Going through my documents

[Avesther]

I was going through "my documents" and I found this editorial that I wrote quite some time ago.  I never actually sent it anywhere but, it really does sum up alot of what has been happening here in Canada recently.  I thought I'd share it.  Thoughts and comments welcome, constructive criticism only.

BTW, this really only deals with Canada as I am Canadian. Many points can be generally attributed to many other nations.

Quote[/b] (me @ long time back)]
The church has been transformed by the world.  The church has not even fought against this transformation.  The stance of the church is so "politically incorrect" right now.  It is not politically correct to talk about Satan and Hell, it frightens people and by rights it should.  It is no longer politically correct to label sinners as sinners.  The line between right and wrong has been blurred by justification, rationalization and fear, that what was once wrong is now right, and right is now wrong.  We tolerate sin because it (sin) is protected by the Canadian Charter.  Soon, even murder will be protected as a form of artistic expression of a tortured soul.

Facing dwindling attendance over the years and constant pressure by the world, the church has simply buckled.  This is evident by the fact that many churches, not just the Anglican Church or the Roman Catholic Church, are bogged down in the quagmire of homosexuality, hell, support in the middle East, sexual misconduct and many other spiritual bottlenecks.  Their only solution so far has been to succumb to political and secular pressure, and is now toying with the idea of accepting sin, if not already in many cases accepting sin, as ok and acceptable.  In all good consciousness, nobody will believe a murderer is a Christian if he continues to murder in cold blood.  Why should I believe a person who says that they are Christian while they continue to engage in homosexual relations?

The homosexuality and marriage issue is a simple one:  be one (a homosexual) and don't sin.  Of course many a priest and many a person asks, what is considered sinning in this instance?  (Only because the line has been blurred)  You don't need to read beyond Genesis chapter 2 to determine what God had in mind when he created marriage.  Differ from that, you sin.  There is nothing complicated in this.  No justification, no rationalization.  Christianity was made to be so simple that a child could understand it.  A child sees no grey, it is always wrong to steal bread from a store, even if you are hungry.  The simple fact of the matter is that their acts are sins and they will be held accountable for them.  And the church, the witnesses and the priest who marries them, will also be held accountable.  Let us not forget that Jesus will return for his bride, not his husband.  And as the old saying goes, God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

There are two types of churches in this world:  The ones that fight against the secular system and those that succumb to it.  Canadian churches, for the most part, have succumbed out of fear of persecution from the government and from the general populace that have not or do not accept Jesus as Christ and their saviour.  Churches that are persecuted by the government, such as those in China, thrive and grow in the underground.  Their congregation numbers increase at startling rates, as fast as the declining rates in the West.  If churches thrive and grow while being persecuted, it should make one wonder why Western churches continue to look for acceptance by those who don't belong to it?

If you doubt whether or not the church has simple walked off the battlefield, then ask yourselves these simple questions:  Where was and is the church regarding the removal of speaking the Lords prayer in public school?  The Canadian Charter still begins with the statement "Whereas Canada is founded upon principles that recognize the supremacy of God and the rule of Law:" Sorry Buddhists, Atheists and Islamic, Hindu's and Satan worshippers.  God is supreme, the Lords prayer remains.  Don't want to say it, fine that is your right, leave the room.

If the supremacy of God is no longer recognized, then what of the Canadian Charter, Canada's existence and all its laws?  Surely, one can argue that the laws of Canada are similar to those that would be created by a society based on reasonable, logical thinking people.  And for the most part, they would be wrong.  There is much truth in the old saying "Only those who believe they are sane can label somebody insane."  The people who create the laws in a society that is based on reasonable and logical thinking enforce upon others their views of what is right and wrong.  If you don’t agree with their views, you are labelled as a mutineer against society and will be thrown in jail (or worse).  Thus, even such a society, can not have any laws that may infringe on anybodies right to be different in any such way or form.  A murderer would have as much right to murder as any person would have a right to security of person.  Who’s right takes precedence?  Only the one who thinks they have more right(s) than the other.  In other word, the ones who think they are sane enough to label others insane.  Or, as was so eloquently painted in Animal Farm, all are equal but pigs are more equal.

This is what many special interest groups would have Christian’s (and everybody else) believe.  That they have some right to homosexual marriages or access to or to make child pornography and that we should simply tolerate it.  They do not simply tolerate our views, so why should we tolerate theirs?  First off, anybody who wants access to child pornography or wants to create it is sick.  The Christian theology infringes on their right to covet the innocent.  What is, or should be, acceptable behaviour of an adult in regards to children also inhibits their access.

Only in a Christian society will you ever get a document such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  You do not find any such thing in the Communist states, in the Islamic countries, in Hindu or Buddhist or devil worship countries.  There is no such thing as an atheist state in existence right now.  All are aligned with or against God.  Only in God fearing, Christian based and founded countries do you find rights and freedoms protected by governmental law.  And these rights and freedoms have been abused and taken advantage off.  We, as Christians, were never asked to tolerate sin.  And those who say otherwise, the ones who abuse the system, are “dead” wrong.

 

[kasimir]

Lots of food for thought ! .. Well written

 

[CCGR]

very well written. Glad I got to a Bible based church and not one pased on man's doctrines.

 

[Ultima Avatar]

Quite an excellent bit o' an essay there. I liked it very much.
You showed logical flow and thought to your writing, and the message was great.
However, let me tell you this: if the revisionists win, then everything about our Christian bases can be done away with with flaws through the years...and if you don't believe that's possible, just give time enough with a government that inflicts pain on you if you dare resist their words.
It's possible, but I don't think the revisionists of history will win out. It's insane to tell America that America was not founded on Christian principles when all one has to do is look to the colony charters and find, "Dude...they all talk about this God guy and the strengthening of CHristianity...I guess these guys musta been serious about their faith..."
Yeah. Well-written, man!

 

[jewel]

Very well said!

The true church must hold fast to the truths of the scriptures. We may not be able to legislate our values in government, but we must never  let the government or  the culture of the day dictate our position on any given subject.

Jesus and the apostles and the early Christians never tried to change the government- they changed hearts and minds of individuals. We are called to give out the gospel and and stand firm in the faith.

There are actual reformation groups that will help  pastors and churches remain strong or return to the ways of the undiluted gospel if they have started down the slippery slope of liberalism.Anyone interested should check out The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals and /or Center for Church Reform.