Christian Bakers, Photographers, Florists, Caterers, Wedding Planners, etc.

 I recently participated in a heated and very disheartening discussion in my Sunday school class.  The teacher and several of the students took a position which I strongly disagree. 

The teacher’s position is described as follows:

It is not sinful for a Christian to provide goods and services, such as a wedding cake, photography, or flowers for same-sex couples for their “marriage” ceremonies.  Homosexuality is sinful, and you can tell the couples that you don’t agree with what they are doing, but you can set a better Christian example for them by “giving them grace” than you can by refusing their request.  You can provide these goods and services without condoning their sin.

My rebuttal follows:

First of all, Romans 1:24-27 (ESV) says,

“Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie…their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.” 

1 Corinthians 6:9 and Ephesians 5:5 say that homosexuals cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.

These passages clearly show that homosexuality is a serious sin.  One who condones homosexuality does not do a good deed to the homosexual.  But can one participate in a sin (or a celebration thereof) without condoning it?  

From Acts 15:28-29, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 and 10:19-20, I can see the following: 1) Abstaining from eating meat from idols was a requirement (not a just a suggestion) in order for Gentiles to become Christians. 2) Anyone who does not abstain is a participant in idol worship and is guilty of sinning against Christ. 3) It can cause a weaker brother to stumble or in fact, to be “destroyed”. There is no grace in that.  Therefore, anything that might be gained by eating the meat is nothing compared to the downside of it.

At this point we must ask these questions,

1)      Is homosexuality any less serious of a sin than worshipping idols?

2)      Is there any difference between eating meat sacrificed to idol and selling an animal to idol worshippers knowing that they intend to sacrifice it to idol?

3)      From the standpoint of Christian ethics, is there any difference between knowingly eating meat sacrificed to an idol and knowingly contributing to some other sinful activity such as a ceremony that promotes the sin of homosexuality? 

4)      If something is wrong because it can cause a “weaker brother” to stumble (or be “destroyed”), then wouldn’t it stand to reason that it would also put a stumbling block in the way of an unbeliever coming to repentance?

5)      If you sell something to someone knowing that the recipient intends to use it for a sinful purpose, can you justify yourself by telling them that what they intend to do is wrong? Will this strategy lead people to repentance or steer them away from it? 

Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and Ephesians 5:1-14.

People often quote, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.” from 2 Corinthians 6:14 to prove that Christians should not marry non-Christians.  Certainly this a valid application of this teaching, but nothing in the context suggests that this principle is limited to the bonds of matrimony.  In the ESV, in addition to “yoked”, it uses the words partnership, fellowship, accord, portion-sharing, and agreement to describe what should not take place between the body of Christ (i.e. the Church) and the unrighteous or demons.  The reason why there must be such a partition is so that God may dwell and walk among us (the Saints).  A necessary condition is given in order for God to be a father to you is that you “touch no unclean thing”. In other words, “take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness.”

As imitators of God, we are to love the lost, but sexual immorality is not love, but rather it is the opposite.  A same-sex union can never be a true marriage, but a ceremony which has all of the trappings of a real marriage ceremony serves to deceive people into thinking that it is.  Children of light must not participate in such deceptions.  “The fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true”, not in deception.  Children of light must rather expose such deceptions. 

On Which Side of the Fence Do You Stand?

Compare and Contrast 

There is a growing difference between the two major political parties.   This difference has intensified under the illegitimate Biden Administration, Democratic governors and mayors. Though far from perfect, the Republicans are generally not as bad as Democrats.

The following is a collection of political quips updated and revised for 2022. According to Snopes, “Which Side of the Fence? …originally circulated on the Internet at least as far back as March of 2011 … We don’t know who the original author was…” 

If a Republican doesn’t like guns, he doesn’t buy one.  If a Democrat doesn’t like guns, he wants all guns outlawed.

If a Republican is a vegetarian, she doesn’t eat meat. If a Democrat is a vegetarian, she wants all meat products banned.

If a Republican believes human life begins at fertilization, he wants to see all abortion abolished. A Democrat justifies the killing of the unborn by denying he or she is a unique person in the earliest state of development.

If a Republican is a homosexual, he quietly leads his life. If a Democrat is a homosexual, he demands legislated respect, rights, and special privileges.

