Lyndon Unger of The Cripplegate tackles the topic of professing Christians living together before marriage. Many Christians feel that there’s no problem with “shacking up” because “everyone else is doing it.” However, they cannot point to the scriptures to show that God approves of “try before you buy.” In Part 1, Unger lays out a biblical framework for dealing with sex outside of marriage and explains why Christians must not to try to justify “shacking up” before walking down the aisle. Clearly, God is not silent on the issue of sex outside of marriage.
Author Archives: Marsha West
Voters Worry Military Exercises May Lead to Federal Control Of States
According to Rasmussen Reports:
Eight weeks of U.S. military exercises this summer in several southwestern states – dubbed Jade Helm 15 – have some wondering if the government is preparing for martial law. Most voters don’t oppose such exercises, but a surprising number worry about what the federal government is up to.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 65% of Likely U.S. Voters favor the U.S. military conducting training exercises in their state. Just 16% are opposed, but slightly more (19%) are undecided.
Religious Freedom Panel: Terror, Violence Spreading Worldwide
Christian Headlines reports:
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) this week urged the Obama administration to increase public pressure on foreign governments “perpetrating or tolerating” severe persecution of religious minorities around the world.
“Humanitarian crises fueled by waves of terror, intimidation, and violence have engulfed an alarming number of countries in the year since the release of [USCIRF’s] prior annual report last May,” the report says. “The horrors of the past year speak volumes about how and why religious freedom and the protection of the rights of vulnerable religious communities matter.”
Satanic Temple Sues for “Religious Exemption” to Keep Immediate Abortion in Missouri
Christian News Network reports:
A nationally-recognized Satanist organization has filed suit against the state of Missouri in effort to obtain a “religious exemption” from a law requiring mothers to wait 72 hours before obtaining an abortion.
As previously reported, the New York-based Satanic Temple announced last summer that it was using the Supreme Court decision in favor of the popular craft chain Hobby Lobby to ‘bolster’ an initiative to seek an exemption from pro-life laws that its members claim to violate their religious beliefs.
Study finds fewer Christians, more unaffiliated in US
According to Yahoo News:
The United States is becoming a little less Christian, and a little more unaffiliated to any faith, a major study on the nation’s changing religious landscape suggested Tuesday.
“The United States remains home to more Christians than any other country in the world,” with 70.6 percent of its population, or 173 million adults, identifying as Christian last year, the Pew Research Center said.
Founder of Liberation Theology Will Be Welcomed at the Vatican
Pope Francis is once again up to his eyeballs in controversy. This time for inviting the founder of liberation theology to the Vatican. Evidently he’s warming up to it, even though its theology is steeped in Marxism. Those who are unfamiliar with liberation theology can visit Berean Research to find out what the brouhaha is all about.
Gay-themed traffic lights get Vienna into mood for Eurovision Song Contest
Reuters reports:
Gay-themed traffic lights are getting Vienna into the mood for the annual Eurovision Song Contest, one of the world’s most popular kitsch cultural events which this year is being hosted by the Austrian capital.
Dozens of traffic lights in central Vienna have been programmed to show male or female gay couples with hearts — in red for stop and green for go — replacing the usual single, gender-neutral figure.
Liberalism’s Warm Fuzzy god
By Marsha West
For a number of years a woman I know, I’ll call her Rachel, has wrestled with giving her life to Christ. She admits she really wants to, but how can she when she’d have to serve a God who allows murderers into heaven and sends “good people” to hell? It would be awkward to have to explain to her husband, family and friends that they’re bound for hell if they reject Christ. In other words, Rachel won’t play by God’s rules because His rules make her uncomfortable. In her way of thinking the God of the Bible is too punitive for her sensibilities. And besides, what kind of God would allow a serial murderer into heaven who professed a belief in Christ only minutes before going to the gas chamber while at the same time condemn “good people” to hell for their unbelief?
