13. Miscellaneous Comments

In this lesson the reader will find comments on various topics presented in alphabetical order.

Abortion

On one side of the debate are those who believe that pregnant women have the right to kill their fetuses until birth (“birthists”).  On the opposite side of the issue are those who believe that fetuses have the right to live from conception (“conceptionists”).  The Bible does not specifically address this question, although two passages (EX 21:22-25 & LK 1:41-44) seem to suggest that an unborn baby should be considered a person at least by the time of quickening.  However, if a person studies fetal development, at some point he/she will probably contemplate two pictures:  one of a seven-month-old fetus in the womb, and one of a seven-month-old premature but viable baby outside the womb.

This should lead one to understand that geographical location is not a valid basis for defining personhood.  There is no qualitative change that occurs at birth, merely a difference in the mode of breathing and feeding.  And so a person will be led to consider the crucial question:  when does a developing fetus become a human person with the God-given right to civil life so that to kill it is murder and warrants punishment?  People on both sides of the debate usually overlook this question when they discuss this issue, but considerations other than the advent of personhood are irrelevant, unless someone would use the same rationale to justify the killing of children and adults.

Those who adopt the conceptionist viewpoint are certainly right that a qualitative change occurs when the chromosomes in the egg and sperm are united, so that physical development of a new human being begins. and they should mourn the death of a miscarried fetus at any stage of development in the same manner they would memorialize the death of a post-birth baby, in order to practice what they preach or believe.  Those who adopt the birthist opinion apparently assume that birth is the qualitative change that marks the beginning of personhood.  However, learning about fetal development should enable birthists to realize that the advent of personhood definitely does not extend beyond the seventh month or viability, when a premature baby is frequently able to survive.

Thus, birthists should at least become “viabilitists”.  Are there any changes between conception and viability that might more reasonably/logically be viewed as indicative of the beginning of personality?  There is one possibility:  the counterpart of the basis doctors use for determining when an adult person no longer is alive.  This basis is brain death or the absence of certain brain wave activity detected by an electroencephalo-gram (EEG).  We might call this stage “sentience”, referring to the level of brain activity which indicates the fetus has brain life and is therefore a person, who should be granted the civil right to life.  If our best definition of sentient death is the cessation of these brain waves, then it is logical and consistent to view sentient life as beginning at least when these brain waves are detectable.  Thus, I think every open-minded and truth-seeking person on both sides of the abortion debate should agree that the fetus becomes sentient and a legal person at least by that stage of development.  Birthists or viabilists and conceptionists should become “sentientists“.

This is only a partial solution, but it is better than the current consensus that allows abortion throughout pregnancy.  It is a big step in the right direction toward no abortion except in order to save the life of the mother.  It recognizes that a gray area still exists from conception until sentience, so people may still reasonably disagree about the status of the fetus during this period, which may change as science improves.  This view permits most forms of birth control.  Implementing this solution requires educating every post-pubescent person about fetal development until society develops a new consensus that when a fetus becomes sentient, abortion is a type of murder and should be punished appropriately.  Two wrongs do not make a right.

“You created my inmost being, You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am wonderfully made… My frame was not hidden from you
When I was made in the secret place… Your eyes saw my unformed body.”

(Psalms 139:13-16, cf. Exodus 20:13)

“Thou shalt… Love thy baby…”

Baptism

At the moment of conversion/repentance or accepting Christ Jesus as Lord (ACTS 20:21), Jesus’ Holy Spirit (HS) enters the convert’s heart (RV 3:20), plugging the person into the power of God, which moment is called “baptism by the Spirit” (SB, 1CR 12:13).  Confusion may arise from the fact that Paul says there is only one baptism (EPH 4:5), but elsewhere the NT seems to refer to two types of baptism: one by water (WB) and another by the HS (MT 3:11, JN 1:26-33, ACTS 1:5).  Any confusion is resolved by understanding that the two types of baptism are harmonized if WB is viewed as a symbolic way of portraying SB.  (Most Bibles have a footnote for MK 16:9-20 saying that the passage is not a reliable or well-attested part of the NT canon, so it is problematic to cite v.16 as requiring water baptism for salvation along with drinking poison or handling asps as signs of being saved.)

Again, at the moment of repentance/acceptance, God’s HS enters believers’ spiritual hearts (RV 3:20), uniting them with God as heavenly Father (RM 8:9) and identifying them with Christ’s worldwide/catholic body or church (CL 1:18), which is called spiritual rebirth (JN 3:3-8) or SB (1CR 12:13).  Paul referred to the comparable moment for Abraham as spiritual circumcision.  Instead of commanding WB for salvation, Paul said in one place (RM 10:9-10) that a convert should confess “with your mouth” in order to be saved, even though elsewhere (EPH 2:8-9) he taught that one is saved by faith.

Both outward confession and WB may be seen as works manifesting love for God that every new Believer will want to (but we cannot say “must”) perform as soon as possible following his/her decision to have saving faith (cf. MT 3:13-15, ACTS 2:38). Although Paul did not command WB, he administered it (in ACTS 16:33, 18:8, 19:5 & 1CR 1:114-16) even though he said Christ did not send him to baptize but to preach the gospel (1CR 1:17). IOW, Paul’s focus was on preaching (SB) and he probably left WB to his assistants.

The outward evidence that someone is Spirit-filled (EPH 5:18) or walking with God is the manifestation of the fullness of Christ (EPH 3:19, 4:13) or fruit of the Spirit, which consists of such attributes as those listed in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Jesus said “All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another” (JN13:35, 1JN 4:7-21), because “love” sums up the moral character of God (1JN 4:7-8). He did NOT say “…if you are water baptized.”

In summary:  1. John’s WB that signified repentance was superseded by Christ’s SB (per Matt. 3:11, cf. Rom. 5:5, 1Cor. 12:13).
2. WB continued to signify SB (in Acts 2:38 & 10:48), which is the understanding by modern Baptists.
3. At no time was the washing with water essential, but rather it is faith in Christ’s atonement (1Peter 3:21) that satisfies GRFS.
4. Apparently, WB replaced circumcision as the outward rite/work signifying saving faith (Rom. 2:28-29, 3:21-26 & 4:1-5:1).

Biblical Inspiration

Those who view the biblical canon as inspired by God disagree about what this means.  Some people speak as though God dictated every word of the Bible to the human writers, which causes many atheists to be confused, because they do not realize that the dictation theory has several caveats, such as that it refers to the original manuscripts (which we do not have) correctly interpreted.  And the key to correct interpretation is NOT viewing the Bible as a modern science or history textbook, but rather as concerned with communicating God’s will to humanity regarding His requirement for salvation:  THAT is what is inerrant!

The salvationist view of inspiration seems more logical than the dictationist view according to the following train of thought:  Suppose God Himself wrote the inerrant message to humanity: “Thou shalt not lie, steal, murder or fornicate.”  Suppose the first manuscript copier accidentally left out the comma between lie and steal.  Would that invalidate God’s commandment?  No, but it is still a mistake and no longer perfectly inerrant.  Now suppose an evil copier intentionally changed the word fornicate to fumigate.  Would that invalidate God’s commandment?  Not all of it; only the changed word.  How could we know which word or words were correct and not changed?  We would need to compare the commandment with other statements purported to be inspired by God in order to see what is the overall or consistent message, so that we can acquire sufficient evidence to have reasonable belief that the word fumigate should be discounted.

Finally, suppose that no one changed God’s original commandment.  How could we know absolutely or infallibly that it was inerrant?  We could not; we walk by faith.  We would still need to compare it with the totality of truth in order to discover whether there were any inconsistencies.  Thus, a completely inerrant Bible is not needed, as long as there is sufficient consistency in God’s messages to humanity via the creation (TOJ #4), the scriptures (TOJ #3), the incarnate word (TOJ #186) and logic (TOJ #182) for souls to discern God’s requirement for salvation.

Inspiration is like a river:  God determines its banks so that the overall revelation each generation along its banks has includes truth sufficient regarding salvation (kerygma), but God allows the river of revelation to have eddies or discrepancies or minor errors that do not prevent God’s purpose from being accomplished (IS 55:10f, 1PT 1:10-12, HB 11:2-12:2).

Questions:

Is the Bible verbally inspired?     Various versions were inspired by revelation of God’s Word.
Is the Bible literally true?     Yes, in literal passages, and metaphorically true in allegorical parables.
Is the Bible sufficiently inerrant?     Yes, when interpreted correctly by fallible folks. (cf. HB 1:1-2)

We learn about OT foreshadowing, prefiguring, the proto-gospel, analogy and allegory from reading the Bible, which are an aspect of hermeneutics that harmonizes some of the OT & NT (Cf. Col. 2:17, Heb. 8:5 & 10:1, Gal. 4:24-31, John 16:25, Rom. 10:13-18, Col. 1:23, Gal. 3:8 and the parables of Jesus.)
Such Scriptures teach us to view at least some OT groups and events or stories analogically or allegorically.

How can apparent contradictions in Scripture be resolved?

JM 2:24 justified by faith with works                     faith produces fruit (v. 14-19)
RM 3:28 justified by faith apart from law              faith is followed by fruit (GL 5:6, EPH 2:10)

LK 23:46 last words were “Father, into…”           Jesus said both, but witnesses heard or remembered
JN 19:30 last words were “It is finished.”             only one.

 MK 10:46 a blind man                                         There were two, but MK witness saw or remembered
MT 20:30 two blind men                                       only one.

 2SM 24:1 Lord incited David                              God allowed Satan to incite David.
1CHR 21:1 Satan incited David

 GN 2:17 die on day sin is committed                  “die” refers to spiritual death or separation from God
GN 5:5 lived 930 years before dying

 GN 20:11-12 Sarah is Abraham’s half sister       law was not given until time of Moses
LV 20:17 brother should not marry sister

 JN 20:22 disciples received the Holy Spirit          received is not necessarily filling
ACTS 2:1-4 disciples were filled by the H.S.

 MT 5:44 love your enemies                                the latter speaks of not being pleased
MT 7:1 the Lord hated Esau

 

Biomedical Ethics

On issues of biomedical ethics, including artificial insemination, cloning, euthanasia, and genetic engineering, I have only a few comments to contribute.  The main arguments against genetic engineering are that experimentation might result in the accidental creation of an incurable disease or its products might be misused.  However, when new learning has potential for good, until it is probable that misuse would greatly harm humanity, it seems worth the risks for society to promote the right use of learning while outlawing and guarding against its misuse.  A person’s identity resides in the brain, so it does not matter whether body parts are obtained via procreation or transplantation.

It is good (reasonable) to help a husband and wife with fertilization.  However, artificial reproductive methods should preserve biblical family values (husband and wife).  Although human frailty results in divorce, single parenting, step relationships, adoption, etcetera, the higher goal of functional marriage should be attempted as plan A.  It would be wonderful (moral) if genetic research found cures for diseases, but it should not cause the termination of a sentient fetus in the womb.  (See Abortion.)  Passive euthanasia or the decision by a person not to use extraordinary means to prolong his/her agony is neither murder nor suicide.  It is what society used to call the natural death that is as inevitable as taxes.  Is it reasonable for people to feel entitled to extraordinarily expensive treatment?  Of course, determining the line between ordinary and extraordinary is problematic and mutable.  Ordinary (the black) would surely include treatment of minor illnesses, and extraordinary (the white) would be multi-million dollar procedures.  Physicians and politicians have to decide where to draw the line (in the gray area) fairly.

Buddhism

Questions exist regarding the relation between Buddhism and Christianity.  Here are some comparisons regarding their lives and teachings.

Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, of an Aryan, Hindu Rajah in India about 563 B.C.  //                 Christ was born Jesus, son of Joseph and Mary, in a Judean stable about 4 B.C.

Gautama married at an early age, and had one son at the time of his Great Renunciation.        //                Jesus never married, and when twelve he announced his calling of obedience to his heavenly Father.

Gautama studied the Vedas and Hindu wisdom under Brahman teachers,     //                                      Jesus probably studied the Hebrew scriptures and possibly was aware of Indian religions.

Gautama practiced severe self-mortification and was tempted by the evil mara to give up his quest, //  Jesus when about thirty years old began public ministry after being tempted by the devil.

Gautama attained enlightenment and became a Buddha.                  //                                                     Jesus became award of being chosen by God to be His Son and Messiah.

Hinduism had been developed by the priests into a burdensome sacrificial and ritual system.  //                Judaism had been developed by the priests into a burdensome sacrificial and ritual system.

Buddha’s mission was to reinterpret or give it new meaning.                    //                                        Christ’s mission was to reinterpret or fulfill the Law and the Prophets.

Buddha first gathered a handful of  disciples, to whom he preached his first sermon                 //             Christ first called a dozen disciples, to whom he preached his sermon on the kingdom of heaven.

Buddha taught the doctrine of the Middle Way described four great truths:      //
Christ taught about the kingdom of righteousness, saying “Blessed are those know they need God.”

Buddha said that life is full of pain,                      //                       He
the cause of suffering is craving, desire can be                  //                    described two great truths: the law of love
done away with, and the way is the Eightfold                      //                   and salvation by faith.  Faith involves
Path, which essentially is right knowledge and                    //                   repentance from sinful behavior and
right behavior.                                                                      //                    knowing Jesus as Messiah/Christ.

For 45 years Buddha travelled in India,                               //                   For three years Jesus travelled in Palestine,
preaching, founding monastic orders and                           //                    preaching, healing and counseling. He
counseling. He followed a pattern of work                          //                    He followed a pattern of work and prayer.
and meditation three times a day. He died at                      //                   At about the age of 33, he was crucified,
the age of 80, possibly from eating poisonous                    //                   buried, and resurrected from the dead to be
mushrooms. His body was cremated, and his                     //                   with God until his Second Coming.  After
ashes were divided among ten stupas. After                      //                    his death, many people began to worship
his death, many people began to worship him                    //                    him as God the Son.
as a god.

At first, Buddhism was considered just                               //                     At first Christianity was considered just
another sect of Hinduism. It was a missionary                   //                     another sect of Judaism. It was evangelistic,
religion, and its method was preaching. Its                        //                     and its method was preaching the Gospel.
original message concerned the way to end                      //                    The old message concerning obedience of
suffering, but it came to emphasize faith in                       //                      God’s law became “accept Jesus as Lord.”
the Dhamma. Emperor Asoka (264-227 B.C.)                   //                    The apostle Paul undertook missionary trips
sponsored missionary efforts to Egypt, Syria,                   //                     to Asia Minor, Greece and Italy, and others
Macedonia and throughout the Far East.                          //                     went to Africa and India.

