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Good Friday Gives Us Hope

“He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree,
that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
By His wounds you have been healed.”
~1 Peter 2:24

The death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the Christian faith. That life can arise miraculously from darkness and death brings great hope. As spring and “new life” emerge, God’s expression can be seen everywhere. This hope that Christians share is a hope far greater than the changing of seasons.

The Resurrection is the central event that distinguishes Christianity from all other faiths. Only God Himself, through His sacrifice on the cross, could redeem man from sin, fulfilling the requirements of the Law. Only God Himself could rise from the dead, returning to deliver to His followers the freedom He had paid to secure.

Outside of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, we know of no other hope for mankind.  That is exactly what German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer once said to Billy Graham: “Mr. Graham, outside of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I know of no other hope for mankind.” But as we know all too well, not all Americans share this belief.

The fall of Adam and Eve left this world a harsh place and gave birth to this world’s moral and fiscal poverty. The suffering caused by a pandemic like COVID-19 and was exacerbated by power-hungry political “leaders” reminds us that brokenness is everywhere. Indeed, Christ didn’t die on the cross for a world that didn’t need Him. He died for one that did and does need Him. Every one of us desperately needs a Savior.

That’s where the Resurrection of Christ brings the greatest hope. Our ultimate hope is not in public policy or in political leaders, though we must always strive to elect godly statesmen who don’t seek self-gain and pray for their time in office. Our hope is not in political solutions, though we must be good stewards of God’s amazing gift of self-government and advocate for biblical principles in the public square. Our hope is in the renewal that one day “the government will be upon His shoulders” as promised. Our future and our political freedoms are vitally important, yet we do well to remember that our ultimate (eternal) hope is in Jesus Christ and what He did on Good Friday and Easter morning. For that we should be truly thankful. And in hope, we look forward to the day when all things are made new.

“… the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid,
for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here, for He has risen…”
~Matthew 28




LEFTISM: A Study in Hate

Wise people use words carefully to ensure their real intention is understood. But these days many people throw the word “hate” around carelessly. One must wonder if they know what it means. Examine a dictionary and you will discover it associated with words like intense dislike, detest, and loath. In the Bible the word is sometimes used to refer to the results of foolish actions, such as stating that a parent who fails to discipline a child hates him, because an undisciplined child is at great risk. A spoiled child, who does not get something he wants from a parent, such as a toy, may complain that the parent “hates” him. Much like Leftists who claim that those who resist their immorality “hate” them! Like anarchists they demand the freedom to do whatever they wish.

I suppose my first encounter with an anarchist was in second or third grade. An older student would take our personalized pencils, (Christmas gifts from the teacher), cut our names off and claim them as his own. Or, if we left possessions unattended, he would break them. Needless to say, he would threaten us against reporting him. As I grew older, I witnessed the same behavior from troublemakers who harassed students who worked hard. They were of the same character as people I ran into years later who smashed mailboxes, or keyed nice cars, or became Leftist anarchists. In the “good-ole days” there were adults in the room who kept these troublemakers at bay.  Today, adults are conspicuously absent. Government, the primary purpose of which is to protect the good citizens of the state, is now siding with the anarchists against the law-abiding citizens.

As a child I could not understand these people’s delight in destroying things or callously hurting others without cause. As I studied God’s Word, however, I came to understand better the relationship between rebellion against God and anarchy. Such are the “scoffers” referred to in Proverbs 29:8:

“Scoffers set a city aflame, but wise men turn away wrath.”

It also notes that reasoning with such people is impossible as they have no interest in truth, Prov. 29:9,

“If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.”

And I also came to see that anarchists target anyone who seeks to do right. The animosity exhibited by failing junior high students toward good students is the same as that we have seen in recent times by Leftists smashing police cars and burning down businesses. In their pride they resist all authority. They hate God who is THE Authority, and they hate those who represent Him.

“The bloodthirsty hate the blameless. . . .”  Prov. 29:10

“He who is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked” Prov. 29:27b.

It is as Mark Twain noted, “Nothing is more irritating than a good example.” And we conservatives, especially Christians, as poorly as we represent Christ at times, are still VERY irritating to the Left.

It is important to counter the deceptive messaging of BLM, Antifa and the MSM. Yes, there are significant racial problems in America and yes there are individuals who harbor resentment against people of other races. However, Leftists use such issues cynically for their own political gain but have no desire to actually improve racial relations. Just as predators in the wild have many ways to disguise themselves, Leftists camouflage themselves as caring for the oppressed even as they plot the destruction of the country, which, by-the-way, would only exacerbate the situation of marginalized citizens. There has been nothing more detrimental to the young people of America’s inner cities than the Left’s attack on the nuclear family, the destruction of which has caused more deaths of teens and children than any other factor.  An intact family is a child’s best hope for health and success. Yet BLM publicly states its desire to eliminate the traditional family altogether! In what universe is that loving?

