Wise as Serpents, Harmless as Doves in the Political Sphere?

William O. Einwechter offers some Biblical guidance for Christians to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves as applied to the civil and political sphere:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves (Matt. 10:16).

The current climate for the participation of faithful Christians in politics is anything but congenial. It seems as though all overt attempts to express or implement biblical standards in the civil sphere, whether by citizens or by elected officials, are met with scorn, hostility, and outlandish charges of fomenting intolerance and hate. This has not always been the case here in America where a strong Christian heritage and influence made Christianity and the Bible central, respected aspects of the political sphere. But as the nation has slid increasingly into the abyss of secularism and humanism, those who confess Christ and seek to promote Christian principles of civil government are considered a public nuisance, fit only for ridicule and extirpation.

Where in the Bible can Christians find guidance for effective political participation in such an atmosphere as this? One place is found in Jesus’ counsel to his disciples in Matthew 10:16.

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Conquest through Service

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. (Ps. 33:12; Gal. 3:8)

"An empire is necessarily threatened by the gospel. The gospel challenges the theology of man as divine, a theology that always undergirds every empire. But to stamp out their Christian enemies, the bureaucrats must take great risks. The bureaucrats who run the ecnomony always want to meet their production quotas and earn their bonuses. If they persecute Christians, they threaten their organizations' output. Time and again, the most productive citizens of any empire are the hated Christians. They are the ones who are not addicted to alcohol, or absenteeism, or other forms of passive resistance. The biblical idea of service serves Christianity well. The failing productivity of the empire makes the bureaucratic functionaries increasingly dependent on Christians in order to meet the assigned production quotas. Like Jacob in Laban's household, like Joseph in Potiphar's household and in the Egyptian prison, competent service to others creates dependency on the servant. Dominion is by service. 'But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant' (Matt. 23:11).

Satan believes that dominion is by power. He seeks to control others. Their resistance slows his ability to bring others under his power. There is built-in resistance to expansion in every empire. Territory and people once captured cannot be held captive indefinitely. They find ways of thwarting the bureaucratic system.

Empires do not survive for long. Their masters must work very fast and take high risks in order to extend the power of their empires. In contrast, Christians have plenty of time. Slow growth multiplies over many generations. This is God's promise: 'For I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands [of generations], of them that love me, and keep my commandments' (Ex. 20:5-6). 'Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; and repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack to him who hateth him, he will repay him to his face.' (Deut. 7:9-10).

Pagan empires are invariably cut off in the midst of history. They try to achieve world dominion, but there are always new empires rising up to challenge them (Dan. 8). God will not permit any nation to achieve total world dominion in history. The one-State world is a denial of God's universal sovereignty over man, and also a denial of Christ's progressive kingdom in history. The pagan empire cannot tolerate rivals. It cannot be content with federation. It cannot share the glory of power. It therefore cannot succeed in history.

The kingdom of Christ imposes the requirement of modesty on the nations that compose it. No Christian nation can hope to impose its will by force on the whole world. Such pride is recognized as being evil, as well as self-destructive. Dominion is by service. Thus, the decentralized earthly kingdom of Christ can grow over time to fill the earth [Dan. 2:34-35], but without becoming an empire. No one nation can hope to achieve dominance, though one or two may achieve primary influence temporarily, through adherence to the principle of service. Long-term cooperation among nations is possible only if all of them realize the inherent, God-imposed limitations on the power wielded by any one nation. The Christian nation faces the same warning that Christian individuals face: 'Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall' (Prov. 16:18).

The residents of each nation must regard their own nation as mortal, just as men regard themselves. The more closely a nation conforms to biblical ethical standards, the longer it will survive as a separate entity. This the biblical principle of inheritance. The heirs of any national group will retain their separate character only so long as God continues to grant the nation His grace. Rebellion against Him brings destruction and national obliteration. As always, dominion is by covenant.

'LORD, You will establish peace for us, for You have also done all our works in us. O LORD our God, masters besides You have had dominion over us; but by You only we make mention of Your name. They are dead, they will not live; they are deceased, they will not rise. Therefore You have punished and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish. You have increased the nation, O LORD, You have increased the nation; You are glorified; You have expanded all the borders of the land.' (Isa. 26:12-15, New King James Version)

Christians have good reasons to be confident about the earthly future of Christ's kingdom. Pagans do not have much of anything to be confident about. Time is against them. So is God."

