The Modern Church in Apostasy

I write my own "stuff"! Yes, it's commentary, but I don't use commentary of others unless it precedes 1900. That's just a random date, but around the time of Teddy Roosevelt and his "Bull Moose Party", America became contaminated by progressive thought. Actually it happened gradually before that with Universalism.  I just don't trust those who don't trust the Bible! If a theologian doesn't believe it's God's Word inspired and revealed to the prophets, and that it's infallible and free of error, I don't trust him. Furthermore, most of those who write commentary are biased toward some particular doctrine. I am too, but I state mine very clearly! I have no use for Calvinism nor churches which teach "social justice".

Briefly, for I've covered it before, Calvinism is deterministic. It propagates the notion that man has no part in his own destiny and was elected at the beginning of time to be saved or damned and there is nothing the person can do about it! That means that all missionary work is futile and a waste of time. Although I credit them for spreading the gospel of grace, they took it too far! Grace coupled with choice was the notion at the time of Adam and Eve, was the reason Christ came and is still effectual today.

"Social justice" is liberal theology propagated by progressives. Equality, solidarity and human rights are the aspects of social justice. None of these are bad; it's the emphasis and methods which are! Jesus did make it plain that heaven is for all and he came to save the sins of all mankind. However, he didn't come to make humans equal. He said nothing about slavery and said that the poor would always be with us. 

Neither did Jesus teach solidarity. He did teach unity. However, the unity taught through Paul was unity in believing who Christ is and what he did; saved those who accept Him as Savior! He never mentioned civil cohesion nor any type of militant action. Although the Jews believed that Christ came as a warrior king to defeat the Romans and would lead the people, Jesus led through love, not through civil unrest! 

The last point, human rights, was of no issue to him. Jesus commanded that we are to love him and to love others. That is true "human rights". However, Jesus taught obedience, not toleration; obedience is righteousness. The modern human rights movement has little to do with obedience, but solely of toleration.  Jesus was no respecter of persons, but he loved us all so  much that he provided the Way for all to be saved, but it wasn't through a civil human rights activity. It was being remorseful because we are humans and that we're fallible.

Those denominations which focus on "social justice" have good intentions, but as they say "The road to hell is paved with good intentions!" Just as Jesus said to give unto Caesar the things which are Caesars, it's better said to "forget Caesar and care for others out of love"!  The modern "social justice" theme of liberal churches are by nature Caesars. If we love one another as Jesus commanded, "social justice" isn't necessary! "Godly justice" is already scriptural. It's called "righteousness"!

The Methodist Church, the Nazarenes and the Salvation Army had "helping the poor" as a foundational theme. That's noble and putting charity in action. However, the sect which enables "abortion rights" and acceptance of alternate lifestyles is heretical!

Here's a quick synopsis of how Wikipedia explains those denominations which focus on social justice:

"Mainline churches include the United Methodist Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA, the Episcopal Church, the American Baptist Churches, the United Church of Christ (Congregationalist), the Disciples of Christ, Reformed Church in America, and Hicksite Quakers, among others.

Mainline churches share a common approach to social issues that often leads to collaboration in organizations such as the National Council of Churches. Because of their involvement with the ecumenical movement, mainline churches are sometimes given the alternative label of ecumenical Protestantism. These churches played a leading role in the Social Gospel movement and were active in social causes such as civil rights and equality for women. As a group, the mainline churches have maintained religious doctrine that stresses social justice and personal salvation. Politically and theologically, contemporary mainline Protestants tend to be more liberal than non-mainline Protestants."

While most of those denominations do believe in personal salvation, if it's not as Jesus taught; they have gone astray:

Revelation 3:15 "I know thy (Church of Laodicia) works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

 You see, teaching about Jesus just isn't acceptable! It's "right teaching" about Jesus. Unfortunately, these lukewarm denominations focus on social justice! I've asked some in these churches how a person gets "saved". There answer is "I don't know." or "They come to church and ask for membership." My own experience in a progressive church may be the norm. I took a catechism class, got an "A" and then was pronounced that I was saved and asked to become a church member. However, I was as lost after the catechism class as I was before and all that I was saved from was a bad grade!

Remember, because someone speaks "Christianese" doesn't make him saved! Likewise, attending church doesn't make a Christian any more than being in a garage makes a car! 

The worst of the worst of the churches which fit Revelation 3:15 is the Universalist Church now called Unitarian Universalist.  Few members even call themselves Christian and those that do, they're not what evangelicals would call them!

It's important to know what an "evangelical" is. I am one! According to The American Heritage Dictionary" the most applicable definition is "Evangelical: of, relating to, or being a Christian church believing in the sole authority and inerrancy of the Bible, in salvation only through regeneration, and in a spiritually transformed personal life."

Here we go again! The Bible first! Commentary and papal edicts are no substitute. Some United Baptists put personal inspiration over the Bible. That's wrong. Few Moses and few Paul's exist today because those were special times. Scripture is closed! Revelation tells us that.  "Bulls" are just that.  The papal bull Pastor aeternus in 1871 by Pius IX, regarding papal infallibility is what blackguards call "bull"!

