Return from Captivity

Did you ever think about the significance of the fact that, even though Israel returned to the Land of Promise under orders ( Ezra 1 ) of their more or less friendly captor, they were still in Captivity, both physically and spiritually ( Really & Actually )!  Even though they were back in their own Land, they still had to bow to an earthly king, and follow his leading, or pay the consequences!

National physical Israel ( 'according to the flesh' ) never, almost from the times of the Judges on, experienced true freedom!

In much the same way, those who fight against God's Headship today, both Christian and non-Christian, believer and unbeliever, are in Captivity! Until they accept His Love and Judgment, they will remain captive to idols, both real or imagined! The Captivity of which we speak is a Captivity of the heart, which has its natural outworking in physicality, or as some would call it, real life. Release from this Captivity can only come from an acknowledgement &a acceptance of the Sovereignty of God in their lives! Sure, some have found release of sorts, by distancing themselves from certain situations, people, or even one person in particular, but the adage rings true, sooner or later; 'you can't run away from yourself'!

In today's watered-down version of the Gospel, Grace is most often seen as in opposition to Law! Although Grace is prevalent in the Gospel Story, indeed, throughout the entire History of the People of God, we should see that it is not in opposition to Law, but that Law is an integral part of Grace! For a moment, consider this; in an earthly family, any good father would tell his child things like, 'don't run out into the street until the truck passes', or 'don't pick that 'stick' up', even such a simple command/warning as 'don't touch that'! Law did not come in opposition to Grace, but as an example of our Father's Love for His Children, to keep them from danger. As we know, and read throughout Scripture, this Law, though it had its intended effect in the fullness of time, was abused by His children, and even became an idol to them, one which held them in Captivity until our Heavenly Father sent His Only Begotten Son to release them and give them True Freedom!

The Israel of God, as personified by God Himself in the Perfect Man, Jesus Who was the Christ, was symbolically & corporately released from Captivity by that One final Sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb of God! The son of God had been held captive since his Genesis by the Fall of Adam, and its consequences,which were covenant death, and separation from the Full Presence of God. This Presence was restored in a fashion, first by the Tabernacle and finally by the successive Temples in Jerusalem, but His Presence with His People & the True Temple would not be Revealed until the fullness of Time had come!

Though God's People, as a Body, were released from Captivity, many of the several ( individual ) members of that Body, as well as those outside the Body, remain in an imagined, though very real captivity to this day! For whatever reason, certain Christians still see themselves as subject to 'this body of death' ( Romans 7:24b ) that Paul wrote about. Because they see themselves as still under the Curse, pretty much every aspect of their doctrine and even their lives is affected! This is not to say that those are not truly followers of Jesus, or even that those who believe thusly are adversely affected.

Captivity is a funny thing; like many other realities, it always, especially at first, seems like a bad thing! With our ability to view the past through the lens of Scripture, we can see that though Israel ( 'according to the flesh' ) often suffered severely under their Captivity, and saw it as a great evil, it was actually a good thing! Through their Captivity, the Gospel was spread to the nations around them! Daniel is probably the preeminent example of this that we have in Scripture, but other examples show forth the same Pattern. Through the foreign ministries of Joseph, for instance, a Seed was planted in Egypt, the Fruit of which was that it was said of them, 'Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance' ( Isaiah 19:25 )!

The Captivity that many people, even some Christians remain in today is much the same, in effect! Even though it often seems a bad thing, it is, in a sense, a necessary evil, for it is a Designed Captivity, one meant to bring that individual to their knees, to make them realize that the People of God have been released from their Captivity, and now enjoy the Freedom of Life in, through and with their Heavenly Father!

This Freedom no man can take away!

May We, as the Israel of God, ever Live in this Freedom we have been given, may We live our Lives as those who have been set free from our Captivity, and no matter what this world, which is our Father's, or men may throw at Us, may We always remember who We are and what We are to be about, our Father's business!

In service to His Kingdom,
Charles Haddon Shank

Kingdom Life & Living

I am writing this to ( hopefully ) encourage a friend who is somewhat down-trodden; this is dedicated to him!

Sometimes, a teaching which is against the established, or orthodox position is presented, and opposition is encountered from all angles! This is not to say that this position should not be taught, just that we should expect opposition when we do teach it! The Truth must be revealed no matter the consequences, and whether we choose to take part in that revelation or not, and for whatever reason; it is God's Truth & His Kingdom; it WILL be advanced whether or not we take our part! However, we bear responsibility depending on our choice!

There is a stigma attached to the name 'preterism'; right or wrong, anyone who adopts the defining term 'preterist', in many circles, is immediately labeled a heretic; anything he or she says thereafter is immediately suspect! At the very least, people who either subscribe to or are open to this teaching are direly warned against it and even threatened with hell-fire!
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The main principle behind 'preterism', the fact that all Scripture is fulfilled in the Parousia, or Presence of God in His Son, is correct, both Scripturally speaking and sensically! There is no doubt in my mind, and there should be no doubt in the minds of its proponents that this is undeniably so, but when we focus on the so-called 'Second Coming' of Christ rather than the more important fact of His Presence, we should expect more than a little opposition to this message!

What does the Parousia of God in Christ mean to our everyday Life?

Since God now dwells with ( in ) His People, how should we then live?

Well, first think about this; if we are always in God's Presence, as we are since His Parousia, what should be our daily manner of living? Should we, as those who do not acknowledge the Presence or enjoy its benefits, live according to our own selfish wants and desires, or should we, as Jesus told His disciples, 'seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness' ( Matthew 6:33 ) We should seek, not that our own will should be done, but that His would always have the preeminence! However, if we truly seek first His Kingdom & His Righteousness, ours will be His!

Too many 'preterists', in my experience ( and I was one, so I can say this without compunction ) are so focused on AD70, and  the 'coming on the clouds' judgment of Israel & Jerusalem, that they often seem to bypass, or neglect completely the application of the implication; if this, then that!

If Jesus came when and how He promised His disciples ( Matthew 24:34, Matthew 16:26, Matthew 10:23, etc. ), what does that mean to us today? Should we go on living as Christians have for centuries, even millenia, as if we were still looking for Jesus' Return, and even hoping against hope that He would appear in our lifetime, and deliver us from this God-awful mess that we have gotten ourselves into"? Should we live in misplaced hope, waiting on His Coming in Power, or should we live in the Realization of His Presence, striving, with the Strength He has given us ( Philippians 4:13 ), to expand His Kingdom?

The Good News for God's People today ( whether they realize it or not ) is that we DO live in His Presence NOW! There IS no more waiting for His Return, which prognosticators falsely say may or may not be in our lifetime! Everything that His Parousia, or Presence indicates has been accomplished; the sin of God's People, those He came to save ( Matthew 1:21 ) has been washed away & removed 'as far as east is from west' ( Psalm 103:12 )! The People of God, as Israel of old, has been raised from the dead,, and 'dies no more' ( Romans 6:9 ( John 11:26 )!

As we live out our Lives in His Presence then, and for His Glory & Kingdom, let us remember that, while His Parousia is the basis for our realized hope, it is all about His Presence & Relationship with our Heavenly Father! If we forget that, we forget what it's all about, and have relegated the Gospel to 'I'm right, you're wrong'!

May we remember that we ARE the Body of Christ and so acquit ourselves as the free men & women that we are, living our lives to the fullest and enjoying His Presence forever!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Freedom From Above

What is freedom?

