Abortion and Honesty

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

 

Another election, and again many Christian friends have voted for Republicans

because "Republicans are pro-life."

 

The question I would ask those friends is, "And you believe them !?!?"

Most people are wise enough to be skeptical of the words of politicians, any 

politicians.  Even more are wise people today distrustful of the words we hear

from Republicans, who have shown themselves to be the foremost party of liars

and hypocrites, and devotees of the great liar.

 

So I would call out scripture's words to all Christians, to those who before God

should be the most honest of all people, "Test yourself to see if you are in the faith !"

(II Corinthians 13:5).

Honest people can certainly be wrong: that's why God commands self-examination.

But only the honest are capable of fruitful self-examination: able to hear God when He says

anything contrary to their own "thoughts and ways," able to admit to themselves they've gone

astray from God's ways, and capable of turning back from their wrong ideas and wrong ways.

Even though he's a politician, I consequently have hopes that Joe Biden (for example) may

be able to look at abortion as the moral issue it is in God's word, rather than the political

"right" his party has made it.  Joe Biden is a man who could possibly repent his political

support of "abortion rights."

 

I consequently have virtually no hope that the liars and hypocrites will repent...

especially when lies and hypocrisy are the foundation of their political "success."

Except for Almighty God's sovereign work-of-power in his heart, can anyone

imagine the Republicans' demigod admitting...to himself, first of all...that he

was ever wrong...and repenting ?  And obviously none of his worshippers would

dare his wrath by questioning his ineffable wisdom (i.e., lies) ?

So we hear many Christians say they vote for the liar, and his false prophets,

because "Republicans are pro-life."  So we see that many Christians believe

and follow liars because they are led astray by their "politics," and pay no heed

to the Spirit of Truth.  An honest Christian is a rare thing, in this time, in our nation.

May God yet send a spirit of repentance on all Christians (if they are) who love

neither righteousness nor Truth !  May God yet call back to Himself any, if there are

any, honest hearts among the deceived now following the father of lies.  Amen !

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Lesser of Two Evils Again

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

An Aussie Christian blogger I hadn't run across before said (in another context) that a quote by Spurgeon appeared often on social media during last year's presidential campaign: "Of two evils choose neither."

I'd not seen the Spurgeon quote before: perhaps because I go on facebook no more often than I stroll through a sewer, and deliberately avoided it during the election season.  But Spurgeon's quote stated fairly well the conclusion I came to at that time, after hearing many Christian friends rationalize their vote for Trump by the "lesser of two evils" thinking.  So I set out to verify Spurgeon's quote.

In his "The Salt-Cellars," p. 297, Spurgeon did indeed write, "Of two evils choose neither. Don't choose the least, but let all evils alone."  (He credits that wisdom to "John Ploughman:" but in the introduction to his book of that name, says "John Ploughman" is his pseudonym.)

(One blogger claimed that the quote was being misused to discourage people from voting, because Spurgeon taught that people should vote.  He also claimed that what was being posted on social media was a different quote by a contemporary writer, John Marcavage: "Of two evils choose neither.  Christians must turn from the endless cycle of voting for the lesser of evils and expecting an unrighteous act to produce a righteous result. From a communist to a cultist, choosing the lesser of two evils is still evil, and never should we do evil that good may come.”

I find Marcavage's thought preferable to Spurgeon's, since it also warns against the related "do evil that good may come" teaching...another false rationale many Christian friends gave for voting for Trump...condemned in Romans 3:8.  But whether or not being misused, my purpose was only to verify Spurgeon's quote was genuine before I used it, and it was.)

I had come to the same conclusion as Spurgeon: though the way I put it was that operating by "lesser of two evils" thinking always results in our choosing evil, knowing it IS evil.

The enemy is infinitely subtle in his deceptions.  The “father of lies” has practiced his “skill” on human beings since the Garden of Eden, and he's incredibly more successful at it than any of us are at keeping ourselves from deception.  Any of us can be deceived by him to make a wrong choice.

By definition, we are deceived any time we trust ourselves to make a decision without exercising, and heeding, the Spirit’s discernment: a foolishness which opens us to greater deception, which deception always produces sin.

We don't ordinarily sin because we deliberately choose to do evil; rather, that we choose to do what we are mistaken in believing is good.  The template for producing sin is that we are persuaded, and convince ourselves, that some evil is, or could be, or would be, actually “good.”  That's where the enemy ordinarily operates.

And very successfully.  With Eve in the Garden, for example, when he persuaded her that disobeying God would confer God-like knowledge.  With many "Christian Conservatives," for example, when he persuaded them that electing Trump would result in "conservative" Supreme Court justices, who would outlaw abortion.  Again, see scripture's condemnation of this "do evil to do good" rationalization in Romans 3:8.

