Community

 

Hatred thrives in on-line solitude.

Human beings need community. Civilization developed to nurture that personal connection. Prolonged solitude turns the soul inward, toward selfishness. Without discussion and debate, we villainize those with values different than our own. Our faith is what drives our very being. Our God created us with an emptiness that can only be filled with an intimate relationship with Him. Corporate worship and Bible study offers us the opportunity to grow together in the Spirit. “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” Matthew 18:19-20

The lack of face-to-face interactions, instead relying upon the anonymity of device-to-device communication, has afforded users to avoid social interaction. Hiding behind a screen allows one to denounce and attack opposing viewpoints, without actual consequence, and enables animosity to fester. News feeds, X posts, and other social media are tailored by algorithms to each user’s preferences, presenting information that supports the user’s opinions, further isolating them from differing opinions. It has become effortless to foster hate by hiding facts that prevent one from learning both sides of issues. In fact, by filtering out competing news, the full truth is silenced while one side of the argument is amplified.

Incessant rhetoric from the left has increasingly raised the temperature in our political discourse. Democrat party leaders pour gasoline on the fire of division with comments likening their political rivals to Hitler, tyrants, and accuse them of opposition to any other “oppressed” class. Political leaders that stoke division and promote hate must be rejected at the ballot box if they fail to return to God. The constant drumbeat that villainizes those with Christian and conservative values has created tribal warfare as an acceptable response to settle disagreements. There are those who have become so radicalized by hateful leftist ideology that contemplating and/or committing violence has become a viable option.

Charlie Kirk literally accepted Jesus’ call to the Great Commission, to make disciples of the world. He engaged in debate with those who hated him because of his faith and political opinion. Through his platform, Turning Point USA, he literally entered the lion’s den of leftism to respectfully preach the Gospel and truly listen to those who disagreed, while doing his best to reach out with a sincere love of his neighbor.  Charlie was able to plant seeds of faith throughout the universities in which he preached. As democrat leaders mischaracterized, no, willfully lied about Charlie and his views and speech, people believed those lies. And those lies inspired a weak-minded individual to end Charlie’s debate forever with a bullet. We cannot let an assassin’s bullet silence and end the work that Charlie engaged in as he obediently preached the Gospel with the love of Jesus in his heart.

If we fail to engage those who have been unduly influenced by the evil advocated by leftist ideology, they will be lost forever. As Christians it is our duty spread the love of Jesus by preaching the Gospel, unashamedly. “And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.  He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.  Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will. 2 Timothy 2:24-26.

We have God’s handbook to assist us in performing His will. The Bible contains all the ammunition necessary to speak His Truth. Read it daily. Learn it. Pray on it. Study it with other believers. We can no longer be meek and quiet. We can no longer stand by and let evil overtake our brothers and sisters. No matter how lost our brothers and sisters may become, God loves them unconditionally, just as he loves each of us. There is nothing we can do to make God love us any more. There is nothing that we can do to make God love us any less. We have a duty to proclaim God’s love to the world so that none are lost to the evil one. Plant the seeds that just may encourage them to return to community of faith. Be bold and courageous, armed with the Holy Spirit that dwells within all of us.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:11-12, 18

Darkness Exposed

 

 Bring Light to the Shadows

Evil flourishes in the dark. But, today, evil thrives in plain sight. The evil one is quite adept at convincing humankind that what is evil is good and what is wrong as right. To overcome evil, one must first recognize it as evil. Acquiescing to or ignoring the evil that is overcoming the world will only allow it to grow and fester, ultimately destroying civil society. Tolerating and accepting what we know is truly wrong just oils the slippery slope that the evil one uses to encourage the weak and unbelieving. Yielding to what is obviously wrong and deeming it as right allows evil to grow unimpeded. Use what God has written upon our hearts to test the new things that are of this world and see through the veil of lies. The evil in this world cannot withstand the light if we are bold enough to shine God’s light upon it. Evil will be defeated if good people cast that light and stand up for the Gospel. Far too many of God’s churches proclaim a “generic” evil that must be resisted, calling out the usual suspects, such as the seven deadly sins, etc., but fail to cite specific examples that so permeate western society. By far the most dangerous and insidious lie being perpetrated is the lefts’ headlong rush to redefine human sexuality.

Humans are sexual beings. Human sexuality is a gift that God intended to be shared within the confines of marriage. Man’s law may redefine marriage, but Scripture is quite clear that one man and one woman form a team to procreate and raise their children. Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 3:4. Jesus said, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” Matthew 19:4-6. Although man has decreed otherwise, God, the creator of all that was, is and will come to be, makes it clear that marriage is a sacred bond between one man and one woman, a sacramental covenant before the King of Kings. In marriage, each parent brings disparate and unique skills to bear in their children’s development. Parents are to instill in their children faith, morals, and values.

In the Old Testament, Sodom and Gomorrah were two cities overcome with unrestrained sexual depravity and were ultimately destroyed by God. They abandoned their God and replaced Him with the worship of their bodies and the pleasure afforded by their unbridled sexuality. Is it so different today? Tinder and other “hook-up” sites for anonymous unrestricted sex acts may be tame compared to those cities God judged as unredeemable. Fatherless families dominate the African-American community as 69% of all births are out of wedlock. How is that working out as fatherless children commit more and more crime? More and more couples are rejecting marriage, choosing to remain single, cohabitate, have and raise children, opting to disengage with God in their relationship. Half of all first marriages in the US end in divorce after an average of 8 years. Second or more marriages divorce at an even higher rate.