If a Republican is down-and-out, she thinks about how to better her situation.  If a Democrat is down-and-out, she wonders who is going to take care of her. 

If a Republican doesn’t like a talk show host, he switches channels.  A Democrat demands that those they don’t like to be shut down.

If a Republican sends his children to a public school, he expects his kids to learn how to think, to read, to write, and do arithmetic. If a Democrats sends his children to public school, he accepts his kids learning what to think, namely Marxist ideology, Critical Race Theory (CRT), the Lesbian, Homosexual, Bisexual, and Transgender (LHBT) agenda, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), and Comprehensive Sex Ed (CSE).

If a Republican doesn’t like the climate she is living in, she moves. If a Democrat doesn’t like the climate she is living in, she blames global warming or global cooling, whichever is in vogue at the time.

If a Republican is a non-believer, he doesn’t go to church. A Democrat non-believer wants any mention of God and religion banned.

If a Republican decides she needs healthcare, she goes about shopping for it. If a Democrat decides she needs healthcare, she demands that the rest of us pay for hers.

If a Republican reads this, he’ll blog it and/or post it on social media so all can have a good laugh.  A Democrat will delete it or ignore it because he’s “bewildered because the truth is out, and he still doesn’t get it.”

 

What Democrats Want, Day 32, Countdown to Oblivion? TRUTH

As of today, there are 32 days until the most consequential election in American history. This is what they say about many past elections, but this is really it. For if the Democrats seize power – control of the U.S. House, the U.S. Senate and the Presidency – and doing it by hook or by crook (the justifies the means, you know) America as we know it will be forever changed. America envisioned and created by the Founding Fathers will disappear into the shadows of history.

The ungodly secular-humanists/Marxists slow march through America’s institutions over the last 100 years or so will have reached a crescendo – fulfilling Mr. Obama’s fundamental transformation of control of the masses.

Envision with me what a Socialist Democratic Party, takeover, a bloodless coup, a regime change, would look like. This is one in a series of daily articles leading up to the 2020 General Election

 

IS truth relative? What is true for you may not be true for me. Moral relativism is the philosophy of the day. In times past people more readily say what was clearly right and what was clearly wrong. There was and still is absolutes truth.

 

Are There Absolutes?

Coach Dave Daubenmire in his September 2020 newsletter wrote, “America’s public schools opened the door to confusion nearly 3 decades ago with the introduction of “moral relativism” into the curriculum of our public schools. This is also known as “situational ethics” which teaches that there is no absolute truth and that much of what we call sinful behavior is acceptable because of the “situation” you find yourself in. According to this demonic philosophy abortion (murdering unborn human beings) is “moral” because a woman has a right to do what she wants with her own body. Stealing (looting) is okay if you are poor (or a victim). Divorce is ok if you no longer are “happy” in the marriage. As a result, we now have at least two generations of Americans who no longer believe in “ABSOLUTE” right and wrong. Truth has become an option.”

This rejection of absolute truth flies in the face of nature. There are laws of nature and of nature’s God. An example of a law of nature is gravity. You can count on it. An example of a law of nature’s God are any of the ten commandments such as you shall not steal. There are consequences if you violate a law of nature, like jumping off a building – you will get hurt.  There are also consequences if you break a law of nature’s God, like either jail if you get caught in this life, guilt if you don’t or worse in eternity if you fail to repent of your evil ways.

 

What is truth?

For some, like many in the Democratic Party and for many other Leftists, truth is hate to those who despise the truth. Persons who believe what nature and the Bible say about abortion and adultery, fornication, homosexuality and other sexual immorality and perversions, that they are wrong, are called haters of woman and homophobes, etc.

You must deny truth in many cases in order justify your behavior. Just as Satan tempted Eve in the garden, saying God did not say, so today some contend that God did not say homosexuality or transvestites are not wrong behaviors.

Lies and falsehoods are antonyms for truth. Lies are pervasive and acceptable on many fronts in our culture today. The so-called religious-militaristic-economic-social-legal system of Islam, in fact, permits taqiyya , which is lying to advance or protect Islam. Politicians are famous for saying one thing while campaigning, but doing the opposite once they win election.

