Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
  • Welcome to CORE Ministries!
  • About CORE
  • Ministry Partner Contacts
  • Abortion Abolitionism
  • Southern Oregon Evangelism Conference
  • Evangelism Never Fails
  • Parade Ministry
  • College Outreach Ministry
  • Street/Open Air Preaching
  • Door to Door Ministry
  • Prayer Ministry
  • FREE Downloads
  • CORE Issues Podcast
  • CORE Issues Blog
  • Links
  • Statement of Faith

Fetal Cell Lines, Vaccines, and More!

10/25/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

The Specific Issue at Hand
While sadly not a new problem (as fetal cell lines have been used in the making of vaccines and other products, even in cosmetics creation and food testing for years), it is a problem that has taken on a new level of heat due to their more widely known attachment to the already controversial Covid-19 vaccines.

Getting to the Root
But the root question we need to answer is this: Why does it matter if, why, or how we use dead people’s bodies for anything? Now if that question seems somewhat gross or crass in and of itself I believe that is a good thing. I’ll get to why shortly. But other questions must also be answered. Does it matter how one obtains the dead body? Does it matter how the person came to be dead? Does it matter if the person gave permission to use their body after death, in certain ways, prior to their death? Are there any absolute ways one must not use dead bodies? Or is it all fair game once the person dies? Lots of important questions. 
Picture
What Does the Bible Say and Teach?
Let’s get back to basic grossness or “ick factor” in this whole topic. This is especially relevant to Christians. I say that because as a Christian you submit to God’s word, the Bible, as the sole source of perfect truth from our perfect and Holy God. In short, we have an unmoving eternal foundation for our morality. The non believer does not. 

However, if you’re reading this as someone who is not a Christian there is still an explanation of the ick you may feel talking about using dead bodies for something. That is because whether you believe it or not, you were created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26) and you have a God given conscience with His laws written on your heart (Rom. 2:15). That matters. 

Now, I wish I could just give you a verse or two right out of the new testament, like Romans or something that blatantly said something clear like, “Thou shalt not use dead bodies for any purpose but to bury them.” Rom. 17:1 (Don’t go look, that’s not a verse!)
 

I also believe it would be pure eisegesis to try to take old testament ceremonial laws for the Jews regarding touching dead bodies and being unclean, and saying therefore experimenting on dead bodies now is sin. Being unclean is not and was not a direct correlation to being in sin. So, how should we address the issues?

Of course as Christians we must let scripture guide us. Just because we do not have a definite command or commands regarding the use of dead bodies like this, like many situations, the Bible does give us good insight into how we should move forward. 

I believe we could expand this with many Bible verses, but I believe we can extrapolate plenty of truth from  some key verses to suffice. First let’s go back to Genesis.
 

“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion…” Gen. 1:26

Human beings are created in the image and share the likeness of God. Now, that is to say we are reflections of God. Shallow and even polluted and broken reflections. But nonetheless, we bear His image in that we have a soul that will last eternally (into eternity from our conception not from eternity past), our ability to relate with other image bearers, in that we have volition and will, and that we are second tier creators, all of this ties in with our mandate to have dominion over the earth as His vice regents for His glory. There is more to it and none of us will truly comprehend the totality of it this side of eternity or maybe not even on the other side. But like God is holy and unique, we are unique and can be made holy by Him. Only humanity in all His creation bears His image. We are special.

It is pretty clear that while the image we bear is foundationally immaterial, it is not immaterial in totality. Our bodies are part of that image and are part of our eternal person. Jesus Christ took on flesh, and when He died and rose again He did not abandon His body, rather it was glorified when He became the first fruits of those resurrected to glory. And one day Christians who are alive when He calls us to Himself eternally will be glorified. Also those who have died beforehand will be raised from the graves to be glorified with their spirit that has been waiting in heaven until that time. We won’t  be complete until spirit and body are united in glory just as Christ’s was! This is spoken much of in 1 Corinthians 15, but let me give a few summary verses here for clarity.

“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
​1 Cor. 15:20


“Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” 1 Cor. 15:51-52

So, I think it’s been clearly established that we will be eternally glorified in our physical body. But from scripture, can we ascertain how those bodies are to be treated in the interim between death and glorification? I believe we can. 

The Universal Understanding of the Dignity of the Dead
You see, the dignity and solemnity of the human body and it’s care after death is almost universally understood. It is shared across cultural lines with or without believing in the one true God of the Bible. He has imprinted on our consciences the dignity of the dead. We see this from as far back as Genesis and the burials of the patriarchs and their wives. Also we see the great care shown for our Lord Jesus Christ’s body after His finished work on Calvary. Even the wicked Sanhedrin bought a field for burying the unclaimed and undesirable dead!
 

From weeping patriarchs, mothers, Apostles, and pagans, we see the dead remembered, honored, and as the term is known, “laid to rest” or to “rest in peace”.
  

Here’s one other extra biblical, but not unbiblical aspect of care for the dead. In the U.S. and most other countries, whether formally or informally, restrictions on what can be done to a dead person are seriously observed. Severe legal penalties can and are expected to be levied against abusers of the dead. This is one more indicator of the image bearing aspects of all humans and their axiomatic if not definable understanding of why there is honor for the dead. It is also sadly another defining distinction between the born and preborn. The treatment of the preborn shows the total lack of equal protection and equal justice in both life and death. 
Picture
Back to Our Questions About Our Use of the Dead 
Let’s look at those questions again in order:
  1. Does it matter how one obtains the dead body? 
  2. Does it matter how the person came to be dead? 
  3. Does it matter if the person gave permission to use their body after death, in certain ways, prior to their death? 
  4. Are there any absolute ways one must not “use” dead bodies? Or is it all fair game once the person dies?
Let’s tackle these questions starting with the last one first. I think it is safe to say that surely Christians with the Bible and even non Christians with their God given image and somewhat working consciences, can clearly see there are at least some things we just should not do to or with the dead bodies of fellow image bearers. So let’s establish some parameters at least for Christians.
 

I think it would be clearly within the rights of conscience for a Christian to choose that nothing except proper burial of a dead person be the limit of what is acceptable. And as such to have nothing to do with any dead body or parts thereof for any reason. I believe this to be the far extreme on one end.

I also submit that necrophilia and necromancy, as both are clearly attached to other clearly spelled out sins, would be universally accepted as acts no one should take part in for any reason. So that’s a succinct answer for question 4. But before we answer the specifically numbered other questions let’s get some more biblical foundation.

So, in between these two extremes I believe it is safe to say there are areas where conscience or Christian Liberty are allowed. But how do we draw the lines? Let’s look at one important  passage.

“If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” James 2:8-9

So, knowing that James is here referring to the second great commandment of God and also addressing the sin of partiality, we need to answer two questions. First, can we love neighbors who are no longer physically alive? That is a very simple answer. Yes of course we can, and do, and should. So, how can we do that? Let’s answer those questions before we answer the second question we get from this passage in James.

We answered question 4, so let’s go back to question 1 now. Does it matter how we obtain the body? Of course! One easy group of depraved people come to mind. Grave Robbers. Folks who steal bodies from the grave or some simply valuables buried with the body. Both are sinful and unloving things to do. No matter the reason someone steals a body or parts of a body or even items from the dead body, those actions are sinful. 
Picture
Now to question 2. Does it matter how the person came to be dead? Yes of course! We have probably all heard of medical nightmare stories where patients were killed for their organs for rich people on donor lists. Often we hear of black market organ selling, often tied to the larger human trafficking market. The sinfulness of these practices are even recognized by non believers. Hence a “Black Market” and not an FDA approved market, regardless of whether or not the actions do actually save the lives of others.

So Let’s Talk About the Importance of Consent 
This gets us right to question 3. Does it matter if the person gave permission to use their body after death, in certain ways, prior to their death? In short, does consent matter? Again, yes, of course! Here is where Christian Liberty and conscience have their place. I will even add here that before death, blood and marrow donation or even organ donation fall into these categories. How? Because it is in direct fulfillment of the command to love our neighbors as ourselves. In some cases, an organ donor could save a handful of lives or more depending on how they died and how viable their organs were for those in need. 

It is also true that someone might refuse to donate organs, blood, etc. if they knew or strongly believed that to give these to certain people would lead to further hurt rather than love to neighbors. Or simply because they believe the human body should not be dismembered willfully for any reason but to simply be laid to rest in dignity. Which goes back to our one side of extremes. 

Yet no matter where you land on these issues, you do so recognizing the essential of loving one’s neighbor and not committing sinful partiality is tied fast to consent. 
Picture
Now to Our Second Issue from James, the Sin of Partiality
You probably noticed that everything we just looked at was connected to born people and especially born people who have died. Now we can look at the second area of concern in James 2:9, the sin of partiality.
 

So, for the second, do we show partiality in how we treat the born and preborn dead? The answer for many is a big, “yes”. We honor and bury the born dead, yet many murder, donate to research, or just relegate to the trash their slaughtered preborn neighbors. And countless others support this depravity in one way, shape, or form. 
The born dead are treated with dignity and even protected by law in many cases. The preborn are slaughtered like cattle (actually worse than cattle, cattle aren’t usually tortured like children in the womb) and sold to licensed corporations like StemExpress and Advanced Bioscience Resources, from murder giants like Planned Parenthood. These companies then sell the cultured murdered babies' parts to researchers across the nation, for example, many popular universities. What’s even worse is that the U.S. government funds this research via the NIH(National Institutes of Health), with our tax dollars. 

Did you know the American Medical Association even gives guidance in how physicians SHOULD talk to women about donating their murdered baby to scientific research? It’s titled, “Code of Medical Ethics Opinion 7.3.5”. Yes, many women find comfort in donating their murdered baby to science. It helps ease their conscience. They fully approve of doing evil that good may come (Rom. 3:8) yet our blood soaked society calls that evil, good, and to deny the right to do that “good”, evil (Isa. 5:20)! Woe to us and our nation and all others who forget God (Psa. 9:17)! 

So, How Does This Apply to Fetal Cell Lines in Vaccines and Elsewhere?
I think most biblically faithful Christians, and even a great many unbelievers, especially those seriously thinking about what is going on, are solidly and even loudly against any use of murdered preborn babies' body parts in anything for any reason. Just as they are against the use of the body parts of nonconsenting born humans, alive or dead. 

I believe the case is pretty clear for most anyone without a totally seared conscience. If indeed they’ve taken the time to seriously and even for some prayerfully consider the information here and/or the tons of info. elsewhere, I think they’ll universally reject their use in any way shape or form from here on out. 

For the Remaining Dissenters
But maybe not. So, in trying to do my due diligence I’ll look at some specific reasons some are trying to justify their use and then break down those reasons as invalid.

1. Some deny the use of murdered babies' body parts (fetal cells are body parts) in the development, testing, and/or production of the Covid-19 vaccines. 


This is simply proven with less than 5 minutes on a search engine. It isn’t being hidden. Pfizer and     Moderna used the HEK (Human Embryonic Kidney) 293 cell lines to develop and test their Covid-19 vaccines before production. Here is a link to a page giving plenty of proof and links to source articles to keep you swimming in facts regarding the use of murdered babies’ cell lines for development of the Moderna vaccine. 
https://cogforlife.org/2020/11/16/moderna-covid-19-vaccine-facts-not-fiction/ 

The Pfizer Vaccine is designed much the same as the Moderna one. But here is a link to a page where you can further research their work if you like.
https://cogforlife.org/guidance/

Finally, Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine actually is produced in PER C.6 (Embryonic Retina) cell lines.
Those cell lines were used to actually grow their vaccine in! As an added bonus, if you take that vaccine you actually  get very small cell fragments from that murdered baby’s cell line IN you! You can find their info on the same page as above but here is the link again. 
       https://cogforlife.org/guidance/

So, yes friends, all three U.S. approved vaccines were developed, tested, and/or produced using murdered image bearers body parts. And if you take the J&J version you get their parts in you too! 
Picture
2. Some say that there is a moral difference between taking the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines as they were not made “in” the actual cell line of the murdered babies, like the J&J one was. 

