Category: Shadows (Page 4 of 17)

During the period when Jerusalem had active gates in its walls (2,000 to 3,000 years ago), those gates served as the entry and exit points where people would come and go throughout the day. Those gates became popular social hubs where people could meet, interact, and exchange information. Travelers and merchants brought news from their places of origin or the areas they had recently visited.  Given the lack of widespread literacy, oral communication played a crucial role in news dissemination. The “gates” acted as the “watchmen” for society.

With the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century, specifically around 1440-1450, there was a significant turning point in how news was spread. The printing press revolutionized the process of producing written material, including books, pamphlets, and newspapers. The printing press contributed to the development of journalism as a profession. The availability of printed news publications led to the emergence of dedicated news organizations and the establishment of newspapers. Journalists could now investigate, report, and analyze news in a more systematic and organized manner, shaping the modern practice of journalism. Newspapers, printed media along with discerning journalists became the new watchmen of our society. Today, printed news is shrinking as a medium, and “Cable News,” electronic transmission of information, is the principal source of news information. Our watchmen became the news anchors and celebrities of radio and television.

(Ezekiel 33:6)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’”

God has always held the role of watchman in the highest regard. Biblical watchmen served as a nation’s guards. They were responsible for protecting towns and military installations from surprise enemy attacks and other potential dangers. Ancient Israelite cities often stationed watchmen on high walls or in watchtowers. Their job was to keep watch and warn the townspeople of impending threats. The Hebrew word, “tsaphah,” translated means “one who looks out,” “one who spies,” or “one who watches.” Watchmen safeguarded fields and vineyards during harvest time (Isaiah 5:1–2; Matthew 21:33; Mark 12:1) and acted as sentinels who announced the start of a new day (Psalm 130:6; Isaiah 21:11–12). God’s prophets were spiritual watchmen.

(Ezekiel 33:7-9) – “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.”

The question we should all ask is what has happened to the role of the investigative journalist, our watchmen today? Does God still care about what news His people hear? Let’s look at a few trends in today’s media and compare them to God’s Truth on the subject.

Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply research a single topic of interest, such as serious crimes, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. Misinformation, on the other hand, is spreading or believing in false or inaccurate information without questioning its validity or seeking reliable sources. “The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps (Proverbs 14:15).” This Proverbs highlights the importance of being discerning and thoughtful rather than easily believing everything one hears. Both the journalist and the citizen are held to this standard. God first lays the responsibility at our feet. Not pursuing knowledge is intellectual laziness. To have a lack of curiosity or effort to explore, learn, or research a subject, resulting in superficial knowledge or reliance on assumptions does not fit our biblical standards. “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out (Proverbs 18:15).” When we spread unverified facts, we harm our friends and neighbors. “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another (Ephesians 4:25).” This verse encourages honesty and truthfulness in our interactions with others, implying the importance of avoiding falsehood and deceit.

Today, our society is being taught to dismiss or ignore the opinions, experiences, or expertise of others, leading to a narrow understanding and an inability to learn from different viewpoints. “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 12:15).” This verse emphasizes the importance of listening to advice and considering the perspectives of others. It contrasts the wisdom of those who are open to input with the foolishness of those who stubbornly believe they are always right.

(Proverbs 18:2) – “Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions.”

This verse above highlights the tendency of fools to prioritize expressing their own opinions over seeking understanding. It suggests that a refusal to listen and understand can be a characteristic of folly. This can be seen today using slogans, bigotry, and hatred embedded in our news. Stereotyping holds biased or simplistic views about individuals or groups based on limited or flawed information, leading to generalizations and unfair judgments.

(James 2:1-4) – “My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

The verse above from the Book of James highlights the importance of avoiding partiality, unfair judgments, and favoritism. It warns against making distinctions and treating individuals differently based on their external appearances, such as wealth or social status. By doing so, the verse suggests that people engage in unfair judgments and become judges with evil motives. Our correct response should be to treat all individuals with equal respect and dignity, rather than making assumptions or judgments based on limited or superficial information. Whatever happened to people keeping an open mind? Today, our media holds to a rigid mindset and is resistant to new ideas, alternative perspectives, or information that challenges their preconceived notions.  “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice (Proverbs 19:20).”

Finally, there is the proverbial resistance to change. This is being resistant to new knowledge or ideas, and clinging to outdated beliefs or traditions despite evidence to the contrary. It can also be the continued references to those facts that have been discredited as false. We see every day how our media publishes outdated beliefs. The role of an investigative journalist is to evaluate and examine everything, holding on to that which is good and true.

(1 Thessalonians 5:21) – “Test everything. Hold on to the good.”

The term “Ignorance” refers to a lack of knowledge, understanding, or awareness about a particular subject or topic. It is the state of being uninformed, uninstructed, or unaware of something. Ignorance manifests in various ways, such as a lack of information, misconceptions, or the absence of critical thinking skills. Society believes that ignorance is a temporary condition, remedied through education, learning, and the acquisition of knowledge. However, it is different from willful or deliberate ignorance, where individuals intentionally choose to ignore or reject information despite the availability of information to the contrary. Today, investigative journalism is dead. Opinion news is alive and well. Fixing journalism will take the re-education of our world in God’s Truths. Restoring today’s media to the role of watchman will require repentance and the forgiveness of our Lord Jesus Christ. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it (Proverbs 4:23).”

(Ephesians 4:18) – “They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.”

Contemplations

• What do you do to assure yourself that the “news” you hear is correct?
  • Ideas to Explore: Use multiple and opposing sources. Fact-check yourself. Seek contrary opinions from respected friends? Compare what you hear and see to God’s Truths exposed in His Word.
• History tells us that evil first strikes at the communication systems of a nation. Do you believe that?
  • Ideas to Explore: How much do you know about World War II? What about the Vietnam War? Is news biased toward a two-tier justice system? Can you identify things that are true and things that are not true?
• Do you believe that the movement to remove a parent’s rights concerning their children is OK?
  • Ideas to Explore: How does something as basic as parental rights slip away from parents? Is it because we elect the wrong people, or has the media misinformed us of the real problem?
• Who are our honest watchmen today?
  • Ideas to Explore: What people or groups of people are researching the issues, telling the truth to us?
• Every country that ever went to war had watchmen to tell them why it was time to fight. Every country that ever lost a war, understands why we need honest watchmen. How big do you think the problem is?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you sure you believe the right facts? How are you sure? Does what you believe line up with God’s Truth?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The Parable of the Good Samaritan is a well-known story from the New Testament (Luke 10:25-37). The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells the story of a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho, and while on the way he is robbed of everything he had, including his clothing, and is beaten to within an inch of his life. That road was treacherous, with many turns that were favorite hideouts of robbers and thieves. We might compare it today to a transit ride into New York City. Recently, on a New York transit train, politicians of both major parties have used the parable in both the defense and rebuke of a “stand your ground” act. This study will not directly look at the events in New York. However, it is worth our time to see exactly what this parable was about and what it teaches us.

(Luke 10:25-37) ¹NIV New International Version Translations– “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ’Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ In reply, Jesus said:  ‘A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ ‘Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?’ The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’”

Jesus answers the question with a question: “He said to him, ’What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’” (Luke 10:26). By referring to the Law, Jesus is directing the man who asked him a question to an authority they both would accept as truth, the Old Testament. He is asking the scribe, what does Scripture say about this and how does he interpret it? Jesus thus avoids an argument and puts Himself in the position of evaluating the scribe’s answer instead of the scribe evaluating His answer. This directs the discussion toward Jesus’ intended lesson. The scribe answers Jesus’ question by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. This is virtually the same answer that Jesus had given before to similar questions in Matthew 22 and Mark 12.