Evangelical churches must be Christian and Christian only. Unitarian Universalists practice syncretism. Any and all religions are welcome on equal par. Likewise, are sinners whose lifestlye is never questioned. Reproductive rights are paramount and abortion is propagated. Surely they are cold, not even lukewarm! Evangelical churches teach that Jesus is the Way and only way because that what Jesus said about himself!

Evangelical churches teach the inerrancy of the Bible, since it's man's transcription of God's word, it is without fault. God is truth and God doesn't contradict himself or truth. Therefore, those who set aside the creation account in favor of evolution not only fail to accept the Bible, but are heretics as well. For them God is a pompous liar; claiming to have created the universe! Progressive churches teach evolution or an admixture of science and God.

I said that in a liberal church I was "saved" by a class. That's not evangelical! Evangelical churches teach regeneration. With faith and belief in the propitiating death of Christ on the Cross, the believer is regenerated. The old person is dead and the regenerated person is a new creature. Taking a class does not regenerate. Salvation is by the blood of Jesus only:

Ephesians 1:7 "(Jesus) In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace..."

Simply said salvation is available to all who believe and accept because Jesus shed his blood and died so that we didn't have to. He was without sin, put our sins upon himself and disposed of them for all time. That's what Evangelical churches teach  AND PRACTICE!

An evangelical church teaches "transformation". Just as Jesus was transformed with the spirit of God and his face took on a new countenance, likewise a sinner is transformed and we are changed. If change isn't there, it's likely that regeneration didn't happen! That's why so many liberal "Christians' still live in the flesh and for the world. They were never truly regenerated and hence, were not transformed!

At the end of the age the modern church, the progressive church, the liberal church, will be the church of the Antichrist. They will accept him because he will appear to be a proponent of social justice and he will be for a time! Wars will end and people will have "human rights". People will be taken care of and clothed and fed. (These are the focus of liberal churches.) He will be a hero for just enough time to fool those within liberal churches, then his true motives will show! He will declare himself "God" and the liberal churches will accept him because they are not evangelical! They won't know any better because they consist of gullible good people.

I don't read the commentaries because many modern theologians are progressives, dogmatic, non-evangelical or misled evangelicals. I may be wrong in what I say, but if I'm wrong, it's because of my own ignorance, not because I twist scripture. The truth you shall know:

John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Gotta Havit Now!

What's our problem? The economy nearly crashed in 2008 and there was a reason behind it. That reason is "I've gotta havit now!" People who could not afford homes were able to buy homes thanks to our misguided government in it's attempt to make everyone have equal outcomes without regard to equal abilities! Before long many of those people were "underwater"; their mortgage exceeded the value of the home. Others got rich because they bought homes at a fraction of their value when those homes were sold by the financiers at a fraction of their value. Hence, the government intending to equalize incomes made the differential even greater!

Hope Yen of the Associated Press (2011) says the "wealth gap" between young and old is 47:1.  The housing bust is responsible for this wide gap. It's because of the "Gotta havit now syndrome":

In all, 37% of younger-age households have a net worth of zero or less, nearly double the share in 1984. But among households headed by a person 65 or older, the percentage in that category has been largely unchanged at 8%.
For young adults, the main asset is their home. Their housing wealth dropped 31% 1984, the result of increased debt and falling home values. In contrast, Americans 65 or older were more likely to have bought homes long before the housing boom and thus saw a 57% gain in housing wealth even after the bust.

Yes, people "gotta havit now"! That's why fast food is so popular! Why wait when we "can gettit now!" Many of us are impatient when fast food isn't delivered fast enough.  We drink instant coffee, eat instant oatmeal and get movies on television as they hit the big screen. The entertainment industry knows that many Americans "gotta havit now"!

Why would a person want to wait when they can have it now? Couples in their twenties buy homes more expensive than their parents who may have worked for years before they splurged. Young people drive Lexus cars when the older ones drive Chevy's! It's not that the young have good jobs, they have good "plastic". Lenders will give credit to those who can't wait because that's how the make money; off high interest.  People use credit cards to pay off other credit cards so they "can havit it now"! People just can't wait. They are impatient to have! That at one time was called "keeping up with the Jones", but I would venture to say that it's now closer to "keeping up with the Kardashians"!

Furthermore, people tire of what they have and want what others have. One couple I knew would buy a new care each time I did and when I bought a new home, they bought a better one! I had the money; they didn't! Not being happy with what one owns can be troublesome! Whereas, money in the savings provides security, most people spend it without regard to later days. We can't count on prosperity lasting forever because it never has!  One medical bill can wipe out an entire life savings!  Does having equate to happiness?

