So-Called "Religious Leaders" and Abortion

So-Called “Religious Leaders” and Abortion

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Community leaders and social activists often have their roots in religious organizations and churches. Many have served as preachers in various churches, often calling themselves “reverend” or “pastor.” I have watched many of these men make the transition from preacher to politician. These men take the speaking and interpersonal skills that they acquired while working as “preachers” and apply those skills in the social and political realm. This is not wrong or sinful in itself, but the compromise that usually accompanies this transition is indeed sinful.

Of course, in order to be effective these “religious leaders” must keep their base of religious backers. They need these religious people for financial and logistical reasons. They need a lot of money (and religious people can be devoted contributors), and they need speaking venues (and huge church facilities are quite accommodative).

However, in order to be truly popular (“of the people”), these preachers must try to appeal also to non-Bible believers. The determination to be liked and accepted by all people leads inexorably to the compromise of certain biblical principles, particularly those relating to controversial issues like abortion, evolution and homosexuality. This has resulted in the development of a strange new breed of “reverends” who are pro-choice (pro-abortion), pro gay marriage, and very modernistic.

No “gospel” preacher accepts abortion, for from the gospel perspective, killing a baby that is in the womb is no different from killing a baby that is out of the womb. The Bible uses the same Greek word (“baby” – brephos) to describe the baby in the womb (Luke 1:41) that it does to describe the baby that was in the manger (Luke 2:12). King David described how God’s watchful eye observed his development while he was yet in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13-16). The Bible specifies Jeremiah and others as being considered by God while they were yet in their mother’s wombs (Jer. 1:5). These so-called “religious leaders” are fakes and frauds. They need to be challenged on their anti-God positions.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Election Year Religion (2)

Election Year Religion (2)

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As I mentioned last week, many politicians attempt to quote or interpret Bible passages in an effort to impress Bible believers. Interestingly, some politicians do this while supporting practices such as abortion (even partial-birth abortion) and gay marriage!
Needless to say, there is a movement under way in this country to abandon what is known as the Judeo-Christian ethic. This is a Bible-based ethic – a biblical worldview. This approach accepts biblical principles as its standard of ethics. Political liberals and modernists despise Bible-based ethics, for the Bible condemns many of the practices that these politicians and their constituents support. Barach Obama has been critical of the notion that America should exclusively adhere to a biblical ethic.

Mr. Obama said, “Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests that slavery is okay and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount, a passage that is so radical that it is doubtful that our own defense department would survive its application.” There are several problems with Barach Obama’s attempt at biblical exegesis:

1. As a U.S. citizen, Obama has the freedom to criticize the biblical worldview. However, when he perverts Scripture in his effort to make his point, he opens himself up to legitimate criticism. Those who wish to speak on subjects about which, God has spoken, are obligated to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). They may not twist God’s Scriptures with impunity!

2. Obama pits Bible passage against Bible passage, thus suggesting contradiction in the Bible. The Bible contains no contradictions (John 10:35). It is infallible, being divinely inspired in all of its parts (2 Timothy 3:16). The Law of Moses was fulfilled (fully filled) by Jesus Christ (Matthew 5:17, 18). We are “under law to Christ” (the New Testament, 1 Cor. 9:21).

3. Obama cites Old Testament cleanliness laws in an effort to dismiss Bible legitimacy. Some of his audience laughed when he spoke about eating “shellfish.” The cleanliness and ceremonial laws under the Old Testament were given under a theocracy. God gave these laws, and He had His reasons for every one of them! Of course, we are not under those laws today (Colossians 2:14, 15). More to come…

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Election Year Religion (1)

Election Year Religion (1)

Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In their effort to win the majority of election votes, politicians attempt to be all things to all people. This means that those who are not religious, or who are only slightly religious, make every effort to win the religious vote. Those who know little or nothing about the Bible attempt to quote and apply Bible passages in an effort to appease Bible believers. Of course, history records some very interesting and even funny mistakes that have been made by politicians who have tried to use the Bible to win votes. One politician said that his favorite Bible passage was John 16:3. Jesus had just told the disciples that the hour was coming when “whoever kills you will think that he is offering God a service.” Jesus then said in John 16:3: “And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.” The politician obviously meant to say that John 3:16 was his favorite passage, not John 16:3! However, I saw some irony in his mistake, for John 16:3 speaks of some people not knowing God. I suspect that this describes a great many modern politicians.

What is more dangerous is for agenda-driven, politically motivated politicians to attempt to use the Bible to advance their own political agenda. Very few politicians are qualified to accurately interpret and apply Bible passages. Politicians are about compromise. Conversely, faith, by its very nature, does not compromise. Faith comes by hearing the word of God (Romans 10:17), and whatever God’s word defines as sin, is sin. Whatever God defines as error, is error. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. Jesus taught that there is no compromise with sin (Matthew 10:34-39).