Liberals like Rachel require a more palatable religion, one that’s all-inclusive and, of course, fair. They desire a warm fuzzy God. The liberal’s ideal God is a sort of jolly ol’ St. Nick figure. The liberal’s jolly ol’ god has a Naughty and Nice list but his heart is so big that he often overlooks naughty children’s indiscretions (even the ones who are unrepentant) and delivers the goods to them anyway. He’d be unloving if he didn’t bend a little.
Rachel has yet to place her faith in Christ because it’s unthinkable that God would send “good people” to hell. Her major stumbling block is that she’s acquainted with a number of “good people” who aren’t Christians — and are a whole lot nicer than some Christians she knows.
Rachel contends that a just God wouldn’t send nice folks to hell for all eternity simply because they reject Jesus Christ.
But the Bible says otherwise. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
People like Rachel sincerely believe they could do a far better job of running the universe than the One who created it. Talk about chutzpah!
No human being has the wisdom to determine if a person is fundamentally good or evil for the simple reason that no one knows for certain what’s in a person’s heart! No one can ever truly know a person’s motives.
For those who hold to a relativistic worldview, good and evil, ethics and morality are simply cultural inventions and cannot be objectively defined. Liberals perceive the Bible as a book of myths and fables, thus it mustn’t be taken seriously. Those who do take the Bible seriously are considered “unenlighted” – a bunch of addlepated dunderheads.
Unbelievers carp that the Bible should not be the standard by which we judge good and bad. So my question is, if not the Bible, then what standard do we use to determine ethics and morality? And how should right and wrong be determined? By consensus opinion?
Another one of Rachel’s grievances against Christianity is that many so-called Christians behave the same as unbelievers. In other words, the lives of Christians she comes in contact with are inconsistent with what they profess to believe in. They claim Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, but they lie, cheat, steal, binge drink, sleep around, view pornography, plus they’re lazy. In other words, they act like heathens.
Rachel has a point.
Many people want Jesus to be their Savior — because they know they’re dirty rotten sinners. But they’re unwilling to humble themselves before the throne of God and put their complete trust in Him. Obedience comes at a cost (take up your cross and follow me) and the price is too high. They may believe in Jesus Christ, that He’s the Savior of the world and all. But their pride gets in the way of allowing Christ to take the helm of the ship. As poet William Earnest Henley noted:
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll:
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.
Contemporary Christians
In order to make my point, I created three typical Christians.
Michelle professes faith in Christ. She attends church every Sunday, sings in the praise band, mans the coffer bar, and attends an occasional Bible study. She rarely shares Christ with anyone, unless she’s forced into it, whereby she quickly spouts the condensed version of the gospel to avoid making the person feel uncomfortable. Her excuse is that evangelism is not her spiritual gift. Michelle believes God has gifted her with the ability to sing. Her voice rivals Judy Garland’s so she really belts out a song in church. But when it comes to sharing her faith she’s as timid as a mouse. She feels that as long as she’s in a committed relationship, having sexual relations is not sinful. Nor is aborting a child. Michelle became pregnant and had an abortion so as not to bring an unwanted child into the world. She also swears like a sailor and dresses like a Hollywood pop-tart.
Jeff accepted Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade when he was a teen. Ever since then he has tried to be a good person and lead a moral life. Unless his kids have a sports event, the family is in church most Sundays. He and his wife participate in a small group that meets in their home for Bible study and prayer. Jeff is generous with his time, talent and treasure. He tithes 10 percent of his income and is always there to lend a hand. One thing Jeff enjoys is getting together with the guys for Monday night football at a local sports bar. He limits his beer intake to two schooners because any more than that could impair his driving. Jeff believes he has the spiritual gift of evangelism and often brags about sharing his faith with dudes he meets at sports events or bars. When Jeff does his income tax he uses “creative accounting practices.” On occasion he views pornography on the Internet and thinks it’s no big deal. Unbeknownst to his wife he regularly emails a woman he met in a chat room.
