Does the GOP Now Stand for “Giving Over Principles?”

On April 17th Steve Schmidt, John McCain’s former campaign manager, addressed the Log Cabin Republicans, a federated gay and lesbian political organization. The major thrust of his speech was to justify gay marriage, however, it was really an attempt to make his case for republicans to soften their stance on sensitive issues so as to gain political support in future elections.

Firstly, let’s examine the biblical background and position on the specific issue of gay marriage.

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it…’”
Genesis 1:27-28

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

In the New Testament Jesus quoted that passage as did the Apostle Paul in the epistle to the Ephesians.

And He answered and said to them, “Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female,’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh…’”? Matthew 19:4-5

For those that believe the Bible it is clear that any marital arrangement other than between a man and a woman never entered the mind of God. A progressive culture has invented that concept which heretofore did not exist.

But that is not the current point. The real issue is that Mr. Schmidt, a republican/conservative, is speaking out to encourage others to look past the biblical basis on the subject and accept a politically correct viewpoint. If republicans/conservatives cave in to such a strategy on this topic, there will be no end to such compromise which will lead to further erosion of our historic foundational principles.

Below are several excerpts from Mr. Schmidt’s speech.

“I respect the opinions of Americans who oppose marriage for gay couples on religious grounds…But I’m confident American public opinion will continue to move on the question toward majority support, and sooner or later the Republican Party will catch up to it.”

“But if you sincerely believe God’s revealed truth objects to it (gay marriage) then it is perfectly honorable to oppose it. But those are not the grounds on which a political party should take or argue a position.”

“And while we shouldn’t carelessly dismiss the importance of enduring traditions, we should understand that traditions do change over time in every society. Customs change. Societies change. People change.”

In fact in the recent presidential election, in which everyone had the privilege to participate, the victor won with his promise to bring “change” to America. Republicans have now lost the presidency as well as the House of Representatives and Senate. They are presently in the process of self assessment to determine what it will take to regain political prowess.

Fortunately for the more than 75% of Americans that claim to be Christians the new president adamantly declares his Christianity and belief in the Bible as does his vice president. Furthermore, the speaker of the house is also a professing Catholic. With this current leadership perhaps America will hold on to their Christian principles while the republicans evaluate Mr. Schmidt’s position and consider whether politics should trump principles. It would certainly be disappointing to learn that our present leadership was also willing to compromise biblical principles that they claim to espouse in order to stay in office.

And while Mr. Schmidt may be right about traditions and societies changing, some things do not change.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My (Jesus) words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

The gay marriage issue is just another case where the politically correct is challenging the biblically correct. In this case it attempts to legalize issues that are contrary to biblical positions in order to achieve personal agendas.

Lastly, consider further Mr. Schmidt’s statement that biblical teachings should not be the grounds on which a political party should take or argue a position. Societies, traditions, cultures, and people do change reminding us that in the secular world there are no absolutes. According to the Bible God made all things and He is sovereign over His creation. Therefore, His immutable word must also be absolute. The Bible is in fact the only source that provides the absolute benchmark defining “right and wrong,” or “good and evil.” The Bible further states that mankind will ultimately be judged based on choices made relative to God’s revealed code of conduct and not on man’s perception of good and evil.

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil…Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes.” Isaiah 5:20-21

In view of the above it would appear to be a wise strategy that all proposed legislation be aligned with God’s immutable, absolute word and not on current societal norms which change as the wind.

Your comments are welcome on http://bibleandcurrentevents.blogspot.com

Here Comes the Judge

One of the spoils of the presidency is the authority to appoint judges, both Supreme Court justices and federal judges. Now the primary objective of selecting judges, especially at this level, is to insure that proposed or existing legislation is congruent with the Constitution of the United States. Problems arise when judges bring their personal ideology to the bench with them. Such problems are common with both conservative based judges as well as those with a more liberal ideology. The challenge is to identify and appoint judges with an objective viewpoint without bias.

“Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, ‘Hear the cases between your brethren, and judge righteously…You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man’s presence, for the judgment is God’s.’” Deuteronomy 1:16-17

Well, president Obama has just made his first nomination for a federal judge, i.e. David Hamilton who was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit serving Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Now the objective of this column is not to make any kind of political statement, but rather to see if this nomination will tend to preserve or hinder the Judeo-Christian principles on which our constitution was framed. Inasmuch as president Obama has openly professed his Christianity, it follows that his choices for important positions such as judgeships would reflect his core beliefs that are in turn reflected in the constitution. Remember that he swore on a Bible that he would protect and preserve that constitution.