A video has recently emerged of a speech that was given by Barach Obama in 2006. In this speech Obama said, “Which passages of Scripture should guide our public policy? Should we go with Leviticus, which suggests that slavery is okay and that eating shellfish is an abomination? Or we could go with Deuteronomy, which suggests stoning your child if he strays from the faith? Or should we just stick to the Sermon on the Mount, a passage that is so radical that it is doubtful that our own defense department would survive its application.” This is another example of what happens when a politician attempts to use the Bible to advance his own worldview agenda. Scripture is denigrated and misapplied. We shall examine this more fully in next week’s article.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Which Church Should I Join

Which Church Should I Join?
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

Membership in the universal church is a simple matter. Acts 2:47 tells us that God adds all penitent, baptized believers to the body of the saved, which is the church; "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). Colossians 1:13 puts it a little differently, but the same thought is contained in that verse. It tells us that after "rescuing us from the power of darkness," God "transfers" us into the Kingdom of His beloved Son. Notice that this transferal is God's doing, and is predicated merely upon our obedient faith. Local church membership is somewhat different. It involves human agreement. People of like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1) enter an agreement with one another to work and worship together. One simple, approved, apostolic example will suffice in making this point.

Immediately following his conversion to Christ in Damascus, Paul "stayed with the disciples some days" (Acts 9:18-19). Upon hearing the news that the Jews were plotting to kill him, Paul left Damascus and moved to Jerusalem. What was the first thing Paul did upon his arrival? Acts 9:26 tells us that Paul "tried to join himself to the disciples." The word "join" or "unite" as some versions have it, means "to join firmly; to glue or cement together." Paul’s actions prove that local church fellowship is a responsibility. But which local church do I join? There are some Bible guidelines:

1. Look for a church that holds forth the New Testament as its exclusive guide of faith and practice. It should be obvious to all that fewer and fewer churches are placing their faith and confidence in the Bible as their exclusive standard for determining right from wrong, and truth from error. Even though Paul said to "beware of human philosophies" (Col. 2:8), yet these philosophies are steadily replacing divine precepts in many pulpits. The members of many churches are so drunk on the charm of their charismatic speakers that they fail to notice the absence of Scripture in the sermons.

We are commanded to preach the perfect, simple, understandable, instructive, God-breathed, and powerful word of God (2 Tim. 4:2; Jas. 1:25; 2 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 3:4; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; Rom. 1:16). We are to do this respecting the actual language of God. We are to "speak as the oracles of God"(1 Peter 4:11). Either the failure or refusal to "speak according to this word" means that the speaker "has no light in him" (Isaiah 8:20). This means that God will not favorably countenance those who disregard His holy word, substituting their own thoughts and musings for God’s wisdom. Christians must remember that their faith is built and based upon God's infallible word. Be sure and look for a church that demands book, chapter, and verse preaching, and will settle for nothing less! More to come…

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 4

The Deity of Christ (4)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

John’s gospel opens with the words, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God” (John 1:1). “Word” is capitalized for a very good reason – John tells us that the “Word” is a person of “God.” The “Word” is not the only person of God, for along with being God, this person of “the Word” is also “with God.” John 1:1 thus references two distinct persons of God. Interestingly, by factoring in Peter’s description of the Holy Spirit as God (Acts 5:3, 4), we see that the Bible identifies three distinct persons as “God.” Though the words “trinity” and “triune” are not found in the Scriptures, yet the concept of the triune God (God in three persons) is fully biblical. Three distinct persons share in the state or condition of being God. They occupy the God-class, or as the Bible calls it: Godhood or Godhead (Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9). That is, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are all persons of God. Each possesses the attributes and characteristics of deity. They have different roles and functions, but they are nonetheless God.

John’s gospel went on to describe a change that took place in the life of God the Son that allowed him to “dwell among” humans. We call this “incarnation,” or the embodiment of the spirit-person of Jesus Christ in human flesh. Still talking about this person of “the Word” – the Logos, John said, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The word “dwelt” is from a word that means to “tent” or “tabernacle,” suggesting that the Son of God clothed himself with a fleshly body when he came to the earth. Speaking of the redemptive mission of Christ, quoting from Psalm 40, the writer of Hebrews says, “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me.” The “me” of the passage is Jesus Christ. The “body” is the body of “flesh” that John mentioned in John 1:14. According to Matthew 1:18-23, the Holy Spirit worked a miracle upon the virgin Mary that resulted in the spirit-person of God the Son entering a fleshly state of existence. The self-existent and eternal spirit of Jesus took the place of the human spirit in the person of Christ. This resulted in the condition of “Immanuel, which means, ‘God with us’” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus is God.