--Gary North, from Millennialism and Social Theory (Institute for Christian Economics, 1990, pp.333-335)

broken pottery from an archaeological dig

Dominion Is the Real Point of Tension

"Education is not the primary issue. DOMINION is the real point of tension. If Christians are allowed to educate their children the way God commands, then they will dominate society. Let's get this clear from the beginning. Christianity is invincible, superior to every other system of religion. Allowed to run its course, nothing can stop it. Why do you think secular educators desperately want control of Christian children? Why do you think the State runs all the schools in Communist countries? It's a matter of indoctrinating the children of the State's enemies with a FOREIGN WORLD AND LIFE VIEW. A world and life view is a GRID THROUGH WHICH EVERYTHING IS UNDERSTOOD. The power to form a young person's worldview is the heart of education. This has been understood since John Dewey, one of the founders of public [statist-GD] education, first signed and advocated the first Human Manifesto. It's time Christians learned this as well." --Ray Sutton, from "Who Owns The Family: God or the State?" Dr. Gary North, General Editor (Dominion Press, 1986, p. 89)

Christian Women, Fashion, and Flesh

[Note: This is a revised version of a post I wrote on a “Christian” dating web site many moons ago, in response to man’s thread regarding all the cleavage and other immodesty in women’s pictures on the site.]


Many Christians have a false and wrong division in their minds: God speaks to spiritual and eternal things, but God does not speak to earthly and temporal things. The truth is that God speaks to all aspects of life. (2 Tim. 3:16)

Therefore, many Christians do not even think to look to the Bible as a source of a standard on how to dress. So, the default standard for Christians is exactly the same as non-Christians: Hollywood, their friends, magazines, TV commercials. The Bible is the Best standard, and for Christians should be the only standard because God speaks to every area of His creation. We should be set apart (Lev. 11:44; Eph. 1:4); Christians supposedly know something the world does not know. Let's show the truth of that, so there is no "supposing" about it!

I also find it troubling that Christian ladies are often blasé about being a stumbling block for their brothers, which is sin on the woman's part (Lev. 19:14; Rom. 14:13; 1 Cor. 8:9; 1 Jn 2:9-10).

To dress "sexy" in public (church or anywhere) is to dress like a harlot (Prov. 7:10) because you are seen sexually by every man who even accidentally lays his eyes on you (Ezek. 16:14-16). We are sexy for our husbands in private (Gen. 2:25) because sex belongs in marriage only (Prov.5:15-20), according to God (Ex. 20:14, 17; Mal. 2:13-17). We are not married to every man we pass by on the street; we are not married to every man in church. We shouldn't cause a Christian brother to lust (2 Sam. 11:2-4); we need to do what we can to protect his heart, his purity (1 Tim. 5:2), and his "eye-gate." (Job 31:1) First of all, modesty is a heart-issue (1 Pet. 3:1-4).

Many Christian ladies have bought into the world's view that her sexuality is for public consumption and there is no other way to "make" a man want to marry her; nothing could be further from the truth (Prov. 31:10). God says marriage first, then sex with our own spouse after marriage (Matt. 1:18-20). When a woman's heart is modest, her outsides are modest as well (Prov. 4:23).

Christian men could help the situation by pursuing modest women to marriage, instead of pursuing immodest women to…what, exactly? Or do I not want to know?

A good book (really more of a long booklet) addressing Biblical modesty and the history of our current culture in America is Christian Modesty and the Public Undressing of America by Jeff Pollard.

Dead in the Pit - Arminianism Refuted

"A man that is fallen into a pit cannot be supposed to help himself out of it, but by one of two ways; either by doing all himself alone, or taking hold of, and improving, the help offered him by others. Likewise an unconverted man cannot be supposed to help himself out of his natural state, but either in the way of the law, or covenant of works, by doing all himself without Christ; or else in the way of the Gospel, or covenant of grace, by exerting his own strength to lay hold upon, and to make use of the help offered him by a Saviour.

But, alas! the unconverted man is dead in the pit, and cannot help himself either of these ways; not the first way, for the first text (Rom 5:6) tells us, that when our Lord came to help us, 'we were without strength,' unable to recover ourselves. We were ungodly, therefore under a burden of guilt and wrath, yet 'without strength,' unable to stand under it; and unable to throw it off, or get from under it: so that all mankind would have undoubtedly perished, had not 'Christ died for the ungodly,' and brought help to those who could never have recovered themselves. But when Christ comes and offers help to sinners, cannot they take it? Cannot they improve help when it comes to their hands?

