Voting

Voting exercises one’s opinion and choice of support for one side of an issue, or the election of an individual, group, or entity for specific appointments.  An individual’s associations (I Corinthians 15:33) and actions (Luke 6:44) can give a good indication about what he supports with his votes.  Consider a person who gambles.  It makes logical sense he would likely vote to enable more gambling.  If a person hangs around bookies and casinos, the likeliness of him voting in support of a gambling related measure would be high.  Also consider a person who overtly supports drug use.  Others observed him using drugs in the past on numerous occasions.  How likely would it be that he would vote to legalize drug use?  Quickly drawn conclusions come from lifestyle behaviors of individuals.  Inversely, based on the way an individual votes, assumptions are often made about the voter’s lifestyle and morality.  Since Christians strive not to be conformed to the world, but individuals transformed (Romans 12:1-2), light bearers (Matthew 5:16), and watchmen (I Thessalonians 5:4-6), the way they cast their votes should be done with great discernment knowing that the Will of God stands as their priority (Matthew 6:33).  Christians want to look to the scriptures on how they should vote so they can vote with the authority of God and not strengthen the hand of evil doers (Jeremiah 23:14).

Moral issue voting typically stands most simple for a Christian to engage in according to God’s authority.  Abortion, homosexuality, drug and alcohol legislation, gambling, prostitution: the verdict from God clearly says they cannot be supported.  Not that all moral issues represent clear cut decisions.  Debates involving the topic of capital punishment, military service, home defense, and others continue to involve significant energy by Christians.  A more confounding situation relates to the election of representatives for the people.  A representative serves to represent the values of the people who elect him.  Representatives campaign prior to their election about what they will accomplish if voted into the offices they desire.  Their associations, actions, and voting record typically come under close scrutiny.  Christians acknowledge the fact they the potential representatives, like themselves, have engaged or will engage in sinful behavior (Romans 3:23).  Like any office or position that someone undertakes, the greater the relationship to their sinful behavior and the position the more of a concern it represents.  For instance, in filling the position of county assayer, a man’s support of abortion has no bearing on his function.  He cannot unilaterally or by leadership enact legislation furthering the practice of abortion.  Quite the opposite, if the same man desires to fill the position of President of the United States, the impact represents a great concern.  Barack Hussein Obama’s record made it clear he supported abortion when running for President of the United States in 2008.  Many Christians voted for him knowing this.  His first month in office he forced tax payers to pay a portion of 457 million dollars to support abortions in other nations.  Thousands of babies died horribly with full foreknowledge of American Christians.  The question at hand in this article relates to whether or not Christians commit any sin at all when voting for a representative they believe can and will through the otherwise unavailable power of their position act without the authority of God.  Remember, a vote for something or someone by definition represents support.

First, the faithful of God serve as watchmen to others.  This principle can be seen in Ezekiel 33:7-8: “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.  When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”  This concept repeats in passages like Jude 1:23 in the New Testament.  As an obligation, Christians must share the truth of the gospel to the world (Matthew 28:18-20).  Sometimes this means encouragement, other times, it means admonishment.  Whatever the situation, the worst action is no action.  The Corinthian Christians did this in I Corinthians 5 allowing sin to go on without warning.  The Laodicean Christians also did nothing (Revelation 3:14-22).  At the current state in time, America boasts two leading candidates for the office of President.  They represent two parties, but not all the parties.  When Election Day comes they will not be the only candidates for whom to vote.  Yet, many Christians find themselves afraid of the future.  They currently identify the man in the White House (Barack Hussein Obama – one of the two leading candidates) as using his power for sin.  They loudly proclaim this.  The leading second candidate, Mitt Romney, boasts a record full of support for abortion, homosexuality, homosexual adoption, transgenderism, stem cell research, rejecting the defense of Marriage Act, and has refused on occasions to be identified with pro-life groups or as pro-life.  While Romney declares he has changed his mind on some of the positions, voters show concern over his associations, actions, and voting record.  Unfortunately, many Christians currently choose not to sound the warning trumpet.  James 4:17, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin.”  Not by opinion, but by the Word of God, the authority of scripture says these Christians commit sin by their inaction.  Consider this:  If a watchmen trumpets a warning, does he then support the enemy by opening the gates for them?  Why would a Christian who should be sounding a warning open the gate for abuse of the power God gave government officials?  Can such a Christian not be held culpable?