Two things are abundantly clear about anarchists: they hate what is morally right and those who represent it. Second, they understand that the object of their hatred is truly good and right. They are not confused about where the lines are. We are not dealing with good hearted but confused people. They understand that right is right, and wrong is wrong, and they hate what is right and love what is wrong. They demonstrate that they know the difference every time they accuse conservatives of the very things they themselves do. They declare that there is no “Truth,” and lie without any evidence of conscience, and yet cry “liar” at those who oppose them because they know that lying is wrong and that there is, in fact, Truth. Accusing someone of lying would be pointless if lying were not immoral.  In their foolishness they think the public is blind to their lying but will turn against those they accuse of lying. Their hypocrisy manifests in a host of ways.  If you examine their conduct, virtually every evil they accuse others of doing they practice themselves.

Case in point: if you disagree with them at all they immediately slur you as a hater. They know a lot about hate, for they are the worst of haters.  It characterizes everything they do, as their ideology is so destructive, but they are seldom called out for it.

One of the leaders of the group who violently took over several blocks of Seattle in 2020 published a note to followers after leaving the area calling them “comrades.”  Besides thus categorizing them as Leftists and Marxists, it notably did not refer to them as friends. Marxists and Leftists do not really have friends, for to have friends one must be willing to love and do what friends do. However, study the history of Marxism and you will find that loyalty is not a Leftist or Marxist value. Among other things, they are noted for bloody purges and those purges generally included “comrades.” So very friendly of them!  An irony discovered in the third chapter of Daniel corroborates the world’s willingness to destroy their own. King Nebuchadnezzar had three Israelite men thrown into a furnace because they refused to bow before his idol.  However, it was not the Jews who died in the fire at Nebuchadnezzar’s command, but his own soldiers. Which brings us back to God.

Marxism is atheistic. Rejection of God is foundational to the theory. But, where there is no God, there can be no love, for “God is love.” And without love there can be no true friendship. George Eliot noted that “friendship is that inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person having to neither weigh thoughts nor measure words.”

With a true friend you can say whatever you like without fear. In simple terms, a friend is someone who cares so much for you that it is virtually impossible to sever that relationship. He or she naturally gives you the benefit of the doubt, trusts you and lets nothing separate you. It is a founding principle of this Republic, is enshrined in our Constitution and is ultimately sourced in God and the Bible. “Innocent until proven guilty” is the legal manifestation of this principle, and it is how you naturally treat your friends. It is the heartbeat of a mother who needs overwhelming evidence of wrongdoing before admitting to one of her children’s errors. This accurate definition of true friendship exposes the vileness of the Left.  For despite their protestation of caring for others, they care for no one but themselves.

Jimmy Kimmel is merely one of many celebrities to have discovered that although he has gone out of his way for years to show he is a Leftist, supported Leftist causes, and hates all who are on the Right, it meant nothing when they discovered he had unwittingly stepped over the line a few years ago. Regardless of all he has done and his solidarity with their cause they instantly threw him under the bus for his sins. They were never his friends. They are not good people.

Karlyn Borysenko, a Democrat who attended a Trump rally and others like her, have discovered how hateful the “Loving Left” really is and how in a moment comradery turns to hate. Former Leftists have also commented on how they lived in constant fear of being “found out” for disagreeing with some point of Leftist dogma. It is clear that there is no love among Leftists, for as the Bible says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” I wonder if Jeff Bezos still drinks the Kool-Aid now that Robespierre has shown up at his door? (Go online to read about the guillotine set up at his house by Leftists!).

The “Cancel Culture” of BLM, Antifa and other Leftists is more ominous than many would have us believe. The idea that destroying those who disagree with you is acceptable is the rationale that has led to most every war in human history. Leftist tactics portend a totalitarian state under which all disagreement is squelched.  Today, a few radicals terrorize the majority into either compliance with their agenda or silence. While these Leftists, I expect, would declare that they wish no one dead, what else can one deduce from their efforts to destroy their opponents’ ability to provide for themselves by getting them fired? Such oppression is eerily reminiscent of the Anti-Christ of the Bible who will require everyone to accept his ”mark” in-order-to buy or sell. At this point Leftists’ power is focused primarily on shaming truth tellers into silence but imagine what suffering they will create if they gain the political power necessary to bring criminal penalties against their opponents!