Some people believe happiness is having occasions of pleasure.  I submit that true happiness is being content with your life, what you have, your health and having a future; both temporal and eternal. The biggest t difference is that the former strive to increase those instances of pleasure and the latter appreciate the happiness that they already have! Although everyone would enjoy more happiness a truly happy person doesn't dwell on displeasure for if they do, they're not truly happy. They lie to themselves and their happiness is a ruse, fooling even themselves!

We know how popular Phil Robertson has made the phrase "Happy! Happy! Happy!" and I believe he truly is!  He has reason to be happy. He never sought earthly happiness, but achieved it by seeking something better than happiness. The essence of happiness is lack of trouble! That's why this passage is so important:

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me."

This is an indirect way of saying "Believe in me (Jesus) and be happy!" I believe Phil Robertson is "happy, happy, happy" because he's content with what he has! Yes, he's now a millionaire, but even the casual observer can see that Phil is happy for another reason and was even happy before he became wealthy.

Phil is content.  Here's why:

1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content."

Contentment is not an antonym for motivation! Those who're motivated seek contentment!  Contentment is not operationalized by the pecuniary. Contentment is a "state of being" and is sort of "consistent joy"! Joy is had because peace we have!  Inner peace to be sure. That inner peace is what God provides because we are living for him; godliness!

Paul told Timothy "we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out". This statement is a forerunner to the rhetorical question "You don't see many U-Hauls behind hearses do you?" What I had coming in I have going out! This is "God's Law of Conservation of Reality" (my definition)! Oh, why do we try to accumulate so much for others to have when we're gone? Others get what we have because "God's Law of Conservation of Realty" can't be broken! It stands for each; it stands for all!

From a personal standpoint I too enjoy having!  Oftentimes when I shop, I put much into my shopping cart. At other times I stand and desire what I see on the store shelves. I've been known to leave my shopping cart with it's contents as I exit the store. More often I leave my desires on the shelf as I move on empty handed. I pass by the pastry shelves at the IGA, contemplate on how good the pastries would be, but leave with only pleasant memories. If I had actually bought what my heart desired that desire comes with baggage! Pastries have high sugar content, are high in fat and are temporary pleasures.

Cars are not unlike that. Homes aren't either! Luxury cars and homes are the pastries of malcontents. Happiness lies not in having fancy cars and luxury homes, but having peace with not having, because along withe having comes collateral damage: payments, fear of loss, misplaced priorities and maybe even loss of friends because of he rivalry between "haves" and "have nots".

Paul keeps saying it better than I can:

Philippians 4:11 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

We can desire! That in itself is no sin. I desire contentment. I desire peace:

John 16:33 "These things I (Jesus) have spoken unto you, that in me (Jesus) ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."

Jesus is the source of contentment. He's there for you whenever you quit seeking peace elsewhere! The one time that a malcontent is correct in "gotta havit now" is "gotta have Jesus now"! I've tried the alternatives, now it's Jesus. 

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Why wait for peace? Why way for contentment. If you're not "saved" then "now is the day of salvation"!  If you're still not content, what went wrong? Salvation is more than a fleeting moment. It's a re-prioritization of what's important! It's being content with what you have; with what God provided. It's the notion that if you suddenly won a million dollars, you're happy with what God has already given you! 

Proverbs 30:8 "Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me..."

God blesses, but he blesses with "needs" not "wants". People say "I deserve a new car!" No you don't. You "want a new car", but be content if God blesses you with  a reliable used car! That's the car you need! The same goes with homes and anything else. Our wants exceed our needs and that's the cause of inner turmoil; that lack of peace!

The Fruit of the Tree of Life

We all know what happened when our forebears went out on their own and listened to the lie. They ate of the fruit of the "Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil". Things went downhill from there. As a result of pride and desiring to know what God knows, all mankind, excepting psychopaths, live in fear! We know that we deserve death and that we all face it. We know that our spirits will die a spiritual death unless we're in total denial. However, help is on the way!

Revelation 2:7 "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

Revelation 22:13 "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

There is much speculation on what is the "Tree of Life". Some believe it's a tree having curing properties thus allowing mankind to have eternal life, others believe it's the Cross on which Jesus was crucified and others believe that Jesus is "The Tree of Life". There are reasons for all three ideas, but I believe that Jesus is THE TREE OF LIFE! He was right there in the Garden of Eden, and Adam and Eve could have eaten of that tree, just as we partake of the Eucharist to this day. The blood and body of Jesus represents the fruit of the tree; the Cross!

Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree."

Yes, the blood and body of Jesus were the fruit of the tree; that Cross on which he sacrificed himself for us! We're to be as Jesus. We're told that many places. We're to partake of the elements in remembrance of him. The wine represents the blood of Jesus and the bread, the body of our Lord. Those who are worthy (disciples of Christ) eat of the fruit:

1 Corinthians 11:27 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

Believers only eat of the fruit of that tree, Jesus! You never hear of Adam and Eve eating of the "Tree of Life". It's possible they never did. However, by grace I believe that Jesus convinced them! I sinned and I'm convinced and they were no different than me.