Two schools developed: the Theravada                           //                     Two schools developed: the Roman
(later known as the Hinayana), which taught                    //                     Catholic, which taught the authority of
moral philosophy for the few; and the Mahayan               //                     the RC church/Pope; and Protestantism,
(greater raft), which taught worship of the Buddha           //                    which taught the Bible and included many
and salvation for the world.  Buddhism died out               //                      denominations in America. Christianity
in India, but elsewhere it has spread until it is one           //                      died out in Israel, but it became one of the
of the world’s largest religions. Its earliest scripture         //                      world’s largest religions. Its new canon
is the Pali canon, written about 25 B.C. in Ceylon.          //                       was written from 65-125 A.D.

Ultimate reality is beyond our finite conception.               //                     God is beyond complete comprehension, but
He communicates His will sufficiently.
Man is reborn until he reaches enlightenment.                //                      Man must be reborn spiritually once.

Morality operates according to cause and effect.            //                Morality operates according to love and justice.
The worst sin is ignorance, and a man is                        //                  The root of sin is rebellion against God, who
punished by his sins.                                                       //                  consigns evil people to just consequences.

Motive is more important than the deed.                        //                    God judges thoughts, which motivate deeds.

The day of judgment is at all times for everyone.           //                  Everyone will be resurrected to judgment at the eschaton.
Happy is the man who is full of love for all things.          //                    Happy is the man who loves everyone in the world.

Hurt none by word or deed which pains yourself.          //                     Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Calvinism

The controversial part of Calvinism is what is called the TULIP dogma, which is discussed below in the topic of Election.  It is the belief (based upon the beliefs of Augustine of Hippo regarding predestination) that God determines everything including human wills.  Its fallacy is failure to acknowledge that God is just (2THS 1:6) and loves everyone (JN 3:16).  It also fails to understand that limited moral volition is requisite for human personality.  The opposing view was Arminianism, which is now updated and called the Moral Free Will (MFW) doctrine.  It teaches that God neither causes souls to do evil and be condemned nor elects in an unfair or irresistible way some to repent and be saved.  If God did predetermine souls, He would choose everyone to be saved (1TM 2:3-4), which is called Universalism.  Atheists also may believe in determinism by natural, physical laws.

Creation

An issue that is continuing to be debated in our society is how the scientific theory of the beginning of the world jibes with the biblical story in the first eleven chapters of Genesis.  The Big Bang theory says that all matter in the universe at the beginning was compacted into a “singularity” the size of a marble before it exploded and began an expansion that apparently will continue for eternity.  The Genesis account says God spoke the world/marble into existence.  Evolution theory says that life evolved from nonliving ingredients that became the various species over billions of years, whereas Genesis says God created the species in seven “days” without describing how or really specifying how long.  In 2 Peter 3:8, it says “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day”, so presumably “billion” could be substituted for “thousand” in that verse.  Thus, there is no scriptural reason to insist that the “days” in GN 1 must refer to literal 24-hour periods.

Regarding humanity, current scientific research indicates that all people descended from one couple.  Genesis has two accounts of the beginning of humanity.  In the first one, it teaches that mankind, both male and female, were created in God’s image without describing how it was done.  In the second one, it says a man was created first and then a woman from his side.  It names the man Adam, meaning “man”, and the woman Eve, meaning living”.

A view combining both biblical and scientific information is that God created the world, apparently using billions of years (theistic evolutionism), and that Adam and Eve (however they were created) were the first human souls, because they not only had self-awareness but also God-consciousness and conscience (per GN 3:7) and thus moral responsibility for their sins.  A partial solution to this controversy is to mandate that schools teach scientific facts supporting creation as well as evolution.

Evolutionism, the belief that the current biosphere (life on earth) developed from nonliving ingredients during the course of billions of years, has some fossil evidence or support, but it should acknowledge gaps and its lack of predictive value.  It is possible that God created organisms via evolutionary means, because the biblical account of creation taking only one week need not be interpreted literally (2PT 3:8) or as contradicting an evolutionary scale of time.

Criminal Justice

The current system of criminal justice in this country (U.S.) sometime seems to be more criminal than just.  If I could, I would try to reform the system in the following way.  The key element in my suggestion is for special federal courts to assess a monetary restitution and identify the victim(s) for every felony crime, including murder.  The punishment for people convicted of crimes would be to work for the minimum wage ten hours per day and six days per week.  Their wages would be garnisheed 100% and sent to their victim(s) until the restitution was paid.  Of course, no one could pay the penalty from other funds, so the length of the sentence is determined automatically. This system eliminates plea-bargaining, parole, innocent by reason of insanity and death row.  It does not eliminate the need for lawyers, but their role would be changed to determining guilt and the just consequence/ restitution.  Anyone who intentionally withheld information pertinent to establishing the truth and a fair penalty would be culpable of a crime.

The intent of this system is to maximize the probability of reforming criminals.  The assessed restitution would be minimal on the assumption that the prisoner would reform until their behavior indicates otherwise.  To the initial restitution would be added a uniform (system-wide) surcharge (based on the length of the sentence) to partially recover the costs involved in rehabilitating a prisoner:  food, lodging, job training, counseling, supervision, etc.  Ten percent of the surcharge would be put in a savings account, which the prisoner would be able to access when he/she is discharged. The living situation would approximate as close as practical what the prisoner would need to function as a law-abiding citizen, including an efficiency apartment type of cell, so that the prisoner would do his/her own cooking and laundry.  If a prisoner refused to work, then he/she would not be paid and thus the sentence would be lengthened.

Prisoners who failed to reform but instead damaged property, injured people or committed some other illegal act would have the restitution for that crime added to their original sentence.  They may be viewed as committing suicide by degrees.  When their misbehavior results in a sentence of 100 years, they would be allowed to complete their suicide or be executed.  Of course, deciding on a crime’s just restitution for the myriad extenuating circumstances would require the wisdom of Solomon, as it does in the present system.

Economic Assistance

Jesus once stated that “the poor you will always have with you” (MT 26:11).  However, He also taught us to “give to the poor” (MT 19:21).  These verses suggest that we should do our best to alleviate, if not completely eliminate, the problems related to poverty.  We know that “You shall not steal” (EX 20:15) is the eighth of the Ten Commandments (TOJ #110).  Yet, implicit in the command of Jesus is that if the rich share their wealth, then people will not need to steal in order to survive.  The apostle Paul synthesized these two commands in Ephesians 4:28, saying:  “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”  Another command (in 2THS 3:10) states:  “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”  Paul also states (in 1TM 5:8):  “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” And again, he wrote: “Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.” (2CR 8:13)  Equality does not require uniformity or conformity or a communist system, which often has resulted in a smaller pie to share, but rather that every person should have an equal opportunity to earn a living.   Sewing these verses together with spiritual thread, we can discern that the will of God is for people who are able to work to seek employment, so that earning a fair wage will provide at least the basic necessities plus something (a tithe or tenth per Malachi 3:8-10) left over for charity.

Full employment at a livable wage is a wonderful goal; the problem is how to achieve it.  On one side of the debate are those who seem to believe that government can solve the problem of poverty by giving people welfare in one form or another.  On the other side of the issue are those who stress that every able-bodied adult should work and support themselves without charity (sometimes called workfare).  The “welfarists” criticize the “workfarists” for an apparent lack of sympathy for the poor, while the “workfarists” say the “welfarists” create permanent dependency by the poor.  The area of agreement by both sides surely includes the fact that people sometimes experience financial misfortunes beyond their control and need help.  Perhaps most people would agree that the need for help often exceeds the capabilities of many families and private agencies, so there is a need for government to do something, but what should wise governments do to encourage industry and discourage laziness?

It seems reasonable that governments should encourage employers to pay workers a wage that will provide at least a subsistence level of living (including food, clothes and shelter) plus ten percent (a “tithe”) for a family of four people.  Parents should not procreate more children than they can afford to support.  It seems reasonable for a typical work week to be no more than six days (then a “Sabbath”), and for a typical work day to be no more than ten hours (although MT 20:1-8 speaks of sunrise to sunset), so that workers have enough time to rest and be with their families.

My idea about how governments might help people find jobs utilizes the concept of indentured employment is as follows.  Every county seat and large town would have a job assistance office, and all of these would be connected by a nationwide computer system.  People could apply for a job anywhere in the country, and the federal government and hiring business would split the costs of relocation and training for those below a qualifying amount of assets.  In return the employee would have to commit to some minimum time of employment (similar to the contract rules of the National Football League).  During the term of the contract, the employee’s tithe (the amount of the minimum wage that is above subsistence level) would be garnisheed until the hiring costs were reimbursed up to some limit that corresponded to the length of the contract.  (Assuming a minimum wage of $5 per hour for 10 hours per day for six days per week, the subsistence level income would be $300 per week or $15,600 per year plus ten percent.  If the cost of hiring were $500, the maximum indentured term would be about 3.2 years at the rate of the garnisheed tithe of $156 per year.)

The federal government would insure the contract and reimburse employers if an indentured employee wanted to quit before the costs associated with their hiring were recouped.  Quitters would not be eligible for welfare; they would have to accept another job, unless they could support themselves some other legal way.  (Of course, those who resorted to crime in order to make a living would be punished with a just penalty.)  The amount of hiring costs owed from their previous job would be added to the new contract.  Ideally, this program would be self-supporting, but it may need to be subsidized by the federal budget, so that the minimum wage and cost of living would be equivalent for everyone in the country.  Surely the cost of helping people become productive workers should be much less than that of welfare.  This program would only guarantee job opportunities for legal citizen independent adults.  It would provide tax incentives that reward companies who have profit-sharing (and loss-sharing for CEOs), healthcare, retirement plans, and other benefits such as those mentioned previously.

Gambling

The Bible does not teach about gambling or any recreational use of money directly, even though it was a common activity, which indicates that it is not necessarily or always wrong.  However, the Bible does speak against greed (LK 12:15, CL 3:5, etc.), laziness (MT 25:26, TIT 1:12, etc.) irresponsibility (1TM 5:8), and addiction (EPH 5:18), which means the amount spent on gambling should be no greater than what a person would spend on affordable, occasional recreational activities, such as bowling, camping or going to a movie.  Of course, this would put “sin cities” out of business.

Gender Roles and Rights

The biological differences between males and females logically differentiate the roles of fathers and mothers at least through the end of breast feeding children.  I believe the Bible permits any roles not dictated by anatomical differences to be performed by either gender.  Genesis 1:27 states that males and females are equally in God’s image, and Paul taught (in GL 3:28) that cultural, economic and sexual discrimination are wrong.  Thus, men and women (as well as all ethnicities) should have equal political rights and job opportunities.

Regarding the role of women as church leaders, the biblical “one flesh” definition of marriage implies that the wife of a pastor would ipso facto be a pastoress and the wives of deacons would be deaconesses, because it seems likely that God would want husband and wife to share the same ministry, as in the case of Aquila and Priscilla (ACTS 18:26).  Paul’s description of the husband as the “head” of his wife (1CR 11:3) does not negate such joint ministry.  The ministry of Deborah in the OT (JG 4:4) also sets a precedent.  Because both Jesus and Paul recommended celibacy for those who have that gift, presumably unmarried Christian women may also be ministers.  Note that Christ’s concept of leadership is servanthood rather than dictatorial authority (MT 20:26, cf. 1PT 5:1-3).  Thus, Paul’s statements about women being silent in church and not having authority over men (in 1CR 14:34 & 1TM 2:12) should be read in conjunction with his statements regarding equality and mutual submission (GL 3:28 & EPH 5:21, cf. 1PT 3:7) so the role differences can be understood in a way that neither prohibits ministry by women nor promotes the superiority of men.  Paul did not want freedom in Christ to offend the pagan culture (TIT 2:5&8) and thereby inhibit the gospel.

The status of women is addressed in the following Scriptures:

Galatians 3:28 teaches that men and women are equally saved.
Ephesians 5:21 teaches that men and women should be mutually submissive.
Genesis 2:22 indicates that Eve was Adam’s partner rather than his slave.
Genesis 3:6-7 indicates that Adam and Eve sinned together.

1Corinthians 14:34-35 indicates that there was some law against women
speaking authoritatively, perhaps referring to societal mores of the time,
which deemed such behavior to be “disgraceful” (cf. 1Timothy 2:11-12).

Homosexuality

There are two passages in the NT relevant to the issue of homosexuality.  In MT 19:4-5, Jesus cited GN 1:27 and 2:24 in teaching that marriage is the union of a male and female as “one flesh”, and in RM 1:26-27, Paul condemned homosexuality as shameful lusts, unnatural relations and indecent acts.  In addition to these biblical passages, the anatomical differences between male and female bodies indicate heterosexual intercourse is the natural mode.  Although the cause of gender preference remains unproved per the APA, the design of gender-specific parts implies the appropriate use of those parts as normal.

Although these passages indicate that God intends for people to be heterosexual, He allows homosexuality.  The key question is whether homosexuality is always due to sinful choices.  Some people advocate homosexuality as a “viable alternative lifestyle”, implying that heterosexuals ought to consider freely choosing to try it, which is wrong.   Christians whose homosexual orientation seems not to be freely chosen should agree with the biblical ideal regarding sexuality, and  everyone should acknowledge that homosexual “civil unions” are not biblical marriages.

Hopefully, science will find a cure if the cause of homosexuality is genetic, and therapy will help if the cause is environmental during the formative years of life.  We all have our cross to bear or issues that we struggle with, because this life is not heaven yet, but God wants to comfort us as we do the reasonable best we can with what we have been given.  (Consider the Parable of the Talents in MT 25:14-30).  If the homosexual orientation is genetically and/or environmentally caused rather than freely chosen, then God knows and would not condemn or blame the individual for what was not his/her fault.  All sin is volitional.

Those who are concerned with the morality of sexuality should have equally loving concern for hetero-sexual wrong-doing.  (See RM 1:24&26-27, 1CR 6:9&15-18, 10:8, GL 5:19, EPH 5:31, CL 3:5, 1THS 4:3, HB 12:13, 13:4.)  Just as God wants every heterosexual to have only platonic relationships until married, He must also desire every involuntary homosexual to have only platonic relationships.  A couple may “fall in love” and express friendship physically, but the line between friendly touching and sexual expression should not be crossed until they are married.  Biblical teachings do not prevent two men or two women loving each other and joining their lives together in civil unions or ways other than sexual.  In fact, in heaven we will all be one big, happy family which does just that.