Compassion and Kindness: The parable highlights the importance of showing compassion and kindness towards others, particularly those in need. The Samaritan, who is traditionally seen as an outsider or enemy by the Jews, demonstrates extraordinary compassion by helping a stranger who was beaten and left half-dead on the roadside. It encourages individuals to extend their care and assistance to those who are suffering or in distress, regardless of their background or social status.

Overcoming Prejudice and Discrimination: The parable challenges the prevailing prejudices and biases of its time. The Samaritans and Jews had a history of animosity and religious differences, but the parable emphasizes that acts of kindness and mercy should transcend such divisions. It encourages people to overcome their biases and treat others with love and respect, regardless of their differences.

Practical Love and Service: The parable emphasizes the importance of taking practical action to help others. The Samaritan not only felt compassion but also acted on it by bandaging the victim’s wounds, taking him to an inn, and providing for his care. It teaches that love and service should go beyond mere words or sentiments and should be expressed through tangible actions.

Compassion is an intrinsic human quality that arises from empathy, understanding, and a genuine desire to alleviate suffering or help others. It is a voluntary expression of care and concern. While laws and statutes can promote and encourage compassionate behavior, they cannot directly force or compel individuals to feel compassionate. Legislation and policies can create a supportive environment that encourages empathy and compassion, even providing resources, social services, and protections for vulnerable populations. They can also establish frameworks for addressing social issues and promoting justice and equality. However, the motivation behind compassionate actions ultimately comes from within individuals and cannot be coerced solely through laws or statutes.

Jesus used the parable to answer the question, “Who is my neighbor?” The parable broadens the definition of neighbor to include anyone in need, irrespective of their race, religion, or social standing. It emphasizes the universal call to love and care for one another, reminding people that everyone is their neighbor and deserving of their help and support.

Using the parable to describe the New York Transit Event

Before we can overlay the parable onto a specific event, there are critical points to identify.  There were two victims in the transit train, one was being attacked. The other is a long-term felon responsible for the attack. He too, was a victim. With over 40 arrests, he was never helped by our society. Good samaritans would intervene to stop the attack. In defending the victim, the felon died at the hands of an intercessor. Our parable has different characters that need understanding. There were “robbers,” the people responsible for the attack on the victim. There were the priest and the Levite, who knew God’s Law; the victim; and those who chose not to get involved. Finally, there was the “good Samaritan,” the person who interceded. You have the same characters in our contemporary story on the New York train. You even have the silent witnesses, the ones who knew better, riding on the train. A few helped in the defense of the victim. There is the “perpetrator, the aggressor,” the one that New York’s justice system had failed to reform or help. There is the “victim,” the one who could not defend themselves, and you have the “intercessors,” the persons who were compelled by compassion to help. True compassion is a personal and voluntary response to the needs of others, driven by genuine care and concern. The lack of enforcement of societal norms and expectations has become a moving target and rarely aligns with God’s Word. District attorneys justify the release of felons and the lack of restorative justice in the name of compassion. It calls for us to be careful about exactly how we define victimhood. A misguided system of justice caused the need for people of compassion to become involved in New York and seek self-defense.

Personal Responsibility: The parable highlights an individual’s responsibility to help others. It contrasts the actions of the priest and the Levite, who passed by the wounded man without stopping to help with the Samaritan’s compassionate response. It challenges individuals to examine their actions and attitudes, encouraging them to take personal responsibility for showing kindness and compassion. The parable presents the act of helping the disadvantaged as a moral imperative, highlighting the importance of personal character and ethical behavior.

The parable shows a single act of compassion towards one person in need. It emphasizes the immediate and direct impact an individual can have on another’s life. In contrast, governmental policies aim to address systemic issues and often have a broader scope, aiming to help a more significant number of disadvantaged individuals and communities. Politicians introducing Jesus’ parable into their mantra step out on thin ice. It is the heart of the good Samaritan that is the lesson, not the societal rules that might mandate equity or social justice programs. To examine who is right and who is wrong, we need to address the human hearts involved!

It is important to understand that the parable of the Good Samaritan addressing the disadvantaged serves a specific purpose. The parable focuses on moral and individual transformation, inspiring people to exhibit compassion and kindness in their personal lives. In Jesus’ parable, we see that the good Samaritan used his resources voluntarily to benefit the victim. This would have been a very different story if the Samaritan leaders had reached into the good Samaritan’s purse or citizens’ taxes to pay the victim’s bills. Or worse yet, determined that the “robbers” were the victims and gave them free resources, including a free room at the inn in the hope of deterring future crimes.    

Yes, we are called to compassion: (Ephesians 4:32} – “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”

Yes, we are granted the right to self-defense: (Luke 22:36) — “He said to them, ‘But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one.’”

Contemplations

• Where do we learn compassion?
  • Ideas to Explore: Family, school, church, experience?
• Does God call us to be generous to everyone, even those who have no need?
  • Ideas to Explore: Laws, statutes, governmental regulations.
• Can you force someone to be compassionate?
  • Ideas to Explore: To those who have no need? How about those who are mentally ill? What about the homeless on drugs? How would you handle each group?
• Do you believe in the right of self-defense?
  • Ideas to Explore: How was your opinion formed? Where in Scripture do you find support for your opinion?
• How would you prioritize the rights of those in the Parable of the Good Samaritan?
  • Ideas to Explore: The citizens of Samaria, the government of Samaria, the Priest and Levite, the robbers, the Good Samaritan, the innkeeper, and the victim?
• Does compassion count if it is done with someone else’s resources?
  • Ideas to Explore: Can someone be forced to be compassionate?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Did you ever wonder what sin Adam and Eve committed that was so egregious that it resulted in humanity’s separation from God? If you thought it was about some kind of fruit, you are way off target. The idea of some type of fruit, an apple, comes from Genesis and human imagination.

(Genesis 2:17)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

One way to interpret Genesis is along the lines of a metaphor, a figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison. We then might conclude that there was a specific command that God had given Adam and Eve and that breaking that command would lead to death. At the time of the “Fruit Incident,” Adam and Eve were living without the threat of death. Here, we see the destructive power of “free will” in humanity. Our first couple were willing to give up everything—paradise—for the knowledge their Creator possessed. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represented a boundary set by God. Whether this was a test of obedience and trust, we will not know for sure until we reach eternity ourselves. But by eating the “fruit of the tree,” Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command and chose to obtain the “knowledge of good and evil for themselves.” We know the end of that story: sin and death came into the world.

The first negative impact of sin was to make people ashamed of their nakedness. They covered themselves with fig leaves. This is the sin of becoming self-centered and focused on themselves. That specific sin is still alive and well today. When they became focused on themselves, their souls were no longer in communion with their God. Adam and Eve’s temporal physical bodies now had control. And what was God’s response to their separation? God reacted immediately to reinstate Adam and Eve’s connection to Him. To leave them disconnected was to abandon His creation to evil (the Serpent). God then made the first sacrifices in history to cover their nakedness and bring them into fellowship with Him again.