Luke 6:44 "For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes."

As Christians we are symbolic of trees as well! We're to bear fruit. We're to go forth and multiply, telling others about Jesus so that they too can eat of the "Tree of Life". However, before we speak for Jesus we're to bear fruit:

2 Peter 1:5 "And beside this (giving up corruption and taking on a divine nature), giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

That's quite a list of fruit we're to bear and some call that works! These are not works, they're fruits of the spirit giving evidence that we love the giver of those fruits: Jesus!

Diligence is working hard. It's doing works! Being as Jesus takes two of us. Jesus provides the incentive. We provide the integrity in honoring him.  The fruits of the spirit are works!

Virtue is the inner disposition to do what's right with Jesus. It's the desire to please God who died for us.

Knowledge is having truth. Truth is what God says. Therefore, knowledge is believing God's word.

Temperance is moderation on what is thought, felt and done. The exception to temperance is zealous. In fleshly aspects we're to have temperance. For God we're to have zeal!

Patience is putting our own desires aside and doing what God wills using God's schedule. 

Godliness is living as Christ would have us. We're to love God and other people. Godly people obey God's commands.

Kindness is how we treat others. We're to do unto others as we would have them do unto us! (Unless some have a streak of masochism of course).

Charity is love in action; providing to those in need by self-sacrifice. Charity is you doing because you love, not because it's dictated.

My observation: Christians don't bear much fruit. Jesus is gracious enough that he made us a tree to bear, but bear we don't!

Christians feud not only with those of the world, but with their Christian brothers as well. There is no unity within the living church because the trees are dying:

Jesus did this:

Matthew 21:19 "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

By grace we're living "fig trees". We're to bear fruit, but if we don't water and fertilizer our tree through the word, our fruit, just as the fig tree, will quit bearing and wither away. We're to use God's word and practice God's precepts to keep a lively tree!

Church's have dead trees or withering trees. People just don't demonstrate that they have any fruit. Patience, godliness, love and so forth are lacking! It's our way or the garbage dump. "Our way" is spoiled fruit and one bad apple spoils the barrel. Many churches are contaminated with rotten fruit. A Christian's efforts should be on bearing pleasing fruit; pleasing to God.

Right now make a decision. The rotten apples of dissent: arguing, pride, gossip, back-biting, apathy and hateful behavior needs to be thrown out. There's a place it can be thrown: on the altar! Quit gathering figs with thorns! Resolve to change this day!

Sealed a Christian

Seals have been used since ancient times. Seals are for making a personal imprint in wax or on paper. When we think of a seal it bears the mark of the sender and it's normally used on the document such that it can't be read nor changed until the seal is removed. In effect the document is sealed from being altered by another person. The original authentic document then remains reliable and authentic.

Seals have been around a long time. The Arabic people in what's now Yemini used seals as early as 110 BC.  Early usage of the seal was by government authorities. The king or his representatives would write a decree or other legal document, seal it in wax, imprint the seal with the official hand stamp, present it to the courier who would deliver the document to the intended recipient. Once the authority affixed the seal it was to remain intact until either the authority removed it himself or the rightful recipient removed it. 

At other times articles of value to the deceased would be put within a tomb with his remains and the tomb sealed so that the contents would never be disturbed. This was the case of Tutankhamun's tomb which was sealed in clay. The seal was to be broken only in the afterlife.

Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

John 6:27 "Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed."

2 Corinthians 1:21 "Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts."

Here are three verses where the believer is "sealed". In all the passages it's God that seals us. However, the Holy Spirit is not to be grieved and we're sealed because God "stablisheth" (establishes) us with God in Christ. Each person of the trinity has a part in our sealing, but God the Father does the sealing. He's the King, the heavens are his throne and the earth is his footstool!

There are then two types of seals: one in which only the authorities or the recipient can remove or one that can be removed by the authorities only and it's for eternity. Which type of seal is referenced in the verses above? Clearly the former. It's the standard seal!

Seals sometimes don't physically lock any object. It's a seal in that the document is legal. Seals were at one time as legal as a signature itself and the signer of a document added a wax seal near the signature. The general nature of a seal, then, is legal authorization.  In the subject verses only God is authorized to "seal" the Christian. The seal would imply that by the grace (mercy) of God you are authorized as a legitimate born-again Christian until the day of redemption. When is that?

Romans 8:23 "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body."

Here we go again! Adoption is the redemption of our body, so we're back to square one. What is adoption?

Ephesians 1:5 "Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will..."

We're adopted when we become children of Christ. 

Galatians 4:5 "To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."

Jesus redeemed mankind when he bore our burden on the cross and gave his life. If we believe that and accept his sacrifice we have been redeemed. This passage makes that clear:

Ephesians 1:7 "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace..."

