Renewing the Mind - #2

This is the second sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This sermon addresses the topics of theology, philosophy and ethics. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here. 

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 55:8-9 ^(NKJV) "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. ⁹ "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

Introduction:

Many years ago, Attorney David Gibbs, founder of the Christian Law Association, spoke for a special service at the Wesleyan Methodist Camp in Stoneboro. In that service he spoke about the legal battles that parents and Christian schools were facing back in the 1970’s. He particularly spoke about Rev. Levi Whisner who was battling for the right to run a Christian school in Ohio. When he met with Rev. Whisner, he asked him several hypothetical questions: If we put chapel services in the public school will you send your kids there? Prayer? Bible?  Finally, he asked, “What makes a Christian school a Christian school?” As he got ready to write Rev. Whisner’s answer, he instructed him to describe it slowly so he could get it all down.

Rev. Whisner replied with one word, “Philosophy.”

Attorney Gibbs was incredulous. “You mean you want your school to teach philosophy?”

Rev. Whisner explained that every subject in the curriculum is taught with an underlying philosophy. In the state-run schools, the underlying philosophy is secularism and contrary to Scripture. So, the real problem is not just that prayer was removed from the school, but any references to knowledge as revealed in Scripture must also be scrubbed if it conflicts with the state approved curriculum. In any subject, when the state-approved curriculum conflicts with Scripture, the curriculum wins. It will be taught as the truth even though it conflicts with the Bible.

Rev. Whisner: “When you studied world history in school, did you learn about Adam and Eve?”

Attorney Gibbs then said to the audience at Stoneboro Camp, “Imagine, studying the history of the whole world and missing the very first man and woman!”

He had just received a short lesson regarding the necessity of having a biblical worldview and understanding all subjects through the lens of God’s truth. This is the reason many Christian parents choose to either home-school their children or enroll them in Christian schools – so they will learn about our world and all about life from a Christian philosophy or worldview. Secular educators claim that Scripture knowledge should only be taught at church/Sunday school, not in institutions of education. This view presents a dualistic worldview – life is divided into two camps, religious and secular. And, ne’er the two shall meet!

Last Sunday I spoke to you on the topic of truth and I tried to lay a foundation for believing that God is the source of truth and He has revealed truth to humanity through His world, through His Word and through His Son. Today I want to begin by playing two short videos that help us understand what a worldview is. These videos are borrowed from a ministry called, “Impact 360 Institute.”

Two general definitions of “worldview” presented in the videos were:

1.      A worldview is a web of habit-forming beliefs about the biggest questions of life that helps you make sense of all your experiences.

2.      A worldview is a set of lenses through which you see the world around you. It affects how you think, how you feel, and how you live.

So, what would be a Christian/biblical worldview?

Here are definitions from two other sources I consulted.

A CHRISTIAN WORLDVIEW - A Christian worldview is a comprehensive view of the world from a biblical standpoint. ("Christian Worldview" All About GOD Ministries, Inc, n.d. Web. Accessed 11/14/29.)

A BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW - A worldview based on the infallible Word of God and is the framework from which we view reality and make sense of life and the world. (Del Tackett; https://www.focusonthefamily.com/faith/whats-a-christian-worldview/)

This series of messages is called, “Renewing the Mind,” and is based on Rom. 12:2 “Be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Having a renewed mind includes developing a Christian or biblical worldview, which will enable us to look at all aspects of life differently than individuals who possess a secular or godless worldview.

What impact or effect does one’s worldview have on life? Here is a chart I saw online offered by a church called Watermark Church.

Worldview = What is real
Beliefs = What is true
Values = What is good
Behavior = What we do

So we see that our worldview, or the lens through which we view life, determines our beliefs, which will determine our values, which will ultimately determine our behavior.

Why does a biblical worldview matter?

If we don’t really believe the truth of God and live it, then our witness will be confusing and misleading. Most of us go through life not recognizing that our personal worldviews have been deeply affected by the world. Through the media and other influences, the secularized American view of history, law, politics, science, God and man affects our thinking more than we realize….

If we capture and embrace more of God’s worldview and trust it with unwavering faith, then we begin to make the right decisions and form the appropriate responses to questions on abortion, same- sex marriage, cloning, stem-cell research and even media choices. Because, in the end, it is our decisions and actions that reveal what we really believe. (Del Tackett; www.focusonthefamily.com/ faith/whats-a-christian-worldview/)

I found a source online called, “All About God Ministries,” that provides a list of disciplines or fields of study and how each one may be understood through the lens of a Christian worldview. For the remainder of our series I want to borrow their list to help us organize our discussion.

I.          Theology

Theology is the study of God.

In my first message last Sunday I already addressed the matter of a belief in God as part of the foundation for a biblical worldview. I also mentioned last week that the subject of Apologetics (defense of the faith) includes the various arguments for the existence of God. Apologetics is sometimes viewed as a sub-topic under the general study of philosophy. Theology examines the nature of God and the attributes of God.

The Bible really doesn’t provide any arguments for the existence of God, it presupposes the existence of God. Genesis 1:1 simply states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

There have always been those who rejected the truth about God.