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 3

The Deity of Christ (3)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

In last week’s article I pointed out that before he came in the flesh, Jesus was identified as God "the Word." And during his time in the flesh, he was also known as God "the Word." He was exactly the same person of "the Logos" during his days in the flesh that He was before the flesh (Jn. 1:1; 1 Jn. 1:1).

Other plain passages agree with this comparison. Colossians 2:9 says, "For in Him (the person of "Christ") dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." 1 Timothy 3:16 tells us that it was the person of "God" who was "manifest in the flesh." During his days in the flesh Jesus was given the additional name "Immanuel, which being translated is God with us" (Matt. 1:23). He is "God our Savior," and "God blessed forever" (Tit. 2:13; Rom. 9:5). He so perfectly and completely shared the attributes of the Father that he is identified as the "exact representation" of the Father's "image" (Heb. 1:3). While in the flesh, Jesus retained possession of every divine attribute. We know this because he was called "God." God cannot exist apart from His attributes. To see Jesus was to see the Father (Jn. 14:9; 12:45). While in the flesh, Jesus was so completely God that his actions were a constant "declaration" and exegesis of the Father (John 1:18).

“Alpha and Omega”

The book of Revelation often describes the divine character of Jesus, and it discusses many of his divine activities. The saints that are addressed in the book of Revelation were facing intense and relentless persecution from their government and others in society. Physical life was quite precarious and uncertain. These saints needed reassurance that the faith was worth the fight. John’s Revelation (a letter of letters) provided this comforting reassurance. One of the ways that this was done was to show Christians that their Savior-King possessed far more power and exerted far more control than any human king could even imagine. Their king was more than just a man: he was God!

Revelation 1:8 and 21:6 speak of God, the Father as being “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end…” These phrases emphasize the eternality of God. Interestingly, these same phrases are used of Christ (Revelation 1:17; 22:13). Things equal to the same thing are equal to each other. We must conclude that Jesus is God, and that his intrinsic nature is just as eternal as that of the Father. (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.

Deity of Christ 2

The Deity of Christ (2)
Tim Haile, for the Parkway church of Christ

As noted in last week’s article, Jesus preexisted Abraham (John 8:56-58). It should also be pointed out that though John the baptist was older than Jesus in his physical existence, he affirmed that Jesus existed “before” him (John 1:30). We are reminded of Micah’s prophecy of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem: “His goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).

Some people refuse to even consider the question of the nature of Christ, but Jesus invited thought on this question. He asked the Pharisees, “But what do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” When the Pharisees answered that He was “the son of David,” Jesus responded, “How then did David call Him Lord?” These Pharisees were unable to answer this question (Matthew 22:42-46). However, honest Bible students can confidently do what these biased, tradition-oriented Pharisees refused to do if we will consider the evidence. As with all Bible subjects we must limit our answer to what is authorized and demanded by God’s Holy word. We must speak as the oracles of God (1 Peter 4:11).

The writer of the book of Hebrews described Jesus as being “the same yesterday, today and forever” (Heb. 13:8). One is reminded of Malachi 3:6: “I am the Lord, I change not.” Jesus Christ was, is, and forever shall be, God. He possesses uninterrupted deity. He was the same person during His days in the flesh that he was before coming in the flesh, and he is presently that same person in heaven. This fact is demonstrated by John’s use of the term “logos” to describe Jesus at all of these phases of his existence.

1. John’s gospel describes Jesus as “the Word” who was with God “in the beginning” (John 1:1). This described Christ’s pre-incarnate state.

2. John’s first epistle says that John and others had “seen, looked upon, and touched the Word of life” (1 John 1:1). He later describes the “word of life” as being the person of Jesus. This described Christ’s incarnate state.

3. John’s Revelation describes Jesus as the conquering commander “whose name is the Word of God” (Revelation 19:13). This describes Christ’s post-incarnate state.

It is significant that the apostle John described Jesus as the person of “the Word” in all of these circumstances. It emphasizes the continuity of his nature from everlasting to everlasting. Truly, “From everlasting to everlasting, you are God” (Psalm 90:2). (More to come…)

View past articles at http://parkwayarticles.blogspot.com. Please join us for worship and Bible study at our building located at 125 Hilltopper Ave, Bowling Green, KY 42101. We meet each Sunday at 10:00AM and 6:00PM for worship, and Sundays at 9:00AM and Wednesdays at 7:00PM for Bible study. Our radio program is aired each Sunday morning at 8:00AM on the WKCT 930AM band. Phone: (270) 842-2049 – Email: timhaile@mac.com.