This is ridiculous reasoning. The simple fact is people violated the body of an image bearer of God to accomplish their goal. Now, the use of the cell lines in actual production and actually having particles from their cells in you adds to the “ick factor” for sure. But all three are equally morally evil as all three companies chose to use the cell lines to get their products to market. 

It’s like this. Say three guys robbed a bank. One shut down the security. Another cracked the safe and then cleaned it out. The third guy was the getaway driver. It would be like saying the guy who actually took the money from the safe was more guilty than the other two because only he actually took the money out of the bank! All three equally robbed the bank. All are equally guilty.
 

3. Some people are saying that because the cell lines being used for the vaccines were replicated/cloned outside of the original murdered babies then it is not sinful to use them. Most like to add that this was done decades ago, as if time makes murder less heinous. But let’s address the logical implications of this type of thinking. 

So, they believe it is sinful to take the organs directly out of the baby and to extract the cell lines and experiment and create things using those body parts. However, once you replicate/clone the body part one generation outside the body of the murder victim, those parts are fair game. 

For example, if Jeffrey Dahmer had been able to clone his favorite murder victims arms and legs for a continual supply of food, these folks may not join him for dinner because it is gross. But they wouldn’t have any legitimate moral argument against the practice. Well unless they are admitted ageists and openly admit born people have more rights than preborn people.
 

OK, I know that was over the top. The Bible obviously speaks of cannibalism as a heinous evil only those given over to the deepest depravity engage in. So, I’m not saying they’d actually approve of cannibalism!
 

But surely they’d have no problem using those body parts for “legitimate” medical practices. 

Now, some may argue that tissue is a whole other matter than cell lines. I mean sure it’s grosser. But everything is made out of cells. It’s basically a distinction without a difference.  

Also, I am not going into full human cloning. That’s a different topic and an argument for another day.
Picture
4. Finally,  thanks in large part to big time Trump supporter, Pastor Robert Jefress, many are now being misled to believe that there is no moral difference between taking the Covid-19 (Moderna and Pfizer mainly because many don’t want to defend the J&J as it was made in fetal cell lines, ick factor again)  vaccines than taking an aspirin, Tylenol, or several OTC drugs, even Ivermectin, etc. as these medications were tested on fetal cell lines at one point.
Picture
Now at first glance you may think Jeffress and those like him have a good point. Well let me dispel you of that notion in short order. This is an apples and oranges comparison not apples to apples.
 

There is a legitimate difference between the Covid-19 vaccines whose researchers inextricably linked their testing to the development of the vaccines to bring them to production and sale.

And 
researchers using already created medications to test new products. Let me explain with and without an illustration.

Let’s take Aspirin. It was created in 1853. Sold in the U.S. by Bayer starting in 1903. Now, the earliest known fetal research takes place about a half century AFTER 1903! That info alone tells you we are talking apples and oranges.

Obviously Aspirin was not brought into existence and sold using murdered babies’ body parts! All the jabs were! 


Listen please friends. To say it is morally equal to take the jab or take an aspirin is preposterous! It’s like saying it’s Henry Ford’s fault for drunk drivers! Or like the leftists like to do, blame manufacturers of guns, like say long dead John Browning for the deaths of people today! Ridiculous!
Picture
Now, let me say something important before leaving this issue. I do believe Big Pharma is a big problem and we should all be trying to distance ourselves from them as much as possible. They don’t have our best interests at heart. More and more nefarious things are taking place with fetal cell lines and who knows what else. So, be watchful. 

Also, I am trying to be consistent. If I learn about a company, say Bayer, who decides to make a new product with aspirin and acetaminophen, and they then test it on fetal cell lines and I know about it, I’m not taking that medication. I’ll warn others too. But again, that doesn’t make me complicit with Bayer when I buy and use generic aspirin and acetaminophen.
 

Remember, once patents are done and meds go generic they aren’t attached to a certain company any more. Many medications like aspirin, acetaminophen, and even ivermectin, are generic meds made by many different companies. And yes those companies may test their versions on fetal cell lines. Do your due diligence to find which ones if you can. But plain and simple, there is no blanket to throw over all these meds like there is to throw over the three Covid-19 vaccines. Apples and oranges friends. ​
Picture
Knowledge Matters
This really is a key issue that needs to be addressed as well. Let’s go to James again to say it easy and above all, biblically.

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” Jam. 4:17

Friends, if we don’t know that we’re doing something wrong (don’t get crazy and go down a rabbit trail here you know what I mean), it’s not a sin. And unlike the creation of countless meds and even food and cosmetics, anyone not living under a proverbial rock, knows all about these vaccines! 

As President Trump started up “Project Warp Speed”, to get these jabs going, folks immediately started reporting on the making of these vaccines. What was in them and how they were being made. The controversy was off the charts and has only grown over the last year or so. 

Why did the media cover it so widely? Because the left leaning media wanted to expose any hypocrisy from the supposed “Most Pro-Life President ever.”, by showing that vaccines his administration was funding were created using murdered babies’ cell lines in some way shape or form. They did a good job and we all know it. You most likely wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t know about the issue. 

The same media did a good job calling Trump on the hypocrisy of the use of Regeneron due to the same development and testing process for it as for Moderna and Pfizer’s vaccines. And that’s why I reject its use as well. 

Compounding Factors
Also consider the compounding factors. Everything in product movement is supply and demand. As long as people are willing to take vaccines and other products widely known to be developed, tested, and/or created using murdered babies’s body parts, those who develop those products will continue to use the sadly abundant supply of murdered babies to easily meet their demand.   
Again, I try to be consistent. We all should. And the key to consistency is knowledge. Taking these jabs knowing their origins is one level of knowledge that we’re accountable for. 

But these jabs, more so than Regeneron or other meds and products, compound one special evil on top of the first. Taking these jabs further solidifies Big Government, Big Pharma, and Big Tech, dictatorial control over the populace. People are losing their livelihoods and many of their freedoms due to the overwhelming majority not willing to oppose the tyrannical mandates attached to these jabs. Their cowed compliance speaks volumes more than their now compromised spoken rejection of the mandates their neighbors are suffering the consequences of refusing. As the old saying goes, “Actions speak louder than words.” And paraphrasing Ben Franklin, those who will trade freedom for safety will soon have neither. 
Picture
And friends, I’m not even going to get started on all kinds of other controversial medical tragedies attached to these things. And believe me those are really concerning issues to me as well. But they are a distant consideration to the moral corruption attached to the making of these jabs. And that is followed by the morally corrupt mandating of them and threatening and harming those of us who refuse. 

I tell you the truth. If these jabs cured every disease, and delivered a guaranteed extra ten years on my life I would still flat out reject them! And so should every Christian. 

Finally 
So remember friends, the current three U.S. Covid-19 vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, and J&J) are all inextricably tied to and tainted by the murder of preborn image bearers of God. Further, they are currently linked to tyrannical government overreach threatening and even already wrecking the livelihoods of many. And much more wickedness is coming save for the mercy and grace of God! 

If you have rejected the jabs, stand firm in faithful prayer and obedience to God day by day. Be a voice and help for those in need. Support the weak and join the strong in the fight.

If you’ve already taken the jab, repent. Confess you were wrong and get out of the cycle of boosters already rolling out. Join us in the fight against tyranny in all its forms in this current mess. God bless you if you do!

The Nuclear Option  
This ties back to the supply and demand issue. And if we do this we will quite literally nuke the whole fetal development wickedness. It is simple. We demand equal justice and equal protection for the preborn by demanding the abolition and criminalization of the scourge of abortion that has taken tens of millions of lives in our country alone since Roe v. Wade in 1973!
 

With no more supply of new murdered babies for the wide variety of wicked research going on today (Check my CORE Issues podcast to get grossed out with some of that facebook.com/CoreIssuesPodcast) and those established cell lines laid to rest in dignity as well, and God may actually turn and bless America! Oh Lord grant us great grace and revival for your glory, saved souls, and saved babies! Amen!     ​​​​
Picture
0 Comments

There's little time left, drive straight and make them move.

10/5/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Stay the course or join the cause! 
We're in a bad way friends. Sadly, we're the primary problem. Even those of us who have a lot of things right, do little to nothing to correct our course into oblivion. We've far too long only believed right things and complained about what's wrong and those who do it. It's high time for us to demand wrong be stopped and do what's right! 

October 2021 seems to be a critical time. A month where these Covid-19 vaccine mandates are crashing down in force. We have a hard but simple step to take. But if the mass majority do not step in unison in this, little hope remains for any remaining semblance of freedom in this country. What is that step? We have to hold fast against vaccination! 

Whether you are like me and many others and have totally rejected the vaccines on several levels and absolutely reject them, or if you are wavering as you are wondering whether the loss of comfort outweighs your loss of freedom, and you're actually considering the jab, hold fast! We must stay the course and take the step of continued defiance against this tyranny! 

Or maybe you're someone who has been partially or even fully vaccinated but now see the trajectory we're headed on in this nation and realize that what you previously believed was lies, repent and join us! It's not too late to do right! 

If we don't stand now, it's probably never.
If roughly 100,000,000 Americans refuse to move. And if millions of others who have repented of their involvement in this great tyrannical move of the state for whatever reason they once believed otherwise, the state will have to move out of our way. 

It is a long held understanding in America that the ability for any human government to govern, especially the state government, can only do so by the consent of the governed. This truth remains even in the dictator states of the world. And it will remain true even if we completely fall into being one of those dictatorships here in America. Do not consent!   

It is quite simple really. If a few hundred in D.C. tell a few hundred million U.S. citizens to move, and we know their order is against our God given and Constitutionally protected rights, in the pop culture words of Captain America we tell them, "No, you move."  

Picture
aIf we do not hold fast in our convictions even the hope of returning to the sad shell of what America used to be in 2019 will be lost.  

So, what real action can we take? Read on.
I hate to sound cliche', because saying this should never be cliche'. But like it or not(and very few in this culture like the idea or believe in it) the first action we need to take among many is to humble ourselves and pray. And I mean real prayer. Not moments of silence or positive thoughts nonsense! I mean humbly calling out to the one true God for salvation first for our souls and then for our nation!

Of course I must be clear who the one true God is. He's the triune God of scripture, the Bible. He alone is our hope. It is His hand of judgment on our wicked nation and it is to Him we must call out to! But here's the thing, He won't just hear anyone's prayer. He isn't a genie in a bottle to go to only when time gets tough. God hears the prayers of His people alone. Only those who come to the Father, by the power of the Spirit, through the blood bought sacrifice of the Son who forever intercedes as our great High Priest, can we have any hope for revival and restoration in our land, or any other. 

So, if you have yet to admit your many sins of lying, theft, hatred, sexual immorality, abortion, abuse, greed, and any other sin against the God of heaven, now is the time! Two thousand years ago, Jesus lived the perfect life we never could. He then died on that old rugged cross as a sacrifice for sinners like you and I. He rose again the third day and to this day, anyone who will humble themselves by the grace of God, admit their many sins against Him, and turn to Jesus alone for forgiveness of sins and new life in God will have it! Everlasting life begins today for all who obey Christ's command to,  "Repent and believe in the gospel!" Mark 1:15. 