Romans 1:21 (NKJV)  because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

A Christian worldview not only accepts the existence of God (Theism), but accepts the true nature of God as revealed in His Word. It really does matter what we believe about the nature or character of God.

About 10 years ago, I did a series of messages on the attributes of God & having a proper concept of God. A number of you weren’t attending here when I did that, but it is well worth your time and effort to dig into the Word and learn about who God is.

A.W. Tozer said, “No people has ever risen above its religion and no religion rises higher than its concept of God.”

Our views of God will determine our values and our values will determine our behavior.

II.        Philosophy

Philosophy may be described as the pursuit of knowledge through reason. 

The study of philosophy includes many sub-topics. Some of those sub-topics include: Is there a God? What is truth? Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose? Where am I headed? Are miracles possible? What is the nature of faith? Secular philosophy proposes answers to these important questions without considering the Bible as the authority for answers. But a Christian worldview certainly considers the Bible to the source of truth for all of those questions.

The Bible encourages reason and the pursuit of knowledge. The book of Proverbs is filled with admonitions to seek wisdom.

Isaiah 1:18 (NKJV)  "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool.

It is important to understand that every philosophy is ultimately based on faith.

One writer states it like this: All knowing requires faith. Faith precedes reason… In other words, every worldview begins with a basic assumption about the nature of reality that cannot be proven by using the scientific method or logical deduction. This becomes the starting point from which to build a total view of life. ("Christian Philosophy" All About GOD Ministries, Inc, n.d. Web. Accessed 11/14/29.)

Hebrews 11:3 (NKJV)  By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

But there are warnings about the wrong kind of philosophy.

Colossians 2:8 (NKJV)  Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

If we consider the context of verse 8 we understand that Paul is saying the Colossian believers need to orient their lives completely according to their faith in Christ and not in the wise-sounding words of either pagans or Jews who only emphasized a system of outward conformity to rules and rituals. We need to be alert and make sure our basis for reasoning through the big questions in life is grounded in our faith in God’s Word.

III.       Ethics

The study of ethics involves questions of right vs. wrong or standards of morality. It brings up the question of “ought.” That is, it addresses human conduct and behavior not a matter of what a person can do, but what he/she ought to do. 

A non-Christian worldview considers other sources to be the standard for moral conduct and right behavior, such as: whatever is accepted by society or whatever is good according to the situation. A Christian worldview considers morality to be subject to the absolute standards of right and wrong as defined in God’s written revelation. From the very beginning of time God gave moral and ethical directives to humans and incorporated consequences for failure to obey His commands.

The Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt…”            “Thou shalt not…”

Every reference in the Bible regarding “righteousness” and “holiness” is really about living with holy motives and morally pure conduct as defined by God, who is the source of holiness.

1 Peter 1:15-16 (NKJV) ¹⁵  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶  because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy."

The secular world tells us that biblical standards of morality have no place in public society. We do whatever we feel is right according to our own values or according to the values of society. Christians are expected to adjust their values to conform to the standards of the world, and sadly, many professing Christians have adopted that same worldview.

Conclusion:

If you wonder how our society has gotten in the mess we’re in now, it is because too many believers thought that being a Christian was only about trusting in Christ to forgive their sins and getting them to heaven. They failed to have their minds renewed to a different pattern of thinking and have become conformed to the world’s pattern of thinking and behavior. We need God’s help today just as He has miraculously intervened in world situations in the past.

Our closing hymn is: O God, Our Help in Ages Past

A hymn written by Isaac Watts. It was played over the airwaves by the BBC as soon as World War II was declared. It was also sung later at the funeral of Winston Churchill. (Then Sings My Soul, Robert J. Morgan)

Renewing the Mind - #1 (Nov. 8, 2020)

This is the first sermon in a series of messages focusing on the importance of having a Christian/biblical worldview of life. We are bombarded every day with the philosophies and values of the secular, godless world in which we live. Far too often, Christians have accepted the views and assumptions of the secular world rather than applying biblical truth to every area of life. This first sermon addresses the topic of truth as a necessary foundation for beliefs. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here.

Written excerpts:

Romans 12:2 ^(NKJV)  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Introduction:

Last year we started a series of video lessons on Sunday evenings called “The Truth Project.” We suspended the series for the holidays and winter months with the intention of resuming in the spring. As you know, when spring rolled around, we were forced to contend with COVID-19, which changed the way we planned and carried out many of our church functions. I remember thinking when we were watching those videos that the material being presented really needed to be heard by all of our congregation, not just the small group that was coming each week.

I don’t know about you, but I am concerned more than ever regarding the ongoing changes in our nation and culture. I am alarmed at the failure of even prominent “Christian” leaders to take a stand against the cultural trends in our nation. Many appear to be willing to compromise the clear teaching of God’s Word in order to appease and accommodate the opinions of the secular world. 

While thinking about the cultural changes in society and in the church world, I am reminded again of the video series “The Truth Project” and how important it is for Christians to have an accurate view of life and our world. It is so important for us to know the truth and allow the truth to shape our understanding of the world and our own role in it.

