Violence Escalates in Colombia

Christians are to seek the welfare of the cities and countries in which they live. Sometimes this is not easy, especially when the goals and values of those countries or cities are opposed to a Christian worldview. It may also be difficult when the country itself is split between warring factions. Right now the Colombian  government is carrying on negotiations with a leftist guerrilla force that has long opposed the national government. This force is responsible for the deaths of 19 military members over the weekend, as CNN reports.

This guerrilla force is usually hidden in the Amazon rainforest, and occasionally has conflicts with civilians and natives in that region. Please pray for peace and Colombia, and the advancement of the Gospel in regions controlled by this guerrilla force. Pray also that the guerrillas themselves would embrace a different cause and be converted by the gospel.

Until all fighting ceases…

Is "Illegal Immigrant" Offensive

Is the term “illegal immigrant” offensive? That may just depend on who you ask. Two columns appeared on CNN within the last couple of days, one by Charles Garcia and another by Ruben Navarrette. The first believes “illegal immigrant” is not only a misnomer, but also biased and racially offensive. Navarrette, on the other hand, says the term reflects the reality of the situation, a sad reality that some find hard to accept.

I’m glad that CNN is showcasing these two articles because it includes others in the dialogue and shows that even those who want to see a pathway towards a legal status can disagree. I believe that each man has some good points to bring out, and those who lean more towards Navarrette’s perspective on the term “illegal immigrant,” if not his views about resolving the issue, should stop and read what Garcia has to say because what he has to say about people is often true.

I’ve heard many people compare illegal immigration to murder, as though both actions should be swiftly and harshly punished, lumping in young teenagers, poor families struggling to get by, drug dealers, and child molesters all in one basket. This is both unfair and unrealistic. Crossing the border illegally (or more commonly, overstaying a visa), is not the same as killing another human being or violating a child’s innocence.

Although there may be some illegal activities that are similar in nature to illegal immigration, capital offenses are not. Comparing illegal immigration, which is a civil offense, to murder, a criminal offense, is hyperbolic and dehumanizes people created in the image of God.

Thus, Garcia has some important things to point out, but saying someone is an “undocumented immigrant” instead of an “illegal immigrant” isn’t going to fix the harsh rhetoric and uncompassionate attitudes out there. If anything, it will stoke the fires of those who believe any path to a legal status is a descent into lawlessness.

Navarrette, who supports the DREAM Act and advocates for a solution to the illegal immigration problem that results in the granting of a legal status, believes “illegal” is an accurate description of what has been done (though, he points out, it is not a noun). Those who didn’t go through the right channels in order to live and work in this country have “engaged in unlawful activity.”

He goes on to say,

With the exception of DREAM Act kids involuntarily brought here by their parents, these people did something wrong. Illegal immigrants either overstayed a visa or crossed a border without authorization. That was wrong. Then many of them doubled down on the misdeed by using fake documents to procure employment or not paying income taxes on money earned, even though the federal government has set up an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number that allows illegal immigrants to pay taxes.

That may sound pretty harsh, but the sad truth is no non-citizen has a right to live and work in the U.S. penalty free. To deny the illegality of the action would be to embrace lawlessness. But let’s not use terms like “illegal immigrant” to cast our aspersions on others. We must encourage everyone to be subject to our governing authorities. Lawlessness cannot be condoned, but we shouldn’t confuse the advocacy of a different penalty (like a fine and probationary status) as lawlessness.

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

(Rom. 13:1-7, ESV)

Shipwrecks, Italian or Not

I've been thinking about shipwrecks lately.

This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Tim 1:18-20)

Can You Really Keep Your Religion Out of It?

I recently got a year’s subscription to Time Magazine with my expiring airline miles. I listen regularly to Albert Mohler’s The Briefing program and noticed he comments a lot on articles in Time, and I thought it appropriate to make a comment about current events once in a while too.

I read an article by Lisa Randall, a professor at Harvard University. She’s a little concerned about politicians (read: republicans) “invoking God and religion [more] than… presenting facts or numbers.” She cites examples of Rick Perry defending teaching creationism in school and praying for the end of a drought (rather than worrying about man-made climate change). These examples, she says, “[are] not so much a clash between religion and science as a fundamental disregard for rational and scientific thinking.”

