Monday, June 30, 2014
What Is Grace?
Many years ago, Dietrich Bonhoeffer coined a term that has come to characterize much of evangelical Christianity — it's the term "cheap grace." Cheap grace is in reality a self-imparted grace, a pseudo-grace, and in the end the consequences of living by it are very, very costly.
Cheap grace is not at all a reference to God's grace; it's a contemptible counterfeit. It's a grace that is "cheap" in value, not cost. It is a bargain-basement, damaged-goods, washed-out, moth-eaten, second-hand grace. It is a man-made grace reminiscent of the indulgences Rome was peddling in Martin Luther's day. Cheap? The cost is actually far more than the buyer could possibly realize, though the "grace" is absolutely worthless.
Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor and Nazi resister. He was hanged in 1945 by SS guards, but not before his writings had left their mark. Bonhoeffer's theological perspective was neo-orthodox, and evangelicalism rightly rejects much of his teaching. But Bonhoeffer spoke powerfully against the secularization of the church. He correctly analyzed the dangers of the church's frivolous attitude toward grace. After we discard the neo-orthodox teachings, we do well to pay heed to Bonhoeffer's diatribe against cheap grace:
Cheap grace means grace as a doctrine, a principle, a system. It means forgiveness of sins proclaimed as a general truth, the love of God taught as the Christian "conception" of God. An intellectual assent to that idea is held to be of itself sufficient to secure the remission of sins. The Church which holds the correct doctrine of grace has, it is supposed, ipso facto a part in that grace. In such a Church the world finds a cheap covering for its sins; no contrition is required, still less any real desire to be delivered from sin. Cheap grace therefore amounts to a denial of the Incarnation of the Word of God.Cheap grace has not lost its worldly appeal since Bonhoeffer wrote those words. If anything, the tendency to cheapen grace has eaten its way into the heart of evangelical Christianity. While verbally extolling the wonders of grace, it exchanges the real item for a facsimile. This bait-and-switch tactic has confounded many sincere Christians.
Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. Grace alone does everything, they say, and so everything can remain as it was before. "All for sin could not atone." The world goes on in the same old way, and we are still sinners "even in the best life" as Luther said. Well, then, let the Christian live like the rest of the world, let him model himself on the world's standards in every sphere of life, and not presumptuously aspire to live a different life under grace from his old life under sin (The Cost of Discipleship [New York: Collier, 1959], 45-46).
Many professing Christians today utterly ignore the biblical truth that grace "instruct[s] us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and godly in the present age" (Titus 2:12). Instead, they live as if grace were a supernatural "Get Out of Jail FREE" ticket-a no-strings-attached, open-ended package of amnesty, beneficence, indulgence, forbearance, charity, leniency, immunity, approval, tolerance, and self-awarded privilege divorced from any moral demands.
Sadly, the rank-and-file Christian is further cemented in an unbiblical view of grace by what comes out of some seminaries. There are scholars who actually legitimize the error as a correct understanding of grace. They call their teaching "grace theology" and their movement "The Grace Movement."
They advocate a "grace" that alters a believer's standing without affecting his state. It is a grace that calls sinners to Christ but does not bid them surrender to Him. In fact, no-lordship theologians claim grace is diluted if the believing sinner must surrender to Christ. The more one actually surrenders, the more grace is supposedly watered down. This is clearly not the grace of Titus 2:11-12.
No wonder Christians are confused. Christian churches mirror the world; Christian leaders follow the culture; and Christian theologians provide their stamp of approval. The situation is nothing short of deplorable.
But here's what I propose — let's start by laying down a biblical definition of grace with this simple question: What is grace?
Grace is a terribly misunderstood word. Defining it succinctly is notoriously difficult. Some of the most detailed theology textbooks do not offer any concise definition of the term. Someone has proposed an acronym: GRACE is God's Riches At Christ's Expense. That's not a bad way to characterize grace, but it is not a sufficient theological definition.
One of the best-known definitions of grace is only three words: God's unmerited favor. A. W. Tozer expanded on that: "Grace is the good pleasure of God that inclines him to bestow benefits on the undeserving." Berkhof is more to the point: grace is "the unmerited operation of God in the heart of man, effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit."
Grace is not merely unmerited favor; it is favor bestowed on sinners who deserve wrath. Showing kindness to a stranger is "unmerited favor"; doing good to one's enemies is more the spirit of grace (Luke 6:27-36).