Michelle and Jeff profess Christ. They both consider themselves good people and for the most part they try to live godly lives – but they’re quick to admit they’re not perfect! They reject the “fundamentalist fringe” of Christianity and the “fundies” constant harping on God’s holiness. God knows we all have our faults, so why does a pastor need to belabor the point? Michelle and Jeff do the best they can, and at least their hearts are in the right place. In the long run going to heaven is what really counts anyway, and since they accepted Christ (on their terms), they’re there! They may get through the pearly gates by the skin of their teeth, but at least they’ll be in!
Michelle and Jeff typify a lot of church-goers. All they need is enough of God to feel comfortable. Neither one of them want the fire and brimstone God the “fundies” preach about. That God is too harsh, too judgmental – way too scary! That God can be mean!
Wilber Reese sums up the attitude of a large number of contemporary Christians:
I would like to buy 3 dollars worth of God, please. Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. I don’t want enough of him to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant. I want ecstasy, not transformation. I want the warmth of the womb not a new birth. I want about a pound of the eternal in a paper sack. I’d like to buy 3 dollars worth of God, please.
Far too many Christians are looking for an ecstatic experience – they’re not looking to be transformed. Why? Because transformation involves change. Change takes work. It’s often slow and at times painful.
For transformation to occur believers must immerse themselves in the Bible. It’s the instrument God uses to conform His people to the image of Christ. And by the way, there is no such thing as a solitary Christian. No one should try to do Christianity on their own. Christians are a part of a body — the Body of Christ — with Christ as the head. Members of the church body are designed to function together as a whole. Moreover, they are meant to lean on each other when the going gets tough. Every believer should have a friend they can call at a moments notice. This friend can assist with good advice and hold them accountable.
It’s not uncommon for the Christian to “crawl off the alter” and slink back into the world every once in a while. Some believers can’t seem to shed what Paul calls our “flesh” because it’s like slipping one’s feet into a favorite pair of shoes. But God will deliver us “out of the body of death.” (Romans 7:24-25)
Listen to what Paul has to say about transformation:
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12: 1-2).
If you’re a Christian, you must present yourself “holy and acceptable to God!” Offering your life to Christ, holy and pleasing, is a prerequisite for discernment. If this were happening, discernment wouldn’t be almost non-existent in the visible Church. Sadly, professing Christians are dependent on the government for their education, health care, food, shelter, retirement, and all sorts of other “stuff.” And it doesn’t help that God’s people are involved in a whole host of unbiblical practices, including Eastern mysticism, which God expressly forbids. I’ve already covered this topic in “Got Meat?” so I won’t belabor the point.
Returning to Rachel, it hasn’t been lost on her that most professing Christians she knows share her liberal worldview. And they behave like heathens! This means (a) they’re unaware of God’s rules; (b) they’re aware of what the rules are but lack the will to conform. A religion that breeds hypocrites turns Rachel off. For that reason she has chosen to concoct a user-friendly religion with an open-minded god that has very few rules, a god that loves and accepts everyone. Before I move on, it’s important to point out that Christians who have no desire to live their lives in accordance with what the Bible teaches could very well be false converts.
Rachel’s generic god does not require an atoning sacrifice for our sins. I mean, please. The atonement thing is so yesterday! “Self” has replaced the Savior of mankind. In other words, “I” will go to heaven, but “I” will make it on “my” own, without anyone’s help, because “I” deserve it. So move over Jesus!
Generic god is very cool. In fact, he/she is so cool that there’s no penalty for sin! Man is judged solely on his good deeds….or whatever. Rachel assumes her performance on Earth will pass muster and that generic god will welcome her into his/her kingdom when the time comes. But what happens if Rachel’s performance doesn’t pass muster? Wishy-washy Generic God can always be persuaded to change his/her mind.
Rachel is well aware that the God of the Bible offers no hope for those who reject His Son:
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ (Matthew 7:23).