Such is the nature of the Left.  With friends like that. . . . Well, you know the rest!

So much for the compassionate, caring Socialists. Do not be fooled. Despite their protestations, neither they nor their cause are good.

Good people, upon hearing something unsettling about a friend, before rendering a judgment will seek clarification, hoping that it was a mistake or a misunderstanding.  People with good hearts, if you have transgressed in some way against them, upon your confession and request for forgiveness will happily grant it. That is what GOOD people do. They also understand that good people can disagree about just about anything and still be good people and even be friends.

It is decidedly not the way of BLM, Antifa, or leaders of the political Left. Violate one of their norms and you are done. No investigation. No calls with regrets. No explanations. You are just unceremoniously cut off. They are finished with you forever. Whether you violated a long-held tenet of Leftism or one just discovered five minutes ago, or, they discover you participated in some conduct which was “normal” thirty years ago, but recently has been determined to be offensive to the wrong group.  Too bad. You’re evil!

This is no incidental oversight on their part. They are not merely caught in the “emotions of the moment.” It is at the core of who they are and what they seek to accomplish. Ask what their objective is, and you will not receive an explanation as to how Americans will get along better under their plan, or the process by which more Americans will be able to participate in the Nation’s opportunities. No, what you will hear is simply “Destroy it all!”  They cannot and will not tell you what they will replace “it” with because they are not builders. They are destroyers, just like the punk who slashes tires, breaks other’s toys, or smashes mailboxes.

It also goes without saying that good people do not hijack worthy causes for bad ends. Returning to an earlier point: of course, EVERY BLACK LIFE MATTERS! They especially matter to God before whom we will all give an account someday. The issue of racism and all that goes with it is worthy of serious consideration and action.

Evangelist Billy Graham noted that the racial divide was one of the most egregious problems Americans face. But BLM and Leftists care nothing about the minorities they so publicly profess to champion and are not improving racial relations. Leftists and Left leaning Democrats have run most major U.S. cities for decades yet the slaughter of young minorities in those inner cities continues unabated. Over a hundred people were shot and several children were murdered in Chicago in just one weekend last year yet not one of these Leftists said a word or lifted a finger to do anything that would bring real change.

But why would they? They truly do not care.  Their objective is power, not peace.

And so, as we consider “hate,” we see that it is the Leftists who truly practice it, either directly through physical confrontation and injury, or by limiting their opponents’ ability to make a living, yet at the same time complaining like children that those who will not give them what they want “hate them,”

If you find yourself sympathizing with those experiencing difficulty in America, especially children, understand that the most visible and vocal ones pontificating on these issues are not the ones who are actually bringing relief. Tragically, most of the faces highlighted by the MSM are divisive and self-serving. Regardless of what they say, and how the Media portray them, BLM, Antifa and the others like them are not helping and you don’t want to affiliate with them. Look rather to the multitude of good people who are daily, away from the cameras, changing lives for good.

If you want to make a difference, support them!





It’s the Courts, Stupid

When Bill Clinton was running for president in 1992, his campaign strategist James Carville gave him the formula for success: Focus on the economy. In Carville’s famous words, “It’s the economy, stupid.”

Today, President Donald Trump could easily campaign with a similar mantra, since many Americans are pleased with the economic uptick under his leadership.

But, in terms of a lasting legacy, in terms of societal impact, the real mantra should be, “It’s the courts, stupid.” You can be assured that Trump and his Republican colleagues have a good grasp on this already.

And now, with a strengthened majority in the U.S. Senate, the sky is the limit with the good they can do.

As noted (with great concern) by Jennifer Bendery in the Huffington Post, “With a newly strengthened Senate majority, Mitch McConnell can plow ahead with reshaping the nation’s courts.”

Yes, “McConnell has said all along that judicial confirmations are his No. 1 priority as Senate leader. That won’t change going forward.”

And this, in fact, is a major reason many of us voted for Donald Trump: U.S. Supreme Court appointees and, more broadly, federal court appointees at all levels. Transforming the courts was our No. 1 concern.

How much has been done already?

Bendery writes, “To date, the Republican leader has confirmed two U.S. Supreme Court justices, 29 circuit judges and 53 district judges. He’s confirmed so many circuit judgesmany of whom are strongly anti-abortion, anti-LGBTQ rights and anti-voting rights, and nearly all of whom are ideologues handpicked by the conservative Federalist Society, that 1 in 7 seats on the U.S. circuit courts are now filled by judges nominated by Trump.”