It has become commonplace to define oneself based upon a chosen sexual identity. What was once gay or lesbian morphs into LGTBQ+? No longer is there simply male or female, there are now a plethora of genders to choose from, including “non-binary, which is no gender at all. The transgenderism movement accuses God of error, “misgendering” the person choosing to disregard their assigned sex at birth. Current medical science can only change a person’s gender outwardly and cannot recreate a functioning member of the opposite sex. Once procedures are undertaken to alter the gender, that person will no longer be fully functional as either sex, unable to birth or father a child. Additionally, many persons who undergo hormone drugs or sex reassignment surgery will likely not be able to fully experience sexual intercourse and will often be unable to achieve a climax. Children who take puberty-blocking drugs or undergo sex reassignment surgery are also forty times more likely to attempt suicide. Transgender activists are targeting children with propaganda endeavoring to legitimize this depraved sexual conduct. Indoctrinating young children to accept this behavior as normal while distorting reality, by claiming that there are more than two genders, is evil incarnate.

Transvestites, crossdressers or what are now known as “Drag queens” (You see, that verbiage is much more palatable to the masses), are being mainstreamed as normal and acceptable. Drag queen story hour and other “performances” elicit sexual arousal for those mentally ill individuals. Is it not readily apparent that the performances are directed at children and not adults? How convenient it is for pedophiles to be welcomed into our schools and public libraries. School administrations that allow these degenerates to interact with children should never again be allowed into positions of authority in our educational system. If teaching staff would be found to be engaging in this type of behavior, they would be arrested, terminated from their jobs and after conviction, become registered sex offenders. Our society is losing its’ collective mind. If one wants to engage in the fantasy of transgenderism that is their problem. Don’t expect others to approve of their fantasies and especially expect resistance when they try to teach children to believe their behavior is normal. Any sane person cannot believe that the current societal trajectory of “anything goes” sexuality is reasonable.

Recognizing evil in our midst is just the first step in exposing it. As Christians, we are called to embrace what is good and to resist evil. Resist evil, not fight evil. That is not what God has called us to do. Fighting evil is a conflict reserved for God. It is up to God to separate the weeds from the wheat. Our house must be in order. We must speak the truth but do so gently and with love. We must preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. God wants all of his children to be saved. Those overcome by the evil one are loved by their Father in heaven. We are to shine the light of truth on their error and let God do the judging. We are to plant those seeds and God will water them and cause them to grow. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. anything less makes our actions just as evil, maybe more so, than those unduly influenced by the evil one. Pay heed to Scripture and light the path for those lost. That is our calling. Jesus said “Be careful, then, that the light within you is not darkness. So if your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, you will be radiant, as though a lamp were shining on you.” Luke 11:35,36

Pray unceasingly for our leaders and for those who have been led away by the father of lies. God wants all of His children to come to know Him and to be saved. Let’s not be a stumbling block. 

ELCA Pastor Response

This ELCA pastor has overdosed on the Koolaid. 

Unwitting Pawns was also published as a Guest Opinion piece in the West Bend Daily News on February 11th, 2023. Pastor Schoob's critique of the article says it all. The ELCA is awash in heresy and cares little about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world in order to bring the lost to Him. Please pray for Schoob and especially for his congregation. If his sermons mirror his stated beliefs, his flock is not being fed the bread of life.

GUEST OPINION

Tolerance more than just a phrase

Can’t paint Christians with wide brush

By David Schoob

I am responding to Don Kriefall’s article “Unwitting Pawns,” printed in your paper. To paraphrase words from Luke Skywalker in a recent “Star Wars” film, “Almost every word in that article is wrong.” The only sentiment of his that I can agree with is that we should have a more tolerant society. Yet the article itself seems to be the poster child for intolerance and misinformation.

Where is it wrong?

The idea of accepted social norms varies depending on perspective. I and many others find the author’s idea of social norms narrow, abusive, and founded on a desire to keep the white, heterosexual male as the ideal.

He is wrong that there is a common understanding among Christians of what constitutes sexual deviance. My church is open and receiving of those in the LGBTQIA+ communities.

He is wrong that all Christians hold a common understanding of biblical material. There are many passages that Christians understand in different ways. Many Christians understand certain passages as being grounded in a different culture and time period. New understandings of our humanity lead us to examine passages in a different light of those understandings. You cannot use one interpretive approach as normative and call it “Christian.”

Most of the society does not hold that people must be defined by the binary male and female. Most also are open to recognition of gay and lesbian committed relationships. A majority of Americans embrace an idea of acceptance toward the LGBTQIA+ community. Almost all the experts on human behavior recognize a fluidity to gender identity.

LGBTQIA+ identity is not in any way connected with the lack of a mother or father.

LGBTQIA+ identities are not developed because of a secret plot by educators. Educators instead teach information to help young people understand themselves and others.

The understanding of systemic racism does not arise from a left-wing plot. The understanding of systemic racism arises out of a careful study of history and a sensitivity to the cries of communities of color. Parents are always free to remove a student from a history class if they do not accept the information and move their child to another school that is less rigorous in its analysis.

In the same vein, Black Lives Matter does not stand in opposition to the idea of All Lives Matter. Black Lives Matter affirms that all lives matter, but is honest about the mistreatment of blacks and speaks for those whose voices are not heard. The members of Black Lives Matter remind us all that black lives do matter as much as white lives. If we are all of one race as asserted in the article then there should be justice offered equally to all. Race is a social construct, (another correct assertion in the article) and continues to be used to promote injustice by a white-dominated society each and every day. The idea of Christian nationalism that the article espouses is not consistent with the constitutional understanding of the nation or the understanding of Jesus. Jesus refused a crown and called his followers to the law of love before any law or nation.

Finally, the article says that the left is always using the tactics of bullying, manipulation, and misinformation to try to drive people to their point of view. I would ask the author to follow his own advice: “We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and recognize who we really are.”

