Understanding The Timesby Chuck Baldwin, Pastor, Crossroad Baptist Church, Pensacola, Florida
Let me begin with two very significant quotations. Please listen carefully. The first quotation comes from the great German reformer, Martin Luther. This is a sixteenth century quotation.
If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved. And to be steady on all the battle fields besides is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
Now, let me go forward two hundred years to the eighteenth century. This quotation is from our second President, John Adams:
"It is the duty of the clergy to accommodate their discourses to the times, to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted. For example, if exorbitant ambition and venality are predominant, ought they not to warn their hearers against those vices? If public spirit is much wanted, should they not inculcate this great virtue? If the rights and duties of Christian magistrates and subjects are disputed, should they not explain them, show their nature, ends, limitations, and restrictions, how muchsoever it may move the gall of Massachusetts."
I want to share with you this morning where the battle is raging. I want you to be aware of those areas where the devil and the world are at this moment attacking and where our attention should be drawn. Notice two verses.
The first is First Chronicles chapter twelve, verse thirty-two. "And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment."
Now look at Matthew chapter sixteen and verse three. "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?"
In both Testaments we find it necessary to understand the times. Let me give you five things this morning that will help you understand the times in which you and I live. I'm going to give you five areas, which compose the battlefront for those of us in the church today. Here is where the battle rages:
I. The Sanctity of Life vs. A Culture of Death
The sanctity and the preciousness of life is a bedrock, fundamental truth on which we build our entire philosophy of life. We must start with this foundation. Man is created in the image of God. He has the likeness of God. He is a tripartite, body, soul, and spirit, created after the similitude of His Creator. Life is precious because God gave it. Man will live eternally somewhere, either in heaven or in hell, depending upon what we do with Jesus Christ. The preciousness and the sanctity of life is a bedrock, fundamental truth that will lead us into the blessing of God as we adhere to its principle or bring us into swift and certain destruction if we abandon its relevance.
From the beginning our country held fast to this bedrock truth. Our Founders felt it so important they included it in the Declaration of Independence. The Constitution, itself, is predicated upon the Declaration of Independence. They declared that it was "self-evident" that we are created beings. They declared that our Creator endows us with certain inalienable right, which means undeniable, irrevocable rights. Rights that cannot be taken away by man because they're granted by God.
The first such right that they declared is a "self-evident" right granted by God was the right to life. The right to life is the foundation on which liberty and the pursuit of happiness stand. This was the guiding principle of our nation until January 22, 1973. When the Supreme Court issued that infamous Roe vs. Wade decision and determined that unborn babies in the wombs of their mothers were not human beings the preciousness of life was destroyed in our land. Since that decision over thirty-five million precious little babies have been murdered in this the land of the free and home of the brave.
You cannot abrogate this precious doctrine, however, without beginning a slippery slope that will lead ultimately to the destruction of society, as we know it. Abortion on demand has altered the philosophy and culture of our nation. A culture of death now reigns in our society and the downward spiral has begun. We have moved beyond abortion to partial birth abortion, which is more accurately identified as infanticide. And we haven't stopped there.
'The state of Oregon has passed a law legalizing doctor-assisted suicide. Euthanasia is now being discussed, debated and promulgated in our nation. We kill the unborn. We destroy the near-born. We execute the just-born, those who are elderly, those who are sickly, those are the most vulnerable, the young and the old. We no longer regard life as precious.
A few years ago the governor of Colorado said old people had a "duty to die and get out of the way." And just a few weeks ago a professor from M. I. T. said that little children who were incapable of caring for themselves and making their own decisions were not human beings and could be killed by society or their parents if it was so desired.
Parents, if you haven't looked at the arcades around town I challenge you to go take a look. You will be shocked at the violence that these kids are vicariously participating in through these "games." It is absolutely bone chilling. And we wonder why children are killing children in our schools and in our communities? We are living in a culture of death.
The state of Michigan has taken Dr. Jack Kevorkian to court numerous times and they can't find a jury that will convict him. And please remember: not all of Dr. Kevorkian's patients have been terminally ill. There was nothing wrong with them except that they were old.
Our courts declare babies to be non-persons. Our President declares partially born children to be non-persons. States declare elderly people to be non-persons. We have in Hollywood and entertainment a violence prone culture that is teaching children from the earliest years of life that there's nothing precious about human life, there's nothing sacred about human life. We can't teach, "Thou shalt not kill" in the schools. We can't teach them that they are created in the image of God. We can't teach them the sanctity of life. Then we wonder why kids are killing each other!
