Polls to Decide Abortion, Marriage, Morals

Let the Polls Decide It!

Our nation has arrived at the point where national polls have far more to do with what legislation is passed than any consideration as to whether it is moral or right. Of even greater concern is that moral issues, many of them opening or closing the doors to heaven, are being decided by what the majority of our peers are thinking.

We have seen this over the past months in the decisions concerning abortion. When does life begin? Does life begin at conception, or is it right to abort a child in the last trimester of pregnancy? In recent weeks, the controversy has been brought to the forefront by the Texas legislature, when it passed laws prohibiting abortion after the 20th week. Prior to this time, the general attitude was at 24 or 26 weeks. What does this indicate? The response to this shows how so many have no idea about the matter and generally are persuaded by popular opinion.

The same is true of the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act, which seemingly has opened the door in many places for homosexual “marriages.” So many in America are rejoicing over this matter, not because of the moral issues involved, but because it is “politically correct” to be seen as being “kind” and “open-minded.”

In both of these cases, no new discovery has been made, but the tide of popular opinion has changed. At least, we have be told this so often that many are convinced it has.

So, how are moral issues determined? What is the standard of right and wrong? What is the definition of holiness and how is it determined? One fact should be obvious and that is that it cannot be determined by what the majority are doing!

Think of the world in Noah’s day. How “politically correct” was the stand taken by Noah? What would popular opinion polls have shown? The same could be said about Sodom and Gomorrah in the days of Abraham. What was the “morally” popular opinion of sexual orientation? When Jesus walked the streets of Jerusalem, what would the polls have thought about Him? The majority shouted, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Polls have never determined righteousness!

The overwhelming majority of earth’s population has no belief in the God you and I serve. This is what the polls show. Does this mean that the ungodly world determines what is right? Does it set the standard for righteousness, holiness and morality? We know better, but sometimes it is so easy to be silenced by what the polls of “popular opinion” show.

What should our homes look like? What should the church look like? The only “poll” that matters is the one which will be used on the final day. May we never forget this!

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Attitude

Two Different Types of Attitudes

How important it is that Christians have the right attitude? Attitude greatly affects one’s relationship with God. A proper attitude is demonstrated through proper obedience and service to God. Examine the following attitudes and see which ones you possess:

IT WILL NOT WORK . If it is scriptural, it does work –‐ if we will use ourselves in God’s vineyard. There is no stronger positive plan that God’s plan. Those who try to believe God’s ways of doing things believe God. (Col. 3:17)

WE TRIED THAT BEFORE . If it is scriptural, keep trying. Just because something has been tried once or twice or even three times, it does not mean the plan fails. It means we have not worked the plan diligently.

IT CANNOT BE DONE . This is a brother or sister pessimist! They can give five to ten excuses that tend to discourage and hold back the Lord’s work. But with God on our side, it can and will be done (Rom. 8:31; Phil. 4:13).

LET US DO IT LATER . ‘Boy o’ boy,” how this must please old Satan. If we put spiritual matters off long enough, the devil knows we will have eternity to spend with him! (Prov. 27:1; Matt. 25:26).

YOU DO IT. This is the attitude of the brother/sister scapegoat. He tries to “pass the buck.” He does his/her best to push off his/her responsibility onto someone else. You know, Eve tried this (Gen. 2).

I WILL DO WHAT I CAN . This attitude is expressed and demonstrated by Christians who are willing to use their talents. They gladly do what they can when they can (1 Cor. 15:58).

I HAVE FAITH WE CAN DO IT. That is great! This attitude rubs off on others and causes others to see that their faith can grow also. After all, diligent faith pleases God (Heb. 11:6).

I WANT TO HELP . O’ how God must love to hear this positive attitude expressed. Wanting to serve God is the key foundation to rendering proper service.

IT WILL BE ALL RIGHT . This attitude means those who believe this, pray and labor to see that things do work out to God’s glory. How we need more brethren that think this way (1 Thess. 1:2-3).

WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL . Brethren who feel this way will not allow the devil, trials, or heartaches to stop them. They will (with God’s help) press onward and upward (Phil. 3:13-14).

Which attitudes do you express by your mouth and influence? May God help us to remove negative thinking from our lives. May we be more involved and more dedicated, because after all, we do not want to possess any attitude that would hinder the work and worship of the Lord’s church.

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The Compassion of Jesus

The day after Jesus healed the sick servant of a  centurion in Capernaum, He travels eighteen  miles to a city called Nain. It is located on the  northwestern edge of a mountain called Little Hermon,  where the ground descends into the Plain of Esdraelon.  On this day, Jesus performed one of His greatest miracles  (Luke 7:11-17). As Jesus begins to enter the city, He  meets a funeral procession exiting the city gates, most  likely, going to the sepulchral caves along the steep  eastern approach from the plain. It is still the eastern  custom to carry the dead out of the cities and villages, as  Luke portrays in this event. Jesus immediately surveys  what is taking place, and notes that this funeral is for  the only son of a widow. Luke records, “ And when the  Lord saw her, he had compassion on her ” (Luke 7:13),  and raised her son from the dead.

