MyAnswer: Billy Graham "How to Make Wrong Things Right"

 

How to Make Wrong Things Right

My husband and I are Christian people, and have tried to have a home that would please the Lord. We have some relatives who come to visit once in a while, and when they come they practice some of their bad habits that trouble us greatly. We would hate to have some of our friends find them in our house. Do you think it would be right to invite them to leave or to inform them of our regulations?

In the many times they have visited, have you tried definitely to help them spiritually? Perhaps they come to you in the hope that they will receive some spiritual help. Perhaps they are ignorant of your standards, or at least perhaps they do not know why you have standards at all. Your house might become a vacuum if you just abstain from things you consider to be bad. Make it a positive thing in which there is a spiritual influence brought to bear upon all who visit you. Prayer over the meals, a discussion of the Bible without argument, a rehearsal of the goodness of God in your lives would be most appropriate. You can attempt to be so tactful that you fail to make a contact. Remember that even Jesus ate with sinners, but He always met them on His conditions, and He never lowered His standards. I do not recall that He was ever ashamed of being found in their company, for He lifted people but never was lowered by them.

I have caused a former friend much suffering through financial losses and terrible injustices I have committed for my own financial gain. What can I do to be forgiven for my awful crime?

Your question projects a dark picture, but the fact that you realize you have done wrong shows there is hope. The Bible gives a precise formula for people in your plight: "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; leave thy gift before the altar, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift."

   Go to the person you have wronged. In humility ask him to forgive you. Then assure him that you will repay all that you owe him in due time. Then, and only then, will you be prepared to give your life to God. Too many people try to climb into the kingdom of God over the accumulated debris of an ugly and sinful past. God can forgive the sins of the heart, but wrongs done against others must be made right if we are to have peace with God.

   When Zacheus, the crooked tax-collector, came face to face with Christ and his own wickedness he said: "If I have wronged any man, I will restore him fourfold." When he said that, Jesus said: "Today I will abide at thy house." Christ comes to live with every man who sincerely vows to straighten out his life in the way God requires.

Some time ago I served as the treasurer of the church. From time to time I took small sums of money, intending to repay it as soon as possible. Now another man has been elected to the office and I am ashamed to tell him what I did, but I must repay the amount to balance the record. Can you help me with a suggestion?

You must clear your conscience and keep the record straight. You cannot have peace until you do so. I would suggest that you take into your confidence the pastor of the church. Your problem is certainly one that has some spiritual implications, and you can be sure that he will not betray your confidence.

   There is no question about what must be done. It is merely a matter of procedure, and it would be the proper procedure to confide in your pastor. He will be the kind of person you need to include in such a problem. In fact, he has much at stake in every such problem. The Bible tells us that we should submit to them who have such responsibility "As they must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not grief: for that is unprofitable for you" (Hebrews 13:17).

Some years ago my sister and I had a fuss over the division of our mother's property and we have not visited each other or spoken since. I still believe I was right but I am truly unhappy about it.

It is probable that your sister is just as unhappy about this as you are and that she also thinks she was right. It is my guess that you both were wrong and that you have been acting like spoiled children, rather than as adults. Could any possible division of your mother's things in your favor have made all of this unhappiness worthwhile? Can you take one single thing with you when you die? The thing for you to do is phone, write, or go to see your sister and ask her forgiveness. You may be rebuffed but my guess is that she will welcome you with open arms. I would also go right to the root of your trouble and offer to make any adjustment which she may desire. If you do this in true love I believe you both will find a new joy and peace in your lives. Incidentally, family rows like you describe take all of the joy out of life. Take the first step and make amends for what has happened. It may seem hard at first but I believe it will bring you great happiness.

Some time ago I cheated in an examination in college. The rule of the college is that we lose credit for any course in which we cheat. Now it bothers my conscience, but if I report my action, I am in danger of losing my degree from the college. Would it be right for me to just let this matter alone, and perhaps I can eventually overcome my troubled conscience?

God gave each one of us a conscience for a reason. An enlightened conscience is our best guide. But if you stifle it and refuse to listen to it, you will soon render it ineffective. You are in danger of destroying its voice. You know that your action was wrong. There is only one way to clear up the matter. It would be much better to take that course over again at some convenient time than to disobey the voice of your conscience. I cannot tell what the college authorities will do about it. You must do whatever is right no matter what the consequences may be. I am sure that the knowledge that you have acted in the light God has given you will more than repay whatever you stand to lose through such action.

Some months ago I passed on a bit of innocent gossip about a person who is truly my friend. I did not mean any harm but recently this has become the basis of a scandal, and I feel guilty and sorry. What can I do to make amends?

Gossip, even about incidents that seem very minor, is a serious sin. We can never recover our words and they always grow and become distorted. There is a game sometimes played where people pass on some remark to the next person in line, and doing so in a whisper, by the time the story reaches the end of the line it is very different. This illustrates what happens when we gossip. It is like taking a bag of feathers and dropping one one at a time while walking down the road. We can never walk back and pick up all of the feathers. In your case the Christian thing to do is go to your friend and confess what you have done, ask for forgiveness and then do all that you possibly can to tell others and right the wrong. The Bible says: "A tale-bearer revealeth secrets; but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter." In this, as in all other matters, the Bible gives us wisdom for daily living. Try telling others some of the good things you know of individuals, you will be surprised how happy it will make you, and all concerned.

For some time I have been stealing small amounts of money from the company that employs me. Now that I have come to know Christ, I feel that I must do something about this. I'm afraid to tell my employer lest I lose my position, yet I cannot live with my conscience troubling me as it now does. What would you suggest?

I think you will find that every employer will respect you for making an honest confession. Even though your life up until this time has been one of deception, yet the confession will convince him more than ever that something has taken place in your life and I feel that he will come to regard you as one of the most dependable workers he has. Even more important than clearing your own conscience, it is the thing you should do in order to give you the best possible opportunity to tell what God can do in the life of one who turns to Him. Having done what is pleasing to God, you can always leave the results to Him. We will pray that you will have courage to do what you know is the right thing.

Some time ago I drove a car for a gang which robbed a filling station. Since then I have become a Christian and my conscience hurts me. What should I do?

In the eyes of the law you were an accomplice in a crime. In God's eyes you were just as guilty as those who did the actual robbing. My advice to you is to go to see the judge in the place where this robbery took place and tell him the whole story. Explain the difficulty you have in involving other people in a crime. Tell him you have become a Christian and want to do the right thing, taking any punishment which you should take. Ask his advice and take that advice. It would probably be wise for you to talk this over with your pastor first and, if he is willing, take him with you to talk to the judge. This is a hard decision and it may mean that you will have to suffer for it, but it will bring peace to your soul and enable you to witness for the Saviour you have put your trust in. I have a friend who had much the same experience you have had and he made a full confession. The result is that God is using him in a very wonderful way today.

I have been in prison for four years for robbery. Since coming here I have been converted. But I did not commit the robbery for which I was convicted and I do not know who did it. However, I was guilty of another robbery about which they know nothing. What shall I do when I get out next year?

As a Christian you owe it to the authorities to confess the previous robbery and ask for mercy. Then you owe it to the one or ones whom you robbed to repay that which you stole. This may take a lot of hard work but it is the right thing to do and you will get great satisfaction in doing it. The outlook of a Christian must be different from other people and we have to learn to take things which come to us as Christ would have us do. In making confession to the authorities and restitution to the ones you have wronged you can glorify God and at the same time He may use your actions to win someone else to Him.

My wife and I were never legally married. She is what I think you would call a "common law wife." After living in this country for a number of years our friends have told us that we are living in adultery and not truly married at all. What is your judgment in this matter?

