August 09, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Say Amen” by Finding Favour, which currently sits at #9 on KLove Top Songs. It seems we’ve covered every song currently on our normal Top20 chart, so this week I thought we’d check a different list.
My first question after hearing this song was, “say Amen to what?” When I read through the lyrics looking for the answer to that question, I realized there was a big problem with the focus of this song. Let’s see if you can pick it out.
This life is a journey we walk by faith
And there will always be the mountains in our way
But right here in this moment, may our strength be renewed
As we recall what God has done and how we’ve seen Him move
If there’s anybody here who’s found Him faithful
Anybody here who knows He’s able
Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Just Say AMEN!
Sometimes through the darkness, it’s hard to see
So just be brave and follow where He leads
‘Cause greater is the one who’s in us, than he who’s in the world
So child of God remember, the battle is the Lord’s
And if there’s anybody here who’s found Him faithful
Anybody here who knows He’s able
Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow
And seen it time and time again
Then just Say AMEN!
Even in the valley of the shadow when you feel alone in the unknown
Just say Amen, Just say Amen
Even when the storms are raging, Stand and know your not forsaken
Just say Amen, Just say Amen
Is there anybody here, Tell me is there anybody here
Come on and Say Amen
And if there’s anybody here who’s seen His power
Anybody here brought through the fire
Come on and Say Amen
Anybody here found joy in the middle of sorrow
Peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow
And seen it time and time again
Just say Amen, Just say Amen!
Publishing: 2014 Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing ASCAP/Songs of Emack (ASCAP). All rights for the world on behalf of Universal Music – Brentwood Benson Publishing and Songs of Emack administered by Capitol CMG Publishing. Wordspring Music, LLC (SESAC)/Farren Love & War Publishing (SESAC) All rights on behalf of itself and Farren Love & War Publishing administered by Wordspring Music, LLC All Rights Reserved. Christian Taylor Music (BMI) administered by Clear Box. Winding Way Music (ASCAP) administered by Clear Box. Writer(s): David Blake Neesmith, Michael Farren, Kenna West & Jason Cox.
Discussion
So, let’s start this discussion with the most glaring issue, and that is the intended target audience. The artist is looking for an “amen” from anybody who has “experienced” the faithfulness of God, or who has seen His power, or who has been brought through the fire, or has found joy in the middle of sorrow, peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow… and who has seen it time and time again… Just those people. Not the ones who need to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, nor the ones who trust in the Written Word of God because they are His Word… no, the artist is calling on anyone in the crowd who can say “I’ve seen it”. This is enthusiasm, looking to our experiences and our emotions for the proof of the Goodness of God, rather than trusting by Faith in God’s Written Word regardless of and even in spite of our circumstances and what we see.
If you are in the crowd currently going through that fire, or in that sorrow, or in need of the comfort of the Gospel, well… this song ain’t for you. So, either you can “fake it” and say “amen” as a down-payment on a future experience, or you simply need to wait and hope the next song brings the comfort of the Gospel to your ears. You won’t be getting it in this song.
Most Evangelicals don’t realize they’re creating a falsely stratified Christianity, where you have Christians that are “saved” but only just so, and powerless because they’ve settled for a mediocre or average life. Most honestly think this sort of “positive self affirmation” and version of the “fake it ’till ya make it” somehow serves the Gospel. Now only the most brazen will call it such, most will baptize these concepts and rebrand them as “making a positive confession of who you are destined to be” and “declare now what you’re going to be in God’s timing”… but it’s a thin veneer, and it provides no hope. Instead, what you get is a lot of “fake it until you realize you can’t make it” and then the despair of, “why doesn’t God show up for me like He obviously does for all of these other people?”