(Genesis 3:21) – “The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the Lord God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”

It is worth a moment to pause here and notice that there were more beings than God existing at that time. God used the phrase “The man has now become like one of us.” We must also assume that evil also existed before creation. In God’s original plan, He had intended to create a world protecting it from evil. Eternal life existed before the creation of humankind! God’s plan for us was an eternal world without sin, a paradise. In (Genesis 2), we are told that there were two named trees in the Garden of Eden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. When Adam and Eve ate fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, this was a sin against God, since He had commanded them not to do so. After this, God indicates that they will not be allowed to eat again from the Tree of Life since doing so would allow them to live forever. Adam and Eve had been eating from the Tree of Life, enjoying the benefits of eternal life. The Tree of Life appears in both the opening and closing chapters of the Bible (Genesis 2-3 and Revelation 22). The Tree of Life is a symbol of God’s life-giving presence and the fullness of eternal life now available only through our redemption by Jesus Christ.

In traditional Christian teaching, original sin is the result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God when they ate a forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. They were separating from God, which brought dissatisfaction and guilt into their lives. We tend to try to explain away all sin, genocide, war, cruelty, exploitation, and abuse by assigning blame to Adam and Eve. But not so fast! Since sin entered our paradise, humanity has gone all out to take advantage of the world’s sin. The question should be how to get out of this quandary.

Sin is not a misfortune; it is a crime against God. Sinners do not deserve pity and compassion; they freely choose to sin. God is not responsible for humanity’s sins. If we stand around and blame God, we are building a wall between us and God. To give those who are unsaved excuses contradicts the Bible. Humanity is without excuse! Since the moment that God covered the naked Adam and Eve, He has been actively working to bring humanity permanently back into fellowship with Him. God has also been working to remove the barrier of sin that was created so long ago.

(Genesis 3:15) – “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush[b] your head, and you will strike his heel.”

God passes an immediate sentence, and the punishment begins right where the sin began, with the serpent.  Satan, too, is sentenced to be degraded and accursed by God. Satan will be detested by all mankind. Note that the plan to destroy Satan through a Redeemer is signified by the crushing of the serpent’s head. God then makes Adam and Eve a gracious promise to deliver them from the power of Satan. By their faith in God, our first parents were justified and saved by faith. The Redeemer is to come in flesh, an incarnation, as the seed of a woman.

(Hebrews 2:11-14) – “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters. He says, ‘I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly, I will sing your praises.’ And again, ‘I will put my trust in him.’ And again he says, ‘Here am I, and the children God has given me.’ Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil”

And what did God require of humanity? It would be God’s first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” If you want to understand the Bible, if you want to know why God kept sending prophets over and over to tell the people to worship only Him, and if you want to know where Jesus came from, then just look at the story of Adam and Eve. Jesus was in eternity with God long before the Universe was created. When Adam and Eve exposed our world to sin, God had His plan sitting right next to Him. Jesus would come and die on the cross, not unlike the sacrifice of animals for their skins to cover Adam and Eve. The result is that we have been reconciled to God and forgiven for our sinfulness.  The fall of humanity and its consequences, as well as the redemption and reconciliation of all things, lie at the heart of the Gospel’s message (Colossians 1:20; Romans 8:21). Because of humanity’s disobedience toward God, death and suffering entered the world. But it is through this same suffering, death, and Resurrection of Christ that we can gain salvation. We do not need to worry about being condemned to live forever in a fallen world. The curse that accompanied sin in Genesis 3 will be reversed and removed, as death, sorrow, crying, and pain will no longer exist (Revelation 21:4; Revelation 22:3). We will eat from the Tree of Life!

Contemplations

• Stories like Adam and Eve are always difficult to understand. We are programmed by our world to always look for proof. What would you conclude from the story of the “fall?”
  • Ideas to Explore: Salvation by faith, not works, requires us to accept God’s Word at its metaphoric values. All of Scripture, therefore, is useful for teaching.
• There is an amazing amount of consistency in Scripture. What goes through your mind when you find it?
  • Ideas to Explore: It increases your faith. It makes you want to read and learn more about God’s Word. It makes you feel blessed to be a child of God.
• How does the metaphor of the two trees help you understand the Scriptures?
  • Ideas to Explore: Easy to relate to the story. Can be explained to others much easier. Children can learn about God much more easily.
• Would you consider Christ’s crucifixion on a wooden cross (a tree) a metaphor for the Tree of Life?
  • Ideas to Explore: It is Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection that reinstate our access to eternal life.
• What thoughts do you have about the fact that eternity existed before our world and will exist afterward? Eternity is forever!
  • Ideas to Explore: As humans, we typically cannot understand things like omnipresence and eternity. Does this force us to focus on faith? Isn’t that what saves?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Personal values are things that we believe in. They are a composite of our experiences, learnings, and decisions and can be positive, constructive, and even healthy, or they can be harmful, destructive, and unhealthy. Values define who we are and influence the direction of how we make choices in life. The strength of our values can give us energy that will define our future. However, values are not like our physical characteristics but can be learned, changed, and even controlled. There are five probable sources for a person’s values.

1. Family and upbringing: Values often start developing in childhood and are heavily influenced by the values of a person’s family and cultural background.
2. Education and environment: The values a person learns through their education and social environment, including peers and community, also play a significant role.
3. Personal experiences: Life experiences such as successes, failures, and even hardships help to shape and refine a person’s values.
4. Religion and spirituality: Religious and spiritual beliefs play a significant role.
5. Media and social culture: The values and messages conveyed through our highly connected media and social culture also influence a person’s values.

There is one fundamental assumption that should be taken before we continue. That assumption is that you seek eternal life. Jesus’ resurrection proves we were not made for this world! Your values must include this fundamental belief, that there is life after death. Without such a belief, there is no purpose and direction to life. With this assumption, the pursuit of values should mirror the values of Jesus Christ as He is the way to eternal life. Jesus had many strong values but there were a few main themes.

• Love: Jesus Christ taught that love is the most important commandment, and that love should be the guiding principle in how we interact with others.
• Compassion: Jesus Christ showed compassion towards all people, but especially those who were marginalized or oppressed, and He taught that we should do the same.
• Forgiveness: Jesus Christ taught that we should forgive others, even when they have wronged us, and that forgiveness is essential for healing, reconciliation, and peace.
• Humility: Jesus Christ lived a life of humility, and He taught that we should put the needs of others before our own and serve others with a selfless attitude.
• Integrity: Jesus Christ lived a life of integrity and honesty, and he taught us that we should be truthful and transparent in our dealings with others.
• Generosity: Jesus Christ taught that we should be generous with our time, talents, testimony, and treasure. He specifically focused on those needing the most, widows and orphans.
• Justice: Jesus Christ spoke out against injustice and oppression, and he taught that we should work to promote justice and equality for all people. He also held people accountable for their choices. Jesus never gave a special class of people special privileges or exceptions.

Why is any of this important today?

(John 14:6)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

Becoming more like Jesus, and sharing His values is no easy task. We live in a world that hates Him and will hate you if your values are like Jesus’. This fact forces you to make a critical decision about how you live and how you behave. As a follower of Jesus, you do not have the option of choosing values that help you “fit in,” but deny God’s values. Today, however, to be accepted by the world, your choices and your values require alignment with “Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG)” goals. You need to pick which world you want to align to. What exactly does that mean? It means that you need to be willing to explore the source of your value system, compare it to the “Gold Standard,” Jesus’s values, and then be willing to change your mind. You must bury the “bias,” search for the Truth, maybe even change the channel, and then be willing to admit when you are wrong and change.

(Proverbs 4:23) – “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

This proverb tells you that you will need a strong sense of personal ethics and morality.  This includes principles such as honesty, integrity, respect for others, and a commitment to fairness and justice. You will need to support people who embody those same positive values and behaviors. The people who lead our nation serve as powerful examples to others. This is how good values are spread throughout a nation. Unfortunately, picking the wrong people is how bad values are also spread. The ability to reflect on one’s own beliefs and values can help you identify what is truly important and align your actions with those of Jesus Himself.