What rights and privileges should be accorded civil unions is debatable, but benefits should be equal for comparable situations.  Benefits not justifiable on the basis of helping a parent to afford staying at home to raise children should be eliminated.  This leads to considering the issue of adoption of children by homosexuals.  Qualified (loving, functional) heterosexual married couples should be given first preference for adoption in order to aim at God’s “Plan A” regarding family structure in the NT:  a mom, a dad, one or more kids, and perhaps grandparents in the same home.  If there are no loving mom-dad couples available, or if one or both of the dyad dies, then less preferable family structures occur.

Another issue regarding civil unions is the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy practiced in the military, which seems reasonable for every type of occupation.  Perhaps there is no good reason any employer needs to know about the personal life of employees, and accidental disclosure of sexual orientation or activity should not be valid grounds for firing.

In summary, I think the preceding viewpoint is the best compromise on this issue where it is impossible not to impose one’s beliefs on someone else.  It is loving toward both homo- and hetero- sexuals.  Although sexuality is a good thing when expressed appropriately, often people exaggerate its importance to the point of making it an idol to be worshipped.  Sex is not synonymous with love.  (See the article below on Sexual Sin.)

Jews

Many people wonder about the status of Jews in God’s plan after the close of the New Testament era.  Below are statements by Jesus and Paul that are relevant to this question.

Per Jesus:

MT 7:21:  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

MT 8:11:  I say to you that many will come from the east and the west and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

MT 10:32:  Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven, but whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.

MT 11:6&13-14:  Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me… For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.

MT 13:14-15:  This people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes.  Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and I would heal them.

MT 21:43:  I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.

MT 23:37:  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you!  How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

MT 28:18-19a:  All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…

JN 6:40:  My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

JN 8:42, 44&56:  If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here.  I have not come on my own, but he sent me…  You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire.  He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him…  Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.

JN 10:16:  I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen.  I must bring them also.  They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

JN 12:48a & 49b:  There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words… for the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.

JN 16:1-2:  All this I have told you so that you will not go astray.  They will put you out of the synagogue.  In fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God.

Per Paul:

RM 1:1-5:  Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus… Through him we received apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.   (All passages may be condensed.)

RM 2:1-11, 23-29:  God will give to each person according to what he has done… There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile, but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For God does not show favoritism.

RM 2:23-29:  You (Jews) who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?  As it is written, “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”… A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.  No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart.

RM 3:1-9:  What advantage then is there in being a Jew?… First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God…  What shall we conclude then?  Are we (Jews) any better?  Not at all!  We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.

RM 3:20-30:  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his (God’s) sight by observing the law; rather through the law we become conscious of sin…   Where then is boasting?  It is excluded.  On what principle?  On that of observing the law?  No, but on that of faith.  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.  Is God the God of the Jews only?  Is he not the God of Gentiles too?  Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.

RM 4:16-18:  Therefore the promise (salvation) comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all of Abraham’s offspring–not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham.  He is the father of us all.  As it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations.”

RM 9:1-16:  I speak the truth in Christ…  I could wish myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel…  From them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised!  Amen.  It is not as though God’s word had failed, for not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.  Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children…  It is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.

RM 9:23-24 & 30-33:  What if he (God) did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory–even us whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?…  What then shall we say?  That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it.  Why not?  Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.  They stumbled over the “stumbling stone”.  As it is written, “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, but the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

RM 10:1&12-13:  Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved…  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile–the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

RM 11:1&7-8:  …Did God reject his people?  By no means!  I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham…  What then?  What Israel sought so earnestly it did not obtain, but the elect did.  The others were hardened.

RM 11:11-32:  Because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.  But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!  I am talking to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles.  I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them…  You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I may be grafted in.”  Granted, but they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith.  Do not be arrogant…  Otherwise, you also will be cut off.  And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in again…  Israel has experienced hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.  And so all Israel will be saved…  For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

RM 15:15-16:  God gave me (grace) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1CR 1:22-24:  Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks (Gentiles) look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified–a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ (is) the power of God and the wisdom of God.

EPH 2:11-22:  Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)–remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood (death) of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.

His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross…  Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

EPH 3:1-11:  For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles–Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation… that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus…

This grace was given to me:  to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.  His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

TIT 1:10-14:  There are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group (Jews).  They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach…  Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.

HB 3:3-6:  Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself…  Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future, but Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house.  (See HB 7:18-19,22&27; 8:6-8,13; 9:1,10,15,26b-28; 10:1&9b.)

Islam vs. Judeo-Christianity

The topic of this pericope is how to harmonize monotheism.

Islam is the belief that God’s will is most fully expressed by Mohammed in the Qur’an.  The Qur’an contains many moral and theological teachings that are compatible with the Judeo-Christian Bible (e.g., Surah 2, v.62, 83, 87, 89 & 256).  It is tragic that people who claim to serve God reject the NT Gospel.  

           Christianity is God’s bridge uniting monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, etc.) rather than a wall separating them.  This truth is derived from a statement by the apostle Paul (in 1Tim. 2:3-4) indicating that Yahweh/God/Allah loves all people and wants everyone to love each other as one happy spiritual family or fellowship, and He is grieved when people who claim to believe in Him quarrel (Eph. 4:30-31).  The apostle Paul indicated how Judaism and Christianity may be harmonized (in Rom. 2:28-29 & 4:16-17), and he revealed that the purpose of Judaism was to provide the Messiah for the possible salvation of all people (Rom. 3:21-31 & 9:4-5, Isa. 42:1-6, Gen. 22:18, Deut. 9:5-6).  Thus, Muslims should become Messianic (Christian), although they may choose to follow the old customs (Acts 15:5-29, Gal. 2:15-16).

          When Judaism was reformed by Jesus and his apostles, Paul taught (in Rom. 2:28-29, 4:16-17 & Gal. 3:29) that what matters is not the religion of our parents, but whether each of us has faith like Abraham in the one true God.  A spiritual Jew loves God (Deut. 6:4-5), a true Christian loves God and humanity (Matt. 22:37-40), and a genuine Muslim serves God by cooperating with His plan of salvation (Matt. 24:45 & 25:21).  Theists can be Jewish, Christian and Muslim, because Christianity is God’s solution/plan for peace in the world (Eph. 2:11-22).

         The purpose of Judaism was to provide the heritage for Messiah for the benefit of all people (Rom. 3:21-31, 9:4-5a, Isa. 42:1-6, Gen. 22:18, Deut. 9:5-6), and the intent of Islam (stated by the Qur’an in Surah 2:89) was “confirming” God’s previous revelations to the Jews and Christians (the OT & NT).  When Jews became Messianic, Paul and Peter agreed that they could follow the old Jewish customs that did not contradict faith in Jesus as Lord (Acts 15:5-29 & Gal. 2:15-16).  Because everything good and true is from God (Jam. 1:27), accepting Jesus as Messiah does not mean rejecting what is good and true in one’s pre-Christian experience or culture.

           However, the relationship between Jesus, Moses and Mohammed needs to be harmonized.  Paul wrote (in 1Tim. 2:5):  “For there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, the man Christ [Messiah] Jesus.”  This verse clearly indicates that the Christian concept known as the Trinity should not be understood as contradicting faith in one God.  Similarly, calling Messiah “God’s Son” should not be understood as contradicting the humanity of Jesus (Heb. 2:17), the one God ordained to die unjustly as payment of the penalty for the sins of humanity.  God relates to humanity in three primary ways:  as the Creator or Father over all, as the Holy Spirit (cf. Surah 2:87) within believers, and as the human Messiah/Jesus with humanity (Immanuel in Matt. 1:23).

          Thus, Muslims–like Jews–may accept Jesus as Messiah with the understanding that the Mosaic laws Islamic five pillars do not contradict the Christian gospel of salvation.  In the OT God established a covenant with Abraham (Gen. 15:18, 17:2) by which “all nations on earth will be blessed” (Gen. 8:18),   Jeremiah revealed that the Mosaic covenant would be superseded by a new covenant (Jer. 31:31, cf. Heb. 7:18-10:1), and Isaiah associated the new covenant with Messiah, “my chosen one”, who would also be “a light for the Gentiles” (Isa. 42:1,6&9, 49:5-6&8, 59:20-60:3, 61:1 & 62:2&11).  God’s “chosen people” potentially includes everyone in the world who satisfies His requirement for salvation by seeking truth and finding Messiah (Eph. 2:11-3:6, Rom. 10:1-11:32).  [Whether or not the physical nation of Israel will play some political role before the end/eschaton is another issue.]

In Eph. 3:1-6, note that world peace through the gospel of Christ was a “mystery” until Paul received a divine revelation.  As Paul wrote in 1Cor. 2:7-8, “We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”  Thus, although with hindsight we can see how Old Testament scriptures foreshadowed Christ, we should not expect that they specifically prophesied the gospel (although Isaiah 53 is quite impressive).  In summary, the evidence of accepting God’s will and cooperating with Him is manifesting love for everyone including enemies, which is the opposite of that held by those claiming to believe in God/Allah who are grieving Him by terrorizing humanity.

Migration

Since KOTH is surely not God’s will, what is His will regarding migration. What biblical teachings are applicable?

The Bible mentions the migration of Cain (in GN 4:12 & 16) and migrations following the building of the tower at Babel (in GN 11:1-9).  Secular histories cite migrations by unknown peoples that established civilizations near the mouths of the Indus, Nile and Euphrates rivers, followed by Akkadians invading the Sumerians and Aryans invading India about 2270 B.C.  Abram migrated from Mesopotamia (per GN 12:1-10), then Israel settled in Canaan (GN 35:1-21 & 46:1-7) about the time Sumeria was conquered by Amorites, then Kassites. Moses led the Israelites from Egypt to Canaan (EX 13:17-20, 15:22-16:1, 17:1, 19:1-2, 33:1-2, NM 21:10-31 & NM 33).

NM 33 instructs the Israelites to drive out all of the inhabitants of Canaan so that their idolatry would not give them trouble. NM 35:33-34 tells them not to pollute or defile the land with bloodshed, so apparently driving out was not supposed to be by means of murder.  Listing the history of migrations merely documents that KOTH was the way it always occurred, so now let us consider how the migration to America by Europeans should have been done in accordance with God’s Will.

We begin with the only hint we have had thus far—the proscription against bloodshed/murder. A NT principle that can be applicable is MT 7:12, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” An OT one is EX 20:15, “You shall not steal.” These two commands indicate that when people migrate they must do so with the intention of compensating the owners of the new land rather than of conquering them by means of violence.

Another critical migration that needs to be evaluated is when Jews moved to Palestine following WWII. It began with war or KOTH that has continued ever since. It would seem that God’s will would have been for the Jews to purchase land from Palestinians and obtain a legal deed. Besides being peaceful, it probably would have been cheaper in the long run to pay them $10,000 per acre!

This brings us to consider the migration occurring over the U.S. borders. In this case there is a line of people seeking to enter by a vetting process, so what justification can there be for people to cut in line by stealing across the border illegally? The right of an individual home owner to require entrants to be invited seems applicable to a nation regarding control of its borders.

God loves everyone in the world (JN 3:16) and includes all kinds of people in His plan of salvation (GAL 3:28-29, 1TM 2:3-4).  Thus, we all have equal rights, which need to be respected as people move about planet Earth.  There is no justification for feeling superior to anyone of a different nationality or civilization.  As we have mentioned, migration needs to occur without murder or stealing (MT 19:18).  Selfishness by those who have something does not justify stealing by those who lack and desire it.  Two wrongs do not make a right.  However, the rich should share (2CR 8:14). Those who have an abundance of land or material possessions should realize they have no divine right to hoard it, but on the contrary they have a divine command from God to be compassionate toward the poor.

Paul teaches that those who are able should work (2THS 3:10), so a valid reason for migration would seem to be in order to look for a job.  Other considerations include the need to practice birth control in order to be good stewards of the planet and not over-populate or pollute our world.  Also, good governors and employers are needed, who will legislate opportunity and pay fairly.

Mormonism

Questions exist concerning whether Mormonism is a cult rather than a denomination of Christianity.  Here are excerpts from “The Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints”.