I can certainly grant that Ms. Randall is right to point out that disregarding science and rational thought would a major mistake for anyone, politician or not. But her examples betray her bias. It seems that what Randall is most concerned about is not the disregard of science (can you really envision any politician—democrat or republican—who disbelieves the value of the scientific method or rational thought processes?). She’s more concerned about the influence of religion and religious views in politicians’ policy decisions and public life. Religion apparently is neither rational nor scientific to her.

I don’t intend to comment on the religious beliefs of Rick Perry or other politicians. The principle is what's important. Christians cannot really divorce faith from life. The gospel is so life-changing that one cannot withdraw those beliefs from public life without denying the faith. The Bible reveals things to us about the earth’s and our origins. It teaches us to rely on God (while obeying Him and living justly). If God really exists and He really does listen to our prayers, going to Him first during times of trial is not disregarding science. It's rational.

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Lisa Randall, “How Science Can Lead the Way: What we lose when we put faith over logic.” TIME Magazine, October 3, 2011.

Book Review: Culture Shift by Albert Mohler

Please consider ranking my review here.

Culture Shift by Albert Mohler has already been around the block once. This revised and expanded version drops one chapter on torture and gains about six more on Islam, the New Atheism, the digital family, and more. Mohler is one of the leading cultural commentators from the conservative Christian perspective, and his previous radio program (now a daily briefing) along with his blog articles are worth perusing multiple times a week.


The man is a gifted communicator and does for blog posts what John Piper does for Twitter. He is concise but very pointed and profound in what he discuss. Most chapters in the book are based on previous blog posts he's written, usually having to do with articles he's read in the New York Times and other places that reflect American culture and some dangerous trends in various pockets of belief and thought.


I appreciate what Mohler does. Yet I can't help but thinking that you can get the same content in the book on his website for free. He has other books too, but most of them also come from his online articles. However, Culture Shift would be a good gift for someone you know who is not in Mohler's intended audience, someone who hasn't considered the moral and ethical issues tied to the role of Christians in society and politics, abortion, reproductive options, marriage, etc. Those people are not as likely to peruse Mohler's website, but they might, just might, read his book.

To buy the book on Amazon.com, click here.
To view a pdf sample chapter, click here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers as part of the blogger review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Cultural Cues: Plainsclothes Officers

It seems that the Citizen Reporter section of the Colombian newspaper I read online has little to talk about besides crime. But that’s okay. Living overseas can be scary sometimes, and it is always a good idea to keep up on what people are doing so as to be prepared for anything.

A lot of times I hear people talk about the corruption of police in Mexico, and that is for sure. The last time I was there one of our vehicles was stopped and forced to hand over a good sum of money to the police. This case has little to do with corrupt police officers and more to do with clever criminals.

Be careful out there and remember to pray for Colombia.

“They Duped my Mother—an Elderly Lady”

The robbers posed as 'plainsclothes police' to take her wedding ring.

We have lived for many years in Chapinero, but it wasn't until July 27 that we had a clear dimension of the uncertainty that drowns us in Bogota.

I do not know what to call the guys who duped my mother—an elderly lady—to take her wedding ring on 13th Street and 57th Street at 11 am.

First, a man approached her, asking her for directions she said she did not know; then a guy approached her, a so-called 'civil police officer', to say that because of the Under-20 FIFA [World Cup] they worked in plainclothes, to 'protect citizens'.

The man asked my mom if she had the bill for the ring, and of course she said no because it has been her wedding ring for 50 years.

The guy instructed her to take it off and gave her a pen to write down people who knew her.

The pen she had a substance that stunned her, fortunately not much. Then they left telling her that they would return soon to corroborate the information.

The matter is [made worse because] the system of impersonating plainclothes officers was lived out by my son also.

One day he left class when he realized he was being followed; the guy asked to see his backpack because he said he had drugs.

My son did not believe him and went his way, but the man insisted saying he was a civil police officer, and if he did not obey him he was going to requisition him to the CAI [Immediate Attention Command] on 60th Street and 7th Street.

He said, without fear, that he'd go there to comply with the requisition, but the guy disappeared.

Police Recommendations

Colonel Javier Perdomo, commander of the Chapinero Police said that plainclothes officers do not make such demands.

"When this case demand that the procedure be fulfilled in the nearest CAI or in the presence of a patrol," he said.