Here is where the battle rages. Will we return to an understanding of the preciousness of life or will we continue this slide into a culture of death?
II. Judeo-Christian Morality vs. Multicultural Diversity
Will we have a nation that honors historic Judeo-Christian teaching or will we abandon that traditional, time-tested doctrine and accept multiculturalism as the new religion in America? What we're talking about here is a heterosexual, monogamous marriage where sexual activity is confined and controlled by the moral laws of our Creator within that relationship. Simply put: "In the beginning God created Adam and Eve" not Adam and Steve!"
Are we going to adhere to a basic moral code of conduct for our society or are we going to abandon it to the gay liberation, homosexual lifestyle? Already entertainers and social engineers are pushing the envelope as far and as fast as they can, seeing how much they can get away with.
Jerry Springer, who is one of the above just recently produced a program on bestiality. That means human beings having sexual intercourse with animals. The program was ready to go; everything was set. Fortunately, Don Wildmon of the American Family Association and others sounded the alarm and people began to pour in their opposition. At the last minute the producers of the show decided not to air it for now. They didn't say they were not going to air it, they just said they're not going to air it now. I assure you that if we don't have a legitimate spiritual awakening in this country bestiality will be the next act of aberrant behavior to become vogue.
Already in England the age of consent for homosexuality has been reduced down to the age of sixteen. Sodomites are pushing to reduce or eradicate all age of consent requirements. Homosexuals are demanding that they be allowed to have sex with children as young as they desire. Pedophilia is fast becoming the number one goal of the homosexual community.
Are we going to have a nation that recognizes the moral laws of God or are we going to have a nation where anything goes? Every kind of abhorrent, sexual misconduct imaginable is now being pushed into the mainstream of our society.
Judeo-Christian morality is under assault from multicultural diversity.
III. Religious Freedom vs. Secular Intolerance
Who would have ever thought that in the State of Alabama a federal judge would order prayer police to roam the hallways and the classrooms of the schools to insure that no teacher or student expressed their religious faith. The judge ruled that students couldn't pray. Students cannot share their faith, cannot witness to other boys and girls, and cannot express their faith in any way.
And yet, was not religious freedom the first principle that drove the Founding Fathers to fight a Revolutionary War? Was not America founded first and foremost upon the doctrine of religious liberty? Indeed, without the cornerstone of freedom of religion this building called America crumbles to the ground.
People throughout this nation have been forced to take sensitivity training where they are instructed to accept aberrant, sexual behavior. They are told they must accept sinful, immoral lifestyles. They are told they must not express disapproval or pass moral judgments against these wicked practices. In short, they are told to leave their faith at home.
I remind you, dear people, we are slaves only to Jesus Christ! We will not be slaves to any other! Our Creator has given us the freedom to express our faith anywhere and everywhere. In fact, our Savior told us to "go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." That includes the work place and the schoolhouse. And anyone who tells you that you do not have the right to freely express your faith is a tyrant. Religious freedom involves saying prayers and reading the Bible in schools, openly expressing our religious beliefs, posting the Ten Commandments on our walls and more. And make no mistake about this: it is the objective of the tyrant to not simply remove the Ten Commandments from the walls of our school but from the conviction of our hearts.
Will America allow Christianity to be removed from public life? Will we surrender our God given heritage of religious freedom and allow secularists to deny us basic freedom? And as you consider that question remember this: When we are not free to express our faith outside the walls of this church building it will not be long before we will not be free to express our faith inside. Freedom cannot be compartmentalized into buildings or rooms. We are at once and altogether free or we are slaves.
Secular intolerance is attacking religious liberty in an unprecedented manner. As Christians, and especially as Pastors, we must be found faithful on this battlefield.
IV. Self-Government vs. Oppressive Government
Will we be a nation that honors the Biblical work ethic and expect people to work and pay their own way or will we promote and expand an already detrimental welfare system? So many people have a welfare mentality today. They're not looking to find work; they're looking for a welfare check. They're not looking to go out and earn their way through life; they're looking for government to take care of them. They go through life with their hand out expecting government to be the benevolent supplier of their needs. This contradicts everything that Christians have historically believed. It is the Christian belief system that we look to our Creator and Savior, not to any government, to meet our needs.
"My God shall supply your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Not, "My government shall supply all your needs."
I would remind you that everything government gives you on one hand it takes away on the other. When you begin looking to government instead of God for your sustenance you have already acquiesced your freedom and your liberty. In truth, government has become your idol.