1. Containing revelations given to Joseph Smith, the prophet, with some additions by his successors in the Presidency of the Church, Copyright 1921 by Helen J. Grant, Trustee in Trust.  [title page]

2. [The first revelation to Joseph Smith] took place in the early spring of 1820… Many revelations followed, in preparation for the re-establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ on earth… On September 24, 1834, at a meeting of the High Council in Kirtland, Ohio, a committee… was constituted to publish the revelations… [explanatory introduction]

3. Section 1.  Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, during a special conference of Elders… held at Hiram, Ohio, November 1, 1831… This section constitutes the Lord’s Preface to the doctrines, covenants, and commandments given in this dispensation. [p.1]

4. …my servant Joseph Smith… [to whom was given] power to lay the foundation of this church… the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth. [p.3]

5. For although a man may have many revelations… [if he] sets at naught the counsels of God… he must fall and incur the vengeance of a just God. [p.4]

6. And when thou [Smith] deliverdst up that which God had given thee sight and power to translate, thou deliverdst up that which was sacred into the hands of a wicked man. [p.5]

7. As many as repent and are baptized in my name, which is Jesus Christ, and endure to the end, the same shall be saved. [p.25]

8. God… created man [but man became fallen]… wherefore, the Almighty God gave his Only Begotten Son… He was crucified, died, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven.. to reign with almighty power according to the will of the Father. [p.31]

9. Father, Son and Holy Ghost are one God, infinite, and eternal… And we know that justification… [and] sanctification through the grace of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ is just and true… But there is a possibility that we may fall from grace. [p.31]

10. It must needs be that the devil should tempt the children of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves…[but] power is not given unto Satan to tempt little children, until they begin to become accountable. [p.46]

11. The Book of Mormon and the holy scriptures are given of me for your instruction… And there are none that doeth good except those who are ready to receive the fullness of my gospel, which I have sent forth… by the hand of my servant Joseph. [p.50&52]

12. My servants Sidney, and Parley, and Leman… you shall go and preach my gospel… unto the Shakers… [for] whoso forbiddeth to marry is not ordained of God, for… it is lawful that he should have one wife. [p.77-78]

13. Let that which belongeth to this people not be taken and given unto that of another church… let the bishop appoint a storehouse unto this church. [p.82]

14. The land of Missouri… is the land of promise, and the place for the city of Zion… is now called Independence… wherefore, it is wisdom that the land should be purchased. [p.89]

15. He that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land. [p.91]

16. Shake off the dust of thy feet against those who receive thee not, not in their presence, lest though provoke them, but in secret. [9.97]

17. Children shall be baptized for the remission of their sins when eight years old. [p.112]

18. Section 76.  A vision… Prefacing his record of this vision the Prophet wrote:  “From sundry revelations which had been received, it was apparent that many important points touching the revelation of man had been taken from the bible, or lost before it was compiled. [p.121]

19. These are they [the church of the Firstborn who have received the fullness of the Father] whose bodies are celestial… These are they who receive of his glory, but not of his fullness… Wherefore, they are bodies terrestrial… these are they [the telestial] who received not the gospel of Christ… who shall not be redeemed form the devil until the last resurrection. [p.125]

20. For whoso is faithful unto the obtaining these two priesthoods [Melchizedek and Aaronic]… they become the sons of Moses… and the elect of God. [p.137]

21. The body hath need of every member… that the system may be kept perfect. [p.141]

22. Prophecy on war, given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, December 25, 1832… behold, the southern States shall be divided against the Northern States, and… slaves shall rise up against their masters. [p.144]

23. A Word of Wisdom… strong drinks are not for the belly… tobacco is not for the body, neither for the belly… and again, hot drinks are not for the body or belly. [p.154]

24. Thus saith the Lord [to Joseph Smith]… the keys of this kingdom shall never be taken from you, while thou art in the world, neither in the world to come. [p.155]

25. It is not needful that the Apocrypha should be translated. [p.158]

26. Man was also in the beginning with God… for man is spirit.  The elements are eternal… the elements are the tabernacle of God. [p.160]

27. I, the Lord, justify you… in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land. [p.167]

28. If men will smite you… if thou rewardest him according to his works thou art justified. [p.168]

29. In case of difficulty respecting doctrine… the president may inquire and obtain the mind of the Lord by revelation. [p.179]

30. Whoso is not willing to lay down his life for my sake is not my disciple. [p. 181]

31. If any man shall… impart not his portion, according to the law of my gospel, unto the poor and the needy, he shall, with the wicked, lift up his eyes in hell. [p.183-184]

32. Talk not of judgment, neither boast of faith nor of mighty works, but carefully gather together, as much in one region as can be, consistently with the feelings of the people… until the army of Israel becomes very great. [p.189]

33. There are, in the church, two priesthoods, namely the Melchizedek and Aaronic… called the lesser priesthood. [p.191-192]

34. We therefore ask thee to… cause that the remnants of Jacob… be converted… to the fullness of the everlasting gospel. [p.202]

35. Thus shall my church be called in the last days, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [p.209]

36. All those who gather unto the land of Zion shall be tithed of their surplus properties, and shall observe this law, or they shall not be found worthy to abide among you. [p.212]

37. Build a house to my name… for a baptismal font there is not upon the earth, that they, my saints, may be baptized for those who are dead. [p.221]

38. The Lord ordained and prepared before the foundation of the world the ordinance of baptism for the dead for the salvation of the dead who should die without knowledge of the gospel. [p.232]

39. The idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man’s heart is an old sectarian notion… the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s. [p.238]

40. In the celestial glory there are three heavens or degrees, and in order to obtain the highest, man must enter into… the new and everlasting covenant of marriage. [p.238]

41. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine. [p.239]

42. I reveal unto you a new and an everlasting covenant, and if ye abide not that covenant, then are ye damned… the conditions of this law are these:  All covenants… that are not made and entered into and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise… through the medium of mine anointed… my servant Joseph… are of no efficacy, virtue or force in after the resurrection.  [p.239-240]

43. Therefore, if a man marry him a wife… not by me nor by my word… when they are out of the world they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are appointed angels… to minster for those who are worthy of a far more, and an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory. [p.240-241]

44. If a man marry a wife by my word, which is my law, and by the new and everlasting covenant, and it is sealed unto them by the Holy Spirit of promise, by him who is anointed… then shall they be gods, because they have all power. [p.241]

45. This is eternal lives—to know the only wise and true God, and Jesus Christ, whom he hath sent.  I am he.  Receive ye, therefore, my law… and ye shall be saved. [p.242]

46. Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness… David also received many wives and concubines… by the hand of Nathan, my servant.  [p.243]

47. If any man espouse a virgin, and desire to espouse another, and the first give her consent… then he is justified, he cannot commit adultery… And if he have ten virgins given unto him by this law, he cannot commit adultery, for they are given unto him to multiply and replenish the earth. [p.245]

48. We do not believe it just to mingle religious influence with civil government, whereby one religious society is fostered… We do not believe that any  religious society has authority to try men on the right of property or life. [p.250-251]

49. To seal the testimony of this book and the Book of Mormon, we announce the martyrdom of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and Hyrum Smith the Patriarch.  They were shot in Carthage jail, on the 27^th of June, 1844, about five o’clock p.m., by an armed mob—painted black—of from 150 to 200 persons… Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man. [p.252]

50. It was needful that he [Joseph Smith] should seal his testimony with his blood, that he might be honored and the wicked might be condemned… Now, however, hearken, O ye people of my church… be diligent in keeping all my commandments… So no more at present.  Amen and Amen.  [p.256-end]

Politics

Biblical values related to political issues with a brief explanation:

1. Genesis 1:27a: “God created humanity in his own image; in the image of God he created humans…”

This citation has two applications in current politics. (a) First, it affirms that God exists, so humanity should not be atheistic or idolatrous. Thus, politics should not contradict or inhibit faith in God. (b) Second, it indicates that humans are like God, most likely (given the moral commands beginning with the forbidden fruit in GN 2:16-17) in their moral capacity or ability and thus responsibility to cooperate with God’s moral will. Logically, the first sin was choosing NOT to doubt the Devil (GN 3:4-5). Thus, politicians and voters are accountable to God for their views and actions.

2. Genesis 1:27b and 2:24: “…male and female God created humanity… For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

These verses teach two truths. (a) There are only two sexes, and (b) Heterosexual marriage is the moral norm for physical relations (reaffirmed by Jesus in MT 19:4-6, cf. Paul in RM 1:24-27). Thus, any deviant desire should be viewed as abnormal and a mental illness (if not intentional) in need of a cure.

3. Genesis 9:6: “Whoever sheds the blood of man [murders], by man shall his blood be shed.”

This commandment indicates that execution is the appropriate penalty for murder. This principle is restated more broadly in DT 19:21, “Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot”. Thus, there should be very good justification for showing pity or the mercy indicated by Jesus’ beatitude (in MT 5:7), “Blessed are the merciful”. This should not be misinterpreted, because Jesus also said, “Repent” (MT 4:17). Harmonizing such moral teachings must be done prayerfully, keeping in mind that although God’s love is unconditional (JN 3:16, RM 5:8), God’s grace is conditional upon repentance, so that forgiveness does not abet sinful behavior (HB 10:26-27).

4. Exodus 3:7&10, 5:1 (condensed): “The Lord said, ‘I have seen the misery of my peopl because of their slavery’… So now, go to Pharaoh and say ‘Let my people go’”.

Slavery has been common throughout human history, but this verse suggests that it should not be miserable or permanent. Paul’s instructions (in EPH 6:5-9, cf. PHL v.15-16) imply that God’s will is for people to work voluntarily for compassionate employers.

5. Exodus 20:3-17 (the Ten Commandments, condensed): “You shall NOT: (a) have other gods before me, (b) worship idols, (c) disrespect God, (d) forget the Sabbath day, (e) dishonor your parents, (f) commit murder, (g) commit extra-marital sexual intercourse (fornication) or (h) theft, (i) lie or give false testimony, (j) covet someone else’s wife or possessions.”

Most applications of the Ten Commandments are obvious, but we can note that a-c reiterate 1a, that d indicates the need for rest and worship, and that e assumes parents are honorable or moral. Also, f may include abortion, g implies anything that advocates fornication (e.g., pornography), and h implicitly includes usury, slavery and regressive taxation. Finally, i is especially relevant for politicians who try to cover up corruption, and j connotes the sinfulness of wrong desires as well as of harmful actions. (A New Testament list of sins is found in RM 1:28-32, cf. GL 5:19-21.)

6. Deuteronomy 30:19: “…I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice and hold fast to him…”

This verse states the moral choice implied in 1b and clarifies that God desires our eternal life and joy. It indicates that the means of attaining heaven includes loving God, learning God’s Word and persevering in saving faith.

7. 2 Chronicles 7:14 (condensed): “If my people will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, then I will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

The case of Sodom and Gomorrah (in GN 18:20-20:29) indicates that a moral minority may save a nation from destruction, but the story of Noah (GN 6-8) and New Testament prophecies suggest that relatively few may be saved from an ultimate Armageddon (RV 16:16, MT 24:21-22, 1CR 15:51-52, 1THS 4:16-5:1). However earthly politics and history may culminate, our responsibility is to “keep watch” or “be ready” by being faithful stewards of God (MT 24:42-46, cf. 25:13) until the end (MT 10:22 & 24:13).

8. Job 8:3 and 21:7: “Does God pervert justice?… Why do the wicked live on, increasing in power?”

The implied answers to these questions are “No” and “Because justice may be attained in hell.” As HB 9:27 states, “Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.” (Cf. 2THS 1:6-10.)

9. Psalms 2:1-2: Why do the nations rage… against the Lord’s Anointed One [Messiah]?”

Jesus answered this question (in JN 8:42-47) by saying that ungodly people serve Satan. Thus, political strife manifests spiritual struggle, stemming from the beginning belief and murder (GN 3:4-5 & 4:8) that will continue until the end (MT 24:6-14, RV 21:1-6). Thus, people may rage against God because the purpose of this life is that it is God’s test to allow souls to freely choose their ultimate destiny (cf. #6 & PS 81:7, HB 11:7 & 2CR 13:5).

Scriptures supporting the application of GW to the political sphere of life include these from MT:

MT 5:13-16, “You are the salt of the earth…  You are the light of the world… Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

MT6:9-13, “This is how you should pray:  Our Father in heaven… your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

MT 11:21-23, “Woe to you Korazin!  Woe to you Bethsaida!… And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.”

MT 13:24-43, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field… his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat…  Let both grow together until the harvest… As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.  The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil… He who has ears, let him hear.”

MT 19:5, “A man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

MT 19:18, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your parents and love your neighbor as yourself.”

10. Matthew 19:21 (part): “…Give to the poor…” and Ephesians 4:28 (part):  “…He must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”  (Cf. Economic Assistance.)

Although Jesus said that we will always have the poor with us (MT 26:11), the New Testament indicates that we should try to alleviate poverty in various ways such as by helping widows and orphans (JM 1:27). Hopefully, if the rich share their wealth, then poor people will not need to steal in order to survive.  The apostle Paul said (in 2THS 3:10) that “If a man will not work, he shall not eat” and again (in 1TM 5:8) that “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.” His desire (per 2CR 8:13) is that there might be “equality”, which in this context seems to mean an equal opportunity to earn a living rather than mandatory conformity to a communist system.  In summary, we can discern that the will of God is for people who are able to work to seek employment, so that earning a fair wage will provide at least the basic necessities plus something (a tithe per Malachi 3:8-10) left over for charity.

MT 20:25-28, “The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.  Not so with you.  Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave–just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

MT 22:21, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  (Paul’s corollary regarding this command is RM 13:1-7.)

MT 23:37-38, “O Jerusalem, how often I have longed to gather your children together,… but you were not willing…  Look, your house is left to you desolate.”

MT 24:7-9, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…  Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.”

MT 25:31-32, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory…  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

MT 26:55-55&64, “Am I leading a rebellion, that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me?…  This has taken place that the writings of the prophets might be fulfilled…  In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One.”

11. Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Paul also wrote (in ACTS 17:26a) that “From one man God made every nation of men.” Thus, we are all one human race, and racial discrimination is sinful. This principle can be applied to the issue of migration to realize that everyone should be free to travel and inhabit the earth, which means the rich should not hoard or monopolize its resources. The Bible does not treat topics such as migration, gambling or ecology specifically, so we must carefully apply various moral principles to such political issues.

God’s preferred form of governing is consensus (Phil. 4:2) and mutual servanthood (Eph. 5:21), in which the greatest is the servant of all (Matt. 20:25-28).

God is sovereign, but He is also love.  The harmonization of these truths per Matt. 20:25-28 might lead one to think that in heaven Jesus will allow us to sit on the throne while he washes our feet.

God’s commands express His will, and His will is for everyone to love, which is why His yoke is light (Matt. 11:29-30).

Pollution

Pollution refers to contamination of our environment by the activities of humans that are harmful to their health.  The Bible does not comment on environmental issues directly, but I find three passages that contain implications for this subject.  First, when God created the earth, it was good and free of pollution (GN 1:31).  Second, when God assigned mankind the task of stewardship over the earth, He did not command them to over-populate and pollute it (GN 1:28-30).  Third, I view the injunctions of Paul against prostitution (in 1CR 6:12-13) as applying also to pollution.  Burning fossil fuels and depleting species of food is “permissible” or legal, but it is not thereby “beneficial” or moral.  Our corporate body, the human race, is not meant for raping the resources God has entrusted to our care, and God will allow unfaithful and foolish stewards to destroy themselves (MT 25:14-30).

Pornography

Pornography is any media (audio, visual or oral) that promotes, encourages or recommends fornication (extra-marital sexual intercourse).  While it is true that morality cannot be legislated without losing desirable freedoms, most people think there is a need for some degree of censorship in an effort to prevent children from becoming perverted.  The problem is arriving at a consensus on what is pornographic and how it should be restricted.  Most people would probably agree that nudity is not necessarily bad, since our bodies are divinely created, but that its badness depends on the context, custom and motive.  For example, wearing a swimsuit is acceptable at the beach, but why do people risk getting skin cancer by over-exposing themselves?  Modeling longerie in a fashion magazine may be acceptable, but being fully clothed in a magazine that advocates extra-marital sex is definitely pornographic.  (See TOJ #24.)