What did Jesus mean by, “the will of my Father?” God’s will is that we repent of our sins and put our faith in Christ. Performing miraculous signs and wonders, doing good deeds, and being a “good person” does not cut it with God. Here’s the reason:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16).
I’ll close this with one last comment about Michelle, one of the women mentioned above. If you recall, Michelle claims she doesn’t have the gift of evangelism, so she’s off the hook when it comes to sharing the gospel. Really?
Not according to Paul:
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith” (Romans 1:14-17). (emphasis added)
Resources:
Does the Bible actually teach that we’re not to judge others? By Marsha West
A culture of counterfeit Christians By Marsha West
Book: The Holiness of God By R.C. Sproul
Copyright by Marsha West, 2015. All rights reserved.
CASTRO: POPE FRANCIS SO IMPRESSIVE I MIGHT RETURN TO CHURCH
Berean Research has the story:
Cuban President Raul Castro paid a call Sunday on Pope Francis at the Vatican to thank him for working for Cuban-U.S. detente – and said he was so impressed by the pontiff he is considering a return to the Catholic church’s fold.
`’Bienvenido (welcome)!” Francis said in his native Spanish, welcoming Castro to his studio near the Vatican public audience hall. The Cuban president, bowing his head, gripped Francis’ hand with both of his, and the two men began private talks. The meeting lasted nearly an hour, as the Argentine-born Francis and Castro spoke in Spanish.
The Revolution Will Be Digitized
The Washington Post has a story on extreme tracking devices that are coming for “ordinary people to ‘quantify’ themselves using wearable fitness gadgets, medical equipment, headcams, traditional lab tests and homemade contraptions, all with the goal of finding ways to optimize their bodies and minds to live longer, healthier lives — and perhaps to discover some important truth about themselves and their purpose in life.” But there are huge health and privacy ramifications.
China Preparing for Drone Warfare
Bill Gertz, Senior Editor for the Washington Free Beacon writes:
China’s military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land-based and sea-based unmanned weapons and sensor platforms as part of its continuing, large-scale military buildup, the Pentagon’s annual report on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) disclosed Friday.
China currently operates several armed and unarmed drone aircraft and is developing long-range range unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for both intelligence gathering and bombing attacks.
Tracking kids via microchip “can’t be far off,” says expert
According to KENS5:
It’s a thought that is just a little too Orwellian for most people — putting a microchip inside your body. But there are people who are doing just that already.
For most of those who have, it’s a matter of convenience. Now, they can log onto their computer, lock or unlock their front door, or even start their car with a wave of a microchip implanted in their hand.
Now let’s take the technology one step further.
Former Lesbian Petitions Obama to Hear Voices of Those Christ Has Set Free from Homosexuality
Christian News Network reports:
A former lesbian has started a petition on Change.org to ask Barack Obama to meet with and acknowledge those who have been set free from the homosexual lifestyle by the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Janet Boynes lived as a lesbian for 14 years and now leads a ministry to help others struggling with homosexual temptation to walk victoriously in righteousness. She says that she became involved in same-sex romantic relationships as a youth as she was looking for something to satisfy her in the midst of a difficult upbringing: her father wasn’t present in the home, her mother’s boyfriend was an alcoholic, and she was sexually abused twice.
Boynes began looking for love, but in all the wrong places.
Andy Stanley Trashes Expository Preaching; Calls it “Easy” and “Cheating”
Over at Pulpit & Pen, JD Hall writes:
Ed Stetzer, whose employer – Lifeway “Christian” Resources – sells more than a few Andy Stanley books, interviewed the Texas pastor on the topic of preaching related to his book, Communicating for a Change. The second of such interviews on this topic, Stetzer posts the Q&A on his blog, hosted by Christianity Today. What follows is nothing short of a shocking (but refreshingly honest and explicit) rejection of expository preaching, and although is not new, is making its way around social media as of late.