CITIZEN REPORTER

When Your Mother is Literally the Enemy

Speaking of Colombia... I came across another story in the Colombian online newspaper that I just had to share. Some friends of mine commented that most news is bad news, as in "uninspiring." This story, however, sounds like something you'd see in a movie. I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes one. This story really hits home because I see in it a dim reflection of the love of God for mankind, the price that is paid for redemption, and the truth that we can be rescued from the greatest depths of sin. Please count this as a reminder to pray for Colombia. I've translated the story and reprinted it below for your reading pleasure.

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Soldier Infiltrated the FARC to Free His Guerrilla Mother
For several months he was in the ranks of the enemy to convince her to demobilize.

Alias ​​'Carmenza' joined the FARC guerrillas at the age of 14 years. Her son was born in 1987 in the jungle and being bound by this subversive group to abandon him, she decided to hand him over to a family close to her husband. From that moment she lost contact with him.

Her son, with whom 'La W Radio' discussed and identified as 'Alexander', grew up in a family atmosphere. When he turned 18 years old he enlisted for military service and decided to stay in the Army to do intelligence work at that institution. Although his parents did not deny his origins, throughout his life several questions arose about his mother, including knowing what she did, how she was and where she was.

"The first time I heard from her was through a letter in which she told me what she was what she did. I also told her what I did. I tried to make her understand that this situation did not benefit her. I tried to convince her to demobilize," the soldier said on 'W'.

After knowing the whereabouts of his mother, he told the situation to his commander, and with the means that the Army gave him, he managed to locate the camp of the 34th Front where she was. The young soldier infiltrated the guerrillas with the help of 'Carmenza', who introduced him as her son.

"It was very troubling that he was there, because I was really scared that they might realize it. I was very hesitant about how to get out of there; I could not find the exit. The love for my son and the way that showed me he was the sign that I needed. I am very grateful to him," said 'Carmenza'.

The young man was in the camp for two months while he waited for the opportune moment to escape with his mother. "We had several setbacks because being a new person in the group, all eyes are on you," said the soldier.

In January, in collaboration with the Armed Forces, the youth and his mother were able to separate from the guerrilla group.

Today they are a united family. "Right now I'm seeing things through a different colored lens. When I got to the FARC I was convinced I was going to help a revolutionary process, but I realize they are diverted from their ideological principles, now I'm happy to have recovered my family," says the demobilized woman.

Mexico Addresses Human Trafficking

Our country's awareness of human trafficking is growing thanks to the efforts of numerous people in organizations dedicated to improving the lives of the poor and oppressed. Thankfully it's not just our news outlets that are picking up on these stories.

Yesterday Mexico's President signed off on changes to the constitution that would better prosecute those responsible for the trafficking of persons and would better protect the victims of this crime.

CNN reports:

Earlier this year a report from Mexico City's human rights commission estimated that 10,000 women were victims of human trafficking in Mexico's capital, but there were only 40 investigations of the crime and three convictions in the city in 2010.

It's about time something was done! Pray for the victims of human trafficking and the perpetrators. The story of Joseph tells us that God can redeem both from this horrible practice that makes animals out of all who are involved.

A Lesson About Carjacking

Every once in a while when I find an interesting article in a Colombian newspaper I like to share it with people who either don't know much about the culture or who would take a particular interest in the information presented. The previous post dealt with people peeing in public.

This letter to the editor is a little more serious and highlights an aspect of living in poverty-stricken areas we probably don't consider or think about. If you are planning on going out of the country to a poorer area of the world, you should always think about keeping yourself safe.

Please pray for Colombia's economic well-being, but also for those who lack riches toward God, that many would come to know Him and the glorious riches of His grace.

MAN TELLS OF BEING ROBBED IN HIS CAR FOR NOT SECURING [LOCKING] IT

On Thursday June 23 I left home in my truck. It was about 6:30 p.m. and I went down one of the streets below [Highway] 15; I stopped at 90th Street and looked westward a moment to see if I could go.

Suddenly a man opened the car door, got in and intimidated me with a knife he carried in his hand.

He forced me to drive to the Bahía Mall. There he waited for his buddy who helped him while they made me get out of the car to take me to an alley behind the mall.

They looked over all my cards and took my cell phone, iPod and debit card.

One of the robbers went to the ATM while the other stayed with me to ensure that the PIN I had given them was correct.

As we talked I asked if he had children. The man replied yes but that his problem was that he could not find work, that he had sent out many resumes and nothing had come of it.

Then they took the important things I had in my car—even a briefcase.

Someone called one of the criminals’ cell phone to ask him, apparently, what they could bring him. After the guy who answered the phone did a kind of inventory, he told his partner that my clothes were a low quality[1] brand and not worth it.