(David Schoob is pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. He lives in West Bend.)

 

Audacity of Faith

“Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that the believer would stake his life on it a thousand times.” Martin Luther

It is difficult to wrap one’s head around the fact that God’s grace is freely and unconditionally given to those who believe in His one true Son. That by simply believing that Jesus Christ went to the Cross carrying all of our past, present and future sin and died the death that we all deserve guarantees our salvation seems all too easy. There has to be a catch. Nothing so valuable, nothing so delightful, and nothing so important could be given without first earning it, could it? What about the “Golden Rule”? What if I fall short and disappoint God with my failures and doubts?

“To be convinced in our hearts that we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God by grace alone is the hardest thing.” Martin Luther

There is nothing that you can do to make God love you any less. There is nothing you can do to make God love you any more. His love is infinite and He loves us more than we could ever imagine. These words are spoken at all of our Baptism celebrations. Let that soak in for a minute. I can never do enough to earn God’s love and I can never fail enough to have Him turn away. Absolute love and grace to each and every believer by our loving Father. No strings attached! So, why do many Christians serve their neighbor in God’s Name? It is because of the gratitude of the believer that he wants to please our Lord in everything we do.

“The law works fear and wrath; grace works hope and mercy.” Martin Luther

So many Christians seem to be stuck in the law. Our default is the false belief that grace needs to be, somehow, earned. We so often engage in “finger pointing”, emphasizing other’s shortcomings as if by doing so, our innate sinfulness is obscured by those we believe to be worse than us. The law convicts, the Gospel frees. We are freed from the consequences of our sin by the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The law simply informs us of behavior that is not pleasing to our God.

“Grace remits sin, and peace quiets the conscience. Sin and conscience torment us, but Christ has overcome these fiends now and forever. The law says, 'Do this,' and it is never done. Grace says, 'Believe in this,' and everything is already done.” Martin Luther

Luther is quite repetitive in his interpretation of grace. Grace by faith alone. Not by works, but works do fulfill an important component in the Christian’s life. As you want to please your spouse in everything you do, we endeavor to act in a manner pleasing to God. Forgive as He forgives you. Help those who need your help. In everything you do, do so that those who observe, will recognize the love of the Lord in your deeds. No, these good deeds are not a requirement of our faith, but our appreciation of our Lord’s sacrifice for us directs us to love others as He loves us and sacrifice for them.

“This grace of God is a very great, strong, mighty and active thing. It does not lie asleep in the soul. Grace hears, leads, drives, draws, changes, works all in man, and let’s itself be distinctly felt and experienced. It is hidden, but its works are evident.” Martin Luther

Love Wins

By a ruling of five justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, marriage is no longer the sole domain of one man and one woman. Gays and lesbians can now legally marry in all 50 states. As Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, “They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The constitution grants them that right.” Many are cheering this decision and many are as equally disturbed and disappointed. For those who continue to hold fast to God’s truth, this is not the end of the world, so don’t give up hope just yet. Several concerned congregants asked our Pastor to hold a meeting to discuss the ramifications of this decision on churches that believe that marriage is a holy and divine covenant before God, for one man and one woman to enter into that commitment in order to serve God. When they become “one flesh” they reflect the image of the Trinity, equal within this covenant, sharing a common purpose and intimacy, even though each possess different personalities and roles within this relationship. It is within this relationship that procreation takes place and both mother and father share the responsibility to properly raise their children, even though each may have differing responsibilities within that role.

Several quotes from Rosaria Butterfield’s new book entitled, “Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert on Sexual Identity and Union with Christ” were mentioned by Pastor Jay. One in particular, really caught my eye. “God is calling us to so greatly love others that we do not desire for them anything that might separate them from God.” Even though this should be the most overriding concern for Christians when endeavoring to “gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth”, far too often we trip all over ourselves and end up building a wall rather than opening a door. You see, if the person you are trying to save ends up being pushed away by your lack of ability to properly articulate the Gospel message, you end up being that person that slams the door on grace. Been there, done that, don’t want to do it anymore. We are all sinners. Let that soak in for a while. Those engaging in behavior that we know to be frowned upon by our God are the same persons looking back at us in the mirror, so if there is to be any finger pointing, look no further than yourself. All are forgiven if only one believes.

Man’s law is for this world and for those living in this society. One need not despair that this decision discards God’s command and diminishes the institution of marriage. As Christians, our task remains unchanged. We are to give glory to God by forgiving as He forgave us. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. We are to spread the Good News to all the earth. We are to love our God with all our heart, all our soul and with all our mind. We are to act in a manner that reflects favorably upon our Lord and Savior. We are not to judge, especially those who are not Christian. We must, by our actions, be a positive influence upon all those around us. Take those families of the nine Christian African American men and women who were shot and killed by a white man who targeted them because of their skin color at a bible study in Charleston, South Carolina. At the suspect’s initial appearance, one by one they had the temerity to face the murderer of their loved ones and offer him forgiveness, ask him to repent and come to faith in Jesus. This is truly the Holy Spirit flowing through them. This is how Jesus would want each and every one of us to react to someone who strikes us on the cheek.

Those brothers and sisters in Christ that remain in fellowship with churches like the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church in America as they celebrate this decision need to carefully assess their relationship with these wayward organizations and see just how it fits with the way our Lord and Savior wants us to walk in this world. Another quote from Butterfield’s book; “You can’t bypass repentance to get to grace. Christ is manifest in our humility, not in our disobedience.” When one celebrates their sinful behavior without repentance, Christ is not in them. Romans 1: 32, “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” We are sinful human beings, unworthy of the gift of grace our God so graciously bestows upon those who believe. Perhaps, even more unworthy than those who engage in homosexual acts. Do not judge those who are lost because it is they that our Lord commands us to reach with the Gospel.