(Colossians 3:23-24) – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

In a democracy, political differences are inevitable, but when political divisions become increasingly polarized, it leads to a deepening of social and cultural divides. As you work hard for God, your choices and values are going to affect others. Ultimately, good, and positive personal values, including your own beliefs and experiences, can be a positive influence on others. Also, expect to make a few enemies along your journey. Don’t make God one of them!

(James 1:22) – “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

When there are stark disparities in wealth and opportunity, there is resentment and mistrust between different groups within a society. We must rely on God’s word for guidance, trust God, put our faith into action, and prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness. By following these principles, we can maintain strong values and live a life that not only honors God but is a positive influence on those around us. Ultimately, God calls us to “follow His Word with our actions.”

(Philippians 4:8) – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Personal growth and self-improvement include a commitment to ongoing learning, personal development, and self-reflection, as well as a willingness to take responsibility for one’s own life and choices. This also involves a desire to make a positive impact on the world and to help others, whether through volunteering, philanthropy, or other forms of service. The way information is disseminated in our world today can contribute to division if it is biased, unreliable, or sensationalized. This leads to different groups holding vastly different views and beliefs. Our role is to continually evaluate our beliefs and what we hear from the world against God’s Word and Truth. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). It is the only way to change a misdirected value to one aligned with Jesus.

Differences in cultural and social identities, including race, religion, and gender. These lead to divisions and tension if not managed appropriately. However, your role is not to sanitize the Gospel’s message of salvation. Nowhere in Scripture does it command Christians to accept the world. Our command is to stand in contrast to the world. It is important to note that all these factors do not act in isolation but are interconnected. The path to reducing division and promoting unity requires finding ways to bridge differences and foster common ground, while also acknowledging and respecting the diversity that exists within a society. However, common ground is not the acceptance of sinful values. We are called to forgiveness, and, in return, God calls humanity to repentance, not common ground.

(Matthew 6:33) – “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

We are called to guard our hearts, think about what is good and pure, work diligently for God, rely on His word for guidance, trust in God, put our faith into action, and prioritize seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness. There is no other option for a follower of Jesus other than to choose Him as the “Correct Path.” By following these principles, we maintain strong values and live a life that honors God.

Contemplations

• Does ESG develop a culture of victimhood where people and society excuse bad behavior?
  • Ideas to Explore: No bail policies, failure to prosecute crime, reparations.
• Is society developing a class of people that believe they have a right to crime?
  • Ideas to Explore: Repeat offenders not receiving rehabilitation. Condoning or even promoting drug use.
• Is part of repentance and restitution, changed behavior?
  • Ideas to Explore: Repentance is meant to change but to whose values?
• If emotions, values, and beliefs are critical to life, how do change those that are contrary to God’s Truth?
  • Ideas to Explore: Values are the basis of many of our biases, prejudices, attitudes towards things, including ourselves, and the judgments and decisions we make. Knowing God’s Truth is critical to developing good values.

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  NIV New International Version Translations

There is an amazing bit of trickery going on in our world, right before your eyes. Most people never see it happening. Yet, they wonder why there is such confusion between generations. Let me show you a bit of Satan’s magic and how it works!

What is a sin? If you were part of the “greatest generation,” one of those who defended our freedom, your dictionary would have read:

1. an offense against the religious or moral law.
2. an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible such as a transgression of the law of God.

This definition comes from the American College Dictionary, Harper & Brothers Publishers, text edition, published in 1948. This is the dictionary that would have been used by those returning from their service to our country after World War II. It was direct, first establishing that sin occurs when one departs from a law that has been established by either a religion or a moral norm. The second meaning, often used in dictionaries ties the meaning directly to God’s Law, God’s moral code as the established standard. Most people would not dispute the meaning of sin defined this way.

Now let’s fast forward to a time like now when artificial intelligence can sample human opinion across the world in seconds. Here is what a young student might learn from ChatGPT today:

“The concept of sin is often associated with religion, and the definition of sin can vary depending on religious beliefs and traditions. In many religions, the definition of sin is typically determined by sacred texts or teachings, as well as the interpretation of those texts by religious leaders, scholars, and communities.”

Right out of the gate, sin has been downgraded to just a concept. Sin has no specific meaning or no specific repercussions because people define sin based on their “interpretation” of either sacred text or teachings by virtually anyone who might claim proficiency in such knowledge. Don’t underestimate the sleight of hand here. Suddenly, sin is redefined, not as a transgression against God or even God’s Laws, but merely the opinion of anyone claiming to be an expert. Examples might include the many honor killings of children by their fathers for dishonoring their families we see around the world. There have even been such killings in our country. These interpretations override both God’s Laws and most civil laws. It shows the power of culture and tradition on the interpretation of words like “honor.”

Subtle shifts in the use of language often reflect broader changes in societal attitudes and values, which will impact intergenerational communication and their understanding of sin. When we changed the name of a baby in the womb to a fetus, it became easier to accept abortion as a form of personal rights and birth control. You weren’t killing a baby, just a fetus.

 So then, what exactly is a sin? There was no sin in the beginning, at the point of the creation of our world. Adam and Eve, representing humanity, fell victim to Satan’s carefully crafted appeal to go against God. Because of humanity’s free will, sin came forth. Satan said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? Surely you will not die.” (Genesis 3:1-5) Satan merely took an explicit command from God and confused its definition with the insertion of doubt. God’s Will was to be the form of obedience and not following God’s Will became a sin! Sin is, first and foremost, against God and against what He has disclosed of Himself through His Word. And that definition of sin prevails in one fashion or another across the entire scope of Scripture. Our responsibility is to learn God’s Truth. This includes God’s definitions of sinful behavior. God is the only one that can ever define a sin.

When society, with its teachings, religious leaders, educators, and numerous communities gets through with interpreting God’s Word, anything can and will go wrong. When sin becomes nothing more than an inconvenient truth, God’s Truth is replaced with Satan’s lies (Romans 1:21-32). Sin becomes not only acceptable but a lifestyle. Sin can even become a religion and a moral code. BUT YOU CANNOT LEAVE THE REAL GOD OUT OF ANY DEFINITION OF SIN! This brings us then to another “real truth,” humanity needs help badly. Humanity loves to hate, loves to lie, loves to steal, filled with lust, and the list is enough to fill Hollywood’s movie libraries.

(John 3:16-18)¹NIV New International Version – ”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

What then are we asked to do?

1. Accept God’s Word (the Bible) as real.
2. Not to make our goal to pick apart God’s Word, looking for the “loopholes.” You will not succeed.
3. Do pray for help to understand God’s Word and accept it! Then pray for help to follow it!
4. Know that you have help to accomplish this.