It doesn’t take more than a few seconds of research to learn that Judge Hamilton is very much a proponent of abortion. Before commending or condemning his stance, let’s first define abortion. Typically the definition of abortion is limited to meaning the termination of a pregnancy. That issue has been highly contested in recent years. For those that oppose abortion according to the pregnancy issue, it’s too bad that Judge Hamilton’s nomination doesn’t require the confirmation of the House of Representatives instead of the Senate because house speaker Nancy Pelosi, an avowed catholic, recently had it confirmed by the Pope in no uncertain terms that life begins at conception.

However, let’s look a little deeper into the definition of abortion. It is defined in a broader sense as the failure of a plan.

There is a wonderful Old Testament historical account that illustrates that definition. The Jews from southern Judah were going to be removed from their homeland and deported to ancient Babylon for 70 years for their rebellion against God. At the end of the 70 year captivity, they were to be freed from Babylon by a Persian King named Cyrus. This was God’s plan for the Jews. The fascinating thing about this story is that God revealed this plan in detail through the prophet Isaiah and named the future king Cyrus as the Jewish liberator 150 years before he was born!

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;…Who says of Cyrus, He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, You shall be built, and to the temple, Your foundation shall be laid.”

“Thus says the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held – to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut:…that you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob My servant’s sake, and Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.” Isaiah 44:24 – 45:4

The question can be asked: What would have been the consequences if Cyrus’s mother for whatever reason had decided to terminate that pregnancy? The full meaning of the word “abortion” would have come into play, i.e. not only would Cyrus not have been born, there would have been the “failure of the plan.” Therefore, abortion is much more comprehensive than it appears on the surface. It is much more than just terminating a pregnancy, it interrupts God’s plans for mankind. The Bible reveals that life in the eyes of God begins many years before the actual conception. This is illustrated many times in the Bible.

The present issue is whether we as a nation are making decisions that are in agreement with God’s word or are we making decisions that are knowingly contrary to biblical teachings.

Oh, and by the way, Judge Hamilton has ruled that prayers in Jesus name at the Indiana House of Representatives were unconstitutional, but prayers to Allah were not. Therefore, it appears that this judicial nominee brings a resume that advertises in advance that he has broken two of the Ten Commandments during the course of his judicial duties.

The question is not one of conservative vs. liberal, or democrat vs. republican; it is a question of whether we are making decisions that will hasten the arrival of the ultimate judge.

“So Abraham still stood before the LORD…and said…Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?’” Genesis 18:22-25

“Let the heavens declare His righteousness, for God Himself is Judge.”
Psalm 50:6

“Arise, O God, judge the earth…” Psalm 82:8

Who Said It?

There has been much said recently about whether or not the United States is at war with Islam. Below are listed several relative quotes along with their author or source.

“We see in Islam a religion that traces its origins back to God’s call on Abraham. We share your belief in God’s justice, and your insistence on man’s moral responsibility…”

“Islam is a faith that brings comfort to people. It inspires them to lead lives based on honesty, and justice, and compassion.”

“…The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends…”

“The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That’s not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace…”

As you have probably already surmised at this point, the above quotations were all spoken by former president George W. Bush.

Perhaps the question is not, “Is the United States at war with Islam,” but rather, “Is Islam at war with the United States?” Again I will list several more quotes, but this time they will be quotes from Islamic sources, i.e. the religion of “peace.”

“The whole world is watching this war and the two adversaries; the Islamic nation on the one hand, and the United States and its allies on the other.”

“Let the entire world hear me. Our hostility to the Great Satan is absolute…I conclude my speech with the slogan that will continue to reverberate on all occasions so that nobody will think that we have weakened. Regardless of how the world has changed after 11 September, Death to America will remain our reverberating and powerful slogan: Death to America.”

“Undoubtedly, I say…with the support and power of God, we will soon experience a world without the United States and Zionism and will breathe in the brilliant time of Islamic sovereignty over today’s world.”

“It is our pride that the Great Satan (America) and the head of despotism, corruption and arrogance in modern times considers us as an enemy…”

“America is the head of heresy in our modern world, and it leads an infidel democratic regime…that contradicts the way of Allah…America is the reason for all oppression, injustice, licentiousness, or suppression…We have the right to kill 4 million Americans…2 million of them children…Furthermore it is our right to fight them with chemical and biological weapons…”

“…to kill the Americans and their allies, civilians and military, is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it…to comply with God’s order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it. We also call on Muslim leaders, youths, and soldiers to launch the raid on Satan’s U.S. troops and the devil’s supporters allying with them…”

“Islamic governments have never and will never be established through peaceful solutions…”

“We must keep the hatred of America burning in our hearts until the moment of revenge arrives.”

“I hope that our courageous and great nation will succeed one day in taking revenge against Israel and America, avenging the blood of the oppressed Muslims and the martyrs.”

