When I first met my wife, we discovered that we both loved to dip our french-fries into our Wendy’s Frosty (yes, that was back when Frostys were only chocolate). It was a wonderful coming together of flavors. Of course, there are other items that fit well together, beans and bacon, apple pie and vanilla ice cream, chips and salsa, and fried fish with malt vinegar! Ah… enough about food. How about Jeeps and mud? Goofy hats and babies? Doctors with small hands? A wide open road and the peddle all the way down? Pinafores and little girls? Little boys and frogs? Jeans and boots? There are so many great combinations we see all around us. They make us feel just a bit better about each day.

Thankfulness

Are Graciousness and Thankfulness a Thing of the Past?

Two items which go together quite well are graciousness and thankfulness. This combination has been diminishing over the years. Some would suggest, that perhaps we live in an age in which opportunity to demonstrate these traits has lessened. To the contrary, this age is full of bountiful moments to apply these characteristics to one’s life. It is high time that we affix them not only to the adults of society, but we ingrain them in our youth.

Graciousness involves a display of kindness or courtesy to others. It is a quality predominantly lacking in Hollywood, the Professional Sports community, and the Political community. The “stars” continually put on a show of in your face arrogance and an heir of entitlement with their behaviors. Self centered moments such as Kanye West’s 2009 VMA Rant, Lebron James’ “The Decision”, Michael Jordan’s HOF speech, and the rejection of the will of the American people by the 111th congress are key moments of how not to respond to the kindness of others. Graciousness takes those moments and considers blessing of other giving you opportunity to serve. Stars and politicians need to consider the ends of their actions and remember they are ultimately servants who can be put away. Graciousness examines those around you and says, “How can I put others interests ahead of my own”. It is kind of like when your aunt Mildred gives you her famous Christmas fruitcake. You and everyone who has every tried it has nearly gagged. However, you smile, tell her how great it is, and you move forward. You don’t tear her heart in two when she has put forth a great effort for you. Our youth have seen a lack of graciousness displayed in front of them for years. Now, when they receive gifts, they may throw them to the side or they loudly state, “I’ll exchange this”. They fail to show graciousness and fail to realize the hurt they can inflict upon others thoughtful efforts.

Thankfulness is our counterpart to graciousness. As mentioned previously, some folks have an heir of entitlement about them. They are not thankful for the kindnesses around them. They see the blessings as something they deserve. “Stars” fail to be thankful for the encouragement of others, the money spent on their shows or events, the word-of-mouth sharing about the “star” that ultimately brought about the great success. They forget it was the hard working citizen who raised the standard of living such that a person could make an unbelievable living in the Arts or in Sports instead of spending all day breaking their knuckles on a farm or working in a mill. The politician fails to be thankful to the citizen for the opportunity to represent their views. Instead, they work against the citizen, they ignore the citizen, they choose actions that will benefit themselves and their own power. We all tend to forget to be thankful at times. How often do we take for granted simple things such as refrigeration, electricity, automobiles, many sets of clothing, paved roads, power tools, and a selection of shoes to wear. It wasn’t too long ago that these things weren’t around. Again, our youth see our example of failing to be thankful. Our example of the child who receives gifts not only displayed their lack of graciousness, but their lack of thankfulness. We are owed nothing. We should be thankful for what we receive and express that in graciousness.

It is a great joy to experience a combination of two things which go perfectly together. Graciousness and thankfulness are certainly two items which do. There is a scripture from the Bible which says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning”. May we not only be gracious in expressing our appreciation for His kindness, but may we be thankful for the reception of it. What we do with our hands is not everlasting. What we say with our mouths is not everlasting. However, the impact of these will affect others. The impact may set a pattern which is repeated by generations. How much richer to send a pattern of graciousness and thankfulness forward than one which focuses only one’s own self and personal gain. We will certainly be blessed by the better combination and so will those who follow in our footsteps.

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Confession Too Late?

 Will You Confess Too Late?

Confession is the acknowledgement of some­thing we need to show in our lives. Christianity (the point of salvation) begins by confessing (freely acknowledging through personal faith) Jesus for whom He is (Matt. 10:32-33). Great men and women always confess. Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). The gospel of John records five confessions:

confession

Confession of Our Faith is Not Always Easy.

  • Nathanael confessed, “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel” (1:49).
  • The Samaritan woman confessed, “[I]s not this the Christ?” (4:29).
  • Peter again confessed, “And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (6:69).
  • Martha confessed, “I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (11:27).
  • Thomas confessed, “My Lord and my God,” only after his doubts were erased (20:28).