Qu’ran 

Questions arise concerning conflict between the Bible and Qu’ran.  Here are excerpts from the latter
(The Meaning of the Holy Qur’an, by Abdullah Yusuf Ali, 1999).  Significant teachings in the Quran are compared with the Bible, especially the New Testament.  Often only the first instance of a teaching in the Quran is noted.  The Surah and verse are placed within parentheses; biblical references within brackets.

(Surah 1)  [introduction]  God/Allah is praiseworthy, merciful and Judge. [2CR 1:3, LK 6:36, RM 2:16]

(2:2)  This book contains sure guidance for those who believe. [2:89&136, 2TM 3:16-17]

(2:8)  Some people say they believe, but they do not. [MT 7:21, JN 13:35]

(2:29)  God created all things on earth. [GN 1, RM 1:25]

(2:34)  We said to the angels…  [“majestic plural” also in GN 3:22]

(2:36)  Satan made Adam & Eve slip from the Garden. [GN 3:1-15]

(2:40)  Children of Israel, fulfill God’s covenant. [with Abraham (GN 17:1-7) for the salvation of all people (per IS 42:1&6, 49:6)]

(2:49)  We delivered you from Pharaoh [EX 14:23-31] and (v.53:) gave Moses the Scripture and Criterion. [Cf. S.3, v.3-4.  Criterion seems to mean miracles (DT 34:9-12)]

(2:61)  They slew Allah’s messengers. [MT 23:37]

(2:62)  Those who believe in the Quran and follow the Jewish scriptures and the Christians shall have their reward. [RM 2:28-29, 3:29-30, 4:9-12&16-17, GL 3:6-14, EPH 2:11-22]

(2:77)  Allah knows what we think. [ACTS 1:24, 1CR 4:5, 14:25]

(2:83)  Worship Allah, treat with kindness your parents, orphans and the poor. [EPH 4:32, 6:1-3, JM 1:27, GL 2:10, 1CR 13:3]

(2:87)  We gave Jesus the Holy Spirit. [See also S.2:253, JN 14:16-17]

(2:89)  There comes to them a book from Allah, confirming what is with them. [See f.94, v.136, S.6:92 & S.10:37]

(2:111f)  They say: “None shall enter Paradise unless he be a Jew or a Christian.”  Nay, whoever submits His whole self to Allah [Muslim] and is a doer of good—he will get his reward with his Lord. [God’s will is for us to be all three:  a spiritual Jew (RM 2:29) = a genuine Christian (JM 2:17) = a true Muslim (MT 22:37-40).

(2:113)  The Jews and Christians quarrel, yet they profess to study the same Book, but Allah will judge.  [M also quarrel with J & C, who profess to serve the one God, but  Paul taught that God’s servants (Muslims) must not quarrel (2TM 2:24, 1CR 1:10).]

(2:125)  We covenanted with Abraham and Ismail. [and with Isaac! (GN 17:18-21)]

(2:133)  We shall worship the God of Abraham…—the one true God. [Cf. JN 17:3.]

(2:135)  Christians joined gods [Jesus and HS] with Allah. [One God relates to humanity in three normative ways; see S.2:87 & 1TM 2:5.]

(2:136)  We believe in the revelation given to Moses and Jesus and to all Prophets; we make no difference between them. [See S.2:89, S.3:3&84; Jesus is unique and exalted as Messiah. (PHP 2:9-11)]

(2:137)  You are on the right path; if they turn back, it is they who are in schism. [Schism is caused by those who deny the truth in both the NT and Quran.  Paul wrote about how to bridge this schism in GL 3:1-29.  See note for v.111.]

(2:140)  Were the descendants of Abraham Jews or Christians? [Yes by faith, and also genuine Muslims as explained in the note on v.111.]

(2:143)  Allah is kind and merciful to all people. [LK 6:35-36]

*(2:144 & 18:149f)  Thy Qiblah [direction for prayer per f.141] is to turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah per f.148, cf. 1CR 3:16-17].

(2:153)  Allah is with those who patiently persevere. [HB 10:36]

(2:161)  Those who die rejecting Faith are cursed. [HB 9:27]

(2:168)  Eat good things. [1TM 4:3-4]

(2:173)  Do not eat animals that die of sickness, blood or swine unless forced by necessity. [also S.5:3 & S.16:115; cf. 1TM 4:4]

(2:178-179)  The law of equality [just compensation?] is prescribed to you…that ye may restrain yourselves [from vengeance, MT 5:38f]

*(2:183&185)  Fasting is prescribed to you that ye may learn self-restraint… during the month of Ramadan.  [Such practices are permissible but not salvific per the NT (GL 2:14-16 & 3:21-25).]

(2:190)  Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you… (and v.193:) those who practice oppression [in self-defense per f.204, but cf. v.244.  C also believe in just defense (based on RM 13:1-5), but stress spiritual warfare per EPH 6:12, 2CR 10:3-5, 2TM 4:7, MT 5:44.  Compare terrorists with MT 5:9 & RM 12:18].

(2:195)  Allah loves those who do good.  [MT 5:44, RM 5:8-10, RM 13:1-4]

*(2:196)  Complete the Hajj or Umrah if you can afford it.  [pilgrimage to Makkah, also S.3:97, cf. note on fasting; RM 12:1, JN 6:29]

(2:207)  The man who gives his life earns the pleasure of Allah.  [Martyrdom, if necessary, is praised in Christianity, too (cf. MT 10:16-28), but not murder-suicides.]

(2:219)  The sin of wine and gambling is greater than the benefit. [also 5:90; The NT bans drunkenness explicitly in EPH 5:18 and excessive gambling implicitly in 1TM 5:8, EPH 4:28, 2CR 8:12 & 9:6-11]

(2:221)  Do not marry unbelieving women.  [cf. 2CR 6:14]

(2:225)  Allah will not condemn you for thoughtlessness but for evil intent. [1CR 4:5]

(2:228)  Divorced women shall wait for three months [before remarriage].  Men have a degree of rights over women. [Cf. GL 3:28 vs. 1TM 2:11-15.]

(2:229)  A divorce is permissible only twice. [Cf. MT 19:8-12, 1CR 7:10-16]

*(2:238)  Guard strictly your habit of prayers. [Cf. EPH 6:18, 1THS 5:17]

(2:256)  Let there be no compulsion in religion. [cf. 9:29; Murderers and persecutors are pseudo-theists (MT 7:21).]

(2:262&264)  Give without “reminders or [wanting] to be seen of men. [Cf. MT 6:2-4]

*(2:272)  Whatever good you give shall be rendered back to you. [Cf. ML3:10, 2CR9:6]

(2:284)  Allah forgives and punishes as He wills.  [Cf. RM 9:14-18, God as Potter]

(2:286)  Allah does not burden a soul greater than it can bear.  [Cf. 1CR 10:13 in terms of temptation]

(3:3-4)  Allah sent down the Book, confirming what went before it, the Law and the Gospel.  Before this He set down the Criterion (of judgment between right and wrong).  [S.2:89 & RM 2:14-15]

(3:12)  Those who reject Faith will be gathered together in hell.  [MT 23:33]

(3:19)  The religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His will). [JM 4:7]

(3:32)  Allah does not love those who reject Faith. [RM 5:6-10, God loves enemies]

(3:45-49)  Allah will give the virgin Mary a Word from him, whose name will be Christ Jesus, who will be appointed a messenger to the children of Israel.  [JN 1:14; Note the lack of mention of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles (ACTS 13:46-47) for Christ.]

(3:59)  Jesus was created like Adam:  Allah said “Be”, and he was. [1CR 15:45f., the first and last Adam]

(3:67)  Abraham was not a Jew or a Christian, but true in Faith and joined not gods with Allah.  [RM 4, salvation by faith; 1TM 1:17 with CL 1:15]

(3:90-91)  Those who reject Faith after accepting it and who die rejecting will never be accepted.  [HB 6:4-6 and many passages teach the possibility of apostasy]

(3:103)  Hold fast to the Rope, and be not divided among yourselves. [JN 13:35 & 17:23, EPH 4:3, 1CR 3:3, etc. command unity]

(3:110)  Most People of the Book are perverted transgressors, who rejected the Signs of Allah and slew the prophets.  [MT 23:34-37]

(3:118)  Do not be intimate with those outside your ranks or they will corrupt you. [2CR 6:14f]

(3:132)  Obey Allah and the Messenger, that ye may obtain mercy. [Also 4:80; cf. JN 17:6-8&24-26, ACTS 4:19 & JN 13:16&34 (messages must not contradict the Gospel)]

(3:135)  Who can forgive sins except Allah?  [LK 5:21]

(3:140)  Allah takes martyrs and purges believers.  [This and many following verses refer to the disastrous defeat in the battle at Uhud.]

(3:144)  Muhammed is no more than a messenger.  [Whereas Jesus is more than a prophet per MT 11:10-15]

(3:145)  No one dies without Allah’s permission.  [But God does not desire our death per 1CR 15:26.]

(3:185f.)  Every soul shall die and on the Day of Judgment believers (who persevere, v.200) will be saved from the Fire and admitted to the Garden.  [HB 9:27, RV 20:15, 22:1-3]

(4:3)  Marry 1-4 (orphaned) women [whose fathers and husbands were killed at Uhud per a footnote], treated justly (equally). [Cf. MT 19:4-6, 1TM 3:2]

(4:9)  Dispose of orphans’ estates justly [as though you were the deceased; other rules for inheritance follow].

(4:15-16)  If women or men are guilty of lewdness, punish them until they repent and amend.  [no NT verse]

(4:23)  Do not marry close relatives.  [cf. LV 18]

(4:34)  Husbands protect their wives; wives obey their husbands. [cf. EPH 5:21-33]

(4:40)  Allah is never unjust.  [RM 9:14, 2THS 1:6]

(4:43)  Pray only after washing with water or clean sand.  [S.5,v.6; cf. HB 10:22]

(4:46)  Allah has cursed the Jews for their unbelief, but few believe.  [cf. RM 9:3-8]

(4:57)  Those who believe and do good deeds will be admitted to gardens with rivers flowing beneath, to shades and coolness.  [also v.122; JM 2:17&22, GL 5:1-6, 1JN 2:29]

(4:74)  Fight in the cause of Allah.  [cf. 2TM 4:7, EPH 6:10-12]

(4:79)  Whatever good happens is from Allah.  [JM 1:17]

(4:92)  Never should a believer kill another believer intentionally.  [MT 5:22]

(4:95)  Those who fight are rewarded more than those who sit at home. [cf. v.74 note]

(4:120)  Satan creates false desires and deceives.  [GN 3:1-6, ACTS 13:10]

(4:136)  Believe in Allah, his angels, his books, his messengers, and the Day of Judgment.  [ACTS 16:31, JN 5:39-40&46, ACTS 26:22-27]

(4:137-138)  God will not forgive apostates and hypocrites. [MT 23, HB 6:4-6]

(4:144)  Do not befriend unbelievers.  [2CR 6:14-18]

(4:153-159)  The People of the Book killed Christ Jesus, but Allah raised him up, and they must believe in him.  [ACTS 2:22-39]

(4:171)  The Messiah Jesus was a messenger of Allah, so say not “Trinity”, for Allah is one God.  [1TM 2:5, GL 3:20, 1CR 8:6]

(5:3)  Forbidden foods include dead meat, blood, swine and that dedicated to idols. [ACTS 15:20, 1CR 10:25-29, MT 15:11, CL 2:16, 1TM 4:4]

(5:13-15)  To the Israelites who broke their covenant and to the Christians who forgot much of the message and became estranged with enmity between them, our Messenger has come with a new book, whereby Allah guides all who seek Him out of darkness unto the light.  [GL 1:6-12]

(5:17-18)  It is blasphemy to say that Allah is Christ.  Those who say they are sons of Allah are but men He created.  [cf. JN 1:12, 10:35, PHP 2:15, RM 8:14-17, 1JN 3:1-2]

(5:38)  Cut off the hands of a thief.  [cf. EPH 4:28]

(5:45)  We ordained “life for life” for the Jews, but if anyone remits the retaliation by way of charity, it is an act of atonement for himself.  [MT 5:38-39]

(5:46)  We sent Jesus the son of Mary, confirming the Law with the Gospel.  [MT 5:17]

(5:48)  Allah could have made you a single people, but His plan is to test you and to show you the truth regarding what you dispute.  [EPH 4:3-5]

(5:66&68)  If only they had stood by the Law and the Gospel, but many of them follow an evil course of rebellion and blasphemy.  [MT 7:21]

(5:69)  Those who believe the Qur’an, who follow the Jewish Scriptures, Christians and who believe in Allah and the Last Day and work righteousness, they shall not grieve. [GL 6:7-10]

(5:72-75)  They blaspheme who say Allah is Christ, who taught worship of Allah, who is one God.  Christ is no more than a messenger.  [cf. MT 11:10-15, JN 10:33-38 and notes on v.17f and S.4:171]

(5:110)  Allah will say to Jesus, “I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit and enabled you to make a bird out of clay and to bring forth the dead and to heal people.”  [MT 3:16, 4:1, 8:3, 9:24-25; Note the reference to an apocryphal NT book.]

(5:111-115)  Allah inspired Jesus’ disciples, who asked him to send a table with food from heaven, and Allah sent it, saying that if any of you after this miracle resist faith, I will punish you most severely.  [This miracle is not canonical.]