After almost two hours had passed, the robbers told me they left the car keys on the seat, they did not steal [the car].

The truth is I consider myself lucky because they did not hurt me, and they left me the most important papers.

However, I have a recommendation for those who are reading this right now: secure [lock] the car as soon as you get in it, before you even start the engine, so what happened to me does not happen to you.

CITIZEN REPORTER

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[1] Literally “Bird brand.”

Persecution in Pakistan

From the News—On Wednesday, March 02, 2011, in Pakistan, the lone Christian on the Pakistani Cabinet was murdered outside his home. Armed men littered Shahbaz Bhatti’s vehicle with bullets as he left for work in the morning. Shortly thereafter the Taliban claimed responsibility for the killing.

Bhatti served on the Cabinet as the Minister of Minority Affairs and was outspoken in his opposition to the blasphemy laws of Pakistan that are frequently used to persecute religious minorities, usually Christians.

Typically those accused of blaspheming the Quran or Mohammed don’t live to see trial, as thugs take matters into their own hands by killing them in transit to the courthouse or at their homes if they post bail. Those who’ve been fortunate to live long enough to receive a pardon or see the charges dropped are still in danger and have to flee the country or face almost certain death at the hands of “vigilantes.”

Pakistan has come under intense international pressure to takes its blasphemy laws off the books, but the nation has yet to make any changes. Those who push for change, like Bhatti, often receive death threats which are then carried out.

We must remember to pray for our brothers and sisters living in Pakistan and other nations where they are persecuted for their faith. Tertullian said that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church, meaning that the gospel goes forth at the cost of believers’ lives. While we pray for peace and safety, our ultimate concern must be the advancement of the gospel

We must also remember to pray for the people of Pakistan and other nations. In addition to the numerous instances in Scripture where we are called to pray for our enemies, we are reminded that it is out of the mass of ungodly that God calls His people. When Paul was suffering persecution and wondered what was going to happen to Him, he had a special encounter with God where he was told, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people,” (Acts 18:9-10, ESV).

Fleeing or Enduring Persecution? (part 3)

This is part two of a three part blog posting on the believer's response to persecution. Read parts one and two.

What the Bible Says
As helpful as Christians from the first few centuries of the church can be, we must ultimately derive our beliefs from the same book they had access to: God’s Word.

Although biblical narratives can present the facts without weighing in on whether the actions of the people described were right or not, the Book of Acts details some narratives we should take into consideration.

For one, when Saul had converted in Damascus and began preaching boldly, his opposition planned to kill him. When Saul’s disciples discovered this, they “took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a basket” (Acts 9:25).

Saul was still new to the faith, as were his disciples, so it is possible they were wrong to flee persecution. But there are more examples to consider.

A few verses later we find Saul in Jerusalem. He argues with the Hellenists, who may have been part of the same synagogue that he was and that killed Stephen. They in turn plot to kill Saul. The passage then reads, “And when the brothers learned this, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him off to Tarsus” (Acts 9:30).
The possibility of the believers being wrong in this action is very slim. First, there is no dissention mentioned. The believers are described as unified in sending Saul off, and both Barnabas and the apostles are mentioned as being present and having met with Saul in verse 27. Their consent is quite likely implied, and after fleeing and abandoning Christ in the garden, it is quite unlikely that they would encourage Saul to flee if they viewed fleeing persecution the same way as abandoning and denying Christ.

But perhaps Jesus’ statement helps shed more light on the actions of Saul and the believers in Acts 9. He says in Matthew 10:23, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.”

The greater context shows Jesus speaking to the twelve prior to sending them out. The context also shows that these words were not just specific to that one “mission trip” of the disciples, but referred to the time after the church was established, since He also says,

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matt 10:17-22).

Although the Bible has much to say about persecution and martyrdom, I have to be brief here. I have not argued that fleeing persecution is the only appropriate response. As for those in Egypt, some will stay and some will go. Some may die for the faith. We need not second-guess every missionary’s decision in this matter, but we should pray that they would be submissive to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Fleeing or Enduring Persecution? (part 2)

This is part two of a three part blog posting on the believer's response to persecution. Read part one.

Voices from Church History

Egypt was once saturated with a Christian presence, home to some of the early church fathers such as Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Anthony of Egypt, and, of course, Athanasius. These and other church fathers were not in total agreement on the question of fleeing persecution and escaping to safety.

