Showing posts with label I John 1:10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label I John 1:10. Show all posts

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Calling God a Liar

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Some background for international readers:

Here in the United States, 30 years ago, we had a guy on the radio named Rush Limbaugh.  He
was a "conservative commentator," and gave his "conservative" views on events.  He was more
stridently (and usually, angrily) "conservative" than any of his party's polticians at the time: the
first George Bush, Bob Dole, etc.: and Rush attacked them relentlessly for not being ideologically
"pure" enough, and betraying the Reagan legacy.

But he saved his most violent attacks for "liberals" and "liberal" policies (on all the same questions
we are still dealing with: immigration, government regulation, social welfare, etc.).  At the time, it
was a level of rhetorical viciousness we'd never seen before.  Rush was a sensation.

Those who listened to him and agreed with his every pronouncement called themselves "ditto-heads."
We saw bumper-stickers...even in the church' parking-lot...that cheered, "Mega Dittos, Rush !"

I think Rush Limbaugh is still around; but his "movement" long ago left him behind.  "Conservative"
commentators eager for notoriety and political influence (not to mention market-share) quickly rea-
lized they had to be more unhinged and violent than Rush.  Breitbart News and InfoWars are Rush'
children.

Rush Limbaugh is only significant for one reason.  His followers unanimously agreed with his views
on public issues, and his contempt for those who had a different view.  The current president's ditto-
heads are required to agree with his moral view, of himself: agree first of all with his absolute conceit
that everything is always about himself.

Right and wrong are moral questions.  And the current president's ditto-heads who style themselves
arbiters of ideological "purity" make it clear in every day's news that no one is a true Republican or
true "conservative" unless they agree wholeheartedly in the Great Leader's moral view of himself:
that in every one of his words or deeds that might be considered morally questionable, he's "done
nothing wrong."

That was the current president's assertion even before he was his party's nominee.  At a "values-voter"
(i.e., Christian) town-hall in 2015.  He was asked if he'd ever asked God's forgiveness.  "I am not sure
I have," he replied; "...“I don’t bring God into that picture. I don’t.”

Trump on forgiveness 
 


He explained his answer a few days later to a national news-network:  "Why do I have to repent, why
do I have to ask for forgiveness, if you are not making mistakes ?"
 

Trump on his need for forgivesness

Surprisingly, 80% of "values voters" (i.e., Christians) didn't seem to find the teachings of Roman 3:23
("all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God") or I John 1:10 ("If we say that we have not sinned,
we make God a liar...") relevant in 2016 to their political choices.

Some Christians have since realized they were deceived, and have repented their choice.  But many...
more concerned with their "purity" as Republicans or "conservatives" that their faith in Christ...continue
to chant in chorus with him that the current president has "done nothing wrong."

We don't need to look at Jesus' separation of His followers from His false followers (Matthew 7:21-23)
as entirely a future event.  Every day is judgement day, and Jesus the Judge every day.


The Enemy is deceiving the unwary and unwise the same way he did in the Garden of Eden, and with
the same lie.  Whatever form it takes, and whatever route it comes, the enemy leads to death everyone
whom he deceives to believe what he himself believes, that God is a liar.

This judgement day in this place called America, the form his lie takes, and the route it comes, is political.


                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Monday, July 18, 2016

Christian political correctness



Today begins a political convention which will nominate Donald Trump for America's leader.

The faction nominating him is undeterred by the many things Trump has said that reveal his heart.

The American Church, which has followed that faction for a generation and increasingly gives its public support to Trump, is undeterred by the many things he has said that reveal his heart.

Trump makes no secret of his arrogance and pride: it's his signature persona, and he embraces it with gusto.

He makes no secret of his hatred for a raft of people, individuals and groups. It's the signature theme of his ranting speeches: and we probably have to believe some part of his hatred is honest, and not just for effect.

He loves to make pronouncements that invite people to fear a raft of individuals and groups, inside and outside America, especially "outsiders" like Mexicans and Muslims. It's his most popular rhetoric, and his most effective political tool: whom his listeners fear, they can easily be persuaded to hate. Fearful, hate-filled people are easily manipulated.

People's actions tell us everything we need to know about their spirit. But Trump (nothing if not voluble) has also explicitly stated his religious thinking: "Why do I have to repent or ask for forgiveness, if I am not making mistakes ?"

Scriptures' word on Trump's "religious" thinking is that "if we say that we have not sinned, we make God a liar..." (I John 1:10).

A lot of people say they love Trump because he's not afraid to be "anti-P.C."

What about the Church ?

If the Church sees things in spiritual reality, as God does: if we discern between good and evil by devotion to scripture, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit:

can the Church not see that Trump's deeds are evil ?

Does the Body of Christ have no authority to speak against those evil deeds ?

Or does the Church' "political correctness" keep it from speaking truth ?

SHAME !!! on the American Church.