Grace is not a dormant or abstract quality, but a dynamic, active, working principle: "The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation…and instructing us" (Titus 2:11-12). It is not some kind of ethereal blessing that lies idle until we appropriate it. Grace is God's sovereign initiative to sinners (Ephesians 1:5-6).
Grace is not a one-time event in the Christian experience. We stand in grace (Romans 5:2). The entire Christian life is driven and empowered by grace: "It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods" (Hebrews 13:9). Peter said we should "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18).
Thus we could properly define grace as the free and benevolent influence of a holy God operating sovereignly in the lives of undeserving sinners.
Paul frequently contrasted grace with law (Romans 4:16; 5:20; 6:14-15; Galatians 2:21; 5:4). He was careful to state, however, that grace does not nullify the moral demands of God's law. Rather, it fulfills the righteousness of the law (Romans 6:14-15). It does not annul the righteous demands of the law; it confirms and validates them (Romans 3:31).
Grace has its own law, a higher, liberating law: "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:2; cf. James 1:25). Note that this new law emancipates us from sin as well as death. Paul was explicit about this: "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?" (Romans 6:1-2). Grace reigns through righteousness (Romans 5:21).
That is the good news of the gospel! God has acted to set us free from sin — not just the consequences, but it's very power and presence. One day we will never know the experience of temptation, a stray thought, a misspoken word, a false motive. Guilt will be gone, and with it shame, and "so we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
In the meantime, we enjoy the liberation from sin's cruel power and defiling influence. God has enabled us, through grace, to "deny ungodliness and worldly desires" so that we can enjoy a sensible, righteous, and godly life in the present age (Titus 2:12). "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10)
Monday, June 23, 2014
Messages From Heaven: NFL Draft Sealed With a Homosexual Kiss!
Messages From Heaven: NFL Draft Sealed With a Homosexual Kiss!: We’ve been told that this not about sex or sexuality. This is about football. This is about civil rights. This is about the latest inc...
NFL Draft Sealed With a Homosexual Kiss!
Well, if you actually believed all the hype you might want to think again. The NFL draft was sealed with a homosexual kiss.
It was already outlandish for our president and other national leaders to celebrate the fact that a top college football player, Michael Sam, announced, “I want the world to know I’m attracted to other men” (paraphrased.) That was groundbreaking, major news?
It was already outlandish for him to be getting major endorsement offers despite the likelihood that he would be a late draft pick (if drafted at all). As observers noted, this was completely unprecedented.
It was already outlandish for Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the NFL, to say, “I want to see Michael Sam get an opportunity to play in the NFL,” especially in light of his claim, stated in the very next sentence, that, “We like to say the NFL is the ultimate meritocracy. If you can play football, they want to see you play. The teams want you. The fans want you. And that’s ultimately what it’s all about.”
Well, if that what it’s all about, if it’s simply a matter of football ability, then why make such a big deal out of this one player?
If it’s simply a matter of merit, why were there fears that it would be a PR disaster if Sam wasn’t drafted? Why should Goodell express his desire that Sam gets an opportunity to play if it’s just a matter of which player is best suited to play in the league? Or will the NFL (and other leagues) soon be required to have a gay quota?
It turns out that the NFL was able to avoid the feared PR disaster when the St. Louis Rams drafted Sam in the 7th round as the 249th pick (putting him dangerously near the end of the picks), with Rams’ coach Jeff Fischer making the appropriate comments, namely, that, “In the world of diversity we live in now, I’m honored to be a part of this and I’m excited about his opportunity to help this football team win.”
But no sooner was Sam’s pick announced that the NFL had a new issue to deal with (or celebrate?): its first homosexual kiss.
Yes, in an emotional moment played endlessly on the airwaves and captured in still photos that made the headlines, Sam and his boyfriend hugged and exchanged a brief kiss, as the NFL officially welcomed its first openly gay player.
So much for this not being about sex or sexuality. So much for this being about what’s best for the team. And heaven forbid you express any displeasure with this homosexual moment, especially if you’re an NFL player or coach. All perceived “homophobia” will be prosecuted sternly.
Miami Dolphins’ player Don Jones already found himself in trouble when he tweeted out “OMG” and “horrible” in response to the gay kiss.
He quickly deleting the tweets, but not before coming under criticism from Dolphins’ general manager Dennis Hickey, who stated, “I was made aware of it and I was disappointed in those comments. That’s not what we stand for as an organization.”
