Hiding Behind Good Causes

It is very easy to hide behind a good cause in order to avoid dealing with issues that would require one to be loving in one’s actions. For example, fighting for Second Amendment rights is good. But it does not have to be at the expense of leaving assault rifles in the hands of civilians.

As evangelicals, it is easy to do something analogous. It is easy to hide behind our love for God in order to avoid loving our neighbor. For example, we do this so well by holding up “the gospel” as a doctrinal position or statement that boils down to the proclamation of the death and resurrection of Christ apart from any implications that must come with the gospel.  Again, this is evident in how many hide behind being “pro-life” (which is really pro-the-unborn-life-only) as an issue that pleases the Lord without giving practical care and concern for the many children living in poverty, food deserts, zones of gun violence, and very low-performing school districts. (Yes; we must seek to save the lives of the unborn as those made in the image of God.)

It is easy to be theoretical about helping unborn people we never see while ignoring needy people we can see, talk to, give to sacrificially, embrace physically, allow to play with and marry our children, enjoy, hear of their likes and dislikes, and lower ourselves before them, and with whom we can share our power and be patient. You do not have to do this with the unborn; you only have to use words to fight for rights.

Yes, we need to protect the truth of the gospel. But largely, in the West and in this contemporary era, to protect the gospel only involves words. Striving for the righteous actions that should flow from the gospel requires a lowering of self and interaction with people unlike us. You

On So-Called “Just Preach the Gospel”

Tags

Critical Race Theory, CRT, orthopraxy

Credit: ITV Channel TV

When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books,

and above all the parchments. 

(2 Tim 4:13)

But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. 

(2 Tim. 4:17)

The sentiment of “just preach the gospel” sounds holy, pious, faithful, and true. For who wants to appear to be against the preaching of the gospel? Only the impious or those seemingly wishing to add to or take away from the gospel would be against the preaching of the gospel. The humility and exaltation of Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King should be sufficient for everything, yes?

I suspect that even some advocates of “just preach the gospel” call for medical assistance when they are ill and are encouraged by the visits and other expressions of care from the saints of God. But if “just preach the gospel” is enough, shouldn’t such advocates discourage medical care and visitation when they are ill, for to them these things should be additions to the preaching of the gospel? In that same vein, when Paul asks Timothy to come before winter with the books and the parchments, it seems that Paul would be violating “just preach the gospel” as he faces martyrdom alone—the very gospel in which he encourages Timothy to continue after his death—according to “just preach the gospel” advocates. Paul relates that the Lord stood with him at his first defense; why would he need a cloak or Timothy?

It would seem that “just preach the gospel” is not preaching the gospel Paul portrayed or that its advocates model when ill. Why then, when the church and society have illnesses or other challenges to our faith, would we proclaim “just preach the gospel” as the answer?

The gospel of both Paul and the “just preach the gospel” advocates includes practical, direct, appropriate, proportional service to the deficiency or brokenness before us. “Just preach the gospel” has the right sentiment, but only has the right practice when that preaching brings responsible, Christ-empowered, righteous, practical, appropriate-for-the-need-help with it. To proclaim otherwise violates the preaching of the gospel in this age and would have left Paul in his prison cell facing freezing temperatures and death alone—without cloak, Timothy’s presence and friendship, books, or parchments.

Yet

Tags

African American Patriots, Democracy and African Americans, Democracy and Slavery

“Yet despite being violently denied the freedom and justice promised to all, Black Americans believed fervently in the American creed. Through centuries of Black resistance and protest, we have helped the country live up to its founding ideals. And not only for ourselves—Black rights struggles paved the way for every other rights struggle, including women’s and gay rights, immigrant and disability rights. Without the idealistic, strenuous, and patriotic efforts of Black Americans, our democracy today would look very different; in fact, our country might not be a democracy at all.”

— Nikole Hannah-Jones, “Democracy,” in The 1619 Project; (Kindle version, Audible version).

Anticipating Avengers: Endgame with an Analysis of Avengers: Infinity War

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Aristotle's Poetics, Christian Review of Avengers, Christian Worldview, Dispensational Eschatology, Dispensational Rapture, Doctrine of Election, E. D. Hirsch Meaning and Significance, Hans Frei's Archetypes, Hermeneutics, Interpreting Movies, Literary Analysis, Moody Bible Institute, Movie Analysis Avengers, Thanos as god

I am looking forward to Avengers: Endgame with excitement. I am eager to see how the decade-long Avengers’ series comes to a close, including how the Avengers will defeat Thanos, return those killed by him, and exalt the heroics of Captain Marvel. I want to see how the Hulk redeems himself, if James Rhodes (War Machine) will regain the use of his legs, and how Wakanda will factor into the victory of the Avengers.

