BiblicalInsights.net

     The following quotations are taken from Ravi Zacharius’ book, Deliver Us From Evil.  In this book, Zacharius shows how the postmodern mind strips humanity of decency by eliminating objective standards of right and wrong.  Secularism has impacted our society in three ways:  (1) denuding the world of a sense of transcendence (eliminate God from the thinking of people); (2) rendering Scripture irrelevant; and (3) reducing human kind to nothing more than matter (absence of spirit or soul).  “Secularism’s primary target is Christianity” (p. 52, 53). 
     “Secularism strips humanity of decency because it strips it of common sense first by denuding the mind” (p. 63).
     “Shame or remorse or society’s disapproval is powerless today to induce a desire to change, because the ideas that shape our culture make shame a hangover of an antiquated religious world-view” (p. 64).
     “Shame is to the moral health of a society what pain is to the body.  It is the sense of shame that provides an indicator to the mind” (p. 64). 
     “How pitiful is the condition we have reached if we smother that sense of shame that was a part of society’s  scanner system to detect wrongdoing and deal with it” (p. 65).
     “To raise a child without shame is to raise one with no immune system against evil” (p. 66).
     “Secularization–the silencing of the supernatural–brings about an eerie silence” (p. 67). 
     Where there is no spiritual sense of the holy, which comes directly from God, there is no conscience of the unholy.  This lack of conscience centered in one’s belief in God and His holy Will, results in  no compass for the soul, no moral direction for life.  The sense of shame is the direct result of knowledge of the holy.  Where there is no knowledge of the holy, the profane mind rules.  This reprobate (corrupt) mind (Rom. 1:28) produces all manner of evil.  Listen to the words of the apostle Paul, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not covenient (fit, acceptable to God, DS).  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness, full of envy, murder, debate (strife-DS); deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them” (Rom. 1:28-32).  Take heed, whenever a reprobate mind rules in the land and a sense of shame is destroyed, evil abounds!

     Spring cleaning is an annual ritual for many folks who desire to clean their house, garage, basement, attic or the land around their house.  Sometimes this is a dreaded task.  However, once completed, it gives great satisfaction.  Have you ever considered spiritual spring cleaning?  Through self-examination we can discover those things that need to be eliminated from our thoughts and actions and completely purify the mind and heart.  Paul describes this process in Ephesians 4:22-24, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”  Following these words, Paul names some specific things that need to be eliminated from every person’s life and especially those of Christians.  He mentions lying, sinful anger, stealing, and filthy communication.  A lie is a statement that is contrary to fact offered with the intent to deceive (J. D. Watson, A Word for the Day, 73).  Such things as kidding, fictional stories, figurative language, and not saying something out of politeness are not lying.  There are many things that constitute lying:  false witnessing, exaggerating or embellishing a story, cheating (because you’re saying you did something on your own when you didn’t), betraying a confidence, making excuses for wrong conduct, plagiarism, boasting, flattery, hypocrisy, false promises and many others.  Sinful anger is anger that is: uncontrolled; inspired by the wrong motives such as jealousy, revenge, and hatred; destructive in its results; and often progresses  to malice and strife.  Stealing is taking that which rightfully belongs to another.  We can be guilty of this by taking from an employer what belongs to him, reporting more hours than what we have actually worked, and not paying a debt that is owed. We can even rob God by keeping what  we should rightfully give to Him or by not giving God of our time and devotion in worship and Christian service.  Filthy communication refers to corrupt forms of speech.  Words count!  Whenever we take God’s name in vain, or use it flippantly we sin with our tongue.  Use of bad language such as profanity  would certainly qualify.  False teaching also qualifies.  The word corrupt is from a Greek word meaning “rotten or spoiled.”  Filthy stories, jokes, and vulgar words are all condemned by Paul.  
     The new man in Christ, a Christian, must remove all of these filthy and corrupt things from his life.  Instead, he or she should speak the truth, control his/her anger, work to make an honest living and speak words that encourage and edify others. 
     No doubt this type of spiritual spring cleaning will require hard work, but the results will be pleasing to God and satisfying to the soul.

     In America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, on pages 256-257, there is a quotation from James Abram Garfield (1831-1881-assassinated– who was the 20th President of the United States) that is worth considering today.  Here it is, “Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress.  If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption.  If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature…If the next centennial does not find  us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.” 
     These words are appropriate for our times.  To a large extent, our elected officials reflect our values and beliefs (collectively speaking).  Take a good look at Congress and you will see the values and norms of our present society reflected in them.   The laws that they enact reflect their beliefs and the beliefs of those who helped elect them.  If we tolerate hypocrisy in Congress or the Presidency, do we tolerate it in ourselves?  If we accept disrepect for the human life of the unborn, do we disrepect human life itself?  If Congress acts irresponsibly with flagrant spending, do we act irresponsibly with our own personal finances?  If we are unhappy with what we see in Congress, perhaps we need to examine ourselves and ask who’s responsible?  In my judgment, Garfield was right.  The moral values we see displayed in our elected officials are often a reflection of the moral values of the people that they govern.  If we want to maintain our integrity, we must follow the high standards of righteousness that we want to see in them.  We must cast off our sin which is a reproach to any people.  Then, we need to elect officials that manifest righteous qualities.  Then and only then, will righteousness exalt the nation (Proverbs 14:34).

