Jim Ward

The obscene spectacle at halftime of the Super Bowl calls for repentance - national and individual.

I deeply regret that the "wardrobe malfunction" during the half-time of the Super Bowl has received so much adverse attention. It's not that I approve of the incident. But suppose it had never happened! Would anybody have voiced outrage at the trashy lyrics sung by Ms. Jackson and Mr. Timberlake? Or the obscene gestures? Or the animalistic dancing? Or the other near-nudity (aside from the infamous malfunction)?

Much of what has been said misses the point. Mostly, the incident broke the rules for prime time television; I wish it had broken our hearts. It was not appropriate for children; I wish somebody would consider whether it was appropriate for adults. Nobody has said much about morality. The apologies have been mainly about bad taste and inappropriateness. But our problem is more serious than that. It's a strand woven through our cultural fabric. We suffer from an abysmal and ingrained ignorance of holiness. The problem didn't begin on Super Bowl Sunday, 2004. There is no single moment which marks the beginning of our long slide into carnality. Sure, 1939 gave us Clark Gable and his notorious expletive in Gone With The Wind. But before that there were the burlesque houses and dime novels, the flapper era and bathtub gin, and pre-Hays Office Hollywood. There was the rationalism of the nineteenth century and the consequent loosening of our ties to God. There was the religious hypocrisy and dogmatism of the middle ages which provoked the rationalism. The thread seems endless.

But, enough grumping. It's one thing to complain, and another to be constructive. The solution is the same as it's always been: repentance. Noah preached it, as did every prophet of God. So did John the Baptist and Jesus. "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (Lk. 13:3). Repentance - national and individual.

As to a national turnaround, I'm not optimistic. We're too profit oriented. Like the rich, young ruler, we walk away from self-sacrifice. To take just one example, if our society truly repented of its insatiable lust for sex and violence, much of the entertainment industry would literally collapse. Movies, books, television, magazines, sports, the internet - can you imagine what repentance would do to their bottom line? How many billions are we talking about here?

As I said, this seems too much to hope for, but it's not unprecedented in history. Jonah cried out to a pagan city. "Yet forty days, and Ninevah shall be overthrown!" and precipitated what just may be the most astounding event in the Bible.

"So the people of Ninevah believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least of them. Then word came to the king of Ninevah; and he arose from his throne and laid aside his robe, covered himself with sackcloth and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published throughout Ninevah by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, 'Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything; do not let them eat, or drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let every one turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?'" (Jonah 3:5-9).

On the other hand, individual reformation seems the more realistic way to go, especially if we start with self. Before we object "But I'm not part of the problem; I abhor the moral climate of our culture" - let's take an unblinking look at ourselves. Can we honestly say that we are completely unaffected by our surroundings? When running late, do we edge over the speed limit, roll through stop signs, or sneak through caution lights? The language on television - taking God's name in vain, for example - do we even notice it anymore? Have we laughed at sexual innuendoes so long that we've become inured to overt sexuality? Have those tiny lies to avoid embarrassment eroded our character? What are we ready to accept next?

Our only hope is to be unsparing with ourselves. Striving for true goodness and personal integrity is hard, a lifelong challenge. Though our society is sinful, finger pointing doesn't help. Sin calls for compassion and the gospel, not contempt.

In the meantime, rather than grump that the world tolerates much and objects to precious little, I'll just be grateful that it still draws the line somewhere.

via Biblical Insights,
Vol. 4, No. 3, March 2004

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Many religious groups use a variety of carnal appeals to draw people to their assemblies. For instance, there are suppers and ice cream socials, ball games and entertainment events, etc. When asked to justify these activities they will commonly refer to the episodes where Jesus fed the multitudes. Some have said, "If you first feed a man's body, then you'll have a chance to feed his soul." Let's see if their reference to Jesus' activities will really support their practices.

There were two separate instances in which Jesus miraculously fed huge crowds of people with small quantities of food. One time there were 5000 men, plus women and children (Mt. 14:15-21; Mk. 6:30-44; Lk. 9:10-17; Jn. 6:1-14). On another occasion there were 4000 men, plus women and children (Mt. 15:32-38; Mk. 8:1-9).

In both instances, the people had followed Jesus to hear His marvelous teaching and to see His amazing miracles. There had never been a promise of food to draw them. In fact, both episodes show the people following long distances and for a long time before they were offered food. For example, in Matthew 15:32 we read: "Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way." Do you see it? The people were not lured to follow by an offer of food. The food came AFTERWARDS, as an act of compassion. The people had NOT come in anticipation of being fed.

We have one reference where Jesus suspected that the people did, indeed, come with a desire of receiving food (Jn. 6:22ff). On that occasion He DID NOT feed them!

Those who would use the example of Jesus feeding the multitudes to justify their carnal practices today are simply wrong!

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What is the Christian to do in a Society that is accepting Homosexuality and other immoral acts as moral? The question implies that Society was once moral. This is misleading for there has never been a time when Societies have been completely moral. Solomon said in Eccl 1:9-10 that there is nothing new happening that was not done before. What is happening in America has happened repeatedly in the histories of the world.