Freedom is the ability to do as you please without the danger of outside interference. We in America prize this ability above all others, and even proclaim our God-given right to do so! However, this is not always a good thing, for if we are free to do good, by extension, we are also free to do evil as we so please!

For the past century or so, America's churches have been permeated by the doctrine that says salvation is simply going to 'heaven' when you die! If salvation merely means an escape from this crazy mixed up world, why would one try to make this crazy mixed up world any better; we're leaving it all behind anyway, right?

This train of thought has more to do with our dwindling freedoms in this country than most people might think! If we have nothing to live for in this world, and everything to die for, why should we even try ( because it's such a tough life ) to make the best of things? Scripturally speaking, our freedom is directly linked to our salvation! If we are free, as Scripture tells us we are, it is because of the salvation that God wrought through His Son, Jesus the Christ; 'Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.' ( John 8:36 )!

Conversely, if Americans are losing their freedoms, it is because they have lost their 'salvation'! American Christianity has taught its denizens for so long that, just as salvation is physical, so is freedom. Yes, both have their necessary physical attributes, but as is freedom, so salvation is a matter of the heart; if one is not free at heart, one is not truly free! That one may go through the motions, but just like salvation, if the Holy Spirit has not begun a good work in that person, then that person has neither been saved nor set free!

If salvation truly comes only when one dies, then it is no wonder that many America Christians are 'of all men most miserable'; they'll never be truly happy ( or free ) till they are free of this world ( or till Jesus comes back, whichever comes first )!

Freedom & Salvation are two very closely related intangibles, so even though, as we have seen, they both have their physical outworking, or attributes, they are both matters of the heart, or the Spirit, where it all must begin! Just as one may proclaim their 'salvation', unless they prove it by living out those principles in their life, so if one is truly free, and believes in the principles of freedom, they will live as free men & women! The state motto of New Hampshire, 'Live free or die', comes to mind here!

When America's pulpits begin to teach a true, rather than a false salvation, then we may begin to see the citizens of God's Kingdom begin to exercise the freedom that they have been given in Christ. If people are taught that they will not truly have salvation till they physically perish, but are only given the future promise of 'heaven', then is it any wonder that they are giving up their 'freedoms' almost without a fight?!

'Freedom is nothing if not exercised!'

If we do not exercise the freedom we have been given by God, we have seen what happens! Six million Jews lost their freedom because they thought they had no choice. Do you think if those six million Jews had exercised their God-given freedom and refused to obey a government that wished to take away that freedom, that so many would have perished? Because so many American Christians refused to take a stand against their evil government in the stead of the helpless unborn, we now have legalized abortion, and almost 60 million preborn children have been murdered; LEGALLY!

The Salvation of God's People was accomplished almost 2,000 years ago, when Jesus the Son of God was crucified on that cruel cross of Calvary. Almost exactly 40 years later, God's People were physically saved from the sack & ruin of Jerusalem because the implemented that most important principle regarding their freedom, 'when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her.'  ( Luke 21:20 & 21 ). If they had not exercised the freedom gained them by their Messiah, they would have perished with the rest!

If we, as Christians, and Citizens of the Kingdom of God, will not exercise the Freedom we have been given by God, then we will see the physical freedoms granted by our government continue to dwindle, and finally, disappear altogether! We must begin to prove our freedom if we are to remain free! We must 'Live Free, or Die', for our freedom will atrophy & die if we do not make use of it, and let it shine forth in our lives!

May we as 'One Nation, Under God', begin both to exercise both our completed salvation and thusly the freedom that we have been given; if we do not, this nation will die!

Charles Haddon Shank

The Nuts & Bolts of Kingdom Living ( Covenant )

'Make sure that your nut fits his bolt': this was a line from a recent radio commercial for a Valentine's Day special, that I heard recently!

There are several different ways that one could take a statement like this, anywhere from, 'make sure you're compatible', to, 'well, are you sure you want me to go there?' It is not a unique statement, though it could be an intriguingly deep one; 'are we a good match; do we complement each other well?' When you really think about it, even the area that most Christians are almost loathe to go ( publicly, anyway ), has some pretty important connotations! Maybe this is one of the reasons that Christianity is in the shape it's in today!

If your 'nut' doesn't fit his 'bolt', either metaphorically or biologically speaking, do you really have any good reason to be together? Now, I'm not advocating the old analogy of test-driving the car before you buy it, or the adage of 'why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free, but there are other steps that can be taken to ensure a minimum of compatibility without going there!

First off, you want to make sure that your proposed spouse wants what you want, that her 'nut' fits your 'bolt', or vice-versa! Second, you want to make sure that even if your wants don't quite match up, and this is fairly common ( or rare, depending on context ), this person is open to 'new' ways of looking at the world ( make sure that you're open to this as well )! If neither one of you is willing, not to compromise, but to defer, then you might as well call the whole thing off!

Here's where Covenant comes in;; Covenant, you might say, is a game-changer! We've discussed before the difference between a mere contract and a covenant. A contract is merely a set of obligations and when those obligation are fulfilled, then the contract necessarily is brought to an end. If however, the contractees have built a relationship during that period which both would like to see continue, the contract could turn into a covenant, which normally includes a phrase like 'until death do us part'!

This being a much different culture than the biblically historical one, the engagement period  ( of varying lengths ) is our culture's version of the betrothal period. When two people, in our culture decide that they would like to be married, there is usually a period where they are engaged to be married, somewhat like the betrothal period of Scripture, but without quite the legal ramifications!

In this era of long engagements, loose living, and easy divorce, it seems that the engagement period in this nation is more of a 'waiting-period', a time, not only to test the limits, but to mollify parents, etc.! Engagement in our culture is more just a time of preparation for marriage, 'a training-period', you might say, but in biblically historical culture, the betrothal was more of a contract to be fulfilled, and if the contract was fulfilled to satisfaction, then it would be extended into a covenant, in which the two parties would be cemented together for life!

When a Covenant is consummated, then you can be sure that his 'bolt' fits your 'nut', or vice-versa; then, and only then, can the veil be parted, and that area where 'angels fear to tread' be entered!

Best just to wait and see!

So, you might be thinking, what does all this have to do with Kingdom Living, with Covenant Life? Well, as the saying goes, 'if you don't get it, you won't get it' ( or something like that )! If you disregard the Covenant aspect of Life, and try to go it on your own, your 'bolt' will never fit her 'nut', or vice-versa; nothing will ever fit quite right, and though the contract may or may not ever be fulfilled, that's all it will be; subject to 'early termination', with all the accompanying 'fees'!

Any good constructor can tell you how important it is for the nuts to fit the corresponding bolts; if they don't, depending on their position in the construction, the whole thing, sooner or later, will come crashing down! In more and more marriages in this day and age, the 'nuts & bolts' don't quite mach, and we have what we have in modern society!

Make sure that your 'nut' fits his 'bolt'!

Charles Haddon Shank

Februation

Would you give your life for the one you love?

The marriage of a man & woman is likened by the Apostle Paul to the relationship between Christ & His Church, between God and Israel. Jesus said that 'greater love has no one than this, to lay one's life for his friends'. He said this just before stretching out His arms in His great Love and dieing in the stead of His People on the cruel cross of Calvary. Paul wrote, near the end of his letter to the Church at Ephesus, that the marriage of a man & wife was analogous of Christ & His Church. Before he penned these famous, though somewhat enigmatic words, he also wrote that, as Jesus gave Himself for His Bride, so a man should be prepared to give his life for his bride! Earlier in this same letter, in the man-made division we call chapter five, Paul wrote that 'Christ has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma'!