Without first being right with God, nothing else matters. The only true hope for humanity in being saved from eternal hell to eternal heaven is in Christ alone! Get that right first friends! Today! Because scripture gives few specific dates for future prophecy. But it does give one very clear date of utmost importance for every unsaved sinner and as an ambassador of Christ I'm pleading with you, as though God were pleading with you Himself, to be reconciled to Him on that very important date, and the Apostle Paul tells us that date in the Bible(2 Cor. 6:2), and it is today! Always today and not tomorrow! Tomorrow is not promised, today is the day of salvation!

As Christ is our only hope for personal salvation, He is also the only hope of a nations survival by being saved from the wrath of God due all nations that forget and therefore defy God (Psa. 9:17). 

So, let us take physical steps now that we stand on a firm foundation with God. Keep praying and obey Christ's commands to all His people to be witnesses to Him and His glorious gospel truth. Only in Him and through the proclaiming of the law and gospel truth I shared above is the hope for spiritual revival leading to national revival. Go and make disciples of Christ in this nation and all others (Matt. 28:18-20). This action never ceases until we are called home to Christ.

The necessary secondary and following steps to take.
The following steps to take are part of being disciples and discipling. If we take them outside of Christ they may have temporal value but will be washed away in due time. So knowing that, let us now take them with right hearts and minds.

Now, you must not falter on refusing the jab. This is for anyone. If for any reason you have already, like I said above, repent and join us in standing against them and further boosters, etc. 

Why? Above all other reasons and at their foundation, all three U.S. allowed jabs were developed, tested, and/or produced using the body parts(cell lines are very small body parts) of murdered babies by abortion. Pfizer and Moderna developed and tested theirs. J and J actually still has very tiny parts of those cell fragments in their vax. In short, if you get their jab you get fragments of cell lines derived from murdered baby in your body. I prove all this extensively and it isn't something being hidden. It is just being obscured and glossed over by big pharma, big state,  and big tech overlords. But it is easily found with a little digging. I've done lots of digging and I have plenty of proof. Check several episode of my "CORE Issues" podcast to see the proof. I also combat some of the deflective and lying nonsense equating these jabs and their testing process to many different medicines.

Don't take the word of folks just because they say it. Find and follow the facts. Sadly much of Evangelical America's big names are either saying nothing against, are resigned to the jab, or worse some are big promoters of it! Follow God and His word not His sadly misguided and often even false teachers and celebrities who claim His name. Don't take me at my word alone. See the proof and search on your own. Reach out with questions if you have them. Here's a link for my podcast for those who need it. 
https://www.facebook.com/COREIssuesPodcast/

Not taking the jab (or any more boosters) and standing firm against it on high moral ground is essential. This will be your only firm foundation when push comes to shove and all other fears of loss without submitting to the jab press on you. 

All the legitimate medical fears, and control fears, are real and sound fears. But when we love God and fear Him, His perfect love casts out all other lesser fears. 

Believe me, I agree there are many good reasons to reject these jabs on many levels. Obviously the driving force behind them is control of people not a virus. Big State, Big Pharma, Big Tech, and sadly even Big Eva (Evangelicalism), are all in on the push to get you in line with the jabs. All of them have their motivations and some may even believe they are noble. But their not biblical, and thus are not noble.

Honestly folks, the refuse the jab step is key weapon against the coming mandates and loss of our already dwindling rights. Stand firm here and there is hope. Here's some reasons why.

Picture
SWhy are the powers that be dead set on getting us jabbed?    
1. Control - Control is the primary reason and the subsequent reasons really serve to empower the primary reason of control. The State wants to be god and they have many who worship them and rely on them in this role willingly already. Control is tied to our idolatry of State. God will have no part with it. His first commandment is, "You shall have no other gods before Me." Ex. 20:3 Defy the tyrant State and thus obey God Almighty. 

With the manufactured virus comes a manufactured crisis. Now don't put words in my mouth. It isn't fake. It's real. Yet there is little doubt it wasn't tampered with and enhanced in a Wuhan lab. I had it, friends and family have had it. Many have been very sick and many have died due to it. But that doesn't negate the fact that the over reach the State has taken due to Covid-19 has been absolutely planned, orchestrated, and wicked. It also doesn't negate that fact that over 99% of people who get it SURVIVE! Again these measures are need to control people not viruses! 

Control has been taken unjustly and in defiance of our God given, Declaration of Independence stating, and Constitutionally protected rights. No one who is paying attention at all doubts that this is about control. the only question is which side you are on. 

There has been low level tyranny widespread and growing for decades in the U.S.. Our years of apathy and complacence have brought us here. In no uncertain terms, the vaccines are here in large part due to our apathy towards and complicity with child sacrifice in the womb. More than 65,000,000 babies have been slaughtered in the U.S. since 1973 alone and the death toll keeps climbing. Many of those poor babies are used in scientific experimentation today! Our blood soaked land is under judgment for our bloodguilt and we're not stopping anytime soon it seems. Add to that our great many other sins and it is only the longsuffering mercy of God that we aren't a smoking crater like Sodom and Gomorrah.    

2. Control Group Consequences - If enough are vaccinated they can eliminate the control group (we unvaxxed folks with natural immunity). If enough people are vaxxed, there won't be enough data from enough unvaxxed people to establish different rates of morbidity, hospitalization, symptoms, etc. We need this group to be able to functionally compare and contrast statistics.

Already natural immunity due to previous infection and recovery is showing widely and clearly that it is better than jabs! But this is getting buried and ignored as much as possible. Remove the control group and they have the narrative firmly in hand with no counter argument left.

3. Financial and Social - If enough of us remain unvaxxed the economy can't survive. They won't be able to keep enough people working and shopping to keep the economy moving if not enough people qualify for their vaccine passports. 

If they want to keep society moving along in line the direction they want us to go, they know the easiest way to do that is keep us "fat and happy". 

They don't want to openly reveal themselves as the enemies they are. They want us to believe they're doing this all for our good. The greatest motivation for folks to fall in line with tyrants is to convince them the tyranny is for their good. 

4.  Division - Dividing the populace and making the unvaxxed second class citizens with little or no rights is a growing and well reasoned concern. It is not even being rebuked very often or nearly loudly enough when petty tyrants make veiled or even not so veiled threats against those of us who are standing for our rights and others.

From politicians, to religious elites, to athletes, actors and anyone in between, the hatred is rising against the unvaxxed. Even President Biden is audaciously telling us that he and the rest of those towing his line have been patient, but "patience is wearing thin" with us regarding getting vaxxed! It would be laughable if it weren't so audaciously arrogant and also a bit frightening to many. If enough are frightened they'll fall in line.

Friends, if we give in to tyrants then we all lose. Even them eventually. There are no true winners in rebellion against God and His declared will. Yet, if we stand firm in God given scripturally directed faith and make tyrants tremble in fear and/or rage, we just might see this nation revived. 

At that point there is only two viable options for the tyrants. 
1. By the grace of God they actually humble themselves and repent and help rebuild what they once sought to destroy. Yes with God all things are possible and we must pray for these tyrants for our sake and theirs (1 Tim. 2:1-6)

2. Tuck their tail and admit defeat or say a lot of nonsense that they try to spin to make it look like they had this goal all along. In short remain tyrant statists but stand down and keep plotting. 

3. Remove the veil of civility and polite society and start rounding up and locking up the dissidents for the good of them and their compliant worshippers. This will mean civil war likely breaking out in pockets all over our nation. Godless men and women who hate state over reach but are not submitted to God are even now waiting for opportunity to rise up and fight. Many peace loving people will likely retreat to or establish communities of like minded people to try to rebuild some semblance of society in as much safety as distance and disconnection can provide. 

With as big and diverse a nation as we are, many scenarios in response to a full tyrant take over are possible. Few are something to look forward to. 

So, what if we stand firm and tyranny does prevail in the U.S.?    
As I made clear early on, our only true freedom is in Christ. No matter who prevails here and now their victory is ultimately short lived if lived in defiance of God. So keep praying and proclaiming Christ in hopes of His grace to grant repentance and revival, both personal and national.           

But also start looking to participate in, support, and if possible build what Andrew Torba of Gab and others are talking about as a parallel society/economy. As time goes on I hope to share more resources from folks much smarter and much more connected to help us all to remain fruitful and retain and even still expand our growth for the primary goal of discipling the nations as God commands.  But for now check this article from Andre Torba and keep an eye on him and I recommend joining Gab too. We'll probably all be booted from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. sooner or later. 
news.gab.com/2021/09/09/the-parallel-society/

Finally
Stand firm. Stand firm in Christ. Stand firm in God's word as truth. Stand firm against the jabs. Stand firm against the growing tyrant State. Stand firm and bear fruit in this hard season for God's glory and the good of his people. Stand firm my friends and you will not be ashamed. God bless all who do!

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish." Psalm 1

0 Comments

Local Church: Prepare, Provide for, and Protect, your Faithful Preachers and their Families!

3/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
It is under times of real persecution of gospel preachers that that Paul's instruction to remember that God is concerned with care for His preachers and as such makes clear God's command not to muzzle the ox as it treads out the grain was for man more than beasts.

God honoring men who proclaim faithfully the gospel from pulpits and streets should be able to rely on the provision of the saints for them and especially their families for furtherance of the gospel.

Bivocational ministry in times of persecution is all the harder and will be almost impossible once bold preachers in pulpits, and on the streets especially, are more regularly charged and arrested for fulfilling their ministry in season and out.

Picture
Yes, it is good to have a trade and like Paul to be able to make tents when free. But when he was imprisoned he needed help from the Body. Jail and prison for faithful preachers will be all the more likely sooner than later.
Further those apostles and preachers who were married and even had children, they all the more needed the Body caring for their family. The same is true today for faithful preachers.

The local church sending out ministers of the gospel far and wide from the local pulpit to local areas to overseas missions are vital. Faithful preachers that do so in pulpits and streets but especially those who do BOTH should be able to rely on the care of the local body, the church.
Bivocational with a trade is hard enough. But a bivocational preacher working for a company who is likely to fire them when the public opinion changes or almost surely when they end up in jail for their ministry is in real danger. They rightly may fear for their family being destitute while they unashamedly preach the gospel come what may. This should not be friends.

And in our culture we already see preachers in the United States being harassed and even charged criminally for gospel proclamation and Christian ministry on the streets! Jail has been and will continue to be a growing reality as faithful preachers are on the frontlines in the battle for God's glory, saved souls, and babies lives!

Picture
Does your local body have faithful gospel preachers in the pulpit and on the streets? Are you blessed with a rare gem of a pastor like Pastor Chuck O'Neal of Beaverton Grace Bible Church or mine Pastor Bryan Carver of Wellspring Bible Fellowship, who lead their flock out into the fray of this dark world for the lost sheep and white harvest? If so cherish those men and care for them and their families.

Picture
Do you know full time evangelists and missionaries from and still attached to your body preaching faithfully sound doctrine? Help keep them on mission!

Are there folks in your body who could be those local sent full time evangelists or possibly church planters or missionaries for far away lands in your midst? Those who are known by your church and the elders and have a sound testimony of good doctrine and a call to full time ministry? Then as your church is able, get them into fields near and far!

Picture
Time may be short for the even more limited freedom we have today! Darker times are here and I believe it's to be far darker before the dawn.

May God be glorified in His people as they care for those on the frontlines and prepare those who need to get there. Soli Deo Gloria!

"Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation." - Mark 16:15

"For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?" - 1 Cor. 9:9-11

"For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ."
- Rom 10:13-17
​

"Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” - Matt. 9:37-38

0 Comments

April 27th, 2020

4/27/2020

0 Comments

 

What Role Does Repentance in the American Church Have in the Covid-19 Crisis?

Picture
"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
- 2 Tim. 1:7
​

This verse ought to convict and guide Christians in the current #Covid19 #Coronavirus situation. The current handling of this situation is neither in line with the Bible or Constitutional America.