So, let’s get to the whole “say amen” bit. What are we supposed to be saying “amen” to or about? Amen is a word of agreement or affirmation of the Truth of a statement. The singer is asking the question, “if there’s anyone here who’s seen God work, say amen” and everyone in the room is supposed to reply “Amen” as if to say “I’ve seen/experienced God work!” Now, there are a couple of lines in this song that breaks away a little from the “tell me you’ve experienced it yourself”, and attempts to offer a word of encouragement to those feeling all alone in the valley of the shadow… but the encouragement of “just say amen” isn’t grounded on the Word of God, it’s still within the context of “God has been there for everyone else in the room, just say Amen and know He’ll be there for you, too”.
How do we know this is all based on enthusiasm? How does this song provide the comfort of the Gospel for the mother who loses her child to cancer after years of praying and fighting? How does this song provide the comfort of the Gospel to the teen whose parents are getting a divorce? It doesn’t, because it can’t. This song isn’t bringing the comfort of the Gospel, it’s a call to “testimonials” based on personal experiences rather than the Word of God.
And now let’s get back to the opening line of the song, This life is a journey we walk by faith. Faith in Whom, ourselves and our experiences or in the Word of Christ? The song focuses on believing in a temporal rescue while making no mention of the eternal salvation found in Christ alone. Ignoring the reality that we all die, that often times God doesn’t rescue us from death, but instead calls us Home isn’t walking by Faith. It’s enthusiasm, and it does more harm than good. It leads to despair and in many cases it shipwrecks faith and hardens hearts against God because all of the false promises made in the name of God fall flat.
Conclusion
While I could go through this song and try to tease out the partial references to scripture, the overall context of this song is off, misguided, and focused on the senses rather than the Word of God. The Promises of God flow through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which this song seems to completely miss. This song earned a solid Disapproval.
1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV) | Born Again to a Living Hope
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
August 02, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “The God I Know” by Love & The Outcome, which currently sits at #19 on 20theCountdownMagazine.
I first heard this song a couple of weeks ago and immediately thought, “So, who is the God you know?” as the song finally drew to an end. I was hoping it wouldn’t gain popularity, but sure enough, we find it on the top20 chart this week. The song doesn’t actually answer the question, and the official music video doesn’t help at all. Suffice it to say that this song doesn’t stand on its own, it’s a proclamation of self-made religion build around the typical “god is my boyfriend” trope. Sensual mysticism being offered as an alternative to legalism. We solidly Disapprove of this song.
Official Music Video
If you’re thinking, “what did i just watch” you’re not alone. The whole John Cuzak “Say Anything” (IMDB link) intro threw me for a loop and, frankly, it was hard to recover from. Why are we going back to this era? What’s the appeal? I’m not sure. I’m also completely confused by their use of that pool. Particularly with the warning in large letters, “Caution: Avoid Long Deep Dives”. As I listened to the song and saw the video, my mind went to, “yep… don’t dive too deeply into this song, it’s shallow and you’ll get hurt. Also, there’s no water in that pool, just like there’s no Christ in this song”. Fairly sure the artists would object to that interpretation of the imagery used in this video… but that’s what I saw in it. Let’s get to the Lyrics.