I have preached on Romans 12:2 before. But it is so important for us to be reminded that we must not allow ourselves to be pressed into the mold of the world or the age we live in. I’ve been deeply saddened to hear more and more frequently about popular evangelical preachers/teachers and leaders who are abandoning the biblical view of culturally acceptable sins in order to be more compatible with the culture.

Paul states that we must be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Both verbs, conformed and transformed, are in the present tense which denotes continuous action in the Greek language. So “do not keep on being conformed… but keep on being transformed.” The fact that the transformation takes place by the renewing of the mind would indicate that we avoid being pressured into the mold of a secular, godless world by continually allowing our thinking to be shaped and informed by the Word of God.

What is involved in being renewed in our minds? That is what I want to explore for a few weeks together. If we are going to avoid being continually shaped by the secular and godless culture, then we need to have our minds renewed and change the ways we think. We need to have a view of the world and a view of life that is consistent and compatible with the Bible.

There are several themes that are connected to this idea of renewing the mind, but I think a good place to start is where “The Truth Project” video series started – with the theme of truth.

I.          What is truth?

What is truth?  Ronald Nash in his philosophy textbook, Life's Ultimate Questions, says truth is, “a property of propositions [claims] that correspond to the way things are.” A similar point is made by someone else who said, “Truth is the best explanation of the facts that exist.” Or, we could also say, “Truth is what is actually real.”

Is there any such thing as absolute truth? (Absolute truth = something that is true for all people, in all places, for all time.) It was reported that a college professor boldly proclaimed to his class “There is no such thing as absolute truth!” One student raised his hand and meekly asked, “Are you absolutely sure?”

Someone said, “You shouldn’t think anything is true unless it has been scientifically proven.” However, that statement has never been scientifically proven, so I guess we shouldn’t think it is true either.

We might also need to explain that there is subjective truth and objective truth. Subjective truth – based on personal experience/opinion, changes – e.g. “It is hot!” Objective truth – based on objective standard of reality, doesn’t change – e.g. “It is 95 degrees Fahrenheit.”

Subjective truth – church is boring. Objective truth – church is the body of Christ.

From a more spiritual perspective, we know that the Bible has many things to say about truth. I want to emphasize two of those points right here.

A. God’s Word is truth.

John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth.”

In his high-priestly prayer, Jesus affirms that the word of God is truth. Everything that agrees with the Word is truth. Everything that does not agree with the Word is not truth.

B. Jesus Christ is truth.

John 14: 6 – Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the father, but by me.”

Jesus is making a claim of being the personal revelation of truth to the world. He is claiming to be the personification of truth. He is the standard by which everything else can be judged for validity. Jesus defines truth for us as it relates to love, compassion, purity, justice, and a whole host of other virtues. If we want to know what each of these virtues really mean, just take a look at Jesus.

John 18:37 ^(NKJV)  Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 

II.        The Truth about Revelation

I have stated in a previous sermon or two that it seems like truth in the absolute sense is something that is infinite. Our knowledge of what is true about all areas of life keeps on expanding. We have this inner sense that even if we had an entire world filled with brilliant geniuses such as Einstein, we still wouldn’t ever come to know all the truth.

An agnostic by the name of Herbert Spencer maintained that “no man has ever been known to penetrate with his finite mind the veil which hides the mind of the infinite. The Infinite cannot be known and agnosticism is secure.”

If Truth cannot be known, then we can never know what really matters. We can never really know what is right or good and we are eventually left with only cynicism, hopelessness and despair. However, Spencer and others like him have omitted one possibility. What if the Infinite Mind chose to reveal Himself to finite minds?

That is the only way absolute truth can be known. It is the only security we have that this truth will never change because it has been revealed to us by the infinite God who is the source of all truth and He does know everything there is to know. This is exactly what the Bible claims – God has revealed His truth to us, and we can know the truth. We don’t have to flounder in darkness and despair. We can have the assurance that only comes by knowing the truth.

This is revelation. The Bible is nothing less than the revelation of truth from the Infinite Mind to finite minds. It is the reliable communication of information that we cannot know any other way, especially by our own efforts and pursuits. It tells us what we need to know about God, our world, human nature, sin, salvation, etc., etc. God’s Word is the final authority for truth.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ^{(NKJV) 16}  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

III.       The Truth about God

We need to know the truth about God.

There are different approaches that people have used to argue for the existence of God. The study of apologetics gets into that subject more deeply than I have the time or ability to discuss today. For right now, let me just simply say that I have come to the conclusion that it takes less faith to believe there is a God than the amount of faith it takes to believe there isn’t a God.

If there is a God – a being that is infinitely supreme in every way – it makes sense to accept the fact that finite human beings could never truly discover Him or know Him unless He chose to reveal Himself to them. It goes back to what we said a little while ago about revelation. So, we believe the Infinite Mind (God) has revealed Himself to us and He has done so through creation, through His Word, and through His Son. All three of these sources (creation, Word, and Son) have not only revealed His existence, but they have revealed His nature and character.

There are a lot of people who claim to believe in God, but after talking with them for some length of time, you will discover that the god they believe in is not the God of the Bible.