In our social system in the United States, we have come to consider marriage as being legal and binding only when it is performed by a person who is really authorized to perform such a service, either a minister or a justice of the peace. There are many foreign countries where this is not the case. Certainly, the many people who have been married according to the customs of other countries cannot be considered to be living in adultery. Marriage is a spiritual thing before it is a physical and legal matter. It is the agreement of hearts and minds to come together under God for a lifetime relationship. You have been faithful to each other through the many years that you have lived together and God has blessed your relationship with fine children. I would certainly not advocate a return to common law marriages, but we know too well that there are many marriages that are legally correct and yet there is no love existing and there is much unfaithfulness. It is only God who in the final analysis can unite a man and woman in marriage together.

   I would, however, urge you to get legally married, immediately. Make it a time of dedication to each other and God.

I understand that the Bible tells us to forgive our enemies many times. Although I have tried to forgive a certain person for a wrong done deliberately, I simply cannot. I have no other enemies. Do you think God will judge me for having just this one person that I cannot forgive?

Forgiveness is natural for the Christian and is contrary to the non-Christian. Even the non-Christian has friends and loved ones, but he loves them because they love him in return. Here is the distinctiveness of the Christian life. Jesus said: "Love your enemies, do good to those that despitefully use you," and on another occasion He said that they should forgive until seventy times seven. God can and will give you a forgiving spirit when you accept His forgiveness through Jesus Christ. When you do, you will realize that He has forgiven you so much that you will desire to forgive any wrong. In the world, a policy of getting even with the other fellow is generally accepted. Among Christians, it is the policy of enduring wrong for the sake of Christ and forgiving that men might through us discover the grace of God in forgiving the sinner.

D.L.Moody: "Where Art Thou?"

"Where Art Thou?" 

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THE very first thing that happened after the news reached heaven of the fall of man, was that God came straight down to seek out the lost one. As He walks through the garden in the cool of the day, you can hear Him calling “Adam! Adam! Where art thou?” It was the voice of grace, of mercy, and of love. Adam ought to have taken the seeker’s place, for he was the transgressor. He had fallen, and he ought to have gone up and down Eden crying, “My God! my God! where art Thou?” But God left heaven to seek through the dark world for the rebel who had fallen — not to hurl him from the face of the earth, but to plan him an escape from the misery of his sin. And he finds him — where? Hiding from his Creator among the bushes of the garden. 

The moment a man is out of communion with God, even the professed child of God, he wants to hide away from Him. When God left Adam in the garden, he was in communion with his Creator, and God talked with him; but now that he has fallen, he has no desire to see his Creator, he has lost communion with his God. He cannot bear to see Him, even to think of Him, and he runs to hide from God. But to his hiding place his Maker follows him. “Where art thou, Adam? Where art thou?” 

Six thousand years have passed away, and this text has come rolling down the ages. I doubt whether there has been anyone of Adam’s sons who has not heard it at some period or other of his life — sometimes in the midnight hour stealing over him — “Where am I? Who am I? Where am I going? and what is going to be the end of this?” I think it is well for a man to pause and ask himself that question. I would have you ask it, little boy; and you, little girl; and you, old man with locks turning gray, and eyes growing dim, and natural force abating, you who will soon be in another world. I do not ask you where you are in the sight of your neighbors; I do not ask you where you are in the sight of your friends; I do not ask you where you are in the sight of the community in which you live. It is of very little account where we are in the sight of one another, it is of very little account what men think of us; but it is of vast importance what God thinks of us — it is of vast importance to know where men are in the sight of God; and that is the question now. Am I in communion with my Creator, or out of communion? If I am out of communion, there is no peace, no joy, no happiness. No man on the face of the earth, who was out of communion with his Creator, ever knew what peace, and joy, and happiness, and true comfort are. He is a foreigner to it. But when we are in communion with God, there is light all around our path. So ask yourselves this question. Do not think I am preaching to your neighbors, but remember I am trying to speak to you, to everyone of you as if you were alone. It was the first question put to man after his fall, and it was a very small audience that God had — Adam and his wife. But God was the preacher; and although they tned to hide, the words came home to them. Let them come home to you now. You may think that your life is hid, that God does not know anything about you. But he knows our lives a great deal better than we do; and His eye has been bent upon us from our earliest childhood until now. 

“Where art thou?” I should like to divide my audience into three classes — the professed Christians, the Backsliders, and the Ungodly. 

First, I would like to ask the professors this question, or rather let God ask it — Where art thou? What is my position in the church, and among my circle of acquaintance? Do my friends know me to be, out and out, on the Lord’s side? You may have been a professing Christian for twenty years, perhaps thirty, perhaps forty years. Well, where are you tonight? Are you making progress towards heaven? And can you give a reason for the hope that is within you? Suppose I were to ask those who were really Christians here to rise, would you be ashamed to stand up? Suppose I should ask every professed child of God here, “If you should be cut down by the hand of death, have you good reason to believe you would be saved?” Would you be willing to stand up before God and man, and say that you have good reason to believe you are passed from death unto life? Or would you be ashamed? Run your mind back over the past years: would it be consistent for you to say, “I am a Christian;” and would your life correspond with your profession? It is not what we say so much as how we live. Actions speak louder than words. Do your shopmates know that you are a Christian? Do your family know? Do they know you to be out and out on the Lord’s side? Let every professed Christian ask, Where am I in the sight of God? Is my heart loyal to the King of heaven? Is my life here as it should be in the community I live in? Am I a light in this dark world? Christ says, “Ye are My witnesses.” Christ was the Light of the world, and the world would not have the true Light; the world rose up and put out the Light, and now Christ says, “I leave you down here to testify of Me; I leave you down here as My witnesses.” That is what the apostle meant when he said that Christians are to be living epistles, known and read of all men. Then, am I standing up for Jesus as I should in this dark world? If a man is for God, let him say so. If a man is for God, let him come out and be on God’s side; and if he is for the world, let him be in the world. This serving God and the world at the same time — this being on both sides at the same time — is just the curse of Christianity at the present time. It retards the progress of Christianity more than any other thing. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” 

I have heard of a great many people who think if they are united to the church, and have made one profession, that will do for all the rest of their days. But there is a cross for everyone of us daily. Oh, child of God, where are you? If God should appear to you tonight in your bedroom and put the question, what would be your answer? Could you say, “Lord, I am serving Thee with my whole heart and strength; I am improving my talents and preparing for the kingdom to come?” When I was in England in 1867, there was a merchant who came over from Dublin, and was talking with a business man in London; and as I happened to look in, he introduced me to the man from Dublin. Alluding to me, the latter said to the former, “Is this young man all O O?” Said the London man, “What do you mean by O O?” Replied the Dublin man, “Is he Out-and-Out for Christ?” I tell you it burned down into my soul. It means a good deal to be O O for Christ; but that is what all Christians ought to be, and their influence would be felt on the world very soon, if men who are on the Lord’s side would come out and take their stand, and lift up their voices in season and out of season. As I have said, there are a great many in the church who make one profession, and that is about all you hear of them; and when they come to die you have to go and hunt up some musty old church records to know whether they were Christians or not. God won’t do that. I have an idea that when Daniel died, all the men in Babylon knew whom he served. There was no need for them to hunt up old books. His life told his story. What we want is men with a little courage to stand up for Christ. When Christianity wakes up, and every child that belongs to the Lord is willing to speak for Him, is willing to work for Him, and, if need be, willing to die for Him, then Christianity will advance, and we shall see the work of the Lord prosper. There is one thing which I fear more than anything else, and that is the dead cold formalism of the Church of God. Talk about the isms! Put them all together, and I do not fear them so much as dead, cold formalism. Talk about the false isms! There is none so dangerous as this dead, cold formalism, which has come right into the heart of the Church. There are so many of us just sleeping and slumbering while souls all around are perishing. I believe honestly that we professed Christians are all half asleep. Some of us are beginning to rub our eyes and to get them half-opened, but as a whole we are asleep. 

