Current threats of a century ago -

I thank one of my friends in the ministry, Dr. Robert Griffin, for finding this and getting it out (Grif.Net - 10/07/06 Weekend Grif.Net - Danger in the New Century). I had seen it before, but lost contact with it. General Wm. Booth saw correctly the issues that face our nation and all of western culture.

“At the turn of the Century, one of the leading newspapers addressed thefollowing question to many notable persons In Great Britain: ‘What in your opinion is the chief danger, social or political, thatconfronts the coming century?’ “Here is one of the responses: ‘In answer to your enquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confrontthe coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost; Christianitywithout Christ; forgiveness without repentance; salvation withoutregeneration; politics without God; and Heaven without Hell.’‘General William BoothFounder, Salvation Army The War Cry - 5 January 1901 p7, col.2’”

I would add only one item.

“… and people who call themselves Christians who cannot see the difference.”

Racing Toward Irrationality

In Romans 1:18-21, Paul points out that the downhill spiral of a culture begins with ignoring the truth of God. In verse 21 he points out the final stage of this intellectual decline with the words “and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Recently John Knox Press, serving the Presbyterian Church USA, released a book that claims that the American government was responsible for 9/11. To hear such revisionist nonsense is not new. It is new, however, at least in my experience, that a major religious publisher is putting it out for serious consideration.

A recent article at Church Report Online notes several items regarding the author, David Griffin, who is professor emeritus at a United Methodist school in California, that should give a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ insight into how such an idea could take root in a mind. God is not a work in progress. Christ did not come to overthrow the Roman government.

When men – when a culture suppresses the truth of God in His Word, like America is doing more and more, Europe has been doing for two or three generations, and like the Islamic world has done for over a millennium, it should not be surprising that the darkness produced would look for something to fill itself, even when it is irrational to the point of laughter.

Except – no one is laughing.

Been thinking about Fellowship

Every once in a while, someone says to me, "Pastor, we need more fellowship." Last evening after church, several of us went out for some real fun fellowship at our local Perkins. Lots of fun and laughter, and even some serious conversation. Now, I have two comments.

First, true Christian fellowship is not coffee and rolls, or pie, and funny stories. Those things are enjoyable, but God has called us to something much more than that. Fellowship always includes building each other up in the faith and knowledge of Christ. That leads to second comment.

Those who were at the Sunday Evening Bible Study had a great opportunity to enjoy fellowship around God's Word and fellowship around some good food and conversation. The second predicated on the first.

On the one hand, we are developing more opportunities for getting together outside of the walls of the church. On the other hand, not availing oneself of the opportunities of real spiritual fellowship that the church offers makes the request for more fun ring a little hollow.

The purpose of the church is to facilitate spiritual growth among its members. Fellowship is one of the tools God uses to accomplish this task. Getting together for some fun is no substitute for real spiritual fellowship.

I am going to think some more on this. When I get another idea, it will be here.

Where's Old Sam Now?

Here is an article sure to disappoint. Wal-Mart, long thought to be a strong conservative corporation, has made a dramatic move to choose sides in the cultural war over homosexuality. They have joined the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. I understand that the law requires certain positions on the part of interstate corporations. But, this goes beyond the law. This is alignment. I’m going to write to them and politely express my disappointment. If you want to contact them, write to their president, Rob Walton, at letters@wal-mart.com. But do it politely.

(Sigh) Another One!?!?!?

As though Dan Brown wasn’t enough, it seems the market is wide open for more preposterous nonsense about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. The most recent is written as fiction, but, in the end, the author claims for herself decendence from Mary and Jesus. Baptist Press has already run a good review. Look at it here.

Still Morally Unacceptable

Recently, Advanced Cell Technology of Worcester, Mass. made a claim that aroused a lot of talk. It claimed to have taken one cell from an 8- cell embryo and developed stem cells from it. The benefit, they said, was that the remaining 7-cell embryo could be implanted and grow to be a baby. Here is an article noting that the ethical issues have not in fact been answered by this technique. Embryonic cell research is still morally unacceptable.

Look! Up in the sky! It's a ......

First, let me say that I always enjoyed the Superman stories, whether the small screen versions or the motion pictures. When I was a kid, they made me want to try flying (much to my mother’s dismay). There is a sort of morality play embedded in the stories, as there is in nearly every good story. But that does not give us the liberty to wed the Gospel of Christ with the myth of a superhero.

It seems elements within evangelical Christianity have not learned Paul’s lesson in Acts 16:16-18. Paul was beginning his ministry in the city of Philippi. This ministry seems to have been in response to Paul’s vision of the man pleading, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” Also in this ministry stop, Luke records the conversion of Lydia (Acts 16:13-15).

While there, a “girl possessed with a spirit of divination” began following them and saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” Paul’s response was two-fold. First, the text says he was “greatly annoyed.” Paul evidently did not welcome this endorsement, nor see it as useful in his ministry. Secondly, Paul, not recognizing this as confirmation of their message, ordered the demon, in the name of Jesus, to leave her.

Rick Warren is Pastor of Saddleback Church in the Saddleback Valley of California. In a recent online article on his website, Stephen Skelton wrote an article extolling the recent movie “Superman Returns” as a cinematic-cultural retelling of the story of Christ returning to bring peace to the earth. This is not the place to go into all of Skelton’s analysis. However, if we learn nothing else from Paul, we learn that it is dangerous for believers to read the Christian message into pagan culture. It is dangerous to think that somehow, believers can take pagan stories, told by unbelievers and make them fit vessels for the gospel.

Actually, it is more than dangerous. It is treasonous to the rule of Christ in the church and the believer’s life. In the story of the rich man and Lazarus, Abraham tells Lazarus that his brothers had access the Moses and the Prophets, the written word of God. Well, Mr. Skelton seems to think that, if someone is having trouble with the written Word of God, there is a primer on the Gospel in “Superman Returns.”

Is it any wonder that the message of the gospel is so confused today? There will no doubt be those who, in their quest for cultural relevance, will use video clips, or quote dialog from the movie to illustrate their points. Those who dare to declare the clear message of God’s Word to this world, had better not mix it up with the muck of this world, even if that muck is a box-office hit.