THE INFAMOUS ROE V WADE DECISION

Thirty-nine years ago today, the U. S. Supreme Court, handed down one of the worst, if not the worst decision, they have ever made.

Based on a complaint by one Norma McCorvey who falsely claimed she had been raped (named Roe in the case that reached the Supremes), the court declared that state laws prohibiting abortion were null and void.  The court expanded the definition of the right to privacy under the due process clause in the 14th Amendment to include the right of a woman to choose whether  or not a baby growing in her womb would be allowed to live.  Even liberal jurists have questioned the validity of the court’s rationale.  Yet for 39 years “Roe” has been the law of the land.

A FEW OBSERVATIONS:


1. Moralilty--the definition of Right and wrong--is NOT determined by the U.S. Supreme Court.  GOD, not the Court, is the arbiter of right and wrong.  Another tragic error by the Supreme Court was their 1857 Dred Scott ruling (A black man who moved to Missouri and was denied standing in Court)--declaring that all blacks, slave and free, could never be U. S. Citizens.

2. Life begins at conception.  Science confirms what the Bible teaches (see Psalm 139).  Whether a human life is growing inside her mother, or living in a nursing home, her life is valuable and worthy of our love and protection.  Watch THE SILENT SCREAM to see how babies inside their mothers react when abortionists invade the womb.

3. The proponents of abortion told us that when abortions were safe and legal, child abuse would become practically non-existent.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  When the weakest among us is no longer valued and protected, the freedom of every citizen is at risk.  Unless “life, liberty, and the pursuit  of happiness,” are recognized as “endowed by our Creator” then “might” not “right”will rule.

God can forgive this sin, and He can heal our land, but not until we repent.

Politics and the Pulpit

Every so often someone complains, “Pastor Rick, you’re too political in your preaching.”

Because I truly love people I certainly do not want to say or to do anything that drives people away from our Lord Jesus.  I pray that the Lord (and my congregation) will forgive me for speaking when I should be listening, and for saying what I should have left unsaid.

I also pray that the Lord will find me a faithful shepherd.  The writer to the Hebrews tells us that faithful ministers “watch for your souls, as they that must give account.” (Hebrews 13:17).  The Apostle Paul told the Church leaders at Ephesus to “take heed to themselves and to the flock...for grievous wolves [would] enter in not sparing the flock.”  (Acts 20:26-31).

God has not called me to be a political partisan--a democrat or a republican--but as Ambassador for Christ He has given me explicit instruction: (1.) To preach the Gospel of salvation through sanctification and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13), (2.) to Warn the lost and the backsliders of God’s judgment--It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) and (3.) to “cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression.” (Isaiah 58:1).

Standing before the Judge of all the Earth, we will not be asked if we voted “Republican” or “Democrat.” All that will matter in that hour is that our hearts are pure from all sin, that our minds are fully persuaded that God’s Word is right and that God’s Will is best, and that our lives have been lived to the glory of God.

Standing against murder--at any age--is far more than a political position--it is a moral mandate!
Upholding Biblical marriage is more than a partisan statement, it is a righteous commitment.
Standing  against greed is more than a political value, it is a Christian virtue.

America stands in desperate need of a moral awakening.  Pray!

GO FORWARD - 40 YEARS OF "ALL THE BIBLE"

With the January issue of FAITH IN THE FUTURE we mark the beginning of our 40th ANNIVERSARY as CRUSADERS CHURCH of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

CRUSADERS CHURCH was thrust into being when, despite the impassioned efforts of our Founder to warn the 1972 General Assembly of our mother Church against changing their doctrine on the permanence marriage, an irregular parliamentary ruling on the convention floor cut short discussion and within less than twenty minutes the delegates voted to alter the historic teaching of the church.

Writing for the Historical Statement of Crusaders Church, our Founder, Pastor Eugene Owen (Jack) Jones clarified why this change proved to be so pivotal:  “When doctrinal changes forbade preaching the pure Word of God, particularly the teaching of Jesus concerning the permanence of marriage, conscience required another pulpit.”

The Pastor was explicitly warned that he could not preach to his congregation nor teach the young ministers in training that marriage was a life-long commitment, ratified by God, and indissolvable by the courts of man.

Pastor Jones explained in our Church’s historical Statement: “The issue was crucial, for it was a departure from Biblical theology and acceptance of philosophical theology.  A difference was made between God’s ideal and man’s real with a resultant moral relativism that implied that God’s grace could not accomplish His perfect will in man.  Men’s opinions thus took precedence over the Word of God and error was added to error.”

On Sunday morning, July 23, 1972, the heavy-hearted Pastor freely surrendered his credentials to officials of his denomination.  Standing in his small church office at 2011 Brownfield Road, Urbana, Illinois, he was advised that if he ever desired to restore his credentials in the denomination of his birth he would be welcome. (He was literally born in the Chariton, Iowa parsonage.)