There was a little story going the round of the American press that made a great impression upon me as a father. A father took his little child out into the field one Sabbath, and, it being a hot day, he lay down under a beautiful shady tree. The little child ran about gathering wild flowers and little blades of grass, and coming to its father and saying, “Pretty! pretty!” At last the father fell asleep, and while he was sleeping the little child wandered away. When he awoke, his first thought was, “Where is my child?” He looked all around, but he could not see him. He shouted at the top of his voice, but all he heard was the echo of his own voice. Running to a little hill, he looked around and shouted again. No response! Then going to a precipice at some distance, he looked down, and there upon the rocks and briars, he saw the mangled form of his loved child. He rushed to the spot, took up the lifeless corpse and hugged it to his bosom, and accused himself of being the murderer of his child. While he was sleeping his child had wandered over the precipice. I thought as I heard that, what a picture of the church of God! 

How many fathers and mothers, how many Christian men, are sleeping now while their children wander over the terrible precipice right into the bottomless pit of hell. Father, where is your boy tonight? It may be just out there in some public house; it may be reeling through the streets; it may be pressing onwards to a drunkard’s grave. Mother, where is your son? Is he in the house of the publican drinking away his soul — everything that is dear and sacred to him? Do you know where your boy is? Father, you have been a professed Christian for forty years; where are your children tonight? Have you lived so godly, and so Christ-like, that you can say, Follow me as I followed Christ? Are those children walking in wisdom; are they on their way to glory; have they been gathered into the fold of Christ; are their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life? How many fathers and mothers today would be able to answer? Did you ever stop to think that you were to blame; that you had not been faithful to your children? Depend upon it, as long as the church is living so much like the world, we cannot expect our children to be brought into the fold. Come, O Lord, and wake up every mother, and may everyone of us who are parents feel the worth of the souls of the children that God has given us. May they never bring our gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, but may they become a blessing to the church and to the world. Not long ago the only daughter of a wealthy friend of mine sickened and died. The father and mother stood by her dying bed. He had spent all his time in accumulating wealth for her; she had been introduced into gay and fashionable society; but she had been taught nothing of Christ. As she came to the brink of the river of death, she said, “Won’t you help me; it is very dark, and the stream is bitter cold.” They wrung their hands in grief, but could do nothing for her; and the poor girl died in darkness and despair. What was their wealth to them? And yet, you mothers and fathers are doing the same thing in London today, by ignoring the work God has given you to do. I beseech you, then, each one of you, begin to labor now for the souls of your children! 

A young man, some time ago, lay dying, and his mother thought he was a Christian. One day, passing his room door she heard him say, “Lost! lost! lost!” The mother ran into the room and cried, “My boy, is it possible you have lost your hope in Christ, now you are dying?” “No, mother, it is not that; I have a hope beyond the grave, but I have lost my life. I have lived twenty-four years, and done nothing for the Son of God, and now I am dying. My life has been spent for myself; I have lived for this world, and now, while I am dying, I have given myself to Christ; but my life is lost.” Would it not be said of many of us, if we should be cut down, that our lives have been almost a failure — perhaps entirely a failure as far as leading anyone else to Christ is concerned? Young lady! are you working for the Son of God? Are you trying to win some soul to Christ? Have you tried to get some friend or companion to have her name written in the book of life? Or would you say, “Lost, lost! long years have rolled away since I became a child of God, and I have never had the privilege of leading one soul to Christ?” If there is one professed child of God who never had the joy of leading even one soul into the kingdom of God, oh! let him begin at once. There is no greater privilege on earth. And I believe, my friends, there has never been a time, in our day, at least, when work for Christ was more needed than at present. I do not believe there ever was in your day or mine a time when the Spirit of God was more poured out upon the world. There is not a part of Christendom where the work is not being carried on; and it looks very much as if the glad tidings were just going to take, as it were, a fresh start, and go round the globe. Is it not time that the Church of God should wake up and come to the help of the Lord as one man, and strive to beat back those dark waves of death that roll through our streets, bearing upon their bosom the noblest and the best we have? Oh, may God wake up the Church! And let us trim our lights, and go forth and work for the kingdom of His Son. 

Now, Secondly, let me talk a little while to those who have gone back into the world — to the Backslider. It may be you came to some great city a few years ago a professed Christian. You were member of a church once, and a teacher in the Sabbath school, perhaps; but when you came among strangers you thought you would just wait a little — perhaps take a class by and by. So you gave up teaching in the Sunday school; you gave up all work for Christ. Then in your new church you did not receive the attention or the warm welcome that you expected. and you got into the habit of staying away. You have gone so far now, that you are found in the theater, perhaps, and the companion of blasphemers and drunkards. Perhaps I am speaking now to someone who has been away from his father’s house for many years. Come, now, backslider, tell me, are you happy? Have you had one happy hour since you left Christ? Does the world satisfy you, or those husks that you have got in the far country? I have traveled a good deal, but I never found a happy backslider in my life. I never knew a man who was really born of God that ever could find the world satisfy him afterwards. Do you think the Prodigal Son was satisfied in that foreign country? Ask the prodigals in this city if they are truly happy. You know they are not. “There is no peace, saith my God to the wicked.” There is no joy for the man in rebellion against his Creator. Supposing he has tasted the heavenly gift, and been in communion with God, and had sweet fellowship with the King of Heaven, and had pleasant hours of service for the Master, but has backslidden, is it possible that he can be happy? If he is, it is good evidence he was never really converted. If a man has been born again, and has received the heavenly nature, this world can never satisfy the cravings of his nature. Oh, backslider, I pity you! But I want to tell you that the Lord Jesus pities you a good deal more than anyone else can. He knows how bitter your life is; He knows how dark your life is; He wants you to come home. Oh, backslider, come home tonight! I have a loving message from your Father. The Lord wants you, and calls you back tonight Come home, oh wanderer, this night; return from the dark mountains of sin.” Return, and your Father will give you a warm welcome. I know that the devil has told you that God won’t have anything to do with you, because you have wandered away. If that is true, there would be very few men in heaven. David backslid; Abraham and Jacob turned away from God; I do not believe there is a saint in heaven but at some time of his life with his heart has backslidden from God. Perhaps not in his life, but in his heart. The prodigal’s heart got into the far country before his body got there. Backslider! tonight come home. Your Father does not want you to stay away. Think you the prodigal’s father was not anxious for him to come home all those long years he was there? Every year the father was looking and longing for him to return home. So God wants you to come home. I do not care how far you have wandered away; the great Shepherd will receive you back into the fold tonight. Did you ever hear of a backslider coming home, and God not willing to receive him? I have heard of earthly fathers and mothers not being willing to receive back their sons; but I defy any man to say he ever knew a really honest backslider want to get home, but God was willing to take him in. 

A number of years ago, before any railway came into Chicago, they used to bring in the grain from the Western prairies in wagons for hundreds of miles, so as to have it shipped off by the Lakes. There was a father who had a large farm out there, and who used to preach the gospel as well as attend to his farm. One day, when church business engaged him, he sent his son to Chicago with grain. He waited and waited for his boy to return, but he did not come home. At last he could wait no longer, so he saddled his horse and rode to the place where his son had sold the grain. He found that he had been there and got the money for the grain; then he began to fear that his boy had been murdered and robbed. At last, with the aid of a detective, they tracked him to a gambling den, where they found that he had gambled away the whole of his money. In hopes of winning it back again, he then had sold the team, and lost that money too. He had fallen among thieves, and like the man who was going to Jericho, they stripped him, and then they cared no more about him. What could he do? He was ashamed to go home to meet his father, and he fled. The father knew what it all meant. He knew the boy thought he would be very angry with him. He was grieved to think that his boy should have such feelings towards him. That is just exactly like the sinner. He thinks because he has sinned, God will have nothing to do with him. But what did that father do? Did he say, “Let the boy go?” No, he went after him. He arranged his business and started after the boy. That man went from town to town, from city to city. He would get the ministers to let him preach, and at the close he would tell his story. “I have got a boy who is a wanderer on the face of the earth somewhere.” He would describe his boy and say, “If you ever hear of him or see him, will you not write to me?” At last he found that he had gone to California, thousands of miles away. Did that father say “Let him go?” No; off he went to the Pacific coast, seeking the boy. He went to San Francisco, and advertised in the newspapers that he would preach at such a church on such a day. When he had preached he told his story, in hopes that the boy might have seen the advertisement and come to the church. When he had done, away under the gallery there was a young man who waited until the audience had gone out; then he came towards the pulpit. The father looked, and saw it was that boy, and he ran to him, and pressed him to his bosom. The boy wanted to confess what he had done, but not a word would the father hear. He forgave him freely, and took him to his home once more. 

