Tag Archives: justice

It’s Time! No More!

Posted on by April
little_rock_integration_protest

From Wikipedia Commons

We live in tumultuous times; that is certain. Truly, this is the end of days. I have watched with increasing alarm as our society has fallen further and further away from the truths of scripture. For too long, I have remained silent, quietly praying that God would turn the hearts of the children back to their fathers, but alas: I cannot remain silent anymore. Unless we take swift and serious action against the moral decay in our society, God’s ultimate judgment will fall upon America.

There is one issue in particular that I believe is contributing to the division and downfall of our society, and it’s time Christians drew a line in the sand and said, “No more!” We must gather our resolve and oppose this depravity that stands in direct opposition to God’s Word. We must speak the truth in love to those who engage in this sin and to those who tolerate it.

This sin now surrounds us daily. It has crept into our media, our homes, our schools and—yes—even our churches. This abomination that was once despised and practiced in secret is, once again, flaunted in the open. I’m talking, of course, about.. Continue reading →

A Radical View of Christian Purpose

Posted on by April

What is our purpose as Christians? It is a question often asked in Church, and the answers are varied. Some say it is to worship and bring glory to God. Others say it is to tell the world about Jesus and lead people to Christ. Still others say that we have a purpose unique to each of us that God expects us to fulfill.

While I think those answers are technically accurate, they’re terribly vague and unsatisfying. What does it mean to bring glory to God? How does one effectively lead others to Christ? And if we each have a unique purpose, how do we discover it and know we are living it out?

These are questions that I struggled with for years. I didn’t just need doctrinally correct words; to really answer these questions, I had to capture the spirit of Christ’s message. To be a Christian, to be a part of the Church, means to embody Christ. So what is his mind? His will? His posture? Continue reading →

At the Intersection of Faith and Politics: The Christian Response to Immigration

Posted on by April

A family member emailed me recently, asking to hear my thoughts on immigration. To be honest, I hadn’t before pondered the issue within the context of my faith. Immigration, particularly illegal immigration, is a sticky topic at present and not one I prefer to dwell upon much. But as I weighed this request, I realized that the Bible does have some meaningful things to say regarding the Christian response to foreigners within our borders, both legal and illegal. And I think there are many who might find such a teaching helpful.

Illegal immigration is a tough issue to discuss precisely because it intersects those delicate lines of faith and politics. On the one hand, the Bible commands believers to extend generosity and equal rights to foreigners. On the other hand, illegal immigrants are lawbreakers. They’ve found some way to circumvent the system, sneak across the border, and make legal immigration tougher for those who wish to respect our country’s laws. So, what should the Christian perspective be?

Continue reading →

God’s Justice (and Hell) Revisited

Posted on by April

I realize that, despite a thorough explanation of the circumstances, some people are probably still having a tough time accepting a God who ordered the destruction of entire nations. I admit, sometimes the thought troubles me as well. Surely if He is God, He can prevent destroying the innocent with the wicked. Can’t He?

I recently visited the blog “The Upside Down World” of fellow blogger Rebecca Trotter. She, too, confessed to being troubled by these Old Testament passages. So she asked God about them, and the response she received was, “I work it all out.”

Now, I just about fell out of my chair when I read this, because God had whispered the same words to me when I was doing research for my previous post, “A God of Justice.” What staggered me about the situation is that Rebecca and I hold different beliefs when it comes to God’s judgment. Yet, God’s response to us was the same. Mind = blown. Continue reading →

A God of Justice? Exploring the Old Testament Genocide

Posted on by April

One of the proofs people cite as evidence of a merciless God is His Old Testament commands to the Israelites to utterly destroy several nations of people, including their women, children and livestock. Such commands certainly seem to fly in the face of the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” and Jesus’ teachings to pray for enemies and turn the other cheek. And, not surprisingly, such passages pose the biggest problem for most Christians. How does one reconcile a God who sent His only son to redeem mankind with the God who erased entire groups of people from living memory? It seems like a task too big.

Well, after years of thinking it over, struggling with it, and just plain ignoring that section of the Bible, I finally received an answer. I shouldn’t have ignored the Old Testament, because the explanation was right there all along–and it does make sense. I realize this explanation may not prove entirely satisfying for some people, but I hope that what I share here today will bring some insight (and perhaps peace) to both Christians and skeptics who have been wrestling with this same issue. Continue reading →