No, the second text (John 6:44) tells us, they cannot; 'No man can come unto me,' that is, believe in me, 'except the Father draw him.' This is a drawing which enables them to come, who till then could not come; and therefore could not help themselves by improving the help offered.

It is a drawing which is always effectual; for it can be no less than 'hearing and learning of the Father,' which, whoever partakes of, come to Christ (verse 45). Therefore it is not drawing in the way of mere moral suasion, which may be, yea, and always is ineffectual. But it is drawing by mighty power (Eph 1:9), absolutely necessary for those who have no power in themselves to come and take hold of the offered help." --Thomas Boston, from Human Nature in its Fourfold State (Banner of Truth, 1964, pp. 183-184)

Christ Is Exercising All Authority and Power

"Christ has exercised and is exercising all authority and power. 'He must reign till all his enemies shall be made his footstool.'

'Christianity is Christ.' It is not a philosophy, indeed not even a religion. It is the good news that 'God hath visited and hath redeemed his people' and that He has done so by sending His only begotten Son into this world to live, and die, and rise again. Our Lord Jesus Christ is 'the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last'. In other words, He is the one Authority!" --D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, from Authority (Banner of Truth [Sept 1957] 1985, p. 29)

Have We Bartered the Gospel for a Substitute Product?

"There is no doubt that Evangelicalism today is in a state of perplexity and unsettlement. In such matters as the practice of evangelism, the teaching of holiness, the building up of local church life, the pastor's dealing with souls and the exercise of discipline, there is evidence of widespread dissatisfaction with things as they are and of equally widespread uncertainty as to the road ahead. This is a complex phenomenon, to which many factors have contributed; but, if we go to the root of the matter, we shall find that these perplexities are all ultimately due to our having lost our grip on the biblical gospel. Without realizing it, we have during the past century bartered that gospel for a substitute product which, though it looks similar enough in points of detail, is as a whole a decidedly different thing. Hence our troubles; for the substitute product does not answer the ends for which the authentic gospel has in past days proved itself so mighty.

The new gospel conspicuously fails to produce deep reverence, deep humility, a spirit of worship, a concern for the church, Why? We would suggest that the reason lies in its own character and content. It fails to make men God-centered in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it is trying to do. One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be "helpful" to man--to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction--and too little concerned to glorify God.

The old gospel was "helpful" too--more so, indeed, than is the new--but (so to speak) incidentally, for its first concern was always to give glory to God. It was always and essentially a proclamation of Divine sovereignty in mercy and judgment, a summons to bow down and worship the mighty Lord on whom man depends for all good. Its center of reference was unambiguouly God. But in the new gospel the center of reference is man. This is just to say that the old gospel was religious in a way that the new gospel is not. Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach men to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and His ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference."

--J.I Packer, from The Death of Death in the Death of Christ (Banner of Truth, 1967, pp. 1-2)

Infertility, Androgyny, and the Righteous Judgment of God

Since the 1960's, and especially within the last 15 years, there has been an exponential increase in birth control hormones in our water supply. This is because there has been an unprecendented increase in fornication, in which children are not wanted, and, increasingly, even married couples do not want children. So women have been taking "The Pill," for longer and longer periods during their fertile years. (And then at menopause many women take estrogen-replacements.) These hormones are excreted in the urine and enter the wastewater systems of municipalities.

The wastewater is then treated for bacteria and other pathogens, but not for birth control hormones. Our municipal wastewater is also not treated for the many other chemicals and drugs people are taking in the aging, hedonistic, and drug-obsessed culture of the West (cocaine, nicotine, heroin, anti-depressants, pain-killers, caffeine, antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, sunscreens, detergents, etc.).

Women who take birth control hormones have increased risk of breast cancer, abortion (or miscarriage), and infertility. Men who take birth control hormones become effeminate and have an increased risk of infertility (low sperm count). The humanists are oh, so, concerned about the androgyny increasingly found in male fish because of this problem---but, honey, it ain't just the fish (and frogs and river otters).

Human males are taking on feminine characteristics, too. It is a spiritual, moral problem, but it has a physical manifestation.

Oh, the poetic justice of God's judgment. Sometimes, God really doesn't have to do anything to us; just leave us alone. We'll dig our own pit.

