Thursday, July 8. 2021
Frequently Evangelicals are defined by many as, or perceived to be, far right, conservative, white "Trumpers". Some evangelicals might be that, but that is not what being an "evangelical" means.
Historian David Bebbington provides a helpful summary of
evangelical distinctives, identifying four primary characteristics of
evangelicalism:
- Conversionism: the belief that lives need to be transformed through a
“born-again” experience and a life long process of following Jesus
- Activism: the expression and demonstration of the gospel in missionary and social reform efforts
- Biblicism: a high regard for and obedience to the Bible as the ultimate authority
- Crucicentrism: a stress on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as making possible the redemption of humanity
True evangelicals, above all else, are people who believe in the Evangel, ie- the Gospel, and the need for all people to experience regeneration by faith in Christ. They expect such "born again" people to live righteous lives. They also are committed to a high view of the inspiration and authority of the Bible.
Continue reading "Defining "Evangelical""
Friday, November 13. 2020
Democrat Leaders frequently insist that they represent "the American People". They most emphatically do not! There are more than 70 million of us whom they do not represent- almost half of all voters! We voted against them! There shall be no unity or peace between us while they reject and denigrate the values and principles that we believe in as Republicans. Americans who did vote for Mr Biden and Ms Harris and who support the agenda of the Democratic Party shall rue the day they did that. All the American People shall!
Sunday, November 8. 2020
I am very sad for President Trump, his family and Team. I am very sad for the millions of people who supported Mr Trump. I am very sad for our very divided America. I am happy for the Republicans who won their elections down ballot. I am keeping them all in my prayers. I am sad for America if Mr Biden and Ms Harris and the Democrats win. I am keeping them in my prayers, too. Hallowed be Thy Name, Lord. Thy will be done.
I am hoping against hope that the election results shall be overturned.
Wednesday, October 14. 2020
I am very impressed by Judge Amy Barrett! She is brilliant and very "cool" in the way she is handling the grilling she is enduring for confirmation to the SC. And she is a charismatic Christian and a wife and a mother of 7 children!
Judge Barrett is also an originalist in her understanding and use of the US Constitution. She takes it at its common sense face value, not more or less. She looks for the original intent of those who ratified the Law of the Land. Most Judges today take an expansive, progressive view of the Constitution, seeing it as a "living" document subject to changing meanings over time, dictated by the needs and interests and demands of current culture.
All Christians should be originalists when it comes to the Bible. Increasingly, sadly, many Believers are forsaking that view and becoming progressives like liberal activist Judges.
Monday, October 12. 2020
Painful! It is very painful to me to watch the Senate Hearing about Judge Amy Barrett. The Democratic Senators insist on talking about policy matters, most particularly about the actions and motives of our President, the ACA and the Pandemic. They are politicizing the proceedings completely. They want to have her rejected at all costs. They are not talking much at all so far about the qualifications of Judge Barrett except to insist that she shall be a tool of the President, a weapon he wants on the Court to help torpedo certain legislation favored by Democrats. Conversely, I believe Democrats are hoping that Mr Biden will become President in order for him to chose Justices that will vote for what he wants. Both views are wrong for a very fundamental reason:
Legislation is made by the Legislators, not the Supreme Court Justices nor the President!
Why do liberals really resist Judge Barrett's confirmation so strongly? It is not simply because she is a conservative Christian who personally is anti abortion, but because she is an Originalist. As a SC Justice, she shall make her decisions based, not on her Religion, but primarily on the original intent or meaning of the words in the Constitution. Liberal Legislators know that many of their polices, to stand, require the support of liberal activist Judges on all levels who interpret the Constitution broadly. With out that, they fail.
Sunday, October 11. 2020
To many people, it is OK to be a person of faith, a Christian, as long as that faith is kept private. It must not be made public. Faith must not be made public. This is an absolute, even to those who do not believe in absolutes!
Nevertheless, it is common to hear politicians of every stripe say, in their speeches, "God bless America". It sounds good, but it does not really mean anything. Many people do not believe that there is a God. This throwaway line could easily offend atheists. That not withstanding, which "God" do these speakers mean? I never hear them say, "may the Lord Jesus Christ bless America". That, to many, would be sectarian and offensive to those Americans who are not Christians.
God, the God of the Bible, has and shall bless America when its citizens obey His Word, for example, on the subject of Abortion or Homosexuality. I do not recall many politicians calling Americans to do that. That would be mixing private faith with public policy. That is a no-no. But, it turns out, there is one major exception: Systemic Racism. Many people believe Racism and systemic Racism, like Slavery 150 years ago, are evil. That is a strongly held belief, a dogma. Their faith requires them to speak up and protest about it in the public square. For some reason the inconsistency of that mixing of faith with public policy escapes them. It is OK to them to do that. No one seems to have a problem with that.
But to many it would not be OK if Supreme Court Justice Barrett would let her Catholic Faith influence her decisions on the Bench. Many of the Justices have done exactly that through the years! But I do not think she will. She does not have to because she, as a Justice, would be committed to following the original meaning of the Constitution.
Sunday, October 11. 2020
The questioning of Judge Amy Barrett by the Judicial Committee begins soon. All elected officials, including the Justices and Ms Barrett, swear allegiance to the Constitution. It is "The Law of the Land". Everyone seems to agree Ms Barrett is a wonderful person and extremely well qualified to be a Jurist. But many Democrats have a major, serious problem with Judge Barrett and do not want her confirmed for the High Court. Why? Because of the way she interprets the Constitution. She has openly said she is an Originalist. She seeks the original intent of the words in the Constitution as the Founders and those who ratified the Constitution in1787 understood them. Taking this approach, she comes out with a different position on many subjects than those who, such as Justice Ginsburg did, take a far more expansive and liberal or so-called progressive interpretation of the Constitution.
Thursday, October 8. 2020
Compare the Political Positions of the Republican Party with those of the Democratic Party. They differ greatly and no one will agree with everything written about either Party. Using the Bible, go through each topic and decide which ones are most Biblical. Prioritize them. That shall help you to decide for whom to vote.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_the_Democratic_Party
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_positions_of_the_Republican_Party
Tuesday, October 6. 2020
The Bible has a lot to say about being "poor"- The ESV uses the word "poor" 178 times in 170 verses. It uses "poverty" 20 times (16 in the book of Proverbs)
Often in the current discussion about Race, verses in the Bible about Poverty and the Poor are used. Let us be clear. In the Bible, the primary cause of poverty (defined as destitution not due to ones fault) is oppression by rich, powerful or unscrupulous people. Such oppression is evil and condemned in the Bible. Poverty is also caused by death, war or natural disaster. None of this has to do with skin color. These verses are not about race or systemic racism as such. There are many passages instructing us to care for all the poor, whatever their color. We miss all this very important Biblical teaching and the response it calls for when we substitute for Poverty the problem of "Racism".
Continue reading "THE POVERTY AND RACISM IN THE BIBLE"
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