However, I am not looking forward to what I anticipate to be another movie explicitly directed against Christian belief and practice. That is, if the previous movie scoffs at Thanos’ election doctrine and practice, and the defeat of Thanos is the key to avenging the earth and the entire universe, then the Avengers will have to dispose of Thanos and his form of “mercy.” In short, the Avengers will have to dispose of “god.” In fact, I anticipate they will have to kill him.

It is sad that the writers of the Avengers’ series misunderstand the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the love communicated by his salvation, and the richness of his mercy. God the Son partakes in human flesh because we lack innate righteousness and need his righteousness in order to enjoy God, not because we enjoy starving on an overpopulated planet.

I have attached my brief analysis of Avengers: Infinity War, offering my thoughts about the movie’s critique of the doctrine of election. The analysis helps explain why I anticipate further denigration of the Christian faith in this movie — a denigration far worse than the belittling of elect pilots and drivers being raptured out of cars and helicopters.

0002 Avengers Infinity War Analysis

#endgame

 

Ford V. Kavanaugh: No Justice for Victims

In the aftermath of Ford v. Kavanagh, as it relates to the messages a nomination and confirmation of the accused would send, separating connotations from denotations will be extremely difficult. To many, it will seem that the affirming senators will be saying that a woman’s credible testimony of allegations of sexual assault by a man of power have no chance of receiving justice. This appears to be true even in the face of the ABA calling for the Senate to seek an FBI investigation of Kavanagh.

Whether or not the affirming senators intend to send this message is another thing. But again, in this case, the connotations seem to stem from the denotation(s). The words and emotions both the accused and Sen. Graham displayed seem like the antics of creatures of hubris trapped in a corner rather than the leadership of men of humility demonstrating to the country their goodwill, innocence, judicial fairness, and integrity. They seem to be saying that there is no chance of even having a judiciary that will be fair and impartial to women’s cries for justice. It seems that they are telling the US citizenry that winning a seat on the court is more important than administering the fair and impartial justice we hope the accused would give if appointed to the court.

Why add another man to the court who has accusations of misconduct toward women flying over his head? We have enough justices in the country who have clean records and lives of integrity who are qualified to serve the high court such that we could nominate someone else.

Yes, people change. I am the first to scream for an infusion of grace and mercy mixed with justice when guilty people of changed lives come clean about their pasts. In fact, the guilty who do not come clean need advocates of grace and mercy, too, so that they might come clean about their pasts and presents. Jesus can change and clean anyone, and, for the sake of the victim and for law itself, we must serve justice, mingled with mercy, even to those who have changed.

 

Raymond Chang: “Open Letter to John Piper on White Evangelicalism and Multiethnic Relations”

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White Evangelicalism

In CT, Raymond Chang responds to John Piper’s post on Lecrae and evangelicalism. Previously Raymond shared a post on this blog here. In the current article, Raymond writes,

For better or worse, we are only at the beginnings of this “Reverse Exodus,” since, at the moment, there aren’t many better options to turn to for people who hold the same doctrines as white evangelicals hold. Evangelicals of color are growing up in, getting trained by, and seeking participation in white evangelical spaces because there aren’t many viable options of another sort who hold the same theological convictions – except in the historically black church which emerged out of exclusionary practices by white Christians who held convictions nearly identical to the ones evangelicalism promotes. Despite this, there are many evangelicals of color who still hold onto a genuine hope and willingness to endure in order to see the church demonstrate what Gospel centered unity in diversity can look like. This flickering flame is what I hope we can fan into a blazing fire.

However, the willingness of evangelicals of color to remain will likely change when they begin to realize that they too are the token/mascot/poster child for white evangelical churches or institutions. Unless white evangelicalism wakes up to the realities that it’s unwillingness to sufficiently change keeps it behind the culture, instead of leading prophetically with a clear vision of the Kingdom of God, the exodus will ensue.

My hope is we can work towards an equitable unity where all people mutually submit to and honor each other.

You can read the rest here.

Thank you, Raymond, for your love for Christ and his church.