(Although it shouldn't amaze me, it always amazes me that, to the environmentalist humanists, it's just fine for men to be inadvertently feminized and sterilized, but if fish are inadvertently feminized and sterilized, now we have a real problem. How topsy-turvy.)

The problem is NOT a lack of "consciousness" and education about the environment. The problem is a MORAL problem. For "There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man."

We do not love children as God says we should, we do not love our husbands as God says we should, we are not meek as God says we should be. We aren't helping our husbands take a stewardship dominion over the earth (including fish) as God says we should be doing. Rather, we want to play God with the womb, with our health, and with future generations.

At the root, this wish to play God is a really a wish to replace God and put ourselves on the throne, in sinful rebellion. "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

But God is sovereign; there is no way anyone, not one person, is going to get away with that. Either one will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have his heart changed; or he will continue in sin and rebellion and be consigned to hell for eternity. I urge you to believe in, repent of your sin and put your trust in, the Lord Jesus Christ, for "whosoever believeth in Him [shall] not perish, but have eternal life."


If this is the first time you've heard of this problem, you may be interested in reading one or more of the following articles (and you can find many more online; this is a small sampling):

"Birth control pills spark an environmental debate" (Columbia Univ, Feb. 2008)

"Thousands of chemical traces found in drinking water" (New York Times, Apr. 2007)

"Pharamceuticals in our water supplies" (Univ. of Arizona, Jul. 2000)

"Is birth control aborting our health?" (The Daily Green, Jun. 2009)

"Health impacts of estrogens on the environment, considering complex mixture effects" (Environmental Health News, 2007, a more scholarly synopsis of a study done on minnows)

"Birth control hormones threaten fish fecundity" (ScienceAGoGo, Apr. 2010) - Here's an interesting quote:

"Writing in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, researchers from Sweden say that traces of many medicines can be found in fish that have been swimming in treated waste water. One such medicine, the hormone levonorgestrel, was found in higher concentrations in fish than in women who take the contraceptive pill. Elevated levels of levonorgestrel can lead to infertility in fish. Levonorgestrel is a synthetic hormone that is used in many contraceptive pills, hormone implants and morning-after pills. It is thought that around 80-90 million women use contraceptive pills worldwide."

"Birth-control pills poison everyone?" (World Net Daily, Jul. 2007)



What can we do? I highly recommend at least filtering the tap water that you use for cooking and drinking.

To quote from "Is birth control aborting our health? " above:

"With such contaminants proving elusive to municipal filtration systems, the burden of protection often lies with the end user. But getting traces of birth control and other drugs out of your tap water isn’t so easy. Of the many different kinds of in-home water filtration systems available today, only those employing reverse osmosis have been shown to filter out some drugs. Some makers of activated carbon water filters claim their products catch pharmaceuticals, but independent research has not verified such claims.


“The best choice,” says Cathy Sherman of the natural health website Natural News, “would probably be a combination of a reverse osmosis filter augmented by pre- and post-activated carbon filters.” Installing such a system just for drinking water is sufficient, she says, given that water used for cleaning and plumbing doesn’t typically get ingested. As to prevention, the non-profit public health and safety agency, NSF International, urges individuals to not use their toilets or sinks to dispose of unused medications and to opt for the garbage instead; most modern landfills are lined to keep such contaminants inside."

And only drink rBST-free milk. Don't get me started.

The Pill

The Holy Bible

Socialism Is Immoral

Socialism is humanism/state worship, institutionalized theft and envy, the statist usurpation of duties and responsibilities and authorities which God gave to the family and to the church, and the craven abandonment by the family and church of their rightful responsibilities and duties. In short, socialism is sin. The Church should not approve or encourage socialism because that is the same thing as approving of sin, which the Church should not do. (Rom.1:28-32)

The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not pray that someone in the church (or anyone) would receive a certain socialist grant or payment. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer sick people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer unemployed people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer uneducated people to the State. The church (including individual Christians and Christian families) should not refer widows and orphans to the State. I’ve read that Christians in the early church would rescue abandoned babies (left to die) and adopt them into their families. I truly believe that, in a similar circumstance today, the modern church would “call the authorities” to take care of this problem for them.