Relatively speaking a society goes through stages beginning with higher levels of morality and decaying toward greater immorality. So that things, which Society once correctly recognized as evil, are seen as good and things once known as good are seen as evil. Much of Society sees nothing wrong with homosexuality, fornication, drunkenness (as long as you don't drive), foul language and a host of other things. Government and society demand that the people of this country become completely tolerant of such practices. This places the Christian in a dilemma. The Christian who is opposed to such things is seen as hateful, judgmental, ignorant and evil by growing numbers of our Society. Those seeking to justify the changing moral standards of society do so by slandering Christians because of their stand for right (Isaiah 5:20; 1 Peter 2:12; 3:16; 4:4). It is conceivable that in the future Christians may suffer judicial persecutions for simply teaching biblical moral standards. Long ago, Rome and others used this tactic in an effort to silence Christians. "There is nothing new under the sun!"

What is the Christian to do in this situation? A Christian must remain faithful to God. We cannot shirk our duty by being silent as if we are ashamed of the moral standards laid down in the New Testament (Mark 8:38)? To be a Christian is to be at war against all the teachings and ideas that are contrary to Christ and his word (2Corinthians 10:4-5). This is not a carnal war fought with guns, knives, fists and so on. It is a war of ideas and principles in which the Christian is to declare the word of God to a spiritually lost and dying people (2Timothy 4:1-5). For a Christian to be silent would be an act of indifference toward those who's disobedience to Gods gospel, will result in their eternal destruction (2Thessalonians 1:7-9). They must be warned of the coming judgment. Silence would be similar to watching a child crawl onto a busy roadway and do nothing to try to save it. There is no love in silence. The child of God will be held accountable for silence (Ezekiel 3:17-21; Ephesians 5:11-13).

It may be politically incorrect to speak out against homosexuality and a host of other sins. But it is spiritually and morally correct to do so. It is in the best interest of love to speak the truth (Ephesians 4:14-15). It may not be received as an act of love but then this too is not new. The Apostle Paul, after saying some very difficult things to the Galatians, asked: Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth? Gal 4:16

While exposing sin, Christians are to be kind, gentle and humble remembering that we have sin in our past, which God has forgiven (Romans 3:23; Titus 3:1-3). It is to be in our prayers that others would come to know the truth and that they would repent of their sins and turn away from them. Every moment of life is a gift of time from God to the sinner, in hopes that they will turn to God and be saved from judgment to come (1Timothy 2:1-4; 2 Peter 3:9; Acts 26:18; Acts 17:30-31).

"You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free" John 8:32

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For Christians the word of God should be the place where we look to for advice on all things pertaining unto life and godliness (II Peter 1:3). Unfortunately, many Christians are looking to bookstores for books on how to raise their children. The world is looking to programs like "Dr. Phil" for advice on these matters. When I begin seeing that "Christians" feel the need to look elsewhere for an issue God has already supplied us information with, I begin to wonder if some still believe in the all-sufficiency of the scriptures. God has placed a requirement upon the parent to raise their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). The scriptures fully equip us to every good work (II Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, as we will see, God has not required a parent to properly raise a child without equipping parents with a "how to" guide.

As a growing T.V. show and a popular author, Dr. Phil (Phillip C. McGraw) is making an impact on many American households. His shows often deal with matters relative to child raising, marriage, etc. On one specific show Dr. Phil addressed parenting and the act of spanking a child. Dr. Phil's website has the following comments posted about this one show:

"As Phil told Nickie and Brent, 'If it's working so well, why does your child continue to push you to the edge?' Spanking your kids may work to suppress his or her bad behavior temporarily, but it isn't a learning type of discipline. The message they get from being spanked is 'I'm a bad kid,' which doesn't help your child figure out what he or she did wrong - or how to keep from doing it again!"

http://www.drphil.com/show/show.jhtml?contentId=1012_disciplinedebate.xml

Dr. Phil has also listed the "cons to spanking" on his website which are:

http://www.drphil.com/advice/advice.jhtml?contentId=par_discipline_research.xml&section=Parenting&subsection=Discipline

Dr. Phil does not stand alone in his views of physically disciplining a child. His views and that of other "experts" in this field are forming the minds of Americans on how to raise a child. Many in the world in our current generation almost gasp for air at the idea of a parent posing painful physical consequences to a child for something that the child has done contrary to the will of the parents. Dr. Phil and many others have a case in abusive homes, but in godly homes wherein discipline is issued properly they have an opponent in God.

(Proverbs 13:24) "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." (Proverbs 19:18) "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." (Proverbs 22:15) "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." (Proverbs 23:13-14) "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." (Proverbs 29:15) "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame." The scriptures quoted above makes God's view on this matter abundantly clear. The rod mentioned in the majority of these passages, such as in Proverbs 22:15, is defined by Brown, Driver, and Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon to mean: "rod, staff, branch, offshoot, club, scepter, tribe." Clearly, in correcting a child God did not instruct a mere tap on the finger!