Second, regarding earthly choices remember a spiritual option always exists.  Frequently in politics as in life, when a decision must be made, two options are said to exist:  “Pepsi or Coke”, “Steak or Ground Beef”, “Peas or broccoli”.  Yet, other options exist:  7-Up, chicken, corn or no thank you.  Media and others attempt to frame America’s presidential race into a must choose between one of two options framework though other options will always exist.  The common statement usually stated: “You must choose between the lesser of two evils”.  Scriptural authority does not exist for such an idea.  All knees will bow before Jesus (Philippians 2:10).  They will be judged by His Word (John 12:48).  Since the Words of Jesus are the only option for action hear Jesus declare Matthew 6:23-24 –“But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”  No room exists for any acceptance of evil.  Christians have one master not two.  When only supporting evil with your vote exists, look harder, and you will see the righteousness of God towering over it in other forms.  Sarai when she shared her husband with another woman thought she had no other option.  Saul when he offered up the sacrifice without Saul thought he had no other option.  Uzzah when he reached out and grabbed the ark thought he had no other option.  The best option always stands as God’s authorized option, faithful adherence to His Word.  “Hate evil love good!” (Amos 5:15)  Serving God is not a matter of situational ethics where accepting evil can be good at times.

Third, a Christian’s duty from God demands he do good things and avoid the appearance of evil (I Thessalonians 5:22).  What is evil, but the opposite of good.  Micah 6:8, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”  Walking with God means obeying His Will and stands as good.  Thus, evil equates to man not doing God’s will.  The Thessalonian passage instructs man not to act in a way that would appear contrary to what God directs.  When a Christian supports a candidate who will likely use his power to increase sin, others attribute their behavior as acceptable to God.  Their inclination then becomes to support the same sin in all situations.  The Christian brushing up with sin misrepresents God’s designed intention for him and he cheapens the image of God in the eyes of those who may not be Christians.  The American Presidential election of 2008 opened many divisions between Christians because many chose to vote for race instead of godly obedience.  To this day, confusion exists over how a Christian could support someone with the record of legislative abuse that Barack Obama brought to the table.  Though many asked for repentance, recognizing their choice of man over God, clearly not everyone heeded their example.  When Christians do not avoid the appearance of evil they act without the authority of God.  God’s face is hidden from those associating with evil (Isaiah 59:1-2).   Those who bid the sinful candidate God speed by voting for them become guilty as a partaker of the transgressor’s deeds.  2 John 1:9-11 – “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”  What will people believe about a Christian if he votes for a ballot supporting sin or a candidate with a track record of legislating sin?  He loses his credibility.  He is seen as part of the world.

Fourth, Christians following the Word of God avoid acting as stumbling blocks (I John 2:10).  A stumbling block causes a person to fall from his course.  Christians becomes stumbling blocks when their actions cause others to stray from the Word of God.  “Romney is the best candidate out there!”  Christians call Romney good instead of identifying his associations, actions, and voting record as evil.  Isaiah spoke of men who would “call evil good and good evil” Isaiah 5:20.  He wasn’t mentioning this to flatter.  When Christians do this, they lead others headlong into sin.  Did Christ every support something sinful?  No, of course not!  Would he choose the lesser evil today?  No again!  Christians, who do not know any better and Christians with a weak conscience, follow the stumbling block in support of a candidate who will enact sinful legislation resulting in struggling souls and a weakened Church.  The light on a hill soon becomes one hidden under a blanket due to shame and the darkness of sin.  Why?  They choose not to make the choice with Biblical authority and rather relied on man’s opinion on what to do.