 

“We hold these truths…”

This nation’s founders believed in absolute truths. In the Declaration of Independence, they outlined some absolutes:

Ø  All men are created equal

Ø  Men are endowed by their Creator with unalienable Rights,

Ø  That among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…

All rights are God-given, not government given. There is a God. Rights are inherent. Life is the most fundamental right, all other rights flow from that right. They would have cringed at the Supreme Courts wicked decision declaring a woman’s right to murder her baby. Abortion denies a person’s basic right.

 

Conclusion

Much of the Democratic Party Platform are built on lies – pro-choice, pro-LHBT (lesbianism, homosexuality, bi-sexuality, transgenderism), man is the primary cause of climate change, etc. On the other hand the Republican Party believes in protecting life from the moment of conception through natural death, support the nuclear or natural family, traditional marriage, support commonsense conservation, etc.

The choice this election cannot be any clearer. Voting Democrat is voting for a house built on lies, while voting Republican is voting for a solid foundation built on truth.

The Virgin Birth, True or False?

Even at, and maybe especially at Christmastime the anti-Christians are on the attack. One example of this obvious and intense hatred is the www.AlterNet.org article by Valarie Tarico, "Not-So-Virgin Birth: Why Stories of Jesus Became More Magical Over Time."

 

I recently posted my comment to the article:

AlterNet:  Attempting to destroy the truth one lie at a time:  “… these auspicious infancy (about the virgin birth of Jesus) stories are never referenced elsewhere in the New Testament, for example in the letters of Paul or in the other two gospels that made their way into the Christian Bible.”

The thing that the progressive leftists, atheists, and secular humanists refuse to recognize about the Judeo-Christian Bible, unlike the sacred writings of other so-called faiths, is that it is inspired by God, Himself.

The only defense as to the veracity of the biblical account of Jesus’ virgin birth that I’ll offer is that which is stated by the Bible itself where Paul writes, “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” --- 2 Timothy 3:16, 17

Now Who's Stupid, Jonathan? #GruberGate Scandal

Here are a three cartoons surrounding the #GuberGate affair.  It took a concerted and systematic series of lies and deceitfulness to get the Affordable Care Act (ACA) (aka ObamaCare) rammed through Congress. Jonathan Gruber, Obamacare architect and key consultant to the government and Democrat Party, made some eye opening comments about how stupid Americans were and how the government stretched the truth with the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), people, and Congress. It is also interesting how neither Barack Obama nor Nancy Pelosi would admit ever even knowing Dr. Gruber following his recorded revelations, when there is actual evidence of them referring to him. The lies are catching up with them.  



A Michael Ramirez Cartoon found at Townhall.com 11/19/14








A Bob Gorrell Cartoon found at Townhall.com 11/19/14
 










A Lisa Benson cartoon found at Townhall.com 11/19/14



More Ridiculous CAIR TUNES: www.Islamophobia.org

Just like the dastardly Southern Poverty Law Center which identifies "haters," this deceitful new pro-Islam website supposedly identifies "Islamophobes." It  essentially targets those individuals and organizations that speak the truth about Islam for harassment and/or destruction(?) by terrorists or would be terrorists. Basically all that this website proves is that Islamists are intolerant of the truth being told about their so-called "religion of peace."

 

Actually, this new website also demonstrates the fact that it is distinctly anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Jewish, and anti-everybody other than adherers of Islam. Read the insightful article, "Hamas-CAIR Puts out Hit List Against Alleged ‘Islamophobes,’" by Tim Brown on BarbWire.com. The article does a good job exposing the truth about this hateful, deceitful, and scurrilous scourge on the worldwide Internet.



Bloody Islam Comes to America ... photo from Barbwire.com

Maurice Clarett: Sports Star, Cellmate, & Saint

Last weekend the church that I attend had asked Maurice Clarett to speak. In the morning service an interview was conducted by the pastor of the church. Sunday evening Mr. Clarett spoke for about an hour telling his story. What follows is a bit of what I captured of the interview and his talk.

This is a story of grace, mercy, reality, and truth. It is an account of a young man from the ‘hood, who made good on the football field, but never really fully understood.

Mr. Maurice (Reese) Clarett was the product of his environment. Growing up he wanted to prove himself to the guys in his inner city Youngstown, Ohio neighborhood. In doing so, within one three month period of time he got picked up by police three times and was headed to juvenile detention, but for the intervention of an “angel,” a man who took him under his wing convincing the judge to allow Mr. Clarett to spend the summer being mentoring him in lieu of time in the juvenile detention center. This would be Mr. Clarett’s first taste of grace (which is an instance where you don’t get what you deserve; instead you get what you need).