There is nothing in God’s word to support any of this. It is immoral to not do what God has commanded us to do. It is immoral to do what God has commanded us not to do. It's sin. (Deut. 5:32 , Matt.  5:19)

Some examples of socialism are:

• Unemployment Benefit/Work Share (being paid for not working)
• Medicare/Medicaid
• government-financed health care
• Social Security taxes/payments
• L and I program payments
• state financed job training or re-training
• gov’t monopolized transportation (or any business)
• graduated income taxes
• inheritance taxes
• Cash for Clunkers
• a program that exchanges incandescent light bulbs for fluorescent light bulbs programs
• food stamps
• low-income Welfare (or whatever acronym they are calling it these days)
• state-financed/ regulated educational institutions
• a fascist (monopolized, privately-owned, gov’t-regulated) central bank
• the inflation/control of the money supply by such a central bank
• state control of airline security and flights
• state control of: gun ownership, home ownership, land ownership (floodplains, wetlands, national parks, eminent domain, etc.), car ownership, reproduction/body ownership
• death taxes
• capital gains taxes
• attempts to form a one-world government, North American union, European union, United Nations
• government farm/auto/bank grants/subsidies,
• etc...

Ouch, anyone? I know; me, too.

The problems that the humanist/socialists are trying to solve by their Statist socialism should be taken care of by the family, and if it is too much for the family, then it should be taken to the local church, and then to the wider Body of Christ. Socialism makes a strong appeal to the cowardice, the weakness, the immorality, the envy, the selfishness, the fearfulness, and the depravity inherent to our sin-fallen nature. We don't want to own a clunker; we don't want to take care of our elderly parents; we don't want to take care of our sick, injured or handicapped; we don't want to solve problems; we don't want to labor all our lives; we don't want to be responsible. And perhaps we even have some doubt that God could possibly take care of us as well as the State can.

The proper role of the civil magistrate is to be terrors to evil doers and to protect the law-abiding. (Rom. 13:3-4) The civil magistrate is to apply God's law as designated to civil magistrates with impartiality. (Lev. 19:15) According to the Bible, the civil authority exists to protect those who obey God’s law and punish those who disobey God’s law, insofar as, and delimitated by, God’s law commands the lawbreakers and evil doers to be punished by the state. That’s it. Nothing more and nothing less than that.
Christians are not humanists. We worship and serve Christ--not ourselves, and not human autonomy writ large in the ersatz Daddy-State…anymore. We who believe in Jesus Christ have a perfect Father in heaven, and God has ordained in His Word how His Body is to care for the poor and needy. (Deut. 15:11 , Deut. 15:17 , Prov. 22:9 , 16, Prov. 31:20 , Ezek. 18:15-17 , Mal. 3:8-10 , Matt. 6:11 , Matt. 25:38-40 ,  Acts 4:32 , 1 Cor. 13:2-4 , 2 Cor. 8:1-4 , Eph. 4:28 , James 1:27 , James 2)

Free speech, for another example, is not to be punished by the state except for where commanded by God in the Holy Scriptures. All other forms of speech, including immoral, unwise, undesirable or profane/vulgar speech, should be restrained by the family and church cultures and disciplines; and God reserves to Himself to directly punish some forms of false swearing, etc.

Any humanist, Statist "law" which decrees that God’s Law-Word may not be proclaimed freely is unlawful and illegitimate. All such is man attempting to usurp God and legislate over Him, which is immoral.

May I encourage you today to believe the Word of God, even if it’s different from what you heard a man say? Pastors and others are only human and make mistakes, even serious ones, just like the rest of us.

Believe God; He is perfect. And His word is Truth.

The Temptation of an Easy Drift into Apostasy and Warnings Against It In Scripture and a Poem

Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin. (Ezek. 18:30)

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Prov. 14:12 and Prov. 16:25)

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. (Matt. 7:12-14)

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 7:21)

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (Matt. 25:42-45)

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Cor. 6:14)

Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. (James 4:4)

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? (1 Pet. 4:16-18

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. (Rev. 3:15-18)

"The Church Walking with the World"
by Matilda C. Edwards

The Church and the World walked far apart
On the changing shores of time,
The World was singing a giddy song,
And the Chruch a hymn sublime.
"Come, give me your hand," said the merry World,
"And walk with me this way!"
But the good Church hid her snowy hands
And solemnly answered, "Nay,
I will not give you my hand at all,
And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way that leads to death;
Your words are all untrue."

"Nay, walk with me but a little space,"
Said the World with a kindly air;
"The road I walk is a pleasant road,
And the sun always shines there;
Your path is thorny and rough and rude,
But mine is broad and plain;
My way is paved with flowers and dews,
And yours with tears and pain;
The sky to me is always blue,
No want, no toil I know;
The sky above you is always dark,
Your lot is a lot of woe;
There's room enough for you and me
To travel side by side."

