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R.I.P.? The Dead Ten, Oklahoma 10/2015

 

Message in a JPEG, Inc.

 

 

I know this may sound like some sort of 'continualism' (not really).

 

And, I would not want to be part of the last generation who gave up; but it has to happen I guess.

 

But to say 'we got ours, and they will get theirs' is not what the Great Commission is about.

 

Mt 28: 18.  Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20. "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'' Amen.

 

Where are we today and how did we get here? And where do we go from here? Revival maybe?

 

Thomas Paine style 1776 (prayerfully Common Sense)

  

Growing up in the 40’s and 50’s, the 10 Commandments were respected as ‘normal behavior’. Everyone seemed to be going to church on Sunday.

 

I was blessed to be raised in the midst of a generation that did remarkable things. Sort of like the generation that was refined in the wilderness and followed Joshua and Caleb into the Promised Land. Today, why do I feel like I am in the ‘Judges Period’, or the days of Jeremiah, or even the days before 70 AD?

 

Not all were Christian, but morally it seemed to be the right thing to do, for the family. Nothing like the Fear of God to guide our conscience.

 

Blue and white collar, businessmen, doctors, lawyers (really?), judges (omg#), politicians (yep!), and the precious 'multigenerational' family pew.

 

And a big favorite was "Onward Christian Soldiers". What happened to that kind of music?

 

And 1956, The Ten Commandments movie? What an impact on myself and the culture then. Today it is viewed as fiction, and way too many commercials. And it is not a ‘feel good movie’, not by today’s standards.

 

During the 60’s the 10 Commandments became the 10 Suggestions.

 

In 1962 the Supreme Court said ‘no God in schools, except the god of evolution.

 

In the 70’s abortion of the unborn was legalized. This was about our Supreme Court and basically politicians who appoint them. How many opportunities to appoint ‘good’ Justices did we lose since then? Instead we have a majority ‘who do what is right in their own eyes’.

 

In the 80’s we did gain some ground morally in the midst of economic prosperity. There was a ‘mini revival’ (thanks to Graham and Kennedy) and there was an air of cultural optimism (thanks to Reagan). It can work…

 

In the 90's, the White House said, well everybody does it, and sorry Congress, late term abortion is okay.

 

In the 00’s we dismissed a man of law and order, replaced him with a ‘man of lawlessness’, and we are now reaping the consequences (spiritually, economically, socially, internationally…).

 

In 2006 we elected a ‘new congress’ that virtually destroyed a war effort as well as world economies with massive giveaways. And then they blamed it on ‘law and order’. They tell a once responsible people to get abortions, and pay a potentially irresponsible people $/mo. to make babies. Sounds Satanic to me. And don’t forget ‘environmental hysteria’ and irresponsible immigration.

 

I guess one can say, “who is to say which leadership is right, since they seem to blame each other”. But as we progress here, I have to refer to the 10 Commandments that God gave us, and who is supporting them and who is trying to eliminate them. That should be a good line drawn in the sands of time. And if the Church does not get it, then the culture does not get it, and we live with the consequences.

 

And Protestants could not vote for a very competent Mormon and Catholic in 2012? And the Tea Party threw us overboard.

 

Any war not ending in peace, prosperity, and religious freedom is just another war. And to paraphrase Ecclesiastes 3 (a time for this and a time for that), if we do not build upon the works of the righteous, then the Devil has his way.

 

Both Iraq Wars were about fixing a 6000 year old problem (The peace of Jerusalem is still front and center in God’s timetable). Remember the ‘purple fingers’? Shame on us for wasting the effort. What is going on today is the result of these past failures. What else is new, under the sun?

 

In today’s chaotic political and judicial world, the 10 Suggestions have become the 10 Rights, or it is ‘practically’ legal to break all the Commandments; even encouraged to do so; even increasingly mandatory...

 

In 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe V Wade, and the States or local government, is passing laws one way or the other in reaction to the Decision.

A Definition of holiness:

 

Does it mean we just keep the 10 Commandments and don’t do anything wrong? I suppose if we are not doing anything, then chances are we are not doing anything wrong.

 

Seems like Jesus scolded the Pharisees for their appearance of holiness, yet they were empty, and were ‘squeaky clean’.

 

The 10 Commandments are not just don'ts but do’s also. The do part is ‘enforcing or encouraging’ the Commandments not only on us, but also in the culture, which is blessed whether they like it or not.

 

For example Moses chose to execute justice on a murderer, an Egyptian task master, or any terrorist, here and abroad – in times of trouble, aren’t you glad to see a police vehicle?

 

Unless you are in a culture that is hostile to Christian virtue - now that is the great tribulation.

 

And the unborn are paying a high price about #6. Is it ‘shall not kill’ or ‘shall not murder’? We now make war on the innocent and let murderers live.

 

Or ‘we do not steal’ #8, but do we give, and we ‘do not covet’(#10), but do we enable others to achieve (personal responsibility!)?

 

Democracy: when people vote for what they want, and not for what they need, it is finished. W. Churchill.

 

(The Church and ‘political correctness’ or ‘it is the white man’s religion that is to blame’: God originally inspired Christians to take the Gospel (and law and order) to the nations. It is those, on the giving and receiving side, who have rejected the Gospel who are the problem. I also believe the conventional wisdom was: if we fix it there, we will bless them, and they won’t have to come here. What about those left behind, left behind…)

 

And what about #9 and false witness? How many in the culture and the Church listen to a ‘myth or old wives tale’ (or much worse, promote) without actually verifying the reality of such?