Psalm 50:21 ^(NKJV)  These things [a whole list of sins that were described in previous verses] you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.

I heard a preacher a few years ago who said, “Whenever I meet someone who claims they do not believe in God, I ask them to tell me about the God they do not believe in, because I may not believe in that kind of God either!” The truth about God matters!

Conclusion:

There are other areas of truth that we could talk about such as the truth about ourselves, the truth about life and the truth about death. I may do that next week.

I want to end today by sharing a brief illustration that I shared many years ago. I heard about a school bus driver that once had a little girl board his bus thinking she was on the right bus, but it really wasn’t her bus. As she watched other children boarding the bus, she would laugh and point out to them that they were on the wrong bus. Then she suddenly became aware of the truth that it wasn’t the others who were on the wrong bus, but she was. She immediately jumped up and ran off the bus to go find her bus. If she hadn’t discovered her error and discovered the truth, she would not have arrived at the intended destination, no matter how sincere she had been.

It really doesn’t matter what I think or what you think. Sincerity is not sufficient. If we do not know the truth, we are not going to get to the right destination. I am truly grateful that God has provided the revelation of truth, which will give us everything we need to know in order to successfully make it through life.

As we think again about Paul’s command in Romans to “be transformed by the renewing of our minds” it reminds us of what a solemn charge we have to fulfill. We must take the steps necessary to renew our minds, and teach our children the same thing.

Closing Song: A Charge to Keep I Have

Daily Dealing with Death

This is a sermon that was delivered on Nov. 1, 2020. The theme of the message focused on the reality of persecution for believers in biblical times, as well as the present. This message was given in recognition of the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, as well as All Saints Day. Millions of Christian believers have lived out their faith being confronted daily with the possibility of suffering and death. You may view a video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was delivered by clicking here.

Written excerpts of the sermon follow below.

Psalm 44:22 (NKJV)  Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Introduction:

Annie Johnson Flint was born on Christmas Eve in 1866 to Mr. & Mrs. Eldon Johnson. Three years later she was joined by a baby sister, but her mother died while giving birth. Her father had an incurable disease, so before his death, he willed the girls to a couple by the name of Flint.

Annie gave her heart to the Lord at the age of 8 and joined her church 10 years later, having never doubted that she was truly converted. She was generally disposed to be cheerful and optimistic. She looked on the bright side of life and was able to get much enjoyment out of life. 

After high school, Annie eventually became a schoolteacher. In her second year of teaching, arthritis began to show itself. She grew steadily worse until it became difficult for her to walk at all, and she was soon obliged to give up her work, followed by three years of increasing helplessness. The death of both of her adoptive parents within a few months of each other left Annie and her sister alone again. There was little money in the bank, and the twice-orphaned children had come to a real “Red Sea place” in their lives. (https://hymnary.org/person/Flint_Annie)

These limited details about Annie’s life help us understand how she could write a poem like this:

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater;
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase.
To added affliction He addeth His mercy;
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources,
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limit; His grace has no measure.
His pow’r has no boundary known unto men.
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again!

The words of this hymn are appropriate for anyone that is going through difficult times of adversity, especially persecution.

Today has been designated by the Voice of the Martyrs organization as “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.” Today is also “All Saints Day” on the Christian Church calendar. For those two reasons, I chose the passage of Scripture from Hebrews, which was read earlier and the title of today’s message: “Daily Dealing with Death.”

All Saints Day was celebrated long before the Protestant Reformation but continued to be observed by many protestant denominations. Initially it seems to be a time to remember all those who were martyred for their faith but later included honoring both living and dead. Some churches stress the strong connection between the believers who have died (the Church Triumphant) and those yet living (the Church Militant), and give thanks to God for the lives of all saints (believers) whether famous or obscure. Protestant Christians have resisted the practice of praying to saints or worshiping them, but we certainly honor their testimony.

I would like to take the rest of our time this morning to look into various Scriptures and speak about the plight of Christians who serve the Lord in spite of great danger and threat to their lives.

Psalm 44:22 (NKJV)  Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

(Pulpit Commentaries) Verse 22. - Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; or, continually, as the phrase is often translated. Not only are the Israelites not suffering on account of any previous desertion of God, or other misconduct, but they are suffering for their fidelity to God. The heathen hate them, and make war upon them, as worshippers of one exclusive God, Jehovah, and condemners of their many gods, whom they hold to be "no-gods."

They are martyrs, like the Christians of the early Church (see Romans 8:36). We are counted as sheep for the slaughter (compare v. 11).

Psalm 44:11 (NKJV)  You have given us up like sheep intended for food, And have scattered us among the nations.

(Barnes Notes) The meaning is [this], It is on thy account; it is in thy cause; it is because we are thy friends, and because we worship thee. It is not on account of our national sins; it is not because there is any prevalent idolatry, but it is because we are the worshippers of the true God, and we are, therefore, martyrs. All these calamities have come upon us in consequence of our attachment to thee. There is no evidence that there was any self-glorying in this, or any intention to blame God as if he were unjust or severe, but it is the feeling of martyrs as suffering in the cause of religion. 