But choosing an evil because it is a "lesser" evil is a different order of sin, greater than being led to do evil by our (hopefully momentary) spiritual blindness that it is good.  When we choose "the lesser of two evils," we willfully choose evil...knowing it IS evil.

If we believe circumstances exist in which we "have to" do evil, we acknowledge that satan is the effectual ruler of all things, and God is powerless against him.  God lied to us, saying He gave us a choice between good and evil, if satan can create situations in which no choice for good exists, and yet we "have to" choose.

Our beloved brother Tim ("Onesimus") in Australia made a comment that seemed to cap all my thinking about the deep consequences of believing the "lesser of two evils" deception.  He pointed out yesterday that what he sees happening in America (and having an even-closer view than he does, I'd whole-heartedly agree with him) is more than mistaken moral vision, greater even that foolish resignation at “having to” do evil.

What Tim saw, and saw truly, is that the "active support and promotion" of evil manifested in many American Christians' "political activism" is a quantum step beyond being deceived by the enemy, to joining the enemy.

I've been concerned at seeing that very thing among Christians I know.  Christians who last year reluctantly voted for Trump as "the lesser of two evils" evidenced they could still recognize evil.   But many of them...perhaps because their pride will not let them admit they did wrong...have now become staunch defenders of his daily lies, and his evil-intentioned actions.

That so-called "Evangelical base," professing to follow Christ while (sometimes even by) "active support and promotion" of evils committed by members of "their" politicians and "their" political faction, are becoming increasingly hardened in their rationalizing, acceptance, and love of evil.  The enemy is increasingly successful, through political deception, in creating a "church" bearing Christ's name which serves evil.

There is no reason to believe the enemy will abandon the tactic which has worked so well for him.  We should expect he will continue to practice it, in hopes of leading more Christians astray.  Christians who have their hearts set on following Christ must be even more alert and discerning about the deceptions the enemy will continue to try to insinuate into our thinking through politics in the coming days.

"Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves."     --  Romans 14:22

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Heart Problem

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

I grew up in a neighborhood where there were a lot of Mormon kids.  (In fact, my high school graduation was held in the nearby RLDS temple, where that branch of Mormons supposedly believe Jesus will return to earth).  I was a pretty superficial Baptist Sunday-School believer (and had a string of Baptist Sunday-School attendance pins to prove my superficial faith was of long standing . LOL).

I had as little theological understanding as it took to get by.  Even so, when I learned what Mormons believed about God, I can remember thinking, "HOW CAN THEY BELIEVE THAT CRAP !?!?"

That bothered me a lot.  It's always seemed to me that (in the words of a much-later TV show) "the truth is out there:" manifest, and impossible to miss.  So that incredulous question stayed in mind.

I refined the question a bit during Watergate, when my parents were obdurately convinced that Richard Nixon hadn't done anything wrong, and everything was the result of his enemies' maneuverings to "get" him.  (That mindset has been dusted off and pressed into service by Trump's followers.)  But the question became a bit more focused, and a bit more personally tormenting in those circumstances: "why do my folks believe those lies ?"

Chewing on that question was like chewing on beef-jerky; it got larger.  It wasn't just my folks, and not just Nixon's lies.  There was a distinct period when the one question about life that I couldn't escape, and always seemed to come back to, was "why do people believe lies ?"

I really can't say that finally getting the question right was the reason I finally got an answer: but the two seem roughly contemporaneous in my memory.  "Why do WE believe lies ?" seemed the only honest question.

Taking a philosophical perspective on life and its questions has its value.  It also feeds our tendency toward a flattering self-image ("Look at me, I'm a philosopher").  Worse, it gives us a bit of safe personal detachment from life and its questions.

By the time I got to "the right question," I was, and knew I was, a Christian...not a philosopher.  I'm sure that fact had something to do with getting the question right, since Jesus identifies Himself as "the Truth," and the Spirit of God as "the Spirit of Truth."  Any question about truth, especially about the absence of Truth, is Personal with Jesus.

As a Christian it seemed dishonest to frame questions safely, to not involve me personally; and to look for safe answers.  Jesus didn't.

 The answer I ultimately came to was not at all what I'd call "satisfying:"  But I'm certain it's the hundred-percent true one, and the only one there is : "because we WANT to."

Believing lies isn't really a problem of our cognitive processes, our intelligence and knowledge.  It's a heart problem, that we DESIRE to believe lies.  Jeremiah 17:9 says our heart is desperately wicked: that would explain why we want to believe lies.  It also says our heart is "deceitful above all things:" our heart makes us desire lies...and itself lies to us.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Choose This Day Whom You Will Serve

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

I've been hearing a lot about the Republican tax-cuts.  We all have.  It's doubtful anyone who has listened to a radio or a TV in the past month is unaware of the matter.