As I see it "the day of redemption" is the time that the believer's heart accepts the death of Jesus as payment for his sins and receives the reward for that faith. He is fully redeemed when rewarded; when his soul meets Jesus. Hence, God has authorized the believer to be adopted as a child of Christ when the believer meets Jesus after physical death. Therefore, God doesn't seal the document closed, but is a witness that the believer believes. Adoption is not at the moment one believes, but after one perseveres.

And if the seal is the traditional seal what would that mean? The one with authority can removed a seal as can the recipient of the legal document.  God promises not to do that! He puts a hedge around the believer to keep evil from breaking the seal.

Hebrews 13:5b "...for he (God) hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."

This promise eliminates God! He will never break the seal. With that said the believer is free to break the seal at any time!

2 Peter 2:20 "For if after they (believers) have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."

That's apostasy! That's the believer breaking the seal! After that the believer is worse off than if he had never been a believer.

Hebrews 6:6 "If they (believers) shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

If a person were to expect to be "born again" again, it would be crucifying Jesus all over and it's to be remembered that Jesus died once for all!

That God "seals" a person is an argument used by those who favor "preservation of the saints", or "eternal security" or "once saved, always saved".

No one can say for sure when the "day of redemption is", but the Christian is sealed until then! God will never abandon the believer. His word testifies that the believer believed and is authorized to be there at the day of redemption. However, the believer can break that seal himself by falling away (apostasy).

There are always two roads to travel. The safe road or one full of pot-holes. If we live sanctified lives, we please God. Desiring to please God is a demonstration of love. Those who fail to please God by exercising their Christian liberty may fall away. Pleasure may become more important than Christ. That's a deep pot-hole. It goes to the center of the earth!

It's for the Children

In the 2014 State of the Union Address President Obama proposed to increase funding for early childhood education by $1.3 billion dollars annually. Since that's 2%, then mathematics implies that the gross annual funding will be $65,000,000,000. Why would the President want to do that when our budget is $17,000,000,000,000,000 ($17 trillion) and we're already in extreme arrears, are in danger of defaulting, and are already a tributary to Mother China?

Let's look at the possible reasons:

1) Statistics show that blacks primarily benefit from education spending.
2) Statistics show that the poor benefit more than the middle class.
3) It has been shown that if this type of entitlement is ended many will be deprived of government funded baby-sitters.
4) The government wants to give pre-school children a "head start" from public education which they rightfully should be getting at home.
5) The government has an agenda and the best way to accomplish government initiatives is to reach the young early.
6) Increase in education funding buys votes for those who legislate entitlements.
7) Socialism states that the family unit is an impediment to the good of society and that social justice is best achieved when children are taught by the government.
8) The best way to take God out of the lives of people is to deprive them of biblical knowledge.
9) Maybe more possibilities which the reader may provide.

I believe that all the reasons enumerated are valid and applicable. Let's examine each reason for spending such incredible amounts of money:

1) Minorities, especially blacks, do receive the most benefit because that's where the money will be spent. That's social justice and is a progressive initiative. Those to whom goes the most receives the most benefit. In the words of Marx "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs!" That's income redistribution; robbing from the haves to give to the have-nots. Since progressives believe that blacks aren't motivated and intelligent enough to succeed on their own, they want to level the playing field. As a result progressive "blue states" where social justice is the law, have the worst performance. 

Colossians 3:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men..."

Proverbs 13:4 "The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

In short babysitting children to save the parents money doesn't pay off! The problem isn't that pre-schoolers aren't learning sufficiently, but that those in K-12 aren't!  Broken homes, incomplete families, working mothers and the resultant rebellion, apathy, disrespect and lack of motivation are the culprits, not to mention drug use among the parents and even teenagers. For whatever reason the poorest, whether black or white, lack motivation.

2) The poor will in fact benefit more than the middle class. That's socialism in action! Those who work foot the bill for those who don't! Forced ineffective taxes to further social justice is just not the solution to the root cause. Poor people stay poor for various reasons, but lack of pre-school education would not be high on the list. In fact intact functioning well-balanced families would increase outcomes much more so than any pay for placation programs the government implements. A family and society which teaches hard work and motivation is the answer; not programs which let young children try to stay within the lines while coloring! In addition to the above passages, consider this:

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."

God can be depended on. He doesn't want his children to hunger and fail. However, for God to work in the lives of children in order that they can succeed, they must be taught scripture and know what God says to them. There is an "instruction manual" for children and it's called the Bible! Especially useful is the Book Of Proverbs.  A intact family, humbly serving the Lord, is the answer to supplying their needs!

Matthew 6:31 (ESV) "Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all."

God will supply all those who lean on him! If our hope is in the government, that undermines God. How can our heavenly father help when the government becomes the answer to everything?  Government has become the god of the people. A jealous God allows poverty as punishment for disobedience!

3) Pre-school programs become glorified babysitters. It does little more than provide a space to be while the parents are missing. Furthermore, beyond social interaction these early programs are not in-depth learning. Beyond early social interaction they don't supply enough benefit to offset the mother and or father whose missing from their lives. Scripture assigned gender roles for families. 