Christian you and I are to walk in the Spirit not in the flesh. Meaning we should heed God's word and the wisdom therein. The law for quarantine is laid out in Lev. 13. While we are not under the law, a sound hermeneutical principle is to carry over the sound concepts from Old covenant to New when applicable. In short, by principle we do not quarantine people who show no symptoms of disease.
So keeping God's guidelines for quarantine in mind, let's address the three key words here to walk in wisdom by.

Fear. We are not to live in fear of man or disease. We fear God and obey Him. Love Him and our neighbors trusting His provision and wisdom to guide our lives. This C19 issue has driven far too many who name the name of Christ to fear. Most of it tied to fear of man, which scripture tells us clearly "is a snare", or a trap. Which of course is what it looks like to self quarantine.

Love. Love conquers fear and emboldens service to God and neighbor. Love moves us to care for people in ways best for them. That means variance between individual image bearers. Which leads us to the final word or two words.

Self control. Or as other translations put it, "sound mind". This means we are to be fearless and loving but remembering to be so with knowledge and wisdom. To not exercise zeal without knowledge. In this crisis it means understanding a bit about this virus and all viruses and infections. In means common sense guided by God and those He has enabled to guide rightly.

So what do we know about C19. Well we know it is a virus that is transmitted much like the flu or even the common cold. In fact the common cold is a Corona virus. This virus is known to more likely adversely effect the elderly and immuno compromised. This is not very uncommon with viruses. What is less common is that it has no specific adverse effects on healthy young children as a general rule, which is a good thing.

How is it transmitted? Our best knowledge says it is transmitted much the same as other viruses or a cold. Namely by body fluid entering another's blood stream or mucous membranes.

So how do we protect ourselves? What does common sense say? How does biblical wisdom guide? Basically as we would handle any like communicable virus/infection.

Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze. Cover your open wounds. Avoid crowds and the elderly/immuno compromised, if you show symptoms of sickness. Keep your hands out of your face and open wounds. Keep hand sanitizer and/or wipes on hand if possible. Wash your hands regularly and well. In short, act as normal, especially in "flu season."

Notice I didn't mention "social distancing" or "masks". Why? Because those are superfluous precautions in MOST cases. Not all mind you. That's where the knowledge and wisdom comes in. But by and large those precautions are un necessary and breed more fear and distrust than contain virus spread.

Obviously immuno compromised and elderly folks might consider social distancing and even a mask(A good one that actually gives protection against viruses and not most of what people are wearing). Done so according to individual wisdom and common sense. Not civil govt. edict!

Here's something to contrast and compare. Just think of the HIV/AIDS, virus/syndrome. How much did and sometimes still do people labor over assuring people that you can't get HIV/AIDS through hugs or contact with toilet seats or commonly used items not contaminated with body fluids? What motivates these assurances? Much the same things that motivates today's dire warnings over a much less deadly virus,(though admittedly much easier to spread). Namely, fear of man. Fear of man in large part being used to drive a plethora of agendas of varying levels with dubious if not nefarious intent.

Here's an interesting statistic keeping that in mind. While again, HIV/AIDS is a much more difficult virus to spread. As of this writing HIV/AIDS deaths this year alone have surpassed 540,000. For comparison, that's over 330,000 more deaths than for Covid-19! Real viruses, whose treatment and even information distribution of is handled in far from sound principles of biblical wisdom and with Covid-19 even American Constitutional guidelines.

All that said, it is worth repeating that the measures levied against the world and the U.S. specifically or Covid-19 are beyond common sense and sound reason. There is little to no biblical wisdom guiding the actions levied against the populace by our representatives in civil government.

What's sadder still is the response en masse by the American Evangelical church. Which is the same response by and large of the whole nation. Fear and unquestioning submission to tyrannical, unbiblical, and even un Constitutional over reach.

Shame on us. We have failed to lead. We have failed to therefore love God and love our neighbors. We immediately took for granted that there was no need to seek the Bible's guidance here. To simply trust godless leaders some who are not just un Christian but actually fervently anti Christian.

Sadly friends, much of the fallout over this lays at the feet of The Church Visible. We have failed to stand firm on sound biblical wisdom and have taken the path of least resistance and fear of man. I say this to our shame.

As The Church Visible, en masse has turned largely a blind eye to the mass blood shed in our nation in the holocaust of abortion. We've neglected to evangelize an ever growing gospel less society. We've been silent against rampant sexual immorality both heterosexual and from the whole LGBTQ spectrum. We've abandoned widows, orphans, and the needy to civil govt. systems. We've greedily sought our own comfort and well being over others for far too long.
​
Our apathy and selfishness is easily seen to others even if we miss it. This is no screed against failed "social justice". This is a recognition of our shared lack of biblical love and obedience.

As scripture promises, judgment begins at the house of God. Yet, because of God's love for His people as scripture also declares, He disciplines us. It seems this current C19 crisis is kind discipline from our loving Father meant to drive us to repentance. If we fail in this we can only rightly expect heavier judgment.
​
Oh Lord stir your Church to lead in Spirit driven, Bible guided, love and good works for your glory and the good of Your people. May it be before Your strong right arm delivers sure and dearly earned judgment. Soli Deo Gloria!
0 Comments

Corona Virus(Covid-19): Biblical Wisdom and Reasoning

3/30/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
Sadly it seems Christians in general have not done much study of the proper categories of government and how they are to function. I say this to my own personal shame as I have been lax in this area also, and only in recent years have I endeavored to study it more thoroughly. I encourage the saints to make this study part of their life, especially if this issue has opened time for your stam currently going through "God and Government" by DeMar. A very good resource. 

The current "pandemic" has caused no little stir worldwide. I daresay far more emotional stir leading to other areas being "stirred up" far more than necessary. 

In a time where loss of health, loss of job, loss of life, loss of home, etc. are all immediate and possible soon comingnrealities for many, personal Christian love and compassion for those affected is nothing less than our carrying out of the two great commandents to love God supremely and our neighbors as ourselves. 

In short our love must carry with it law and gospel faithfulness. Our good works flowing from that gospel fountain of life. These are actions to be governed by personal, family, and even local and wider church government.
Pur personal governance will most effect how we view and engage with civil government. As ultimately every person must answer to God for their actions. 

Those in ecclesiastical leadership positions hold even a higher burden and should be in prayer and receiving the benefit of our prayers as they try to help govern the local churches and ministries.

Also, Paul made clear our prayers should be made for those in civil government positions at all levels as well. For the handling of their daily affairs and more intense times of crisis, such as we are seeing today, all for God's glory and the good of the governed.

That being the case, we need to be all the more in prayer for everyone in this time.
That said, the prayers should lead to godly speech and admonition from individuals, pulpits, and platforms of all sizes where Christians with wisdom from God speak for His glory and peoples good into all realms of governance. 

Case in point. The handling of this situation by our civil leaders at all levels is multifaceted and complex. As that is the case, wide ranging civil governmental policy needs a more studied and reasonable approach. Not broad brush policy enactments we've seen by and large so far. 

In many cases sadly, proposed possibilities regarding the virus have been hyped to near feverish importance. All the while seeming abandonment of actual clear cut simple math and logic has led and is leading to varying levels of personal, and corporate devastation in all realms of life. 

As a biblical example. Even in a Levitical style govt. under the plague/leprosy, once it was  discovered it brought quarantine and even eventually if uncured, whole homes could be destroyed. Or people cast out of community.
However, there was no mass quarantine for potential plague/leprosy, etc. Common sense health practices were codified into Mosaic law. Encouraging cleanliness and wisdom is always prudent. Teaching wise and necessary cleanliness is also in line with that today and is essential in personal governance.

However, while I am not an advocate for never placing legal restrictions on potentially dangerous behavior, I do advocate for stronger reasoning than what has been witnessed regarding the current "pandemic", to justify the civil government's clear over reach. 

All that said, if God is seeing fit to bring this nation and others down due to their idolatry to amongst other things, money and civil government, this situation would be a great way to do it. 

Let the civil govt. wreck economies and bankrupt people and business over something that never had the power to do what allegiance to idolatrous sources of worship does. 

I'm praying God will be merciful and gracious in these times. I'm also praying that grace will extend to Christian leaders and individuals choosing biblical wisdom over worldly wisdom in each of their realms of influence, be they small or great. 

Choosing that path leads to godly, prayerful, study, contemplation, and finally and in tandem with those other things, action. May God give such grace for His people. Soli Deo Gloria! 
0 Comments

The Secular Education System: Why and How we Must Get our Children Out!

12/16/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
“It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.” - Luke 17:2

​Introduction
 Christian friends, I know the statement I’m about to make will sound very harsh too many. But please read this article to the end and then prayerfully do some simple research on the topic. Then consider what you learn and act biblically. 
 Here is the indictment. In light of where the public education system in the United States is today, to send our children into that system is to cause our little ones to sin. Woe on us as we continue to do so! 
 We must get them out! For the glory of God and the good of their souls and ours! 
 Now, I know that for some people(few but definitely some)it would be near impossible to remove their child or children from the public system immediately. I will address the “how”, later. First we must clearly establish the “why”. 

Picture
Who is responsible?
    “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
  • Prov. 22:6
    This very short verse, directed quite clearly to parents, tells us at least two very important things.
  1. It is a command, not a suggestion. It is a command, for us to “train” our children. 
  2. As it is a command to us, we are the ones responsible for what training they receive.
 First understand this truth. No one is neutral. Especially not in education. Nor should they be. God does not have any area that is not subject to His sovereign will and therefore there is no place where we as His image bearers should not promote, train, and act in accordance with His will. 
 So of course those who are in rebellion to Him will not willfully train our children in ways that honor Him. Their anti Christ bias will come through in the subject they train our children in. Only Christians, and especially Christian parents, can properly train their child in such a way that honors God.
 Now, this does not mean that no one but parents can have any hand in training their children. What it does mean is that the parents are the primary shapers of the “way”, children are to go in life. As such, parents are responsible to at least have a basic understanding of what anyone other than them is teaching their children. That way they can make sure that their children understand how it fits into a biblical worldview. 
 For example. A child may get some training from an anti Christian textbook or author/presenter(museum trip, film presentation, article from secular source for a certain topic, etc.). Let’s say in a complex subject like biology or anthropology. In either of these areas the person training your child will most likely have an anti Christian view of creation and will assert that humanity has evolved over millions of years. 
 Now, it is good to do some study here and know something about biblical creation and 
that non Christians do not have the market cornered on evidence as regards origins and history of the world or its workings. But as beneficial as that knowledge is, it is not essential in guiding your children in their study of these and other complex fields of study. The only essential is a rock solid adherence to God’s word and it’s clear teachings. 
 It does not take a leading scientist or theologian to address this very important issue. One simply needs to assert God’s word. Remembering it is indeed God’s word we are asserting and not ours. 
When molecules to man evolution is being asserted by the non Christian, the Christian parent needs to simply take their child to the first chapter of Genesis to set the record straight. 
 “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” - Gen. 1:26
 It really is that simple to show that man is specially created in God’s image and has dominion over other creatures and is not a result of evolving over millions of years from some lesser creature.
 Honestly, as we train our children we may gain a hunger to know more ourselves and as such will learn more for their good and ours. The more we know of God and His view of His creation the more we glorify Him. That is just one good side effect of homeschooling!
 Remember friends, no matter whatever else we study or learn, nothing is more important than knowing His word. when God speaks definitively we must as well. We must never bow to any mind or will that contradicts God’s. And we are obligated to train our children not to do so either.  