Finally, what if the individual demonstrated a track record of specific behaviors then out of the blue said he would no longer behave that way?  Would you immediately believe him?  Jesus warned, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)  In other words, Jesus knew the track record of the world and did not want his disciples to blindly trust those identified with evil.  Paul warned of folks with a track record of evil in Philippians 3:2-3 and Peter did the same in 2 Peter 3:17.  Consider the episode of Penn State.  Many years ago they had a defensive coordinator for their football team who had been witnessed as someone potentially involved with child molestation.  The coach of the football team, Joe Paterno, upon receiving a report of the allegation reported to his superiors and did nothing more.  The defensive coordinator kept access to the school and youth.  When everything finally came to a climax years later Joe Paterno lost his job.  Why?  He was seen as culpable for enabling someone to engage in sinful behavior based on the power of a position.  His character ended up being frowned upon by others.  How different would it be for a Christian who voted for someone with a track record of sinful legislation?  Christians must be wise with their decisions.  When they blindly trust despite obvious signs that their trust will not be kept, individuals and the Church as a whole can be hurt.  When Christians ignore evil, they act without Biblical authority.

The support individuals receive from a vote does not go unnoticed in society.  Votes are recorded.  Party stances become attributed to the individual.  Society draws conclusions about the association, actions, and voting patterns of others.  Christians need to act with authority behind their voting behavior.  God set the Church up to be seen by the world.  He set the Church up so it would be distinct and not conformed to worldly practices.  Christians as watchmen have the duty to call out the sinful behavior of political candidates and warn others, but when they embrace candidates despite warning signs sin occurs.  Situational ethics do not dictate the voting behavior of Christians.  The written word of God provides perfect knowledge in every situation (2 Peter 1:1-3).  No room exists for choosing evil.  In regard to evil, Christians are to avoid the appearance of it and make certain they do not cause others to stumble in their faith.  While God commands Christians to forgive, he also instructs them to be wise.  Wisdom dictates the voter pay attention to the signs of sin.  When Christians follow God and not the opinions of man, they will act according to Biblical authority.  Biblical authority clearly condemns voting for candidates who will use their power to engage society in sin.

Posted in Travis Main | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Voting

Same Sex Marriage

Same Sex Marriage?

“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him’….for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.  Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said: ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:18-24). “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27). “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Heb. 13:4).

CONCLUSION:

1.  So that man would not be alone, God created a woman for the man. She was to be his compatible mate.  (It is important to note that God did not create a man for the man or a woman for the woman).

2.  Before there was ever a nation, kings, cultural practices, state or federal laws, President Obama, or even sin – God established His marriage law for all of mankind for all time (one man for one woman for life – cf. 1 Corinthians 7:1-2; Romans 7:2).

3.  Being that God instituted marriage between a man and a woman, then (according to Hebrews 13:4) all other marriages and sexual unions “God will Judge,” whether it be “adultery” (sexual relations with someone other than one’s own spouse) or “fornication” (which includes adultery, but also includes any kind of sexual relationship outside of a God-instituted marriage between a man and a woman – regardless of whether it is heterosexual, homosexual, bestial, etc.).

Biblically, heterosexual marriage is the only acceptable marriage, as is evidenced by the fact that God not only instituted marriage to be between a man and a woman, but also in the fact that nowhere in Scripture is there any approved example of a homosexual marriage.  And what if the laws of the land say otherwise?  “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Posted in Aaron Veyon | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Same Sex Marriage

Is The Old Testament Still Relevant Today?

Most of us have heard the criticism, “You don’t believe in the Old Testament!” Most often this comes from a simple lack of knowledge as to the makeup and purpose of the Old Testament. Deeper than this is a misplaced understanding by them that there is a difference between the Old Law and the New Law and the fact that the Old Law was nailed to the cross (Col 2:14). Most frequently this is done in an attempt to go back to the Old Testament to try and justify certain activities today. The truth is however, that we do spend, as New Testament Christians, a great deal of our time, if not the majority of it, in the New Testament and it is possible that we appear to be, and may even indeed be at times, ambivalent toward the Old Testament scriptures. That being said, the Old Testament is certainly relevant, and I affirm essential, to the New Testament Christian today to understand God, His nature, salvation and the questions that heave plagued mankind from the beginning of time (i.e. where did we come from? What are we doing here? Where are we going?).

We believe in Genesis 1:1 and without it nothing else matters! Genesis 1:1-2:4 a tells us about God as Creator, He gives order to and cares for the creation. He should be worshipped as Creator and humanity is the central part of creation. We believe that we are spiritual beings created in the very image of God (Gen 1:26). We also learn how sin came into the world and how that sin separated us from God. It also tells us about His love, mercy and grace, His patience, forgiveness, wisdom and foresight.

