Deadly Fiscal Policy

In the recent debacle over funding government operations, it was reported that one of the final points of contention was whether to use government funding to subsidize Planned Parenthood which among their varied activities provides abortion services. The argument was so intense that the government of the United States was nearly shut down for lack of agreement on the issue of abortion, specifically if subsidized by the government of the people.

It is disturbing that an issue so clearly spelled out in the Bible as an abomination to God remains a litmus test defining one’s ideology. Firstly, the Biblical role of government is primarily to protect its citizens and maintain order. Taxes are to be assessed to fund that primary purpose.

Secondly, the issue of abortion is likewise addressed in the scriptures. Consider the following passage referring to an unborn child. The context is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth who was in her sixth month of pregnancy carrying John the Baptist.

“Now Mary arose in those days and went…and entered the house…and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb…Then she (Elizabeth) spoke out with a loud voice… ‘For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.’” Luke 1:39-44

The term ‘babe’ is translated from the Greek brephos which means an unborn child, a newborn child or an older infant. Babe is used synonymously with the term ‘child’ in the scriptures. Child is from the Greek nepios meaning infant; baby without any definite limitation of age.

The word babe as used in the Scripture above is also found in the following:

“And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger…And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12, 16

“Then they also brought infants to Him that He might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to Him and said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.’”
Luke 18:15-17

Therefore, the Bible does not differentiate between children in the womb or out of the womb. That being the case, according to the Bible, aborting or destroying a ‘fetus’ is no different than taking the life of a child after being born. And God has much to say about that.

“…because of all the evil of the children of Israel…which they have done to provoke Me to anger…though I taught them…yet they have not listened to receive instruction…and they built the high places of Baal…to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination…” Jeremiah 32:32-35

Killing one’s children was not only an abomination; such a practice had not even entered the mind of God. And remember that Paul in the New Testament taught that God’s dealings with Israel in the Old Testament were examples for the Church age.

The contemporary argument that a woman has the right to choose the fate of her unborn child is not Biblically substantiated. It appears that Americans are obsessed with ‘rights’. Bible students are still attempting to find the Biblical source of ‘certain inalienable rights’ endowed by their Creator as stated in the constitution. If one were to write a book describing the rights of individuals per the Bible, the book would be very short because the Bible presents mankind with only one right, or perhaps the better term would be choice, and that is the freedom to choose one’s own destination. Beginning with Adam and Eve, mankind had the freedom to choose whether to obey or disobey God’s commands. That freedom was subsequently given to Israel and is given to all mankind yet today.

“See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments…that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you…I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live…But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear…I announce to you today that you shall surely perish…” Deuteronomy 30:15-20

The ‘right’ or freedom to choose life or death has clearly ‘intended’ consequences. Accordingly many would say the recent argument over whether to federally fund the right (or choice) of abortion services is really an indication of the depth of depravation to which America has slipped and clearly shows just how deadly our fiscal policy has become.

The Scarlet Thread

The most significant doctrine in the Bible is redemption and is presented as an unbroken scarlet thread that flows from Genesis through Revelation. When man disobeyed God’s commandment in the Garden of Eden he sealed his own death warrant. Without the provision of redemption by a just and holy God, there would be no hope for mankind. God’s very nature demanded that a payment be made for that original sin of disobedience as well as for every sin committed since that time.

“For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23a

My favorite verse in the entire Bible is found in the Old Testament book of Leviticus.

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you…to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11

Life is sustained by the flow of blood. And when sufficient blood is lost life ceases. Therefore, God required blood, or the sustenance of life, as payment for sin.

Consider the second half of Romans 6:23.

“…but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23b

Notice in the above that eternal life for the sinner, i.e. every human being, is a free gift of God. This free gift is the blood of His Son Jesus Christ that was offered on the cross. We call the day of Jesus’ death ‘Good Friday.’ In the Bible Jesus’ death occurred on the Jewish Holiday called Passover.

“…On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb…your lamb shall be without blemish, a male…you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly…shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses…” Exodus 12:3-7

“Now the blood shall be a sign for you…and when I see the blood, I will pass over you…So this day shall be to you a memorial… an everlasting ordinance” Exodus 12:13-14

Now the customary time to kill the Passover lamb was 3:00 PM.