Having spoken somewhat disparagingly of 'this modern love', this feeling part of love, in the past, I cannot deny its very real presence & even needful existence! Love, as I've written in the past, is 'A Many Splintered Thing'! It is also a very necessary thing; if the feelings aren't there, then we won't show those non-existent feelings through our actions. Again, we must understand that a love based on feelings is no love at all, for Scripture tells us that 'lover never fails'. If our love for a spouse, friend, etc, is based on feelings that are subject to change, then as go the feelings, so goes the love. A love, however, that is based upon the Love of God is a love that will last, for we know that God does not change!

Februation, which is inextricably linked to our month February, means 'purification by a religious ceremony', or 'sacrifice'! Interesting that the 14th day of this month, February, was chosen all those yeas ago as the month in which to celebrate undying love! Okay, so for the most part nowadays, it is given over to mushy-gushy feelings, along with having become just another commercial sales day ( probably one of the biggest of the year ), but it's still, in theory, all about the love!

Love means sacrifice! It doesn't necessarily involve the giving up of biological life for the continued existence of another, though this can and does happen, but it involves anything from simply handing her ( or him ) the remote, to deferring to the object of your love when it comes to where to live! Feelings are involved with every decision! Unless you let those feelings rule your life, rather than living by our Heavenly Father's Law of Love, those feelings are a good thing! Again, if the feelings aren't there, we won't practice Love; we're simply doing our duty! ( this is not to say that there's anything wrong with doing your duty, either )

Humans are creatures of emotion, and that means feelings! Some humans are more emotional than others, and some can stifle or even suppress their emotions to the point that they seem to have no emotions at all. Emotions can be a good thing ( women love an emotional man ), or it can be a bad thing ( if you're too emotional though, you may be discarded as a 'wet rag' ). Seriously though, our emotions, if not checked, will get us in trouble. If we feel too strongly about a certain matter, we could end up losing our shirt over it, in a manner of speaking, but on the other hand, if we don't stand for something, as 'they' say, 'you'll fall for anything'!

Getting back to the subject, that of sacrificial Love, if we do not feel the love of God in our lives, we will not share that Love with anyone, much less our spouse! Scripture says that 'we love [ Him ], because He first loved us'. Is it possible to practice love without knowing Love? Can we know Love without feeling Love? I've said it before, and I'll say it again, 'you can tell someone you love them till you're blue in the face, but if you don't show them you love them, how can they know?'

One of the most, in fact, probably the most famously quoted portion of Scripture, John 3:16, says that 'God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but should have everlasting life'. God showed His Love for His Creation by sending His only Beloved Son so that we, His Bride, might live. What Amazing Love, what Limitless Grace!

In this month of Purification & Sacrifice, let us determine to live our lives sacrificially, knowing that we, the people of God, have been cleansed & purified!

As we practice Sacrificial Living, let us always remember that 'Love knows no bounds'; Love is not metered out according to race, color or religion ( some would say 'sexual preference', as well ), but Love gives without asking or expecting, in hopes only of blessing, for it truly is 'more blessed to give than to receive'!

Charles Haddon Shank

Your Will be Done

Here again, we must go where angels fear to tread, and turn to the context of 'The Story' of Scripture!

'And I will sanctify My great Name, which you have profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I [ AM ] the Lord, says the Lord God, when I am hallowed in you before their eyes'. Ezekiel 36:23

Israel, rather than fulfilling God's Will, and blessing the nations, had profaned His name before the nations and had become a curse to the nations around them; this is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray 'Your will be done', because Israel had neglected the weightier matters of the Law, and refrained from loving and practicing Justice, Mercy & Faith!

The Will of our Creator is always done, yes, because He is infinite and we finite, but our guilt & responsibility is not lessened when we fail to do justly & have mercy! We should pray for His will to be done for two main reasons; one, because prayer is open communication with our Heavenly Father ( which ANY father loves ), and two, because need His strength strength to do His will, for men are weak!

‘Your will be done’ is the natural predecessor to the prayer of Jesus in the Garden, where He prayed, ‘Your will, not Mine be done’. It also echoes the events in the original Garden, wherein the will of the creature seemed to thwart the Will of the Creator. Though the Fall was part of the Plan so that in the fullness of time, the Son of God would be revealed in all His Glory, the will of the creature, not the revealed Will of God, led to the downfall of many in Israel; this is what the Story is about, it is a record of how God’s Will, in spite of the will of man, triumphs in judgment!

Human beings are, at the very core, selfish creatures: we would rather see our own wants and needs fulfilled before anyone else’s! This is where the trouble began in the original Garden, and this is why, when Jesus faced His Garden Temptation, He prayed, ‘Your will, not Mine, be done’. Jesus introduced the New Humanity, one that through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit was able to squelch that natural human lust, and seek the Will of the Father rather than the selfish will of the Child!

Israel, as Adam & Eve in the Garden, had sought to do things their own way for countless years! Rather than wait for Gods perfect timing, they, throughout their history, had sought their own righteousness ( through the Law ) and so had failed to attain True Righteousness and to Accomplish The Will of their Creator!

When Jesus gave His disciples this Model for Prayer, He reminded them of this History, and set the mold for the Reformed People of God, a People that would seek His Will before their own, who would seek His Righteousness, love Justice & practice Mercy!

As we pray, then, knowing the History of this Model for Prayer, and that it was fulfilled in the first century with the marriage of Heaven & Earth, let us ever pray to our Father in Heaven, as Jesus did, ‘Your Will, not Mine, be done!

Let us, through His strength, ever fulfill His Righteousness as we Work, Pray, Eat & Rest!

Charles Haddon Shank

Misty Mountain Morning

Morning has broken, and I wonder as I wander,
How blessed I am to live among such beauty!

The mountains high, the valleys deep,
The rivers that are so cold and clear!

The fawns that graze, majestic elk,
The great old bear that wrestles with her cubs!

On this beautiful wintry day, I watch the veil of steam,
As it rises from the vales, on this Misty Mountain Morning!


We praise our Father who dwells with us,
His Presence is seen in the beauty all around!

The Love of God is greater far, than all the beauty found on earth,
The Creation shines forth His praise, and sparkles in the Son-lit haze!

The beauty of the earth does not surpass His Grace,
Nor the ones who shout His praise!

We worship Him with all our deeds, in all we do and say,
For He is our only stay, on this Misty Mountain Morning!

Charles Haddon Shank

A Cause for Fear

With all that's been going on in the world, especially in the past 50-100 years, one might be thinking that, yes, there most certainly is a cause for fear! From a physical standpoint, anyway, worry & stress factor hugely in much of the danger, both real & perceived that is prevalent both in this country, and throughout all the nations that surround us! There is most definitely, physically speaking any, a veritable cause for fear in this crazy and mixed up world in which we live!

If you watch the world news as it is portrayed by the varied sources of media information ( or is that 'disinformation'? ) on a daily basis, or if you watch movies such as Harrison Ford's 'Clear and Present Danger', and television shows such as NCIS ( which, admittedly, I've been watching lately ), you might realize that there is much in this world that is not as it should be, and much else that should not be, as a result of the unnecessary evil, has become an almost necessary evil!

Even though we know that much of the information fed to us through these various sources for media outlets, including television & movies is probably not quite as insidious as 'they' would have us to believe, it is still probably fairly safe to say that much of this 'information' is based in reality! We know that there are evil people in this world, or at least people that have left their mark for evil on this world ( Hitler, Pol Pot, etc. come to mind ). There is no denying their legacy, and the ( false ) dynasty of evil that, thanks to them and those like them, is still prevalent in this crazy & mixed up world!