Through the Holy Spirit, you can grow close to your one true Savior, Jesus. He is the reason why God doesn’t give up on this world of ours. Jesus brought us into reconciliation with His Father, God! Sin is portrayed in Genesis 3 more as humanity’s rebellion. It was not that eating the apple is intrinsically sinful. Sin is doubting God’s Word, mocking God, and criticizing God. The English language is constantly evolving and changing, with new words being added and existing words being used in different ways. The English language even has a long history of borrowing words from other languages, and this trend continues today. Technology and social media are also major factors in influencing how we understand each other. While the English language is a living and constantly evolving system, God’s Word is not! What humanity has always needed is a stable and just standard written by the author of the Universe! That is why we use God’s Word as a marker,  a beacon in our world, to find that narrow and small door into eternity. There are over 650 sins listed in God’s Word. History tells us that humans will never be perfect. Good news, however. We don’t have to strive for perfection, just strive for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

Contemplations

• Where are your doubts and where is your confusion?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are you confused by the softening of religious denominations toward sin? Do you think that God will look past sinful behavior? What does repentance mean to you?
• What do you think society’s worst sin is?
  • Ideas to Explore: Our attack on our children through pornography, drugs, trafficking, abortion? Our leadership’s pursuit of self-worth? The lack of integrity of our governing bodies? Please add a few of your own favorites to the list.
• Where do you see our nation redefining sin into something no longer sinful?
  • Ideas to Explore: Woke culture, Gender confusion, exposure of sinful behavior to children, national debt, telling the truth, our right to religious freedom?
• What do you personally do when you see sin prevailing in society?
  • Ideas to Explore: Ignore it? Avoid it? Call it out? Try to stop it. What do you think God does when He sees it?
• Do you believe that God punishes sin?
  • Ideas to Explore: Find anywhere in the Bible an example of where God rewarded sinful behavior.
• Why do you think people act as if they will get away with sin?
  • Ideas to Explore: They don’t believe in God. They have defined sinful behavior as righteous and not sinful. Ignorance.

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  NIV New International Version

Whether we like it or not, the world today has triggered the natural and instinctive reaction of fear in many people. The “fight or flight” response is very real and triggers the release of adrenaline and cortisol in our bodies. It seems like we have been given only two hard choices.

We are witnessing multiple mass migrations around the world. People risk their lives because there are wars and open borders. Leaders in rogue countries are risking everything to conquer neighbors. In our own nation, families are uprooting themselves, escaping liberal cities and states in the hope of regaining some resemblance of safety and control over their lives and the lives of their children. People have the “flight” response down pat. The question, however, is whether people should think about standing their ground and fighting!  If there is any advice to be had that is worth its salt, it is safe to assume that we should begin any search for answers with the author and creator of our bodies and souls, God Himself. Can God help us with understanding when it is time to stop running away and stand and fight for our rights and freedoms?

“Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything short of God and His will for us.” ~ Billy Graham

Anxiety only distracts us from our relationship with God and His Truth.  “At that time Jesus said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children’” (Matthew 11:25). At its worst, anxiety can be a crippling disease, taking over our minds and moving our thoughts to fear of the darkness of the world around us. To see God in our world and understand His Truth is essential to reducing anxiety and controlling fear.

(Ephesians 6:13)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”

Fear, the desire to run away, often takes seed in the depths of ignorance. Simply, we stay and fight when we believe we can win, and we run when we believe it is a lost cause. Our threats in life breakdown as follows:

• There is Physical danger: Physical harm or injury can include threats from other people, dangerous animals, governments, countries, or natural disasters.
• There is Emotional stress or Trauma: You might find yourself in sudden shock, the result of past traumatic experiences, such as physical or emotional abuse, that create a sense of danger and vulnerability.
• Social anxiety can cause fear: Social situations and interactions, such as public speaking or meeting new people, due to the fear of rejection, judgment, or embarrassment.
• Phobias: An irrational fear of a specific object or situation, such as heights, spiders, or enclosed spaces.
• Loss of control can trigger fear: A sense of losing control, such as being in an unpredictable or chaotic environment not of your own making.
• Most recently, uncertainty: A sense of the unknown, such as fear of the future.
• Finally, there is the Perceived threat: Even when there is no actual danger, the perception of a threat can trigger “fight or flight” responses in people.

The element most critical in any of the above types of fear is whether you are prepared to make good decisions or to be discerning when facing your fears. God’s Word suggests wearing “His full armor.” Armor protects and intimidates your enemies. Did you notice that the verses include the use of “the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). Therefore, we are guided with this advice: prepare, prepare, prepare. It is also called KNOWLEDGE. For if you have both faith and knowledge, who dares challenge you?

Next, let’s take the gorilla in the room. We are called first to fear God! Why? God is eternal, all-powerful, and all-knowledgeable. Since eternity is FOREVER, it is no joking matter as to which side of God you should be striving for. You remember, don’t you, the part about separating the SHEEP from the GOATS (Matthew 25:31-46)? It seems that God is telling us to always run toward Him and fight back when obstacles are present. A good beginning is to believe that God exists and to align your purpose in life to seek His Truth. Some call that reverence. When we have the proper balance between self-interests and His interests, it causes us to want to serve Him. (Psalm 89:7; Hebrews 12:28-29)

• We should fear acting against God’s will.
• We should fear dishonoring God with our actions.
• We should fear misrepresenting God or His Word to the world.

There is a natural humility that emanates from faith in God. It stirs a hatred for sin and takes seriously the impact that sin has on our world. (Romans 7:13) When our attention is on God and He is in our hearts, we then can love Him with all our heart, all our soul, and all our strength, and keep His commandments. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Deuteronomy 10:12-13; Matthew 22:36-38) It is also easier to love others too. Such knowledge and strength let us stand before difficult situations and difficult people because God doesn’t want us to be afraid. It’s Time to Stop Running! We need to be people who will no longer run away because God doesn’t want us to be afraid. He wants us to be bold, and courageous, and to know that we can handle anything that comes our way!

(1 John 4:4) – “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

No, we cannot fix everything that is wrong in the world. Thank goodness God is not asking us to do that. He is, however, asking us to be responsible. Learn His Truth and stand firm against the world’s corruption of His Truth. How you act influences others and who you support impacts the world around you.

(Proverbs 3:27) – “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.”

When we see injustice that we can personally do something about, God obligates us to step in and help where we can. Need a good Biblical example? The parable of the Good Samaritan is a great place to start. The hero of the story didn’t help by trying to change the Roman justice system or campaign for societal change. He just stepped in and did what others wouldn’t do (Luke 10:25-37).

The Book of Jonah gives us a wonderful example of the futility of running away from God. Jonah did not want to take on God’s challenge of a prophet and go tell the people of Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-2) of their sins and wickedness. They needed to repent. Jonah went the other way. God reeled Jonah back on track and helped him with his task. For issues of faith and defense of God’s Truth, the fight or flight response should not start with fighting or fleeing. There is in the beginning of any threat, an opportunity to understand the magnitude of the predicament. We need to know how to fight or when to flee and where to go.

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-9) – “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.”

Time must be spent understanding and considering options. Whether you run or stay is not as important as the fact that it was a product of deliberate thinking about God’s Truth. God does hold us accountable for our choices!

(Proverbs 31:8-9) – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

Finding your source of strength lies in your understanding of God’s Will for your life. Remember Billy Graham’s words in 1965. He had no idea of his role in this world when he stepped forward to challenge people around him to know and trust God. His trust in God made all the difference!

(Philippians 4:8-9) – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

The purpose, of course, is to stop future injustices against those around us and do our part by defending our friends, families, country, and humanity itself. If we are silent or always run in the other direction, there is little hope for the future. Through our actions, we can feel better about understanding God’s Truth and our role in His Kingdom. This makes us better people, capable of contributing to the overall well-being of the world around us. Yes, evil will still exist. The lust for power will still reside in the hearts of evil people. But the difference is that your hope will rest on the gift of Grace from our Creator and the sacrifice that His Son has made for each of us. And to that, we say each day, Halleluiah!