 

Ie. the patriarch Jacob is maligned and yet if you read his story, you see that he is ‘a hero of the faith’. A good example of faithfulness, despite the deceitfulness around him. We need heroes, not scapegoats. See Patriarchal Character. As for the world, if they believe in evolution, they will fall for almost anything. Unless we as a Church are influencing the culture by telling them the truth of God’s Word.  Will God’s Word return void?

 

Patriarchal Character:   

 

http://historyreally.org/hist08.html

 

If we understood the difference between ‘good leadership’ and ‘bad leadership’, we should have a lot less ‘bad leadership’?

  

Or what about honoring our Father and Mother in the choice of a life’s partner, #5. My life experiences have shown me that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’, worked rather well, in a lot of social interactions.

 

And we have #7, Adultery. Aside from the obvious, if we combine it with #1, #2, and #3 (idolatry and disrespect), we can ask the question: are we of the world, or just in the world, and if just in it, what are we doing?

 

Or do we encourage others about Sunday Worship (#4), or does our church really believe and teach the ‘multifaceted’ Commandments?

 

Or has it been replaced or watered down with some ‘Great Commission ending preology’, or one of those personal pet peeves, like ‘we do not like men who tell us we have to make tough choices’.

 

From a historical perspective, tough choices are often the best we can do in this life and most likely how we got this far….

  

What about the 7 Day Imperative embedded in the 4th Commandment: Remember the Sabbath (Ex. 20:8-11)?

 

In the 1925 Scopes trial, the judge and jury were ‘in the tank’ for 6 days. Today the god of evolution reigns in the schools and in our culture.

 

On the Last Day, we find out we blew it on the first five verses of the Bible?

 

When we are working, we usually get dirty. I think that is the definition of holiness.

 

James 2:17.  Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

 

But then I would not want my track record on the Big 10 to go with me into eternity, but then again there is another old favorite

 

"Jesus Paid It All".

 

I just needed to hear where I went wrong, and what my options are, and where do I go from here…

 

“But I know Whom I have believed, And am persuaded that, He is able, To keep that which I’ve committed, Unto Him against that day.”

 

Obviously we cannot keep the 10 Commandments (commissive or ommisive), just shown in a big way why we need to be justified. On a personal note, I have been noticing the trials that come my way concerning the Big 10. Almost daily, especially since I wrote this. Hmmm? Maybe 1 John 2:1-5 explains the confidence we should/must obtain when our spirit interacts with God’s Spirit.

 

1. My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.  2. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.  3.  Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4. He who says, "I know Him,'' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

 

Are we given the spirit when we believe? Or do we already have a spirit (soul) that has to acknowledge the work of God’s Spirit in all of mankind? Even that spirit that enables even unbelievers to accomplish great things (not for God, but for themselves).

 

Romans 8: 14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15.  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.

 

This does lead us to the question ‘how do we know for sure’? Some from an intellectual perspective may say ‘God has to impose His will on us’ (or limited grace), while others from an emotional perspective may say ‘we just have to feel it’ (or maybe cheap grace). How about if we have an intellectual/emotional perspective? With God’s Word (even the Big 10) we reason our reactions to trials (or testing) that come our way (or cooperative grace). Successes and failures, for sure, but we and God know our sincerity and our willingness to proceed. And God does give us assurances, and of course the disciplines to teach us. Some may mock the sincerity concept, but how sincere are they? How many have knowingly misinterpreted God’s Word and their consciences to prove their point? Is that a trial for them? Does the ‘chosen or the total-sovereignty of God concept’ really reflect the totality of Scripture and God’s essence?

 

Romans 8:14.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

 

I never needed books and a theological premise to understand the Trinity. Good thing! We are mind, body, and spirit, made in God’s image. The Father planned it, the Son fulfilled it, and the Spirit implemented it. (Jehovah’s Witnesses, mostly sincere, misled, and very motivated) need a second look at this (we have confused this issue so much). Of course we Cannot measure up to God’s standards, only molded to fulfill His Purposes. The Heroes of Hebrews 11 were not always ‘willing’, but God knew their hearts, and their destinies. Interestingly, some overcame the world, and some were overcome by the world. Where are we today and which would we prefer? Or better yet, what does God’s under shepherds want for their flock(s)?

 

Hebrews 11:

 32.  And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:

 33.  who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

 34.  quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

 35.  Women received their dead raised to life again. And others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.

 36.  Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.

 37.  They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented 

 38.  of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.

 

“Working out our salvation with fear and trembling, or 'morning by morning, new mercies I see'. Victories and defeats are a part of the life God gives us. We are part of the process. That is security.”

 

Where do we go from here?

 

Oh yes, Jesus is coming back, but what happens before then? This is history, in the making...

 

See Heroes of Faith:

 

http://historyreally.org/pitcairn.html

 

Exodus 20

 

1.  And God spoke all these words, saying:

 

2.  "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3.  "You shall have no other gods before Me.

 

4.  "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;

5.  you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me,

6.  but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

 

7.  "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

 

8.  "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work,

10.  but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

11.  For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

 

12.  "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

 

13.  "You shall not murder.

 

14.  "You shall not commit adultery.

 

15.  "You shall not steal.

 

16.  "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

 

17.  "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.''