'This is Our Father's World'! This phrase, borrowed from the title of the slightly revised hymn, has a real Ring of Truth to it! Because of our skewed perception of Who and What God is, and how He Operates, most Christians, even, do not believe that this is our Father's world, and especially not that He Rules & Reigns, and makes His Power known through the evil that men do! The main reason for this mistake is a lack of Knowledge & Understanding of what is affectionately known, in a certain circles as 'The Story' ( also called 'the meta-narrative' ). Many Christians today believe that since the Life, Death & Resurrection of Jesus the Son of God, our Heavenly Father operates in a kinder, gentler manner than He did before. This is engendered by a summary reading and unnecessary separation of what we know as the Old & New Testaments!

Let me digress here a bit; many Christians & non-believers as well find it hard to reconcile what is seen as a petty, vindictive, even mean & horrible God in the Old Testament with the kinder gentler version that we read about in the New. Besides the fact that they, if they know the Scriptures at all, read them as separate Stories, rather than as one complete Story, many Christians seem to gloss over the fact that God destroyed those who were called by His Name ( excepting a Remnant ), turning over tables, and calling down the judgment of an Almighty & Vengeful God on the Evil that they had become ( I Thessalonians 1:8 ( Matthew 16:27, 26:64, etc. )! The significance of the Destruction of the Jewish Temple, and Final Dispersion of the Jewish people in 70AD is usually overlooked or downplayed by most Christians today, and because of this, the notion that God Himself was changed by the Revelation of His Son persists to this day!

There is no question, from a human standpoint, anyway, that all is not as it should be, at least according to the utopian worldview that has been held by most Christians & unbelievers for years! The Problem of Evil has been present with us since the beginning of time! Human beings of all shapes, sizes, and religions have the propensity for untold evil, and to varying degrees of success, they are able, either to staunch the flow, or unleash this untold evil on their neighbors!

Since we know, and most of us can personally attest to this fact, that there are untold evils happening everyday all around us, it is easy to lose our Focus on the unseen yet Evident Reality of Life in the Presence, and be held in the Prison of Fear by these Evils! Though the Evil that happens around us everyday is impossible to deny, by keeping our Focus stayed on the Presence of God, Ruling & Reigning through these Evils: we can work through this Fear, and through the Freedom we have in Christ, we, though concerned with the matters of Everyday Life ( as we should be ), can Live Without Fear, knowing that our Heavenly Father rules through, and in spite of, our Cause for Fear!

In conclusion; though for the unbeliever who does not enjoy the Blessedness of the Presence of God in their lives, there is much Cause for Fear; for the believer, though there is undoubtedly much cause for concern this Cause for Fear does not exist, because, as we've seen, 'This is Our Father's World' He Rules & Reigns according to His infinite Knowledge, Power, and Grace! Because His Knowledge, Power &; Grace is infinite, and ours only and ever finite ( limited ), we can only and ever trust to His Love & Purpose, 'for we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who are the Called, according to His Purpose'!

Us & Them

In a very real sense, it is easy to conceptualize the phrase, and in an even true sense, it is easy to see that there is a difference. There are some that do this, and there are those who do that. In fact, it's probably safe to say that 1 out of every 5 people on this planet does something differently than everybody or anybody else!

People often end up on the wrong end of this phrase, though, because they do some things differently than a certain group thinks they ought to. This may or may not be wrong, and it is not necessarily right, either; there IS such a thing as Absolute Truth! Our differences, yes, are the spice of life, without them, life would become very boring, very fast! To a certain point, our differences can be a good thing, but when our differences cause us to forget our common humanity, then is when we have a problem!

Some people believe that it is wrong to, say, have sexual relations before marriage, while others do not! According to the first group, it would be wrong, sinful even, to engage in the act we call sex unless one is married to that person, but the other group of people, that it is okay to engage in sexual intercourse as long as the other party is willing. Is one group wrong, and the other right, or are both groups rightly and religiously doing what is good and just for them? Both groups believe religiously that the way they are living their lives is good and just, but they can't both be right, can they?

Absolute Truth tells us that only one of these groups can be right! If one group is right, then the other is necessarily wrong! Many people, mostly of the latter group, hate this, because by insisting on Absolute Truth, we are pricking their conscience, making them feel the guilt of their immoral behavior! There is no question in the mind of the first group that the second group is doing wrong, and though they often have the biblical phrase, 'judge not' ( Matthew 7 ) thrown in their faces, they will often resort to hateful tirades against this second group, because they feel so strongly that they are better than the second group just because they 'do this and don't do that'!

It could well be argued that the first group, those that love God, and keep His Word ARE somehow better than those who don't, but are they really? They are more blessed, no doubt, and enjoy a deeper, better communion, both with their Heavenly Father and with the Body of His Son, but are they actually better people; is there really any good reasoning behind the use of the phrase, 'Us & Them'?

As we have seen, there is a very real sense in which the concept of 'Us & Them' is a very true one; there are two different groups, one of which believes that a certain action is wrong, while the other believes it to be right, or at least, relatively okay. The problem with 'Us & Them' is that both groups are human! Like most any sibling rivalry, the child that always does what pleases the father or mother tends to get puffed up, and even pridefully boastful against the sibling who does not always do what the parents like.

Often, when the one sibling notes this difference , 'Us & Them' becomes 'Us Versus Them'! The 'good' child may begin to 'harp' on the 'bad' child, telling them things like, 'I'm better than you', and reminding them of their 'worthlessness' in various different ways. This emotional abuse can turn into physical abuse very quickly! This is not to say that the 'bad' child is right, and that he ( or she ) should be rewarded with the same blessings as the 'good' child, no; there is right and there is wrong: I'm not saying that we shouldn't differentiate!

There is no doubt, for common sense will attest to this, that those who do right, though not always blessed by men, will be blessed by their Heavenly Father! It is also abundantly clear that those who do wrong, while often blessed by men, will not be blessed by God, though, 'His rain falls on the just and the unjust alike'! Doubtless too; it IS better to receive the blessings of God's Presence than to always be on the wrong end, so to speak, of that Presence, to live in Heaven rather than to suffer in Hell!

So, yes, it IS 'Us & Them', but the question we should ask ourselves is, 'is it Us Versus Them'?

If so then, WE might be the real problem!

Look where this mentality of 'Us Versus Them' has gotten us so far! Yes, the Kingdom of God ( it IS HIS Kingdom, after all ) has grown and expanded far beyond our hopes and dreams, and for that matter, is eternally and infinitely expanding, but at what  cost, through how much ( needless ) pain and suffering? Some would likely argue, and well, maybe, that this pain and suffering is well-deserved by its recipients and even point out that this is a necessary evil, being the discipline of a Loving Father, or else a Just Judge! 'They're only getting what they justly deserve', you might hear, and so they are, but they're human beings, and so deserve our respect and love, because, but for the Grace of God, 'There We Go'!

If the first group would remember their common humanity with the second group, or group, then maybe we would be that much closer to realizing a peaceful co-existence, and maybe, just maybe, through that Peace & Love shown & shared, that second group may be brought into a lasting and meaningful ( healthy ) relationship with both their Heavenly Father, and the Body of His Son!

May we realize & celebrate the differences in our humanity without resorting to wrongdoing!