We are also instructed in the knowledge of God’s wrath and sense of justice. In the “Flood Story” we see that God suffers, and judges reluctantly. God saves, remembers, creates, promises, and commits to theworld. In Genesis 12:1-3 God enters into a  covenant relationship with Abraham that affects us even today.  In that covenant we see the themes of God’s righteousness (Gen 15:6), His justice (Gen 18:25), as well as
testing and fear (Gen 12:1; 22:12).

We learn of the creation of a nation and their deliverance from bondage and oppression. We learn that God is in control and is a God of both goodness and severity. We learn of the Law that was given to the children of Israel (Ex 20-23) and the covenant God makes with them, making them His own special people. These laws that were given were both Apodictic (do or do not do) and Casuistic (if this, then that). We also learn
that Moses is a partner with the Lord (Ex 14:31): He faces the rejection of his own people (Ex 5:20-23; 14:10-12), and he mediates God’s power (Ex 14:15-16). Church leaders need to read and study these things often.

In the relationship between God and the children of Israel we learn a lot about the relationship that we share with God as His chosen people today. The Israelites murmured and complained when they should have been grateful and content. They failed to carry out the commandments of God, to be faithful and trusting. Through the Judges we learn how the people forgot about God and did evil, serving other gods.
God’s anger is kindled and He hands the Israelites over to their enemies. The Jews serve other nations for a number of years when God, in His mercy and grace, raises up a judge to deliver them. The Spirit of God comes upon that man and he leads the people of God and delivers them out of the hand of their enemies. The land once again is at peace, the judge dies, and the cycle starts all over again. Ultimately the children loose their inheritance altogether, but a faithful remnant always remains.

In the poetry we learn of acceptable and unacceptable attitudes of worship, service and devotion to God (Psalms). We learn of His wisdom (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes). The prophets tell us of godly sorrow, humility, repentance, judgment and mercy. We learn of God’s will in caring for the lowly, poor, sick and needy.

The Old Testament tells us where we came from (Gen 1-2); it tells us why we are here (Eccl 12:13) and it tells us where we are going. In Galatians three we read, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (24-25). That Old Law, that was given to the Jews, was taken out of the way and nailed to the cross (Col 2:14) and
in Christ he has made out of two (Jew and Gentile) one special people, the Christian (Eph 2:15). Do we believe that the Old Testament is still relevant today? Absolutely! Every word of it! Be faithful!

Posted in Tim Dooley | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Is The Old Testament Still Relevant Today?

Pursuing a Dream

We all have a dream, a desire. Most have more than others. Some of us have an entire closet full of dreams and there are a lot of great things that we can realize about dreams. For example, by pursuing just one dream, we find fulfillment. So, we don’t need to pursue them all and also, we don’t have to achieve a dream to find fulfillment and satisfaction, but to actively pursue it. And so, by living our dream, we cannot only contribute to ourselves, but to everyone around us.

Yet, most people are not pursuing their dream but are spending time and abilities pursuing the things we think will make us happy and bring us fulfillment. A person once said, “You can’t get enough of what you don’t really want.” When the new car does not make us happy, we tend to blame the new car for not being enough and we then set our sights on a better new car, thinking that it will make us happy.

When we consider the dream of reaching every lost soul (Lk. 19:10), many Christians are so far away from living this dream that they have forgotten what their dream truly is as a Christian (Matt. 16:24; Matt. 28:19-20). It is sad, unnecessary and wasteful. Yet, it is so common an ailment that it has become a cliché. We have abandoned our heart’s desire and somewhere deep down we know it. This is why Paul set the example, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved” (Rom. 10:1).

Why are we not living this dream? I believe it is because there is something we are trained to honor more than a soul: the comfort zone. The comfort zone is all the things we have done, often enough, to feel comfortable doing again. Whenever we do something new or something that is not practiced often, it falls outside the barrier of the comfort zone. This why when Christians contemplate reaching out to a lost soul, many feel fear, guilt, unworthiness, hurt feelings, anger and all these things we consider as uncomfortable.