In one way, it's not at all a "spiritual issue."  Other than general scriptural admonitions (such as Romans 13:8's "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another..."), there are probably no specifically "Christian" issues involved; at least, not in the way that the political manipulators make issues "Christian" issues today.

But of course no human thoughts or deeds are ever truly "non-spiritual."

I know very little about financial matters; especially governmental financial matters.  But it looks to me like all the evidence is that the Republicans' "middle-class tax-cut" will primarily benefit the already-wealthy, and corporations.  That's the finding of the non-partisan Congessional Budget Office, whose job it is to tell Congress (and us) how their legislation will play out in financial reality.

The Republicans' plan seems very similar to Republican Governor Sam Brownback's 2012 tax-plan for Kansas, and predicated on the same "conservative" theory.  That theory is that if businesses pay less in taxes (Brownback eliminated corporate taxes altogether), they will use their increased wealth to create more jobs, and we will all benefit from a stronger economy.

That theory hugely failed in Kansas.  It essentially bankrupted our state.  And every citizen of Kansas suffered because of it, in cuts to our state's education-system, roads, and health-care.

They say that true insanity is doing the same thing again, and expecting different results.  By that rule, Republicans are insane.  I'm not.  If the Republicans impose their failed "tax-cut" theory on America ...if it passes the Republican Congress, and is signed into law by the Republican president who's been demanding it...I expect it will do unimaginable damage on our country, the way it did to Kansas.

I could be wrong.  I'm little knowledgeable about financial matters, especially governmental financial matters.  I can only go by the realistic financial analysis of those whose job it is to do realistic financial analysis, and our experience of Kansas' disastrous tax-cut "experiment" (as Sam Brownback called it.

If the Republicans' "tax-cut" becomes law, as it now looks like it will, and proves as disastrous as it seems it will, we'll probably see a great many people turning against Trump and the Republicans.  No doubt that will include many of their "Evangelical base" who have overwhelmingly supported that faction and its candidates for 40 years.

I'd have to understand such economic "repentance" a profoundly spiritual event.

It seems very few of the "Evangelical base" have turned against their political deceivers because they teach evil.  Because of Reagan's doctrine of rebellion ("Government IS the problem"), for example; or the anti-Christ Mormon spirit Mitt Romney worships; or George W. Bush's blasphemy that "the ideal of America" is the light of the world; or their continual lying (who'd Jesus say is "the father of lies" ?), like the current president.

The "Christians" who comprise those politicians' "Evangelical base" have shown no discernment, and no fear of offending God, in their willlful disobedience to Him when His commands contradict their political "principles."  And acting by their political "principles," they have inflicted great harm on our country.

So if the "Evangelical base" finally turns against their political (and their "Christian") (mis-) leaders because of economic collapse, it would be a good thing...though probably too late.

But what does it say about a people who willfully ignore The King's commands, continually offending the God they say they love...if they finally "repent" when their financial well-being suffers ?

My spiritual take-away would be that it shows the god they truly love, and trust in, and serve, and worship in their heart, is Mammon.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Jesus Says How It Is

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

I know I'm increasingly one-note in my thinking.  I'm O.K. with that, because my understanding is that it's the right note.

When Jesus said "I AM...the Truth..." He characterized Himself as reality, Personal, whole and entire.  The personal implication for me, for every human being, is that living in reality is the only way of life that "works."  That may be why His full statement was, "I AM the Way, the Truth, and The Life."

When Jesus said satan is "the father of lies" He said the enemy of life is futile and destructive unreality.  And that satan himself is the personal, whole and entire source ("father") of unreality...beginning with his telling Eve she would "surely NOT die" by disobeying God, after God had warned her she would.

We know who Eve chose to believe.  And we know, from her and our experience, who told her the truth.

I choose to believe Jesus.  That means my whole and entire way of life is about loving truth.

That includes politics.  When Jesus said "I AM...The Truth..."  He said politics is not really about politics.  He said politics is a spiritual matter, in which we make a spiritual choice.  Our choice determines our life...or death.

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Slavery, Lies...and FREEDOM

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.  I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father . . .

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."     (John 8:31-38, 43-44)

I have been hearing from God for some months that He will be setting free many of His people.  I came to this scripture-passage to look at what He says about slavery.  It's necessary to understand with God's understanding what slavery truly is, to know what God rescues us from . . . and how we got ourselves into that situation..

Jesus tells it, both sides.  Sin makes you a slave.  Truth will set you free.  That simple.