Dance and Comedy from Church on the Move
Falsified Ministries reports:
Dance cams. Saturday Night Live-type comedy sketches. Church. Steven Furtick’s arrogance. Do those things sound like they should go together? Does Scripture say that church is supposed to be fun and entertaining?
Church Entertainment Center on the Move in Tulsa, OK thinks so. And by the way, this is NOT what you will find at a true church.
Megachurch Pastor Paula White Weds Rocker Jonathan Cain in Third Marriage
According to Charisma News:
Paula White just got married to Chicago-born rocker Jonathan Cain. He is perhaps best known for his days with the band Journey and Bad English. He wrote the classic Journey song “Don’t Stop Believin'” and was part of over a dozen other Journey albums.
“What a weekend—Blessed beyond description,” she tweeted.
White, a controversial pastor was divorced from her last husband, Randy White, in 2007. White married her first husband, Dean Knight, when she was a teenager. Together, they had a son named Bradley. She divorced Knight after she got saved.
White stirred controversy in 2011 after she was appointed senior pastor of the late Zachery Tims’ megachurch, New Destiny Christian Center (NDCC) near Orlando. At the time, White was also senior pastor of Without Walls International Church. She later handed the reigns back to her ex-husband, Randy.
(Source)
Oprah reinventing prayer outside the box
Berean Research writes:
Over the years Oprah has introduced her audience to New Age/New Thought luminaries such as Marilyn Ferguson, Neale Donald Walsh, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, John Bradshaw, Jack Canfield, Shirley MacLaine, Gary Zukav, John Edward, Jerry and Esther Hicks, Rhonda Byrne, and Eckhart Tolle and the list goes on. All these people are occultists.
In her prayer she reveals what she believes about God. The view she holds is not the view of the Bible. She believes that there’s a power, an energy, a force within you which is your God-Self, your innate Divinity. We are all a part of God’s ‘oneness.’
School district says feds forced policy that allows transgender kids to use bathrooms of their choice
Todd Starnes, host of Fox News & Commentary writes:
The Fairfax County Public Schools School Board voted Thursday night to add “gender identity” to its nondiscrimination policy in spite of massive opposition from parents and the area’s religious community.
Police were summoned to control a standing-room-only crowd as board members approved the controversial measure.
Critics argued it would allow boys who identify as girls to use the bathrooms and locker rooms of their choice — and vice versa. Parents also had concerns about the possibility of transgender teachers.
Christian Singer Amy Grant Partners With Pro-Abortion Gates Foundation
According to Berean Research :
Christian recording artist Amy Grant is joining forces with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to push birth control and contraceptives in developing nations. Since Grant says she is pro-life it seems odd that she would work with any foundation that has given pro-abortion groups millions of dollars to advance their agenda. According to LifeNews:
“Planned Parenthood of America, the International Planned Parenthood Federation, and Planned Parenthood of Western Washington about $71 million from before 2009 through 2013. Additionally, the Gates Foundation gave $46.1 million to Marie Stopes International in 2012 alone.
Much of this giving is focused on Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where abortion-providers like Planned Parenthood, Marie Stopes, and Ipas seek to overturn pro-life laws and sometimes even provide illicit abortion drugs.”
Amy Grant is asking her fans to join her in her work. Sadly, her work now includes a partnership with a staunchly pro-abortion foundation.
Nebraska Woman Files Suit Against All Homosexuals
The woman who filed the lawsuit, although well-meaning, is not helping the cause of Christ. Many people will conclude that Christians are fools. NBC News fills us in on the details:
A Nebraska woman identifying herself as the “ambassador” for plaintiffs “God and His Son, Jesus Christ,” is suing all homosexuals on Earth for breaking “religious and moral laws,” according to court records filed Tuesday.