So, as an organization, the Miami Dolphins have a problem with one of their players expressing his dissatisfaction with two men kissing on camera? This is what Jeff Fisher means by the “world of diversity we live in now”? (I’m wondering how common it is to see a male college player kissing his girlfriend on screen after being drafted, which makes the Michael Sam moment stand out all the more.)
Not only, then, must Sam’s teammates embrace him without the least expression of discomfort in the locker room or elsewhere (perhaps when he’s with his boyfriend too?), but the entire league must embrace him kissing his boyfriend without the least expression of discomfort. After all, we are told, this is what the league now stands for.
And so, after the much ballyhooed annual draft event, the big talk is not about the #1 pick, Jadeveon Clowney, or quarterback sensation Johnny Manziel being picked #22. It’s about pick #249. And it’s about the NFL’s first homosexual kiss.
And I almost forgot. This is not about sex or sexuality. It’s just about football. And anyone who isn’t celebrating this moment is a homophobe.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Messages From Heaven: Hope for Teens: Finding Freedom In Christ!
Messages From Heaven: Hope for Teens: Finding Freedom In Christ!: Living God’s way isn’t always easy and teenagers seem to have it particularly tough. Spend any time around youths and you will hear...
Hope for Teens: Finding Freedom In Christ!
Living God’s way isn’t always easy and teenagers seem to have it
particularly tough. Spend any time around youths and you will hear, time
and again, that they feel restricted while trying to live” right”.
Doing the right thing often means that they can’t do what their friends
do. So when they see all the things their friends are participating in,
teenagers assume those activities are more rewarding, exciting and fun.
What teens do not realize is that the lifestyle they crave is like eating a lot of candy. It tastes good and then the taste encourages the desire to eat more, leading to obesity, a host of health problems and cavities.
An elderly Christian man in living in Communist-controlled Budapest remarked when asked about the effects of persecution and discrimination on the lives of Christians: "It is like the deep, fast-flowing Danube River. The banks of the river were artificially narrowed throughout the city of Budapest. As the result, the river's fast waters dug deeper and deeper into the river bottom. Believers under restrictions and persecution have limited freedom and few political options, but their narrowed lives have found great depth by going deeper in Christ."
1 Corinthians 6:12 states: "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."
God is not trying to restrict our freedom, He is seeking to release us from bondage that can lead to sin and death (Romans 6:18). John 8:31-32 states, "...If you abide in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also, Galatians 5:1 states, "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore, keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."
The real hope for teens is knowing that true freedom is never just doing what you want to do. It is always finding pleasure and having joy and peace in doing what benefits you and everyone else around you. Freedom can be compared to eating a balanced meal with plenty of vegetables and really enjoying it.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Messages From Heaven: Teaching Your Children About Pornography!
Messages From Heaven: Teaching Your Children About Pornography!: This subject is not a happy one, but a needful and pertinent one. My heart is broken; an open sewer has engulfed America. Men and women are...
Teaching Your Children About Pornography!
This subject is not a happy one, but a needful and pertinent one. My
heart is broken; an open sewer has engulfed America. Men and women are
being submerged in an ocean of filth. Today you cannot escape hardcore
pornography. It assaults us via cable television, movie theaters,
magazine racks, and especially the internet.
Parents must teach young people three truths about pornography if they are to escape its soul-killing, conscience-numbing effects.
Dad, it is your privilege and responsibility to do this for your son. Mom, if there is no dad in his life to do it, then you must be the one. And daughters should not be overlooked.
If you’re a dad, first teach yourself and then teach your son, because you cannot teach what you do not know any more than you can come from where you’ve not been.
God spoke a wonderful truth into the lives of young men and women in Psalm 119:9-16. The problem of pornography is addressed right here.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
The first thing you must teach your son is the danger he must see.
“How can a young man cleanse his way?” verse 9 asks. “Cleanse” indicates it’s necessary, and the Hebrew word “way” means “a rut, a well-travelled path, a groove.”
That is, we get patterns of thought. The devil puts a groove in our mind. We have a one-track mind, a muddy mind. The Bible tells us that a young man can take unclean way and have it cleansed. But the very fact that God would tell us it needs to be cleansed speaks of great danger.
This isn’t imagination or speculation. It’s actually scientific. We now have studies by neurologists proving the physical effects of pornography on the brain. The habitual use of pornography literally lays down tracks within the brain. Investigate this for yourself in these two resources.[1] Each is footnoted with additional sources you can review.