(5:116-117)  Jesus commanded people to worship Allah.  [also 43:63-64, MT 4:10]

(6:8-9)  If we sent an angel down to unbelievers, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted them.  If we had sent the angel as a man, they would have remained in confusion.  [cf. JN 10:33, LK 4:22, JN 9:41]

(6:19)  The Qur’an has been revealed to me by inspiration, so I may warn you that besides Allah there is no other God.  [see v.106 and S.5:72-75 & v.116-117]

(6:32-34)  What is earthly life?  Best is the home in the hereafter, but the wicked reject the signs of Allah.  [MT 6:25-33 & 12:39/16:4]

(6:35)  Be not among those who are swayed by ignorance and impatience.  [2PT 3]

(6:73)  Allah’s Word is the Truth.  [JN 17:17]

(6:96-97)  Allah made the sun and moon for the reckoning of time and the stars for the guidance of travelers.  [PS 8:3, 74:16, 104:19, GN 1:14-16]

(6:109&111)  Even if we sent them signs or if the dead spoke, those who demand such would not believe.  [cf. v. 124 and LK 16:31]

(6:121)  Eat no food on which Allah’s name has not been pronounced.  [see v.145 & S.5:3, ACTS 15:20]

(6:141)  Allah does not love those who are wasteful.  [LK 16:11]

(6:151)  Do not kill children because you cannot afford them.  Kill only by way of justice and law.  [RM 13:3-10]

(6:155-157)  This book is revealed, lest you say you are unacquainted with the Book sent to two peoples before you or that if the Book had been sent to you, you would have followed its guidance better than they.  [2PT 1:19-2:1, 3:15-16, 2TM 3:16f, JN 16:5-15]

(6:159  Do not divide into sects.  [1CR 3:3-23]

(7:11-25)  The story of the fall of Adam and Eve.  [GN 3]

(7:33)  Allah forbids sins and trespasses against truth or reason.  [MT 5:48, JN 8:44]

(7:40)  Those who reject our signs will not enter heaven until a camel can pass through the eye of a needle.  [MT 19:24]

(7:42)  We place no burden on any soul greater than what it can bear. [also 23:62, 1CR 10:13]

(7:59-64)  We sent Noah to warn his people to worship Allah, but they rejected him. [also 10:71-73, 11:25-49; GN 6-8, 2PT 2:5, 1PT 3:20, HB 11:7]

(7:65-93)  We sent Hud to the Ad people, Salih to the Thamuds, Lut to his people, and Shu’ayb to the Madyans, but their leaders rejected their messages.  [also 11:50-95; These are in the Arab tradition rather than in the Jewish tradition, except for Lot (GN 19).]

(7:103-154)  After them we sent Moses with our signs to Pharaoh, and we ordained laws for him in the tablets.  [also 10:75-92, 20:1-97, 43:46-56; EX 5-14 & NM]  (20:1-97)

(7:157)  Those who follow the messenger they find mentioned in their own scriptures (the Law and the Gospel) will prosper.  [HB 7:18-10:1, EPH 3:2-6]

(7:160-169)  We divided the people of Moses into twelve tribes and broke them up into sections on this earth, but they chose the vanities of this world.  [post NT]

(7:179)  We have made many men for hell.  They are misguided and heedless of our warnings.  [Do they have moral free will or not?  Cf. DT 30:19, RM 9:14-21]

(7:180)  Shun those who use profanity in God’s names.  [CL 3:8]

(7:187)  None but the Lord knows when the final hour will occur. [MT 24:36]

(7:200f)  If an evil suggestion from Satan assaults your mind, seek refuge with Allah. [JM 4:7-15]

(Appendices on Jewish and Christian history; See esp. p.411)

Racial Prejudice

It is amazing that the Bible does not ever speak of human beings in terms of race.  Paul wrote, “From one man he [God] made every nation of men . . .” (ACTS 17:26a)  We are all one human race (either as descendants of Adam and Eve or of Noah and his wife according to the Genesis accounts), so that racial prejudice and discrimination are wrong.  Jesus said, “For God so loved the world . . .” (JN 3:16) or all humanity, and Paul wrote, “There is niether Jew nor Greek, slave nor free . . .” (GL 3:28).  In other words, all people are one and have equal rights in Christ.

Separation of Church and State

The Bible does not address this issue specifically except as it relates to taxation, about which Jesus said (in MT 22:21), “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”  Similarly, Jesus stated (in MT 17:27) to pay a tax “so that we may not offend”.  This fact indicates that it is proper to maintain a distinction between secular government and religious worship, and that both realms can coexist or even cooperate.

Recently in the U.S., this issue has become controversial in the form of the propriety of prayer in school or the mention of God in the pledge of allegiance.  I agree with the current stance of the federal courts:  that public prayer must accommodate the individual’s freedom of speech without impinging on another individual’s freedom of religion by becoming coercive rather than spontaneous and voluntary, and that the slogans in the pledge or on money can be viewed as a majority’s right to express a cultural value that does not coerce atheists to agree with it.

Sexual Sin

The original sin (GN 3:1-6) was Unbelief/Pride (egoism), because disbelieving God’s word (mental illogic) preceded the outward misbehavior of eating the forbidden fruit (PR 16:18). However, Adam and Eve’s subsequent realization and cover-up of their nakedness (v.7) portrays the fact that sexual immorality is a common symptom of spiritual rebellion.

A logical observation of human anatomy teaches that heterosexual intercourse is the natural mode of procreation. It is physically impossible for homosexuals to be married in the biological and biblical sense of becoming “one flesh” (see TOJ #104 and the article on homosexuality). Both homosexual and heterosexual fornication (including adultery) are wrong or harmful to family values.  The misery resulting from fornication includes illnesses such as AIDS, but ungodly people would rather cure the physical disease than their spiritual sickness (TOJ #24). The effect is also psychological. A person who is sexually immoral is less likely to become a faithful spouse; someone who has treated sex casually as recreation when dating will not be prone to view intercourse as expressing marital commitment.

Instead of having the wisdom to enjoy sexuality rightly as the bond of marriage and begetting of children, the ungodly idolize fornication and legalize abortion. They use lust (p.63f.) to make money by engaging in prostitution or by selling pornographic literature, movies and songs, which teach children to identify adulthood with fornication as well as with fighting, drug abuse and cursing (MT 18:6-9). The causes of fornication also include deficient parenting, a poor environment and genetic traits.

Overcoming sexual corruption (such as incest and pedophilia as well as other misbehaviors and mental conditions such as alcoholism and schizophrenia) is difficult, but possible (MT 19:26), because many people have done so, usually with the help of spiritual conversion, counseling and medical treatment. The fact that we should love and forgive people does not mean we should accept immoral behavior as a “viable alternative lifestyle”. However, all of us are sinners (RM 3:23), so we should be very careful to balance reproof with love (TOJ #42).  Also, the Bible specifically prohibits fornication, incest, homosexuality and bestiality, but it does not have a commandment against “autosexuality” or masturbation, which implies that it is not necessarily wrong, although there is a societal taboo against it.

Punditry mistakes:

a. Not quoting exactly or not considering the totality of what someone has said, but instead bloviating about a part out of context,

b. Not valuing substance over style or policy over the way it may be stated,

c. Failing to acknowledge that socialism is a form of immorality, because it has hurt people wherever it has been implemented.

d. Failing to realize that the U.S. has been losing trade wars for years because of tariffs and limits being levied on U.S. imports by other countries.

e. Failing to learn lessons that history teaches, such as: The United States lost the Vietnam War when it entered on the side of the French subjugators, and it lost the Iraq War when it failed to surge from the beginning and lock down the country so there would be minimal losses due to IEDs.  (When fighting just wars, the enemy should get PTSD.)

f. Failing to acknowledge that murderers need to be engaged as soon as possible, preferably by armed police, but possibly by citizens carrying concealed hand guns.

g. Saying “Look” when they begin an answer, or saying “No” when they agree with the questioner, or saying “Americans” want this or that instead of saying “most” (or some percentage),

h. Failing to “get into the weeds” and educate viewers, but rather opining/bloviating superficially,

I. Stating that a party “controls Congress”, when current Senate rules require 60 votes to end a filibuster,

j. Referring to Dems as Progressives, when progressive capitalism was a beneficial policy of the Pubs in the early 1900s, and socialist Dems are Regressives.

k. On the issue of abortion:  Failing to define death and when sentient life begins.  (Electro-encephalography activity begins to exhibit regular brain wave patterns around week 25.)

l. Ignoring the logic of semantics, such as NON-corroborated = INcredible, and INcredible means NOT compelling!

Socialism versus Capitalism

In the early 1900s, the Industrial Revolution produced wealth that became consolidated in the hands of cut-throat capitalists (known as robber barons), who effectively enslaved the working class.  In the mid 1900s this abuse motivated the working class in numerous countries to revolt and install socialist leaders (such as Hitler and Stalin), who also effectively enslaved them.  Between these extremes, the happy medium of progressive capitalism enacted by the Republicans under Teddy Roosevelt is overlooked by ignorant pundits.  While this movement reigned in laissez faire capitalism by means of various reforms including safe working conditions, shorter work weeks, banning child labor and allowing labor unions, the problem of an unfair income gap remains to be solved.

Progressive taxation helps to decrease the income gap, but another solution fails to be mentioned in most discussions, which is to promote the profit-sharing business model.  In a profit-sharing company, workers share the profits through higher wages, shares of stock, health care, and retirement benefits, while owners share the losses by losing income, stock and receiving no golden parachutes when fired.  This is a missing key ingredient that needs to be increased by means of government tax laws that favor such business practices.

Suicide

There is no specific commandment against suicide in the Bible, even though it must have been commonly known, which implies that it is not necessarily or always wrong.  We have already observed this situation with respect to other issues, including abortion, migration, pollution and separation of church and state.  It is up to us regarding such relatively vague issues to use our God-given reasoning ability to apply moral principles and biblical teachings to each situation and decide what we think is right or at least the best option. A principle that can be applied to suicide is the injunction by Moses to choose life when offered the choice between life and death (DT 30:19).  This implies that a person who is contemplating suicide because his/her life is miserable should seek counseling (HB 10:25) and comfort (MT 5:4).  We should fight (1TM 6:12) and cope (PHP 4:11) rather than run or escape (MT 25:25f.).

United States Recent Political History

After declaring independence from England in 1776, winning it in the Revolutionary War and defending it in the War of 1812, slavery caused the Civil War in 1860 and then struggles for equality and the right for all citizens to vote threatened our unity. In the 1900s, dictators attacked freedom, provoking World War I in 1914, WWII in 1940 and the Korean War in 1950. Then the high cost and eventual loss of both the Vietnam War in 1973 and the War on Islamic Terrorists from 9-11-91 until 2019 divided and damaged our country. Today (2022) our nation that began as a republic established by the U.S. Constitution appears to be in danger of becoming an authoritarian socialist state.

While the history of wars against threats to our liberty is fairly well known, what is only recently becoming apparent is the threat our disunity will end in socialism, which now governs most of the world and almost every aspect of our society–education, entertainment, news, social media, banking and monopolistic businesses–corrupting politicians and elections. The main cause of this corruption is that following WWII America allowed subversive educators to infiltrate universities, including Herbert Marcuse and Marxist Saul Alinsky, whose book Rules for Radicals was dedicated to Satan and whose rules included deception and violence (the end justifies the means). The teachings of such radical professors has influenced many college students (including Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama) to favor socialist policies. (See The War for America’s Soul by Gorka, p. 59-65.) Many Americans are oblivious to the slow disintegration of the Constitutional consensus, because the owners of most news media were similarly educated and sympathetic.

A main financier of the socialist movement has been George Soros, who became a billionaire, established a network called the Open Society Foundation to promote a global government, and since 2003 has been financing numerous socialist groups in the U.S. (See The Shadow Party by Horowitz & Poe, p. 78-95 & 177-82.) Another leader of the globalist cabal or “new world order” is Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in 1971, which meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. He envisions a technological revolution that transforms the world (including America), converting humans who freely worship God into drones coerced by a fascist-communist state as in China. A prominent American participant in the WEF is Bill Gates. (See The Great Reset by A. Jones, p. 4-7, 28 & 95.)

The globalists began to conspire with communist China (the CCP) in 1978, when the Trilateral Commission befriended Chinese leaders and sought a New International Economic Order. Since then the CCP has pursued a clever strategy that has steadily weakened the U.S. as China gained power, currently on display as its military buildup, the COVID-19 pandemic, aggression against Taiwan and the “One Road One Belt” policy. It aims to surpass the U.S. and dominate Eurasia by the year 2049. (See Reset, p. 40-44 & War, p. 136.) And now, authoritative Biden administration dictates are weakening the U.S. and attempting to banish conservative Constitutionalist opposition. Much of the news media fail to report this truth, so that many people remain ignorant of the dissolution of the American dream of liberty for all (like frogs being boiled alive because the water temperature is raised slowly). Where will we go from here?

Voting

For Whom Should I Vote?
(A comparison of policies)

Issue                                    A                                                                        B

Border               Open to unvetted millions                                Control with fence & patrols

Education          Socialists indoctrinate students                       Parents approve teachers

Finances           Taxes spent to enrich elites                             Tariffs applied to support jobs

Elections           No voter ID & no audits                                   Voter ID, verifiable results

Pandemics        Use as excuse to dictate behavior                  Preserve right of medical choice

Abortion            Allow killing of viable fetuses                           Limit killing; prevent pregnancy

Crime               Limited protection & punishment                      Prevent, arrest, confine, reform

Energy             Depend on unreliable sources                          Use oil/gas but test alternatives

Race                Foment division and turmoil                             Unity based on common values

Climate            Hype problem; expand regulations                  Practical ways to limit pollution

Economy         Print money; eliminate ownership                    Expand middle; ban oligarchy

Politics            Marxist/Fascist dictatorship                              Caring capitalism & democracy

Family             Parents serve governments                             Parental authority until age 18

Business         Regulated by government                               Privately owned; minimal regs

Constitution    No longer valued or heeded                            Esteemed as wise & adaptable

Military            Employed by politicians                                  Preserve peace; PTSD for enemy

Ethics             Whatever human wizards decide                    Based mainly on New Testament

Media             Subverted by globalist elites                           Fair investigative journalism

Truth              Cancel, cover up, flip, persecute                     Scientific, public, common sense

Labor             Low wages; profits for stocks                          Pay & benefits; profit-sharing

Healthcare     Government controlled, welfare                     Workfare, competitive pricing

Vulgarity

The apostle Paul taught about cursing in three epistles.  He stated (in RM 12:14), “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.”  He wrote (in EPH 4:29), “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths . . .” and (EPH 5:4) “Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking . . .”.  Also, he commanded (in CL 3:8), “But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these:  anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”

I do not find that these statements need clarification; clearly it is wrong to talk hatefully to someone and say something like, “May God d— you to hell!”  It is also wrong to use cuss words in a friendly manner, such as “D— it, Charlie, how the f— are you, s—head?”

However, is it wrong to use words like “darn”, “fudge”, and “shoot”, since they may be euphemisms for cuss words?  Each person has to answer this question for him/herself, but let us be willing to draw the line somewhere so our psychological environment will not be ruined with verbal pollution.  Instead of alluding to hell, fornication and excrement, let us talk about heaven, true love and good things (JM 3:9-10).