If you have ever had to deal with the bureaucracies like the H.R.S., I.R.S. or Marine Fisheries you know what I'm talking about. We have building codes, neighborhood codes, animal codes, zoning codes, water codes, land use codes, tax codes, environmental codes, ad infinitum, ad nauseum. Bureaucrats have been given king-like powers. It's to the point that freedom in America is only a shadow of what it used to be. And the frightening thing is that many, if not most Americans accept it! The freedom that we have given up in this country is mind boggling! We seem content to look to government to be everything to us and for us. If we have to surrender a little liberty along the way, well, so be it.
This country we call The United States of America is an experiment. It is an experiment in freedom. Can men govern themselves according to the laws of God? When we surrender our freedom to an all-benevolent, albeit tyrannical government we are no longer free men
The experiment in self-government is being tested today in ways our nation has never experienced. It demands faithful attention and a fighting spirit if this bedrock principle is going to endure.
V. Nationalism vs. Globalism
Take your Bibles and turn to Genesis chapter eleven and let me give you a Scriptural reference point to help guide your understanding in this area.
"And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth." (What they were trying to do here, folks, was create a universal, global government and religious system. This is the first attempt in human history at global government, global religion and global economy.) "And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." (That is, they will succeed in this global government if heaven doesn't intervene.) "Go to, let us (God speaking to Himself, the triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit) go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth."
It has always been Satan's intention to unify the nations of the world into one government under his evil control. When the anti-Christ comes during the Tribulation period he's going to come as a great unifier of nations. The global government that we hear so much about today will be fulfilled under the reign of the anti-Christ. Globalism is as much the working of Satan today as it was during his attempt to unite the world with the tower of Babel thousands of years ago.
Gun control, UN treaties, animal rights, environmentalism, all these things work together to bring about a one world government. The computer systems of our world today have largely accomplished this. For those of you who are not aware of it there's a little thing hovering on the horizon called the "Millennium Bug." Many educated, intelligent, informed people believe that the world's computers will shut down on January 1, 2000. Congress is doing extensive research on this. The major corporations are spending billions of dollars trying to fix the Y2K problem. Think of that. If they are not successful they calculate that the computer structure worldwide will disintegrate. And since virtually everything relating to our life is integrated into a computer system they suggest that there could be widespread disorder and that society as we know it could come to a screeching halt. Nobody knows what's going to happen when the clock strikes midnight on January 1, 2000.
As I understand Bible prophecy one of two things is at hand. One, the computer glitch is only an exaggeration and it's not the problem that everyone thinks that it's going to be. If that were the case, I would say, "Lift up your heads for your redemption draweth nigh." Jesus is coming real soon. I say that because if God does not intervene as He did in Genesis chapter eleven we are going to see global government. There is no doubt about that.
Already our national parks are turned over to the United Nations. Many fear that President Clinton's desire to nationalize our country's river systems will result in the same thing. The UN is currently proceeding with plans to implement a world court and world monetary system. Our sovereignty and our security are being sold overseas. Our business leaders no longer have America's best interest in mind. Ditto for many members of Congress. Many believe that President Clinton is guilty not only of immorality but also treason as he apparently authorized and expedited the transfer of missile technology to Communist Red China in return for large campaign contributions. Few people are expressing the sentiments of President Kennedy some thirty years ago, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask rather what you can do for your country." Instead they're only interested in how they can tap into the global economy.
Computers have united the language of the world. The stock market, the monetary systems, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the rest of these international financial entities have united the language of the world. The world speaks one language now and it's the language of money. And computers are the driving forces of it all. If God does not intervene, if He does not confound the language as He did in Geneses chapter eleven then, "nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do." One world government will surely come to pass.
Let me hasten to add I'll become a citizen of the world when Jesus rules and reigns this world. Until then I will swear allegiance to no global government.
If, on the other hand, God still has plans for an independent, sovereign America then the Y2K problem will be everything and more that some are saying it will be. The computer breakdown will confound the languages of the world and nations will have to start over, exactly as it happened in Genesis chapter eleven. If that's the plan of God for this earth, then you and I are in for some tough times. Rebuilding is hard work, my friends. Hard work. And whether or not the historic Judeo-Christian principles on which this country was built will prevail is yet to be seen. It will depend upon us.
Either way, the battle lines are drawn. We must be found faithful. As soldiers of Jesus Christ it required that we be found faithful.
Chuck Baldwin is pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola Florida. Click here to view his personal web site, where you will find many more of his articles on American heritage, current events, and politics, all written from a Christian world view.
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