Some might say, “But this is not healthy. The courts will now become distinctly conservative. They’re supposed to be neutral and impartial.”

To the contrary, the goal is to get the courts back to where they’re supposed to be, namely, rightly interpreting our Constitution rather than creating new laws. Yet for decades, many of the courts have swung dangerously left, leading to rampant (and dangerous) judicial activism.

Judicial activism, in turn, has become a direct threat to our freedoms. (For Mark Levin’s now classic exposé, see here.)

A lengthy, 2013 article published by the Heritage Foundation gave three glaring examples of judicial activism whereby the courts were guilty of “Contorting the Text” (meaning the First Amendment), “Playing Legislator,” and “Abusing Precedent.” (For the liberal argument that it is conservatives who are the judicial activists, see here. For an effective rebuttal to this position, see here.)

Since 2013, we have seen the courts redefine the very nature of marriage (in 1,000 lifetimes, the Founders would have never envisioned this) as well as rule against fundamental freedoms of conscience and speech. And it was judicial activism that made abortion legal in 1973.

Sixty-million slaughtered babies later – far more than the population of Canada (about 38 million), even more than the population of England (about 55 million), and roughly equal to the population of Italy – our nation is still reeling from this unjust and unconstitutional ruling.

It’s about time we had a reformation in our courts.

More recently, what if the U.S. Supreme Court had ultimately ruled against Hobby Lobby? Against the Little Sisters of the Poor? Against Jack Phillips?

Back in 1962, without any legal precedent, the U.S. Supreme Court removed organized public prayer from our schools.

Fifty years later, on June 16, 2012, the Saturday Evening Post ran this story: “Atheists v. Evangelists: The School Prayer Decision of 1962.”

“50 years ago, school prayer was declared unconstitutional, causing Billy Graham to wonder if we were becoming a spiritually-bankrupt nation.”

The article begins with these simple but striking lines: “How much has America changed in the past 50 years? Imagine kids in American public schools now starting each day with a prayer.” (For my answer to the question of how much America has changed since the early 1960s, see here.)

Earlier in the year, Graham had warned Post readers that “if the Court decrees negatively, another victory will be gained by those forces which conspire to remove faith in God from the public conscience.

“American democracy rests on the belief in the reality of God and His respect for the individual. Ours is a freedom under law. But it is also a freedom that will evaporate if the religious foundations upon which it has been built are taken away.”

Of course, he was right, although he had no idea of just how radically the society would be transformed in the decades that followed.

As for prayer in the schools, from the founding of our nation until 1962, it never occurred to the courts that this was a violation of separation of church and state. It was judicial activism that made this landmark decision.

And even though the prayer itself was quite generic and any student could opt out of praying, it was the symbolism that mattered. Prayer no longer belonged in our schools.

All of which leads us back to where we started: It’s the courts, stupid.

Thank God President Trump is keeping his promise to nominate conservative justices – meaning, Constitutionalists – to the courts. Keeping this up for two more years (or, better still, 6 more years) could well be his greatest legacy, not to mention the greatest legal bulwark against the loss of our fundamental freedoms.

As for those who protest, “Trump and the Republicans have no right to do this!”, to the contrary, the American people elected them to office.

They are doing what we the people have empowered them to do.


This article was originally published at AskDrBrown.com.




Andrew Marin at Park Community Church

Andrew Marin, the controversial founder and president of the Marin Foundation, is speaking next week at Park Community Church in Chicago. This is surprising in that from its website Park Community appears to be a theologically orthodox church.

Marin promotes himself as a bridge-builder between the Christian community and the homosexual community and has written a book on the subject titled Love is an Orientation. It is not Marin’s desire to reach the unsaved that is troubling. We should all seek to bring the good news of Christ’s redemptive work to those who identify as homosexual. Rather, it is his approach and his theology that generate controversy and trouble many Christians.