In the New Testament John the Baptist immediately recognized Jesus for who He was as soon as he saw him.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, ‘Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” John 1:29

As Jesus’ earthly ministry was coming to a close, He spoke to His disciples as He journeyed to Jerusalem for His final Passover.

“You know that after two days is the Passover, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.” Matthew 26:2

Jesus then shared His last Passover meal with His disciples.

“When the hour had come...He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you…’ likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’” Luke 22:14-20

Then came Gethsemane, mock trials, suffering and death.

“Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour…And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Luke 23:44-46

The ninth hour was counting from 6:00 AM which meant that Jesus died at 3:00 PM, the exact time that the traditional Passover lamb was offered. Perfect prophecy, perfect fulfillment.

The Jewish Passover ordinance was a foreshadow of that which was fulfilled on the Cross. The Apostle Paul summarized it for the church.

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

Of course, Christ didn’t remain in the grave. He arose from the grave on the third day just as He had announced to His disciples. The resurrection of Christ was proof that the offering of His blood was sufficient payment to satisfy a just and holy God for the sins of the world!

But the world has not seen the last of the Lamb of God. The Bible reveals that the day will come when He will complete the redemption process by breaking open the seals of the title deed to the earth as He reclaims all that He paid for on the cross.

“And I (the Apostle John) saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll…sealed with seven seals…I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open…the scroll…But one of the elders said… ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll…’ and I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne…stood a Lamb as though it had been slain…then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.” Revelation 5:1-7

That event will signal the beginning of the seven year tribulation period after which time Christ will return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus, the Lamb of God, paid the redemptive price to remove the curse pronounced in the Garden of Eden and Jesus, King of Kings, will rule over all that He has redeemed.

Thus it can be seen that the blood of Christ, the Passover Lamb, is the scarlet thread that binds all the pages of the Bible together.

Ecumenism Espouses 'Chrislam'

The Yale Center for Faith & Culture has responded to the Muslim letter which suggested that Christianity can be reconciled with Islam. The Muslim community and ecumenism agree that world peace can be achieved with such reconciliation.

The Yale response letter began with an apology for the way that Christians have treated Muslims both in the past and presently.

“…Since Jesus Christ says, ‘First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye,’ we want to begin by acknowledging that in the past (i.e. in the Crusades) and in the present (e.g. in excesses of the ‘war on terror’) many Christians have been guilty of sinning against our Muslim neighbors…we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world.”

That apology sounds eerily familiar to some things our president has said.

The Yale apology letter quoted extensively from the first epistle of John.

“He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” I John 4:8

That is a wonderful scripture; however, the thought is completed with the verse immediately following (which was not deemed relevant in Yale’s letter of apology) because the two verses are intrinsically linked.

“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” I John 4:9

The Yale letter continued by quoting:

“We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, ‘I love God’, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” I John 4:19-20

Again, omitted from the Yale response letter were other verses from the same chapter of the same Epistle.

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” I John 4:14-15

And in the second chapter of the same epistle, the Apostle John writes:

“Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” I John 2:23

As stated earlier, the Father/Son relationship is also a major issue in the Koran. In fairness we should present the Koran’s position.

“O People of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion; nor speak lies of Allah. The Messiah, Christ Jesus, the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a Spirit proceeding from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not ‘Trinity.’ Cease and Desist: (it is) better for you: for Allah is one Ilah (God). (Far it is removed from him of) having a son...The Messiah is proud to be a slave of Allah, as are the angels…” Koran 4:171

“Verily they are disbelievers (blasphemers) and infidels who say, ‘The Messiah, son of Mary, is God.” Koran 5:17

Remember Rick Warren, the founder and pastor of Saddleback Community Church in California and the author of the best selling book, ‘The Purpose Driven Life’? He recently addressed the Islamic Society of North America, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood. In that address he borrowed from the preamble of the letter sent to the Muslim community by the Yale group by stating:

“…we ask forgiveness of the All-Merciful One and of the Muslim community around the world.”

I don’t often agree with President Obama, however, he did say something in his ‘new beginning’ speech to the world’s Muslims in Cairo in 2009 that I wholeheartedly agree with.

“…partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is and not what it isn’t.”

If Christians would learn the contents of the Koran instead of burning it they could interpret correctly the ‘olive branch’ Islam is extending to Christianity.