Contemplations

• What do you do to seek the will of God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do you spend time thinking about what God wants for you? Is your life all uphill or does the road you follow take you closer to God and His peace? Do you really, really believe there is an eternal God? 
• Where do you go and what do you do to align your own will to God’s Truth?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is your opinion different than God’s? Where do you differ? Have you spent time to understand both yourself and your God? Does your will hurt or help the world around you?
• Are you are fighter?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do injustices make you work harder to see them overcome? Are you silent, a person that likes the shadows so no one even knows what your opinions are? Can you make a list of what you have done in your life to change the world for the better?
• Are you very good at finding safe places to hide?
  • Ideas to Explore: Hiding is sometimes the prudent thing to do. Do you find places that build your faith and strengthen your spirit to hide in?
• What should the world write on your tombstone?
  • Ideas to Explore: Really, what message would you leave for the generations to come about you?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Before we begin, let’s first agree on what values are about. Personal values are moral principles that define the very essence of who we are and how we act. They are a person’s standards of behavior; one’s judgment of what is important in life. Our values establish our importance to society, our worth in this world, and our usefulness to those things not of this world. At the most basic levels, we are told to categorize people by recognizing their value as human beings who are made in the image of God.

(Genesis 1:26-27) – “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created mankind in his own image,”

Because we are all made in God’s image, we have the capacity to reason, feel emotions, and make decisions that can impact the world around us. Values are those things that we will not compromise, will not debate, and direct our behavior. Values motivate us to do things, both great and small, good, and bad. For us to honor our God, values are necessary to become disciples of Christ. Values, however, are not necessarily permanent. Any repentant heart knows very well that forgiveness often takes a difficult decision and a change in values. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.¹from Robert Frost’s Poem, “The Road Not Taken” God, however, is accountable to no one. There is no higher principle to which God must conform. He himself is the “absolute of truth, beauty, goodness, love, and justice.” His perfect character is the essence of what the Bible calls “righteousness.” In a universe without God, what we call “good” would have no meaning and values would serve no purpose. This is important to understand. We do not belong here on earth; our citizenship is in heaven. Our time here is merely preparing us for what is yet to come.

(Romans 8:18) – “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Habakkuk was a prophet in the Old Testament. He struggled, as we all do, with the goodness of God. His problem, wicked people often prosper. Habakkuk, the author of the shortest book in the Old Testament, was wise enough to know that when you have a question or a problem with God, the best thing to do is take to God directly. So, he cried out, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves?” (Habakkuk 1:13). Habakkuk’s complaint to God questioned why God was allowing the people of Judah to continue in their wickedness and injustice. When God answered that He was preparing the Babylonians as his weapon of judgment on Judah’s unrighteousness (Habakkuk 1:5-6), Habakkuk became even more indignant. Habakkuk argued that the Babylonians were even more wicked than the people of Judah; how could God use such a people to judge His own people? God’s response overcame the prophet’s objections. Habakkuk was confused by an apparent incompatibility between God’s character and God’s actions. God’s character and values are always perfect.

Our world will tell you that human values are formed through a complex interplay of various factors, including cultural, social, psychological, and environmental influences. This world defines human values as the beliefs and principles that guide our behavior, decisions, and interactions with others all within the experiences gained in our world. The error being made is that the perspective of experiences and interactions is limited to this world. Some values may even be more universal, such as the value of honesty or respect, others are more contextual and may vary across different societies and cultures. Our world will use this loose definition of morality as a crutch. Social Justice is one example.

God’s moral structures and values are built into the created order. The Bible affirms that even those who have not been exposed to God’s law have a conscience – a moral law – within them (Romans 2:14-16). God is not only revealed in nature but also in the human heart. There is a surprisingly uniform moral absolute in most cultures because God has placed His natural law, His moral law in our hearts. We simply cannot deny it. To attempt to remove God from any discussion on the source of values just doesn’t make sense. Personal experiences, both positive and negative, can shape a person’s values and beliefs. Even education and media exposure will reinforce values and beliefs. But removing God does nothing positive for the values (or lack of values) we see in society today.

(Psalm 15) – “Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart; whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others; who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind; who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent. Whoever does these things will never be shaken.”

King David sums it up for us! It is the person who is in God’s presence, living a blameless life, speaking the truth. Leaders with Godly values shape their decisions around God’s principles. Look at the Bible from beginning to end, 6,000 years of authorship. You find a foundation of moral concepts such as goodness, love, and justice. God’s moral values are built into our created order. Even our sense of good and evil exist because God created the categories. You might know them as the “Perfect 10.” God’s list cannot be altered or replaced by humanity. Only God decides what is right and wrong and only God decides what is of value to His Kingdom!

(Galatians 6:7-8) – “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”

Values are important in life because they form the foundation of our behavior, personality, attitude, thoughts, and decision-making. Values give our life a purpose which is to guide our actions, so they are in alignment with our beliefs. Values help us discover passions and purpose. What’s important to you? It’s a simple question, but one with profound consequences for how you live your life. It’s a question that gets to the heart of your values and guides your decisions. God would like to be number one on your list of values! He will help with those many choices along the way.

Contemplations

• Where do you see society redefining its values?
  • Ideas to Explore: Education, Government, our nation’s justice system, business ethics, and the rapid increase in drug consumption and crime.
• Are you someone who largely lives out their values, or if you are instead someone who does one thing and believes in another thing?
  • Ideas to Explore: Values can change as a person matures. Children’s values are different from someone who is approaching retirement. Have your values kept up with you?
• If you act differently than you believe you should, why is that so? What is stopping you from acting the way you want to act?
  • Ideas to Explore: Peer pressure, jobs, and even family pressure can force people to behave differently than they want to behave. Where is the source of your values coming from? God? People? Media? Church?
• Do you live a “values-driven life?” Does living by your values increase your sense of satisfaction with yourself and your life? Do you know your values?
  • Ideas to Explore: Will your values achieve your worldly and eternal goals? Are they aligned with our Creator who created you?

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  from Robert Frost’s Poem, “The Road Not Taken”

We are a judgmental society. Everyone is quick to express their opinion on just about any topic. Civil discourse seems dead these days. Our world riots over acronyms and phrases that few people even take the time to understand. Let’s see if we can plow through these issues and search for God’s opinion on Judgment.

(Matthew 7:1-2)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Most Christians remember Jesus’s comments in the Gospel of Matthew about becoming judgmental. Unfortunately, like much of Scripture, there is a tendency to pick and choose the verses we like. In Matthew 7, the passage starts off OK. “Do not Judge, or you will be judged.” The important part, however, comes next. Jesus states you will be judged “AS YOU JUDGE OTHERS.”  And that changes the perspective on judgment. Judging motives are impossible because we cannot see each other’s hearts. What we see are visible actions, but not motives. For example, if someone’s actions or behaviors harm others, infringe upon their rights, or violate laws, then others may have a right to judge and hold them accountable for their actions. In such cases, we have a responsibility to intervene or take action to prevent harm and protect ourselves or others.

On the other hand, judgment is subjective, and people’s beliefs and values can differ. Therefore, Jesus is calling us to approach any judgment with empathy, an open mind, and a willingness to understand different perspectives. In some cases, it may be more appropriate to refrain from judgment and instead focus on promoting understanding, compassion, and support. We should never forget that humanity was created with “free will.” Therefore, what we observe in other people are their actions made by their conscious choices. Someone’s behavior is nothing more than a reflection of their personal character or morality. But Jesus goes on further to really establish the boundaries of judgmentalism.

(Matthew 7:3-5) – “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

What then, could that plank in one’s eye look like?

• Poor judgment often involves a failure to consider the potential consequences of one’s actions.
• If someone repeatedly ignores advice or feedback from others, it may be an indication of poor judgment.
• Acting on impulse or anger without taking the time to consider the potential consequences can also be a sign of poor judgment.
• And the granddaddy of them all, humanity’s inability to learn from mistakes. When we see someone make the same mistakes or fail to learn from past experiences, it may be a sign of poor judgment.