War and Capital Punishment

We are saved by faith (EPH 2:8-9), but God’s grace is not cheap, so genuine saving faith IS followed by good works (EPH 2:10, cf. JM 2:17).  By cooperating with God’s Word = Holy Spirit (PHP 2:13) and rejecting evil desires (2TM 2:22), we can be a “good soldier of Christ Jesus” (2TM 2:3), spiritually trained and “equipped for every good work” (2TM 3:17).  Speaking of being a soldier and good works leads us to address the following question:  Is military soldiering a good work?  Can we be both a good soldier of Christ and a military soldier?

The Bible does not condemn any occupation other than prostitution, and notice that Paul here (and Jesus in MT 8:5-13) spoke of soldiering without condemning it, and such silence speaks volumes!  This silence leaves us with the freedom and consequent responsibility to evaluate vocations including soldiering.  The most relevant scriptural references are RM 13:1-5 and 1PT 2:13-14.  Pacifists cite Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek (in MT 5:39) and Paul’s instruction to overcome evil with good rather than seek revenge (in RM 12:17-21) as implying that policing and soldiering are wrong, but these passages refer to personal relationships rather than to governmental enforcement of criminal laws.

In the Romans passage, verses 3&4 are the key ones:  “Rulers hold no terror [imprisonment or execution—a very contemporary term!] for those who do right, but for those who do wrong… the one in authority… is God’s servant to do you good [this eliminates rulers such as Hitler, Stalin and Saddam Hussein].  But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword [means to kill] for nothing.  He is God’s servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer [murderer, terrorist].”  (By the way, “God’s servant” is what the word “Muslim” means.)

Similarly, 1PT 2:14 says that governors “are sent by [God] to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.”  This truth applies not only to police forces in cities and states but also to soldiers in national governments, implying that (more godly, though imperfect) nations should punish evil tyrants and terrorists.

Thus, soldiers who serve God’s will to fight in righteous or justified wars to defeat murderers are agents of His wrath (Muslims).  Let us note that wrath does not mean a hateful fit of rage, but rather the loving action of righteous anger, such as that displayed by Jesus when he cleared the temple of money-changers (in MT 21:12-13).  God’s wrath metes out the just or appropriate consequence for those who choose to behave evilly and hatefully.  Thus, any killing or other violent actions we do should be motivated by love:  love for God, for divine justice and for the victims of demonic injustice.

We wage war on three levels.  Within our own hearts we seek to let God’s love and wisdom overcome temptations to be selfish and foolish (RM 7:23, 2CR 10:3-5, 1PT 2:11).   On an interpersonal level, we must bear with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity and peace of the Holy Spirit (EPH 4:2-3) rather than be deceived by lies and attempts of the ungodly spirit to divide and conquer us (1CR 3:3, 2CR 12:20, GL 5:20).  And on a corporate level, we must cooperate and enforce just laws, so that murderers are not allowed to destroy more righteous, though imperfect, people (EX 21:12, 21:23).

Because the Bible contains detailed instructions regarding the punishment of crimes such as murder, it is logical to assume that it would contain a commandment and specific teachings against war if pacifism were correct, but it does not.  The OT principle of “life for life” (EX 21:24) indicates that murder is the capital crime for which execution is just, although the NT teaching about forgiveness for minor crimes (TOJ #29 & #36) implies that a society may grant even violent criminals a chance to hear the gospel, repent and be rehabilitated.  Some say that capital punishment risks unjust executions, but this concern needs to be balanced with ensuring that a penal system does not encourage unjust murders.  (See the essay on Criminal Justice.)

The justification of capital punishment can be applied on an international scale.  Godly or civilized nations must cooperate and enforce just laws so that demonic souls like Hitler and Stalin are not allowed to conquer or destroy more righteous, though imperfect, governments.  (See TOJ #30.)  We have a responsibility as ministers of God and disciples of Christ to share the gospel with people in all nations (MT 28:19) and thereby help them to acquire their God-given rights to life (JN 10:10), liberty (JN 8:32&36) and the pursuit of happiness (JN 15:11).   To the extent we are able, we should prevent murder and stop murderous dictators from killing and enslaving people (JM 4:17).  As the world’s super-power, may God grant our leaders the courage to use this power with wisdom to show divine love (RM 5:8) for the poor and enslaved by defeating ungodly regimes (TOJ #45&129, RM 14:19).

As we contemplate the deaths of our soldiers and the sorrow of their families during times of military war, may it remind us of the great sacrifices that have been made by those who have gone before us in order to preserve the blessings of freedom for our country and humanity.  And may their sacrifice remind us of the sacrifice of Christ (PHP 2:8), whose death one day will free us from the sinful nature that does evil and necessitates war against extremely evildoers, so that there will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (RV 21:4).  This recreation of the world is the meaning of Easter, and indeed the reason for the creation of the present universe in the beginning of time.  May it begin in our hearts and be evidenced by our lives, to the glory of God.

One way to show divine love is by forgiving people who do wrong (MT 5:39).  Another way is by teaching people not to do wrong (HB 12:5-6&11).  And a third way is by imposing just consequences for doing wrong.  For those who hurt people, confinement may be necessary, and for murderers execution is deserved (RM 13:4), although a society may decide that circumstances warrant extended confinement instead or even efforts to reform them.

The problem is deciding which type of love to apply to various situations, because we should have learned from the attempts by European nations to appease Hitler in the 1930s that war may become necessary, so resisting evil sooner may be less tragic and destructive of life than waiting until it becomes more widespread.  By the grace of God the United States was able to acquire the atom bomb before Germany and Japan, but it may not have been necessary to lose so many lives in the invasion of Normandy and in the bombing of Japan if Europe had stopped Hitler before he became powerful and allied with Japan.

The lesson of Hitler’s Holocaust against the Jews and Christians is that evil is real, and that we all have the potential to be as horrible as Hitler, although we may battle the tendency toward hatred and selfishness in our own souls (RM 7:22-23).  The death of relatively innocent people who are killed by terrorists continues to remind us of our mortality and our need for God’s goodness and resurrection power as well as of the vital responsibility that comes with our human moral capacity and free will.  Paul wrote that we should “make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (RM 14:19, cf. EPH 4:29).  Edification means constructing moral character in those who want to be servants of God (“Muslims”).  Thus, we should embrace rather than reject the opportunity of nation building.

Historical mistakes for which we wish mulligans:

World War II

Mistake #1 –  Allowing Japan to attack Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Mulligan #1 – Maintain vigilance at all times by monitoring movement of Japanese aircraft carriers with our submarines.

Mistake #2 –  Causing too many of our soldiers to die in the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944.

Mulligan #2 – After defeating Rommel in Africa in 1942 and Mussolini in Italy in September of 1943, continue attacking Germany from Rome along the Mediterranean coast into France and also along the Danube River from the Black Sea into Hungary.  Then invade from England into the Netherlands or Belgium instead of onto the cliff-lined beaches of Normandy.

Korean War

Mistake #1 –  Withdrawing our troops from South Korea in 1948, which allowed the communist attack in June of 1950.

Mulligan #1 –  Maintain sufficient troop levels, especially along the border, to deter an invasion and insure secure elections (as we did in Germany after winning WWII).

Mistake #2 –  Allowing the Chinese to invade Korea in November of 1949 almost to Pusan.

Mulligan #2 –  Command General MacArthur to defend Korea by surging overwhelming support along the northern border (which he had reached by November of 1950) and then to bomb invading Chinese troops as soon as they crossed, if they dared to do so (which they did in November of 1951).

Vietnam War

Mistake #1 –  Supporting the French in 1945 when it tried to reassert its subjugation of Viet Nam.

Mulligan #1 –  Support the Viet Minh’s attempt to liberate the colony, thereby preventing or obviating the need of Ho Chi Minh to seek communist support.

Mistake #2 –  After Vietnam was divided by the Geneva Accords in 1954, allowing the South to reject elections and then the North to infiltrate until we joined the war in 1965.

Mulligan #2 –  Instead of gradually escalating or increasing our military effort and secretly trying to prevent infiltration from Cambodia and Laos, surge military support along the entire border in 1955, and bomb invaders immediately (cf. The Korean War).  Then recall General MacArthur to lead the conquest of the North (preparing to bomb Chinese invaders if necessary–i.e., they did not learn from the Korean War).

War in Afghanistan (2001-21)

Mistake #1 –  Failing to prevent the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Mulligan #1 –  Prevent the 9-11 attacks by means of FBI and CIA involvement, and punish anyone who contributed to the tragedy because of their incompetence, beginning at the top.   (President Bush had been briefed about a credible threat of aircraft hijacking by al-Qaeda.)

Mistake #2 –  Failing to win the war in Afghanistan quickly with minimal casualties and cost.

Mulligan #2 –  After the Taliban were defeated in November of 2001, continue surging military support especially along the borders to prevent the escape of Bin Laden and infiltration from                Pakistan.   Insure that the Bonn Agreement in December calls for increasingly locking down the country, holding secure elections by the end of 2003, and implementing something like the Marshall Plan by 2004. Do not depart until Afghanistan is stable for two years, but leave an adequate military presence to monitor the situation and deter terrorist attacks.

War in Iraq (2003-11)

Mistake #1 –  Failure to prevent the need for active war in Iraq.

Mulligan #1 –  Fire warmongers including Rumsfeld and Cheney.  Utilize sanctions to prompt Saddam to allow inspections of suspected WMD locations.  Punish his murderous behavior with          appropriate consequences, such as no-fly zones or targeting him with precision guided missiles.

Mistake #2 –  Failing to win the war in Iraq quickly with minimal casualties and cost.

Mulligan #2 –  Using the win in Afghanistan as a model, after the initial invasion continue to surge military support until the country’s border with Iran cannot be infiltrated, weapons (or                      materiel for making IEDs) cannot be stolen from armories, key infrastructure is protected and insurgency is prevented.   Instead of disbanding the Iraqi army, transform it with the help of          cooperative officers into a peace-making mission between Sunnis and Shiites.  After the capture of Saddam in December of 2003, continue surging support in order to prevent insurgent attacks (such as in Fallujah), insure secure elections (held in the fall of 2005), and implement something like the Marshall Plan by 2006.   Maintain the surge (not begun by General Petraeus until 2007), until the country is stable for two years (giving PTSD to enemy elements), then withdraw except for an adequate military presence to monitor the situation and deter terrorist attacks.

The Cold War with Fascism-Communism-Globalism (FCG)

Mistake #1 –  Failure to win the hot wars quickly (within 3 years each) in Afghanistan and Iraq with minimal loss of lives and materiel cost over 6,800 service members’ lives and 8 trillion dollars.

Mulligan #1 –   Fight to win hot wars within 3 years and maintain stability for another 2 years, thereby saving many lives and trillions of dollars that can be spent on the Cold War.

Mistake #2 –  Failure to minimize the risk of subversion of our country by FCG after WWII (thru 1964).

Mulligan #2 –  Congress should have investigated whether America was being undermined in at least three ways.  First, universities hiring FCG professors who promoted or advocated seditious ideology of FCG people like Marcuse and Alinsky, whose teachings encourage students to favor socialist policies over our Constitution.  Second, FCG billionaires and oligarchs including George Soros and Klaus Schwab trying to undermine American values in an effort to create an authoritarian one- government world.  Third, the FCG Chinese Communist Party subverting of our society by stealing technology, spying and bribing elected officials in order to achieve hegemony without firing a shot (“boiling the frog slowly”) by the year 2049.

II. Counsel Yourself

1. What is happening? (I am getting… upset, angry, sad, bored, etc.)
2. Why am I feeling this way? (Because of what someone said or did, because of inactivity, because of being tired or hungry, etc.)
3. How can I cope with my feelings or resolve this situation in a good way? (By taking a nap, by exercising, by eating, by talking with a caring person, etc.)
4. How can I take responsibility for my happiness? (By thinking of fun things to do, by listening to pleasant music, by watching clean shows, by going to a church with a nice youth group, by reading an interesting book, by seeking new friendships, etc.).
5. How can I cope with negative thoughts, events and people? (By doing the following:)

a. Accentuate the positive while eliminating the negative (cf. Bing Crosby song).
b. Make a reasonable effort, so you have no reason to be ashamed of not trying, but do not try to be perfect or to work miracles.
c. Live one day at a time, letting painful memories fade while making good memories today and not worrying about what might happen tomorrow (cf. Joe Walsh song).
d. Pray the Serenity Prayer: “Lord grant me the courage to change the things I can, the patience and strength to endure the things I cannot change, and the wisdom to discern the difference.”
e. Work on what seems to be a big forest of problems by cutting down one tree at a time.
f. Count your blessings, compared with poor kids starving around the world, who would love to be in your shoes.
g. Realize that many people (and God) care about you and are willing to help, if you ask them.
h. Listen to music that makes you happy and supports positive thoughts and moral values.
i. Learn from mistakes, preferably those made by others (including parents), so you will not repeat them and thus will have a happier life.
j. When negative events occur, counsel yourself as above.
k. When people mistreat you, consider counseling them by saying, “I know I do not deserve this, so would you like to share what is really bothering you?
l. Adopt as a motto: “Love to learn, and learn to love.”

III. The Meaning of Marriage

Jesus taught about marriage in Matthew 19:4-6, saying “…at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and said, ‘for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.” We see from this statement that marriage is a spiritual union of a man and woman until death. The marital commitment is—or should be—signified by sexual union or becoming “one flesh” (GN 2:24). There is no mention of legal matters such as licenses and traditional customs such as ceremonies, although these may be good to satisfy for the purpose of avoiding being “a stumbling block to the weak” (1CR 8:9), who do not understand the essence of marriage.

The phrase about leaving one’s father and mother indicates that a man (and presumably also a woman) should be ready for marriage by attaining a sufficient degree of independence from their parents, both financial and psychological.  And since most methods of birth control are not completely effective, we can assume that they also should be prepared to become parents themselves, even if they hope not to have a child for awhile. Since parenting involves a lot more than procreation, readiness for parenthood implies a sufficient degree of spiritual maturity. Sex/marriage is not a natural right but rather a God-given responsibility.