Picture
How bad is it?
 I’m going to address issues that will affect our kids in public(possibly even private) schools, as well as the public arena outside of simply school. I’ll address issues both nationally and here in the state of Oregon. Please understand this. Just because it isn’t happening in your school/area yet, do not think it is far off. In some areas the battle is already very heated and our kids are already falling prey to ever increasing wickedness.

Picture
Looming and current legislation and public activities
U.S.-H.R.5 
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/equality-act-anti-christian/ , https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/democrats-equality-act-opens-the-door-to-legalized-pedophilia.-heres-how

 H.R.5 is the nationwide legislation that will functionally criminalize Christianity and traditional views of gender identity and roles. The vote has already passed in the House and is awaiting a Senate vote. 
 In short, LGBTQ issues will be granted the same civil protections and guarantees that race does now. No religious opt outs are available. H.R.5 will be also be the gateway to Pedophilia acceptance. 
 Speaking of Pedophilia. It has a new name. Many pedophiles are now asserting that they should be identified as, M.A.P.(Minor Attracted Person(s)). There is a hard push for LGBTQ to add a “P” on the end. There have already been favorable talks about it in progessive think groups like TEDx Talks. https://blog.ted.com/tedx-talk-under-review/

Picture
Oregon H.B. 2023 - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/oregon-mandates-k12-lgbt-identity-curricula-in-civics-geography 
 H.B. 2023 mandates that LGBTQ personalities and issues be integrated into all school curriculum, in all subjects, at all grade levels. H.B. 2023 has passed and is signed into law by Governor Kate Brown and implementation statewide is mandatory by 2026.
 
However, many schools are already pushing this agenda voluntarily. But know this friends, this iniquitous decree is on the books and it is coming to your kids school, if it hasn’t already arrived.

Picture
Drag Queen Story Hour - https://thefederalist.com/2019/07/22/public-library-deletes-pictures-drag-queens-fondling-children-story-hour/ 
 Have you heard of Drag Queen Story Hour yet? If not you will. Private bookstores have them and big sponsors like professional sports teams are hosting or collaborating to put them on. But that’s not all. They’re also coming to your public library and yes...your public elementary schools! 
 
What goes on there? Well, drag queens, men dressed up like raunchy and sexually comedic women, read LGBTQ indoctrination books to young children. Children who are confused(and sometimes even scared) by strange men dressed up as women telling them strange things that pollute their young minds.       

Picture
Get to praying and studying
 Friends, I could go on and on. But it’s time for you to do some serious prayer and at least a little research. If the links I provided with the links inside of those stories isn’t enough to make you sick and angry, you’ve got even more serious problems than we’ve covered here.
 Our kids are under attack. Forget about the judgement God will bring on the God haters scheming to pollute and harm our kids. 
“For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God;” - 1 Pet. 4:17 
 Friends, like I said above, if we leave our kids in this wicked public system we are tying a millstone around our own neck! First and foremost we are the problem! We are the ones trusting a pagan and Christ hating system to train our children in the bulk of their academic lives! Woe on us!

Picture
Come out from among them!
 “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing;...” 2 Cor. 6:14-17
 So now we get to the “how” I said we’d get to earlier. The answer is simple. Yet even though it is simple it is also very hard for many to actually do. Why? Because the simplicity entails sacrifice. We don’t like sacrifice. We like comfort. But friends this is about obeying God and loving our nearest and neediest neighbors. Our children! How much are their bodies and souls worth? 
 I’m not being hyperbolic! Did you read those articles? Have you prayed and seriously thought about this? Please friends, don’t blow this off! Too much is at stake!

Picture
The parent’s responsibility 
 Like I said the answer is simple. Get your kids out of public school. Take them out today and don’t send them back. I’m not joking! Especially if either parent is at home. If your child was sick you’d pull them out immediately. Your child is being infected by the school!
 
I said it is simple but hard to digest. Especially when it is so bluntly laid out. I know many of you are probably saying the old mantra, “Not at my kid’s school.” But friends, are you really sure of that? How can you be? 
 
But even if you’re right, and this latest wickedness hasn’t taken root in your school, your kids are already getting anti Christ, evolutionary teaching that undermines God in all areas.
 
Even before this major onslaught, books like McDowell’s, “Last Christian Generation” and Ham’s, “Already Gone” detail how the public school system already heavily contributes to the death of young people’s budding faith. They’re checking out from Christianity and the Church in heart and head if not body, often as early as Jr. High! 
 
If that wasn’t enough, in Oregon(maybe elsewhere too) your daughter can get an abortion and the school will never let you know! But hey, you’ll pay for it with your insurance! 
 
Now, maybe taking them out today just won’t work. But it is time to make plans. It is time to set your mind on doing just that. Maybe it will take a few days, a week, a month, but sooner is better than later.  
Parent’s options
1. Homeschool 
 Yes, you can do this. You don’t need to be a teacher and have a college degree. Remember, God has called you to be the one to train up your child. He has commanded you and equipped you. It will probably be tough. But your kids are worth it! 
 It might be a big fight. Your kids, depending on their age and attachment to friends at school may make it really hard. But like I said, this will be sacrifice. For you and them. 
 There are tons of options for curriculum and help for costs. In this day and age, YouTube and other social media outlets and such have a wealth of helpful information. And undoubtedly there are people in your church or group of friends who are already homeschooling. Reach out!
 
Here is where the sacrifice could really come out. If both parents are working, mom most likely needs to come home. We need to not make excuses for doing what is right by our kids and for our families.  
 
On top of that, the reduced income may mean a new living situation. There may be “toys” that need to be sold, trips that need to be cancelled, and activities that may need to be curtailed all around. You may even have to sell your home and downsize! 
 
For whatever reason, maybe you feel you just can’t homeschool your child. Do you have a family member that loves Jesus and loves your child(ren) and is willing to homeschool them? It may be a viable  option. 
 We must ask ourselves. What does it profit to gain the world and lose our child’s soul? 
2. Private Christian School
 This is a distant second choice but it is still far better than public school. If you can find a solid Christian school with sound doctrine that won’t bow to public opinion and the state, maybe they are a viable option for your child’s education. But if so you need to be an attentive parent and as involved as possible. Your child’s training is still your responsibility. 
 
Homeschool can be somewhat expensive but good Christian schooling will likely be much more. But again, sacrifice is often necessary to do what is right. 

Picture
The Church’s role
 The local church can be a big help! They should be. You are part of the local body of Christ and as such you should be able to count on support from fellow members. Larger churches can help directly. Smaller churches may have to work together. But all can help in some significant way. Here’s a few.
  • Each church is empty most of the week except Sunday. There are rooms that can double as school rooms. 
  • Money. You want to homeschool. You can’t afford to buy all the books and supplies immediately but you realize you need to get the kids out now. The local church can help. This is where the church can especially help with those rare situations I mentioned above. If you are a single parent and can’t at this time stay home with your child and don’t have money for Christian school, so public school seems like the only option. This is where creative and prayer fueled thinking and action on the part of you and the local church can be a solution to that problem.
  • Volunteers for help. Maybe you can’t do all the homeschooling and can’t afford private school. There are often elder saints who have a love for children and a willingness to serve them and families. They can help organize and even help in teaching subjects. Putting together a homeschool co operative experience in a local church or several churches is already happening. It can happen in your area.  
  • Larger churches or several smaller ones may even be able to hire coordinators and facilitators to help homeschooling parents train their kids. Even help train the parents who need direction and sometimes just confidence and support. 
  • Some churches can actually open Christian schools in their open buildings during the weekdays or open whole new facilities. These could be full schools or they could just be resource centers with helpers for parents to come and avail themselves of. Physical, emotional, and spiritual resources fellow members in the body of Christ supply to other members of His body. This is building up of the body of Christ in love!
 Lots can be done. Talk to your local church and see what they’d prayerfully be willing and able to do to help. You may be surprised.

Picture
It’s Time for Action!
 Friends, the situation with the LGBTQ agenda and other wickedness like abortion and birth control access are only getting worse and worse in the public school sector. We are obligated to care for our children and train them in God honoring ways. This honestly is almost impossible to do when we leave our kids in this ever increasingly anti Christ system. 
 Please friends, our kids are too precious and God’s commands are clear. May He grant us repentance for our lack of diligent attention to their plight in the secular public indoctrination system and our desire for comfort over their good. 

0 Comments

June 01st, 2018

6/1/2018

2 Comments

 
Picture

Why Christians Should Abandon Incrementalism

Introduction
Thank you for taking the time to examine this important subject. This paper is primarily on the subject of Incrementalism. It could be expanded on far more deeply and many have done so. Yet I believe what I have written here is sufficient to make a biblically and logically consistent case against it. I write this with strong desire to unify under a biblical standard to fight abortion. I have no desire to fight Christians. I honestly pray readers believe this.

If it were a minor secondary issue I surely would not have taken the time to dedicate myself to the biblical, social, and legal study of this issue as I have. I have done so because abortion is a life and death issue. How we address it is a thoroughly biblical issue of great importance.

Abortion is the holocaust we are living in now and sadly so few are fighting against it in any significant way. What is even more sad and frustrating is that most of those who are fighting against it are doing so in an unbiblical way. By God’s grace this is changing and I pray my readers here will come to be a part of that change to the glory of God and for the good of people’s souls and babies lives.

How invested are you in this fight?
Maybe you are now where I was a few years back. As an American Evangelical I knew abortion was sin and murder and believed the only view any Christian could hold was a Pro-Life one. You know, Christian, Pro-Life, and Republican. There really isn’t any other options right? I was to support and promote Pro-Life groups, politicians, and legislation proposed and promoted by the Church and the Pro-Life movement in general. Maybe sometimes even give money to pregnancy centers, and hold a sign at a yearly “Life Chain.”

Or maybe, if you felt really “called”, you might go even further. You might actually join a local “Right to Life” or other Pro-Life group and maybe even attend big events and help lobby for Pro-Life legislation. Maybe even go to clinics and volunteer in other high stress areas.

But maybe you’re way deeper and more committed to the Pro-Life movement than I could even imagine. Maybe you’ve given decades to the fight and have forged strong bonds with lots of groups and individuals. Maybe you are even a leader on a local, regional, or even national level. You’ve worked hard to fight this battle in all the areas I listed above and some areas I know nothing about. Maybe you’re so invested that being part of the Pro-Life Movement is a big part of who you are.

In fact, if some “newbie” like me comes along and says basically, “You’re doing it wrong.”, it isn’t just annoying, it feels like an attack. And not just against ideas you hold or things you do, but rather an attack against you.
 

Please know, I do understand the feeling. We all have areas we feel we have some expertise or at least some experience in. When someone challenges us in those areas it “raises our hackles” sometimes. I know it does mine. Again please understand I am not doing this to annoy people or win arguments. I genuinely believe this issue is a serious biblical issue of life and death. This is not a personal attack on anyone. I love my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! If I did not love you I wouldn’t bother trying to reach you. I consider you my friends and not my enemies. Please know this!

So friends what must we do when something like this takes place? We must face questions and accusations no matter who they are from, or even the attitude in which they are delivered, just like Jesus did. What I mean is that we need to meet them head on with the word of God. It is our only sure resource at all times. It is both the foundation and end of our reasoning.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
2 Tim. 3:16-17    


So friends, as you read this you may get annoyed or even feel attacked. Again, please know that that is not my goal. I am presenting to you what I believe the Bible says about Incrementalism. If you feel that I am wrong I hope you agree that the proper way to address the issue is to engage me with scripture. Please do so. This is too important for anyone to simply say, “I just don’t see it.”, “I disagree”, etc.

We must not cast this issue aside as unimportant or dismiss arguments based on our instant reaction or even our years of experience in the Pro-Life movement. God’s glory, people’s eternal souls, and babies lives hang in the balance! We must do our due diligence here. Too much is at stake! So thank you again for reading this today!