God makes it abundantly clear that He expects His children to act in a manner that is pleasing to Him. One small price to pay as gratitude for all He has done for us is to be obedient and properly reflect His love through our words and actions. Let us reach out to those who are lost, our brothers and sisters in Christ that acquiesce or even celebrate deceitful doctrine in a way that can open doors to conversation and reach out in Christian love those who do not yet believe, no matter what is their sin. Romans 3:22-25, “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.”

Mutually Inclusive

Many in the secular world decry Christianity as being the most exclusive religion. After all, Christianity confesses only one way to salvation, faith in the Risen Christ. John 3:16-18, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” This “exclusive” way to heaven is derided by those much more enlightened than I, labeling Christians as condemning, self-righteous and hypocritical. How could Christians be certain that there are not many other valid religious beliefs and alternate paths to salvation? “After all, and as many Evangelical Christians have argued, if you can go to heaven without believing in Christ, what's the point of faith in the first place? This certainty, in turn, lends believers a sense of authority, even power, as they have a clear standard by which to judge "who's in" and "who's out." Talk about seductive!” David Lose, Director of the Center for Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary St. Paul. MN.

It just may be true that other religions worship the same God. Unfortunately, human beings have perverted God's will by using their flawed and selfish reasoning. Many religions, even with the best of intentions, just plain get it wrong. Christianity, while also governed by flawed human beings, looks to the writings of the Holy Spirit inspired authors of the Bible. And many Christian churches have also betrayed our Lord and Savior in their misguided attempts to fix our broken world. Jesus called upon us to preach the Gospel and to make disciples of the world, but there is no earthly requirement that anyone must accept the truth of Jesus Christ. If one hears and chooses to ignore the Word, there are no earthly consequences. If one truly accepts, nothing else is necessary to receive the gifts of grace, forgiveness and salvation. One is free to continue living as they did before. But, once one receives the joy of salvation and understands the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for us, everything changes. We are so grateful that we want to please our Lord in all we do, and obedience to His will becomes an honor and joy rather than simply rules that we must obey. Everything we are and have, are gifts from a loving God. We are imperfect, sinful human beings that deliberately disobey and dishonor our Father in Heaven each and every day. Yet, the only requirement that our God places upon His children to obtain eternal life is to believe that His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, took upon himself the punishment meant for us, His sinful and disobedient children.

Many of the more tolerant and open minded in society believe that today’s morality trumps what Christianity teaches. Many progressive churches, including the ELCA, agree with society as they call out those that hold fast to the authority of Scripture. Problem is, they are actually right and yet they are totally wrong. They are right asking why would anyone want to be a part of a religion that has so many judgmental hypocrites sitting in their pews? Well, I for one, stand accused and am guilty as charged. So does every other Christian in this imperfect world. There are no righteous human beings in this world, especially not any Christians. There is a reason that we need a Savior and Redeemer, because, if it was up to us to earn our salvation, we never could. To those who reject our Lord and Savior because of me and my fellow believers, please understand that I am a greater sinner than any of you could possibly be. I want everyone to share in the joy that faith in the Risen Christ can bring. I want everyone to come to Him and be granted eternal life. I want everyone to love and care for their neighbor.

They are wrong because God created this world for us, His children. If you want to believe that, somehow, all of this was some random comingling of molecules and just a mathematical inevitability, take a look around you. See how intricate this world and universe is and try to come to the conclusion that God did not create it. As awesome as God is, He cares for and loves each and every one of us. He wants so much to live with His children in eternity that, rather than punish us justly for our sinfulness, He sent His only Son, to take our place. Now understand that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are three, but also one, so when Jesus hung on that cross, God Himself was experiencing the pain and suffering in our stead. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God’s act of forgiveness was accepting the punishment meant for us. Total, complete, and utter forgiveness, no matter what you have done. Just believe that Christ died for you. No conditions. There is no requirement that you face the east and pray five times daily. You don’t even have to pray at all if you so choose. Non-believers are not required to be converted or killed. There are no enemies to Christianity but the devil and his minions.

They are wrong when so many progressive churches, like the ELCA, go out of their way to be more inclusive in order to placate the secular world. Christianity could not be more inclusive as the gift of eternal life is offered to all who choose to simply have faith in the Risen Christ. John 6:40, Jesus said, “For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day." What could be more inclusive than that?

Pulling Out All the Stops

When seeking to make a good impression you just may decide to pull out all the stops. This may entail buying a dozen roses for your beloved, taking your boss or a client out to the city’s best restaurant, or deciding to spend your money on that once in a lifetime trip. We place our frugalities on the back burner in order to curry favor in the hope that it will elevate your standing with that person. This saying actually has its roots in the church. Pipe organs, so prevalent in older churches, were equipped with what were called stops that controlled the air flow of the organ, in fact, controlling the volume. Organists would pull out all those stops to finish with a flourish. In our faith journey, pulling out all the stops is not part of our plan.

While we often shower those close to us with gifts and love, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ gets less than our best, often becoming merely an afterthought. The one who gave His life so that we may live is relegated to a place secondary to our selfishness. The one who should be celebrated as King of Kings stands outside patiently waiting for us to allow Him to enter our hearts. The one who lavishes His love upon His children is rewarded with disrespect and indifference from those who owe everything to Him. Why are we so quick to prattle on about our children and then ignore the opportunity to share our faith and give praise to our Lord and Savior? Has our secular society that so looks down upon those that “cling to their Bibles” causing us to be ashamed of our God? Jesus said in Luke 9:26, “Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.”