The irony is that the very feelings we have been taught to label as uncomfortable are in fact, among the very tools necessary to fulfill our dream of evangelism (Psa. 27:1; 2 Cor 4:7-18). Why don’t we know this? I mean, why do we sing about being a worker for the Lord or about leading us to some soul today when we clearly will not because it puts us outside our comforts? I mean is being uncomfortable reason enough not to do something? In Acts 1, when the Lord Left the apostles, do you think that they were uncomfortable knowing what they were about to do? Or what about those who were scattered in Acts 8? We need to ask ourselves “Are we still letting what other people might think about us, affect our judgment to do what the Lord has asked us to do? It is heart wrenching that many Christians are drifting along in a childish sleep (Lk. 6:46). But, to live the dream of evangelism, we must wake up. It is your choice and to know that to change a habit requires work. Jesus again shows us what it means to work (Jn. 9:4; Lk. 10:2).

Brethren, it’s time to do it. The truth is, we are going to spend the rest of our lives doing something. Why not let it be the reaching out towards a soul (Jam. 5:20)? You see, the same amount of work it takes to gather things we really don’t need is the same amount of work it takes to reach the lost. But, how can we reach them? Well, you do by learning and how do we learn? By doing. Just think, the willingness to do creates the ability to do. For now, be willing to do. Be willing to seek first the kingdom of God (Matt. 6:33) and do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. But rather, do all you can to stand and speak the Gospel of Christ (Eph. 6:13-20) as we pursue the dream of reaching the lost.

Posted in Robert Notgrass | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Pursuing a Dream

Free Moral Agency

God Made Man a Free Moral Agent

Having free moral agency is a large part of what it means to be a person. A computer is not a free moral agent. It does exactly what it is programmed to do. It does not have the ability to go against its programming. An animal also does not have the ability to go against its programming. It does exactly what its DNA (its program) tells it to do, no more, and no less. Neither a computer nor an animal can do things that are original, creative, or unexpected (in an absolute sense). They can’t do differently than what they were always meant to do.

What does it mean to do as one was always meant to do? Imagine a long line of billions of dominoes set up and ready to knock down. When the first domino falls, the end result is already known. One by one the dominoes fall according to the laws of physics. Computers, animals, and everything else in the universe is contained (metaphorically) in this long line of falling dominoes. A person’s brain, some suggest, is simply part of this long chain of cause and effect. This is known as the doctrine of determinism.

At issue is whether humans are creatures that are wholly determined, or whether they are creatures that have free moral agency, free will. If humans have free moral agency, then they have the ability to act other than their DNA is programmed to act. They may be original, creative, and act unexpectedly. They may act contrary to their “programming.” They may choose to do other than what they would have done.

If humans do not have such ability, then they are, more or less, just complicated animals/machines. Consequentially, attitudes, thoughts, and actions would be simply products of their environment. As one atheistic philosopher put it, “The brain secretes thoughts as the liver secretes bile.” Or, as one atheistic psychologist said, “We don’t act upon the world; the world acts upon us.”

If man is a free moral agent, there is something about him that is radically different from his environment. He is not simply a collection of atoms, but something more than that, something beyond the material world. He must have some capacity outside the material world that enables him to know both that he is not just a rat in a material maze, and that he is capable of making such decisions as would move him beyond the maze itself regardless of how difficult that may be. This implies something about his non-material existence, and also about his non-material Creator: there is a God who exists outside of space and time who is responsible for fathering our free spirits (Heb. 12:9)!

A human person is thus a being that is made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), with a body (his material self) and a spirit/soul (his immaterial self). Freedom is a gift from God that is part and parcel to the experience of being a person. Free moral agency is the ability we have to choose one way or the other, to live according to the dictates of the material world (our environment), or to choose to transcend those dictates so as to be something more than a natural product, as God told Cain, “Do thou rule over it” (Gen. 4:7 ASV).

Men who seek simply to gratify the desires of the flesh choose to live like beings of mere material existence without real freedom, and without hope for life beyond the material world. The longer they pursue such choices, the more materialistic/carnal they become. Those who choose to live beyond the dictates of the physical world and not allow those dictates to control their end become something greater than this natural world has to offer. They choose to follow the dictates of the spirit. We become that which we choose, the flesh, or the spirit (Rom. 8:1-13). This is the choice that God has given us as free moral beings.

Posted in Kevin Cauley | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Free Moral Agency