One of the serious problems with Marin is that when asked directly about his biblical beliefs regarding homosexuality, he is troublingly evasive. In addition, his book has received a devastating critique from Dr. Robert A. Gagnon, Associate Professor of New Testament at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics

If Park Community Church is a theologically orthodox church rather than a church that embraces “emergent” theology, they will likely be troubled by both Marin’s theology and obfuscation. Many Christians, including orthodox theologians, have serious concerns about Marin’s theology on a number of issues, most particularly homosexuality. Dr. Gagnon, arguably the preeminent biblical scholar on this topic, has written a two-part critique of Marin’s poor exegesis and his heretical theological positions, which every church that is considering working with Marin should read thoroughly:

http://robgagnon.net/articles/homosexmarinloveisorientation.pdf

http://robgagnon.net/articles/homosexmarinsreaction.pdf

Several years ago, it appeared that Marin was either trying to conceal his orthodox positions from his friends who identify as homosexual or that he was trying to conceal his unorthodox theological views from those who hold orthodox biblical views. Increasingly it appears that he is moving toward open heresy in line with “emergent” thinkers like Brian McClaren

My intent is not to indict Marin personally but rather to warn theologically orthodox church leaders about his deceitful, dangerous, and heretical beliefs. Marin’s purported desire to build bridges relies on rejecting inconvenient Scripture and obfuscating such rejection when talking to orthodox Christians. 

There is only one true theology regarding homosexuality. Orthodox theologians throughout the history of the church and today hold one singular view on what Scripture teaches on homosexuality. It wasn’t until the late 20th Century that any theologians could be found who reject the historical interpretation of Scripture on this issue. 

Many Christians share a concern that false prophets are coming into our churches in sheep’s clothing. Christian leaders should substitute any other serious sexual sin for homosexuality and consider whether Mr. Marin’s theology and approach are biblically justified. We all come to Christ as sinners in need of God’s grace and mercy, but the church has no business affirming or even appearing to affirm believers in their embrace of sin as central to their identies. And no Christian has the right when directly asked what the Bible teaches about homosexuality to answer ambiguously or equivocally. 

Some chastise critics of Marin’s work, like Dr. Gagnon, spuriously claiming that criticizing Marin’s work is tantamount to unbiblical judging. They and Marin himself claim that such criticism hurts Marin’s feelings. In so claiming, they seem to be doing what the secular culture does, which is conflate two distinct meanings of judgment. Dr. Gagnon has critiqued Marin’s exegesis, which is not only legitimate but essential. Mr. Marin has written a book and promotes his ideas all over the country on radio programs and in churches. The church must judge, that is to say, evaluate, the soundness and truth of his propositions. Marin’s feelings are far less important than biblical truth. 

No one likes to be confronted with his or her error, but imagine if this strange definition of judgment were to be applied consistently. How would Christians be alerted to the false prophets or heresies in the church? Should Christian scholars be prohibited from critiquing the work of, for example, John Shelby Spong because doing so would constitute unbiblical judgment and hurt his feelings? Although Marin may find criticism of the ideas he publicly promotes to be unpleasant, such criticism cannot reasonably be called unloving. Determining what constitutes a loving act depends on first knowing what is true.

Marin should publicly answer these questions:

  • Is homosexual practice a sin?
  • Can followers of Christ embrace and affirm a homosexual identity and be involved in homosexual relationships?
  • At what point after a self-identifying homosexual becomes a Christian should his or her church practice biblical church discipline regarding his or her homosexual practice?

A writer for the Moody Church Venue blog wrote this following Marin’s 2010 visit: “[Andy] said, ‘We have to earn the right to communicate the truth first.’” 

What other sins do Christians have to “earn the right” to identify as sins? Do we have to “earn the right” to identify porn use, adultery, fornication, incest, drunkenness, or gossip as sins?  And how do we earn the right to communicate biblical truth? 

Marin is fond of citing this quote from Billy Graham: “It is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and it’s my job to love.” It is, indeed, the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, but it is the job of Christians, particularly Christian leaders, to teach what God’s Word says in its entirety, which includes teaching about what constitutes sinful behavior. Articulating what the Bible teaches about homosexuality no more constitutes unscriptural judging than does articulating what the Bible teaches about idolatry, blasphemy, or adultery. And sharing what God’s Word says about morality is a loving act. 

When Marin spoke at the Venue, he referred to the fight for civil rights for blacks. I wonder, did Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. believe that Christians have to “earn the right” to communicate the truth about the sinfulness of racism? Did he ever say that before Christians condemn racism, racists must be converted? Why should the serious sin of homosexuality be treated so differently than other sins? 

Everyone should be welcome in our churches, but welcoming sinners—which all of us are—must never involve affirming sin. God loves us despite our sins, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, God mercifully grants believers freedom from bondage to sin. It is the task of the church to teach the entirety of Scripture, and it is the privilege and duty of Christians to come alongside one another as we daily strive to deny ourselves as we live for Christ.

“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it’” (Mark 8: 34-35).

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.  For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace” (Rom. 6:12-14).

“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal. 5:24).

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (II Cor. 5:17).

For more on Marin, watch these two short videos: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOQQPC_SsEs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2L-B1mHIeI