As our faith is assailed by the liberal media, academia and even by “progressive” churches such as the ELCA, it is our responsibility to stand up and proclaim His praise unending. Those that stand by and acquiesce to the all-out assault on Christianity are just as much to blame as those who wish to destroy it. While this so-called new progressive and all enlightened generation chastises Christians for being purveyors of the most exclusive of all the world’s religions, nothing could be further from the truth. Christianity is by far the most inclusive religion. After all, Jesus died for all humanity, one needs only believe in the one true Son of God took your sins to the cross, died in your place and rose so that all who believe can live eternally with the Father. Works are not required. Mandatory daily prayer is not required. Attaining enlightenment is not required. Faith in the Risen Christ is the only task required.

It is not important who is “in” or who is “out”. All are in if only they accept that the blood of the Savior cleansed their sin and accept the grace of salvation from the Father. When one accepts the gift of grace, we are filled with joy. When we first believe, we want to share our joy with everyone and bring the world to Christ. As we mature as Christians, it certainly seems that that joy and enthusiasm wanes when it should be just the opposite. As “baby” Christians our immature joyfulness, buoyed by our limited knowledge of Scripture, often would turn off potential believers. As we build up our spiritual armor through hearing and reading His word, we are much better equipped to be a Disciple of Christ, yet we balk when the Holy Spirit offers opportunities to share our faith. It is time to pull out all the stops and start proclaiming His glory, everywhere and to everyone. Every opportunity should be eagerly awaited and prayers made to have the Holy Spirit guide us in advancing His Kingdom. Share your joy!

Yet, the greatest impediment to those thirsting for the Lord is us. Yes, we are all too often the road block that turns potential believers away from God. Our propensity to remain trapped within the law by overemphasizing sin is the greatest obstacle. If engaging in sinful behavior would be  a disqualifier, I’m sorry, but we would all stand condemned. That is why we look to the cross. We are saved not because of what we do, but because of what Christ did for us. We tend to put the cart before the horse and turn off those willing to accept by our self-righteousness. Are believers better than any other child of God? No! We are, in fact, worse if our behavior turns even one of His children away. 1 Peter 2:24-25, “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” We all were once lost. We all are a fallen humanity. We all fall into disobedience. We all need a Savior and Redeemer. Jesus calls on us to teach the Gospel and to make disciples of the world. That final crescendo is waiting to be played. Will you pull out all the stops, listen to our Lord and work to bring the lost to Him?

Guity as Charged

As Christians we have a Savior that offered Himself and accepted the punishment that we deserve. Those who believe that God sent His one and only Son, to suffer and die for our sins, to descend into hell and on the third day rose to defeat death, receive the grace of God that leads to our salvation and eternal life with the Father. What far too many Christians forget, however, is that we remain guilty as charged. Though we no longer fear the punishment for our sins, we stand convicted, our sentence borne by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Romans 3:19-20, “Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.” And we are truly sinful, disobedient children. There is no one that is righteous and there is no one that deserves the gift of grace offered by our loving Father. Each and every time we dwell in His word, we learn more about our sinful selves. Scripture indeed convicts each one of us, yet that same Scripture lifts us up as it reveals God’s infinite love and abundant mercy for His children.

Galatians 2:17-21, “But suppose we seek to be made right with God through faith in Christ and then we are found guilty because we have abandoned the law. Would that mean Christ has led us into sin? Absolutely not! Rather, I am a sinner if I rebuild the old system of law I already tore down. For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.” We break the law every day, sometimes so frequently, we cannot even keep track of our transgressions. But, even as His disobedient children cause our Father consternation, we receive forgiveness for our sins, through faith in the Risen Christ. Does this mean that grace cancels the law? No, the two are intrinsically linked, for the law allows us to know right from wrong and the Gospel frees us from the consequence of our sin. Even though we are no longer under the punishment of the law, the law remains a guide for God's children to follow. To truly love our Lord means to obey and follow Jesus’ teachings, which includes obedience to the law.

For members of the ELCA, the doctrine of bound conscience means never having to say you’re sorry. It also means that members of the ELCA may believe whatever it is that trips their trigger, because the leaders of the ELCA reach out in their imperfect love and affirm those lost in sin. There is no need for repentance. There is no gratitude for a Savior who spilled His blood so that they may live. There is no guidance from the deceitful leaders of the ELCA to lead their members onto the narrow path that leads to salvation. The false doctrines that the leaders of the ELCA allow have no need of a Savior, because all are saved regardless of faith. Of course, this is not the official teaching of the ELCA, but these teachings are more than simply tolerated, they are given equal time to the teachings of Christ Himself. The doctrine of bound conscience is the lynchpin that all the other heresies accepted by the ELCA are connected. For without a method to allow a variety of beliefs and teachings, some that are contradictory to the very tenets of Christianity, the authority of Scripture could not be challenged, declared invalid in this "enlightened age" and amended by a sinful humanity to feed their selfishness.

Jesus said in Luke 9:23-24, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.” The doctrine of bound conscience allows one to selfishly maintain their sinful nature, denying our Lord and Savior. Is this what Jesus meant to deny himself or does this fit the actions of one who wants to save their own life?  Feeding the selfish nature denies no one but our Savior.  Does this necessarily cause one to lose their salvation? Not in and of itself, but it puts a foot in the door to continue to lift up one’s sinful nature that will eventually push God right out of the picture. As more and more Scripture is decared irrelevant by this misguided church, there will eventually be no need to rein in any of our sinful behavior. Without the law, we devolve into nothing more than intelligent mammals, clothed in our own selfish desires. No matter how hard we try, we continually fall into sin. But, when the sin is willful, deliberate and without repentance, it is displeasing to our God. And every Christian should want to please God first and foremost, denying oneself and carrying His cross, leaving our own desires secondary. Pray unceasingly for the true Gospel of Jesus Christ to be, once again, taught from every pulpit in every church.