On biblical hermeneutics
All scripture is God breathed and profitable for us in all ways. Since we as Christians affirm this truth of scripture we will never here question whether or not what it says is true. However, we must make sure to interpret it correctly.

As scripture varies from poetry to history to prophecy and more, we must be careful to exegete each text rather than eisegete it. In other words we must take from the text what God intends for us to take from it and not read into the text meanings God never intended.

First we must understand various issues regarding the text. We must understand the genre we are dealing with, covenantal guidelines, historical and geographical considerations, and of course the immediate context, etc.
In this study of Incrementalism we will be primarily focussing on the commands and laws of God and how we are to apply them today.

In short we will be left with more or less one of two possible ways to interpret the text before us. We must ask this question: Is this text giving a clear command to obey or a guiding principle to apply to a range of scenarios?

There is no doubt that every command of God will always present at least a guiding principle. No command of God is irrelevant as all are expressions of His immutable perfection and glory. For

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

I state from the outset that I believe there is no command from God in scripture that is  subject to any man’s or any group of men(and/or women’s) opinion. Let alone that anyone ever had, has now, or ever will have the right and authority to nullify, amend, and/or change His commands. I hope you would agree with me.

Yet sadly for many years I never even thought about Incrementalism at all. Let alone thought about it being wrong. Honestly I hadn’t even heard of the term! I am ashamed to admit I did not even consider holding my Pro-Life convictions about baby murder up to the light of scripture. Instead I placed my trust on the shifting yet comfortable and familiar sands of American Evangelicalism.

It is my sincere prayer and hope that God would guide me in my examination of Incrementalism and only base my judgments of it on sound biblical principles. I also pray that my Christian friends and neighbors would receive grace to do likewise.

I simply ask that no matter how long or how firmly you may have held your personal convictions regarding Incrementalism, that you would join me in examining them in the light of scripture, and repent of them if God’s word makes clear that those convictions are unbiblical. Let’s start that work now.  

Incrementalism Explained
Incrementalism as understood here can be stated in this way:
Incrementalism is choosing to obey and/or call for obedience to a clear law and/or command of God piece by piece and/or over time, rather than in totality and/or immediately.

To start I should say I no longer identify as a “Pro-Lifer”. I cannot in good conscience align with the Pro-Life Movement. I also should be clear in saying that I believe there are many in the Pro-Life Movement that hold the same ideas I have regarding the bad fruit that have come out of the PLM yet choose to keep the “Pro-Lifer” label. I hope we can agree the label we identify with while important, is not all important. What we believe and why we do is.

I now identify as an Abolitionist. Another term could be Kingdom Driven Christian Biblical Immediatist. Abolitionist just kind of rolls off the tongue easier!

I realize that sometimes people get confused when an Abolitionist says Incrementalism is sinful and unbiblical. Let me try to give a helpful word picture.

Let’s look at abortion in the United States like an orchard full of fifty rotten fruit trees. The orchard owner has given us all the command, “Cut down the trees, throw them in the fire and burn them.” There are fifty teams of workers each with a tree to take care of.

Now the incrementalist would have each team figure out which are the easiest limbs to remove first. Order them to start taking out whichever ones they can do so without backlash from those who like the rotten trees. In short the incrementalist says they desire to kill the trees over time, but for all intents and purposes only prunes the trees.

They also must admit that some of the folks on their teams believe that there are at least a couple reasons for the trees to not be totally cut down. In short many in the incrementalist camp don’t even want to obey the command to cut down the tree and burn it.

Now undoubtedly some small amount of rotten fruit gets cut off in the pruning. Incrementalists make sure to light big bonfires to burn the leaves and branches that come down through their pruning. It gives a feeling of progress.

Now the immediatist on the other hand would give each team a set of axes and have them lay each axe to the root of the trees. Mind you they are big hard trees that have been pruned by incrementalists and continually fed and fertilized by others who work in the orchard who love the trees. So, victory seems far off and celebrations are slim to nonexistent. But they keep obediently seeking to cut down the trees and burn them as the orchard owner commanded.

We must see this key point as well. As we understand that due to different governments and their jurisdictions any law passed will have an incremental facet to it. Meaning we cannot ever expect to enact a law that spans all of creation. Only God can do this. And providentially He has. Our job is to demand implementation of His laws in the jurisdictions in which we reside, in the ways we have been granted to do so to His glory.

For example, an Oregonian like myself demanding that my state representatives and executives write and enforce laws that abolish and criminalize abortion in my state is a biblically just demand as a citizen in the United States of America and the State of Oregon. I am not involved in sinful Incrementalism because my demand does not have any direct effect on the representatives of other states.

Also, as a citizen of the United States it is a biblically just that I demand that my U.S. Representatives and the U.S. President abolish and criminalize abortion. It is not sinful Incrementalism because my demand has no direct effect on the Chinese government and their abortion laws.
   

Now as members of the Church we have an obligation to demand that abortion be abolished and criminalized across all man made jurisdictions. We are part of His eternal Kingdom and there is no boundary to God’s prophetic commands. Sadly the Church has been apathetic in its being a prophetic voice from pulpits and in society at large on this issue. May God bring repentance and zeal to His Church in this area for the advance of His Kingdom!
       

There are many other aspects to discuss about the differences between the Pro-Life movement and the modern Abolitionist movement. However, as I said before this paper focuses primarily on Incrementalism. Since Incrementalism in our discussion here is focussed primarily on how it relates to law, it’s helpful to speak about the nature of law and commands as well.

Incrementalism and the Law
It is important I make clear from the beginning that most if not all commands and laws, whether stated positively or negatively, have both explicit and implicit factors involved.

For example, a state law may say: “It is illegal to purchase alcohol under 21 years of age.” This law gives its command negatively. It explicitly forbids purchasing alcohol for persons under 21 years of age. However, it also therefore implicitly allows those persons over 21 years of age to purchase alcohol legally.

The following two sentences make a statement that exemplifies this truth about state law as it pertains to alcohol.

“Joe you are only 20 years old, so it is illegal for you to buy alcohol. When you turn 21 in July it will then be legal for you to buy alcohol.”

These two sentences show the clear relation between both the explicit and implicit facets of law. These facets of law are important for us to understand as we go about writing, supporting, promoting, or even voting for certain laws.  

We as Christians also must affirm that all law is subservient to God’s law. It can be no more succinctly or clearly put than when Peter and John said: “We must obey God rather than men.” Act. 5:29 In other words, if man’s law goes against God’s law, man’s law is not law at all. We are not to follow it but oppose it. Our country’s founders and the framers of our constitution understood this. We must understand this as well.
 

It is important to note that the United States founders and framers of the U.S. Constitution were probably most influenced in the founding of our laws by the legal expertise of the 18th century jurist and judge, Sir William Blackstone.

In fact, it is not a stretch to say that Blackstone was very, if not the most influential source for the legal framing of our Constitution and U.S. law going forward for well over a century after our founding. Blackstone makes clear the status of all men’s laws when he stated:

“No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God.”
  • Sir William Blackstone

Let us be sure to remember these truths as we examine Incrementalism and the Incremental laws of the Pro-Life movement.


Incrementalism and the Word of God
In laying out a sound hermeneutical case against Incrementalism I will use the following format. I will present scriptural commands, determine whether or not we should interpret the command(s) as directly for us today or see them as a guiding principle. Having done that I’ll then present the logical conclusions we should draw from the command.

Scripture 1: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Cor. 10:31

Is this a direct command or a guiding principle? It may seem to need no elaboration.

Yet for the sake of hermeneutical precision, let’s examine this vital command in light of certain important principles.

First, this is a command in an epistle addressed to believers in the New Covenant(NC). We are also believers in the NC. Second, there is nothing ambiguous or confusing about the sentence structure. Third, there is nothing about the surrounding chapter or book about this specific command that would make us believe its application was limited to that specific time and/or region. Fourth, the command to glorify God in all we do is understood universally in Christianity throughout history as an inarguable obligation of all people. It is clearly taught throughout scripture in too many places to list.

This is therefore a direct command. As such we as Christians should seek to believe and act in all ways in such a manner that we glorify God in what we believe, say, and do.

So let the glory of God be our guiding principle as we examine commands and laws of God and how they relate to Incrementalism.    
     

These following scriptures command us either to do something, abstain from doing something, or warn us of consequences for doing or not doing something. First I will address the main command or law directed at the perpetrators and/or accessories to the crime of abortion.

Scripture 2: “You shall not murder.” Ex.20:13

Is this a direct command or guiding principle? It is a command given under the Old Covenant(OC) directly to the people of Israel. Next we need to see if this law applies to us as NC believers and more so to unregenerate society at large today.

First let’s see if it applies to us as NC believers. Well no and yes. In short we are not under the law given to Israel carved in stone. But James would say we are under a greater, “Royal law”. That royal law we are under now encompasses all aspects of God’s moral law.

So, since we are commanded by Christ to love our neighbors as ourselves(Mrk. 12:31) and we know that loving someone totally eliminates the possibility of murdering them, we are still bound to the principle of that Mosaic law.

In fact the law of love we now reside under in grace is even stricter. As Jesus made clear, the ten commandments gave the negative restriction against murdering. Yet the eternal precept for us under the royal law is the positive command to love our neighbors, even neighbors we call “enemies”. Which is why Jesus said to hate our neighbor is murder in the heart(Mat. 5:21-22).

Now, the unregenerate man or woman is also not directly under the letter of the Mosaic law given to Israel. However, they are subject to the law written on their hearts, the conscience that either convicts or comforts the heart of all humanity(Rom. 2:12-15).

So, it is safe to say(at least in some sense) that no one is directly under the Mosaic law. Yet God’s moral law, whether written on tablets of stone or on the heart, clearly covers not murdering people in both the OC and NC. For both Jews and Gentiles. Unregenerate sinners and born again saints. Let no one think we are antinomians. Christ did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it(Mat. 5:17).

Scripture 3: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31

Is this is a direct command or guiding principle? This is a direct command from Jesus. It was simply a restatement of OC law. Yet Jesus made it clear that this command was to be applicable to everyone. He makes this clear in that when He is questioned by a scribe as to who is his neighbor, He uses an example of someone despised by the Jews, a Samaritan. In short if a Samaritan loves his neighbor in such a way, so should the inquiring scribe and surely so should we as Spirit filled NC believers.

As we spoke above about this verse briefly, the obvious implicit command here is that we are not to murder. Yet, this command is explicit and commands us to love our neighbors. Not just in any light hearted manner either. But we are to love them as we love ourselves!
 

So, can we in good conscience and in light of scripture actually say that our support of incremental laws that abandon some babies to slaughter at the whims of their mothers is loving our neighbors as ourselves? Unless we believe that there is some instances when we believe it is loving for someone to choose to murder us, then the answer is an emphatic NO!

Scripture 4: “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” Jam. 2:8-9

Is this a direct command or a guiding principle? This is clearly a guiding principle. More so it is a stinging indictment against Incrementalism. One of the direct results of Incrementalism is the sin of “partiality”, condemned in scripture here.

As this is an epistle in the NC written to Christians this has direct application to us. We are told very clearly that to show partiality is to make us transgressors of God’s law.

There is no way to wiggle out of it. The double edged facets of the law make it clear that by showing partiality to some babies we at the very least implicitly condemn certain babies to death with any incremental legislation. We must stop this!  

Scripture 5: “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. Each one shall be put to death for his own sin.” Deut. 24:16

Is this a direct command or a guiding principle? This command has its origin in the OC. It is found in an area in Deuteronomy where God is listing other various laws for the people of Israel.