This should not surprise us, since this was not the  only time he showed compassion for those bereaved.  When He saw those bereaving for Lazarus, “ Jesus wept ”  (John 11:35). There were many times during the earthly  life and ministry of Jesus that He had compassion for  others (Matt. 9:36; 14:14). He showed compassion  for those unfortunate, including two blind men on the  Jericho road (Matt. 20:34) and a leper (Mark 1:41). This  also is representative of the compassion of God, since  Jesus Himself is deity. God showed compassion on the  Israelites when they were in Egyptian bondage (Exod.  3:7). Although Judah had become wicked, “ the Lord God  of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising  up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on  his people, and on his dwelling place ” (2 Chron. 36:15;  cf. Ps. 78:38). Although His justice cried out to deliver  them into captivity, God showed compassion on them  by promising to deliver them back to Israel again (Jer.  12:15). “ But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion ”  (Ps. 86:15).

Therefore, it is no surprise to see the Son of God  showing compassion in this situation. However, for all  practical purposes, notice the response of the people:  “ And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God,  saying, ‘That a great prophet is risen up among us’; and,  ‘That God hath visited his people’ ” (Luke 7:16). Would  not more people respond to the gospel if we showed  more compassion like Jesus? People of God are to be  a people of compassion: “ Inasmuch as ye have done it  unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done  it unto me ” (Matt. 25:40). “ But whoso hath this world’s  good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up  his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the  love of God in him ?” (1 John 3:17). Let us be more determined to be a compassionate  people, seeking and saving “ that which was lost ” (Luke  19:10).

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Jumping to Conclusions

Conclusions

Sometimes we jump to conclusions, don’t we?  When something appears a certain way to us it becomes easy to believe that all the facts are in and the whole picture is before us.  Yet, do we really have the whole picture?  Contrary to the views of many in our
society, not all “judging” is condemned in the Bible; however, unrighteous judgment is (but that’s a discussion for another article).

The problem of jumping to conclusions stems from judging things by the way they appear to be instead of coming to the correct conclusion based on the evidence available. For example, the story is often told of Dr. Glenn Olds (a former President of Kent State University) who, in 1941, during his junior year in college, recalled the sight of Mt. Rushmore as he hitchhiked cross-country.  From 10 miles away, he easily made out presidents Washington and Lincoln, but in the middle was a figure that looked a lot like
Adolf Hitler.  Yet, once he got closer he realized that what looked like hair combed over a forehead was really cable wires.  What looked like a mustache was really scaffolding. This made an impression on him and he noted in his journal, “What was Adolf Hitler at
10 miles away was Thomas Jefferson under construction.”

Remember this, friends: in John 7:24 Jesus does not say “Do not judge” (period).  He says, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous
judgment.” See the difference?

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Marine Corps

Marine Corps and New Recruiting

The story is told of a high-school recruitment seminar wherein representatives from three different branches of the armed services were to make their presentations for potential recruits. During the one hour seminar, the first two speakers took a combined total of fifty-six minutes to make their presentations, leaving the last one, a Marine Corps recruiter, only about four minutes. He walked very slowly and purposefully to the podium, silently but thoughtfully surveyed the audience for about one full minute of his scant four, and then said something like: “I only see about maybe three of you in this entire audience whom I believe have any chance at all of even remotely making it in the Marine Corps. You know who you are. Come and see me in a couple of minutes when this is over.” He then returned to his seat without another word. Care to guess who had the longest line of determined potential recruits demanding consideration as they engaged and engulfed him at the end of the seminar?

We who are members of the churches of Christ are quite aware that we will probably never be one of the largest congregations in the towns we seek to serve and save with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are very much aware that the lifetime of study, transformation, and hard work that it takes to be a true and devoted disciple and soldier of Jesus Christ (II Tim 3:1-4:8; I Ptr 4:1-19) simply will not appeal to everyone – and especially to any of those who might prefer a little bit easier, less exclusive, less exhaustive, more relaxed doctrine, or more politically-correct, people-pleasing, “anything still goes because God loves us all so much” religious lifestyle (See Romans 6:1-2). Jesus Himself said as much as He told us that very truth in Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

We should therefore be ever-mindful that we are ever-searching for those precious few (amongst those very many) who are truly seeking, and very seriously willing, to take God at His Word in all things and obey whatever He says in order to get to Heaven – no matter what (Jn. 10:27-28). Not only will this new understanding help us to realize just how wide of a net we must spread amongst the many to catch the few; just how much work we must put in in the process; and help us better cope when we’ve done all we can and they still walk away; but it will also help us to lovingly but firmly find a way to say and convey as we seek new converts to Christ and His kingdom: “If you’re possibly one of the many who might prefer the wide and easy way, then you’d really never be seriously spiritually happy here. But if you’re one of those few who want real, relevant, vital and vibrant Biblical Christianity – and you know who you are – then come by and see us this coming Sunday.”

Now while some might say that that particular approach is perhaps a bit on the harsh side when it comes to evangelism, I would like to suggest that maybe, just maybe, like the Marine Corps Recruiter, you just might find yourself with the most “potential recruits” you’ve ever had visiting with you this coming Sunday if thus challenged, instead of coddled and cuddled, petted and pampered! To God be the glory!

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