Tertullian of Carthage, which, incidentally, is where the current unrest began, believed that the Holy Spirit counseled believers to embrace martyrdom saying,

…if you have to lay down your life for God, as the Comforter counsels, it is not in gentle fevers and on soft beds, but in the sharp pains of martyrdom: you must take up the cross and bear it after your Master, as He has Himself instructed you.[1]

and

Well, then, if it is evident from whom persecution proceeds [that is, God], we are able at once to satisfy your doubts, and to decide from these introductory remarks alone, that men should not flee in it.[2]

Cyprian of Carthage, on the other hand, fled the city when faced with martyrdom. His opponents considered this an act of cowardice and disagreed with him when he argued against readmitting those who had denied the faith in the face of persecution.[3]

So it appears that the early church fathers were not unanimous in their beliefs and practices concerning fleeing from persecution.

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[1] On the Soul 55.5

[2] On Running Away from Persecution 9.4

[3] David F. Wright, “Cyprian and North Africa” in Dowley, ed., History of Christianity, 93.

Fleeing or Enduring Persecution? (part 1)

This is part one of a three part blog posting on the believer's response to persecution.

Should we flee or endure persecution? Is it irresponsible to stay in a dangerous and escalating situation or is it unfaithful to withdraw? I am not the first person to deal with this question, and as long as we wait the return of Christ and the nations rage, we will see the question pop up again and again.

If you’re on the internet reading my blog, it is hard to believe you haven’t heard about the political upheaval in Egypt (preceded by Tunisia and followed by others). A few nations, notably the U.S., Israel, and Turkey, are shipping out their citizens on chartered aircraft while the country unravels. That means American missionaries will most likely be exiting as well.

As missionaries pack up their things and board a plane, both believers and non- take note and form their own opinions. Some may feel abandoned. Others may view the missionaries as cowards or uncommitted. Still more may feel the gravity of the situation, and believe the missionaries’ lack of control over the situation justifies the departure.

Remember that most missionaries go with some kind of organization supporting them that ultimately makes the call on stay or go. I know of a person who currently serves in the Middle East as a missionary and he is in the process of relocating due to perceived dangers in the place where he’s at. As part of a larger mission organization, he didn’t have a choice in the matter.

Most mission agencies weigh in favor of missionary safety in times of revolution and targeted persecution. Additionally, when the nation orders or suggests the departure of all its citizens from a given country, the usual response is compliance.

Yet, submission to the advice of our governing authorities or the world’s conventional wisdom doesn’t always make sense biblically, and we must remember that Satan would love for a country to suffer a great drop in Evangelical presence and witness.

Teens, Sex, and Subjection to Christ

The other day while listening to The Briefing, a daily cultural analysis program from Dr. Albert Mohler, I heard him mention a new TV program from MTV that has begun airing.

This program, called Skins, is a drama designed to look much like a reality show. The child actors are aged 15 to 17. One would wonder whether shows featuring teenagers might be better suited to MTV’s other network, Nickelodeon. It is not uncommon for actors in their twenties (and even thirties) to play the role of a prepubescent teenager on that network.

So why would MTV, a network geared towards adults, feature a show with teenagers? I can only guess, but I believe part of it is designed to transition teenagers from the more childish Nickelodeon to the more adult (though still childish) MTV using actors their own age in exploits they see or can imagine in their high schools.

The problem is that Skins is definitely NOT for children. As a matter of fact, were the parents likely to enforce the show rating on their kids, the child actors who appear in it wouldn’t even be allowed to watch it—it’s rated TV-MA, signaling that it is not appropriate for viewers under 17.

The reason Dr. Mohler mentioned the show was because it appeared in an article in the New York Times. It seems the show’s producers are afraid they may be in violation of child pornography laws due to some of the graphic nature of a few episodes. One episode due to air at the end of this month features, from behind, a 17 year old male running naked down a street. The episode apparently focuses on the teenager’s misuse of an erectile dysfunction drug.

Other episodes, according to the article, show “simulated masturbation, implied sexual assault, and teenagers disrobing and getting into bed together.”

On the one hand, this is nothing new. MTV has been pushing the envelope on sexuality and obscenity in film and TV for quite some time. Other movies popular with teenagers, such as the American Pie, Scary Movie, and other series, feature much of the same content (links are to reviews by Focus on the Family). Additionally, many teenagers are exposed to obscenity and sexuality throughout their high school experience. Chances are the concepts of teen sex, sexual assault, and sexual performance are not new to the average high schooler.