Truth is that in the cities of America – especially among the poor minorities – gangs and a variety of thugs substitute for missing fathers in the lives of young men. These lowlifes companions teach the young men the ways of their evil world. The young men emulate these lousy “role models” to the chagrin and dismay of their mothers and grandmothers.

Star Athlete

In Mr. Clarett’s case he was “saved” by a couple of adult men who saw potential in him and stepped up and encouraged him to pursue his athletic talents. They took him under their wings and taught him discipline and raised his expectations. Therefore Mr. Clarett became very successful throughout his high school career. He and his team under his leadership excelled.

He ended up going to Ohio State University, where as a freshman he led his team to a national championship in 2002. He even scored the winning TD in the BCS national championship. Accolades of all kinds came his way. He had a phenomenal freshmen season. He was a superstar, the next LeBron James. However, it didn’t take too long before his world was shattered.

Shackled  

Unfortunately others wanted a piece of the Clarett action and glorly. The good ‘ole boys from the Youngstown ‘hood came back into his life, and he lost his focus, his concentration. Drugs, alcohol, girls, he was basking is his celebrity and glory. He got suckered into the kind of lifestyle that leads one astray. He had several run-ins with the law. He got tossed off the football team, lost his scholarship, left school his sophomore year.

Depression led him deeper into the lifestyle that sidetracked his brilliant, promising football career. He tried to escape by going to the West Coast. But he got mixed up with an even more intense and care-free party crowd than the one he fellowshipped with in Ohio.

He attempted to get into professional football after he was drafted in the third round by the Denver Broncos. He knew he was not in shape to be a professional football player after wasting himself in Ohio and California. But he went to the Broncos training camp. He said he was a poor teammate, a chronic complainer and not as dedicated to the game as he should have been. He was released. Another failure he felt.

He returned to Ohio but soon got reconnected to the Youngstown boys from the ‘hood and returned to his immature and drug dulling depression pattern. He didn’t want to face reality.

It wasn’t until he was incarcerated in the penitentiary that he began to see the light, thanks to a warden who advised him to put himself on the right track. Mr. Clarett heeded the warden and the example and mentoring of very helpful lifer inmate, who shared the things of God with him.

Saint

When he got out of prison he was better prepared to face reality. He even played professional football again in Omaha, Nebraska, where under the direction and instruction of a pastor he said that he eventually gave his life to God as a Christ-follower in 2012.

Mr. Clarett now speaks to groups about his restored life and he helps young men to avoid taking the wrong path that he chose to take. At 30 years of age he plans to return to school to complete his degree. He wants to pursue an entrepreneurial endeavor in the field of geriatric services. While in prison he received a lot of help and encouraging letters from seniors who gave so much of themselves to him while he served almost 4 years of a 7-year sentence. Mr. Clarett seems to have made some better decisions in his “old age” of 30!

Lessons Learned

What can be learned from this young man’s journey from football star to cellmate to saint?

·        God is a gracious God, a God of second and third chances, etc. He is a merciful God. Recognize that you are a sinner and have missed the mark and accept His provision, Jesus, to completely redeem your life.

·        Be careful in choosing your friends.

·        As long as you stay focused on purposeful pursuits you are not likely to fall into temptations that will foil your plans and ruin your life.

 

·        Use your time, talent and treasure wisely.

 

You can see or hear the interview for yourself by going here.

"The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it."

Truth and Tradition

Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Matthew 15:3 (KJV)

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.
Colossians 2:8 (KJV)

Ohio College Students React to the Reality of Abortion

Columbus, Ohio based Created Equal is a Pro-Life group that visits a lot of college campuses with their Pro-Life displays depicting the reality of abortion. A lot of Pro-Death advocates despise this approach, probably because the signs are too real, man. I graduated from Ohio University and I'm sorry to say that on of its current students is classless as could be in the following recent video:

After watching this video I made the following tweet:

GregJaye ‏@GregJaye

O. U., Oh My, My Al mater?: "Go abort yourself!": http://youtu.be/Wj7ylx3L_pI  #abortion #ProLife displays rile #ProDeath advocate #tcot #TEAparty

Just today Created Equal posted this commentary and another video taken on the campus of Otterbein University.