So it would appear that peace is not on the minds of all of the leaders of the Islamic community. But then again, we have been forewarned.

“For many will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many and you will hear of wars and rumors of wars…For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom…Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” Matthew 24:5-11

“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors...! Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:32-35

These passages were spoken by Christ Himself explaining to His disciples how to read the signs of the times.

Then following are two more notable quotes. The first quote was included in remarks to the Christian Broadcasting Network in 2007. The second quote was included in remarks at a Turkish press conference on April 6, 2009.

“Whatever we once were, we’re no longer just a Christian nation.”

“Although…we have a very large Christian population, we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.”

Who said it? They were both spoken by the current president and former senator, Barack Obama.

America, are we watching for the leaves on the fig tree? Or are we even aware that the fig tree exists.

Have You Really Seen a Ghost?

A ghost is defined as: The spirit of a dead person, especially one believed to appear in bodily likeness to living persons or to haunt former habitats.

Normally we state in this column that the Bible has a great deal to say about the topic being presented, however, in this case there is little found in the Bible about “ghosts” as defined above because the Bible doesn’t recognize their existence. To clarify, the Bible has much to say about the spirit of a deceased person, but nothing to say about the appearance of their spirit on earth between their physical death and subsequent resurrection.

According to the Bible man was created in the image of God, his creator.

“So God created man in His own image…” Genesis 1:27

“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7

These verses reveal that man was created with two parts, a physical body and a spirit. The physical body of a man returns to dust after death and the spirit returns to the One that created him awaiting their final destiny.

“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” Genesis 3:19

“Then the dust will return to earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7

According to the Bible the spirit of man belongs to God and at the time of physical death it will either be preserved in paradise or reserved in hell until reunited with the physical body which will then live forever. A great truth is that there is no such thing as cessation of being for any man at death. A spirit preserved in paradise is protected, i.e. kept safe until the reunification of the body and spirit for eternal life in heaven. A spirit that is reserved in hell is kept under guard until the reunification of the body and spirit for eternal separation from God in the everlasting lake of fire.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our LORD Jesus Christ.” I Thessalonians 5:23

This verse reflects the preservation of those who are bound for eternity in heaven.

“…then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority, They are presumptuous, self-willed…” 2 Peter 2:9-10

And this verse reflects the reservation of those who are bound for eternity apart from God.

So the spirits of all men who have died are either preserved or reserved by the one who created them and there is no record in the Bible that any of these departed spirits have ever escaped God’s watchful eye to visit the earth in the interim as a ghost.

It may be confusing to some that there are several English words that are synonymous and may be used interchangeably in the scriptures. For example the words ghost and spirit are from the same Greek word pneuma which also can mean breath and wind.

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit (the ghost).” Matthew 27:50

“And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost (spirit)!’ and they cried out for fear.” But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” Matthew 14:26-27

The above is a case where the disciples didn’t recognize Jesus especially seeing that He was walking on the water so they attributed what they saw to a ghost/spirit.

Many also confuse demons with ghosts. It is not known with certainty whether or not demons are the spirits of fallen angels, but it is known with certainty that they are definitely not the spirits of deceased men. They have power granted to them to enter and influence the lives of the living. They are also great imitators and deceivers because of their alliance with their leader, i.e. Satan.

One of their great deceptions is to cause people to believe that they can communicate with the spirits of the dead. This deception if vehemently warned against by God as are all attempts to communicate with the spirit world.

“Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them…” Leviticus 19:31

“A man or a woman who is a medium or who has familiar spirits, shall surely be put to death; they shall stone them with stones. Their blood shall be upon them.” Leviticus 20:27

“There shall not be found among you…a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD…” Deuteronomy 18:10-12

Therefore, according to the Bible there are no such things as ghosts as defined above and we should let God take care of the spirit world in His own time and method.

Truth or Tradition

On April 12th Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The resurrection of Christ is a major doctrine for Christianity. No resurrection, no heaven for anyone!

“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen…And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!...”
I Corinthians 15:13, 17

The name of the day celebrating the resurrection of Christ is Easter. The word “Easter” is found only once in the King James translation of the Bible.

“…Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread. So when he (Herod the king) arrested him (Peter), he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Easter.” Acts 12:3-4

The Greek word translated “Easter” in the above passage is pascha which in turn is transliterated from the Hebrew pesach. Both pascha and pesach mean Passover. This is consistent with the Old Testament Jewish festivals where the seven Days of Unleavened Bread began the day immediately following Passover.