Oh, prodigal, you may be wandering on the dark mountains of sin, but God wants you to come home. The devil has been telling you lies about God; you think he will not receive you back. I tell you, He will welcome you this minute if you will come. Say, “I will arise and go to my Father.” May God incline you to take this step. There is not one whom Jesus has not sought far longer than that father. There has not been a day since you left Him but he has followed you. I do not care what the past has been, or how black your life, He will receive you back. Arise then, O backslider, and come home once more to your Father’s house. 

Not long ago, in Edinburgh, a lady who was an earnest Christian worker, found a young woman whose feet had taken hold of hell, and who was pressing onwards to a harlot’s grave. The lady begged her to go back to her home, but she said no, her parents would never receive her. This Christian woman knew what a mother’s heart was; so she sat down and wrote a letter to the mother, telling her how she had met her daughter, who was sorry, and wanted to return. The next post brought an answer back, and on the envelope was written, “Immediately — immediately!” That was a mother’s heart. They opened the letter. Yes, she was forgiven. They wanted her back, and they sent money for her to come immediately. Sinner, that is the proclamation, “Come immediately”. That is what the great and loving God is saying to every wandering sinner — immediately. Yes, backslider, come home tonight. He will give you a warm welcome, and there will be joy in heaven over your return. Come now, for everything is ready. 

A friend of mine said to me some time ago, Did you ever notice what the prodigal lost by going into that country? He lost his food. That is what every poor backslider loses. They get no manna from heaven. The Bible is a closed book to them; they see no beauty in the Word of God. 

Then the prodigal lost his work. He was a Jew, and they made him take care of swine; that was all loss for a Jew. So every backslider loses his work. He cannot do anything for God; he cannot work for eternity. He is a stumbling block to the world. My friend, do not let the world stumble over you into hell. 

The prodigal also lost his testimony. Who believed him? I can imagine some of these men came along, natives of that country, and they saw this poor prodigal in his rags, barefooted and bareheaded. There he stands among the swine and someone says to another, “Look at that poor wretch.” “What,” he says, “do you call me a poor wretch? My father is a wealthy man; he has got more clothes in his wardrobe than you ever saw in your life. My father is a man of great wealth and position.” Do you suppose these men would believe him? “That poor wretch the son of a wealthy man!” Not one of them would believe him. “If he had such a wealthy father he would go to him.” So with the backsliders; the world does not believe that they are the sons of a King. They say, “Why don’t they go to Him, if there is bread enough and to spare? Why don’t they go home?” 

Then, another thing the prodigal lost was his home. He had no home in that foreign country. As long as his money lasted, he was quite popular in the public house and among his acquaintances; he had professed friends, but as soon as his money was gone, where were his friends? That is the condition of every poor backslider in London. 

But now I can imagine someone saying, “There would be little use of me attempting to come back. In a few days I should just be where I was again. I should like very much to go to my Father’s home again, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t stay there.” Well, just picture this scene. The poor prodigal has got home, and the father has killed the fatted calf; and there they are, sitting at the table eating. I can imagine that was about the sweetest morsel he ever got — perhaps the nicest dinner he ever had in his life. His father sits opposite; he is full of joy, and his heart is leaping within him. All at once he sees his boy weeping. “My son, what are you weeping for? Are you not glad to have got home?” “Oh, yes, father; I never was so glad as I am today: but I am so afraid I will go back into that foreign country!” Why, you cannot imagine such a thing! When you have got one meal in your Father’s house, you will never be inclined to wander away again. 

Now let me speak to the Third class. “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Sinner, what is to become of you? How shall you escape? “Where art thou?” Is it true that you are living without God and without hope in the world? Did you ever stop to think what would become of your soul if you should be taken away by a sudden stroke of illness — where you would stand in eternity? I read that the sinner is without God, without hope, and without excuse. If you are not saved, what excuse will you have to give? You cannot say that it is God’s fault. He is only too anxious to save you. I want to tell you tonight that you can be saved if you will. If you really want to pass from death to life, if you want to become an heir of eternal life, if you want to become a child of God, make up your mind this night that you will seek the kingdom of God. I tell you, upon the authority of this Word, that if you seek the kingdom of God you will find it. No man ever sought Christ with a heart to find Him who did not find Him. I never knew a man make up his mind to have the question settled, but it was settled soon. This last year there has been a solemn feeling stealing over me. I am what they call in the middle of life, in the prime of life. I look upon life as a man who has reached the top of a hill, and just begins to go down the other side. I have got to the top of the hill, if I should live the full term of life — threescore years and ten — and am just on the other side. I am speaking to many now who are also on the top of the hill, and I ask you, if you are not Christians, just to pause a few minutes, and ask yourselves where you are. Let us look back on the hill that we have been climbing. What do you see? Yonder is the cradle. It is not far away. How short life is! It all seems but as yesterday. Look along up the hill, and yonder is a tombstone; it marks the resting place of a loved mother. When that mother died, did you not promise God that you would serve Him? Did you not say that your mother’s God should become your God? And did you not take her hand in the stillness of the dying hour, and say, “Yes, mother, I will meet you in heaven!” And have you kept that promise? Are you trying to keep it? Ten years have rolled away: fifteen years — but are you any nearer God? Did the promise work any improvement in you? No, your heart is getting harder: the night is getting darker; by and by death will be throwing its shadows round you. My friend, Where art thou? Look again. A little further up the hill there is another tombstone. It marks the resting place of a little child. It may have been a little lovely girl — perhaps her name was Mary; or it may have been a boy — Charley; and when that child was taken from you, did you not promise God, and did you not promise the child, that you would meet it in heaven? Is the promise kept? Think! Are you still fighting against God? Are you still hardening your heart? Sermons that would have moved you five years ago — do they touch you now? 

Once more look down the hill. Yonder there is a grave; you cannot tell how many days, or weeks, or years it is away, you are hastening towards that grave. Even should you live the life allotted to man, many of you are near the end, you are getting very feeble, and your locks are turning gray. It may be the coffin is already made that this body shall be laid in; it may be that the shroud is already waiting. My friend, is it not the height of madness to put off salvation so long? Undoubtedly I am speaking to some who will be in eternity a week from now. In a large audience like this, during the next week death will surely come and snatch some away; it may be the speaker, or it may be someone who is listening. Why put off the question another day? Why say to the Lord Jesus again tonight, “Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for Thee?” Why not let him come in tonight? Why not open your heart, and say, “King of Glory, come in?” 

Will there ever be a better opportunity? Did not you promise ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty years ago that you would serve God? Some of you said you would do it when you got married and settled down; some of you said you would serve Him when you were your own master. Have you attended to it? 

You know there are three steps to the lost world; let me give you their names. The first is Neglect. All a man has to do is to neglect salvation, and that will take him to the lost world. Some people say, “What have I done!” Why, if you merely neglect salvation, you will be lost. I am on a swift river, and lying in the bottom of my little boat. Down yonder, ten miles below, is the great cataract. Everyone that goes over it perishes. I need not row the boat down; I have only to pull in the oars, and fold my arms and neglect. So all that a man has to do is to fold his arms in the current of life, and he will drift onwards and be lost. 

