Benjamin Franklin famously said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” A common variation of this quote is, “People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.” Though the founding father and those who use this quote today are referring to matters relating to civil government, there is a spiritual truth contained in the statement. How this principle applies to our spiritual lives is of far greater importance than how it applies to the power of human government. So let us consider the spiritual implications of this principle.
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June 12, 2013
Trading Liberty for Security
April 30, 2013
After the First Openly-Homosexual NBA Player, What Do We Need to Remember?
News broke yesterday that Jason Collins, a professional basketball player and twelve-year veteran of the National Basketball Association, has announced that he is a homosexual. With public opinion shifting more and more toward the acceptance of homosexuality as a moral and common practice, an announcement like this was inevitable. Now that Collins has come out about this, we can probably expect more professional athletes to do the same.
Whether we like it or not, professional athletes, like other celebrities, can have a big influence on the thinking of people in society. This announcement will only further the efforts to normalize the practice of homosexuality in people’s minds. In light of this news, it is important that Christians remember a few things.
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January 15, 2013
Should Preaching About Homosexuality Be a Priority?
Louie Giglio, pastor of the Passion City Church in Atlanta, was invited to deliver the benediction during the President’s inauguration. He has since withdrawn from participating in the event after some “gay-rights” advocates protested. The following quote was included in the article linked above. It is from a sermon of Giglio’s from the 1990’s and was the cause of the opposition against his participation in the inauguration.
“If you look at the counsel of the word of God, Old Testament, New Testament, you come quickly to the conclusion that homosexuality is not an alternative lifestyle… homosexuality is not just a sexual preference, homosexuality is not gay, but homosexuality is sin. It is sin in the eyes of God, and it is sin according to the word of God. You come to only one conclusion: homosexuality is less than God’s best for his creation.”
I know nothing about anything else Giglio teaches or has taught, but his remarks above about homosexuality being a sin are exactly correct. In every dispensation, homosexuality has been an abomination in the eyes of God. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed for this sin (Genesis 19:4-13; Jude 7). The Law of Moses clearly condemned the practice: “You shall not lie with a male as one lies with a female; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22; cf. 20:13). Even in the New Testament, homosexuality is said to be “unnatural,” “indecent,” and “contrary to sound teaching” (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Timothy 1:10). Paul told the brethren in Corinth that the sin of homosexuality, if not repented of and abandoned, would prevent one from inheriting the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9).
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January 9, 2013
Take Courage
In concluding His final address to the apostles before His arrest, Jesus told them to be courageous in the face of the hardships that would be coming against them.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).
Courage is the confidence and conviction to do what one knows to be right, regardless of the consequences. The apostles needed courage to carry out the Lord’s instructions without being deterred by the persecution that awaited them.
As Christians, we also need to have courage today. The Lord has left instructions for us to follow. We are to “observe all that [Christ] commanded” (Matthew 28:20). Furthermore, we are warned that we will become a target by following the Lord’s instructions. Paul said, “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
How can we “take courage” (John 16:33) so that we will be able to endure the sufferings that will come for the cause of Christ?
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December 29, 2012
“These Two Prophets Tormented Those who Dwell on the Earth” (12/29)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Revelation 6-11.
Revelation 11 contains the description of “two witnesses” who would be granted authority by the Lord and would prophesy on His behalf (Revelation 11:3). There are different theories as to the identity of these two witnesses or prophets. I will not take the time to delve into them in this brief article. Regardless of who or what the two witnesses represent, they revealed the will of God and were killed for it (Revelation 11:7). Notice the reaction of the people to the death of the two witnesses:
“And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 11:10).
The only crime committed by these two witnesses was that they spoke the word of God. But the word of God was so hated that the people rejoiced, celebrated, and exchanged gifts upon learning of their deaths. Truth “tormented” them; therefore, they had contempt for those who taught the truth.
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December 28, 2012
Maintaining Purity in the Midst of Persecution (12/28)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Revelation 1-5.
Occasionally brethren will speak of the alleged “benefits” of persecution. One such “benefit” is that Christians focus less on doctrinal errors and combating false teachers because of the extra attention that needs to be paid to the persecutions and encouraging the brethren to withstand them.
However, if we notice the letter to the church in Pergamum, we will see that persecution does not give Christians permission to ignore or tolerate error.
“I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth” (Revelation 2:13-16).
December 13, 2012
Accusations Made Against Paul (12/13)
Thought from today’s Bible reading from Acts 24-26.
When Paul stood before Felix, a lawyer named Tertullus brought accusations against him on behalf of the Jews. Notice the charges that were made:
“For we have found this man a real pest and a fellow who stirs up dissension among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes. And he even tried to desecrate the temple; and then we arrested him” (Acts 24:5-6).
Tertullus made four accusations against Paul. Similar ones may be made against those who teach the truth today. Notice what these accusations were:
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