Now while this is clearly directed at Israel the very structure of the command is clear that it is tied to a direct reflection of God’s character. In short it is about justice. It is unjust to punish someone for the sins of another. Unless of course the substitute for the punishment willingly takes the punishment in the perpetrator’s place. Praise God for that!

So while this command is directed at Israel it is applicable to all governments across both the OC and the NC.

Therefore, no baby in the womb should be allowed to be murdered for the sin of the father. In other words, there is no biblically justified reason to allow for a “rape or incest exception” in any law regarding abortion. When we vote for laws and/or politicians that promote legislation that contains rape or incest exceptions we are defying God’s command. I don’t see how we can make excuses for supporting such legislation or legislators. Surely, “It’s the best we thought we could do.” will not hold up against God’s clear commands.  

Scripture 5: “Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” Prv. 24:11  

Is this a direct command or a guiding principle? This command has its origin in the OC and is part of the wisdom literature. As it is wisdom from God and His wisdom is eternal we can be sure that this is applicable to us today as well in the NC.

However, this verse does require some interpretive work. We see in scripture that there are valid reasons for some to be, “taken away to death” or to be “stumbling to the slaughter”. Genesis 9:6 makes it clear that in God’s eyes one who murders a human being should face the death penalty. So, just taking this verse literally without any other biblical context could lead to sinful actions.

For example, if someone were to believe that this verse forbade the taking of any human life and therefore broke a death row inmate out of prison, that would be clear evidence of someone working from a self imposed eisegetical hermeneutic not intended by the text.

The verse also requires that we not too narrowly define terms to fit our common use of the language. For example, when we think of being told to, “hold back” someone we most often think in the physical sense of grabbing someone to stop their progress. While this is a correct idea here it is not exclusively correct. We can also arrest someone’s motions with verbal commands, entreaties to reason, etc.

While we never want to read meaning into a text that isn’t there, we must also refrain from rejecting clearly intended principles to be derived from a text. When we want to avoid doing what is right we may try to find the narrowest reading of a command as possible.

So, it is clear that this passage of scripture is applicable to us today. It has no restrictive language in the verse. The Bible as a whole gives us restrictions to consider as regards people deserving of death justly. However, other than those instances this verse and again, the Bible as a whole is quite clear that we are to be a people that seek to rescue the perishing.

Therefore we must affirm that this text is therefore applicable to unborn babies. In acknowledging this we must also acknowledge that there is no biblical exception here or elsewhere regarding which babies we will seek to save and which we will abandon to the slaughter.

Scripture 6: “Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey!” Isa. 10:1-2

Is this a direct command or guiding principle? Well first we can see that it is not a direct command at all. It is a guiding principle for either OC or NC. Yet it is clearly something any wise person will heed as a command. As no wise person wants to suffer a “woe” from God Almighty!

As to the direct OC principle to Israel’s leaders it is this, God is warning about “woe” to come on any ruler who writes an iniquitous or sinful decree against God’s people. So this would apply directly to wicked rulers of Israel and Judah.

In fact the woe to come on them for their wickedness was the Assyrians God used as His tool for discipline. But we must determine now how this principle applies to us today.

The first question we must ask is this: Do God’s commands and warnings to Israel(or any specific nation for that matter) reveal any principles for other nations to follow? The simple answer is YES! We have a clear word from God as regards the actions of any nation directly from the wisdom literature here:

“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Prov. 14:34

There is no ambiguity in that warning, “any people” is pretty clear. We fall in the “any” category.

See this fearful statement for all nations that stand in defiance to God’s commands and laws:

“The wicked shall return to Sheol, all the nations that forget God. For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever. Arise, O LORD! Let not man prevail; let the nations be judged before you! Put them in fear, O LORD! Let the nations know that they are but men! Selah” Psalm 9:17-20
 
We could go on but it is abundantly clear throughout scripture that all nations are subject to obey God’s commands and laws or suffer fearful judgment.

So now I’m going to specifically address how Isaiah 10:1-2 applies to us in the United States. It is important that I make that distinction because a Christian’s level of individual and national responsibility is based in some part by the government system under which God has called us to live and serve Him in.

Friends, we have been blessed with so much in the United States! But let us be humbled by this word from Jesus:
 
    “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” Luke 12:48
 
In the United States we have been given “much”. We have been so blessed and in some ways truly cursed with a government, “of the people, by the people, for the people…”

We are citizens in a country with rights based on the U.S. Constitution. A constitution that relies heavily on God’s word and it’s eternal principles. We are not subjects under a worldly king or dictator, but citizens of a representative republic. We have rights and responsibilities.

Of the three branches of our government we citizens are most closely tied to the Legislative branch. The branch that writes our laws or “decrees”.

Do we not recognize that every time we check a voting box we are issuing our “yea” or “nay” for a certain decree? Do we see that every bill we write, promote, or even support is a “decree” carried forward by our hands and from our hearts and minds?  Woe on us if we write, promote, support, or even vote for those God would call iniquitous!

So, does Isaiah 10:1-2 apply to us? Yes. We are responsible for the decrees we have any part in bringing into being. From the least educated voter to the most educated legislator we all have blood on our hands.

We must remember what we addressed earlier regarding how laws are to be understood. When we implement any law we must remember that we are accountable for both the implicit and explicit facets of that law.

Therefore, when Pro-Life legislators, organizations, lobbyists, and we the people, write decrees we are making two clear legal statements.

For example(and these are all examples of real “Pro-Life” Incremental legislation), when we decree a negative explicit decree like: “No child in the womb over 20 weeks old can be aborted.” or “No child in the womb with a heartbeat can be aborted.” or “No child can be aborted due to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or diagnosis or potential diagnosis of the fetus having Down syndrome or any other disability.”

It logically and legally follows that these negative explicit decrees also carry a positive implicit decree like: “Any child in the womb under 20 weeks old can be aborted.” or “Any child in the womb without a heartbeat can be aborted.” or “Any child in the womb can be aborted as long as it is not aborted due to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, or diagnosis or potential diagnosis of the fetus having Down syndrome or any other disability.”

So now friends, please understand this. Every decree that either explicitly or implicitly decrees that someone may murder a baby in the womb of a mother is beyond all shadow of a doubt an iniquitous decree as described here in Isa. 10:1-2. As such every Pro-Life law ever written is incremental and therefore either implicitly or explicitly violates the commandment of God, “You shall not murder.” Ex. 20:13.

Of course this should be enough proof for us as Christians. Yet even for the non believing person who denies God’s law, these decrees are actually unconstitutional as well. Remember Blackstone and the foundation of our U.S. Constitution. He said: 

“No enactment of man can be considered law unless it conforms to the law of God.”

It doesn’t matter what non Christians believe about our country or the nature of the founding of our laws. The history is there to study and ignorance is no excuse.

For the sake of brevity and due to the fact that I am not appealing to the U.S. Constitution but God’s word I will not here list applicable law. However, a basic reading of our fifth and fourteenth amendments to the U.S. Constitution make it clear that abortion is illegal according to U.S. law as well. Not to mention clear reiterations of the same across state constitutions and through statutes nationwide.

So, Christian friends when we take any part in these iniquitous incremental decrees, we find ourself not only defying God but even the foundational laws of this nation.

In no way can we glorify God in supporting, promoting, or even voting for such God dishonoring and Constitution disregarding iniquitous decrees.

Finally let us look at one more scripture reference. Honestly there are so many more we could cover as well. But this will suffice. It is in line with Isa. 10:1-2 and is even more frightful. It actually describes what God does to those people who take part in putting forth injustice.
 
Scripture 7: “Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute? They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge. He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the LORD our God will wipe them out.” Psa. 94:20-23   
 
Is this a direct command or guiding principle? Again we see that this must be a guiding principle because it is given in the form of a warning and a judgment against those who write wicked laws. It starts as a rhetorical question that must be emphatically answered in the negative.

It is a warning for us to heed from God’s wisdom literature. It is applicable to all nations(Though Israel was forefront in the mind of the psalmist) as we detailed extensively above.

Here is the incredibly scary part. Knowing that God does still judge nations for their sins, especially bloodguilt. Also knowing that we are a nation whose rulers are appointed by us and as such the rulers in some real way ARE us. Therefore are we in danger of being counted as the “wicked rulers” spoken of here? That is a truly sobering question.

I am not going to eisegete this and say that this is saying every Pro-Life person supporting Incrementalism and the laws birthed from its philosophy are going to be wiped out by God for their parts in the holocaust. I am asking this.

Is it at least possible, considering what I’ve shown here from scripture and the logical outworking of how laws and commands work that we should at least be humbled and repentant for our parts in perpetuating this ongoing holocaust? For our compromising on God’s commands?
 

Is it wrong to think that the blood of the untold tens of millions of innocents that soak this nation to its depths surely stains many of us for our actions? Or even more so for our inaction and apathy?

It would be a whole other study but well worth doing it. Please examine the Doctrine of Bloodguiltiness. I will simply say this frightening statement here. If Abel’s blood cried out to God from the ground(Gen. 4:10), how loud is the cry of the tens of millions of babies whose blood has been crying out from this nation’s blood soaked soil for nearly half a century? Search for “Doctrine of bloodguiltiness Rusty Thomas” on YouTube and just watch any of his sermons on the topic for a powerful primer on the doctrine.

Friends, again remember Christ’s warning of those being given much having much required of them. We have so much as far as biblical scholarship and even just simple access that many of us must be worthy of a “severe beating”(Luk. 12:47) for our roles in this bloodletting. Surely very few are unworthy of at least a “light beating”(Luk. 12:48).

Please hear me. I understand that things I’ve said may truly have you upset. Please know I did not write this with the purpose to call into question your sincerity or to doubt your passion for babies lives or your commitment to God. I in no way think you are supporting these incremental laws because you could care less that they violate God’s commands or our constitution’s foundational truths. Nor do I believe that you take this stance intentionally saying, “And why not do evil that good may come?” Rom. 3:8

In fact I would honestly venture to guess that many of you know your Bible’s better than me and U.S. Law, and U.S. History better than me as well. Yet I believe you have not been spurred on by a fellow brother or sister(or many of them) to hold up the abortion issue and the Pro-Life Movement in light of that knowledge.

I’m writing this because a group of caring saints did so for me. I argued, kicked against the goads and made excuses for some time too. But they patiently and prayerfully stuck to scripture and reason and by God’s grace got the reasoning through my thick skull and proud heart.

I’m one of the thickest heads and proudest hearts there can be when I think I’m right and have a good argument. Yet as God was gracious to get me to remove the “log” that was in my eye, I pray He will use me to help some of you remove your relative “specks”. Again I’m not here to win an argument for winning sake. I’m here to bring unity in Christ by scripture.  
  

So friends, in light of what I’ve written here briefly from scripture, legal history, and from following logic, surely you must see that we can not walk this path any longer. If we do, and can not make an argument to do so that finds its foundation rooted in scripture, then it would seem we are indeed willing to do evil in the hopes that good may come. God grant that we do not do so!

Friends, we must repent and in love call others to do likewise. We must not let any feelings, reasonings, or relationships deter us from obeying God. His commands and principles are clear. Let’s move forward in obedience for the glory of God, the souls of men and babies lives.
 
So what should we do?
Repentance will be different for each individual. But it is undoubtedly necessary for all of us. It is part of the ongoing sanctifying work of God in us. But there are some definite practical steps that we all should agree on.

For many of us a first practical step can be an easy one. Many of us have done very little even in a meaningful Pro-Life fashion anyway. For many of us our activity has been little more than voting for whatever Pro-Life incremental legislation comes up on our ballots or signing petition initiatives presented to us.

So first, stop signing, promoting, and supporting unbiblical incremental legislation.