Heaven on Earth

Many eastern religions attempt to create a heaven on earth.  Hinduism has reincarnation as a main focus.  Buddhism teaches that life exists within itself, that there is no inherent meaning to life, other than to be happy and not suffer.  The one thing that ties many of these religions together is the worship of the self, since they do not believe that there is a God.  One of the reasons that a heaven on earth is necessary is that salvation is not a part of these religions.  There is no Savior to stand in to receive the just punishment so rightly deserved, so one’s behavior on this earth must be exemplary.  Many of these eastern religions have no expectation of life after death, so improving the world we live in must substitute for that heavenly aspiration.  The leaders and scholars of the ELCA also promote that we must create a heaven on earth.  They abandon their responsibility to bring the lost to Jesus while they engage in a headlong rush to lift up the goal of social justice over the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The false gospel of affirmation that the ELCA embraces has no need for a Savior, since eternal life with our Father is a foregone conclusion.

As Christians, faith in the Risen Christ is the only requirement necessary to be granted salvation.  For ELCA Lutherans, it is entirely up to you whether or not you believe or how you want to believe.  For ELCA Lutherans, new doctrines allow the individual to believe as they wish, because God so loves us that we all are going to heaven regardless of faith, chosen religion or non-belief.   Jesus Christ, true God from true God, of one with the Father said in John 3:16-21, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”  The leaders of the ELCA again convict themselves by choosing to disregard our Lord’s command, hide their lies in the darkness, all the while encouraging their membership to accept a false gospel that sounds so very appealing.  Those appealing words lead their members away from the Lord.  Overemphazing the love of neighbor over our love of the Lord places their membership at risk.  After all, we are called to love our neighbor as our Lord and Savior loved us.  Romans 15:7, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”  And by very definition, our neighbor is anyone who happens to live on this earth, regardless of any differences among us.

Why is the ELCA so preoccupied with the things of this world and so driven to in their quest to create some kind of Utopia here on earth?  Why is the crusade for social justice the overriding element of their mission?  As the leadership of the ELCA continues to drive a wedge between themselves and our Lord, earthly preoccupations take precedence over their true calling to save the lost.  Would it not be more appropriate to teach those that have not heard the true Gospel of Jesus Christ rather than to dilute our faith in an effort to placate those that only want to believe on their own terms?   Once one truly surrenders to our Lord, we and our sinful desires are no longer important.  For certain, all who surrender continue to sin again and again, but if we truly desire to become Christ like, we will endeavor to place our needs secondary to our Lord’s will.  In 1 Corinthians 10:23-24, the Apostle Paul wrote about a believer’s freedom, “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.”   If social justice is to truly prevail in this world, we must fill our hearts with the true love of Christ, striving to follow His law and the fulfillment of His will  2 Corinthians 3:4-6, “Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.  6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”   Share the Good News of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ and work to bring all who have not heard to Him.  Only when all come to Christ will we even approach anything remotely resembling a heaven on earth.  Our great reward is an eternity with our Father in heaven.  Whatever it is that we accomplish in this world, it is done to give glory to our God.

In God We Trust

Trust is something that is difficult to earn, yet easily lost. In order to gain someone’s trust, you must first be proven to be truthful. You must place the needs of others before your own. You must be able to step out of your comfort zone and be there for that someone when times are tough. Losing that trust can happen in an instant. Even a minor indiscretion can break a trust. There is only one trust that can never be broken, our trust in our God. Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” When we believe, we have an absolute trust in our Lord that He will fulfill His promise to us. As Christians, we also have an innate trust of the body of Christ, His church. We believe and trust that those that are called by God to preach the Word and lead the church are empowered by the Holy Spirit and, as such, our God is speaking to us, through them. When we are in the pews on Sunday, we believe that we are hearing the Word of God, spoken through one that is indeed inspired by God. The thought that the message from the pulpit or that the leadership of the church is misguided or unsound doctrinally, is just not on our radar screens.

For years many of the more liberal ELCA seminary professors have taken it upon themselves to reinterpret God’s intent through His Holy Word, the Bible. These progressive professors that are so enamored with the secular world have taken to ignoring God’s will and reinterpreting His word to transform the message to incorporate the opinions of society. As the years have progressed, more radical thinking theologians have been elevated to teaching positions in the seminaries and the truly biblically based professors have been phased out and have become a dying breed. Theological discussions among these new, enlightened and progressive professors have led to the teaching of seminarians a diluted form of Christianity. Universalism, affirmation, social justice, and tolerance have replaced faith, forgiveness, sin and making disciples of all nations as the tenets of this new enlightened church. Papers submitted by seminarians that fail to follow these progressive professor’s new interpretations are deemed unacceptable and required to be resubmitted. Our future pastors are being taught a religion that believes that a Savior is pointless, since sin and forgiveness are unimportant and superfluous. These enlightened professors are teaching a new generation of pastors to lead the ELCA into the future, and that future is looking more problematic with each passing year. So, now when we worship or read our Bishop’s statements that he makes on behalf of the 4.6 million ELCA members, we must do so from a different perspective. Our trust in the ELCA’s message has been severely damaged, and as long as the current leadership persists on the path that they have chosen, it will likely remain broken beyond repair.

Those traditional Lutherans that adhere to the truth that is the foundation of our faith are looked upon as trapped in an archaic belief system rooted in a 16th Century understanding of Scripture. The leaders and scholars of the ELCA consider our founding confessions irrelevant to their new and improved interpretation of Scripture. The problem is that these progressive scholars only disapprove of those verses of Scripture that deny them their modern cravings. Those verses that lift up or are ambiguous enough are cited as the rationale to reinvent Scriptural intent. Traditional understanding of Scripture does not fit in with the way our modern society views morality. The leaders of the ELCA long to have their church looked upon favorably by the secular world, so Biblical morality is obsolete, to be replaced with the more politically correct world view.