If It Was All About Religion
What To Do, What To Say, What To Wear On A Sunday
All About Perfection
Black And White, Wrong Or Right, Never Grey
Well I’d Never Make It
I’d Never Be Good Enough
I Tried To Walk The Line, Pray That I’d Find
Somethin’ That I Knew Was Real
Began To Realize, The Harder I Tried
The Colder I’d Start To Feel
Until The Moment
The Second I Met Your Love
(Chorus)
And Then I Threw My Hands Up
Worries Down
I Remember When He Showed Me How
To Break Up With My Doubt
Once I was lost but now I’m found
No Strings Attached When He Saved My Soul
I Want You To Know The God I Know
Oh, You Gotta Know
Oh, The God I Know
He Is More Than Just A Rescue
Thats Where It Starts, Not Where It Ends
Let Freedom In
More Than Just A Story
In The Sky, Wearing White, He’s Alive
In Every Moment
And Now That I Know This Love
I Can Throw My Hands Up
Worries Down
I Remember When He Showed Me How
To Break Up With My Doubt
Once I was lost but now I’m found
No Strings Attached When He Saved My Soul
I Want You To Know The God I Know
Oh, You Gotta Know
Oh, The God I Know
What was I waiting for
I came alive when I let go
All I had was a broken heart
Then He held me in His arms
What was I waiting for
I came alive when I let go
All I had was a broken heart
Then He held me in His arms
I Can Throw My Hands Up
Worries Down
I Remember When He Showed Me How
To Break Up With My Doubt
Once I was lost but now I’m found
No Strings Attached When He Saved My Soul
I Want You To Know The God I Know
Oh, You Gotta Know
Oh, The God I Know
What was I waiting for
I came alive when I let go
All I had was a broken heart
Then He held me in His arms
What was I waiting for
I came alive when I let go
All I had was a broken heart
Then He held me in His arms
Oh my, where shall we start on this one. Let’s begin by giving the best possible construction on the intended purpose of the song. It’s attempting to address evangelical legalism, a version of legalism that as dated as the video seems. You know, back when evangelicals churches were worried about long hair, men piercing their ears, rock music and dancing… basically your footloose scenario. It’s a straw-man. The song is going after a straw-man of legalism. Now, don’t misunderstand what I’m saying, modern-day evangelicalism is seriously struggling with legalism today, chiefly because it has forgotten what it means to preach the Gospel to Christians. But this song isn’t targeting that real and present danger (I’m sorry, there will probably be several references to movies now… *sigh*), instead the song goes after a straw-man of legalism. And what does the song use? Sensual mysticism. This song presents “the God I know” as the Johnny Castle who came in to free baby from the corner with no strings attached. Okay, hopefully I’ve gotten the movie reference thing out of my system.
Verse 1. If it was all about Religion. Isn’t it? What’s your definition of religion if you find this statement meaningful?
James 1:26-27 (ESV) If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
James doesn’t seem to take issue with the concept of religion. The issue for James wasn’t about whether or not life was about more than religion; rather, it was about whether or your religion was True. The Apostle Paul addressed this similarly in his letter to the Colossians.
Colossians 2:20-23 (ESV) If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Man-made religion is worthless in stopping the indulgence of the flesh, and the flesh is hostile to the things of God; therefore, man-made religion kills. God’s Word is effective, sufficient, and the power of God unto Salvation. Christians have been given a True religion found only in God’s Word, the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. It is this Word we are to keep as Stewards and proclaim as ambassadors of reconciliation. So, there is a sense of wisdom that might be gleaned from this first line of the song, but it lacks substance and no solution is provided.
The rest of the first verse or stanza is actually correct if we are talking about the Law. The precious gem that the Lutheran church has to offer American Evangelicals is the proper distinction of Law and Gospel (C.F.W. Walther). In trying to set a straw-man ablaze, it doesn’t know how to deal with the Law of God’s Word. It IS all about perfection, black or white, wrong or right, never grey… it IS, that is the Law of God. And no, you can’t make it, none of us can, we are ALL born dead in sins and trespasses. No one is righteous, no not one. No one seeks after God. In Adam, we all surely died on that day that he ate of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil. Dead. This is the Truth of the Law found in God’s Word and the purpose of the Law is to convict us of our sin and completely dismantle any hope of self-righteousness before the Creator. The song confuses the Law with legalism and seeks to dismiss the whole thing. That’s folly.
So, in the next stanza we see the fruit of works-based righteousness… despair. This is real, yes, and it is destroying the visible church. All of this self-centered inward fixation of works-based, self-made religion is crushing us under the full weight of the Law, and in some cases the extra burdens of man-made condemnation… all under the guise of “church”. The message of the gospel isn’t “if you’ll walk the line, then you’ll be okay, or If you pray hard enough, then you’ll know TRUE salvation, if you give everything you’ve got, then you’ll finally reach the goal of sanctification”… that’s all false gospel, false religion. The Message of the Gospel is that Christ, being both fully God and fully Man, lived a perfect (completely sinless) life when you couldn’t, He paid the ultimate price you couldn’t pay, and He took on your sin and granted you His righteousness by Grace, through Faith, and that isn’t of your own doing, that Faith is a Gift from God to you, for you.