Of course, readiness for marriage should be combined with willingness or the desire to get married. Although not many people desire life-long celibacy, we must assume that God enables people to remain celibate until they are married, because we know that fornication or extra-marital sexual activity is wrong. In MT 5:27 Jesus said “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery’. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” As Paul says in 1CR 7:9, “If they cannot control themselves [do not have the gift of life-long celibacy], they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion [lust].”  God intends for sexual union to express marital love and commitment.  Pornography that which encourages, recommends or promotes fornication, lust or extra-marital sexual activity.  It is immoral because it subverts happy marriages and family values.  Jesus sought to convey the severity of the sin of lust by saying it would be better to lose the offending part of the body (MT 5:29-30).  However, many people seem to view masturbation as worse than fornication or even rape.  The misery resulting from sexual immorality includes horrible illnesses, but ungodly people prefer to cure the physical disease rather than their spiritual sickness.

Jesus concluded his teaching on marriage in MT 19:6 by saying, “What God has joined together [made one], let man not separate.” Obviously, people are not permanently joined physically, so that which must not be separated refers to their spiritual unity. A man and woman are free to work out their marital relationship in the way that best fits their personalities, but let me point out that Eve was created from Adam’s side to be his partner rather than from his foot to be his slave (GN 2:20-24). Both male and female are created in God’s image (GN 1:27). In Christ, there is no male and female, but both are one (GL 3:28) or equal. And both husband and wife are commanded to submit to one another by Paul (in EPH 5:21).
In the same way that the essence of marriage is spiritual union, so the reality of divorce occurs when the man and wife become spiritually separated.  This realization should motivate spouses to work on the quality of their communication before serious problems develop in their relationship, because spiritual divorce is the sin (of divorce). Not only that, but allowing unrighteous anger that leads to spiritual divorce is sinful. Paul admonishes us in Ephesians 4:26-27 to “not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil [demon divorce] a foothold.” [and do not get angry again the next morning!]  IOW, a miserable marriage is akin to the sin of divorce, which refers to spiritual reality as much as legality.  Jesus taught (in MT 5:31-32a and 19:6-9) that the only permissible reason for legal divorce is marital unfaithfulness or when the sin of spiritual divorce signified by adultery (a form of fornication) has already occurred. This leaves only celibacy or a happy marriage as permissible alternatives.

IV. New Year’s Day: Becoming Improved

Happy New Year!  New Year is a holy day, because “newness” is characteristic of the Christian life per the following verses of Scripture:

IS 42:9-10 – See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare… Sing to the Lord a new song. [“new things” refers to the New Covenant foretold by JR] J
JR 31:31 – “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel…” [the occasion for singing the “new song” in IS, which is discussed in Hebrews…]HB 9:15 – For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance… [This new covenant is called a “new order” in 9:10. Paul referred to the “new order” using various terms…]RM 7:6 – …we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. [The “new way of the Spirit” is the way of love, which is our Supreme Commander’s “intent” (cf. MT 22:37-40).]GL 6:15 – …what counts is a new creation. [living by the Spirit per 5:16, or the new, improved self…]EPH 4:23-24 – …be made new in the attitude of your minds; and (to) put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. [Cf. RM 12:2. This verse has a parallel or counterpart in Colossians, so that they interpret each other…]CL 3:10 – …put on the new self, which is being renewed in the image of its Creator. [the “image” includes the moral qualities of “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… forgiveness…and…love, which binds them all together in perfect unity” (3:12-14).
RV 21:5 – “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… [and] I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God… He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”

We can see that the joyful Christian life is characterized by being made new, so it is appropriate that the words “happy” and “new” are put together, because becoming renewed is a big part of what makes life enjoyable. Newness or variety is indeed the spice of life!  Why is childhood normally a happy time in life?  Because kids are always growing or acquiring new physical abilities and learning or acquiring new mental capacities—and getting new things to play with!  Humans seem to need newness to be happy, so newness is part of heaven.

Now let us consider how to become new or improved versions of ourselves.  Enjoyment of the process of being renewed morally requires viewing guilt about sins as a good thing, because it lets us know something is wrong.  Hopefully, we will never reach the point where we are so callous that we experience no guilt when we do wrong.  God’s goal for our renewal is the attainment of Christ-like moral maturity and spiritual unity.  Attaining spiritual unity requires the gift of encouraging others to become new without being divisive or having a judgmental spirit.

When truthseekers recognize the reality of God as the Creator of the universe who has a moral requirement, if they decide to worship Him they become like the OT believers, and if they have the opportunity to hear the gospel (1PT 3:19), they may decide to accept Jesus as Lord (JN 8:42, 1JN 1:3-4) at which time God’s Holy Spirit unites them with God as heavenly Father (RM 8:9) and with Christ’s worldwide body or “catholic” church (CL 1:18).  This event is called “renewal” in TIT 3:5-6: “He (God) saved us because of his mercy… through renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.”  After this spiritual baptism (1CR 12:13) begins the lifelong period of being renewed daily as indicated in 2CR 4:16, “16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day; and in RM 12:2, “2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  [Cf. the song “New-Born Again”:  1. I’ve found free grace and dyin’ love; I’m new-born again…

V. God’s Valentine

Every day is God’s Valentine to us, according to scriptures on this topic:

JN 3:16, “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son”. This verse is related to RM 5:8, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1JN 4:10 says “…God loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” God loved the world so much that He sent Messiah to die on behalf of sinful humanity—His enemies—so that those who repent might be forgiven and saved or resurrected to eternal joy in heaven. Jesus is God’s valentine to us.

Sometimes we may not feel loved by God and feel like crying out as Jesus did on the cross, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” (MT 27:46) However, when we walk by faith in God’s Word, we will take heart from the example of Paul, who said, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation . . . I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” (PHP 4:12-13) Relying on God’s grace despite our troubles glorifies Christ (2CR 4:7-11), God’s Holy Spirit comforts those who suffer (MT 5:4, 2CR 1:3-4).

While not desiring to suffer or praying for problems, tribulations(1PT 4:13) only make mature Christians merely joyful rather than overjoyed, because they realize that suffering is only for a season and for good reason. As Paul wrote (in RM 5:3-4), “We (also) rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope” (of heaven, PHP 1:21, which is worth any grief occasioned by Faith, cf. 1PT 1:6-9, 2CR 4:16-18 & HB 12:2).

Yet, to the extent people manifest the love of God in Christ, this world can be heaven on earth. We are supposed to be God’s valentine to those we know and encounter: children should be raised by godly parents, childhood activities should revolve around whole-some groups. Collegians should fellowship with moral friends as they pray for the right person to become their spouse. Spouses should build a happy marriage and be a good example for children who are a joy to raise. This is God’s plan A. Are we God’s valentine? As we read in 1JN 4:11-13, “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” Consider again JN 3:16:

“For God so loVed the world,
that He gAve
His onLy
begottEn
soN
That whosoever
believeth In Him
should Not perish,
but have Everlasting life.”

VI. Comparing Peter and Paul

Let us consider the similarities between Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians and 1 Peter, noting that Peter was familiar with the teachings and writings of Paul (per 2PT 3:15-16 & 1PT 5:12-13, cf. ACTS 15:40 & 2TM 4:11), and Paul refers to his personal interaction with Peter (in GL 1:18). Peter as a fisherman apparently had less formal education than Paul (cf. GL 1:14) and evidently wrote his epistles and died later than Paul. However, he had known Jesus and his teachings before the crucifixion, so Paul probably gleaned much of his teachings from Peter. The stylistic similarities of their epistles may be due to employing the same writers or amanuenses, perhaps Silas and Mark.

Let us begin by comparing the style in the introductions of both epistles (1PT 1:1-3, EPH 1:1-4):

1.Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ / Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus
2.To God’s elect… thru the sanctifying work of the Spirit / To the saints
3.Grace and peace be yours / Grace and peace to you
4.Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ / (ditto)
5.who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God / For he chose us in him before the creation of the world (cf. 1PT 1:20, “He [Christ] was chosen before the creation of the world.”) [God chose to save all sinners who would repent and accept Christ, thereby becoming “in” him or “one with” him.]

Continuing our comparison of similarities between Peter and Paul in 1PT 2:1-10 & EPH:

6.Rid yourselves of all malice… and slander / (4:31) Get rid of all… slander, along with every form of malice
7.As you come to him, the living Stone / (2:20) …built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with C.J. himself as the chief cornerstone
8.Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God / (2:12&19) you were separate from X… [but now] you are fellow-citizens with God’s people [A couple of verses in this part of 1PT are interesting to compare with HB, which most likely was written by Paul (1PT 2:2-3 & HB 5:12-14 & 6:4-6 as follows:]

9.Like newborn babes, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation / You need milk, not solid food! …solid food is for the mature… [We see that Peter and Paul had different views about milk.]10.now that you have tasted that the Lord is good / who have shared in the H.S., who have tasted the goodness of the word of God…

Now back to our comparison of similarities between 1PT (3:1-7, 2:18) & EPH (5:21-6:9):

11.Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect… / Slaves obey your earthly masters with respect… [Peter emphasized enduring suffering under harsh and unjust masters, whereas Paul instructs masters to treat their slaves as God treats people (in 6:9).
12.Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands / Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord…
13.Husbands, in the same way [?] be considerate… respect as the weaker partner… heirs with you / Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church… [Notice that wives are called partners and co-heirs by Peter. Also, in GL 3:28, Paul said there is neither male nor female in Christ.]14.Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another… / Submit to one another…

At this point the similarity between 1PT and EPH ends, although one can occasionally find something by Peter related to Paul’s teachings in other epistles (as we noted regarding Hebrews). For example, 1PT 2:13 and RM 13:1 both say we should submit to governing authorities, both 1PT 3:9 and RM 12:17 say not to repay evil with evil, and both 1PT 4:9 & RM 12:13 say to practice hospitality.

VII. Who Will Answer?

“If the soul is darkened by a fear it cannot name,
If the mind is baffled when the rules don’t fit the game.
Who will answer…? Hallelujah…!”

This song (sung by Ed Ames) from the Vietnam Era asks a very important question, so let us endeavor to answer the question it asks.

The first verse says: “From the canyons of the mind we wander on and stumble blindly through the often tangled maze of starless nights and sunless days, while asking for some kind of clue, a road to lead us to the truth, but who will answer?”
The apostle Paul encountered people who were confused and searching in Athens.  In ACTS 17:23, Paul says that he even found an altar with this inscription: To an unknown God. He told the people, “What you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.”  Notice that this passage (thru v. 31) teaches God created human beings so that they would seek him and find him.  As HB 11:6 says, “God rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  And Jesus said in MT 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find…”.
Notice also that Paul quotes from Greek poets or philosophers who said “We are his offspring”, and then reasons from that using God-given logic to discover the truth. This teaches us to be eclectic, applying the words of 1THS 5:21, “Test everything; hold on to the good.” This is because God is the Spirit of truth, and all truth is God’s truth, even in cultures that are not Christian. This methodology was made famous by the philosopher, Hegel, who taught that more complete truth may be the synthesis of opposing views rather than either one or the other. So, who will answer or lead us to the truth? God, GW, His Logos and teachers who have His Holy Spirit.

The next verse asks: “Side by side two people stand together vowing hand in hand that love’s embedded in their hearts, but soon an empty feeling starts to overwhelm their hollow lives, and when they seek the hows and whys, who will answer?”  Many children are raised by parents who have hollow lives, whose hearts are not filled with the love of God, who do not teach them by word and deed what to believe and how to behave, nor do they participate in a church where their kids will have Christian friends who will not pressure them to experiment with drugs and sex or to listen to ungodly rap music and watch pornographic movies. Then these parents wonder why their children become friends with kids who do these things, become involved in gangs and become enslaved by drugs and worship the idol of fornication.  And who will answer them?  God, GW, His teaching in EPH 5:18, “Do not get high on drugs, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit and enjoy sexual communion with your spouse in a wonderful life-long relationship.  And again in 6:4, “Parents, do not exasperate your children [drive them away from the Lord]; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”

The third verse asks: “On a strange and distant hill a young man’s lying very still; his arms will never hold his child because a bullet running wild has struck him down and now we cry dear God, oh why, but who will answer?”  It is not just on foreign hills but also in American cities that bullets strike people down, including children.  Why? Because of reasons already shared in connection with the first two verses.  A movie entitled “American Me” portrays very well the decadence and downward spiral of our society, and where we are headed if we do not repent and turn to God and have spiritual revival or conversions to God by secular, atheistic and pseudo-Christian people.

The fourth verse asks: “High upon a lonely ledge a figurine is near the edge, and jeering crowds collect below to egg him on with ‘Go, man, go!’ But who will ask what led him to his private day of doom, and who will answer?” Jesus foretold in MT 24:10-11 that before the end many people will become atheists, hateful and wicked. People will even hate themselves and become so depressed or misguided that they will commit suicide, because they do not obey the TOJ to love oneself, each other and God in MT 22:37-40. Instead, they turn to drugs, sex, greed and other idols, which do not satisfy the need for God in our hearts.

Verse five says: “In the rooms with darkened shades the scent of sandalwood pervades the colored thoughts and muddled heads reclining in rumpled beds of unmade dreams that can’t come true, when we ask what we should do, who will answer?” Muddled heads is what Paul seeks to prevent when he says in EPH 4:14, “We will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth [or muddled] by every wind of teaching…” How is this prevented? Verses 11-12 say by pastors and teachers preparing God’s people for works of service, or in the words of 2TM 3:16-17, “[GW] is able to make you wise… and is useful for teaching… so that [a person who LGW] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Verse six speaks of the threat of nuclear war: “Beneath the spreading mushroom tree, the world revolves in apathy, as overhead a row of specks roars on drowned out by discotheques, and if a secret button’s pressed because one man has been our guest, who will answer?” It was the apathy of Europe in the 1930s that allowed Hitler to gain power until he almost conquered the world. Yet, rather than learn from the mistakes of Hitler, western civilization again was apathetic as Osama bin Laden planned its destruction, and still people are blind to the threat of terrorism. May God open their eyes so they can see that we are God’s answer for the salvation of the world! If we do not liberate people so they are free to become Christians, Armageddon is assured.

The seventh verse asks: “Is our hope in walnut shells worn ‘round the neck with temple bells, or deep within some cloistered walls where hooded figures pray in halls, or in some books on dusty shelves or in our stars or in ourselves. who will answer?” It is amazing to me that people will reject the loving God of the NT and seek the answer in astrology or idolatry or philosophy or mystical cults or superstition. Then they may think they have found the answer and stop asking the question. In so doing they are betraying God’s Messiah; for them it would have been better if they had never been born. (MT 26:24)

“If the soul is darkened by a fear it cannot name,
if the mind is baffled when the rules don’t fit the game,
Who will answer…? Hallelujah…!” God will—and has!