Therefore, before anyone launches a tirade of insulting comments against someone’s poor decision-making, it might be worth reviewing what a good decision-making process looks like.

• Are the issues clearly identified, and are the problems defined well enough to know all relevant information related to their situations, including any potential risks or benefits that exist?
• Are different options available or have personal biases filtered out solutions that could potentially address the problem? There may be both short-term and long-term consequences to any options.
• Have you evaluated both sides of an issue and considered how they align with your goals and values? Remember, your goals and values should also align with God’s Truth. You might want to reflect on God’s Word for His perspective.
• Once a decision is made, are you willing to change your mind if new information becomes available? For example, if the motives of someone’s heart become visible to you, can you change your mind?
• Do you periodically re-evaluate the outcome of a decision? Overall, poor judgment can manifest in a variety of ways, but it often involves a lack of consideration for consequences, ignoring feedback, impulsivity, and an inability to learn from mistakes.

One of the basic rules of interpretation of the Bible is to take the passage in context with all of Scripture. In other words, you shouldn’t simply lift a phrase or sentence out of the book and read it by itself. Jesus and His disciples often passed judgment on others. Jesus often called out “false prophets.”

(Matthew 7:15) – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

The Apostle Paul was also quite judgmental. There can be sins that no one should tolerate. Here is one that was quite troubling to Paul.

(1 Corinthians 5:1) – “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife.”

Jesus called false teachers a lot of nasty things. Hypocrites, blind guides, white sepulchers²Whited sepulchers are whitewashed tombs. Their outside is beautiful and decorated with flowers and monuments, but their inside is filth., serpents, and even a generation of vipers. In Matthew 7:15, Jesus said, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”. In Romans 16:17 Paul tells us that we are to avoid those in the church who cause divisions. It is good advice to apply to all those who are divisive and over-judgmental. Paul named names of those who were in the wrong in 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:15-18; and 2 Timothy 4:14-15.

The term “judgmental” refers to someone who is overly critical or harsh in their assessment of others. A judgmental person is someone who tends to form strong opinions or make negative evaluations of others based on limited information or without considering different perspectives. They may be quick to judge others based on superficial or irrelevant factors such as appearance, background, or beliefs, and often fail to show empathy or understanding towards those who differ from them. Being judgmental can lead to negative attitudes, prejudices, and stereotypes that can harm relationships and limit personal growth. It’s important to approach others with an open mind and a willingness to understand different perspectives, rather than resorting to judgment or criticism. However, God never asks us to ignore sin or tolerate sin, in others and especially in ourselves.

Contemplations

• What can you tell about a person who will not participate in civil discourse?
  • Ideas to Explore: They lack knowledge of the subject. Their hearts are darkened by some unknown force or experience. Their true motives are hidden.
• Does God expect you to accept everything that someone tells you (e.g., your government)
  • Ideas to Explore: (Acts 5:29). When God’s commands conflict with the commands of human authorities, we must choose to follow the higher authority. Notwithstanding this exception, however, the general command of Scripture is to submit ourselves to government authorities. How do you personally handle the conflict?
• What is the difference between silence and activism?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it OK to be silent when we see something against God’s will? What is the fine line between being a good citizen and a protestor?
• How does God respond when He sees us sin?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is God patient? What gets God angry? What is God’s motivation, His goal in judgment?

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  Whited sepulchers are whitewashed tombs. Their outside is beautiful and decorated with flowers and monuments, but their inside is filth.

The concept of idolatry has evolved and taken different forms in different cultures and generations. In biblical times, idolatry was associated with the worship of physical idols or images that represented various gods and goddesses. These idols were often made of wood, stone, or metal and were considered to have magical or supernatural powers. Do you know what sin is attacked more than any other in the Bible?  I bet if I took a survey today, very few would get it right. It is the sin of idolatry. The very first commandment explicitly prohibits idolatry. It would be the most common thread of messages coming from God’s prophets that would be repeated over and over. Idolatry is humanity’s rejection of the one true God.

(Exodus 20:3-5)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,”

Fast forward to today! There is a new consumer culture and an increasing emphasis on personal branding and social media. Idolatry has taken on many new forms. People often idolize celebrities, athletes, and social media influencers, placing them on a pedestal and seeking to emulate their lifestyles and behaviors. Do you think this is an overstatement? One beer company put the wrong image on their cans and immediately lost 5 billion dollars of their stock value. The Apostle Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Romans 1:21-25. “Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind so that they do what ought not to be done.” (Romans 1:21-28) Today, there are many more forms of idolatry. Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc. Nature worship is the worship of the sun, moon, and stars as providing powers to nature. We see elements of this in the fanatical approach to our world’s climate concerns. VHEMT (Voluntary Human Extinction Movement²https://www.vhemt.org) was founded in 1991 by Les U. Knight, an American activist who became involved in the American environmental movement in the 1970s. He concluded that human extinction was the best solution to the problems facing the Earth’s biosphere and humanity. Let’s hope Mr. Knight never becomes a modern-day hero.

History tells us that during the Israelite’s long captivity in Egypt, they fell into idolatry. Unfortunately, the concept of idolatry continues to consume our world. Humanity is quick to worship anything other than God, including material possessions, power, and fame. Idolatry is nothing more than a form of spiritual or moral corruption, leading humanity away from a focus on the one true God and His Truth. Whether or not idolatry is “bad” depends on one’s individual beliefs and values. However, excessive focus on material possessions or the worship of human beings is detrimental to one’s spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being. The 2022 State of Mental Health in America report confirms the trend that mental health in the U.S. continues to get worse. ³https://www.mhanational.org/research-reports/2022-state-mental-health-america-report

(Deuteronomy 4:15-16) – “You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman,”

When things are going poorly and people cannot understand their God, there is a temptation to find someone or something else to believe in. There is, however, a fundamental element to faith and salvation, and that is to stay focused on the ONE TRUE GOD! Humankind will never supersede Creation itself.

(John 3:16-18) – “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.”

Can you imagine into existence a universe? Does your breath create life? Every time we let the world redefine our God, we create a false image of who He is. That is idolatry. Humans always constrain our Creator according to their image. We would like to believe that God thinks the way we think, that God would make the same choices that we would, and that God would view the world’s issues and evaluate them as we would. Let’s be realistic for once. God is different from us and greater than any human can ever be. God is a pure spirit and all-powerful. God is omnipresent and eternal. Every time you try to either understand or control our God, you have made Him into a false god, an idol.

(Isaiah 42:8) – “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols.”

How did the Jewish nations rid themselves of idolatry when it was their great national sin? It would be 70 years of exile, enslaved by the Babylonian culture, that would painfully remove those idolatrous tendencies. Let’s hope and pray that the same course of history—exile and enslavement—does not befall our nation. If you want to rid your nation of idolatry, a priority must be placed back on the idea that we can never fully understand, define, or encapsulate our God, His Son, or the Holy Spirit. All three are alive and well, just waiting for us to love them. They also know that there is nothing we can do to stop them from loving us.

How are we doing? There are storm clouds on our horizon. A recent Gallup poll indicates that Belief in God in the U.S. has dipped again to 81%, a new low.⁴https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx This is the wrong direction. Satan has been busy too. He couldn’t have a better strategy than to also go after the youth in our world. Once they adopt idyllic behavior, the road to hell is all downhill from there!