The second step is Refusal. If I met you at the door and pressed this question on you, you would say, “Not tonight, Mr. Moody, not tonight;” and if I repeated, “I want you to press into the kingdom of God,” you would politely refuse: “I will not become a Christian tonight, thank you; I know I ought, but I won’t tonight.” 

Then the last step is to Despise it. Some of you have already got on the lower round of the ladder. You despise Christ. You hate Christ, you hate Christianity; you hate the best people on the earth and the best friends you have got; and if I were to offer you the Bible, you would tear it up and put your foot upon it. Oh, despisers! you will soon be in another world. Make haste and repent and turn to God. Now, on which step are you, my friend; neglecting, or refusing, or despising? Bear in mind that a great many are taken off from the first step; they die in neglect. And a great many are taken away refusing. And a great many are on the last step, despising salvation. 

A few years ago they neglected, then they got to refuse; and now they despise Christianity and Christ. They hate the sound of the church bell; they hate the Bible and the Christian; they curse the very ground that we walk on. But one more step and they are gone. Oh ye despisers, I set before you life and death; which will you choose? When Pilate had Christ on his hands, he said, “What shall I do with him?” and the multitude cried out, “Away with Him! crucify Him!” Young men, is that your language tonight? Do you say, “Away with this gospel! Away with Christianity! Away with your prayers, your sermons, your gospel sounds! I do not want Christ?” Or will you be wise and say, “Lord Jesus, I want Thee, I need Thee, I will have Thee?” Oh, may God bring you to that decision!

MenOfGod: Francis Schaeffer "A Christian Manifesto"

A Christian Manifesto
by Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer

This address was delivered by the late Dr. Schaeffer in 1982 at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is based on one of his books, which bears the same title.

Christians, in the last 80 years or so, have only been seeing things as bits and pieces which have gradually begun to trouble them and others, instead of understanding that they are the natural outcome of a change from a Christian World View to a Humanistic one; things such as overpermissiveness, pornography, the problem of the public schools, the breakdown of the family, abortion, infanticide (the killing of newborn babies), increased emphasis upon the euthanasia of the old and many, many other things.

All of these things and many more are only the results. We may be troubled with the individual thing, but in reality we are missing the whole thing if we do not see each of these things and many more as only symptoms of the deeper problem. And that is the change in our society, a change in our country, a change in the Western world from a Judeo-Christian consensus to a Humanistic one. That is, instead of the final reality that exists being the infinite creator God; instead of that which is the basis of all reality being such a creator God, now largely, all else is seen as only material or energy which has existed forever in some form, shaped into its present complex form only by pure chance.

I want to say to you, those of you who are Christians or even if you are not a Christian and you are troubled about the direction that our society is going in, that we must not concentrate merely on the bits and pieces. But we must understand that all of these dilemmas come on the basis of moving from the Judeo-Christian world view -- that the final reality is an infinite creator God -- over into this other reality which is that the final reality is only energy or material in some mixture or form which has existed forever and which has taken its present shape by pure chance.

The word Humanism should be carefully defined. We should not just use it as a flag, or what younger people might call a "buzz" word. We must understand what we are talking about when we use the word Humanism. Humanism means that the man is the measure of all things. Man is the measure of all things. If this other final reality of material or energy shaped by pure chance is the final reality, it gives no meaning to life. It gives no value system. It gives no basis for law, and therefore, in this case, man must be the measure of all things. So, Humanism properly defined, in contrast, let us say, to the humanities or humanitarianism, (which is something entirely different and which Christians should be in favor of) being the measure of all things, comes naturally, mathematically, inevitably, certainly. If indeed the final reality is silent about these values, then man must generate them from himself.

So, Humanism is the absolute certain result, if we choose this other final reality and say that is what it is. You must realize that when we speak of man being the measure of all things under the Humanist label, the first thing is that man has only knowledge from himself. That he, being finite, limited, very faulty in his observation of many things, yet nevertheless, has no possible source of knowledge except what man, beginning from himself, can find out from his own observation. Specifically, in this view, there is no place for any knowledge from God.

But it is not only that man must start from himself in the area of knowledge and learning, but any value system must come arbitrarily from man himself by arbitrary choice. More frightening still, in our country, at our own moment of history, is the fact that any basis of law then becomes arbitrary -- merely certain people making decisions as to what is for the good of society at the given moment.

Now this is the real reason for the breakdown in morals in our country. It's the real reason for the breakdown in values in our country, and it is the reason that our Supreme Court now functions so thoroughly upon the fact of arbitrary law. They have no basis for law that is fixed, therefore, like the young person who decides to live hedonistically upon their own chosen arbitrary values, society is now doing the same thing legally. Certain few people come together and decide what they arbitrarily believe is for the good of society at the given moment, and that becomes law.

The world view that the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance, inevitably, (that's the next word I would bring to you ) mathematically -- with mathematical certainty -- brings forth all these other results which are in our country and in our society which have led to the breakdown in the country -- in society -- and which are its present sorrows. So, if you hold this other world view, you must realize that it is inevitable that we will come to the very sorrows of relativity and all these other things that are so represented in our country at this moment of history.

It should be noticed that this new dominant world view is a view which is exactly opposite from that of the founding fathers of this country. Now, not all the founding fathers were individually, personally, Christians. That certainly is true. But, nevertheless, they founded the country on the base that there is a God who is the Creator (now I come to the next central phrase) who gave the inalienable rights.

We must understand something very thoroughly. If society -- if the state gives the rights, it can take them away -- they're not inalienable. If the states give the rights, they can change them and manipulate them. But this was not the view of the founding fathers of this country. They believed, although not all of them were individual Christians, that there was a Creator and that this Creator gave the inalienable rights -- this upon which our country was founded and which has given us the freedoms which we still have -- even the freedoms which are being used now to destroy the freedoms.

The reason that these freedoms were there is because they believed there was somebody who gave the inalienable rights. But if we have the view that the final reality is material or energy which has existed forever in some form, we must understand that this view never, never, never would have given the rights which we now know and which, unhappily, I say to you (those of you who are Christians) that too often you take all too much for granted. You forget that the freedoms which we have in northern Europe after the Reformation (and the United States is an extension of that, as would be Australia or Canada, New Zealand, etc.) are absolutely unique in the world.

Occasionally, some of you who have gone to universities have been taught that these freedoms are rooted in the Greek city-states. That is not the truth. All you have to do is read Plato's Republic and you understand that the Greek city-states never had any concept of the freedoms that we have. Go back into history. The freedoms which we have (the form / freedom balance of government) are unique in history and they are also unique in the world at this day.

A fairly recent poll of the 150 some countries that now constitute the world shows that only 25 of these countries have any freedoms at all. What we have, and take so poorly for granted, is unique. It was brought forth by a specific world view and that specific world view was the Judeo-Christian world view especially as it was refined in the Reformation, putting the authority indeed at a central point -- not in the Church and the state and the Word of God, but rather the Word of God alone. All the benefits which we know -- I would repeat -- which we have taken so easily and so much for granted, are unique. They have been grounded on the certain world view that there was a Creator there to give inalienable rights. And this other view over here, which has become increasingly dominant, of the material-energy final world view (shaped by pure chance) never would have, could not, has, no basis of values, in order to give such a balance of freedom that we have known so easily and which we unhappily, if we are not careful, take so for granted.

We are now losing those freedoms and we can expect to continue to lose them if this other world view continues to take increased force and power in our county. We can be sure of this. I would say it again -- inevitably, mathematically, all of these things will come forth. There is no possible way to heal the relativistic thinking of our own day, if indeed all there is is a universe out there that is silent about any values. None, whatsoever! It is not possible. It is a loss of values and it is a loss of freedom which we may be sure will continually grow.