Titus 2:1-5 "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. 2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled."

Note that it's not the governments role to teach "morality". It's the mother's and father's! The young women will be blessed since their natural role is to maintain the household and to teach appropriate behavior! The men should also teach, but are to be steadfast. That means that they're there for the wife and children and that they provide the stable home! In areas  with high minority demographics, the bread-winner is not there, and the female has "choices" of government begging or low income jobs! Minority men performing their God-assigned roles as leaders of the home will help the women do theirs and all will benefit! With a Godly home, God provides a future. He's just needs to be part of the picture!

4) Entitlement programs, including those who aim to raise your children for you, aimed at minorities and the other poor, implies that those groups need more help because they're either genetically inferior or from homes of incompetent parents. Knowing my own background, I was economically handicapped. I was raised in poverty. My goal throughout life was to raise myself out of what I was born into, and that in itself was encouragement to succeed! The tools which I needed to provide hope wasn't what the government will do for me, but what God provides for me! President Kennedy said "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what can you do for your country." That's profound! Unfortunately today's progressive (socialistic) Democrats have abandoned that mantra. "Ask how we can bleed others for what they have earned and stifle the economy by stealing incentive to succeed!" As a result the poor linger in poverty and are hurt the worst!

Colossians 3:23 (ESV) "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men..."

"Making it yourself" is motivation. These programs which reward without effort fail. People lose their self-worth. They look toward others for success when success lies right there within them. Trading your children for a few dollars ruins families. People wonder why they and their children lack relationships. It's because they're seldom together. It's most wise for a parent to raise their own children than handing them over to government programs where they are taught everything and anything, but not what is righteous!

Proverbs 22:6 (ESV) "Train up a child in the way he should go;  even when he is old he will not depart from it."

That's a promise from God. If you don't believe in God, that's behaviorism. A child learns from what he's taught. The government believes this more than parents do. Uncle Sam knows that future liberalism depends on remolding children as early as they can so when they're adults they are tools for socialistic and secular humanists policies. That's why the government wants God out of the public arena. In that way Christianity becomes myth which is to be practiced only in privacy and out of sight of others who might be persuaded.

5) The government does have an agenda! The government consists in the present age of a conglomeration of non-believers, skeptics, secular humanists and those of liberal theology. Those liberal theologians are those who believe in "goodness" (social justice), but don't buy the doctrine that Jesus is God and that he sacrificed himself for personal salvation. They generally believe in heaven, but not hell, hence there is nothing to be "saved from" and personal salvation is for the crazies! Not true! They should try accepting Jesus' own words:

John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Liberal theologians and the world want a child to believe anything, but not this! Christianity is viewed as intolerant and repressive to the the the masses; not in the "common good". Since the gate to God is narrow, Christians are different than most, but that difference for true Christians is love, charity and obedience. Obedience maintains civil structure because civilized societies work best when "natural law" (God's Law) is the foundation!

Socialism's strategy is to take God out of our lives:

"Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." (Karl Marx)

Socialists believe that God exists only in the mind of the ignorant and that the church uses God to control. Rather than God being the "provider", God is seen as the cause of poverty. The only way to step out of poverty is to leave God behind! What better way to destroy God in our country than by indoctrination of our children and the destruction of the family unit! Karl Marx said this:

"The bourgeois (wealthy)  family will vanish as a matter of course when its complement vanishes, and both will vanish with the vanishing of capital. Do you charge us with wanting to stop the exploitation of children by their parents? To this crime we plead guilty. But, you say, we destroy the most hallowed of relations, when we replace home education by social.”

Socialists say they are destroying parent/child relationships by allowing the government to teach the children. What will they teach? That there is no God, no responsibility except to the State and to make "Stepford Children" out of our precious little ones. By being taught en masse individualism is destroyed! Then everything becomes for the "common good".

Parents who raise their children correctly are "child abusers", according to socialists! They exploit their own children. They say that with a straight face when their own modus operandi is to exploit the young members of the family; to turn children away from the parents!

Matthew 10:21 describes the socialist end-of-time government led society:

..."Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

The destruction of the family and alienating children from their parents is a socialist initiative and the same initiative that the Antichrist will have as we approach the tribulation period, which won't be a sudden thing, but come on us gradually, so even the elect will fail to see it coming. Conservatives call that "creeping socialism"! That dastardly ungodly ideology already has your children and you don't even know it!  Why do you think progressives win elections? It's because they have the young! Likewise, liberalism has created a chasm between other family members: men and women. There IS a war on women... and men, and it's waged by socialists. They're doing what they say that they will do! Further destruction of the family is the "same sex" marriage movement. It destroys the traditional relationships between men and women and destroys the historic and traditional family! "Woe are we!" We're copilots to Marxist pilots!