The Psalmist is revealing the fact that the people of Israel were objects of hatred and violence / attacks because of their devotion to Jehovah. In some parts of the world that has always been true even to this day.

Revelation 12:11 (KJV)  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) – … "and did not love their life up to death" (John 12:25). They would rather suffer martyrdom than deny that blood and the Word and their testimony. We have an example in Paul, Acts 20:24."

John 12:25 (NKJV)  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Acts 20:24 (NKJV)  But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

(Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – To give way in the face of persecution is to fall away from Christ and to lose everything, but to stand firm means final victory over Satan. That John has the martyrs in mind is clear from the words they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. But the same quality of devotion is required from all the followers of the Lamb (cf. Luke 14:26; John 12:25).

As John writes these words in The Revelation, again we are reminded that followers of Jesus Christ were targeted for harm and even death, but that didn’t deter them nor change them.

Let’s take a look at the passage in Hebrews we heard earlier.

Hebrews 11:36-38 (NKJV) Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

Here are some observations based on these passages of Scripture:

1. True people of faith see what others cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV)  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

All of these examples we have read about in both the OT and the NT were people who could “see” what was invisible because of their faith.

That still holds true today.

2. True people of faith possess strength that others do not have.

Because faith enables people to “see” the invisible, what they see – the fulfillment of God’s promise – provides an inner strength that others do not have.

I cannot read about the suffering and persecution and even death that believers endured in the Bible and in modern times without being amazed at their strength to hold up in such horrible treatment. That strength obviously comes from their intimate connection to the Lord through His Holy Spirit, Who is faithful to provide the grace that is needed and when it is needed.

Romans 8:35-37 (NKJV) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

The personal, loving relationship with Christ sustains us and there is nothing that can take it away.

3. True people of faith will win the prize they seek.

Hebrews 11:39 (NKJV) And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise,

The word “promise” is singular in the original language and is defined by Lenski in his commentary like this: (Lenski New Testament Commentary) – It is the final and supreme fulfillment, the consummation at the last day, the ultimate of all that we are hoping for, of all that is not seen (v. 1).

(R.T. France, Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – This general comment looks back over the whole list of heroes of faith and puts them all, even men of the stature of Abraham and Moses, into perspective within the whole scope of God’s plan of salvation. None of them had reached the ultimate goal to which they were looking forward, whether consciously or not. They may have received the fulfillment of many “promises” (see vv.11-12, 17, 33; 6:15) and seen God’s power spectacularly at work in their behalf, but there still remained “the promise” (singular; NIV, “what had been promised”), which for our author denotes something beyond all these temporary blessings: the ultimate fulfillment of God’s purpose for his people.

This fulfillment, verse 40 indicates, will be realized when all of God’s people are finally and completely redeemed.

Conclusion:

It really doesn’t matter whether you’re speaking about the believers who lived in Bible times, or the millions of believers since then up to the present, they all need to be recognized for their stalwart faith. They need to be honored for their willingness to stay true to their faith and their Lord in spite of tremendous opposition and suffering. For many of them, the possibility of death was a reality they had to reckon with every single day, just like the Scripture we quoted earlier,

Psalm 44:22 (NKJV)  Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

In Uganda, Anna came to Christ from a Muslim background, and her family did not accept her choice. She fled to a pastor’s home in earlier August, but by then she was already ill and rapidly losing weight. After several days, she was struggling to walk and in great pain. Her family knew she was ill, and her father sent a message to her saying she would not survive. After a month in the hospital, she succumbed to the illness and passed away. Doctors found damage to her internal organs from poison, which her family likely administered to her while she still lived at home. Anna is survived by two children, ages 12 and 6, who are being cared for by the pastor.

A Bru community in rural Laos was so determined to drive out a group of Christian families that they resorted to drastic measures. “They were so resistant to their faith, they were trying to scare them out of the village or to renounce their faith,” a VOM field worker said. Persecution began in 2018 when the villagers killed the livestock and crops of the three families. They even planted a bomb in their cooking fire, hoping to scare or injure them. The Christian families are also banned from using the village well. Even so, the believers are determined to stay in their village as a testimony to God’s power, so they requested that VOM drill a well for them. Pray that the firm bravery of these families will cause many in their village to turn to God.

The real threats of persecution and death that thousands and perhaps millions of Christians face every day cause us to realize how strong and courageous they are for continuing to practice their faith. All the while these believers continue gathering for worship and prayers in the face of such threats, here in America we have been making it easier and easier for people to stay home. If we do not soon experience a spiritual awakening in our nation, Christians in our nation will also face the reality of dying for their faith. Prayer is absolutely crucial.

One thing we know for certain. Regardless of all that the enemies of God try to do, God’s kingdom and God’s truth will prevail and will keep marching on! The closing song I’ve chosen for today is a great reminder of that fact.

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

Rush to Justice - Part Two

This is a sermon delivered on October 25, 2020 that addresses the culturally popular call for "social justice" in our society. The message attempts to provide biblical qualities of justice and to contrast that from what is being promoted in society. If you would like to view a video recording of the worship service in which this message was delivered, please click here.