Until the moment the second I met your love. What is that supposed to mean? Seriously… how is this even remotely an answer to the problem the singer is trying to address? This is that sensual mystical nonsense. After having thrown all of religion under the bus, now, somehow the singer “met God’s love” and was suddenly free of religion and doubts? Well, great… so how does that help anyone else? It doesn’t. It’s nonsense. Vapid emotional mysticism.
Chorus. So then she threw here hands up, worries down. Okay, so does this fall under the ‘what to do’ issue that was complained about in the first verse of the song? If she’s alluding to Scripture, well, we’ll just end up having to deal with more religion:
1 Timothy 2:8-10 (ESV) I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.
Yep, Religion, and it is wonderful.
Hebrews 12:11-13 (ESV) For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
So you see, the song isn’t addressing a real problem with real solutions, instead it is countering a straw-man of legalism with mysticism. You can’t come back to the Written Word of God once you’ve generically condemned Religion.
So how did the singer realize who God truly is, beyond a shadow of doubt? Apparently, He showed her directly. Well doesn’t that just make her seem so enlightened, so special. If only I could someday see God the way she got to… then it will all be better for me, too. I’d love to “break up with” my doubts. Dating metaphors, ugh. The song is simply dripping in romantic comedy… and it’s terrible. She isn’t dating God. She hasn’t broken up with her doubts. She’s in love with a god of her own imagining, not the God of the Bible. I know that’s very blunt, but she’s awash in sensual mysticism, and it will shipwreck her faith if it hasn’t already. We do not look to our emotions to find the God of Truth, we look to His Word, God the Son, Jesus Christ our LORD and Savior.
The chorus ends with a call for listeners to know the God she knows… but she hasn’t said anything about how that is to be done, or who He is. We’re left hoping to have an experience similar to the singer and then, maybe, possibly, we’ll be as happy as she is?
Verse 2. This verse seems to be swatting at bad church clichés or something. More than just a rescue is something that can only be said seriously by someone who has no idea just how desperately we are in need of rescue. We don’t truly see the gravity of our own sin, that’s just part of the problem of sin. If we could see it clearly, we’d crumble in despair. She is right, He is far more than “just” a rescue… He is the Creator of Life. And we were dead. He rescued us from Death. Get out of hear with that just a rescue nonsense.
On the second line, I’ll counter with how Jesus referred to Himself in Revelation 1:8 (ESV), “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” He is the end, and the beginning. Our salvation begins and ends in Christ. There is no “and then”. There is only Christ.
Christ is alive, and seated at the Right Hand of the Father, interceding for us, forgiving us, and preserving us for the Day of His Return. He has sent His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, sealing us, teaching us, and advocating for us.
Bridge. We still don’t have any real answers, no Gospel, just fluff. Here, again, we get a sort of “this is what I did, can’t believe I waited so long to do it” snippet. To do what, to let go? Let go of what? Is this where we go back to “breaking up with our Doubt”? But didn’t God show up to show you how to do that? Can you share the advice? Can you please, tell me how I can be saved? Or, if I’m a Christian, can you please show me where I can find assurance of my salvation? All I had was a broken heart, then He held me in His arms. Oh, you have a special relationship with God where He did all of the work for you, but I just have to wait for Him to do that for me?
Conclusion
Dear Christian, the singer isn’t sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in this song. She’s singing about her emotional experience of her spirit boyfriend. There is no water in this pool, don’t dive in, don’t ‘let go’ and look within, look to the Word of God. There are many places we could look in the New Testament for the assurance of our Salvation in Christ Jesus, but I also want to address what the song was trying to get at, the issue of legalism. I can think of no better place to turn than Paul’s letter to the Colossians. I strongly recommend reading through the whole letter, but for now let us read through large portions of chapters 1 & 2.
Colossians 1:3-23 (ESV)
Thanksgiving and Prayer
We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit. And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
The Preeminence of Christ
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross. And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.