If I have faith in the word of God, of which I must have to please Him (Hebrews 11:6; cf. Romans 10:17), then I must believe that God has more wisdom in this area than man does. Notice a few scriptures: (Proverbs 14:12) "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." (Jeremiah 10:23) "O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." (I Corinthians 1:25) "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men." God's instruction in the matter of discipline towards our children is just as clear as any other lesson.

(Proverbs 22:6) "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." When I was growing up I spent the first fifteen years of my life with my mother. She did not practice any type of discipline and therefore never had the respect of myself or my brother when it came to her rules. Her way of dealing with us was "reward them when their good, and also reward them when their bad a little more so that they know you love them no matter what". Not living with my father for fifteen years, I then moved in with him. I remembered from younger years that dad would yank me up and "take me behind the wood shed". Thus, I respected my father and feared the consequences of disobeying him. He had a look, much like my children say that I have, and when he looked at me, I knew I was in for it. I just wish that I would have had that all of my life. However, for the 3 ½ years of discipline, I can be thankful as it had a great effect on my actions as a teenager and still does today.

God is a god of discipline. Throughout the Old Testament that is made abundantly clear (Deuteronomy 28:15ff.). God is also a god who loved mankind enough to send His only begotten Son to die for us (John 3:16, Romans 5:6-9, and I John 4:9). There has to be a balance in discipline. A parent must reward obedience if they will punish disobedience. That does not mean one gives a child a cookie every time they listen to the smallest of instructions, but it does mean that we need not be one-sided.

God promises that a child will not depart from the training a parent gives. We can have faith in that promise. Children are commanded by God to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1-2), and God has equipped us to help them do that. Teaching consequences in the home will prepare our child for making not only good choices in the flesh, but good spiritual decisions as well. Dr. Phil, other "experts", and anyone else who says "do not spank your child" are wrong. God has informed us, you have learned it, now become a parent who follows the Lord if you are not already!

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Dr. J. Wilbur Chapman told of a distinguished minister, Dr. Howard from Australia, who preached very strongly on the subject of sin. After the meeting, someone remarked "Dr. Howard, you shouldn't talk as openly as you do about man's guilt and corruption as it may offend someone. And if our boys and girls hear you discussing that subject, they will more easily become sinners. Call it a "mistake" if you will, an "error in judgment", but do not speak so plainly about SIN."

Dr. Howard took a small bottle down from a shelf and showing it to the visitor said, "You see that label? It says ‘STRYCHNINE’ -- and underneath in BOLD, red letters the word 'POISON.' Do you know, man, what you are asking me to do? You are suggesting that I CHANGE THE LABEL!! Suppose I do, and paste over it the words, 'Essence of Peppermint' don't you see what might happen? Someone would use it, not knowing the danger involved, and would certainly die. So it is, too, with this matter of sin. The MILDER you make your LABEL; the more DANGEROUS you make the POISON!" We dare not try to re-label SIN, lest we harm ourselves and others!

The Bible warns of the TRAGIC consequences of sin: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? DO NOT BE DECEIVED! Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; see also Galatians 5:19-21). OBSERVE THE WARNING LABEL: "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH" (Romans 6:23). The sad news is that "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Yet, because of Jesus, there is hope!

Observe the verses following those listed above. After stating that sin will cause one to forfeit his inheritance to heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), the Apostle Paul wrote: "And such WERE some of you. BUT you were washed, but you were sanctified [set apart], but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:11). Again in Romans 6:23, Paul’s stern WARNING is followed by words of hope: "For the wages of sin is DEATH, BUT the gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE in Christ Jesus our Lord." Indeed, "ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," 

BUT each can be "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24).

SIN is a serious problem; it is a matter of LIFE and DEATH (Romans 6:23; Revelation 21:8)! DON’T try to re-label it -- expose it! DON’T try to cover it up – confess it! DON’T try to ignore it – allow God to cleanse and forgive you!

God WILL forgive those who: place their trust in Him (Hebrews 11:6), repent of sin (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and be baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38). God will CONTINUE to forgive those who CONTINUE to walk in the light of His Word as a way of life (1 John 1:7).

Make NO mistake about it: SIN IS POISON! Will YOU not accept the Lord’s antidote today?

Via Living Water

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It is not often that I put personal appeals in this newsletter. I started this letter some 5 years ago, converting it from a local bulletin,  to proclaim the Gospel of Christ and I still believe that should be it’s purpose. However, as many of you may have also noticed, it is no longer published monthly, but rather bi-monthly. This is because of cost. I have accepted donations to help with the publication cost on occasion, but I do not now, nor will I ever charge for this publication. If that means that it must become four times a year or even twice a year, it will still remain free to anyone who wishes to receive it. Jesus said, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8).

Now to my appeal, I work with a very small congregation, in a very high cost of living area and also have some very high medical bills. One of the congregations that helps to support me had indicated that as of the 1^st of April they were going to cut my support from $600 per month to $400 per month so that they might help support more preachers. I had arranged for the replacement of that $200, but when the April check arrived, they in fact cut my support by $400. That leaves me $200 short of being able to pay my monthly expenses. If anyone knows of a congregation that might be willing and able to pick up this $200 per month, it would be greatly appreciated.

God has always taken care of our needs and I am confident He will continue to do so.

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