Written excerpts of the sermon follow below.

Ezekiel 18:20 ^(NKJV)  The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Introduction:

Last Sunday I presented a message regarding the subject of “social justice.” In that message I attempted to lay a biblical foundation for the need to have justice as a vital aspect of our personal lives as well as our public and national life. There is no question about the fact that God requires right conduct toward others regardless of social status, racial background, or any other characteristic that might become the target of hatred and injustice.

The “Social Justice” message has been around for a long time, and it has produced more chaos and harm than most people want to admit. I remember studying in seminary about a contemporary theological movement known as “Liberation Theology.” Liberation Theology was very prominent among so-called Christians, especially in South America. It was almost entirely Marxist in its emphasis and did very little to erase the social problems and improve the lives of citizens.

Before I continue this subject today, I want to provide a brief review of the three main points I shared last week. As I do that, I want to add additional “meanings” that have become common in our society today, even among evangelical Christians.

Last week I said, God cares about justice. (But many people today use this phrase as biblical support for policies that are not scriptural. As long as the word “justice” is used, who can say they’re not for it?)

Last week I said, Christians are expected to act righteously. (But too many insist today that righteousness should be defined by current socially approved standards.)

Last week I said, Christians should influence national righteousness (But that has come to mean they should exert such influence by every ungodly and unbiblical means possible.)

As I continue the subject today, I want to draw your attention to a few more important principles that we must keep in mind as we think and act in a way that exemplifies the mercy and justice of our Father in heaven. However, before I share those principles, I want to provide some details of the current “Social Justice” movement and what it advocates.

(Dr. Daryl McCarthy – Fundamental Wesleyan Society Conference in Nicholasville KY, Sept. 2020) Five Tenets of Current Social Justice “doctrine”

1. Identity Politics – everyone is either part of “the oppressed” or “the oppressors.”

·         Racial Identity – Whites are oppressors; colors are oppressed

·         Gender Identity – Males are oppressors; females are oppressed, or heterosexuals are oppressors; homosexuals are oppressed

·         Economic Identity – Rich/Wealthy are oppressors; poor are oppressed

·         Intersectionality – i.e. identities are added up; for example a poor, black, female, lesbian would be most oppressed.

2. Equality of Outcomes (Equity)

3. Statism – Equity must be achieved by government force.

4. Redistribute Wealth – Socialism (relates to #2) 

5. Gender is a choice

These five tenets reveal the problem with the modern “social justice” doctrine – if anyone experiences an injustice that doesn’t fit into these socially-approved categories, then it is not important to even care about.

For example, many times those who are the loudest in advocating changes in order to benefit the “oppressed” are strangely silent about the plight of other oppressed groups outside of the “sanctioned” list of oppressed (i.e. Identity Politics) we mentioned earlier. Therefore, little is said by the “justice warriors” about the plight of the unborn. Little is said in national discussions about the plight of Christians persecuted for their faith. It becomes increasingly clear that for those who wave the banner for social justice, it only means justice for the pre-approved groups that fit the politically correct definition of “the oppressed.”

Here are three more principles I want to stress today in regards to social justice:

I.          Biblical justice is necessarily linked to love.

A. Love is the core tenet of the Ten Commandments.

Jesus said there are only two great commandments:

Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Romans 13:8-10 (NKJV) ⁸  Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. ⁹  For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." ¹⁰  Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Paul has just quoted the second half of the Ten Commandments, which all have to do with the treatment of others, and he says it all can be summed up with “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

B. Love, by definition, must be voluntary. (Adapted from Social Justice and the Christian Church, by Ronald Nash)

The imitation “social justice” tries to use the power of the state to enforce what God’s Word says must be the expression of love. Imitation “social justice” attempts to force members of society to demonstrate love to select portions of the society in publicly-approved ways, while blatantly failing to demonstrate any love to other members of society who do not fit the “approved” criteria. God’s requirement is for all people to love all people, and it cannot be coerced nor restricted to certain classes.

In the Bible, love is an action. It is the denial of self for the benefit of the one loved. A state/government can only show "love" by forcibly taking from one segment of society and giving it to another segment. No sacrifice on the part of the state is required.

II.        Biblical justice is necessarily linked to truth.

Many people have repeatedly stated how uninterested our society is these days concerning truth. I have also emphasized in previous messages the fact that truth has been abandoned in so many ways. Many of us have frequently lamented the fact that we hardly know when we are being told the truth in news reports these days.

A. Truth is essential in judging results as well as intentions.

Ronald Nash, in his book, Social Justice and the Christian Church, points out how many liberal evangelical leaders and theologians have argued for blatant socialist policies on the basis of loving concern for the poor and disadvantaged. Yet, they apparently have not noticed that many of those socialist policies, in reality, have done more harm than good for the people they claim to be concerned about.

B. Truth is essential in accurately interpreting the Scriptures.

Nash also points out in his book that many liberal theologians who advocate for state-mandated policies to provide social justice have actually taken principles from the Bible that were meant to be practiced on an individual basis and they have insisted they be applied on a national scale and enforced by the state. That is, they make personal expectations or injunctions to be national / universal.