What of those leaders of the church that are no longer faithful to our Lord and lose the trust of those that they are called to serve and protect? 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, 4-5, “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2 Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 4 My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. 5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.” Those who pervert the Lord’s church will be exposed for who they truly are. Their motives are known by our Lord and they will have to answer to Him for leading His flock astray. Psalm 118:8, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” Trust not in man and his wicked schemes, but put your trust in God. While the leadership of the ELCA continues to preach a gospel other than the Gospel our Lord preached, we have no choice but to find a new church, true to God’s word, that we can walk faithfully upon the path that our Lord has set before us.

The gospel of Radical Inclusiveness

During a live town hall meeting, ELCA Bishop Mark Hanson revealed that he believed that Christians need to promote “Two gospels”. He described that these “Two gospels”, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the gospel of radical inclusiveness must be proclaimed equally, sort of like doing a “two step” dance. Bishop Hanson said that the two were inseparable, that one cannot exist without the other. He seemed genuinely well intentioned while explaining that we must, as Christians, reach out in love to everyone, despite our differences. He called for all Christians to reach out to those of differing faiths, opinions, and lifestyles with the love of Christ. While he is correct in calling us to reach out to others in Christian love, he betrays his real intentions. He believes and the ELCA promotes that this gospel of radical inclusiveness is equal to the Gospel of Christ. To push a radical, progressive agenda by disregarding God's Law and eliminating sin, is not abiding by our Lord's will.  To love our neighbor is the second most important commandment.  To love our God with all our mind, all our hearts, and all our soul is first and foremost.  What the leadership of the ELCA needs to realize is that we must first declare our faith through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Without faith, our inclusiveness, welcoming and tolerance mean nothing.  Without our faith in the Risen Christ, all our love, all our work toward social justice, all our goals and ambitions are meaningless.  Once we accept the truth of our Lord and Savior, only then will we be able to properly reach out in true Christian love.

The type of love that is necessary to fully reach out in true Christian love is known as “agape” or divine love. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, being one with the Father, was the only human capable of this unconditional divine love. He willingly gave His life to save all of us unworthy, sinful human beings who continually fall short of our Lord’s expectations. Even while suffering and dying on the cross, He had the temerity to ask His Father to forgive His executioners. When we think that we can attain this divine love apart from our Lord and Savior, we fail to realize that we are utterly incapable of expressing this divine, perfect, and unconditional love. Exercising our imperfect love with the misguided assumption that it is agape love, we assume that we can, in fact, forgive as our Father does. Filled with this imperfect, immature love we decide that what God declares as sin, should now be acceptable because we act in the name of love.

Through this self-righteous regard of our just and praiseworthy love of our neighbor, we look to Scripture and decide that, because God’s Law conflicts with our worldly desires, that the authors of Scripture must have somehow misunderstood God or that now God is telling us something new. Our God is all powerful, all knowing, yesterday, today and tomorrow. He knows everything that has happened or is going to happen. This world and everything in it was designed and planned by our Lord. How is that now He is telling us something new and to what self appointed Apostle of Christ has this new interpretation of Scripture been revealed? Anyone who can convince oneself that the Holy Spirit was misquoted or that the writers didn’t hear our Lord appropriately when the Scriptures were written, are peddling nothing but a false gospel. Those that question the Virgin Birth, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and advocate that there are many paths to salvation that do not include faith in the Risen Christ, preach apostasy.

We must love others as our Lord first loved us. Jesus said in John 14:34-35, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” To emulate Christ’s love is the standard that all Christians strive for. But, we are not capable of this divine love, especially if we try to express this love without first surrendering our lives to our Lord and Savior. This is where the trouble lies. If we wish to attain this unconditional love of our own volition, we are destined to fail. Without our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, we are nothing. The leadership of the ELCA promotes the self, good works, social justice and love. If we fail to deny ourselves and surrender ourselves to Christ, we cannot accomplish the love that our Savior requires to be His disciples. It is all well and good to talk about love, but when it revolves around man’s imperfect love, this love can lead to ruin. Understand that most that fall prey to this misguided interpretation of love have the best of intentions and truly believe that they are filled with the love of the Lord. When you are truly filled with the Holy Spirit, you will gladly obey God's Law, not manipulate His words to satisfy your worldly desires.  But, since the leadership of the ELCA promotes a doctrine of love that is centered, not in Christ, but in the self, they are chasing a false reality.

There is a hole in our heart that can only be filled with Christ. When we try to fill that emptiness with the self and the things of this world, it feels empty and we are still alone and unfulfilled. Our hearts long for that relationship with our Lord and He is the only one that can truly fill that emptiness within our hearts. When we finally decide to deny ourselves and place Christ at the center of our lives, we are filled with His joy. He becomes the central motivation in our lives. Everything we do or accomplish will be done to give glory to our Lord. Things of this world will truly fade in importance. It is only when the self dies that we will truly begin to live and begin to approximate the love that our Father has for us. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10, “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no mind has conceived – these things God has prepared for those who love him” 10 for God has revealed them to us by his Spirit.” It is only when we truly love our Lord that will we begin to realize how much He really loves and chrerishes each and every one of His children.

Faith will Save. Love can Deceive

Faith is the complete trust that Jesus Christ redeemed all humanity by sacrificing himself as atonement for our sin and that by believing that He is the only Son of God and was raised from the dead, we will receive the grace that grants us eternal life with our Lord. Love is the strong affection one has for another arising out of kinship, personal ties, admiration, or devotion. Often the differences between these aspects of our relationship with our Lord tend to become blurred. Faith is the way to our salvation. Imperfect love can lead in the opposite direction.