In the suit, entered into the docket as Driskell v. Homosexuals, Sylvia Ann Driskell, 66, of Auburn, Nebraska, asks in a seven-page, neatly handwritten petition (PDF) that U.S. District Judge John M. Gerrard decide once and for all whether homosexuality is or isn’t a sin.
Humanities Professor Gives Christian Student Zeroes for Rejecting Anti-Christian Teachings
Christian News Network reports:
A Christian student in Florida has obtained legal assistance after her humanities professor gave her four zeroes for refusing to conform to assignments that she believed to be anti-Christian indoctrination.
Grace Lewis, 16, (pictured) is a dual-enrolled student enrolled in a virtual school from home. She has been taking college courses from Polk State College since last fall and has a 3.9 grade point average.
However, Lewis recently was given four straight zeros in her humanities class by Professor Lance “L.J.” Russum for being unwilling to answer his assignments about Christianity in the way that he wanted—which she believed was antithetical to, and hostile to, the faith.
Rick Warren, Elton John at senate hearing on global health programs
Berean Resourch reports:
Saddleback’s CEO Rick Warren got a chance to tell U.S. lawmakers about how his Global P.E.A.C.E. Plan will address AIDS and other health issues faster than any government can do. It took place at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing on State Department global health programs. Seated next to Warren were musician Sir Elton John, and Mark R. Dybul M.D.Executive DirectorGlobal Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
Rick Warren’s weight-loss plan named Christian Book of the Year
Berean Research reports:
The prestigious award given to Rick Warren is an indication of how little discernment the Christian community has. To name The Daniel Plan book of the year, when the men who helped Warren write his weight-loss plan are proponents of New Age/New Thought mysticism, to include Oprah’s “favorite doctor,” Mehmet Oz, is a travesty. Obviously Christians who purchased the book are unaware that Dr. Oz is a Muslim and has been influenced by the mysticism of Sufi Muslims and is keen on the ideas of cultist mystic Emanuel Swedenborg.
Who are the co-authors of the book? Noted doctors Mark Hyman and Daniel Amen. Dr. Amen, who is a professing Christian, is a psychiatrist and brain imaging specialist and a practitioner of Tantra, which is the use of Hinduistic-type mysticism during sexual intercourse. Dr. Mark Hyman is a practitioner in alternative therapies in health and medicine and is a secular Jew. So the burning question is: Why would a Christian pastor elicit the services of doctors who are up to their eyeballs in the occult to help write The Daniel Plan: 40 Days to a Healthier Life? Inquiring minds want to know.
Those who are unfamiliar with Pastor Warren’s witch’s brew can read about it here.
Aide to Kamala Harris accused of helping mysterious ‘Masonic’ police force
Over at The Hill:
A staffer for California Attorney General and U.S. Senate candidate Kamala Harris (D) has been arrested and accused of participating in a mysterious group that impersonates a police force.
The staffer, Brandon Kiel, is alleged to have been involved in the Masonic Fraternal Police Department, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The group’s website says it “provides services to Masonic Sovereign Grand Masters and their Masonic Jurisdictions, as well as other Fraternities, Sororities and Greek Organizations.” It claims to be active in 33 states and Mexico, and to have links to the Knights Templar, an ancient military order.
Steven Spielberg’s Amblin, Syfy Adapting Classic Novel ‘Brave New World’
Berean Research reports:
The Aldous Huxley novel was ranked fifth among the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th Century by Modern Library.
The Emmy-winning team behind Syfy’s Taken is reuniting for another science fiction classic.
Steven Spielberg‘s Amblin Television is adapting Aldous Huxley‘s novel Brave New World as a scripted series for the NBCUniversal-owned cable network, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Brave New World — ranked fifth among the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th Century by Modern Library — is set in a world without poverty, war or disease. Humans are given mind-altering drugs, free sex and rampant consumerism are the order of the day, and people no longer reproduce but are genetically engineered in “hatcheries.” Those who won’t conform are forced onto “reservations,” until one of the “savages” challenges the system, threatening the entire social order.