 

Kuyper’s Two Life Systems in Mortal Combat

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#Reformation@500, Christian Worldview, Every Square Inch, Modernism and Postemodernism, Spherical Christianity

“Moreover, besides this common parentage, there is another factor which, in the face of even a wider difference, would continue to unite your interests and ours. Far more precious to us than even the development of human life, is the crown which ennobles it, and this noble crown of life for you and for me rests in the Christian name. That crown is our common heritage. It was not from Greece or Rome that the regeneration of human life came forth ;— that mighty metamorphosis dates from Bethlehem and Golgotha; and if the Reformation, in a still more special sense, claims the love of our hearts, it is because it has dispelled the clouds of sacerdotalism, and has unveiled again to fullest view the glories of the

Cross. But, in deadly opposition to this Christian element, against the very Christian name, and against its salutiferous influence in every sphere of life, the storm of Modernism has now arisen with violent intensity.

In 1789 the turning point was reached.

Voltaire’s mad cry, ‘Down with the scoundrel,’ was aimed at Christ himself, but this cry was merely the expression of the most hidden thought from which the French Revolution sprang. The fanatic outcry of another philosopher, ‘We no more need a God,’ and the odious shibboleth, ‘No God, no Master,’ of the Convention ;—these were the sacrilegious watchwords which at that time heralded the liberation of man as an emancipation from all Divine Authority. And if, in His impenetrable wisdom, God employed the Revolution as a means by which to overthrow the tyranny of the Bourbons, and to bring a judgment on the princes who abused His nations as their footstool, nevertheless the principle of that Revolution remains thoroughly anti-Christian, and has since spread like a cancer, dissolving and undermining all that stood firm and consistent before our Christian faith.

There is no doubt then that Christianity is imperiled by great and serious dangers. Two life systems are wrestling with one another, in mortal combat. Modernism is bound to build a world of its own from the data of the natural man, and to construct man himself from the data of nature; while, on the other hand, all those who reverently bend the knee to Christ and worship Him as the Son of the living God, and God himself, are bent upon saving the ‘Christian Heritage.’ This is the struggle in Europe, this is the struggle in America, and this also, is the struggle for principles in which my own country is engaged, and in which I myself have been spending all my energy for nearly forty years.”

Abraham Luyper, Lectures on Calvinism (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishng, 1931; rpnt. 1999), 10-11. (ebook)

Wm. Dwight McKissic on SBC Challenges to Russell Moore

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Russell Moore, Wm Dwight McKissic

From the faithful pen of Pastor Wm. Dwight McKissic, Sr., always speaking truth to power:

IF RUSSELL MOORE IS FIRED, “UNTO US” A TRUMP BAPTIST CONVENTION IS BORN

By William Dwight McKissic, Sr.

The first cabinet member that soon-to-be President Donald Trump will fire, may not be in his White House Cabinet. Russell Moore, President of the Ethics, and Religious Liberty Commission of the SBC–a cabinet level entity head position within the SBC org chart–will be the first person fired by the direct influence of Donald Trump and his influential supporters within SBC circles, if they are successful in their unprecedented public attempts, to discredit and dismiss from office the most compelling and effective spokesman ever to hold that office in the history of the SBC. The lynch mob in SBC life who is going after Moore are taking their cues from Donald Trump who was among the first to attack Moore with one of his infamous tweets during the primary season:

“Russell Moore is truly a terrible representative of Evangelicals and all of the good they stand for. A nasty guy with no heart!”

What has Russell Moore done to generate such vitriol and hatred from Trump and his supporters and sycophants in SBC life? Moore dared asked the SBC if it is in keeping with their values to support a person for POTUS who mocks the disabled; engages in race baiting; owns strip joints and casinos; admits to sexual predatory behaviors; wants to create a Muslim registry, which violates the religious freedom beliefs of the SBC; and speaks of unlawfully targeting non-combatant in war acts. One would think that a person assigned to address the SBC regarding ethical issues is fulfilling their assignment in addressing these matters.

Future Supreme Court Judges and Reversing Gay Marriage were believed to have a better chance of lining up with SBC values under a Trump Administration. Therefore, many SBC personalities argued in spite of Trump’s misgivings and failures in the aforementioned areas, he’s still worthy of support because of who he might appoint to the Supreme Court who would reverse Roe vs Wade and Gay Marriage. To which Russell Moore responded, how can we count on Donald Trump to keep his word on these matters any more than anyone named Mrs. Trump could depend on him to keep his word to them? This was a brilliant and prophetic response.