A good illustration is in the public schools. This view is taught in our public schools exclusively -- by law. There is no other view that can be taught. I'll mention it a bit later, but by law there is no other view that can be taught. By law, in the public schools, the United States of America in 1982, legally there is only one view of reality that can be taught. I'll mention it a bit later, but there is only one view of reality that can be taught, and that is that the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance.

It is the same with the television programs. Public television gives us many things that many of us like culturally, but is also completely committed to a propaganda position that the last reality is only material / energy shaped by pure chance. Clark's Civilization, Brunowski, The Ascent of Man, Carl Sagan's Cosmos -- they all say it. There is only one final view of reality that's possible and that is that the final reality is material or energy shaped by pure chance.

It is about us on every side, and especially the government and the courts have become the vehicle to force this anti-God view on the total population. It's exactly where we are.

The abortion ruling is a very clear one. The abortion ruling, of course, is also a natural result of this other world view because with this other world view, human life -- your individual life -- has no intrinsic value. You are a wart upon the face of an absolutely impersonal universe. Your aspirations have no fulfillment in the "what-isness" of what is. Your aspirations damn you. Many of the young people who come to us understand this very well because their aspirations as Humanists have no fulfillment, if indeed the final reality is only material or energy shaped by pure chance.

The universe cannot fulfill anything that you say when you say, "It is beautiful"; "I love"; "It is right"; "It is wrong." These words are meaningless words against the backdrop of this other world view. So what we find is that the abortion case should not have been a surprise because it boiled up out of, quite naturally, (I would use the word again) mathematically, this other world view. In this case, human life has no distinct value whatsoever, and we find this Supreme Court in one ruling overthrew the abortion laws of all 50 states, and they made this form of killing human life (because that's what it is) the law. The law declared that this form of killing human life was to be accepted, and for many people, because they had no set ethic, when the Supreme Court said that it was legal, in the intervening years, it has become ethical.

The courts of this country have forced this view and its results on the total population. What we find is that as the courts have done this, without any longer that which the founding fathers comprehended of law (A man like Blackstone, with his Commentaries, understood, and the other lawgivers in this country in the beginning): That there is a law of God which gives foundation. It becomes quite natural then, that they would also cut themselves loose from a strict constructionism concerning the Constitution.

Everything is relative. So as you cut yourself loose from the Law of God, in any concept whatsoever, you also soon are cutting yourself loose from a strict constructionism and each ruling is to be seen as an arbitrary choice by a group of people as to what they may honestly think is for the sociological good of the community, of the country, for the given moment.

Now, along with that is the fact that the courts are increasingly making law and thus we find that the legislatures' powers are increasingly diminished in relationship to the power of the courts. Now the pro-abortion people have been very wise about this in the last, say, 10 years, and Christians very silly. I wonder sometimes where we've been because the pro-abortion people have used the courts for their end rather than the legislatures -- because the courts are not subject to the people's thinking, nor their will, either by election nor by a re-election. Consequently, the courts have been the vehicle used to bring this whole view and to force it on our total population. It has not been largely the legislatures. It has been rather, the courts.

The result is a relativistic value system. A lack of a final meaning to life -- that's first. Why does human life have any value at all, if that is all that reality is? Not only are you going to die individually, but the whole human race is going to die, someday. It may not take the falling of the atom bombs, but someday the world will grow too hot, too cold. That's what we are told on this other final reality, and someday all you people not only will be individually dead, but the whole conscious life on this world will be dead, and nobody will see the birds fly. And there's no meaning to life.

As you know, I don't speak academically, shut off in some scholastic cubicle, as it were. I have lots of young people and older ones come to us from the ends of the earth. And as they come to us, they have gone to the end of this logically and they are not living in a romantic setting. They realize what the situation is. They can't find any meaning to life. It's the meaning to the black poetry. It's the meaning of the black plays. It's the meaning of all this. It's the meaning of the words "punk rock." And I must say, that on the basis of what they are being taught in school, that the final reality is only this material thing, they are not wrong. They're right! On this other basis there is no meaning to life and not only is there no meaning to life, but there is no value system that is fixed, and we find that the law is based then only on a relativistic basis and that law becomes purely arbitrary.

And this is brought to bear, specifically, and perhaps most clearly, in the public schools (I'll come to that now) in this country. In the courts of this country, they are saying that it's absolutely illegal, from the lowest grades up through university, for the public schools of this country to teach any other world view except this world view of final material or energy. Now this is done, no matter what the parents may wish. This is done regardless of what those who pay the taxes for their schools may wish. I'm giving you an illustration, as well as making a point. The way the courts force their view, and this false view of reality on the total population, no matter what the total population wants.

DoctrineOfGod: Roger Hertzler "Christ’s Message to American Christians"