Next, we must also stop promoting and supporting Incrementalist politicians. If they will not support abolishing and criminalizing abortion as murder without exception as the Bible commands, then they must not receive anything from us except our prayers and our pleading that they repent and join us in obeying God and our constitution.

I should add the caveat that if you have been active in a certain politician’s camp you may face a harder route than those of us who simply voted for them. While we all should explain our reasons for repenting of our Incrementalism, for some this will be harder and take more time and effort.

Another easy step is to stop sending money to Pro-Life organizations promoting the incremental legislation. For example for years I donated the $100 limit allowable to “Oregon Right to Life PAC” to get back in a tax credit. However, when God convicted me to repent I stopped doing that.

This next step might get a little more difficult. This will actually require possible engagement rather than just disengagement. If you are part of any Pro-Life groups or organizations that support incrementalism with legislation or legislators, you need to do one of two things.

The easiest but still difficult route(depending how deeply involved you are) is to leave. This will probably require some engagement because you should give the folks there your biblical reason for leaving.

The second and really more difficult option is to remain part of the group and try to plead with those involved to join you in repentance. To try to bring them into alignment with biblical truth for the glory of God in their sanctification. It will be hard but it is biblical.

The hardest step is all about engagement. It is harder but oh so vital! It is getting involved in the fight in the small Gideon like army God is raising up in this nation and even Kingdom wide across the world.

For pastors and preachers it means the pulpit should be a vehicle to carry God’s truth forward in this fight.

For leaders of all types it will mean leading Christians into the battle for complete abortion abolition and criminalization in all the various areas they influence.

For everyone of us it means prayerfully engaging the individuals and groups in our circle of influence.

In short this battle must become a priority for all of us. While it is not the only social evil that has cropped up due to rebellion against God. It is by far the most deadly and widespread, socially accepted, and sadly church silenced evil of our day. It is a sin issue, a gospel issue, and a love our neighbor issue. We must engage! Please join us!

At the bottom of the page I will include a webpage where I have compiled several ministries with resources to get folks engaged in the fight in a biblical manner. Please check them out.

 
Can we win without Incrementalism?
I hope I am stating the obvious here but it is worth stating anyway. In short God does not see victory in the same way the world does. So let’s see what God shows us in His word about winning. In 1 Sam. 15:1-23 we see Samuel give King Saul a command from God to destroy the Amalekites and all they have. Here it is verbatim:
 
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I have noted what Amalek did to Israel in opposing them on the way when they came up out of Egypt. Now go and strike Amalek and devote to destruction all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”  
1 Sam. 15:2-3

 
Before I go on let me point out something very important here that we see elsewhere in scripture as well. God commands that everything and every person be destroyed. Yes, even “child and infant”. I only focus on these key words in light of Pro-Life goals versus God’s goals.

The Pro-Life Movement would have spared all the babies if not the women and children as well. God commanded all of their destruction. Why? Because the Amalekites as a people sought to hinder the God ordained establishment of Israel. In short Amalek stood opposed to God’s plan, people, and glory.

God’s glory and His purposes are the unquestionable righteous goals His people are always to strive to attain regardless of what seems right in our own eyes.

So what did King Saul do? Did he obey God completely? I’ll be brief. He did not. He did not obey God and only destroyed most of Amalek. He made excuses for why He did not kill everyone and destroy everything. He actually said he kept some animals and goods back for sacrifice. Even if this were true(and I have my doubts that it was)it would still have been sinful. Hear Samuel’s response.
 
“And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” 1 Sam. 15:22-23
 
Friends Saul was influenced by worldly wisdom and thought He knew better than to obey God’s clear command. Yes he was encouraged to disobey by men with their faulty counsel, and they were no doubt happy with his decision. In the world’s eyes it looked like a “win”. Yet because he took the path of sinful Incrementalism his presumption led to his ultimate downfall. Friends we must not follow any longer his example!

Let’s look at another example. In Exodus Moses is commanded by God to go and free Israel from Egypt. The command is simple.
 
“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.” Ex. 9:1
 
As I’m sure you know the story God had ordained the hard heart of Pharaoh and that He would glorify Himself over Pharaoh for all history to know.

All throughout the plagues Pharaoh tried to get Moses to compromise and make a deal with him contrary to God’s command. Pharaoh was hoping Moses would embrace reasonable Incrementalism. Moses would not.

In fact early on Moses obeying God led to even harsher treatment of Israel as Pharaoh refused to obey God’s command. This mistreatment by Pharaoh led the people to rebel against Moses and heavily discourage him. But God encouraged him and Moses remained faithful. Let’s look at one more shocking revelation from this story.

Moses never relented to any of Pharaoh’s compromise. This statement of his may stun us in light of the Pro-Life Movement’s willingness to compromise on the very life of children. Moses would not even do so for livestock!
 
“Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, “Go, serve the LORD; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.” But Moses said, “You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take of them to serve the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must serve the LORD until we arrive there.”
Ex. 10:24-26

 
Any Pro-Life legislator or lobbyist and sadly myself for many years would have jumped on this type of incremental compromise for babies! But did Moses compromise? No! This one statement just blows me away! Moses said, “not a hoof shall be left behind”!

Do you understand the importance of this statement? It shows that Moses understood both the explicit and implicit facet of obeying a command or law. God had commanded that Pharaoh let the “people” go. He said nothing explicitly about any of the people’s possessions.

But Pharaoh and Moses also understood that the explicit command of God to let the people go implicitly commanded that all that belonged to them were to be released as well. Moses applied his sound logic to discern the implications of both God’s command and Pharaoh’s. He demanded of Pharaoh that Pharaoh obey both the explicit and implicit facets of God’s command without compromise.

Friend we have no less clear commands from God regarding murder and how to address it across history. The only primary thing we lack is an assurance that we will see abortion abolished in the United States prior to Christ’s return. But friends we do not need an assurance of winning by our standards to be faithful to obey God. Obedience is victory!

The Bible is filled with people who God uses to show us that before ultimate victory there may be many painful setbacks along the way. Look at Abraham, Daniel, Joseph, and the list goes on. But let’s finally look at Jesus.

Jesus from eternity past came to ultimately be slain(Rev. 13:8) and “lose” in the eyes of the world. His sheep were scattered as He the Shepherd was struck, just as He said(Mat. 26:31). Even in the eyes of His closest disciples His oft prophesied death and promised resurrection was ignored or misunderstood. So much so that at His return He rebukes them for their foolishness and lack of belief(Luk. 24:13-27)!

Jesus achieved no political victory. Even after His resurrection He set up no earthly Kingdom(Act. 1:6-7). He instead sent His disciples out to turn the “world upside down” with the gospel(Act. 17:6) and change it one heart at a time. He sent them to advance His everlasting Kingdom through evangelizing and discipling the nations(Mrk. 16:15, Mat. 28:18-20).

Along the way both the Bible and world history has shown that God’s victory can not always be understood by the world. For many victory has and still comes in the forms of suffering and even death. It comes also in the downfall and uprising of people, groups, movements, and even nations.

Yet at all times the Lord is moving, His Kingdom is advancing, and His name is being glorified by those who love Him. By His people the Church. People who understand that faithfulness is fruitfulness and obedience is victory!

Friends, to be an Abolitionist is not primarily about saving babies. Being an Abolitionist is about doing all that we can in accordance with His word for the glory of God.

Friends will you join us? Will you help us? We do not discount your knowledge, wisdom, or experience. We rejoice when any born again, Protestant member of the Body of Christ adds their God given gifts and strength to our numbers! We want unity not division!
​

We long to move forward with you for the glory of God the Father, empowered by God the Holy Spirit guiding us by the inspired Word, to advance the Kingdom of God the Son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, our Savior, Redeemer, and Friend! Soli Deo Gloria!
 
Web Resource Page:
www.repentanceandbelief.com/abortion-evangelism.html
    
  
 
  
  





​

2 Comments

April 28th, 2015

4/28/2015

1 Comment

 
Picture

The Gospel Truth Sinners Need to Know and How We Need to Tell Them

My friends, do you realize the fearful state every unbeliever should be in? Why aren't they? One primary reason is the church is not out doing as Christ commanded. We are not proclaiming His gospel.


On top of that a great many of the few who do go out, proclaim the gospel wrongly. They emphasize the love of John 3:16 but avoid the condemnation of John 3:18 and the abiding wrath of John 3:36.


How then are we to properly proclaim the gospel? We pave the path to grace by crushing rock hard hearts with God's law. Gal. 3:24 The sinner must know they are justly condemned under holy God's holy law. They must know that the wrath of God hang's over them, and that He is ready to justly throw them into an eternal hell for their many sins.


Friends, the Bible, and especially Jesus never failed to explain the reality of hell and the horrible pain those who go there endure forever. He also used the law to show people their sin. If the rich young ruler ran up and fell at the feet of most professing Christians, and asked how he could be saved, most would lead him in an un biblical sinners prayer and promise eternal life based on the supposed sincerity of their prayer.


Jesus however gave the young man the 10 commandments and let him leave sad, because he loved his money more than God.


The Samaritan woman at the well was confronted about her adultery by Jesus before she was offered hope in His person. The prostitute caught in the act was both forgiven and commanded to, "Go and sin no more."


Friends, we need to proclaim the gospel and proclaim it rightly. We need to let the law as tutor lead sinners to the grace of the gospel. We need to be lights in a dark world by showing the contrast between the light and the darkness. The beautiful diamond of the gospel shines brightest and is seen most clearly on the death black backdrop of the velvet of man's sin.


This world is growing ever darker and more and more worthy of the judgment promised by Christ. Woe to us, as we've had such light and yet permit and yes even live in such darkness. God grant cleansing and repentance in your people and send them in strength to this dying world!
1 Comment

Are you in fellowship under godly Elders at a local church? You should be.

5/25/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Are you in corporate fellowship and worship this morning under godly ruling Elders? 

"Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine." 1 Tim. 5:17

"Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct." Heb. 13:7

"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." Heb. 13:17

If you can't submit to the Elders who rule in the house of God then you have basically 3 options. 

1. Humble yourself and obey.
2. If you cannot obey because you cannot by scripture and conscience do so, go somewhere you can. 
3. Lastly, if the other two options are legitimately exhausted, and you are qualified as an Elder you should probably look to join with at least one other Elder and begin a new fellowship as God leads and provides. 

This last is the trickiest and scariest option. Go only after much prayer, study, and counsel. Try to reason through the scriptures with those with whom you disagree. Don't just bolt after a disagreement you may even be wrong about. 

However, if we are to obey God's word we must be in a place where we can submit to leaders in obedience. I thank God in this country that we still have the freedom to gather in worship and that there are many fellowships to examine in most places. Even small towns have numerous churches oftentimes. 

Praise God if you fellowship under the care of godly Elders. If you can't say that, go find somewhere you can. Or, where as a fellow Elder you are accountable to others for the well being of your soul and of your flock, big or small. 

God bless you as you worship God today under the care of godly Elders who rule under Christ for His glory and our good!

0 Comments

Book Review: Apocity - The Greatest Omission

1/18/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
In short I think this book should be read by all Christians. It will convict you and challenge you. This is my first book review for CORE Issues, and I did it by video. Check it out and share with others. God bless!

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTGZQuepa0M&feature=youtu.be


1 Comment
<<Previous

    By Mason Goodknight

    Mason is the Director of CORE Ministries. He's a husband and father to three of the most beautiful ladies God could ever bless a man with.

    When Mason isn't with his family or in church he is most likely in Jail!

    Mason has been a deputy Sheriff since 1996. He's spent his whole career in Corrections. 

    Categories

    All
    Evangelism
    General Info.
    Social Issues
    Theology And Doctrine

    Archives

    October 2021
    March 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    June 2018
    April 2015
    May 2014
    January 2014
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    September 2012

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.