Consequently, confession is repeated in scripture as necessary for our salvation (Rom. 10:9-10; 1 John 2:23; 4:2-3, 15; 2 John 1:7). Yet, confessing our faith is not always easy. Even after Peter confessed Jesus twice, he later denied Jesus when the situation was different. John the Immerser confessed Jesus even in the face of the Pharisees (John 1:15-18, 29; cf. Matt. 3:7ff). Eventually, the Pharisees agreed to cast out any Jew caught confessing Jesus (John 9:22; 12:42-43).

However, confession is not only important to salvation, but it is also important to the daily life of a Christian, because we are to confess our sins. God promised the blessing of forgiveness of sins to His children who will confess them (1 John 1:9). James said, “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:16). Spiritual healing comes by confession. Like the confession of our faith, confession of sins is also difficult. People have a hard time admitting, “I have sinned.” Yet, God requires it to be pleasing to him (1 John 1:8). The confession of the prodigal son is a perfect example by Christ to show the heart of the confessor: “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:18-19). In direct contrast, notice the example of Achan. When Joshua lost the battle with Ai, God told him it was due to sin in the camp. So Joshua gathered the people and began to divide by tribe, family, house­hold and man. Achan had the opportunity to confess during this time, but did not confess his sin until it was too late (Josh. 7:19-21). Many like him will wait until it is too late. “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that ever tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10-11).

Thus, according to the apostle John, for erring Christians to remove the guilt of sin and its conse­quences, we must “confess our sins,” which we do before and to the one against whom we commit the sin. Please note that we are not confessing that we are sin­ners or that we have sinned, but we should understand clearly why we are specifically to “confess our sins.” One word of caution is necessary—the Bible says to “confess” them, but does not say to “report” them. In other words, while we are to be honest and sincere with our offenses, God does not want us to blab all the gory details about such to everyone. May we understand the tact and wisdom necessary to distinguish the two!

Therefore, as we see in the Parable of the Prodi­gal Son, forgiveness was the resultant attitude of the Father who replaced the ring of son-ship, the robe of righteousness and the shoes of freedom (Luke 15:22)! When the child departs in sin but returns to the favor of the Father in confession, our Lord makes the reception of the child a very beautiful thing! Will you confess Him too late?

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Holidays

Holidays That Honor Men

“Honor all men . . . .” (1 Peter 2:17)

When I consider holidays that honor men, I naturally think about the birthdays of George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.  Come the third weekend in February we’re bombarded with pictures of Abe and George popping out of the television screen urging us to head down to the local used car dealership and buy one of those fixer uppers.  These holidays have been commercialized to the point that they are no longer recognizable or meaningful except to those militant bargain shoppers.

holidays

Should We Celebrate Holidays Honoring Men?

Perhaps more meaningful holidays would include days that honor not just one man, but many, such as Memorial Day, or Veterans Day.  On these occasions the nation pauses to reflect upon the sacrifices made by others so that we can have the liberties we enjoy in our nation.

In more recent years there has been a political push to add additional holidays that honor men such as Martin Luther King Jr., or César Chávez.  The honoring of these men is associated with a specific ethnic group and their work to bring certain liberties and equalities to these groups.  In that regard they are not unlike Memorial Day or Veterans Day in that the protection and expansion of liberty (albeit for a sub-culture) is being recognized.

The Bible doesn’t specifically address the formation and observance of any secular holidays designed to honor men.  However, it does address the subject of civil obedience (Romans 13).  The Bible also talks about living in harmony with the laws and culture of a particular society (1 Corinthians 9:19-22).  So long as those laws or culture do not come into conflict with God’s revealed will, (Acts 5:29) all is well.  It is for these reasons that secular holidays regarding men may be observed by Christians in a secular and non-religious way.

Some may ask, “Were not some of these men sinful?  Don’t we honor their sin when we remember them?”  Of course, only one man ever lived without sin: Jesus (Hebrews 4:15).  If it were the case that we couldn’t honor any men who had sinned, then neither would we be able to honor George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.  Moreover, we would not be able to have birthday parties or funerals as these also are events that honor men.  Nor could we honor the men or women of Memorial or Veterans Day, for all have sinned.

So, just how can we honor these men?  Let’s notice a few ways to do such.  First, we can be thankful to God for the good that these men did.  If anyone ever did any good thing, it was because God was good first.  God is the ultimate source of good (James 1:17) and it is to God that we can be thankful for all good things that men do (1 Timothy 2:1).