Shortly after he was elected, Trump announced that Gay Marriage was settled law, and he would not revisit that matter. Ironically, Pastor Robert Jeffress at FBC, Dallas agreed with Trump on this. Go figure? He has already gone back on his word even before he took office, and many SBC persons voted for him under the delusion that Trump would somehow reverse or, at least, redress gay marriage. With a majority Republican House, Senate, soon to be Supreme Court—and of course occupying the White House–there is absolutely no reason why gay marriage can’t and shouldn’t be reversed; other than Trump doesn’t want to reverse it. Now, a prominent SBC leader is backing Trump in this bait and switch campaign tactic. Rather than holding Trump accountable for his pre-election position supporting traditional marriage, they’d rather spend their time attacking Moore. Again, Moore warned us that Trump’s history did not lend itself to counting on him to keep his word. You would think he would be given credit for his insight. Instead, they’re crushing him. If President Elect Trump—not candidate Trump—view is that gay marriage is settled law, why is it not his view that Roe vs Wade is settled law, using the same logic? Already Moore has proven to be 50% accurate in the lack of trust worthiness of Donald Trump on an issue important to Evangelicals—gay marriage. If and when Donald Trump says the same thing about Roe vs Wade, Moore will be 100% correct in saying that Donald Trump was not a trustworthy candidate in addressing matters important to Southern Baptists. On what grounds then are the ones calling for Moore’s dismissal upset?

Make no mistake about it. The union between the SBC and the Republican Convention is an unhealthy and unholy one, particularly with Trump as President. But that would be equally as true with anyone else as President and equally as true if such a union existed with the SBC and The Democratic Party. It is detrimental to our witness, evangelism, discipleship, church planting, race relations and the identity of our seminaries. This is a malignancy that must be excised from our Convention.

To fire Russell Moore though, cements and consummate the relationship between the SBC and The Republican Party. We shouldn’t give Trump that kind of influence over our Convention. We shouldn’t by default say to the public we value loyalty to the Republican brand over a critical evaluation of a Republican nominee for President.

It’s not enough to say that Russell Moore was speaking against the majority of the SBC and those who pay his salary, as a reason to silence his voice. The Bible is inerrant and infallible, the SBC is not. What’s been missing from SBC history to often was a Russell Moore.

When the majority of the SBC embraced the diabolical institution of slavery, we needed a Russell Moore, even if he was being paid by the SBC. When the majority of the SBC denied women the right to vote as messengers within the SBC annual meetings, and supported laws forbidding women the right to vote in the secular realm, we needed a Russell Moore. When the majority of the SBC voted to support Jim Crow laws and would not support Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, we needed a Russell Moore. When the majority of the messengers in the ‘mid ’70’s voted in a SBC annual meeting to support abortion, we needed a Russell Moore. When the IMB created unbiblical landmark baptismal policies and unbiblical policies restricting missionaries’ private worship in 2005, God raised up a Wade Burleson to prophetically address these matters; and he was publicly maligned and marginalized, and now the same attempt is being made toward Russell Moore.  In 2015, everything Wade Burleson was asking the IMB to do, they did: Return to the pre-2005 private prayer policies, and the prior baptismal policies. Now that they have done so, Wade Burleson is owed an apology, because their actions now prove he was right from the beginning.

SBC, are we going to now make the same mistake with Russell Moore as we did with all of the aforementioned matters that we later reversed policies on? Are we really going to place that much stock in Trump and choose Trump over Moore?

Honestly, a convention that would even consider this is a severely spiritually sick convention. If it were not for a great health insurance plan that I appreciate (connected to GuideStone), and a small life insurance and small retirement account that may be useful at some point, I’d seriously consider whether I could actually belong to a convention that’s so invested and identified in every way with the Republican Party and Donald Trump. To fire Russell Moore will have far-reaching consequences than most persons realize. It defines being SBC as also being Republican, or at least not publicly criticizing a Republican candidate. Minorities tend not to be Republican because they view Democrats as being more sensitive to social and economic justice, equality and fairness issues. They also view these matters as life issues and equally as important as abortion and gay marriage issues. Russell Moore is one of the few Southern Baptists that really have a heartfelt identification and understanding of social justice issues from a minority perspective. There are those who think that this backlash against him is rooted in his outspokenness on race issues and police brutality issues. Russell Moore really feels our pain. In many ways he is being treated as a racial minority by the Convention in this situation. So to fire Russell Moore is to say to minorities, you are only welcome in the SBC if you remain silent regarding your political views. Seriously? Is that what you really want? If so, continue with this lynch party and proposed firing. And Congratulations!!! You will have just birth THE TRUMP BAPTIST CONVENTION.