Half shyly the Church approached the World
And gave him her hand of snow;
And the old World grasped it and walked along,
Saying, in accents low,
"Your dress is too simple to please my taste;
I will give you pearls to wear,
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form,
And diamonds to deck your hair."
The Church looked down at her plain white robes,
And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip
With a smile contemptuous curled.
"I will change my dress for a costlier one,"
Said the Church, with a smile of grace;
Then her pure white garments drifted away,
And the World gave in their place,
Beautiful satins and shining silks,
Roses and gems and costly pearls;
While over her forehead her bright hair fell
Crisped in a thousand curls.

"Your house is too plain," said the proud old World,
"I'll build you one like mine;
With walls of marble and towers of gold,
And furniture ever so fine."
So he built her a costly and beautiful house;
Most splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her beautiful daughters dwelt there
Gleaming in purple and gold;
Rich fairs and shows in the halls were held,
And the World and his children were there.
Laughter and music and feasts were heard
In the place that was meant for prayer.
There were cushioned seats for the rich and the gay,
To sit in their pomp and pride;
But the poor who were clad in shabby array,
Sat meekly down outside.

"You give too much to the poor," said the World.
"Far more than you ought to do;
If they are in need of shelter and food,
Why need it trouble you?
Go, take your money and buy rich robes,
Buy horses and carriages fine;
Buy pearls and jewels and dainty food,
Buy the rarest and costliest wine;
My children, they dote on all these things,
And if you their love would win
You must do as they do, and walk in the ways
That they are walking in."

So the poor were turned from her door in scorn,
And she heard not the orphan's cry;
But she drew her beautiful robes aside,
As the widows went weeping by.

Then the sons of the World and the Sons of the Church
Walked closely hand and heart,
And only the Master, who knoweth all,
Could tell the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease, and said,
"I am rich and my goods increase;
I have need of nothing, or aught to do,
But to laugh, and dance, and feast."
The sly World heard, and he laughed in his sleeve,
And mockingly said, aside--
"The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church;
And her shame is her boast and her pride."

The angel drew near the mercy seat,
And whispered in sighs her name;
Then the loud anthems of rapture were hushed,
And heads were covered with shame;
And a voice was heard at last by the Church
From Him who sat on the throne,
"I know thy works, and how thou hast said,
'I am rich, and hast not known
That thou art naked, poor and blind,
And wretched before my face;'
Therefore from my presence cast I thee out,
And blot thy name from its place."

--from The Best Loved Poems of the American People, selected by Hazel Felleman, Doubleday & Company, Inc., 1936

What I Require in a Gospel Tract in Order to Buy and Distribute It

1. It must be attractive, good design, visually pleasing

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;" (Phillipians 1:27)

2. It must give a clear exposition of the gospel, including a discussion of SIN.

All who would be Christians need to hear the bad news before we can be grateful for the good news.

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3:19)

"The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."(Matthew 11:5)

"And [Jesus was] saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)

3. It must quote directly from the Bible. No paraphrase "bibles" (The Message, New Living Translation).

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17).

"What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." (Deuteronomy 12:32)

4. It must be God-honoring, portraying God as His word does: as sovereign, good, holy, mighty, faithful, merciful, just and as Creator, Savior, Lord and Judge of all men.

In the modern "church," there is an almost blasphemous portrayal of God as a buddy, someone we are equal terms with. He is portrayed as being made in our image. This is evil, and I would never buy or give out a "gospel tract" that portrayed God that way.

We must be reverent, worshipful, humble and grateful before God, and we must never lie about Who He Is! It is only because of the gracious condescension, mercy and love of God that He allows us to have a relationship with Him in Christ.

God does not fit our (sinful) idea of love and friendship, rather He teaches us what true love and friendship is. He is the Judge of us; we are not the judges of Him!

"I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Proverbs 30:3-5)

"Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further." (Job 40:1-5)

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

These things I command you, that ye love one another." (John 15:12-17)

5. It must not say "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life," tell the reader to insert their name into John 3:16, or some similar gimmick.

How do you know? How do you know that if they hear the true gospel, they will believe? It's presumptuous at best and a falsehood at worst.

"For many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14).

6. It must not tell the person how special they are, and that's why God loves them and offers them salvation, or a similar false "self-esteem gospel."