Second, we can note the example of good things that these men did and follow that example inasmuch as they are examples of that which is morally worthy of imitation.  This is precisely what the writer of the book of Hebrews urges us to do in looking at the examples of the great men and women of faith in Hebrews 11.  These were men and they sinned!  Obviously the writer isn’t encouraging us to follow their sinful example, but to follow their faithful one.   If the inspired pen can be used to honor the faith of men, then we can honor the good in secular men and follow that example.

Third, we can note the failures of these men and resolve not to imitate those actions in our lives.  Paul would do this very thing in pointing back to the children of Israel in 1 Corinthians 10:1-12.  In verse 11 he writes, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”  When we realize that even “great” men in our own times had failures due to sin, this ought to reinforce in our minds the potential for our falling into sin as well.

The observance of secular holidays that honor men does not inherently involve a sinful situation.  The Bible teaches that we are to respect the culture in which we live so long as there are no conflicts with God’s word.  There is no inherent conflict in the word of God in honoring men.  To the contrary, it is commanded (1 Peter 2:17).  So long as our honoring of these men stays on a secular level and does not involve unholy and unrighteous religious devotions (cf. Revelation 19:10), we do well.  Let us praise God for the good, follow that example, and eschew the evil that men have done.

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Legislating Morality

You Cannot Legislate Morality!

The CEO of a major American corporation was forced to resign after admitting to a sexual affair with a female subordinate (Merle, 2005). The incident triggered the oft’-debated ethical question: “Should one’s personal behavior in moral matters have any bearing on one’s position in public life?” Conventional wisdom now says, “no.” You’ve heard the claims—over and over again ad nauseam: “What a person does on his own time is none of the company’s business.” “Public life and private life are separate issues.” “After all, you cannot legislate morality and personal behavior.” From the president of the United States and the CEO of a large corporation to the public school teacher, Americans in large numbers have swallowed the baseless and ludicrous assertion that personal conduct and moral choices have no bearing on one’s employment position and credibility. Character, integrity, and ethical behavior increasingly have been detached from job performance as people compartmentalize their lives into separate and distinct spheres.

But such ethical schizophrenia is irrational, nonsensical, and destructive to the fabric of society. When a person manifests immorality in one aspect of his life, he demonstrates a character flaw that has become a part of his being. This circumstance must inevitably and naturally permeate a person’s character. If he is willing to lie in his private life, logically his propensity for lying can know no boundaries. The person who becomes comfortable with lying in one area of his life will eventually feel comfortable lying in other areas as well. Once a person sacrifices her integrity by embracing one illicit behavior (e.g., lying), she instantaneously opens herself up to embracing additional illicit behaviors (e.g., stealing, cheating). If a man cannot be trusted with your wife, why would you trust him with your money or your business?

God’s Word is the only reliable guide for human behavior (Psalm 119). In the Bible, God has given rules for the regulation of human behavior. Only He is in a position to establish the parameters of proper behavior. Without law, humans would have no guidance and no framework for assessing their actions. They would be free to conduct themselves in any manner whatsoever. One person may choose to murder while another may choose not to murder. There would be no ultimate difference between those two choices—no objective basis upon which to assign any ethical or moral significance. The person who engages in immoral behavior would be open to being immoral in any and every area of his or her life. Only incidental circumstances would decide when and where the immorality manifested itself. If a CEO would sacrifice his sexual integrity, given the right circumstances, he would be willing to sacrifice his financial integrity as well.

Human civilization is, in fact, grounded and dependent on the fundamental principle that human behavior can and must be regulated. Laws, by definition, regulate human behavior! Why do we have traffic laws? Why do we require people to drive their automobiles on the correct side of the road, stop at red traffic lights, or yield to pedestrians in crosswalks? Weren’t we told that we could not legislate human behavior? Why do we have laws governing the food industry’s handling of food for human consumption? I thought we could not legislate human behavior? Why do we have laws that make murder, stealing, and perjury in court illegal—if human morality cannot be legislated? The fact of the matter is that human behavior can and must be governed. The very fabric and functioning of society depends on it!

Ultimately, morality must be based on the laws of God, with the understanding that one day all humans will stand before the Supreme Judge of the world Who will “render to each one according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6): “For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12:14). “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men” (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).

REFERENCES

Merle, Renae (2005), “Boeing CEO Resigns Over Affair with Subordinate,” Washington Post, Tuesday, March 8, [On-line], URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13173-2005Mar7.html.

Dave Miller – Apologetics Press – http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=7&article=1507

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