Loving your Neighbor

 Is meaningless without first loving God.

Jesus declared, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40.

While these two commandments are the foundations of our faith, our love of our Lord supersedes the call to love our neighbor and ourselves. This current generation has lifted the love of self to transcendent heights. Mainline churches feed this narrative by affirming those who choose to elevate their desires above all else. We absolutely can love our neighbor as ourselves without affirming that which separates them from God’s love. Once our human desires supersede our identities as followers of Christ, we no longer worship Him, we worship ourselves.

In deference to the Beatles song, love is not all you need. The dichotomy of loving, while correcting, is a difficult road to travel. Our unrelenting judgementalism often closes the door while eliciting anger and resentment from the very people we are to be reaching out with love. While we endeavor to help the lost find Christ, our spiritual ineptness often shuts down any opportunity to do so. Question is, how do we “gently instruct” the misguided back to Christ before they are lost to the evil one?

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 

Even though we were enemies of God, Jesus went to that cross and died for us, and through our faith in Him, grants us forgiveness of all our sin and guarantees a place with him throughout eternity. Is this too great an ask? By faith alone. He only wants our heart, nothing else. Heavy stuff. God wants all His children to be with Him in eternity. It pains Him greatly if even one of His children are lost to the evil one. God loves all His children unconditionally. By His grace and mercy, He forgives all sin, no matter what! But, in order to partake in His eternity, faith in the Risen Christ is necessary. If our well-intended actions push away those in need of God’s grace, we are not building God’s Kingdom. We have become an impediment to it.

Human sexuality is the vehicle used by the evil one to divide and conquer. Humankind’s innate selfishness is the tool that sharpens the sword that separates us from God. Perverting humankind’s diversities creates an easy avenue to divide and create dissention based upon insignificant differences, such as skin color, socio-economic status, political and religious beliefs. We are all God’s children. That makes us all brothers and sisters. Even that pink haired, nose ringed young lady who shouts out her distain for Christianity. Even that young man who identifies as a woman. Even those who spew hatred towards others that have different opinions than themselves. God loves and wants each and every one of His children to come to Him.

With Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection, God opens reconciliation to all who believe. Without legitimate discourse, human to human reconciliation can never be reached. The goal is to engage in real discussion, which also includes listening without judging. It is not our job to judge. This is a tall task as it remains all too easy to remain bound by the law. While the Gospel frees us from the consequences of the law, the law teaches what God expects of us. Sexual immorality is mentioned over 6000 times in the Bible. Any sexual relations outside of the sacrament of marriage is called immoral. The sacrament of marriage is reserved for one man and one woman. What of our neighbors in a same-sex relationship? Those that identify as transgender? Those who have multiple sex partners in and out of relationships? We are wondrously formed by God, each designed for His purposes. No matter how we look, what our strengths or weaknesses, talents or lack of talents, or our status in life, God has a place for you in His plan for us. Just believe!

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  He died for everyone. His mercy and grace is available to all, no matter what. He loves the worst of us, even me and you.

We are called to testify to our neighbors about Christ’s love for them. We are to share the joy we receive from being loved by Him. We are called to plant seeds that the Holy Spirit can nurture and grow. We are not called to cast judgement or try to save the lost of our own volition. We must find a way to reach out in Christian love with the hope that the door may open, if just a crack, for the Holy Spirit to take root. The late Pastor Tim Keller had a way to disarm the most fervent denier. Listening, while posing questions about the person and their beliefs. Often, the person discovered that their own arguments lacked validity, opening the door to rational discussion. Be immersed in His Word. Pray for guidance. Wear your spiritual armor and listen to the Holy Spirit when an opportunity to testify arises.

“The whole being of any Christian is faith and love. Faith brings the person to God; love brings the person to people.” Martin Luther

 

 

 

 

Never Enough

On June 26^th, 2015 the United States Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was legal in all 50 states. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, “They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The constitution grants them that right.” This ruling was universally celebrated as recognizing equal rights for all under the law. When Justice Kennedy opened this “Pandora’s Box,” he failed to understand that the innate selfishness of humankind is seldom satisfied with just one bite of the apple. A foot in the door was destined to reach beyond that ruling’s intent. In less than 8 years that decision has indelibly altered the trajectory of Western society.

On March 8, 2023, the United Nations published Principal 16 – Consensual Sexual Conduct, "Sexual conduct involving persons below the domestically prescribed minimum age of consent to sex may be consensual in fact, if not in law." — International Commission of Jurists, commissioned by the UN. Additionally in the report, "In this context, the enforcement of criminal law should reflect the rights and capacity of persons under 18 years of age to make decisions about engaging in consensual sexual conduct and their right to be heard in matters concerning them." This is a tacit call to normalize and decriminalize pedophilia. The effort to hyper-sexualize children and desensitize them to alternative sexual practices is evidenced by curricula and policies embraced by many schools.

The citizens of the United States find themselves in a quandary. The deliberate erosion of long-held principles and accepted social mores will inevitably destabilize society. What was normal is now considered "phobic" and the vestiges of white patriarchal society. Since that fateful 2015 ruling, society has been inundated with covert and overt overtures in an effort to redefine sexuality. Sex is the aphrodisiac that traps the powerful and powerless alike. Unrestrained sexuality is destroying the very fabric of our nation and the "sheeple" prefer to ignore the decline and virtue signal with their tolerance and acceptance of diverse lifestyle choices.

Decadence and corruption overwhelmed the Roman Empire. Borders were neglected and their military left in disarray, unable to defend their outposts and borders. The United States finds itself occupying similar ground. Military leaders focus their efforts in confronting and eliminating “white supremacy” within its’ ranks, neglecting the responsibility to train a fighting force capable of defending the country. Instead of fostering camaraderie, divisive critical race theory is taught that pits our fighting men and women against those whose skin color is different than their own. Soldiers that refused an experimental vaccine are dishonorably discharged and refused re-entry after the deficient efficacy of the vaccine is exposed and mandates have ended. Our government spends our children’s inheritance on social and climate justice boondoggles while underfunding the military. An invading army will meet little resistance.

Roman corruption is dwarfed by the weaponization of government and the utterly corrupted nature of politicians. President Biden is himself embroiled in an influence-peddling scheme run by his son Hunter and his brother James. $Millions have been laundered from enemy nations to various members of his family. Government’s highest-paid employee, Dr. Anthony Fauci, perjures himself before Congress, willfully and intentionally attempting to shield the origins of Covid-19, and uses taxpayer funds to dole out grants to scientists willing to “toe his line.” Money is the root of all evil. There is good reason that Washington DC is called the “Swamp” and the “Deep State” is running amok.

Our southern border is virtually eliminated by the Biden administration as millions of illegal immigrants are allowed entry and transported throughout the country. A nation without a sovereign border is not a nation at all. With these immigrants, who are not properly vetted, comes crime, drugs, human trafficking, and communicable diseases that have been long eradicated in the US. Non-profits and faith-based organizations work with the government to transport illegal immigrants into communities without notification. Elections have consequences and we are suffering from poor choices. The “Bad Orange Man” was ousted, but the alternative has been far worse. Mainstream media continues to push an agenda rather than reporting facts, yet many blindly support this false narrative.

“A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land. The prophets (media) prophesy (report) falsely, and the priests (government) rule by their own (not the people’s) authority.” The silence of good people is deafening. This nation will decline exponentially unless good people refuse to allow it. Will you stand by idly, or will you try to save your nation?