Social Justice, The Bible, and Conservativism

Gary Haugen has a new book out "Just Courage" where he makes the case that not only should evangelical christians be pursuing issues of "social justice" but that they will find such a pursuit to be rewarding and revitalizing for their faith in Christ. Biblical justice is so close to the heart of God and pursuing what is so near and dear to God will inevitably lead to a greater sense of fulfillment in the path of obedience to our Lord.

Haugen, a senior trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice is now the president and CEO of International Justice Mission. It is a nonprofit mission that seeks to rescue victims and prosecute perpetrators of sexual exploitation, slavery and other abuses in 12 countries.

When asked why the term "social justice" often used by the left can be recaptured and redeemed without losing core conservative convictions, he answers: "We must return to the basics. The pursuit of a just society is a very fundamental biblical calling and has always been a bedrockcommitment of thoughtful conservativism. We are not talking about nuanced social engineering projects. We are talking about protecting the most basic liberties of broken people made in the image of God-the right not to be raped, illegally detained, assulted, dispossessed, and enslaved. This is still a great struggle and Christians are called in this generation to fight as they always have in history."

The idea that pursuing "social justice" or as I like to call it "biblical justice" can only be a liberal agenda simply cannot be defended. It is misguided to say otherwise. In addition it carries with it the potential danger of being guilty of sins of omission at best and just plain disobedience at worse. There is still such a thing as compassionate conservativism, and when rightly exercised it is called obedience.

Jesus And The Politically Correct

The vice president for governmental affairs at the National Association of Evangelicals, Richard Cizik, has been forced to resign after an interview recently with NPR. The problem was not with NPR, but Cizik's character and public profession of his changing views on marriage. Cizik said, "I would willingly say that I believe in (same sex) civil unions. I dont officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I dont think".

Leath Anderson president of NAE quickly asked Cizik to step down from his 28 year tenure with the organization after hearing his comments.

Biblical fidelity is a matter of integrity and obedience to Christ. Cizik's comments indicate a departure from Christ and the Word and thus he should be held accountable. More importantly our hope is that he will recognize his departure and humbly repent and continue to lean upon Christ who loves sinners including homosexuals and couples in bondage to various forms of sin.

It's Your Birthday Europe

January 1st: College football bowl games, 5 of them in fact. Probably the most important item of the day.

January 1st: of lesser importance, New Years day, welcome to 2009.

January 1st: it's your birthday European Union as your currency the "EURO" turns 10.

Santa Wont Be Your Substitute

You better watch out,

You better not cry,

You better not pout,

I’m telling you why

Santa Claus is coming to town. 

10 Questions To Ask For Christmas Dinner

Many of us struggle to make conversation at Christmas gatherings, whether church events, work-related parties, neighborhood drop-ins, or annual family occasions. Sometimes our difficulty lies in having to chat with people we rarely see or have never met. At other times we simply don't know what to say to those with whom we feel little in common. Moreover, as Christians we want to take advantage of the special opportunities provided by the Christmas season to share our faith, but are often unsure how to begin. Here's a list of questions designed not only to kindle a conversation in almost any Christmas situation, but also to take the dialogue gradually to a deeper level. Use them in a private conversation or as a group exercise, with believers or unbelievers, with strangers or with family.

What's the best thing that's happened to you since last Christmas?
What was your best Christmas ever? Why?
What's the most meaningful Christmas gift you've ever received?
What was the most appreciated Christmas gift you've ever given?
What was your favorite Christmas tradition as a child?
What is your favorite Christmas tradition now?
What do you do to try to keep Christ in Christmas?
Why do you think people started celebrating the birth of Jesus?
Do you think the birth of Jesus deserves such a nearly worldwide celebration?
Why do you think Jesus came to earth?

Of course, remember to pray before your Christmas gatherings. Ask the Lord to grant you "divine appointments," to guide your conversations, and to open doors for the gospel. May He use you to bring glory to Christ this Christmas.

(HT: Donald Whitney)

Introducing Reverend John Brown

I have been reading from a rare antiquated book in my library (published 1810) entitled: Select Remains of the Reverend John Brown. John Brown was born in 1722 in a little village in Scotland. He was both Pastor and theolgian with a unique blend of deeply devotional meditation and rich theological percision. His last hours and words were have been preserved for our edification. Let me share a little of his heart with you.

When a friend observed to him that we must run deeper and deeper in grace's debt he replied "Oh yes; and God is a good creditor; he never seeks back the principal sum, and indeed puts up with a poor annual rent".

Lying on his death bed he said, "Ever since God dealt properly with my heart, I never had any comfort in a thought that my sins were little, but in the belief that the virtue of Christ's blood was infinite. Blood that cleanseth from all sin and in the consideration of God's mercy being higher than the heavens."

He continued, "I confess that I would not love to stand at our town cross, with a paper on my breast, declaring that I was a bankrupt to men; but, oh, I think that I should love to stand in the most public place of heaven, having all the redeemed pointing to me as the greatest sinner that ever was saved; yea, I think their very staring at me, as the chief debtor to free grace, would rejoice my heart."