Charles Haddon Shank

Nominal Christianity

'We are no longer just a Christian nation' - Barack Obama - 2006

Does a Christian nation allow for the murder of its most helpless citizens?!

When Barack Obama made that incendiary statement in 2006, most American Christians were outraged!

'How dare he declare that we are not a Christian nation?!' 

When he made this statement , I'm sure this soon to be presidential candidate was not referring to the fact that many Christians in this nation seem to have turned a blind eye to the ugly fact of abortion! I highly doubt that he meant to imply that, just because the Supreme Court of America declared child-murder legal in 1973, Amer could no longer be considered a Christian nation, but the fact is, a Christian nation does not murder helpless, innocent, and unborn children!

When America was founded, those many, many years ago, Christian principles, though maybe somewhat puritanical, were in force, and throughout her first years, it seemed that God had blessed her efforts, and the spilt blood off her sacrifices! It is safe to say, though with a sad heart, that America's sacrifices are no longer a pleasing aroma in the Face of God; they are simply the abhorrent savor of death!

Although there are no doubt many true & faithful followers of Christ in America, most if not all who have defended the rights of the preborn ever since, and even before 1973, the nation as a whole has done nothing concrete to stop this hellacious and abominable practice!

'Life goes on' and 'it is what it is', you might hear!

The murder of the innocent is not going to stop simply because legislation is passed saying that it's illegal, although if the penalties are harsh enough, it could sure make a dent, but by passing legislation making abortion legal, America has become complicit, as a whole, in these murders! Because of her complicity & lack of felicity, America has become displeasing in God's eyes, and will be brought to a painful and complete end unless she repents of her duplicity and begins, as she should, to protect the preborn, instead of murdering them in the 'cradle'!

America, once known as a Christian nation among the nations, is quickly becoming known for its duplicitous ways, and has fallen far from the lofty position she once enjoyed as 'a light to the world'! Nations all around us are seeing her for what she is, a wasteful, selfish, & slovenly whore! Her 'Christianity, what there is still extant in this country, has become a bunch of simpering 'panty-waists', 'evangellyfish', as a friend of mine calls them!

It is not too late!

If America's Christian will pull themselves up by their own bootstraps, cinch up their belts, and stop prostrating themselves before false gods, then maybe will will turn this 'colossus of doom' around, and bring America back to the once-great Christian nation she was meant to be!

May it be!

Charles Haddon Shank

Your Kingdom Come

Remembering the eschatological nature of 'The Lord's Prayer', as it is traditionally called, and it's relevance to the history of Israel, when Jesus taught His disciples, in the 1st century, to pray 'Your kingdom come', we must understand first of all, that His Kingdom HAS come! It is a present reality! John saw and recorded in his Revelation ( 11:15 ), 'the kingdoms[f]of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!' Our Creator, in the Parousia of His Son, entered into His Creation, and made His dwelling with us!

And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.

Daniel 2:44

The details of Nebuchadnezzar's dream were no doubt in the forefront of the Mind of Christ when He taught His disciples to pray this way! The disciples, being good Jews, most likely would have immediately thought of this prophecy as well.

As much as the Jews wanted to deny it, they were still in captivity, even though they were restored to the physical 'Land of Promise'! Since the Assyrian Captivity, and even before that, since the days of the Judges, at least, they were held captive, in some form or another!

Although every good Jew looked for to the Day that Daniel described, the Disciples of Christ must have had a slightly different understanding of this prophecy. Whereas most, if not all Jews looked for a physical and political kingdom, as do most Christians today, Jesus taught His disciples that this would not be a political kingdom, mediated through mere men, but that His Kingdom was of a more spiritual nature. Though He would rule and reign through His 'Body Politic'; this Kingdom would last forever, because it would not be upheld by any physical line of descent! Their history had proven that the strength of men would fail! Instead, this Kingdom would stand through spiritual generation!

In the same way that The Lord's Supper may still be observed without harming it's original intent, so the Lord's Prayer may still be uttered, in memorial. With the understanding though, that this Heavenly Kingdom has come, and is now a present Reality, to the casual observer ( or listener ) there may be even more confusion over this issue than over the continued observance of The Lord's Supper!

If The Lord's Supper, with its eschatological import, is fulfilled, how much more The Lord's Prayer, with 'Your Kingdom come'? We'll get into this more in the next several installments, but the qualifying statement is, of course, 'on earth as it is in heaven'. If, according to Fulfilled, or Realized Eschatology, God's Kingdom, the Kingdom that Daniel says 'became a great mountain and filled the whole earth', has come, then why would we still pray for it to come?

Unquestionably, although some do question it, God's Kingdom is a present Reality! To those with eyes to see, it is infinitely evident that He IS ruling through His People, from the Throne in His New Temple! We do not however see all men acknowledging Him, or bowing to His will. Nevertheless, we can see with open eyes, that though He is not acknowledged, and in many cases intentionally spurned, His Will, His Purpose is still accomplished, even through, or in spite of, the actions of wicked men!

So may we continue to pray, with our New Covenant Eyes, that His Kingdom would continue to come, or expand, 'on earth as it is in heaven', for we, His people, and the sheep of His pasture, ARE Heaven, the dwelling ( place ) of God!

Charles Haddon  Shank

Hallowed be Your Name

I do not do [ this ] for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.

Ezekiel 36:22

We honor our Heavenly Father in several different ways! When we live according to His Law ( of Love ), we honor His Name; when we worship Him as our Creator, we honor His Name, and when we prove His Love, we bring honor to His Holy Name! In fact, that is just what it means to 'hallow' something; to sanctify, to set apart, to consecrate for a special use ( especially religious use )!

Why, if He, as our Heavenly Father, is the Creator, and therefore, the epitome of all that is right, good and holy, should we pray that His Name be hallowed? Why should we set apart His Name and consecrate it to special ( religious ) use?

You shall therefore be holy, for I [ am ] holy.

Leviticus 11:45b

We are, ourselves, instructed to be holy! We, as the People of God, children of our Heavenly Father, have been cleansed, sanctified, and made holy, yet we are told to BE holy, as He is holy. This is to say, that we are to show, or prove, in actuality, that we HAVE been made holy, that we have been sanctified and set apart! So with our Heavenly Father; He IS holy, but it is through our holy living, our honoring His Name, that His name is in actuality hallowed!

When we pray, therefore, that His name would be hallowed, we do two things; we first of all, keep the lines of communication open between us and our Heavenly Father, and we make supplication for the strength & will to honor Him with our lives!

'The Lord's Prayer', as given by our Jesus to His first-century disciples was, as we have noted, nothing new. It has recently been shown that this prayer was modeled, with a few notable distinctions, on the Jewish Kaddish. This prayer was based largely on the hope & promise of the Davidic dynasty, on the fact that David and his Son would for reign upon His throne!

Eschatologically, the prayer that Jesus taught His disciples petitioned that His Name, instead of being profaned, as their spiritual fathers had, would now be hallowed sanctified, and made holy! This, in the context of Ezekiel's prophecy in chapter 36, was only made possible through the cleansing and renewal of the hearts of the People of God! David too, spoke of this time when he prayed, 'Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin', and 'Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me'. ( Psalm 51:2 & 10 )

Being eschatological in nature then, as it most definitely is, and thus fulfilled; should we any longer pray this prayer, and voice these concerns? If Jesus spoke these words to His first-century disciples, instructing them to pray that His name would be hallowed 'in the Land' ( Israel ) as it is in 'heaven', is it still for us to pray them?