Colossians 2:6-23 (ESV)
Alive in Christ
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Let No One Disqualify You
Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh.
Legalism is error, and so is mysticism. Trust in the Written Word of God. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17). Grow in faith and knowledge, grow in the Word of God. The Christian life is one of repentance and forgiveness, in Jesus’ Name. Don’t look inwardly to the fallen flesh and its desires, look to the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, of all of your sins.
Brothers and sisters in the LORD, meditate on these Words of Christ. Find the assurance of salvation in these Scriptures, in the Promise of Salvation, in your baptism, and in the Lord’s Supper. Christ does the work, and He forgives you of all your sins, by His Word, His Blood, and His Flesh, broken and poured out for you on the cross.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned on twitter that I was working on addressing the elections and how Christians should consider the state of our culture, our U.S. Government, the politicians being put forward by the major political parties. I delayed that post because of all of attacks on police, the rioting, and lawlessness. Because of the frantic attempts by some Pastors and celebrity preachers to “speak to the matter” I was worried I wouldn’t be able to cover the issue well enough. That delay has lead to me trying to cover too much in one post at the risk of convoluting and complicating what is essentially a simple matter. As with most things, attempting to address the culture by addressing each of its talking points is a distraction and leads to frustration. That’s not what we are about here at Faithful Stewardship.
Instead, I thought we’d look to God’s Word first and see what God’s Word has already provided us with to address living as citizens of kingdoms in this fallen world. Christians are dual-citizens, in much the same way that we are simultaneously sinner and saint. When God the Holy Spirit breathed life into us, granting us saving faith through the Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, He sealed us with the Promise of the Resurrection that is to come. We’ve been bought by the Blood of Jesus out of the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of Heaven, by faith in His only Son Jesus. We are saints, citizens of Heaven, by faith. However, we wait for the Promise to be delivered, for Christ to be fully revealed in the Last Day when we’ll finally be rid of this temporal, corrupt, fallen world. So, we live out our lives as both citizens of Heaven, and citizens of whichever earthly kingdom God has placed us in. I’m a U.S. Citizen by birth, in the flesh, and I am also a child of God adopted into the Kingdom of Heaven by Grace through Faith. God is indeed sovereign over all, but the kingdoms of this temporal world are fallen and the Kingdom of God is eternal. A day will come in the New Heavens and the New Earth when there will no longer be a separation between the kingdoms, but for now, there is indeed separation. So, as Christians, we need to rightly understand these two kingdoms and how Scripture informs us concerning living out this temporal life as dual citizens.
Romans 13 (ESV)
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.
It is easy in our American context to dismiss the gravity of this chapter of Romans. For a long time, the church has lived in peace under the rule of law here. Indeed, some might be tempted to think of Rome during the Dark Ages, the “holy Roman Empire”. It is important to note that this letter was written at the time of the Roman Empire under the rule of Emperor Nero. This letter to the Romans preceded the height of Nero’s cruelty against Christians, and was no-doubt a source of comfort and guidance and encouragement in the Gospel of Jesus Christ for those who would be martyred.
The following account was written by the Roman historian Tacitus in his book Annals published a few years after the event. Tacitus was a young boy living in Rome during the time of the persecutions.
“Therefore, to stop the rumor [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition – repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, – where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of “hating the human race.”
In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man.”
The Apostle Paul was beheaded under the rule of Nero. Every time he writes in the Epistles concerning his chains, his imprisonment, remember the governmental authorities are the ones who imprisoned him and later put him to death. Take care in how you invoke scripture to justify anarchy. the Apostle Paul was a Roman citizen, officially, so he was put to death by beheading. The Apostle Peter was not a Roman citizen, and was also put to death under Nero, but he was crucified. Church traditions maintains that Peter was crucified upside down. What did the Apostle Peter have to say about submission to authority, even one as wicked as Neronian Empire?