But there is a big difference. This show features teenagers in the leading roles as teenagers, and it is designed to look like reality. We live in a culture that has refused to be defined by any kind of moral system, much like Israel in the time of the Judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 17:6; 21:25).

Our culture by and large, and MTV in particular, is lusting after the exact same system of morality. MTV pushes this mentality on its viewers, saying, “We also have taken numerous steps to alert viewers to the strong subject matter so that they can choose for themselves whether it is appropriate.”

MTV has raised a defense, saying that the show itself is “specifically designed to be viewed by adults.” Does this make it any better? First off, obscenity and immoral sexuality is not edifying to the spirit but rather gratifying to the flesh. As beings under the law of God, we are to put on Christ and not gratify our sinful desires (cf. Rom. 13:14). We are very good at excusing ourselves by saying that we can filter out the bad because we’re older or more mature, yet that kind of self-justification is evidence of our own immaturity!

Second, and what I find personally disgusting, is the logical conclusion that comes from saying Skins is “specifically designed to be viewed by adults”: the teenage sexuality is for adults. If the content of the show borders on child pornography, the purpose of the show borders on pedophilia—fulfilling and encouraging adult fantasies about minors!

We as human beings are under the law of God and we stand condemned. Living as though we are the masters of our universe will not change or delay the inevitable subjection of all things to Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 15:24-28). We need reconciliation with God, which is only possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As people under the law of God, we should avoid TV shows, Movies, music, and other forms of “entertainment” that push Satan’s agenda for the world on our minds and consciences. As parents, we should work to teach our children to adopt a biblical worldview instead of a worldly, rebellious worldview that says, “Do what is right in your own eyes.” As Christians, we should engage this world with the gospel of Jesus Christ to “destroy strongholds… arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:4-5).

Learning Chinese

With China’s president visiting the U.S. this week, news sources are looking for stories that fit with the theme of China. The first test flight of a next generation stealth aircraft and a visit by Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates to the country have provided the most recent fodder for news reports. Today I came across a news story from a different angle.

Apparently the Chinese government is providing some funding to American schools with a Chinese language program. Teachers, some of whom are actually coming from China, lead students in language acquisition and cultural appreciation.

Some school districts have had to say no to a Chinese program not because of a lack of interest, but because of the question of where the money is coming from. In short, some people don’t want their child’s education, even a part of it, to come from the treasury of a communist nation.

That is the scary thing for many Americans. “Better dead than red!” could become another popular slogan in the future, especially given the strong ties (or perceived strong ties) between China and North Korea. Naturally, China feels it has something to gain from sponsoring these programs, and after years of The Manchurian Candidate, Jason Bourne, and other thrillers, some people may suspect it includes twisting our children to become sympathetic to China and its goals.

On the other hand, a Chinese language program is beneficial for bilateral relations in the future between the U.S. and China. I know enough people who can’t tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, much less the other ethnic groups that make up each nation, to believe that my fellow Americans and I could benefit from some kind of cultural program.

China (and India for that matter) will certainly be influential on world economics and politics in this century, so American ignorance of Chinese culture and language could harm our nation in the long run, especially since our military prowess may not be sufficient to make successful political maneuvers in the future.

But on a more spiritual side, Chinese programs like this offer American Christians an opportunity to make an influence on China better than ever before. Short- and long-term missionaries could have easier access with the gospel to Chinese Christians. Teachers on loan to the U.S. may be exposed to the gospel for the first time in their lives.

One thing I’ve heard mentioned about China is the need for more educated Christian leadership. Many of the small house churches do not have trained leaders. This can allow for false teachers to infiltrate the church and lead spiritually immature believers astray. Through cultural programs, American Christians can connect with the better educated and social elite without as many dangers faced by Chinese nationals doing the same thing.

Flooding and the Gospel

Australia has been in the news lately for its severe flooding. The last couple of days I’ve seen similar news in a Spanish newspaper about flooding in Brazil, but it wasn’t until this morning that anything showed up on CNN.

Now Australia is a very modern and industrialized country. Despite the massive flooding, only 15 people have died, though over 70 are still missing. In Brazil, a much poorer nation, over 350 people have died, and many more are missing. Why the discrepancy in news coverage?

For one, Australia is considered more Western and more like America than Brazil. We have similar interests, a common language, strong economies, and lower poverty levels. We look at the destruction in Australia with great interest because we see it as a possible worst-case scenario here as well.