Christ’s Message to American Christians by Roger Hertzler

[b]Christ’s Message to American Christians [/b] [i]by Roger Hertzler[/i] It is truly a tragedy for an eternal soul to end up in Hell. It is a worse tragedy for someone to end up in Hell without being warned. In numerous Biblical passages we read of God sending clear warnings of impending judgment to backslidden, rebellious people. It seems that His desire is to extend an offer of mercy to everyone, even to those who will ultimately harden their hearts and experience His wrath. For this reason He raised up Noah to preach to the world before the flood came. For this reason He sent two angels to Sodom before the fire fell. For this reason He anointed Jeremiah to take a message to the Jews before the Babylonian captivity. And for this reason He commands us in Ezekiel 33 to give warning to the wicked, for if we do not, their blood will be upon us. If we do warn them, however, we have delivered our own souls even if they choose not to repent. Sometimes there are happy endings as a result of these warnings. Jonah warned the Ninevites of a coming judgment (without really offering them any hope for mercy) and the entire city repented and received God’s forgiveness. Even in nations headed for destruction there are often a few lonely souls who see their plight and heed the call to “flee from the wrath to come”. These results are the ones God truly desires, for He is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Recently God has been burdening my heart with a message of warning for the American people. Specifically, it is a message for the Christians in America, for those who in some way name the name of Jesus. Since it is a message that will seem radical and even absurd to our American mindset, my fear is that it will be immediately rejected by all who hear it. My prayer, however, is that this message will fall into the hands of at least a few earnest believers who care for nothing but the glory of God and for whom no sacrifice is too great to see Him magnified. My prayer is that they would take heed to the message that God has weighed us in the balance and found us wanting, and that Christ is about to spew us out of His mouth unless we repent. My prayer is that they would break their hearts before their Creator, turn from their sin, and render to God the glory He deserves from their lives. It is not my desire to bring this message in a spirit of arrogance or harshness, and I apologize in advance if it sounds that way. It is only my desire to pass on to you the heavy burden God has laid on my heart, though it causes me to tremble greatly to do so. By God’s grace I hope to write this message clearly, reflecting accurately God’s hatred for sin as well as His love for mankind. I hope to write it in a way that allows readers to verify its truth for themselves, from the Word of God, without relying on any private revelation I have received personally. I hope to write it in a way that explains exactly what our sin is and precisely why God is displeased with us. And I hope to write it in a way that gives specific answers about what we would need to do to repent. It is not my responsibility to convince others to accept this message, but rather to simply communicate it to as many as I am able. I must leave it up to God to take this message to those who are out of my reach as well as to convince those who are out of my power. God has many tools that I do not have, very effective tools He has often utilized to coax reluctant souls to accept His gift of repentance. War, famine, disease, economic hardship, and natural disasters are just a few of the means God has used in the past to get the attention of His people, and I have no doubt that He can use them again today. When He does choose to use such methods, it is indeed an act of mercy on His part; none of us deserve even one chance to repent, much less a second or third chance. _________________________________ Any so-called message from God must be firmly founded upon His Word, the Bible. It is His Word alone that can give any authority at all to the message I am about to share. As we examine God’s Word from cover to cover, we find that every part of it points in some way to the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament points forward to Him, the Gospels reveal Him, and the rest of the New Testament points back to Him. Even the other two persons of the Trinity point to Christ. Jesus said of the Holy Spirit that “He shall testify of Me” and “He shall glorify Me”. God the Father said about Jesus “This is My beloved Son: hear Him.” And Hebrews 1:1-2 tells us that whereas God in former times had spoken through prophets, He has “in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” So if it is true that all of the Divine revelation points us to Jesus, then where is it that Jesus points us? We get our answer to this question by simply reading through the words of Christ as recorded in Scripture. Here we find Him directing us over and over again to one central theme: the commands that He gave us. Listen to these words of Jesus from the Gospel of John. Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death (John 8:51). If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me (John 14:21). If a man love me, he will keep my words (John 14:23). He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me (John 14:24). If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love (John 15:10). Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you (John 15:14). At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, right after giving us a long list of revolutionary commands and teachings, Jesus says these words: 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). We in the American church have tried to explain away the Sermon on the Mount and other commands of Christ by saying that they are part of the Old Testament Law (and thus anyone who repeats what Jesus said about obedience is guilty of legalism). Or we’ve said that His commands were given only to reveal our own sinfulness, and even with the power of God they are impossible to obey. Or we’ve argued that literal obedience to them is not necessary now, but rather postponed until some future period of time. Yet Christ’s plea to those who use this type of reasoning is: Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46). 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 7:21-23). Some have speculated that Christ’s cross was the dividing line between the Scriptures that apply to us and those that do not. Thus we can basically ignore everything revealed prior to Christ’s death, including the vast majority of His commands. Yet Jesus said to His disciples after His resurrection, Go ye therefore, and teach . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20). Then, in the remainder of the New Testament, Christ’s followers repeatedly affirmed the importance of obeying His commands. Listen to these words: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:3-4). In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: (2 Thessalonians 1:8). If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing (1 Timothy 6:3-4). By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:2-3). Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city (Revelation 22:14). Yet here in America we Christians, even conservative Christians, have largely ignored the commands given to us by Christ. Whether through heresy, carelessness, or pure rebellion, we have put much of Christ’s teaching into a place where it might as well have not been said. As far as the world around us can tell, Christ must have commanded His followers absolutely nothing about certain subjects: subjects which in actuality were discussed by Him extensively. Through our actions, we Christians have caused the name of Christ to be blasphemed among the heathen. We have ceased to be the true salt and light that God has called us to be. Through our compromises, we have lost our preserving influence in this society, and iniquity has truly come in like a flood. And now, with the last moments of time ticking quickly away, God is calling us one more time to genuine repentance: repentance from sin and toward God. _________________________________ When we speak of America’s need to repent, we could mention numerous horrible sins into which this country has fallen headlong, sins such as abortion, homosexuality, drunkenness, and witchcraft. We could also discuss the many false philosophies that have swept this nation, philosophies such as Darwinism, Mormonism, liberalism, and humanism. Yet because this is a message to believers, we’re not going to take the time and space to do that. Though these plagues have been destroying the souls of multitudes, I thank God that there are still many Christians who are boldly speaking out against them. But there are three major areas of disobedience that virtually no one seems to be mentioning, three specific subjects about which Christ taught extensively but which Christians today are teaching virtually nothing. Three issues about which God is saying to the church of today, “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” When John the Baptist came preaching repentance and warning of the coming wrath, his audience responded in brokenness by asking, “What shall we do then?” Just as John gave specific answers in response to this question, so I also hope to give specific answers about how true repentance will look for American Christians. To the unrepentant, these answers will seem downright ludicrous. To the semi-repentant, they will appear burdensome and impossible. But to the truly contrite ones, to those who tremble at the Word of the Lord, I trust that this call to radical repentance will be received as blessed gift from God to sinners who deserve nothing but His wrath. Here, then, are the three major areas in which we Christians have been trampling underfoot the commands of Christ, and for which God is calling us to repent. 1: Divorce and Remarriage Jesus states in Luke 16:18 “Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” In Mark 10:11-12 He says similarly, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.” Few subjects were discussed by our Lord as much as the subject of marriage, divorce, and remarriage. Yet the average unbeliever looking at the American church today would have to conclude that Jesus said absolutely nothing about this subject! There is essentially no difference between the world and the church in regards to the frequency of the divorces and remarriages that occur. Both the teaching of Jesus and the teaching in the epistles make it clear that divorce is wrong, and should seldom if ever occur among His people. If divorce does take place, however, it is always wrong for the divorcee to remarry while the former partner is still alive. Such an action, according to Mark 10:11, constitutes adultery against the former spouse. The apostle Paul confirms this in two separate passages by writing, The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:39). For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man (Romans 7:2-3). How much wreckage could have been avoided if Christians had stayed true to Christ’s teaching? More, no doubt, than what anyone could possibly imagine. The devastation that has occurred because of the plague of divorce and remarriage is incalculable. The injured spouses, the suffering children, the juvenile delinquencies, and the escalating crime rates are all fueled by the explosion of this practice during the last 50 years. The church of Jesus, which should have been standing as a fortress against this evil, has instead given way to it completely. Only eternity will tell how many souls will be lost as a result of this horrible compromise by the professed body of Christ. God says in the book of Malachi that He hates divorce. His will is that it would never happen, especially among those who claim to be His people. In the non-so-distant past, divorce actually was relatively rare in this country. Part of the reason it was rare was because remarriage after divorce was severely stigmatized. Once remarriage became an acceptable option, however, the number of divorces increased exponentially. This epidemic has grown so quickly that we have now reached the point where there are nearly a million divorces filed in the United States every year. Most of those who do get a divorce will eventually get remarried. And most of these remarriages will occur while the former spouse is still living. The professed church of Jesus Christ has entered into this deception wholesale. Very few are the church leaders who are speaking out against divorce and remarriage at all. Fewer still are the pastors who bravely refuse to marry someone who has previously been divorced. And almost nonexistent are those who teach that true repentance for divorced and remarried couples will mean to separate themselves from