It most definitely is! We should still, besides keeping up good communications with our Heavenly Father, seek His Strength & Will in our lives, that we may live according to His Law, in love, sanctifying His Hallowed Name!

We should pray, yes, that His Name would always be hallowed & honored in our lives, but more importantly, we should strive to honor Him in our lives, in everything that we do as well as say!

Amen,
Charles Haddon Shank

The Sovereignty of God

Where is the promise of His coming? 
For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as [ they were ] from the beginning of creation!

II Peter 3:4

If Christians would just act like Christ, tax-paid abortion would have ended in 1974! ( Actually, the Supreme Court might never have handed down their fateful decision on Roe v. Wade! )

This statement, to say nothing of the statement on our latest inflammatory sign, may seem a little harsh and a lot presumptive! I daresay, with no doubt whatsoever, if Jesus encountered this problem in His day, He would not have sat idly by while babies were being murdered!  Unlike the many denominations of the Church, or church; He would have, at the very least, over-turned the tables of the money-changers and driven them from His House, and would have done His best to over-turn the Supreme Court!

Since its inception, but especially since 1973, America,  like any other biological body, has been dying a slow, painful death!

This is our Father's world, and He rules it as He wills! If American Christians think they can sit idly by, cowering in their bunkers like the Lutherans ( and many others ) during WWII, they've got another think coming! Remember the Holocaust? Whether or not you believe it was right or wrong for Hitler to massacre all those people, innocent or not, it was still murder, and if those Christians had stood up for their brethren, and against the evil that men do, the effects could have greatly been lessened, and possibly even averted!

So, in our day, with the 41st anniversary of that fateful decision ( Roe v. Wade ) on the horizon, we can easily look at American Christianity of the not-too-distant past, and see that if they had been worth their salt, they would have risen en masse, as a Body, and put a stop to the legalized murder of babies, in fact, nipping it in the bud!

The naysayers quoted in the verse above, from II Peter 3, were questioning the promise of God's judgment on His people because evil had been present from the very creation, and still, evil was present! Many Christians today, because of a misconstrued theology, might ask the very same question! Many of these same Christians stood idly by and did nothing because they're expecting Jesus to return any moment, sweep up His poor petulant church, and destroy all the evil in this world in one fell swoop!

Those who questioned His appearance in the first century ( II Peter 3:4 ) saw His Coming in the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in AD70, and the subsequent of the salvation of the followers of Christ, in their escape from that destruction!

The only way America will be saved from her destruction will be if She repents en masse of Her idolatries and especially the murder of Her unborn!

Only if we as Christians will take a Stand, and even Fight for the rights of all human beings to live, and especially the pre-born, will America return from Her destructive ways and begin to heal & prosper as a nation once more!

Stand & Fight, brethren; let this be our battle-cry, 'We do not Fear what Man Can Do!'

Amen,
Charles Haddon Shank

A Gentile Baptism, Part Two

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. 

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.[b]

John - Matthew 3:11

Why do some people feel that it is necessary to continue to baptize in water, even when it was promised that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire? Speaking off a baptism by fire, it is widely accepted that when John said this of Jesus ( though 'with fire' is questionably a later addition ), he simply meant that it would be through trials & tribulations that His people would be purified. Jesus' 'baptism by fire' ( 'But I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!'-Luke 12:50 ) is a perfect example of this baptism, as He was referring to His crucifixion & death!

To baptize, as we have seen, is simply 'to whelm'. People can be, and often are, overwhelmed by many different things; life itself, with its many twists & turns, speed-bumps and illusions ( or should that be 'allusions'? ) is often overwhelming! One can be overwhelmed by a multitude of problems, issues, or even by too much of a good thing!

We have seen that the practice of water baptism was itself eschatological in nature. It began under the so-called Old Covenant, was carried on into the transition period by John, and finally revealed in its significance by Paul & the apostles. It really was, during that transitional period, anyway, a sign to the Gentiles that they too, had become part of the Body of Israel, or Christ!

In the church today, and maybe in particular, the evangelical church, Christians are thought to be ( and even called ) Gentiles, unless they are of course, physical Jews ( you'd be very hard-pressed, I believe, to find one of those anymore! ). This however, conflicts with Scripture, which says in several different places & ways, 'For there is no difference' ( Romans 3:22 ). Paul actually comes right out and plainly says 'There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.' ( Galatians 3:28 )

( 'Greek' & 'Gentile' are translated from the same Greek word, 'Hellēn' )

In some circles, those who do not necessarily view the practice as 'necessary', nevertheless still hold on to the practice as an identification with Israel. It most surely is that, an outward sign of identification with the Story that we read in the pages of Scripture, but we might ask the question here, for those of the Reformed persuasion in particular ( I was brought up in this tradition ); 'do we need to administer this outward sign in order for the inward Reality to be made manifest?' Will the outward sign guarantee the inward Reality? 

Obviously not, though some of my stauncher Reformed brethren might beg to differ!

Admittedly, one could well make the argument that when the unbeliever is awakened from his ( or her ) sleep and realizes the gravity & blessedness of right relationship with their Father in Heaven, receiving the outward sign of water baptism is a beautiful way to picture the Reality of their becoming One with the Body of Christ! Here though, we run into the same problems as we've already discussed! If one ( unbeliever ) claims to have become a believer, and so receives that outward sign, and later, for what ever reason, falls away, what good has his water baptism & confession done him? Nothing but harm!


However, as truly now as back then ( Luke 23:43, baptism by fire?), when one turns their life around, and begins to live in some sort of communion with the Body, it becomes fairly obvious that person has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is the True Baptism promised by our Father in Heaven!

Should we refrain then, from baptizing with water?

I, though I do not practice it myself, leave it up to the individual, but, for the very reasons enumerated above, advise ( seriously ) anyone reviewing the issue in their own mind, to realize the gravity & significance of either continuing the practice or not!

Charles Haddon Shank

Our Father in Heaven

How often do we almost thoughtlessly and mindlessly recite this opening phrase of what is known as 'The Lord's Prayer'? Do we truly realize what it means to call our Creator our Father, or that we are children of the One who set the universe in motion?

One thing that I believe many people miss is the context of Jesus' words!

When Jesus spoke these words, He was answering a question that had just been posed to Him by His disciples. His disciples asked Him, 'Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.' Jesus' answer to them was 'When you pray, say, Our Father in heaven..............'.

Traditionally, these words are the beginning of what might also be called 'The Model Prayer'. Over the centuries, and probably even millenia, the exact words that Jesus taught His disciples to say have been taught to adults and children alike as The Lord's Prayer.

There a few things that we must understand about Jesus' words here. First, He was speaking directly to His disciples, the ones who were standing there at that time. This is not to say that we should not use these same words, though we must understand that there was an eschatological impetus to them!

As we continue to study this "Model Prayer', we will see more and more clearly the eschatological nature of these words.

As their Brother, Jesus wanted them to be clear that His Father was their Father. The relationship between a father & son is more precious than gold or silver! One reason for this is that the son will eventually, if all goes as planned, carry on his father's name, even his father's work, his legacy. What the father does, the son will one day do. Our fathers often seem harsh and brusque! They seem to be harder on us than anyone else. The main reason for this is that, one day, we will take their place; one day, we will have to fill their shoes!