That Sunday, by prior agreement, Pastor Jones would preach his last two sermons in the church he had pastored for 10 years. The congregation had grown from 25 to well over 100 in attendance.  The Spirit of the Lord was powerfully present in those final services.  I remember the saints singing and shouting, the pastor preaching under the anointing of the Spirit, and an altar service crowned with God’s presence.

Tragically a few years ago that same church building was sold to Islamic fundamentalists to be used as a mosque and teaching center where Sharia law is promoted, and Christ is dishonored.

To the contemporary “emergent” Christians, all of this must seem strange, bordering on insane.  They wonder:
Are we absolutely positive that the Scriptures accurately report what Christ said?

Can we trust His Word? 
If the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are unreliable--incomplete, errant, or selectively truthful--we are left to our own best lights to determine God’s will.  From Eden onward, the enemy of man’s soul has first lured his victims with, “Hath God said?” (Genesis 3:1)

Can anyone be sure that the Lord Jesus meant what He said?  
Can we spin this teaching? The lawyers of our day are no different from the lawyers in Jesus’ day. Word games, obscuration, and rhetorical ambiguities may entertain those who seek to justify themselves, but finally God’s Truth will prevail.

Jesus said to the lawyers of His day, “Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God... Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.” (Luke 16:15,18)

Wasn’t this more of a divine ideal rather than a real necessity? 

Isn’t intellectual agreement more important than practical follow-through? Both are necessary.

New Testament Christianity is holistic.  The mind is renewed, the life is tranformed, and the heart is purified.

James tells us that “faith without works is dead.” (James 2:17) The Apostle Paul warned against those who, “profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” (Titus 1:16)


Doesn’t redeeming grace justify our sins?

Don’t we all live in sin? The German martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer was right, “Cheap grace is the deadly enemy of our church. ...Cheap grace means the justification of sin without the justification of the sinner. That is what we mean by cheap grace, the grace which amounts to the justification of sin without the justification of the repentant sinner who departs from sin and from whom sin departs.”

“How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” (Romans 6:2) the inspired Apostle asks.  The answer is clear: we don’t!

Why can’t we all just get along?

Why would anyone part with a friend, suffer, or even die for an idea? We love everyone, but our first love is the ONE who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6).

Forty years ago our Founder answered the objections of today’s emergents (a.k.a. compromisers):
Yes, God’s Word is accurate.
Yes, we are sure that Christ meant what He said.
Yes, God’s ideal should be and can be man’s real.
Yes, redeeming grace not only justifies sin, but it justifies (makes right) the sinner. And,
Yes, those who are committed to the One, are indeed one.  And we will never surrender our allegiance to Him.

May God bless CRUSADERS and all God’s people, as we GO FORWARD!

Politics and the Pulpit

Every so often someone complains, “Pastor Rick, you’re too political in your preaching.”

Because I truly love people I certainly do not want to say or to do anything that drives people away from our Lord Jesus.  I pray that the Lord (and my congregation) will forgive me for speaking when I should be listening, and for saying what I should have left unsaid.

I also pray that the Lord will find me a faithful shepherd.  The writer to the Hebrews tells us that faithful ministers “watch for your souls, as they that must give account.” (Hebrews 13:17).  The Apostle Paul told the Church leaders at Ephesus to “take heed to themselves and to the flock...for grievous wolves [would] enter in not sparing the flock.”  (Acts 20:26-31).

God has not called me to be a political partisan--a democrat or a republican--but as Ambassador for Christ He has given me explicit instruction: (1.) To preach the Gospel of salvation through sanctification and belief of the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:13), (2.) to Warn the lost and the backsliders of God’s judgment--It is appointed unto man once to die, and after this the judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) and (3.) to “cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression.” (Isaiah 58:1).

Standing before the Judge of all the Earth, we will not be asked if we voted “Republican” or “Democrat.” All that will matter in that hour is that our hearts are pure from all sin, that our minds are fully persuaded that God’s Word is right and that God’s Will is best, and that our lives have been lived to the glory of God.

Standing against murder--at any age--is far more than a political position--it is a moral mandate!
Upholding Biblical marriage is more than a partisan statement, it is a righteous commitment.
Standing  against greed is more than a political value, it is a Christian virtue.

America stands in desperate need of a moral awakening.

SPIRITUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

Here is one set of nearly two dozen questions similar to what John Wesley gave to members of his discipleship groups more than 200 years ago.

The questions have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford — a group that detractors called "The Holy Club." The first list appeared about 1729 or 1730 in the preface to Wesley's second Oxford Diary. Similar questions appeared in his 1733 A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day in the Week. As late as 1781, Wesley published a list of questions like this in the Arminian Magazine.