Brazil, on the other hand, does not share a similar culture or language. Our histories are linked back to a common nation. Since we are wealthy and affluent, we are more concerned about what happens to other wealthy and affluent nations than what happens to nations with higher rates of poverty.

While it is natural to be drawn to people who are like us, it is the gospel that urges us to take an interest in those who are not like us. Because Christ has come and brought us salvation through his life, death, and resurrection, he has made us into a new group of people bound not by language, culture, or heritage, but by the blood of the Son of God.

Galatians 3:28 says, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” The bond of believers has no basis on our ethnicity, cultural heritage, economic status, gender, etc. because we are united in Christ. The old bonds no longer tie us down.

The gospel then, is its own impetus for mission: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them… I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Cor. 9:19, 22-23).

Let us then take an interest in those who are not necessarily of the same culture, language, or economic status as we because the gospel has freed us from the categories we were previously bound to.

Romans 13 & Civil Justice

A recent article from CNN brought the issue of an African president failing to step down after losing elections in a country long exposed to instability and upheaval: Ivory Coast. President Laurent Gbagbo has refused to cede victory to his opponent despite the European Union, the African Union, the U.S., and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recognizing his opponent as the victor. His opponent, Alassane Ouattara, is holed up in a hotel with U.N. Peacekeepers. President Gbagbo wants a recount and had himself sworn in again to continue as president.

The country has been a place of conflict for many years, and from 2002 to 2007 it was in a state of civil war. The increasing tensions in Ivory Coast is making renewed violent conflict a real possibility. Members of the ECOWAS have offered Gbagbo safe haven if he will step down peacefully, but they have publicly announced their willingness to use military force to effect his removal from power.

The Bible teaches in Romans 13:1-5,

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”

This passage is not an easy one to accept. We may not like paying taxes. We may not want to respect copyright law. We may not like immigration policy. True, there are times when we must “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29), but it takes true biblical discernment to know when and how to apply that principle.

One thing we should remember here as it relates to the situation in the Ivory Coast is that no sovereign nation is subject to another. The Ivory Coast does not have to depose Gbagbo just because a great number of international bodies have advocated it do so. However, Gbagbo must step down for a very different reason rooted in this passage: everybody is subject to the governing authorities. That includes the president of a nation because he has not been granted absolute power and is subject to the laws that govern his country. The passage is clear when it says, “whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.”

It is fully within each nation’s sovereign right to determine how and when it will use its military forces, but every nation should realize it will be held accountable to God for those actions. A nation has every right to support another with its military to enforce the other nation's laws when requested or when necessary due to a miscarriage of justice by national leadership. Unless Mr. Gbagbo wants to incur judgment in the form of his forced removal, he’d best submit himself to his nation’s laws as is good and fitting according to Scripture.

We too should submit ourselves to the laws of our nation, even if that means personal loss, so that the name of Christ will not be put to shame on our account. 1 Peter 2:13-15 says,

“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

Human Right to Life, including Abortion?

I find it ironic that the European Court of Human Rights in France has ruled that Ireland’s strict abortion ban is a violation of human rights and an affront to human dignity. A Lithuanian woman living in Ireland with a rare cancer was afraid that her cancer would relapse if she carried the baby to term, and she was also concerned for the baby’s health, though I don’t understand how she could have felt abortion would have been less injurious to the infant’s health. Since she was unable to procure an abortion in Ireland, she went to England to procure an abortion. This occurred in 2005.

On Thursday, December 16, 2010, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Ireland should pay the woman €15,000 ($19,500) in damages and denounced Ireland’s law as a violation of the right to respect for the woman’s physical and psychological integrity, which falls under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, the court did not rule that abortion is necessarily a right.

Ireland, whatever its financial woes, has been one of the few Western nations that has taken a strong stance against abortion. Although the courts have not ruled that abortion is a fundamental human right, such a ruling is not unforeseen in the anticipated future. This offers us a case study in the possibilities and consequences of a diminished national sovereignty, as international courts can make demands and rulings on the laws and practices of individual nations. It is also a case study on how the secular world understands life, human rights, and human dignity.

We must always remember that laws and governments can and will change until Christ comes again. Abortion may be legal one year and illegal the next, or legal and then illegal. We as Christians should be a voice for the unborn while remembering that the only way to make lasting change, until the return of our Lord, is through the gospel’s impact on the hearts and minds of the lost.