     The Episcopal Church is undergoing a split due to differing views on the Bible, gay relationships and other issues.  The theologically conservative Diocese of Forth Worth voted recently to split from the liberal Episcopal Church.  This is the fourth diocese to do so.  The others are Pittsburgh; Quincy, ILL; and San Joaquin, based in Fresno, CA.  About 80 percent of the clergy members and parishoners in the Texas disocese supported the break in a series of votes at the diocesan convention.  The vote is the latest fallout from the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, V. Gene Robinson (www.dispatch.com -Texas Diocese splits from Episcopal Church, by Rachel Zoll).    
     Is it possible that what is happening in the Episcopal church will happen in other religious groups?  The answer is, yes!  The gay issue is a moral issue for many religious people.  This moral issue, like others, tests us as to whether or not we will walk in God’s Ways.  The apostle Paul clearly identifies homosexuality as “unrighteousness.”  He writes, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?  Be not deceived:  neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.”  (I Cor. 6:9-10).  Paul lists ten classes of sins in these passages.  The phrase, “abusers of themselves with mankind” refers to sodomy or homosexuality.  Homosexuality is unrighteousness.  Paul also identifies homosexuality as uncleanness and as vile affection in Romans 1:21-27.  If we uphold God’s truth, we identify homosexuality as a sin against Him.  As with any sin, it can be overcome and forgiven by God.  In I Cor. 6:11, Paul states, that some in Corinth participated in these sins in the past, “but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  They were converted, changed, and transformed by the power of God.  Consequently, they ceased these sinful practices and enjoyed fellowship with God and the spiritual blessings in Christ. 
     Does the gay issue threaten to split churches of Christ?  Recently, David Lipscomb University hosted the Christian Scholars Conference (June, 2008).  During this conference, Jared Cramer presented a paper.  Cramer is currently affiliated with the Anglican (Episcopal) movement (working toward priesthood).  The paper was titled, “One New Humanity: Reconsidering Homosexuality in Light of the Ecclesiology of Ephesians.”  Cramer affirms that there is nothing “wrong about a faithful, loving, monogamous same-sex relationship” (www.christiancourier.com  -David Lipscomb University and the Christian Scholars Conference, by Wayne Jackson).  Now, each of us is confronted with a test of truth.  Is Cramer or Paul correct?  What will you believe?  Who will you follow?
     As homosexuality becomes more pervasive in our society, it will become more divisive.  Whether or not it becomes a divisive issue in the churches of Christ remains to be seen.  Hopefully, Christians will stand upon the truth of God’s Word and reject homosexuality as a moral evil.

     Karen Uhlenhuth wrote an article for the Kansas City Star (Sept. 7, 2008) entitled, “More than half of young mothers give birth out of wedlock.”  Consider some of the statistics reported in the article.
     –For the first time in a half-century of record-keeping, a majority of babies born to women younger than 30 were out of wedlock.
     –In 2006, 50.4 percent of children born to those under 30 were born to single women. Compare that to 1960 when only 6 percent of babies born to women under 30 were born to unmarried women.
     –Andrew Sum, an economist at Northeastern University in Boston (director of Northeastern’s Center for Labor Market Studies) estimates that taxpayers contribute about $7,000 a year to support the typical family of an unwed mother without a high school diploma. 
     –The Institute for American Values published a study in April (2008) that pegged the cost to taxpayers of children living with a single parent–whether because of divorce or an out-of-wedlock birth–at more than $112 billion annually.
     –Sum made an interesting observation, “Private family miseries translate into major public burdens.”
     A social disaster is looming on the horizon.  More and more women and children are going to be in poverty.  What is the real problem?  Is it carelessness?  Is it lack of education?  Or, is it lack of moral values and moral restraint?  As our society drifts farther away from God and His truth, it becomes morally weaker.  The apostle Paul writes, “Flee fornication.  Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body” (I Cor. 6:18).  “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupisence, even as the Gentiles which know not God” (I Thess. 4:3-5). 
     God has ordained that one man and one woman come together in holy wedlock to form a new union which is able to support and care for children born to that union (Matt. 19:4-6; Eph. 6:1-4).  When we violate God’s Will, there is a price to pay.  The queston is, “Can we afford it?”  Can we afford it economically?  Can we afford it spiritually?