Our Heavenly Father is definitely and infinitely  different, and so, our relationship with Him takes a different attitude as well. We dwell with Him, as we dwell with our human, natural fathers, but with a huge difference; our human fathers are finite, limited to being in one place at a time. It is possible to go any number of places to escape his notice ( trust me, been there, done that )! Not so our Heavenly Father; David wrote ( Psalm 139:8 ), 'If I ascend into heaven, You [ are ] there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, You [ are there ].' He realized that there is no escape from the Presence of our Heavenly Father! Not only is He infinite in His knowledge and being, as well as all encompassing; He knows our very thoughts, and our most secret desires!

As such then, it is infinitely amazing and overwhelmingly gracious of Him that He would deem, not only to preempt to have a relationship with us, but that He would make us, His People, His Temple, His Dwelling!

Matthew's record of Jesus' instruction to His disciples is a bit more clearly eschatological! First, He instructs them, 'when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites'. He is clearly speaking against the elements of apopstate Judaism that was prevalent in His day, those who 'seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God' (Romans 10:3 )! We do have hypocrites, actors today, those who think that 'they will be heard for their many words',  but these hypocrites were the main focus of Jesus' indignation, their cup of wrath the one that spelled the end of the eschaton, fulfilling God's wrath!

Another thing we must understand about this 'model prayer' is that it was a reminder to His disciples, who were true Israelites, of their history! As we work our way through the The Lord's Prayer in these subsequent & sequential studies, we will see how this history unfolds.

In opening this model of prayer with 'Our Father in Heaven', Jesus made clear to His disciples that, although they were praying to their Father, He was not some human, finite Father! This was the Creator of heaven & earth, the One who dwelt in the heavens, who made the clouds His chariot, Who rode upon the wings of the wind! This is the One who claimed that 'Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool'!

David references throughout his many Psalms that Yahweh dwelt in the 'heavens'! It has been argued, quite successfully I believe, in certain circles, that these 'heavens' ( Hebrew-shamayim, Greek-ouranos, both of which mean, simply 'sky' ) referred, qualitatively and prophetically to His people, in whose midst He significantly dwelt ( Tabernacle /Temple ), rather than quantitatively to the 'place' where Yahweh dwells, apart from His People, often viewed as some 'pie in the sky' dream where His People will finally be ushered into His Presence upon their physical demise!

'Heaven' though, is more than just the dwelling-place of God, it is where He dwells with His People! In essence, you could well say; 'heaven is His people'! We ARE His throne, for it is through us, through His faithful ( and unfaithful ) people that He rules and reigns on this earth! 

Finally, we must understand that this is  'a model for prayer'! Jesus was not ( necessarily ) giving His disciples an exact blueprint of what words they must use when they prayed. In Luke's record of this 'prayer', Jesus told His disciples 'When you pray, say', but in Matthew's record, 'in this manner, therefore, pray', and so this point could well be argued, but really, I believe, it is beside the point!

Whether Jesus meant for His disciples to recite His words as a 'mantra', or was just giving them a pattern for relating to His Father and theirs, it is fairly clear that this prayer is eschatological in nature. Although it IS eschatological in nature, there is no harm in using it for our prayers too, for it is really almost as applicable today as it was back then! The same God that the disciples prayed to in the first century is still our Father, we still seek our daily sustenance in Him, and although His Kingdom has been made apparent on earth as it is in heaven, we still do not see it evidenced in all His People, though throughout all the earth!

'Our Father in Heaven' perfectly expressed the hope of Israel that their Creator was truly their Father who dwelt with them and would rule through them! The time would come when their prayer would become reality, and His Kingdom would be united, on earth, as it is in heaven!

Charles Haddon Shank

Share the Love, Spread the Love

In this day and age, love seems to have taken several different forms, but are all these forms truly love, or are they simply just man's weak representation of that grand allusion?

Since the dawn of time, love has taken many different forms, some more clearly love than others, but all made clear in action. Beyond what Scripture has to say on the subject, it is clear that love must be shown or proven through action, or it is only words, or mere feelings. Not to be too repetitive, but 'love is an action, not a feeling'; you can tell someone 'I love you' till you're blue in the face, but unless you show them that you do, in action, how can they believe you?

Traditionally, Scripture tells us that fornication, or sex before marriage, and adultery, or cheating on your spouse, are both wrong, and condemnable offenses!

Common sense tells us that the latter of these two, especially, is not a good idea, and can bring condemnation, and possibly death. Fornication, which can include all sorts of sexual immorality, common sense tells us, is also dangerously condemnable, especially with the rash of STDs, not to mention angry fathers, brothers, uncles or aunts!

Although the act of love most definitely should include sexual intercourse, it is widely accepted, among Christians anyway, that this sort of intercourse should only occur when the two involved are married to each other. Among most unbelievers, and even some who call themselves Christians, a general consensus and individual commitment is enough to cement the relationship!

With the advent of birth control pills and devices, and especially the condom, the risks involved with casual sex, whether with your spouse or with some random ( yet chosen ) partner, are greatly lessened. Physically speaking, it could almost be likened to masturbation, though, in most cases, anyway, there is an intimacy involved in even 'safe sex' which is simply not there in masturbation.

There are some today who might question the validity of these ancient laws, those which seem to say 'no sex outside marriage', and even 'no sex with anyone but your spouse'. Admittedly, I have even thought, once or twice, of the impact of fulfilled eschatology concerning these issues! As might be guessed, I have come  to the conclusion that though these laws were fulfilled through Jesus' ministry, they are being fulfilled in us; we carry on His ministry!

How then do we share His Love, or spread His Love to a world that seems to think that we can have sexual relations without the ties that bind? How are we to answer those Christians who seem to think that, since the Law has been fulfilled, and 'we are no longer under Law, but under Grace', those laws concerning fornication, adultery, and even sin itself are no longer binding, or in force?

For the unbelieving world, all that we can tell them is the Truth, that Love is the fulfilling ( keeping ) of the Law ( the Law of Love, not the Mosaic Law, or Code )! It is by fulfilling the Law toward our neighbor, be he/she friend or foe, that we show Love.  To the modern Christian who has a mistaken view of fulfillment, we simply remind them that a contract, when it is fulfilled, necessarily ends, but not so a covenant! A covenant, when it is fulfilled, is simply 'filled up' or kept. A contract is a temporal agreement, but, especially in the case of Our Heavenly Father's, a Covenant is eternal!

The marriage vow traditionally ends with 'till death do us part'!

It is possible to share and spread the Love without committing either fornication or adultery, even to share a form of intimacy without succumbing to sexual desires, though experience and common sense would tell you that the two are not far separated, so be warned: do not seek the one, if you cannot afford the other!

In the Father's Love,
Charles Haddon Shank

The Freedom & Responsibility of Man, Versus State Licensing

The issue of State Licensure is very widespread! From the operation of a simple lemonade stand ( in some states ), to getting the state's permission to wed, from having to receive license to drive a vehicle to buy a permit ( license ) in order to make improvements on your own home, not to mention the property tax, which could be a whole other issue itself!

The most obvious reason for this licensure, like all other forms of taxation,  is of course the generation of revenue. It could be argued that this revenue is of the utmost necessity for keeping the wheels of the Federal or State Government running like a well-oiled machine. This is somewhat true, the money must come from somewhere; the revenue generated from this and other forms of taxation is necessary to pay all the State & Federal employees. But even here though, the question might be asked; 'are all these Federal & State Government employees necessary?'