Columbus, OH – April 23, 2013 – Today, a student at Otterbein University disapproved of our signs and decided to take action by censoring the victims.  This is the third student to resort to this measure this month, which begs the question: Is this the new normal from American college students?

Click here to see the video "Student censoring Created Equal: "I'm exercising my First Amendment rights!"

And here another taken on the main campus of The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. It shows a deliberate act of vandalism on the part of an obvious Pro-Death advocate and student: 

The reaction of all three women on all three campuses is the same - anger and profanity laced comments at what they perceived as the inappropriateness of the graphic signs. they totally disregarded the right of freedom of speech. Apparently the only acceptable speech on our college campuses is politically correct or leftist approved speech.

What is particularly troublesome (though not surprising considering the apostasy of many main line liberal 'Christian' denominations) is the fact that Otterbein University is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The school like many in the U.S. were founded by followers of Christ. If the school founders were alive to see the behavior of the impudent student on their campus - especially her apparent defense of abortion and rejection of free speech - they would close down the school on the spot.

Another Day, Another Apology.

Hat tip goes to JudsonPhillips.com for the following commentary.

Face the Truth

Last Saturday I participated in a "Face the Truth" public education initiative sponsored by the Pro-life Action League.  We went to three locations around Cincinnati holding various large signs.  Some had pictures aborted babies or parts of aborted babies.  Other pictures were of Jesus, with the words "Abortion kills children" or "Jesus heals and forgives" underneath it.

I could see some of the expressions people had on their faces as they were driving by.  Some looked disinterested.  Some looked disgusted.  Others put their hands in front of their faces.  One guy rode by me on a bike with his eyes closed.  

The Whole Armor of God, Part 6

Today I continue my series of articles commenting on the concept and principles involved in the Armor of God, which the apostle Paul described in the New Testament. This is the topic of the Sunday school lesson I am currently teaching.

The Armor of God - Truth

1. Truth: Having your loins gird about with truth (Ephesians 6:14).

Truth is reality. It is not determined by what you believe. Either you believe truth or you believe non-truth (fiction). People must correctly judge truth from non-truth. The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, is showing truth to be like a belt used in the military on which other equipment is kept.

For something to be logical it has to be based on truth. Reasoning that is not based on truth is illogical. Fiction in an argument makes the argument illogical. If you base your life on something other than truth at some point you will fail. The United States of America put men on the moon and brought them back to earth safely. This required the correct knowing of the truth of physics, chemistry, and navigation as well as working within its confines.      .

A. Know what the truth is.

Jesus is the Truth.

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.”

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

John 8:36: “ If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Know and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. That He took your sins and everyone else’s in his own body on the cross and received the wrath of God against himself for those sins (I Peter 2:24).

Repent of your sins and invite Jesus into your heart if you have not done so yet (Luke 24:47).

B. Love the truth.

In II Thessalonians we read that those who do not love the truth will have drastic consequences in the future which will last forever.

II Thessalonians 2:6-10: “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

C. People forsake their own mercy by believing lying vanities.

Jonah 2:8: A vanity is something that is useless, empty, and without substance. A lying vanity is something that useless and not true. It appears to be true when it is not. A mirage would fall into the category. All the world’s religions except Christianity would fall into this category. Someone who has the truth would not believe a lying vanity.

D. God desires truth in the inward being.

Truth needs to be internalized within a person. This can be accomplished through scripture memory, thinking about scripture, reading God’s word and listening to good preaching and teaching.

Psalm 51:6: “Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.”

E. Do truth.

Jesus says that doing what He says will enable a person to encounter the difficulties in life without being destroyed. King David writes that by obeying .God's word a person is rewarded.

Mathew 7:24-27: “Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.”

Psalm 19:7-11 “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

F. Recognize who a person is in Christ.

The person who is has the truth in Christ knows that they are a saint, set apart for God and a part of the body of Christ. They have assurance of salvation and know they are going to heaven. By having believed in Jesus a person becomes a new creature and the righteousness of God in Christ.

Luke 7:28: “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than is greater than he. Each and every Christian is then greater than John the Baptist.”

II Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21: “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.”