True faith in the risen Christ is not only believing that Jesus Christ is truly the son of God, who carried our sins to the cross, took the punishment that we deserved, and defeated death so that we may live, true faith requires us to give up our lives for Him. In order to be our Lord’s disciples, we must turn over control of our lives and live as our Lord commands. Romans 5:1-2, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through who we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” Through our faith in the risen Christ, we have a new relationship with God. We no longer are the sinful beings that deserve God’s wrath and punishment. We are granted, by His grace, the total forgiveness of all sin and an invitation to join our Lord in His house. The chasm between God and His children has been bridged by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we first believe in the risen Christ, our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit. When we believe and place Christ first in our hearts, we will no longer be alone. We will want to please our Lord and live in a manner that He commands.

Our Lord has a perfect love for His children. No matter what wrongs we do, sins we commit, the times we disregard God’s Word or fail to return our Lord’s unconditional love, He will love us and always offer His redeeming grace if we only believe. There is no earthly sin that will cause our Lord to retract that gift of grace and our salvation, as long as we truly accept Christ. So does this mean that we can live our lives regardless of the law? No, it still remains as God’s moral and ethical design for His children. Once the law was all important, and God’s punishment for those that violated the law was severe. Since Jesus Christ suffered and died as atonement for our sin, adherence to the law is no longer necessary to ensure our salvation. With Christ as the cornerstone of our lives and first in our hearts, we will gladly abide by God’s command and obey the law He has set before us.

It is when we try to share our love as our Lord loves us, without first surrendering ourselves to Him, that we will fail, often times, miserably. Using our imperfect love will cause us to make decisions that we ourselves believe to be right without truly considering our Lord’s will. While that it is true that our God loves all of His children, unconditionally, He also expects us to obey His law for us. Often, when one searches for a way to justify a particular end, the path to the true conclusion is often overlooked. Trying to find a path to that predetermined destination will often propel us on a course leading away from our Lord’s will. We need look no farther than the ELCA. By trying to be everything to everyone and elevating worldly aspirations over our Lord’s will, the ELCA has actually hindered their efforts to share God’s love in the world. In fact, the ELCA has so perverted their attempt to share God’s love that they promote the social justice agenda over and above the call to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is when we place the love of ourselves and our agenda first, and consign our Lord to a secondary position, that our imperfect love will ultimately deceive. Romans 16:17-18, “I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naïve people.”

Love is not Enough

The ELCA is all about love, acceptance, welcoming and tolerance. These are all important in our walk with the Lord. 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient, love is kind, It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” And love is not enough. Many at the Greater Milwaukee Synod Assembly were filled with the love of the Lord. Much of the discussion centered about the belief that our God is a loving God, and He is indeed a loving God. God loves each and every one of us, despite our sinful nature. But, there is danger in placing too much emphasis on this free and unconditional love. Simply applying our Lord’s command to love our fellow man can lead us to make compromises when it comes to accepting God’s Word. Many of the doctrines intrinsic to the Lutheran faith have been tossed aside by the leaders of the ELCA in the name of love. Confession of sin is absent from more and more worship services in ELCA churches and either replaced by a celebration of baptism or disregarded altogether. The quest for diversity and acceptance has led to allowing pagan ceremonies to be blended into worship services, such as the libations ritual used in the opening worship service at the GM Synod Assembly. Misguided love for our neighbor has led to doctrine that accepts behavior specifically prohibited by Scripture, in the effort to be more welcoming to the LGBT community. Reaching out to the oppressed in our love has elevated the goal of social justice above our mission as Christ’s disciples to preach the Gospel and bring the lost to salvation.

Not all who profess a love for our Lord are saved. We are saved by our faith in the risen Christ, by our belief that Jesus took our sins to the cross, suffered and died in our place, defeated death, so that we may live eternally with Him in heaven. Without faith, love is meaningless. If we clothe, feed, or heal nations of people, but do nothing to save their souls, we are doing nothing more than conducting a fool’s errand. Faith is constant and unwavering. Faith will never compromise. Faith is steadfast, always true to our Lord. Love, however, can be used by the evil one to cloud our minds and compromise on the very principles our Lord has taught us in His Word. If we use this flawed reasoning that our God is a God of love and love alone, we will find it easy to ignore His Law and replace it with our modern sensibilities. If we feel that our love for our fellow man linked with God’s love for us is all that is necessary to earn one’s salvation, this will only lead us to the bitter realization that there will be no room in His house for us.

So, as we proclaim our love of the Lord and do our good works in the world, congratulating ourselves for doing God’s work with our hands, we are embarking upon the wide path toward destruction. We must love our neighbors as our Lord commanded, but if we are not centered in Christ’s love, we can love them to death. If we minimize and ignore sinful behavior in an effort to show that person how much we love them, we do nothing to help them from straying from the narrow path leading to their salvation. Yes, we can love our neighbor too much. We are not properly equipped to love unconditionally. This is a task that only our Lord can accomplish. Too often our misguided efforts to embrace God’s love and share it with the world, only encourages those is error to continue on a path away from God. Sometimes, tough love is necessary when dealing with our children so that they realize that there are consequences to their wrong behavior. If we acquiesce to any and all behaviors, the sky becomes the limit and those children cannot be successful in society. As with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we must love them, but we must help lead them back to the most important thing, their faith. When we have faith, love will come naturally, as we will love as our Lord loves us. Love is important, but it pales in contrast to the faith that is necessary to earn that salvation that is so freely placed before us.