Let's look, for a minute, at the issue of the Driver's License; is it really necessary? There is no doubt that it helps, at least that's the idea, to 'weed out' those who may not have the maturity to properly operate a motor vehicle on the road, much less on a major highway at high speeds, and along with other drivers who may or may not have the necessary skills, licensing, and insurance ( there's a whole other issue )! That, along with the revenues that must be generated for the necessary up-keep of the Highway System and other important considerations could give plenty of pause to most who might balk at these issues!

Freedom is a gift from God! It is a natural aspect of man's creation, of his very being! With freedom, though, comes responsibility, and so the greater the freedom exercised, the greater must be the responsibility shown. When freedom is taken or exercised without the necessary responsibility being shown, then not only is the freedom of the individual put in harm's way, the freedom and safety of all those around him is put in jeopardy, especially concerning driving without the necessary skills on major highways!

It is a sad fact of modern life that many people do not exercise the necessary responsibility that comes with freedom, so therefore, we find that the State & Federal Governments have taken this responsibility upon themselves! It's been said that if one does not govern himself, someone else will do it for him ( or her ), and this, unfortunately, is what has happened all too often! Most Americans are more than comfortable allowing the State & Federal Government to exercise their responsibility for them, while these Governments are more than happy to take this responsibility from them!. They realize, unlike too many comfortable Americans, that if they take the responsibility, they can also take the freedom!

There is no true freedom without responsibility!

Because then, for instance with the Driver's License, many Americans do no show the necessary responsibility to exercise freely the right to transport themselves and others, it may well be viewed as necessary for the individual to be tested for and obtain a permit from the Government before they can validly do so. Here, I believe, is one area in which the Church has failed! This is a long-running problem, and so it would be difficult to pin-point exactly where we went wrong, but because the Church has alienated so many people over the ages, many people have lost, not only their responsibility, but their respectability as well!

Americans, especially Christians, have been told by the Church for so long that 'you're not good enough', that it has become a fact, and so it is better that someone else govern them. This again is a sad fact, but a fact that need not be, and in some cases is becoming less and less of a fact!

Over the past few years especially, the American people, the younger generation in particular, and thanks in large part to the efforts of people like Ron Paul, have begun to wake up to this sad fact! In large part, this Great Awakening has not advanced very far beyond the 'disgruntled stage', and because much of this Revolution is not altogether based on True Freedom, it will likely end badly for some! If the Church will take Her part though, and begin to teach and show responsibility, instead of ceding Her God-given Dominion to the State & Federal Governments, we will begin to see Christians take a greater hand in their own responsibilities and learn to exercise True Freedom!

Listening to the ( relatively ) old folk ballad, 'Alice's Restaurant, by Arlo Guthrie, we are reminded how, not only must one have a permit ( license ) at times, to do something as simple as dumping garbage, this song also reminds us of the irresponsibility of many Americans, 'because, 'if they did it, why can't we'! It is this attitude that has pervaded Americana, and so we have what we have today; the Federal & State Governments making statutes saying, 'you can't do this, and you can't do that'!

Right is right, and wrong is wrong! People are free to do what they wish, but unless they exercise responsibility ( ie, love for neighbor ( and enemy ) along with that freedom, it is not True Freedom!

When men and women begin to take responsibility for their own actions, and love their neighbor ( enemy too ) as themselves, then we will see the exercise of True Freedom! As the Law of Love permeates the Church, and begins to flow even more freely throughout the society & culture in which we live, we will begin to see more and more self government, and less and less of the corrupt State & Federal Governments!

As go the people, so go the politics!

May it ever be,
Charles Haddon Shank

Living Without Fear

We've discussed this before; it is very easy to become despondent, even somewhat depressed when faced with the harsh reality of what, not only Obama, but generations of American presidents have done to this country! Because God, not Obama, or any other corrupt politician is in charge, we worry needlessly!

Will the worst happen? All the horror stories that we hear about Obamacare, internment camps, and other such atrocities, will they have their intended ( and unintended ) effect? Not much doubt there; they most likely will, especially if this nation and its leaders remain on the same wide and destructive path that they are on now!

Scripture shows us that God has, in the past, used even foreign powers to bring His people to their knees. All things serve His Purpose, and when we understand that, even though we may chafe at the methods that He uses, it becomes evident that, as the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Church at Rome, 'all things work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are the called according to His purpose' ( Romans 8:28 )! If we act according to His Law, the Law of Love, we can be sure that, no matter what the Obamas or even Bushes of this world do, they can do no harm to us!

Eschatological arguments and implications aside, we can find the greatest comfort & assurance in these and other such passages, for we are God's people, as was Israel of old, and the words, though given specifically to those Christians in the first century, carry as much weight for Christians today!

You might be wondering how in God's Name we are supposed to just ignore all the evil that is going on around us, to trust God's purpose, and to live our lives as if nothing is wrong. I never said that we should ignore all that is going wrong around us! Yes, God is using even what seems very wrong to us to chastise His people, and to bring His wayward children back into family relationship, but wrong is wrong, no matter if God is using it for His purposes. You've heard it said, that 'two wrongs don't make a right'! Just because God uses evil people or occurrences to accomplish His purposes doesn't make the culprit guiltless. The wrongdoer bears the responsibility for his own wrongdoing!

Since God is using Obamacare and these other necessary evils for His own Purpose, and for our good, does that mean that we should just lay down and die, without a fight? Should we just cave in, bow the knee and do what this evil government says? Hell no! If all God's people did this, they would be just as complicit & guilty as those who instigated the evil in the first place!

Part of the problem, and really, a very large part of the problem in this country, is that, largely due to a false eschatology, God's people have been doing this for years!

It's not too late: if Christians can forget their fear, and begin to live their lives in a way that honors God, and not some national idol, then and only then will we be non-complicit and guiltless of the many atrocities ( evils ) that are rampant in this nation! It is true that it is largely through politics we will accomplish this, but it will never be politics as we know it! Politics as we know it is largely where this nation has gone off-track!

The blame for much, if not all of what has gone wrong in this country can be settled squarely on the shoulders and laid at the feet of the Church, but more to the point, it is the citizens of this great nation that must cry mea culpa, for it is the Body Politic ( where we get the term 'politics' ) that determines the course of government, humanly speaking!

Largely, the blame for the politics of the American people can be attributed to fear; fear, for example that if we don't vote for the lesser of two evils, the greater of two evils may get into office. Fear that if we don't vote for the candidate who has a better chance of winning, even though he may not quite measure up to God's Law, our choices down the road may become increasingly more evil! Fear that if we don't obey the government in every respect, we could loose our livelihood, our families, or worse yet, our very lives!

Why all this fear? Well, to begin with, Americans, even American Christians, seem to have abandoned the Scriptural truth of 'heaven on earth', and the Presence of God! Because these Christians do not acknowledge the Rule & Presence of our Heavenly Father in all of Life, the evils that surround us and beset us on every side have become more of a reality than these Spiritual Truths!

How can we deal with all the evils in this world without either ignoring them or fearing the outcome of the atrocities being perpetrated on a daily and even hourly basis? How are we to live our lives to the Glory of God in the midst of all this turmoil? For starters, we can acknowledge the current Rule & Presence of our Heavenly Father, and live our lives accordingly, knowing that it is His Purpose, not theirs, that will stand the test of time; it is His will that is being done! Remember, Yahweh told the Pharaoh ( king ) of Egypt, 'for this Purpose, I have raised you up.....' ( Exodus 9:16 )!

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as [ it is ] in heaven.

Jesus-Matthew 6:10

Has this prayer been realized? Is it, as promised, a current reality?

Then let us live without fear!

Charles Haddon Shank