The Jews listening to Him..."Jews who had believed Him"...are greatly offended.  They say slavery and freedom are existential: a matter of who they are because of their patrimony.

Yes, says Jesus: your spiritual patrimony.  I speak My Father's words.  If you cannot hear His Truth, it's because your spiritual family-heritage is directly from "the father of lies."

This is very bad news for today's "post-truth" Christians.  Some are no doubt sincere in saying they believe in Jesus: they just don't want to believe "The Truth"...and that's Who He said He IS.  Their spiritual patrimony is manifest, that they "want to do the desires of [their] father" (my emphasis).  They show who they really believe, and who they really are, by their violent hatred, and their lies.

Lies are sin: an especially definitive sin, since Jesus says that is the very nature of satan, who is the source of all lies.  Lies are also very much the definitive political sin.  American Christians are, and have long been, enslaved by that political sin.  Christians are, have long been, persuaded by lies to unthinkingly do the (political) will of others: and that is the definition of slavery.

Jesus says knowing Truth will set us free.  God is now promising us "FREEDOM !!"  I believe Him; and I understand Him to mean He will set many free from their political slavery, to political lies.  I'm confident He will open the eyes of all whose hearts are truly set on Him above all else.  I'm rejoicing that He will open the eyes of many to know The Truth, and The Truth will set them free.



I don't think it coincidental that God led me in this meditation today, as people prepare for the supposed "holiday" of Christ's birth upon earth.  He Who identified Himself as "The Truth" still lives among us, and still sets free any who will receive Him.  But in this "post-truth" year and world, He is less welcomed than ever before...even by those celebrating that He formerly came among us.

But He is still here.  And He is still coming.  And He will still come.  And in every time and place and heart He comes, He sets free all who welcome Him.
 

HALLELUJAH !!  Come, Lord Jesus !!

The Spirit of Reality

The blog-post by our Australian brother Tim about "post-truth" Christianity, which I re-posted a couple weeks ago, included a particularly striking insight

"It’s sad fact that many (even professing Christians) really have no love of the truth, preferring to mould a more appealing (to them) version of 'reality' to live by."

His linkage of "truth" and "reality" is spot-on.

We know there's a profound sense in which "truth" and "reality" are somehow the same kind of thing: though we can't easily say how that's so.  "Reality is the manifestation of truth" is the working definition I've come to: though I'm certain there's a lot more to that equation than my formulation takes into account (or that limited human understanding can take into account).

Another way of putting it might be that "reality" and "truth" are both what really and truly IS.  And that makes both, to my understanding, theological quantities, since God IS "I AM THAT I AM."  Theologians who have opined that God is "Ultimate Reality" are probably close to the mark.

Jesus' Own Person seems to bear out that equation.  He used God's Own Name when He revealed His Being is exactly Truth: "I AM...The Truth" (John 14:6).  Jesus is the Word (Logos) of God through Whom "...all things were made," and without Whom "...nothing was made that has been made" (John 1:3).  "Truth" and "reality," including the physical reality of creation, are joined in Who Jesus IS.

The confirmatory "flip-side" is that the enemy, rebel against All that God IS and does, is, in Jesus' words, "the father of lies" (John 8:44).  From the first time we meet him in scripture, he is working to deceive human beings by questioning God's Truth ("Has God really said . . .?", my emphasis) and denying the reality God made ("You surely will not die . . .", my emphasis).

The enemy has not changed his tactics.  They still work.  Even though, as Tim notes, refusal to love truth necessarily means relinquishing reality as well...and forces people to invent their own.

I find it interesting that the political faction Christians have followed for 40 years is the premier anti-Truth and anti-reality voice in America.

Like all political factions, it's always "spun" truth to achieve electoral success (the only "good" political factions serve): though rather more outrageously than other factions.  But the surprising election of its "post-truth" candidate this year has hugely confirmed that faction in the "wisdom" of post-truth politics: that truth doesn't really matter for electoral success.

It's no accident that the same faction also champions various kinds of reality-denial.  One major example is that "climate-change denial" is a virtual litmus-test for members of that faction, a legacy of their demi-god founder, Ronald Reagan.  Other varieties of reality-denial, including some very "fringe" ones (white-supremacy, for example), also make that faction their ideological home.

Tim's observation that "truth" and "reality" are linked seems sound theological insight: both are established by God, in His Own Being.

It should tell us something that American Christians have followed factionalists whose spirit is contempt for truth, and denial of reality: the same sins Adam and Eve fell for.  To those with spiritual eyes to see, that faction...and the Christians who do its will...abundantly show their spiritual patrimony.

May deceived Christians repent !  May God destroy those who deceive His people !!

Amen.