There is much information, but consider: What is the basic message of pornography? That sex may be divorced from love, from commitment, from morality, from responsibility.
Pornography Is Psychological Poison.
Psychologically it will affect your mind. Dr. Victor Kline, clinical psychologist and expert on pornography, has seen four progressive effects young men and women:
Domestic Damage
Tell your son what pornography will do to his marriage. God meant the sexual relationship between a husband and wife to be an act of love. But if a man saturates his mind with pictures and stories of rape, torture and murder in connection with sex, how is that man likely to treat his wife? Any counselor can tell you the heartbreak that has come into homes.
Spiritual Destruction
James 1:14 says, “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death…Do not err, my beloved brethren.”
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
God warns clearly and plainly that the thought life must be cleansed. And it is the Word of God that cleanses. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
The Decision He Must Make
Note verse 10 of Psalm 119:
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee: o let me not wander from Thy commandments.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 promises, “…you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
The scourge of today’s church is half-hearted Christianity. There has to be a decision: “I will, I will, I will live clean.” If he doesn’t make that decision early, firmly and strongly, he will fall. When I was a college boy, I put this motto on my desk: “He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places.”
As a parent you must say, “Son, you’re going to have to make a decision—a whole-hearted decision.” The apostle James warned,
“A double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.” (1:8) “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (4:7-8)
Are you double minded about pornography? If so, you’re not going to make it.
Daniel, a wonderful young man, was taken to licentious, wicked Babylon. Yet Daniel kept himself undefiled. How did Daniel do it?
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” (1:8)
Have you “purposed in your heart”? Every young man must purpose with all of his heart, “I wilI, I will be pure! I will!”
The Dynamic He May Use
But we cannot do this by sheer grit and determination. It’s not enough to show him the danger. Not enough even for him to resolve, “I will be pure.” He needs help! That help is the Word of God. In Psalm 119, verse 9 speaks of the danger, verse 10 speaks of the decision, and
Verse 11 speaks of the dynamic: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
We must have the power of the Word of God. Your protection—and your child’s protection—will be the Word of God.
Memorize the Word of God
“Thy word have I hid in my heart...” (v. 11)
God’s Word is to be hidden in your heart, not in your dresser drawer! Do you make it a practice to memorize the Word of God? When you have God’s Word in your heart, you’re going to find yourself thinking God’s thoughts after Him!
God wonderfully made us so that we cannot think two things at one time. If you’re thinking what is right, you cannot possibly be thinking what is wrong. But you cannot be thinking a thought you don’t have, so you must put God’s Word in your heart.
You can choose your thoughts just like you choose your friends. “Whatsoever things are lovely…think on these things.”
The problem in American homes today is not juvenile delinquency, it is dropout dads. It’s time some of you dads got your Bible, sat down with your son, and said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way.” May God help our dads to be men of God.
Lord, help us to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. You said, “And when the enemy shall come in like a flood, then shall the Lord lift up a banner against him.” We pray that your banner will be lifted over our homes. In the Name of Jesus, amen.
Parents must teach young people three truths about pornography if they are to escape its soul-killing, conscience-numbing effects.
Dad, it is your privilege and responsibility to do this for your son. Mom, if there is no dad in his life to do it, then you must be the one. And daughters should not be overlooked.
If you’re a dad, first teach yourself and then teach your son, because you cannot teach what you do not know any more than you can come from where you’ve not been.
God spoke a wonderful truth into the lives of young men and women in Psalm 119:9-16. The problem of pornography is addressed right here.
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O Lord! Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts, And contemplate Your ways. I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.
The first thing you must teach your son is the danger he must see.
“How can a young man cleanse his way?” verse 9 asks. “Cleanse” indicates it’s necessary, and the Hebrew word “way” means “a rut, a well-travelled path, a groove.”
That is, we get patterns of thought. The devil puts a groove in our mind. We have a one-track mind, a muddy mind. The Bible tells us that a young man can take unclean way and have it cleansed. But the very fact that God would tell us it needs to be cleansed speaks of great danger.
This isn’t imagination or speculation. It’s actually scientific. We now have studies by neurologists proving the physical effects of pornography on the brain. The habitual use of pornography literally lays down tracks within the brain. Investigate this for yourself in these two resources.[1] Each is footnoted with additional sources you can review.