these adulterous relationships. Most conservative Christians would rightly conclude that a homosexual couple, even a married homosexual couple, would need to repent of their relationship and separate from each other if they want to become followers of Christ. Yet we have somehow concluded that the only thing necessary for a divorced and remarried couple to do (if anything at all) is to repent of the ceremony but then go on living together just as though they are not committing adultery against anyone. By making this compromise, we as Christians have effectively given up our right to call homosexuals to true repentance. What shall we do then? How exactly is God calling us to repent from this our wickedness? How does He want us to deal with all the mixed-up situations created by the vast number of divorces and remarriages occurring today? Let me put it as simply as I can. If you are married today, and either you or your spouse has an ex-spouse who is still living, your current marriage is an act of adultery against that person. True repentance means to get out of your adulterous relationship, ask the forgiveness of those you have wronged, and live in celibacy from this day forward. By taking this courageous step you will be lifting up a powerful testimony for truth and holiness and striking a mighty blow against the kingdom of Satan. Most will react to this proposal by rejecting it immediately as utter nonsense. “How cruel and unloving you are,” they will say. “A merciful God would never ask me to do such a thing.” If that is how you respond, then I guess I must simply leave this issue between you and your God. Please keep in mind, though, that if this message I am writing is true, then it would have been cruel and unloving on my part not to have told you. Keep in mind also that God is a God of love, and if this really is what He is asking you to do, then it is for your eternal benefit and not for your harm. Others will respond to this message by saying, “There is probably some truth to what you are saying, but I think there are some exceptions we need to consider.” If this is your response, then I’m sure that this short message won’t be enough to convince you otherwise. But let me ask you, before you travel down that road, to please consider where the “exception” road has taken us. It is by making exceptions that American Christians have eventually gotten to the place where Jesus might as well have said nothing about divorce and remarriage. There simply is no noticeable difference in practice between Christians and non-Christians. So to those of you who have ears to hear: listen to the words of Jesus, read the words of His apostles, and respond in humility to what God is asking you to do. Not for your happiness or for the happiness of those around you, but for the reputation of our God. We have brought awful blasphemy to His name by this wickedness of ours, and only radical repentance will do anything at all to restore to Him the glory He deserves. If you are willing to consider that this might possibly be a message from the Lord, and would like to take a more detailed look at this subject, then I invite you to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser). This will take you to an online book entitled Dear Pastor. *http://www.watchmangospelsigns.com/resources/Dear_Pastor.pdf 2: Loving our Enemies In Matthew 5:44 Jesus commands us, “Love your enemies.” In Matthew 5:39 He tells us to “resist not evil” but rather to turn the other cheek when someone smites us. And in John 18:36 Jesus told Pilate, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight . . .: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” Though literal obedience to this kind of teaching appears unreasonable and unworkable, we find the Jesus’ disciples reiterating it in the epistles. Paul, for instance, writes in the book of Romans: If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:18-21). For many years after Christ left this earth, His followers strove diligently to obey these commands of their Lord. They were known far and wide as people who would take wrong rather than do wrong to others. They showed love to their enemies and preferred to suffer or even die rather than inflict injury on someone else. Consistent obedience to these commands, understandably, was never easy to carry out. Eventually Christians began to make excuses and ask questions about whether this teaching really ought to be taken literally. “But what if my enemy attacks my family? May I not seize a weapon to defend them?” “But what if my enemy crosses the border of my country? Shouldn’t I take up arms to defend my nation?” “But what if my government asks me to join its military and fight against its ungodly adversaries? Am I not responsible to obey my authorities?” In response, the church’s theologians began to develop complicated ideas (such as the “just war theory”) to rationalize how followers of Jesus could be involved in earthly warfare without violating the commands of their Savior. As Christ’s teaching was gradually discarded in favor of human reasoning, the church entered into a compromise that has probably brought more reproach to the name of Jesus than any other since the beginning of Christianity. It is truly staggering to imagine all the wrongs that could have been avoided had Christians everywhere stayed true to Christ’s call to love our enemies. There would have been no bloody crusades in the middle ages in the name of Christ. There would have been no Catholic inquisition in the name of Christ. There would have been no enslavement of the American blacks in the name of Christ. Even Hitler’s evil plans would have been thwarted since most of the recruits in his army were people who claimed to be part of the body of Christ. The commands of Christ regarding the treatment of our enemies are so numerous and so clear that it is hard to see how any Bible-believing Christian could miss them. Yet here in America it is nearly impossible, by looking at Christ’s followers, to discern that He said anything at all about loving our enemies. In fact, Christians generally are even more likely than non-Christians to be supportive of military power and action. Christians generally are more likely than non-Christians to champion the right to own weapons to defend ourselves from criminal activity. What shall we do then? How should we repent from our disobedience to the commands of Christ in this area? If you are member of the armed forces of an earthly nation, get out of that position regardless of what it will cost you. Enlist instead in the army of Jesus and begin to fight the good fight of faith, laying hold on eternal life. Pledge your allegiance to Christ’s kingdom and commit to obeying its laws, even when they come into conflict with the laws of an earthly kingdom. Get rid of any carnal weapons that you own for self-defense, and pick up instead the true weapons of our warfare, weapons which are not carnal but are mighty through God. Purpose in your heart that you will love and pray for your enemies rather than fight them, choosing to take wrong yourself rather than inflicting injury on another person. And through it all, don’t forget these encouraging words from our brother Peter: “And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;” (1 Peter 3:13-14). If you are open to consider that there may be some truth in this message, and if you would like to learn more about this command to love our enemies, please go to www.ScrollPublishing.com and order the book A Change of Allegiance by Dean Taylor. You may also to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser) to listen to a free audio message from the author of this book. *http://www.charityministries.org/msg_detail.a5w?vlast_index=4051 Another powerful book that touches on all three of the subjects discussed here is The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down by David Bercot. Your view of Christianity will never be the same after reading it. It can also be purchased at www.ScrollPublishing.com. 3: Laying up Treasures In Matthew 6:19 Jesus commands us, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth.” He commands us further in Luke 12:33 and Matthew 6:20, “Sell that ye have, and give alms,” and “Lay up for yourselves treasures in Heaven.” Why is it wrong for Christians to accumulate wealth on this earth? Because it steals our love, for Jesus said our hearts will be with our treasures. Because it denies the hungry, thirsty, and naked of the provisions that we could be giving them. Because it destroys our faith in God, Who ought to be the focus of our trust. Because we have a far better investment opportunity available to us, namely, treasures in Heaven. But the number one reason that it is wrong to lay up for ourselves treasures on earth is that it is direct disobedience to the commands of Jesus, the very One that we claim as our Lord and Master. The simple fact that He told us to “lay not up” and to “sell and give” ought to be more than enough reason to simply obey. Yet for most Christians in America, it is just as though these commands do not exist. Our behavior in this area is no different from that of the non-Christians around us. We have piled up enormous amounts of wealth in stocks, bonds, savings accounts, retirement plans, and other earthly investments with no regard whatsoever to the fact that Jesus told us not to do it. If anything, in fact, Christians tend to be more enthused about accumulating earthly wealth than their non-Christian neighbors. Jesus’ teaching on this subject is so abundant and so plain that it is truly amazing that we as Christians could have missed it. He made statements like “Woe to you who are rich” and “Blessed are you who are poor”. He said it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to make it to Heaven. He told stories of rich men going to Hell and poor men going to Heaven. And in Matthew 25 he indicated that a key factor in our eternal destiny is whether or not we have used our earthly resources to help those in need. Christ’s disciples also taught and practiced these commands of their Teacher. In Acts 2 & 4 we see the early Christians obeying Christ’s commands explicitly. In 1 Timothy 6, Paul writes that the love of money is the root of all evil. James tells rich men who have heaped together wealth for the future to “weep and howl” for the miseries that are coming upon them. And John writes that if we withhold our possessions when we see a needy brother, then the love of God cannot be in us. Our disobedience in this area has brought much reproach to Christ’s name. Christians are known in this country far more for their greed than they are for their generosity. The non-Christians around us would be utterly astounded to hear that our Leader said anything at all against the accumulation of wealth. What shall we do then? How will true repentance look for those of us who have broken these commands of Jesus? Sell the possessions you have that you really don’t need, especially the investment type assets (treasures) that you have stored up on this earth. If there are taxes due as a result of these sales, pay them. If there are debts connected to these assets, satisfy them. If you have restitution to make or other bills that are due, take care of those things as well. Then take the money you have left and begin in the name of Jesus to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the sick, and spread the gospel, especially to those in third world countries. By doing so you will be laying up treasures Heaven, “where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.” If you are willing to consider that this might be a message from the Lord, and would like to take a more detailed look at this subject, then I invite you to click here (or type the link below* into your internet browser) to read for free the book Through the Eye of a Needle. If you would prefer to have a hard copy of this book, it may be purchased at www.ScrollPublishing.com. * http://www.watchmangospelsigns.com/resources/Through_the_Eye_of_a_Needle.pdf In Conclusion: Lately it has been very encouraging to see increasing numbers of Christians beseeching God to pour out revival upon the American church. The great revivals of the past have all been preceded by much prayer by God’s people, and I long for this to be an indication that another great revival is not far away. Yet is it possible that God is saying to the church in response to these prayers, “I am willing to revive when you are willing to repent.”? Could it be that God is saying to us, “I’ve already told you what you need to do. Go listen to the words I spoke to you through my Son. Go read His words in the Sermon on the Mount. Hear His commands, obey them, and teach others to do the same. Then, and only then, will I send you the revival you are seeking.”? Is there any price too high for the church to be revived, for sinners to be saved, and for Christ to be glorified?