1 Peter 2:13-25 (ESV) | Submission to Authority
Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
1 Peter 3:8-22 (ESV) | Suffering for Righteousness’ Sake
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. For
“Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.
For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
and his ears are open to their prayer.
But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
1 Peter 4:12-19 (ESV) | Suffering as a Christian
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
Conclusion
As dual citizens, we understand that the Kingdom of Heaven is eternal, and that is where we will spend eternity through the Promise of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We also know that there exists no authority on earth apart from God, and that He has instituted government on the earth (Honor your Father and Mother). Man has fallen, and sinned, and is corrupt and hostile to God. Here in the U.S., the visible church has fallen into great confusion regarding the kingdoms of earth and the Kingdom of Heaven. It has bought into the lie that the U.S. is somehow in covenant with God like Israel was under the Mosaic covenant, and that simply isn’t true. This isn’t a Christian nation, it is a pagan nation that for a time granted freedom for Church to do its work. I’m sad to report that we haven’t done a good job of it. Regarding this present election cycle, I’d like to close with a couple of points:
It is our duty as citizens to vote, it is our duty as Christians to vote Biblically. We should be casting our votes in keeping with Biblical standards, not pagan pragmatism. In my opinion, to cast a vote based on the artificially limited options based on the media and lobbyists is dereliction of duties both to the U.S. and to Scripture. That is just my opinion.
The outcome of this or any election will in no way be an omen to be deciphered concerning God’s Will for the Church or for any of the earthly kingdoms. The world does what it does, and God’s Word on the matter has already been spoken and recorded for us in Scripture. The World hates God, the World stands condemned in sin and unbelief, the Gospel is the power of God to save men and women from this fate. Stop “prophesying” and attempting to divine the Will of God based on the government.
Scripture has made it clear that before Christ returns everything will get worse, not better. There will be MORE false signs / wonders / teachers, and they will deceive many, even the elect.
As scary as it may sound, the Church does not need the U.S. to even exist for her to carry out her commission. Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus Christ is in no way waiting to see what the U.S. is going to do for Him to decide when its time to return in power and judgement.
We may revisit this topic from time to time, as this upcoming election season will no doubt be filled with fear mongering and paranoia, and a whole slew of blasphemous “prophecies” as folks try to eisegete the elections and the candidates. Don’t be tossed about by the winds of false doctrine and the spirit of the age. Stand on God’s Word. Keep the Faith, repent and be forgiven, and love our neighbors as yourselves. Pray for strength, pray for mercy, pray for forgiveness, and pray for the LORD to return soon. He is coming soon, and the whole world will know that Jesus Christ is LORD.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will,working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Today, we’ll be listening to Pastor Chris Rosebrough of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. preach on the parable of the Good Samaritan. We’ll be listening to it via his online radio ministry Fighting for the Faith, because he also included the Sunday School lesson he taught on the same Sunday. Since both are included in one audio file, I thought it best to share it this way. Sound exegesis, proper distinction of Law and Gospel, pointing us to Christ.
Sermon Text
Luke 10:25-37 (ESV) | The Parable of the Good Samaritan
And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”
But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”
The Good Samaritan is Jesus. This parable points us to Him.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will,working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
July 27, 2016. Today we’ll be taking a look at “Thy Will” by Hillary Scott and the Scott Family, which currently sits at #17 on 20theCountdownMagazine.
You may know Hillary Scott as a country singer in the band Lady Antebellum. It’s a good band, as secular country music bands go, but not one that proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have absolutely no problem with being in a band as your vocation. None whatsoever. I don’t even have a problem with being in a secular band as your vocation. I have no problem with listening to secular music. None whatsoever. But a song doesn’t become a Christian song simply because the artist says it is, or the artist claims to be a Christian. A song is a Christian song when its lyric proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Hillary Scott is a gifted singer. The song doesn’t stand on its own… and I worry about the theology driving the songwriters. It’s a song begging for the Gospel to be preached to the singer. I pray we learn to preach the Gospel to those asking these questions.