6) Liberal entitlements are vote-buying gimmicks. Who really believes that the government cares about you? Just as we employees thought that General Motors cared about us to the extent we referred to her as "Generous Mothers" we eventually realized that caring was a ploy for profits and when profits diminished, so did the caring. That's the same with government caring. They care about immigration as long as the immigrants vote their way. They care about minorities as long as blacks are enslaved to them. They care about children as long as those children "drink their kool-aid" as they reach adulthood. What those in power really want is to stay in power. Entitlements insure that!  It's dishonest and expensive policy and is destroying the foundation of our republic.

Just as hedonism and Epicureanism were the greatest contributors to the Fall of Rome, it will be the same for the fall of the entire world. America is going the down the drain with the same cancer, and our children are the pawns in this war on morals and Christianity.

7) Whereas the government at one time wanted "A few good men", now they want a "few remolded children". Progressives aren't the first. Hitler, yes a socialist, had the "Hitler Youth" who were children sponsored by the NSDAP to insure there would continue to be those who would make socialist thought live on after those in power were gone. Children were a tool for the National Socialists and they are a tool for the progressive socialists. "It's for our children!" is the biggest lie. It's for retention of power.

Mark 12:17 " And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

This passage is normally used to support the paying of taxes which is what Jesus was responding to, but what's missed is that Jesus was more concerned to giving things to God that are Gods! That's what the baby dedication ceremony is about!

1 Samuel 1:27  "For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him: 28 Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord; as long as he liveth he shall be lent to the Lord. "







That's what parents pledge to do when they dedicate their newborn, but then many go right ahead and turn their children over to godless government programs. No wonder God withholds the blessings from Christian families! Many are just not true to their commitments!




Repeating what Marx said "We destroy the most hallowed of relations, when we replace home education by social." Read and re-read! Socialism seeks to destroy the family by replacing the parent. Not only does the government endeavor to replace God, but parents as well. That's what financing pre-school education is all about. The government suckles power from the corporate teats of the people; and the people freely submit to the milking!  As Samuel prayed, you're to lend your children to the Lord. God gave them to you and you are to apprentice them back to God! By turning them over to government indoctrination Christians shirk their God-given responsibility!







8) Be assured that not only does pre-school sponsored by the government fails to teach godly righteousness, but they teach things anathema to Christians. In my own children's middle school the sex-education curriculum included homosexuality and bestiality. I'm certain that all new deviance's become included as they are accepted by secular humanism, and forced government standards insure that each are taught.





Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."

Simply put "Be careful that what the world teaches because it's not what Christ taught!" Parents would never allow their children to be exposed to child molesters, but think nothing of allowing their children to be taught by those who would molest their souls! Parents beware!

If you don't want your children to know the eternal truths of God, just turn them over to others when they're children. Although there are many Christian teachers in pre-school, many are not, and at my children's middle school, godly teachers were forced to teach ungodly beliefs! A member of my church said "Mr. Brown would never allow that!" Mr. Brown had no choice! It was dictated by secular humanists in the government bureaucracy.

Who is going to teach your children about God unless you, the parent, takes charge? Nobody will. Therefore it's your obligation as a parent.

9) Any discerning Christian should be able to find more reasons that the government wants your children!  Discerning is the key word:

Luke said it well:

Luke 12:55 "And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass. 56 Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time? 57 Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?"

The Bible tells you what it will be like as we near the end of time. Socialism plainly spells out the intention of socialism.They agree on the methods!  It is to make those godly ungodly. It will be so gradual that only those with discernment will see it coming. Most will fail to judge what is right! It's not right that government entitlement programs rob you of your children! It's not right that same-sex couples can adopt and rob children of a normal life. It's not right that Christians have join forces with evil by ignoring God's warnings. We who should know better sacrifice our own children to the god at the alter of the Federal Building. We're no better than our pagan forebears:

Leviticus 20:3 "And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name. 4 And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not: 5 Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people."

Parents, don't go a whoring after the government. Bring your children up yourself. By handing them over to those in opposition to God, you've appeased Molech, but saddened God. He will only stand for this a short time, then he will punish, and I don't blame him!

One final note: Taxes pay for entitlements. Marx, for the "common good" of socialism, called for a progressive income tax. Those taxes which are misused and wasted by the government is "redistribution of the wealth" and the government isn't noted for efficiency, nor do they care!

Give those ill-gotten taxes to the government, but give unto God the things that are God's. Give your children to the service of God.

How to Love the Unlovable

We all know someone who's "hard to love". They reject any overture made to become friendly. We all know someone who we work hard to be friends with, but come up short. Does that remove our obligation to love others? Let's look at the command to love:

Matthew 22:36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

Let's look at what these passages really say:

1) Loving God is not optional. It is commanded! Loving God is a hard task to fulfill. It's not just an emotion. It's a duty.

2) Loving God is the most necessary of all the commandments because it comes first and is the greatest!

3) Loving God is with all your being. It's a love given with all that you have: man consists mind, body and spirit; clearly represented by mind, soul and heart. That's "agape" (spiritual love likened into the love of Christ).