1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence?
3. Can I be trusted?
4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
6. Did the Bible live in me today?
7. Do I give the Bible time to speak to me every day?
8. Am I enjoying prayer?
9. When did I last speak to someone else of my faith? [ conversation starter questions ]
10. Do I pray about the money I spend?
11. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
12. Do I disobey God in anything?
13. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
14. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
15. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy or distrustful?
16. How do I spend my spare time?
17. Am I proud?
18. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
19. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
20. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
21. Is Christ real to me?

Susanna Wesley defines sin

"Take this rule: whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off your relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over your mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself."
   -- Susanna Wesley (Letter, June 8, 1725)

Here is another set of questions also developed by Wesley for use in Methodist class meetings and band meetings, which were small groups focused on accountability. Before joining these smaller groups, each member stated their willingness for the following questions to be asked of them at any time. These are hard hitting questions which are designed to be direct and straight to the point – no messing around here!

1. Have you the forgiveness of your sins?

2. Have you peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ?

3. Have you the witness of God’s Spirit with your spirit that you are a child of God?

4. Is the love of God shed abroad in your heart?

5. Has no sin, inward or outward, dominion over you?

6. Do you desire to be told of your faults?

7. Do you desire to be told of all your faults, and that plain and home?

8. Do you desire that every one of us should tell you from time to time whatsoever is in his heart concerning you?

9. Consider! Do you desire we should tell you whatsoever we think, whatsoever we fear, whatsoever we hear, concerning you?

10. Do you desire that in doing this we should come as close as possible, that we should cut to the quick, and search your heart to the bottom?

11. Is it your desire and design to be on this and all other occasions entirely open, so as to speak everything that is in your heart, without exception, without disguise, and without reserve?

Taken from The Works Of John Wesley, Volume 9 (The Methodist Societies History, Nature, and Design), Edited by Rupert E. Davies, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1989, pp.77-78.

A NEW YEAR'S COVENANT RENEWAL By John Wesley

THE INVITATION

Dearly beloved: the Christian life, to which we are called, is a life in Christ, redeemed from sin by Christ, and consecrated to God through Christ. We have entered upon this life, having been admitted into that new covenant of which our Lord Jesus Christ is mediator, and which Jesus sealed with his own blood, that it might stand forever.

On one side of the covenant is God’s promise to fulfill, in and through us, all that God declared in Jesus Christ, who is the author and perfecter of our faith. We are sure that this promise still stands, for we have known God’s goodness and proved God’s grace in our own lives day by day.

On the other side, we promise to live no more for ourselves, but for Christ, who loved us even to death. He called us to serve God so that the purposes of Christ’s coming would be fulfilled.

From time to time we renew our vows of consecration—especially when we gather at the Lord’s Table. But today we meet expressly, as generations of our ancestors have met, to joyfully and solemnly renew the covenant which bound them and binds us to God.

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

This is the message we have heard from Jesus and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

*COVENANT HYMN Come, Let Us Use the Grace Divine No. 606

(Written by Charles Wesley in 1762 for Methodism’s Covenant Service)

Come, let us use the grace divine, and all with one accord,
In a perpetual covenant join ourselves to Christ the Lord;
Give up ourselves, through Jesus’ power, His Name to glorify;
And promise, in this sacred hour, for God to live and die.

The covenant we this moment make be ever kept in mind;
We will no more our God forsake, or cast these words behind.
We never will throw off the fear of God Who hears our vow;
And if Thou art well pleased to hear, come down and meet us now.

Thee, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, let all our hearts receive,
Present with Thy celestial host the peaceful answer give;
To each covenant the blood apply which takes our sins away,
And register our names on high and keep us to that day!

*THE COVENANT:  And now, beloved, let us bind ourselves with willing bonds to our covenant God, and take the yoke of Christ upon us. This means that we are heartily content that Christ appoint us our place and work, and that Christ alone will be our reward.

Christ has many services to be done. Some are easy, others are difficult; some bring honor, others bring reproach; some are suitable to our natural inclinations and temporal interests, others are contrary to both. In some, we may please Christ and please ourselves; in others, we cannot please Christ except by denying ourselves. Yet the power to do all these things is assuredly given us in Christ, who strengthens us.

Let us engage our heart to the Lord, and resolve in God’s strength never to go back. Being thus prepared, let us now, in sincere dependence on God’s grace and trusting in God’s promises, yield ourselves anew to Christ.

THE COVENANT PRAYER

    O Lord God, holy Father, who has called us through Christ to be partakers in this gracious covenant; we take upon ourselves with joy the yoke of obedience, and engage ourselves, for love of you, to seek to do your perfect will. We are no longer our own, but yours.

Here let the minister and the people unite in saying:

    I am no longer my own, but yours. Put me to what you will, rank me with who you will; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for you or laid aside for you; exalted for you or brought low for you; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily yield all things to your pleasure and disposal.

And now, O glorious and blessed Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, you are mine and I am yours. So be it.  And the covenant which I have made on Earth, let it be ratified in Heaven. Amen.