While it's true that every person is made in the image of God and is therefore valuable beyond measure, it's also true that each person is also a depraved, despicable sinner (since the fall, except for Jesus Christ), who is in desperate need of the way the truth and the life, Jesus Christ.

"They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3)

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinithians 5:21)

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6)

7. It must not emphasize the person "choosing" or "deciding" to believe in Jesus or "commit his life" to Jesus. Or "choosing" to go to heaven instead of hell.

Faith is neither an intellectual decision nor existential (of an act of the will in the flesh to “create” a reality).

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

8. It must not lead the reader in a "sinner's prayer."

We have enough lost people who think they are Christians because they were: led in a prayer, prayed for, walked down an aisle, baptized, raised in a church, raised in a Christian family, raised in the "Bible Belt," sent to Vacation Bible School (VBS), and all the other ways people are not saved.

"Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." (2 Timothy 2:10)

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3)

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Life Decisions International

Life Decisions International (LDI) opposes Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s (PPFA) agenda.

Planned Parenthood was founded in 1916 by elitist eugenicist Margaret Higgins Sanger. This “not for profit” has a one billion dollar annual operating budget--nearly one-third from taxpayers--with an "excess revenue" of $114 million in 2006-2007. Yet, Planned Parenthood incessantly claims to need more money.

PPFA also has a radical birth control agenda, promoting fornication, homosexuality, population control, and carcinogenic chemical use (including The Pill and “Emergency Contraception”). They work to undermine parental rights and even cover up statutory rape.

Planned Parenthood commits more abortions than any other single entity in the United States. They “surgically” killed 289,750 pre-born human beings in 2006 alone, generating $125 million. Only 2,410 customers were referred to adoption agencies that year.

In 2006, PPFA sold 1,436,846 “emergency birth control” kits, each of which delivers a huge amount of carcinogenic chemicals in an attempt to keep a conceived baby from implanting in the womb, to abort the few days old baby (if it exists). Many Planned Parenthood “clinics” accept orders for the deadly concoction by phone and/or online with no physical examination.

Life Decisions International wants to get the word out about Planned Parenthood. They also research and contact many corporations that have contributed to Planned Parenthood to inform them of Planned Parenthood’s agenda. If the corporation affirms their support of the PP agenda, then Life Decisions International adds them to their boycott list.

I encourage you to visit the LDI web site, learn more, contribute, purchase the Boycott List, and participate in their boycott/letter writing/prayer campaign. I do not benefit personally from LDI in any way. I simply think it is a good organization that Christians should support, if they can.

Almost 50 million babies have been murdered before birth in this country since 1973. Christians must continue to speak out against this sinful atrocity and reach the lost in the United States (and all over the world) with the gospel of Jesus Christ.



Do you have a family story about being active in the pro-life movement you'd be willing to share in the comments? Is there a particular pro-life organization you particularly support and stand with?

Neutrality?

As a Christian, I'm so aware of the tension between being in the world, but not of it; and I don't always have that balance I should, as I tend to lean one way then the other. I feel the same tension when I want so much to speak the truth in love (but so often fail). But what about the gray areas? Are there gray areas?

The truth (in love) is, there is no such thing as neutrality.

Either one worships the Creator or the creature.

"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."(Romans 1:25).

The philosophy summed up in the phrase "Man is the measure of all things" is called humanism.

In contrast to humanist philosophy, Christians believe that the triune God of the Bible is the measure of all things. Christians follow Jesus Christ and believe in Him as the LORD God incarnate, Creator, Savior, Judge, Lord, Father, and Friend. Man, human reason, the earth, the animals, and the sun, moon and stars are all creatures (part of God's creation). God alone is to be worshipped and honored as the Creator.

Either one is for Christ or against Him.

"He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."(Luke 11:23)

Either one loves life or loves death.

"But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death." (Proverbs 8:36)

Either one serves Christ or mammon (a false god of the love of money)

"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:24)

Either one is a child of God or a child of Satan.

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God."(John 8:42-47)

Either one builds his house on the Rock or on sand.

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it." (Matthew 7:24-27)

Either one produces good fruit or bad fruit.

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."(Matthew 7:16-23)

It's so hard to think of that nice, moral non-Christian who you love as an anti-Christ enemy. Yet we are to know they are our enemy and love them anyway. And yearn for them to know eternal life and freedom through faith in Christ.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
(Jn. 3:16)