ABORTION and POLITICS

[This is a splicing of some of my posts on Facebook from May 19, 2012]

As the political scene gets revved up, there are a number of important issues to consider. I've got my two cents worth on many. But, in the grand scheme of things, could there be any more important issue than to protect the most vulnerable, weak, innocent, and helpless persons in our society? And, could there be any persons that fit this bill more so than those persons who currently reside in the womb?

Yes. We ought to stand for ALL who are vulnerable. Our society has taken legislative and economic measures to help many of the disenfranchised. However, we still live in a country where an unborn person's life may be taken, at no fault of their own. I would not stand for that if it was a person of a certain sex, or race, or ethnicity. How much more should we NOT stand for it for the absolute "LEAST of these." There are a number of atrocities to which we may point, sex slave trafficking for one; however, abortion is an abhorrent reality for which there is no equal in our society today. No one is more innocent, no one is less powerful, no one has less a voice, and no other group is being slaughtered in such large quantities, and with permission from our civilized society no less.

And what about those poor mothers of these children, being sold the lie that they'll be better off. They are the secondary victims of this crime. It is never good for their souls, hearts, minds, emotions, wellbeing, life, or future. To believe otherwise is to swallow a lie. I grieve for the children, perhaps even more so for those moms. God's way is LIFE, and his way is best, no matter what anyone says. Yet, back to the political scene. How can anything be more fundamental to being a civilized, compassionate society than standing up for the life of the innocent unborn?

I am not registered to any political party. We live in a sin sick and fallen world, over which the Evil one does temporarily reign. As such, corruption and greed drives much of the political process in all the big political machines. I am oft times tempted to be completely apolitical--abstaining from talking about or participating in politics in any way shape or form. For the only substantive, lasting change is that which occurs when, by faith, hearts surrender to the Lordship of Christ. I may get to that apolitical spot at some point. For the time being, the overwhelming majority of my efforts to effect societal change is life on life, heart to heart, relational level impact of individuals on a grassroots level, completely apolitical.

However, at present, my rationale is that as long as we live in a democratic republic form of government, I'll wield my microscopic bit of influence by voting and persuading in ways that promote the wellbeing of our society as well as the individuals who make it up; in particular, the weakest and most vulnerable, whomever they may be. And, I'm sure you'll agree, our exclusive and authoritative source for determining what is best for our collective and individual selves is Scripture. Not that we can force these values on society. But everyone has values, and every piece of legislation promotes them. So, why not promote the best values while we still have that freedom? From this frame of reference (until I go completely apolitical), I can not separate or compartmentalize any area of my life (religious, political, civic, social, vocational, economic, family, medical, emotional, intellectual, educational, professional, recreational) from the Lordship of Christ; even if that meant I no longer actively participate in the formal political process, that would still be a political choice based upon a religious conviction. Given the strictures of our founding Fathers, no specific religious entity is to be singularly esteemed or empowered by the governing authorities, but the values therein were never intended to be barred from those halls of power. In fact they can not. No one can govern, or make laws without ascribing to values, and those values come from somewhere. The only questions that remain are (1) which values, (2) from where do they come, (3) and will they truly bless and enrich society as a whole?

[To a brother in Christ with whom I disagree on many political issues] Yes, on the most important matters relative to Christ and salvation in Him we stand united. Even politically there are many things we can agree on in terms of values, while we debate, discuss, disagree and scratch our heads over the logistics and details. Unity in diversity itself is one of our biblical values. And yes, I agree with you, that there are no political parties who have a corner on the market of the Kingdom of God.

Our Evangelistic Aim

What is evangelism; and what are striving to accomplish in it? It appears that the answer is not clearly evident today.

Our evangelistic aim is to clearly and compelling communicate the Gospel with a view toward bringing people to humble, obedient, foundations-shaking faith in the person of Jesus. And, this Gospel can not be communicated in a flippant five minute presentation. We have to unfold the glory and grace of God as displayed in the person and work of Christ so that people come to know and understand: (1) the story of the Gospel, (2) the Person of the Gospel, and (3) the theological implications of the Gospel.