(Proverbs 3:5-6) – “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Why do people believe in idols? The answer to this question is “sin.” It is the sinful nature of man that causes us to worship modern idols, all of which are, in one form or another, self-worship. The temptation to worship ourselves is mighty. It is so powerful that only those who fully comprehend the majesty of our Creator can hope to fight the destructive power of sin within us. God’s road of Grace is the only path that leads to eternal life. It seems like a clear choice to me!

Contemplations

• Where do you see people substituting “things” or “people” for God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Homes, cars, jobs, clothes, technology toys, search for fun, power, prestige, wealth, oh please, feel free to add a few of your own.
• Why would someone think an object, made by humans, has power?
  • Ideas to Explore: Maybe they place little or no value on God’s Word. They have been tricked or lied to by others. People may want to believe in something that they can see.
• Where do you see humility in this story?
  • Ideas to Explore: To defeat oneself, one must be truly humble.
• Why will the things of this world never really satisfy the human heart?
  • Ideas to Explore: Humanity cannot comprehend the full glory of eternity with God.

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  https://www.vhemt.org
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  https://www.mhanational.org/research-reports/2022-state-mental-health-america-report
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  https://news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx

By now, most conservatives should be confused as to why voters in Chicago chose a progressive former teacher over a tough-on-crime former public schools executive to lead the nation’s third-largest city. Chicago is reeling in uncontrolled crime spawned by progressive social justice reform led by the previous progressive mayor. The same shock might come from the election of a pro-abortion judge who has won a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court, giving liberals their first majority on the state’s highest court in 15 years. It was all about the right to take the life of unborn children. And let us not forget the State of New York. Their incumbent governor won a full term in office despite a record of totalitarian rules for COVID-19 lockdowns and out-of-control crime in New York’s largest city. Religion, believing in a Creator, is declining and one might point out that the wellspring of leadership seems to be drying up in our nation as well. Is there an answer to this?

One might conclude that people are growing in their love of sin! People sin because sin is fun. Sin feels good. We can be a bit esoteric and say further that sin increases as temptations increase, human desires are given preference over Godly desires, and addictions are fanned by society’s desires. While self-control seems to grow weaker with each generation, there is a national affront underway to re-defining sins as personal rights.  I have checked our Constitution and so far, have not found any sins fitting that description. Unfortunately, your rights to not sin are also under attack. Here we sit silent, drawing even the most conservative and Godly into sin! So, why does this happen?

“Sin will take you farther than you ever intended to go, it will keep you longer than you ever intended to stay, and it will cost you more than you ever intended to pay.” ~ Kay Lee Arthur

There is, of course, always Satan to blame.

(Isaiah 14:12-15)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit. “

Isaiah sheds light on Satan’s sin of pride that caused him to be cast out of heaven along with his angels who followed him. We pick leaders who, by their very actions, believe they are greater than God Himself. This flaw of the soul loves to sin. And if everyone around them sins, they are loved even more by those around them.

We are, by nature, imperfect and sinful creations.

The original sin of Adam and Eve is often given as the reason why we are all born with a sinful nature. While true, we sin because of “Free Will.” However, our imperfections were fixed by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We should recognize that to live freely is a right worth keeping.  Ironically, the very gift of free will from our Creator is what we give up when we choose poor leaders. Humanity is imprisoned by their very evil ways. What is a poor leader? A leader who leads his nation into sin and away from God!

People don’t know enough or know the wrong things.

Sometimes, people may not have access to accurate or complete information to make good decisions. This is especially true for those generations that rely heavily on social media and the Internet. This can make it difficult to assess whether the leaders are truly effective. Even news media has failed to uphold truth to God’s standards. To start with, God does not say always tell the truth. It is more complex than that.  His ninth commandment in Exodus 20:16 states “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” What exactly does that mean:

(Exodus 23:1-3) – “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness. Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.”

Proverbs sum it up, “The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy” (Proverbs 12:22).

People are self-centered and selfish.

Focus on oneself is another major root cause of sin and why people do all sorts of terrible things toward each other with no regard for the welfare of their fellow humans. Sin is the reason why selfishness and greed exist in this world. It exists among politicians, businesses, churches, communities, and families. No one is spared this sin.

(James 3:16) – “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

Lust.

The lust for the flesh is another major reason why people sin. What could account for the extent of human trafficking across our borders?  The cartels are just shipping products to the broken people of our nation. For every trafficked child, there is a buyer! The battle for our young children is for their bodies and minds. The entertainment industry has prostituted itself in the marketing of lust.

(Galatians 5:18) – “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.”

The sin of ignorance.

One last reason we sin is just pure ignorance. The Gospel’s message of forgiveness, repentance, and salvation is disappearing from our world. If you want to stop sin, just open the Book of Instructions, God’s Word. Want to understand our world, and learn about our God and our Savior, Jesus Christ? Open the BOOK!

(Acts 17:11) – “Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. “

The Problem Defined.

We like to sin. Our leaders are not leading us toward God but toward sin. They do so by redefining sin as a set of human rights. Why wouldn’t you elect someone who tells you that it is OK to be selfish, to steal, murder, and rape your neighbor? What is yours is theirs. Take what you want and enjoy this world for what you can get out of it. That would be the political banter of places like Chicago and New York. If you think this is not happening, then look at how God tells us to choose those who will lead us:

(Exodus 18:21) – “But select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.”

Are the leaders of our nation Godly people? Have they raised their families to be servants to the flock or to be served by the flock? Do they hold the guilty accountable? The question that needs an answer is why all our leaders become rich at the expense of the poor.

(1 Peter 5:2-4) – “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

The love of sin and being disobedient to God’s word that condemns all sin is one of the major reasons why people sin in the first place. You will only sin or enjoy your sinful lifestyle if you love sin in your heart. So many people are in love with their evil ways and don’t want to turn away from them, it is as if sin gives them eternal life. Trust me, it doesn’t work that way!

(1 Peter 5:1-5) – “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

The above passages show the importance of leadership. Peter sets down in a series of contrasts, the perils, and the privileges of the eldership; and everything he says is applicable, not only to the eldership but also to all Christian services inside and outside the Church. We should use these guidelines for choosing our nation’s leaders too.  Peter does not say that a person should be conceitedly or irresponsibly eager for office. Note that the leader is to accept office, not to make a shameful profit out of it. The Greek word used for making a shameful profit is aischrokerdes. The noun from this is aischrokerdeia, and it was a characteristic of leaders that the Greeks loathed. The point that Peter is making is that no person should ever accept office or render service for what they can get out of it. Finally, Peter reminds us that good leaders demonstrate humility just as Jesus did when He washed the disciple’s feet. Look to see whether our potential leaders are washing the feet of those they promise to serve!

Contemplations

• If you hired a contractor to remodel your home and they were over budget, late on their commitments, not following your plans, and stealing your materials, what would you do?
  • Ideas to Explore: Hire them again for all of your other projects. Do nothing, just tolerate their poor workmanship. Fire them and be more careful when you hire a replacement.
• Why do people tolerate poor leadership?
  • Ideas to Explore: Fear, bias, ignorance, like what they see?
• A minority of people are stealing the lives of our children. Why do we let them?
  • Ideas to Explore: Parents don’t care anymore? Does no one see a problem? Are people all too busy and self-centered to notice?
• If children are raised without any knowledge of their God, what hope do they have?
  • Ideas to Explore: People have given up? Do people no longer believe in a Creator? People are too sinful?
• If crime is increasing, the national debt spiraling out of control, children are being taken advantage of, the economy crumbling, and war is inevitable, what do you think the answer is?
  • Ideas to Explore: Can our nation be fixed with the present leaders? Can citizens change course?

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