Verse 1
I’m so confused
I know I heard you loud and clear
So, I followed through
Somehow I ended up here
I don’t wanna think
I may never understand
That my broken heart is a part of your plan
When I try to pray
All I got is hurt and these four words
Chorus
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Verse 2
I know you’re good
But this don’t feel good right now
And I know you think
Of things I could never think about
It’s hard to count it all joy
Distracted by the noise
Just trying to make sense
Of all your promises
Sometimes I gotta stop
Remember that you’re God
And I am not
So
Chorus
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Like a child on my knees all that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will
Bridge
I know you see me
I know you hear me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness you have in store
I know you hear me
I know you see me, Lord
Your plans are for me
Goodness you have in store
So
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Like a child on my knees
All that comes to me is
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Thy will be done
Overall, the song is begging for theodicy, an answer for the question “if God is good, then why is there so much evil in the world?”. It is an honest lyric in that the singer is asking questions we all ask from time to time. However, within these honest questions there is also evidence of bad theology. So, the honesty of the questions does not make them good questions by default.
As for the target audience and purpose for the song, I believe it is intended to be a song of prayer. It focuses on 4 words from the Lord’s Prayer, two of which form the song title, and the object of the “you” and “thy” in this song I’m assuming to be the God of the Bible.
Verse 1. A confession of being confused is a good thing, but in common vernacular here in the U.S., it can also be a loaded turn of phrase indicating that the source of confusion is mixed messaging from the messenger, or even hypocritical double-speak. So let’s continue in the lyric. I know I heard you loud and clear So, I followed through Somehow I ended up here… and there it is. I did what you asked me to do, and now I’m here. This is an accusation. Now this doesn’t mean she’s putting God on trial just yet, we see in the book of Job that he hadn’t done anything to “deserve” his trial (though we dare not suggest he was sinless, because he wasn’t). But noticed the claim to having heard God (I’m assuming) “loud and clear”. I don’t know where she goes to church, but with so many big-box churches catering to celebrities and spewing vision-casting leadership driven bad theology, she could be referring to “life tip” sermons filled with man-made law as the source of her hearing from God, or she could be referring to direct revelations she had while practicing the sort of channeling or divination presented in “Jesus Calling” (available at and heavily marketed by your local “christian” bookstore). What we don’t see is her questioning God based on the Written Word of God.
So, the first part of the first verse at least presents the questions: I’ve done everything You told me to do, God, now why am I here? I did everything I knew to be right, why am I being punished? I did everything your church told me to do, so why is none of it working?
The second part presumes an answer based on limited knowledge of Scripture and then extrapolates that assumption into a solution that resembles faith, or at least how faith is generally described in modern evangelicalism. The limited knowledge of Scripture is the idea that God is sovereign over all things. While that is true about God, it doesn’t guide us in the Law nor does it explicitly point to the Gospel, it simply asserts that God is over all things. That’s what I mean by limited knowledge of Scripture, it is Truth that God is Sovereign, but that truth alone does not give us much to go on. The singer then takes that nugget of truth and assumes that since God is sovereign, then clearly she is suffering because God wants her to. I may never understand That my broken heart is a part of your plan is vague enough to be corrected theologically, but it can also run contrary to the full character of God revealed in Scripture. It ignores the problem of sin, the true source of death and heartache in this temporal life.
At the end of this verse, we are still left with a very real question that most in the visible church are asking and even praying. The presumed answer of “God must have a reason for me to be going through this… I hope I can hold on long enough to see what it was” isn’t so much faith as it is positive self-talk. It’s self-focused, and doesn’t point to Christ who is the author and perfecter of our faith.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
I’d like to address this question more fully scripturally, but let’s get through the rest of this song first.
Chorus. So the chorus of the song is simply “Thy Will be Done” repeated over and over again. “Do what You want to do, LORD.” While it is indeed part of how we were taught to pray, why not pray the rest of the prayer (Matthew 6; Luke 11)? We’ll get back to this point in a bit, but I want to do so after the second verse.