C. Truth is essential for exposing inconsistencies in arguments.

Black Lives Matter – Aside from the fact that the leaders of the BLM movement admit to being communistic in their philosophy, their message is blatantly inconsistent with truth.

If the phrase “Black Lives Matter” was founded in truth, then the lives of black unborn babies would matter. The livelihoods of black business owners would matter. Black police officers' lives matter, etc.

Far too many individuals who advocate for certain kinds of social justice tend to completely neglect other aspects of justice that doesn’t fit in their agenda.

We truly are witnessing what the prophet Isaiah witnessed…

Isaiah 59:14 (NKJV)  Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.

In this 59^th chapter, Isaiah is describing all of the sin and crime and immorality that is so prevalent. When truth is fallen in the street, then justice is “turned back” and righteousness is “afar off.” Equity or fairness cannot be achieved when sin prevails and truth is sacrificed.

III.       Biblical justice must account for the problem of sin/depravity.

Psalm 51:5 (NIV2011)  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

We must always keep the doctrine of original sin as part of the whole picture. There will never be “heaven on earth” as long as sin continues to reign in the hearts of all people. 

Even though Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” the kingdom of God on earth will always be flawed until sin has been completely and finally eliminated. That will only happen when Jesus returns.

A. Depravity causes abuse of power.

We cannot look to government leaders and the power of the state to be our “social justice saviors” and let them coerce equitable outcomes. Why? Because everyone in power is capable of the most severe and brutal misuse of power. It is born in them. It is inherited sin and depravity. Perhaps you’ve heard the adage, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Socialism and Marxism looks to the power of the state and/or dictators to enforce the equitable treatment of all oppressed. And yet, history has taught us that the most abusive and oppressive societies have been those who resorted to Socialist and Marxist dictatorships.

The end justifies the means. Attempt to achieve “holy” ends by unholy means.

B. Depravity leads the “oppressed” to unrighteous conduct.

The Prophet Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?” Every person and every identified oppressed group have the capacity to manipulate, twist and use very ungodly means to selfishly benefit from the system. Even the “oppressed” are capable of plotting how to cheat the system in order to achieve selfish desires. I'm not implying that they are more likely to do so just because they are poor or oppressed. I am just reminding us that their circumstances do not make them exempt from doing what anyone else would be tempted to do. Why? Because everyone has to struggle with the tendencies produced by inner nature of sin.

So, no matter how trite it may sound, we can still accurately say, “We do not have a social justice problem, we have a sin problem!”

Conclusion:

Let me bring this to a quick closing by simply reminding us today of two important truths.

1. It is imperative that Christians demonstrate love toward everyone regardless of who they are. It is our personal obligation as believers in Jesus.

2. Every attempt to usher in true justice in a national sense will always have flaws because people are flawed. The only remedy to that is the return of Jesus, the King of kings, and the Prince of peace.

In the meantime, it is a good policy for all believers to stand up for Jesus. That means promoting what is true, just and righteous, and standing against everything immoral, ungodly and demonic.

Closing Song: Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus

Rush to Justice

 This is a sermon addressing the culturally popular call for "social justice" in our society. The message attempts to analyze justice from a biblical perspective and to contrast the biblical message from what is being promoted in society. If you would like to view a video recording of the worship service in which this message was delivered, please click here.

Written excerpts of the message are provide below.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Introduction:

You may have heard the phrase, “… a rush to judgment” as a reference to those who are seeking some kind of retribution against a suspected offender, without proper care for evidence or facts. Kris and I have been watching some videos loaned to us by our daughter. We have seasons 1 & 2 of the old TV series, “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.” In the episodes we have watched so far, there has occasionally been an accusation raised against one of the townspeople or the neighboring Cheyenne Indians. Most of the time there is a presumption of guilt levied against the offender, and nearly the whole town is ready to “string them up.” Thankfully, in these videos as in most movies, there usually seems to be a resolution to the issue and the correct villain is identified, and the innocent is vindicated as the true facts come to light.

What has been true at times about the rush to condemn an individual without all the facts, is also true about the rush to condemn certain aspects of a society or culture without knowing all of the facts. This particularly applies to the current push in our society for what many are calling “social justice.” Social justice is such a nice sounding term. Who in their right mind would oppose such an idea?

You have all watched and listened during recent months and even years as the mainstream media networks have provided positive coverage of those in our society who have been agitating for cultural, economic and legal changes in order to make us a “more fair and equitable society.” The demand for such revolutionary changes has been intensified most recently by the violent protests and riots that have taken place in dozens of cities around the country.

I acknowledge that I purposely avoided speaking from the pulpit about those events for awhile for this reason: I assumed that most of us had been seeing and/or hearing about the unrest all week long, and looked forward to coming to church in order to get away from it and focus our minds on eternal truths that remain constant in spite of the upheaval and unrest all around us. I still believe that focusing on eternal truths in the midst of chaos is crucial for our own mental health and spiritual health. It is important for us to remember that God is not shaken, confused or frustrated by all the unrest and chaos. However, I also believe that God wants His church/people to impact our culture with truth, so that our “rush to justice” isn’t void of truth and facts.