There is much information, but consider: What is the basic message of pornography? That sex may be divorced from love, from commitment, from morality, from responsibility.
Pornography Is Psychological Poison.
Psychologically it will affect your mind. Dr. Victor Kline, clinical psychologist and expert on pornography, has seen four progressive effects young men and women:
- The addiction effect. When people see pornography, they become addicted, much like addiction to a narcotic. Getting hooked, they keep coming back.
- The escalation effect. What satisfied the first time causes them to want the same thing, only more deviant, because they don’t get the same kick as they got the first time, again like a narcotic.
- The desensitization effect. What used to shock, what used to be abhorrent, now becomes normal, even incest, or brutal rape, or injury to women. Rap songs—a multi-million dollar record industry—talk about brutalizing women. People become desensitized.
- The activation effect. He begins to act out these fantasies in life. A man comes home after reading pornography and urges his wife, even sometimes at her harm, to participate in sexually deviant behavior or tries to force that deviant behavior on someone else.
Domestic Damage
Tell your son what pornography will do to his marriage. God meant the sexual relationship between a husband and wife to be an act of love. But if a man saturates his mind with pictures and stories of rape, torture and murder in connection with sex, how is that man likely to treat his wife? Any counselor can tell you the heartbreak that has come into homes.
Spiritual Destruction
James 1:14 says, “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death…Do not err, my beloved brethren.”
Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28)
God warns clearly and plainly that the thought life must be cleansed. And it is the Word of God that cleanses. Jesus said, “You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” (John 15:3)
The Decision He Must Make
Note verse 10 of Psalm 119:
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee: o let me not wander from Thy commandments.”
Deuteronomy 4:29 promises, “…you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.”
The scourge of today’s church is half-hearted Christianity. There has to be a decision: “I will, I will, I will live clean.” If he doesn’t make that decision early, firmly and strongly, he will fall. When I was a college boy, I put this motto on my desk: “He who would not fall down ought not to walk in slippery places.”
As a parent you must say, “Son, you’re going to have to make a decision—a whole-hearted decision.” The apostle James warned,
“A double minded man is unstable in all of his ways.” (1:8) “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” (4:7-8)
Are you double minded about pornography? If so, you’re not going to make it.
Daniel, a wonderful young man, was taken to licentious, wicked Babylon. Yet Daniel kept himself undefiled. How did Daniel do it?
“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself…” (1:8)
Have you “purposed in your heart”? Every young man must purpose with all of his heart, “I wilI, I will be pure! I will!”
The Dynamic He May Use
But we cannot do this by sheer grit and determination. It’s not enough to show him the danger. Not enough even for him to resolve, “I will be pure.” He needs help! That help is the Word of God. In Psalm 119, verse 9 speaks of the danger, verse 10 speaks of the decision, and
Verse 11 speaks of the dynamic: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
We must have the power of the Word of God. Your protection—and your child’s protection—will be the Word of God.
Memorize the Word of God
“Thy word have I hid in my heart...” (v. 11)
God’s Word is to be hidden in your heart, not in your dresser drawer! Do you make it a practice to memorize the Word of God? When you have God’s Word in your heart, you’re going to find yourself thinking God’s thoughts after Him!
God wonderfully made us so that we cannot think two things at one time. If you’re thinking what is right, you cannot possibly be thinking what is wrong. But you cannot be thinking a thought you don’t have, so you must put God’s Word in your heart.
You can choose your thoughts just like you choose your friends. “Whatsoever things are lovely…think on these things.”
The problem in American homes today is not juvenile delinquency, it is dropout dads. It’s time some of you dads got your Bible, sat down with your son, and said, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way.” May God help our dads to be men of God.
Lord, help us to restore the years that the locusts have eaten. You said, “And when the enemy shall come in like a flood, then shall the Lord lift up a banner against him.” We pray that your banner will be lifted over our homes. In the Name of Jesus, amen.
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Messages From Heaven: Messages From Heaven: ‘Our Marriage Was Dead’
Messages From Heaven: Messages From Heaven: ‘Our Marriage Was Dead’: Messages From Heaven: ‘Our Marriage Was Dead’ : Karaña Walker looked at her friend’s face and knew something was wrong. Laura Danser and he...
The Blueprint for Happiness!!
Charles Dickens began his classic novel, A Tale Two Cities,
with the statement, "It was the best of times; it was the worst of
times." I think that is also an accurate assessment of American culture
today. In many ways, we never have seen better times. But in many ways,
we never have seen worse times.