But he understood the sovereign grace of God and gloried in the gospel. "Oh what a mercy, that my admission into eternal life, does not in the least depend on my ability for anything; but I, as a poor sinner will win in leaning on Christ as the Lord my righteousness; on Christ, 'made of God unto me righteousness, sanctification, and redemption!' I have nothing to sink my spirits but my sins; and these need not sink me either, since the great God is my Saviour."

So as he was laying on his bed nearing death, one asked him how he was now; he answered, "I lie here in the everlasting arms of a gracious God." "Are you not afraid" said the friend, "to appear at the judgment of God?" He replied, "Were i looking to give the account in my own person, considering my sins, indeed I might be terrified: but then I view Christ the judge as my advocate, and accompanying me, I know that I do not owe more debt than he has paid!"

Amen.

Thankful for John Brown who has so gone before us.

Managing Your Money

Do you need help stewarding your money? World Magazine has a list of the most helpful books on the market to aid you in your quest to be a better manager of your finances. Here they are:

1. The Total Money Makeover (Dave Ramsey)

2. Bull's Eye Investing (John Mauldin)

3. Stocks For The Long Run (Jeremy Siegel)

4. The Art of Asset Allocation (David Darst)

5. The Intelligent Investor (Benjamin Graham)

All of these books can be found on Amazon. Of course financial stewardship should begin with Biblical priorities and convictions in mind. While these books are all helpful tools to financial freedom, they largely do not address other Biblical issues for how a Christian should prayerfully consider money management. For a Biblical and theological treatment of the Christian and his money let me strongly recommend this final resourse:

1. Money, Posessions and Eternity (Randy Alcorn)

A Long Way From 1777

The year is 1777 and the Continental Congress issues its first Thanksgiving Day then on December 18th. The purpose: "That at one Time and with one Voice, the good People may express the grateful Feelengs of their Hearts, and consecrate themselves to the Service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere Acknowledgements and Offerings, they may join the penitent Confession of their manifold Sins, whereby they had forfeited every Favor; and their humble and earnest Supplication that it may please GOD through the Merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of Rememberance; That it may please him graciously to afford his Blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public Counsil of the whole."

Christ Became Sin For Us

If we had never sinned, Christ would not have died. Therefore, there is a direct relationship between sin and death so that sin is the cause of death. Paul makes this clear in Romans 6:23a: "The wages of sin is death". But this reality is just as true for Christ as it is for unredeemed sinners. From the very beginning in the garden of Eden we learn that God punishes sin with death. This is no less true in the case of His own sinless, sin-bearing Son, our substitute who became sin for us. This is the heart of substitution. Since Christ had no sin of his own to cause him to be delivered over to death, Romans 6:25 implies that it was our sin that caused Christ's death by virtue of substitution from us to him, because he in effect changed places with us. He embraced the death we deserved as our substitute. Friends, we live or die on the basis of this substitution. Oh how I love the Gospel and will labor for the rest of my life to glory in the substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ.

Thoughts on Jesus as God/Man and The Gospel

What if Jesus was not a man, only God? What if Jesus was not divine, only man? What if Jesus was not fully God and fully man at the same time? The righteousness of God for sinners would never be a reality without Jesus being both God and man. That is, unless Jesus was both fully God and fully man there is no hope of salvation. The problem is that God is infinitely holy and nothing short of perfect righteousness will be tolerated or allowed in His presence. But since none of us are perfect, we need the perfect righteousness of another, namely, Jesus Christ. But the main point that I am making is that it is impossible to receive this righteousness of Jesus unless he was both fully God and fully man. Why?

Since it is impossible for God to die, we see the need for Christ to be human. But in order to be perfect he must also be divine. As God, Christ was under no obligation on his own account to be under the law or to obey the law. As a result he is capable of giving his voluntary obedience away.

By taking on human flesh, Christ freely and willingly subjected himself not only to the limitations and temptations of being fully man but also to the law’s requirement to live a sinless, obedient life in all respects. But having fulfilled the law of God as a man by his personal obedience, he became qualified to satisfy the justice of God by dying as the Lamb of God. The law then was satisfied both by his sinless life and then by his death as our substitute.

In other words, both his life as the God-man and his death as the God-man were necessary to produce the righteousness of God to be imputed to redeemed sinners. His life was for fulfilling the law, resulting in our imputed righteousness as he obeyed in our place. His death was for sin, resulting in our forgiveness as he died in our place.

When God beholds his Son clothed with our humanity and the sinner clothed in the righteousness of God, the result is a permanent restored relationship between God and man. This only is possible because Jesus was both God and man. May Jesus Christ be praised!

Paul Washer - We Need More Like Him

This is an excerpt put to a video of Paul Washer's "Shocking Message" to Southern Baptist youth in America, that has rocked YouTube.

The Wrath of God

Here's a moving video on the Wrath of God from John Piper.