Kris and I had the opportunity to attend a conference a few weeks ago in KY where one of the topics addressed was “social justice.” Since then I felt the Lord leading me to speak on the issue from a biblical perspective in order to help us all have a better grasp on what is happening and how we should respond.

Today, I want to focus on some biblical foundations for the concept of justice, then I want to follow up next Sunday by evaluating what is often meant by “social justice” in contemporary public discourse. Before we get started, I want us to understand that the concept of “justice” in the Bible is truly about being righteous. It involves right conduct, and right treatment of others. In regard to judicial matters, it is the punishment of evil as well as the reward for the good.

I.             God cares about justice.

A. Justice is rooted in the character of God.

Psalm 72:1 (NKJV) Give the king Your judgments, O God, And Your righteousness to the king's Son.

Amos 5:24 (NKJV)  But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.

This text follows verses that describes God’s disdain for religious rituals while righteous conduct has been forsaken.

When God established a covenant with the people of Israel (The Ten Commandments), He outlined how the people were expected to act toward Him and how they were to act toward each other. He revealed the fact He was not only a God who wanted to be revered and obeyed in regard to worship, but He also cares deeply about people and it matters how His covenant people treat one another.

Ezek. 18: The passage of Scripture that was read earlier this morning provides an example of the kinds of behavior that God expects. This passage describes hypothetical behavior of a father, his son, and the grandson. The first one follows specific expectations of righteous conduct. The son does not follow in the father’s footsteps, but violates all of the principles of righteous behavior, while the grandson returns to the conduct of the grandfather and lives a righteous life as well. God declares through the prophet that the father should not die for the sins of the son and the son should not be spared judgment because of the righteous life of the father. Finally, the grandson should not die for the sins of his father. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

B. Two lessons we can take from the passage in Ezekiel.

1. Obvious one - Everyone will be held accountable for his own life and not what others have done.

2. It provides us with an example of the kinds of conduct that God considers to be righteous and unrighteous and shows that God cares about right behavior toward others.

Righteous conduct involves right behavior towards our fellow human beings. We have the positive examples and the negative examples. There are numerous other examples in the Bible where God’s people in the OT and in the NT are expected to act righteously toward their fellow human beings.

For example: Job 29:12-17 (NKJV) ¹²  Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper. ¹³  The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. ¹⁴  I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. ¹⁵  I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame. ¹⁶  I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know. ¹⁷  I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.

Leviticus 19:35-36 (NKJV) ³⁵  'You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. ³⁶  You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

God cares about justice and He reveals it in His word through the law and the gospel.

II.           Christians are expected to act righteously.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)  He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Sermon on the Mount contains many directives for personal righteous behavior that reaches the core motives and attitudes of the heart, not just outward actions. e.g. murder/hatred; adultery/lust

James 2:1 (NKJV)  My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.

In the same chapter he illustrates the absurdity of only saying words but not following up with action, and the illustration involves feeding and clothing the poor.

1 Samuel 8:3 (NKJV)  But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.

We could provide dozens of Scriptures that teach Christians and children of God to not only live morally pure lives and be devoted to the Lord, but to also demonstrate their love for God by caring for others. All of our actions and business dealings are to be done with honesty and integrity.

III.          Christians should influence national righteousness.

Righteous conduct on the part of individual Christians includes doing whatever we can to influence just, good and righteous policies in the society.

I have repeatedly referred to Matthew 5:13-16 where Jesus teaches His disciples that we are the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world.” There are all kinds of ways this principle can and should be applied to daily life, but the simple truth is that we must be a positive influence for righteousness in our world.

e.g. Slavery – Before there ever was a civil war over the issue of slavery, there were countless individuals who were exerting every possible influence to change the minds and hearts of those making laws.

There are different ways we can influence our world for a more just society, not by attempting to set up a theocracy, but by being righteous, being salt and light in our own personal lives. There are all kinds of ways for Christians to work together to help those who are in need. We can write letters to the editor or to elected officials to express views that are consistent with biblical truth. 

We can influence righteousness on a state or national scale by electing righteous individuals to positions of authority where they will govern with righteous values. We believe in the “separation of church and state” only in the original meaning of our founders – there will not be a state sponsored religion forced upon our citizens. However, the phrase did not mean elected citizens must divorce themselves from their faith values and govern like pagans. A Christian was never expected to stop thinking and acting like a Christian just because they had a government position. Now it seems that Christians are expected to act and govern like pagans whenever they get elected.

Conclusion:

Today I have tried to show from the Scriptures that God cares about how people are treated. I’ve tried to show that God cares about how we personally conduct ourselves and live out our faith in care and concern for others. I’ve tried to give a biblical basis for having a positive influence in our culture and our society. However, there are many people who have completely twisted the truth of Scripture to promote policies and actions that go against the righteousness of God.

The Lord willing, I will continue our topic next week by sharing how modern efforts for “social justice” go contrary to God’s standard of righteousness. I want to encourage everyone to pray for true righteousness and justice that is approved by God to prevail in our communities, all across our nation, and around the world.