Remember that often-repeated phrase from a couple of elections ago? "It's the economy, stupid." Well, it is not the economy; it is more than that. When our economy was strong, our morals were low. Now when our economy is struggling, our morals are still low.
I think the answer could be found in a statement Abraham Lincoln made:
Yet before us in the Ten Commandments, we find God's blueprint for a society. One of the original reasons for the success of our country is found in its origins and its adherence to these absolutes given to us by God Himself.
These principles are not only good for a nation, but for individuals as well. The Bible says that if we want to live fulfilling, productive, and indeed, happy lives, then we need to know God, walk with Him, and keep His commandments.
Some people think they can break God's commandments with abandon, but without repercussions. Solomon knew a little bit about breaking commandments. He was a man who went on a massive backslide. You can read his story in the Old Testament's Book of Ecclesiastes.
Solomon had unlimited resources. Whatever he wanted was his. But after sampling everything this world had to offer, he said, "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).
Solomon was saying, "Listen. I have been through the school of hard knocks. I know what I am talking about. Fear God and keep His commandments. Chasing after all of these other things is empty. It is unfulfilling."
In his own words, he said it was like "grasping for the wind" (see Ecclesiastes 6:9).
God has given us a blueprint for happiness. We think it comes from freedom from all constraints. But this isn't true. Happiness comes from staying within the walls of protection that God has given us in His Word.
We are now seeing the final results of that great social experiment that began in the 1960s. We can clearly conclude that it was a colossal failure as we cast aside absolutes like family and fidelity and honesty and compassion and all the rest, and chased after what we wanted. As the Scripture says in Psalm 1,
You are not going to find happiness in materialism. You are not going to find it in a career. You are not going to find it in a relationship. You are not going to find it in sex. You are not going to find it in drugs. You are not going to find it in anything this world has to offer.
Do you want to be a happy person? Live God's way. Do you want to be an unhappy person? Live your own way.
Remember that often-repeated phrase from a couple of elections ago? "It's the economy, stupid." Well, it is not the economy; it is more than that. When our economy was strong, our morals were low. Now when our economy is struggling, our morals are still low.
I think the answer could be found in a statement Abraham Lincoln made:
We have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us. We have vainly imagined in the deceitfulness of our heart that all of these blessings that we see in our country were produced by superior wisdom and virtue of our own.Honest Abe had it right. We have forgotten God. This has been especially evident over the last decade in court battles over the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance in public schools and the display of the Ten Commandments in public places.
Yet before us in the Ten Commandments, we find God's blueprint for a society. One of the original reasons for the success of our country is found in its origins and its adherence to these absolutes given to us by God Himself.
These principles are not only good for a nation, but for individuals as well. The Bible says that if we want to live fulfilling, productive, and indeed, happy lives, then we need to know God, walk with Him, and keep His commandments.
Some people think they can break God's commandments with abandon, but without repercussions. Solomon knew a little bit about breaking commandments. He was a man who went on a massive backslide. You can read his story in the Old Testament's Book of Ecclesiastes.
Solomon had unlimited resources. Whatever he wanted was his. But after sampling everything this world had to offer, he said, "Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is the duty of every person" (Ecclesiastes 12:13 NLT).
Solomon was saying, "Listen. I have been through the school of hard knocks. I know what I am talking about. Fear God and keep His commandments. Chasing after all of these other things is empty. It is unfulfilling."
In his own words, he said it was like "grasping for the wind" (see Ecclesiastes 6:9).
God has given us a blueprint for happiness. We think it comes from freedom from all constraints. But this isn't true. Happiness comes from staying within the walls of protection that God has given us in His Word.
We are now seeing the final results of that great social experiment that began in the 1960s. We can clearly conclude that it was a colossal failure as we cast aside absolutes like family and fidelity and honesty and compassion and all the rest, and chased after what we wanted. As the Scripture says in Psalm 1,
Blessed [or happy] is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper. (vv. 1-3 NKJV)Do you want to be a happy person? It is found in doing the right thing. It is also found in not doing the wrong thing.
You are not going to find happiness in materialism. You are not going to find it in a career. You are not going to find it in a relationship. You are not going to find it in sex. You are not going to find it in drugs. You are not going to find it in anything this world has to offer.
Do you want to be a happy person? Live God's way. Do you want to be an unhappy person? Live your own way.
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