So then, where does the word Easter originate and what does it really mean? It has a pagan origin and is the basis for the name of the ancient goddess of spring known as Semiramis to the Babylonians, Ishtar to the Assyrians, Astarte to the Greeks, and Ashteroth to the Jews. You may recall that this pagan goddess was the wife of Nimrod, the great rebel against God. She is the infamous Babylonian queen of heaven that the Bible vehemently warns against. Nimrod and his wife were the beginning of counterfeit religions. The recognition and worship of Ashteroth was the downfall of King Solomon. The future of such false religions, referred to in the book of Revelation as Babylon the Great is clearly spelled out.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”…The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication. And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Revelation 17:1-5

We presently celebrate “Easter” on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the vernal equinox each year. That is why the date varies from year to year.

Now let’s take a closer look at the major event occurring during the week preceding what we call “Easter.”

Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you…On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year…Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses…So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance.” Exodus 12:1-7, 14

The first Jewish month was Nissan which began by observation, i.e. when the first sliver of the new moon was evident. The day of the Passover would then be a full moon and was ordained to coincide with the vernal equinox.

How then, does this all fit in with the passion week of the New Testament?

Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they killed the Passover Lamb…and as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many…” Mark 14:12, 22-24

…“Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” I Corinthians 11:24-25

Therefore, we are admonished to remember the sacrificial death of Christ as our Passover Lamb and the shedding of His blood.

“… For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.”
I Corinthians 5:7

…“knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold…but with the precious blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot. I Peter 1:18-19

Only after we have comprehended the significance of Christ’s sacrificial death, then we can turn our attention to the wonders of His resurrection.

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” I Peter 1:20-21

Therefore, “Easter” is not taught in the New Testament, but the Passover Lamb is. And eggs, rabbits, and ham are pagan items associated with Tammuz, the son of the queen of heaven and Nimrod. How these items became associated with the sacred time of year that commemorates the Passover Lamb and the celebration of the resurrection of Christ remains obscure.

Tradition may not always be founded on truth.

The Silent Mockery

Throughout the history of Judaism and Christianity there have been those who have exercised their freedom to mock the word of God. Mocking has several forms, i.e. from actually scoffing at Old Testament prophecies to just not taking the Bible seriously. In the Old Testament writings the same Hebrew word is used interchangeably for mock and scoff. Synonyms for mock and scoff in both testaments include scorn and ridicule.

In the Old Testament the greatest offenders were God’s chosen people themselves, the Israelites.

“And the LORD God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people…But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy.” 2 Chronicles 36:15-16

It is very interesting to note that the first reference to mockery is found in the book of Genesis relative to Isaac and Ishmael.

“So the child (Isaac) grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar (Ishmael) …scoffing. Therefore she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.’” Genesis 21:8-10

Of course this battle between the scoffing Ishmael and Isaac rages on even to this day.

The current prevailing form of mockery is to claim to be a Christian but then not take God’s word seriously. This is also a form of hypocrisy but it is so prevalent in America today that it is hardly recognized as such. For example, only three of the original Ten Commandments are considered laws in our present judicial system. That means that we can break seven of the original commandments with no legal recourse. Do we think that those seven are not as important to the author of those original ten as the three that we have adopted into our legal system?

The truth is that not taking those other seven seriously is the primary cause of this country’s present problems. For example ask nearly any politician what they consider to be this nation’s number one problem and the answer will most likely be the status of our economy. We are considered to be the leader of the free world not only because of our military strength but also because of our financial strength and the size of our economy. Remember within a week of 9-11 former President Bush said that America would show the world how powerful and resilient we were by how quickly the stock market would be up and running. It was as if we were ignoring commandment number one.

“I am the LORD your God…You shall have no other gods before Me.”
Exodus 20:2-3

Have we not made our financial strength our god?

Our present economy is in fact tottering and the root cause can be attributed to excessive debt which resulted in over valued paper assets which in turn can be traced back to ignoring commandment number ten.

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house…nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:17

The present administration is not faring any better with the issue of not taking the Bible seriously than the previous administration. President Obama believes that we can negotiate with Iran, the country whose leader wants to annihilate Israel. He also believes that the solution to the Palestinian issue is to allow them sovereign nation status within Israel’s existing borders. In addition this administration thinks that the way to solve this country’s economic woes is to add more debt. Such strategies are all counter Biblical.

America and the rest of the world appear to be perfectly content to continue with this silent mockery of the word of God as if things will continue indefinitely as they are.

“Beloved, I now write to you…that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, that scoffers will come in the last days…and saying…all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the earth…perished, being flooded…and the earth which is now preserved by the same word, is reserved for fire…” 2 Peter 3:1-4

It appears that we have forgotten the history of the flood which was caused by ignoring God’s authority.

The advantages of avoiding mockery, scoffing, and scorning God’s word is addressed by King David in the very first Psalm.

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly…nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD...” Psalm 1:1-2

And once again, the handbook for success is available and free.