Russell Moore has spoken as a prophet. The late Professor Jack Gray defined the spiritual gift of prophecy as the ability to communicate a particular truth, to a particular people, at a particular time. This is what Moore has done. To fire Russell Moore is in effect to make the statement that the gift of prophecy is unwelcome among Southern Baptists if it conflicts with our politics. Russell Moore would have gotten the same kind of treatment in SBC life had he spoken prophetically against slavery in 1845-1863 as he is getting now. Southern Baptists can and should do better than this. I pray that we drop this vendetta against Russell Moore. He has asked for an apology if he was misunderstood or crossed over a line. Let’s forgive him and move on. Threatening to withhold funds over a critique of Donald Trump is too small of an issue for us to divide over. During this yuletide season, let’s practice our faith and seek peace on earth and in the SBC and good will toward all men. Brethren, let’s drop our swords and be The Southern Baptist Great Commission Convention and not the Trump Baptist Convention.

Black Church Open Letter to Secretary Clinton on Religious Freedom

Several church leaders in the African American community collaborated to write an Open Letter to Hillary Clinton regarding religious freedom for African Americans. I am grateful for words therein like these:

The vast majority of black churches hold biblical teaching, which is eternal, as authoritative for doctrine and practice. Abortion is the deliberate destruction of a human life in its most vulnerable state. Biblical principle and natural law, both of which prohibit the taking of innocent human life, compel our concern about the increasing moral complicity with abortion. For the same reasons that we as black Christian leaders oppose racism, unjust wars, capital punishment and euthanasia, we oppose the violent denial of life to the unborn through abortion. It is our view that human life is a gift of God that we are called upon to protect, nurture and sustain, because we are created in God’s image. Therefore, our opposition to abortion is a logical outgrowth of our view that there must be justice for all. Particularly relevant is the innocence of the unborn child. The Bible places an extremely high value on human life and particularly on the lives of the innocent who are under the special protection of God. Those who take the life of the innocent violate a key biblical principle as well as a fundamental principle of natural justice…. In 2008, Secretary Clinton, you took theposition that abortion should be rare, and you emphasized “by rare I mean rare.” But Black babies are dying at terrifying rates. How do you justify your unconscionable silence in the face of such destruction of innocent black life? Don’t black lives matter? What policies would you pursue as president to reverse the soaring abortion rates among black women?

Read the entire letter here.

 

William Dwight McKissic, Sr. ONE BLACK EVANGELICAL METAMORPHOSIS ON THE 2016 ELECTION

Tags

#againsttrump, #stophillary, 2016 Elections, voting the lesser of two evils

I greatly enjoy the musings of my friend, Wm. Dwight McKissic, Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, TX. Recently he posted some thoughts on the Presidential election and what he will do in the voting booth. Here are a few paragraphs:

 

Police brutality is one of the most pressing, unresolved social issues of our time. It certainly is a life and quality of life matter. It will certainly impact the environment my grandchildren are raised in. Therefore, I must ask myself which candidate will do a better job and be more objective and fair in making sure the citizens and the police are being treated fairly? Who best understands and empathize with both sides of this issue? Whose justice system and attorney general’s office would I rather see be involved in these matters? Whose answers to Lester Holt’s questions will set the trajectory for a better quality of life for my 12 grandchildren growing up in a climate where the criminal justice system and police brutality discriminate against them based on color?

So after much soul searching, I have reached the conclusion that the Life issues that I’m voting to protect this year will be my grandchildren. The racial healing atmosphere and the level of accountability that police know that will be expected from a Clinton administration, suggests to me that police persons will be slightly more cautious in pulling the trigger in the future than they have been in the past.

Blacks comprise 15% of the population; but we are involved in 29% of the police shootings. Certainly there are police shootings that are justifiable. Conversely, there would be some unjustifiable. To resolve or reduce the number of police shootings, the one being shot must take responsibility and try not to put him/her in this position. The one doing the shooting must exercise restraint and use a Taser, patience, wait for backup, or whatever it takes. Hillary Clinton mentioned establishing National Standards to help guide and govern these issues.

You can read the whole thing here.

I’m still working through how to vote in this election. I am not voting for the Donald Trump. I also would deny my conscience to vote for one who is sworn against the life of the unborn and probably would do away with religious freedom.