Verse 2. Yes, God is good. This is an attempt to affirm or confess the goodness of God. Very difficult to do from an emotional place when you’re in despair. That is why it is so important to me to point out that Faith is not an emotion. Our emotions are fleshly, Faith is not part of our flesh. Notice the “but”… it doesn’t feel good all of the time, not even for Christians. In fact, the life of a Christian very rarely “feels” good, because the world hates us. It hates us because it first hated God. It doesn’t feel good because the wages of sin is death, and as long as we live in this temporal flesh, we will have to struggle with sin. Struggle doesn’t feel good. Feelings are a terrible way to find God or search for Him or to try to muster up faith in Him.
Now, to this point the song has been theologically poking at Romans 8, so we’ll look at that in a minute. In the next section, however, I think it starts poking at a passage in James.
James 1:2-4 (ESV) Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We find in this second verse a similar thread that we found in the first verse, a bit of an accusation that on some level God isn’t or doesn’t seem to be keeping His promises to the singer, and then she backs out of that thought with a “I’m not God, You Are”… it’s a pious statement, again, treating faith as a sort of blind trust in a Supreme being that I want to know and think I know but I don’t know and am confused by what seems to be double-talk, or even a failure to keep promises.
What promises? The song doesn’t say. The local “christian” bookstores are filled with so-called promises of God that are out there and simply need to be claimed, or earned, or declared. Most of these books are filled with false-promises, blasphemous lies spoken/written from the imaginations of men. God’s promises are True and Amen. We find them in His Written Word, the Scriptures.
Bridge. The endless repeat of the chorus and the bridge ends the song in much the same way it began. I’m doing my part, Lord, I know you see me and hear me but all I’m getting is ‘Thy will be done’. She’s still asking for an answer. What has she done wrong? What should she be doing? Why won’t You answer her? What is she missing?
Conclusion
Well, she’s missing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I’m not saying she “isn’t saved”, I’m saying she’s spending so much time looking to circumstances and seeking direct revelation about them, she is missing the Promises of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She is also missing the Law, or has been filled with man-made laws presented as some quid-pro-quo arrangement for blessings and prosperity. She doesn’t seem to understand the role of sin and death in this temporal life with its heartaches and struggles. You know, the early Church struggled with heavy persecution, imprisonment, torture, and death. I can think of no more relevant source for encouragement than the Epistles of the New Testament, written in a time and under persecution most of us may never witness or understand.
James 1:2-18 (ESV)
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Romans 8:18-30 (ESV)
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
1 Peter 1:1-13 (ESV)
Greeting
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood:
May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
These Church fathers endured tough times, hard persecution, and the LORD blessed them, not in temporal comforts, but in eternal Hope, Faith in Jesus Christ and in the Resurrection. Christ grew His Church through the preaching of His Word. These are the answers to the questions of this song. Christ is the answer, for all of eternity.
Pray to God, make petitions to Our Father in Heaven, a bold proclamation made possible only through the death and resurrection of God the Son, Jesus Christ. Seek His Will by reading His Word. The answers are there. The Holy Spirit speaks through the Written Word, pointing us to Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Don’t look for God in your circumstances, look for Him in His Word.
Hebrews 13:20-21 (ESV) Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
CCM Radio Edition.
CCM Radio Edition.
A couple of weeks ago I mentioned on twitter that I was working on addressing the elections and how Christians should consider the state of our culture, our U.S. Government, the politicians being put forward by the major political parties. I delayed that post because of all of attacks on police, the rioting, and lawlessness. Because of the frantic attempts by some Pastors and celebrity preachers to “speak to the matter” I was worried I wouldn’t be able to cover the issue well enough. That delay has lead to me trying to cover too much in one post at the risk of convoluting and complicating what is essentially a simple matter. As with most things, attempting to address the culture by addressing each of its talking points is a distraction and leads to frustration. That’s not what we are about here at Faithful Stewardship.
Today, we’ll be listening to Pastor Chris Rosebrough of 
CCM Radio Edition.
Faithful Stewardship 
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