These radical realities call for a radical response, that being faith and repentance. And by "faith," we mean the trust it takes to surrender one's whole life & being into the hands of Jesus as Lord and Savior. And by "repentance" we mean the natural and logical outgrowth of said faith, a radical reorientation around the Throne--rejecting the old and embracing our NEW Lord, life, identity, outlook, family, priorities, purposes, patterns, and provisions. A simple canned presentation and a simple canned prayer will not due. Faith, manifesting itself in repentance, confession of faith, baptism (immersion in water, supernatural participation in the death burial, and resurrection of Jesus, see Romans 6), and an obedient, changed life is the biblical portrayal of such.

Homophobia and the King

I saw recently a Facebook post quoting Archbishop Desmond Tutu as saying, "If God, as they say, is homophobic, then I wouldn't worship that God."  It evoked a number of questions and reactions, here I share a few...

I too am against homophobia, if by that one means being afraid of or hating or being mean to someone because of their life-style choices.  Curious, I wonder if in fact Desmond made this statement, and if so, what the context of it statement was.  I think there is much confusion on this issue, especially as regards a Christian frame of reference.  I offer my feeble contribution to such…  It is offered kindly, honestly, and from my heart...

God (the King) is the sovereign, supreme, supplier of all that is good and right.  He is the only rightful object of our fear, honor, worship, devotion and obedience.  He is not afraid of anyone, no matter what their orientation.  Our wellbeing and joy, however, are linked to our humble, obedient, faith in Him.  Anyone who truly loves people (as the King does) will treat them with kindness, respect, and honesty.  If one chooses a way of thinking or acting that is contrary to the will of God, they are choosing a path of misery.  Any loving person would want to help one choosing such a path to find a better path.  So, no follower of Jesus should be homophobic or mean or unkind to those who choose a life-style in opposition to God's will.  However, at the same time, true love compels us to reject destructive choices while embracing those who make them.  Further, from this frame of reference, it would be wrong to attempt to control one's private choices; however, there is no kindness, warmth, or love in the public promotion of such choices.  Failure to embrace, accept, and promote homosexuality as normal and healthy is NOT homophobia, but consistently applied biblical faith.

To put another spin on homophobia, perhaps a more insidious manifestation of it is a fear that hinders us from being, saying, and doing what is ultimately best for a person caught in the web of such life-style choices.

Death Reminds Me How to Truly Live

NOTE: The following are some reflections I posted on Facebook, starting April 28th, 2012, after loosing a brother in Christ under tragic circumstances…

Earlier this week, I witnessed a profound display of faith in God in the face of a horrific tragedy. I observed a distinctively Christian response to death. It has caused me to ask, is there a distinctively Christian way to deal with all of life's issues? What is a truly Christian way to live, die, suffer, dress, eat, rest, speak, work, play, relate, buy, sell, posses, release, look, listen, think, care, and love?

Here's the rub, lip-service to faith in Christ and truly trusting and obeying Him with reckless abandon, that's altogether another matter. How hard it is to be IN the world but not OF it. How rare to find that soul, who is IN... touching, loving, connecting, serving, real, authentic; but not OF... holy, humble, pure, innocent, righteous, without guile... seeking His face alone... not power, prestige, pleasure (temporal), preeminence, popularity, prosperity, or piety (for its own sake).

Have we allowed ourselves to become too comfortable and familiar with this realm? Are we as peculiar as we ought to be? Are we truly fools for Christ? It seems hard at times to distinguish us from the world. We so often speak, look, joke, laugh, watch, listen, think, feel, dress, and respond as our pagan (descriptive, not derogatory) counterparts. What does it look like to BE distinctively, profoundly, truly Christ-centered, Spirit-led, and God-honoring in this age?

IN BUT NOT OF?

Where are the men and women of Christ who are truly IN the world but not OF the world? Can one be pure without being puritanical?... Holy, without being holier-than-thou?... Heavenly minded, and still of Earthly good?... Righteous, without being oppressive? Can one stand for absolute truth, without demeaning those who differ? Can we attack the erroneous in winsome ways? May we confront unholy and unhealthy, thinking, believing, and behaving, while simultaneously seeking the best interests of those who subscribe to them? Can we fulfill our duty to be our brother's keeper without being their captors? Back to IN, but not OF... what would it look like for one in our society to be IN the world (impacting, shaping, transforming it) but not OF it (not sharing it's values, morals, ethics, priorities, practices, principles, dress codes, vulgarity, or profanity)? Can we shape it without be shaped by it? Can we be radical for Christ and real in this fallen world? Who are they who walk this path between two worlds?