Just as Christians should be able to defend any passage in the Bible, Muslims should be able and willing to defend any passage in their Koran. Parts of the Koran send mixed messages which Muslims should be willing to explain so Christians will know ‘what Islam is and not what it isn’t.’ For example:

“Strike terror into the hearts of…your enemies…and slay them wherever ye find them.” Koran 8:60 and 2:191

“Fight those who do not believe in Allah…or acknowledge that Islam is the religion of Truth, even if they are Jews or Christians, until they submit to slavery to you willingly…” Koran 9:29

“We are clear…and have rejected you; and there has arisen between us and you enmity and hatred forever, unless ye believe in Allah and Him alone.” Koran 60:4

The more one learns about Christianity and Islam the more prepared one is to take a stand with one or the other. It appears abundantly clear that the two are mutually exclusive, and thus irreconcilable.

For additional enlightenment enter your church denomination with ‘Chrislam’ in your search engine and see where your leaders stand.

More 'Common Ground' between Muslims and Christians

The common ground between Islam and Christianity put forward by Muslim scholars and clerics in their letter to the Pope and other religious leaders has two major components, i.e. love of God and love for one’s neighbor. Relative to love of God Islam states:

“…when the entire phrase ‘He Alone, He hath no associate, His is the sovereignty and His is the praise and He hath power over all things…There is no god but God’ – it reminds Muslims that their hearts, their individual souls and all the faculties and powers of their souls must be totally devoted and attached to God.”

Relative to love for neighbor they site:

“…but righteous is he who believeth in God and the Last Day and angels and the Scripture and the prophets …who giveth wealth, for love of Him, to kinsfolk and to orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and to those who ask, and to set slaves free; and observeth proper worship and payeth the poor-due. And those who keep their treaty when they make one, and the patient in tribulation and adversity and time of stress. Such are they who are sincere. Such are the pious.” Koran 2:177

Islam contends the following Biblical passage says the same thing and thus the title of their letter ‘A Common Word between Us and You.’

“Then one of them, a lawyer (and Pharisee), asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it; You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.’” Matthew 22:34-40

The above does not constitute Christianity as implied by Islam; but rather it expresses the totality of the Old Testament law. It represents heart felt obedience in appreciation for God’s gift of salvation which is not given for performance, whereas Islam is a religion based totally on performance, or achievement. Christianity is based on God’s grace; but man’s good deeds, i.e. love for neighbor follows as a natural result of that grace. Consider the following which is perhaps the most well known verse in the entire Bible and in fact defines one’s Christianity. This same verse is not recognized by Muslims because it acknowledges the deity of Christ and also that salvation is based on faith instead of works.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

It should be noted that while Islam acknowledges the validity of Matthew 22:34-40 as quoted previously, they do not accept the verses immediately following. For example, beginning with verse 41 Jesus confirms His deity, which Islam adamantly rejects.

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him Lord, saying: The LORD said to my LORD, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool? If David then calls Him Lord, how is He his Son?’ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.” Matthew 22:41-46

It is virtually heretical for Christians to pick and choose which scripture passages to accept or reject because all scripture is the inspired word of God. It’s just as Muslims would accept the total Koran.

Other notable statements from Islam’s letter include:

“As Muslims, we say to Christians that we are not against them and that Islam is not against them – so long as they do not wage war against Muslims on account of their religion…and drive them out of their homes…”

That statement is suspicious because the Christian population is decreasing rapidly in Muslim countries while the Muslim population is growing rapidly in America and several other countries around the world.

They further state:

“And to those who nevertheless relish conflict and destruction for their own sake…we say that our very eternal souls are all also at stake if we fail to sincerely make every effort to make peace and come together in harmony.”

This statement is also suspect to Christianity inasmuch as Christians do not pursue jihad as do their Muslim counterparts.

And lastly, their letter closes with the statement:

“So let our differences not cause hatred and strife between us…Let us respect each other, be fair, just and kind to another and live in sincere peace, harmony and mutual goodwill.”

All such proposals and insinuations should be weighed with reality by both Islam and Christianity. Jesus offered a straight forward test to apply to such statements:

“You will know them by their fruit.” Matthew 7:16

Next week we’ll examine how some mainstream churches are responding to the Islamic olive branch.