4) The Old Testament (OT) Law (Ten Commandments are still effectual)

5) Jesus made commandments. Jesus validated the OT Law.

6) Jesus acknowledges that we love ourselves. This is accentuated by Ephesians 5:29 "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church..."

7) We're to love our neighbor. Neighbor is anybody else. We're to love others. All others. Exceptions are not allowed! How about those who hate you?

8) We're to love our enemies: Matthew 5:44 "...I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you..."

9) Loving God and others is consistent with God's Law (The Ten Commandments and OT prophecy). There is not a new economy. God is consistent and unchanging. What God says in the OT applies today as far as his law! (Note that Mosaic Law and God's Law differ. God's Law is written in stone).

10) These two commandments summarize The Ten Commandments, God's Law. #1 You shall have no other Gods before me, #2 You shall not worship idols, #3 You shall not misuse the name of God and #4 Remember the Sabbath, to keep it holy are how to keep The Greatest Commandment; how to love God! And #5 Honor your father and mother, #6 You shall not murder, #7 You shall not commit adultery, #8 You shall not steal, #9 You shall not lie and #10 You shall not covet summarize how you demonstrate the love of others.

11) If any man doesn't love others he is in violation of The Greatest Commandment, loving God: 1 John 4:20 "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

What's been demonstrated using Jesus' Commandments? Loving others is as necessary as loving God! Where do Christians fail? We don't love others enough and that's a demonstration of how little we love God! It's easy to quit committing voluntary sins, but sins of omission are the most difficult. Therein, we all fail God! Oh, what are we to do?

What Jesus says about loving others is profound! Before we can commune with God we must clear our conscience with others:

Matthew 5:23 "Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee: 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

So what's so profound about that? It's not that you have something against others, but that others may have something against you! You say "I've never wronged that man. Why would I have to make amends?" Jesus says that's of no consequence. The man has something against you! Before we can sacrifice to God we must make amends even where we have no amends to make. However, in many cases if a man holds a grudge against another, both have surely caused the grudge.

After writing this, I thought of three instances where people disliked me and made it obvious. Was I partly at fault? Likely, but I focused on the solution, not the problem. Jesus implies that I'm part of the problem. The first step is admitting that maybe, just maybe, I'm at fault too! That's important.

Although she stressed me out because of our contrast in personalities, it happened that Lisa's mother died unexpectedly. I prayed for Lisa and sent her a sympathy card. She sent me a "thank you" card in return and told me that I was the only co-worker who had offered condolences. Lisa became my friend and a strong ally!

I felt so good about settling things with Lisa, that I thought about Gerald. He told me outright "I hate you!". That's a tough one because in my pride I didn't understand how someone could hate Mr. Congeniality. It turns out that the Lord made me understand just that: I am not Mr. Congeniality! I'm Mr. Prideful. I went to Gerald and said "I think you're a good man and I want you to know that I have nothing against you." Gerald said "You're a good man too." and shook my hand! God can work within you if you allow it! I was jubilant because hard nose Gerald was now my friend! He remained so until I retired and lost contact.

Lastly, is Bob. We argued on every issue and conducted ourselves with belligerence. Bob said "I just don't like you!" I replied "What is it that you don't like, Bob, because I'm willing to change?" His response was "I don't know. You just need to change." Not knowing how, I just became more agreeable. That helped. Bob seemed to drop his animosity toward me because thereafter we ceased to feud.

I made efforts with all three and although I'm sure Bob still held something against me, I made the effort. Two out of three enemies, maybe three for three, were enemies, but now they were friends. I held nothing against them and maybe they no longer held anything against me. I was surely blessed!

Now, after writing this, I know of another who recently decided to hold something against me. I have struggled about making it right, but decided that I was not at fault. "Fault", according to Jesus, has no bearing on what I'm to do. I must make amends or I'm not right with Jesus. That's now on my "bucket list" and Jesus said to do this "first"; before I sacrifice to him. I don't believe I'm an acceptable sacrifice, because that's what Jesus is talking about, until I'm right with this person.

Romans 12:1 "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

Scripture teaches that sacrifices must be the most pure available. Never would the priest present a deformed or black lamb to God. It was to have no affliction and be as pure as possible. Jesus is more lenient with the living sacrifice. He knows our blemishes (sins) and accepts us as we are without being "good" before we come to him. Those who love God the most are those to whom he has forgiven the most! However, we have a "reasonable service" that when we remember Jesus, we are not to do it unworthily. 

1 Corinthians 11:27 "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord."

Partaking communion without first making things right with others makes people guilty. They don't deserve to partake of the elements which represent the body and blood of Jesus. The Eucharist is a chance to repent before we sacrifice; before we remember what Jesus did for us. 

Yes, we are to love the unlovable!  That's our duty! That's God's command which complements his greatest command. We love God by obedience. We show that we love God by loving others, even those who detest us through no fault of our own! Put loving ________ (your enemy's name) on your "bucket list" before you present yourself to God again. You'll be blessed! I know because I have been!