A Clash of Worldviews - Gay Human Pride & Christian Bible Truth

Jason Collins - Believes having sex with other men is a Christian Value

Jason Collins has spoken with a huge assist by Sports Illustrated and the Media in general. He has announced his coming out as a man raised with Christian Values who prefers a lifestyle of having sex with other men.

Chris Broussard - believes dedication to any particular sin is not supported by Jesus & the Bible

ESPN's Chris Broussard has also spoken with an assist from the Truth. He has announced that being dedicated to a lifestyle that the Bible and Jesus condemns is being in rebellion to God. Here is a portion of his quote as reported by The Christian Post:

• "Personally I don't believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals. If you're openly living that type of lifestyle, the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that's a sin," Broussard said on ESPN Monday. "If you're openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be. I think that's walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ."
  
  The analyst went on to question Collins' Christianity amid the debate.
  
  "I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I don't think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian," Broussard said.
   

 While Collins has received open support from noteworthy individuals such as President Barak Obama, former President Billl Clinton, Ellen Degeneres and Kobe Bryant, Broussard has received his share of support from others, some not necessarily Christian. Even actress Meredith Baxter-Smith of The Huffington Post began her article "Chris Broussard, ESPN Reporter, Thinks Jason Collins, Gays, Can Be 'Saved' If They 'Ask God For Forgiveness'" with a respectful acknowledgment of Collins words and actions:

• "You have to hand it to Chris Broussard: He's not one to back down in the face of controversy."

Interestingly, ESPN has offered a tepid apology, which was a statement of regret and nothing more. They have yet to take action against Broussard for his comments. There could be a couple of legitimate reasons for that, but for now, ESPN has remained in the background, content to enjoy the ratings attention (oops! Did I let that slip!?).

In the midst of this attention given to Chris Broussard for comments many are referring to as bigoted and intolerant, it should  be remembered that what he has stated thus far is the Truth. He has not stated anything to my knowledge that is not specifically and clearly supported by the Bible. And for the professing Christian, this is ultimately what you base your life on, the written and preserved revelation of God, His Words, Thoughts and Ways to mankind. Without it, position taken on any and all issues of life are nothing more than the thoughts and opinions of men and subject to change with the whims of men.

This Truth is what ultimately got Jesus nailed to a Roman Cross. From the first time he stood to speak in the local synagogue and quote from Isaiah, they tried to end His life. And He warned His Disciples and his followers to come that this World would hate them just as it hated Him first.

So, the turmoil that surrounds Chris Broussard and his speaking the Truth are nothing surprising. It's part of the territory of following Jesus according to what He has revealed to us about Life. Broussard seems to be exhibiting the peace that Jesus promised his Followers who trust in Him in the midst of emotional turmoil. The vital fact that must be remembered is that this turmoil has happened only because the Truth has been faithfully spoken by Chris Broussard, a Truth that did not originate with him, a Truth that is not always welcome by the World.

The Standard of American Liberty - Taxes, Tyranny & Jesus

How did Jesus resist Tyranny?

Within the realm of American Secular Politics, there remains one steadfast rule for the wanna be patriot, rebellion or resistance. The two are so closely allied, I group them together.

For those aligned with the idea of resistance being nothing more than pacifism, you will be disappointed with this post. But for the true Disciple of Jesus and Biblical ideas of resistance, this article will hopefully provide some Truth and Peaceful Understanding.

In a previous post, I dealt with the issue of a person paying taxes that they weren't legally required to pay, all for the simple reason of protecting the Tax Collector from legal harm. Next I want to very briefly introduce an idea that will leave many patriots probably feeling a bit uncomfortable, especially in their bid to return America to her Christian roots.

No Taxation w/o Representation

This issue was one of the Hallmarks of the American Revolution. In fact the Cry "No Taxation without Representation" was the official motto that accompanied it and the Founding Fathers' resistance to tyrannical taxes passed by King George and Parliament as well as the Officials in the Colonies having the duty of enforcing these edicts.

For those desiring to return to the Christian roots of America, I wonder how well the official policies of the Founders, as well as their actions, line up with the Words and actions of Jesus. Do they even come close to being the same?

The Bostonians Paying the Excise-Man, or Tarring and Feathering,
attributed to Philip Dawe, 1774, in the Colonial Williamsburg collection.

If Jesus would go so far as to pay a tax He didn't owe in order to protect the Tax Collector, I wonder if the Founders ever went this far in there dealings with officials and Governing Bodies? Surely there are examples within American History to justify this return to such lofty Christian ideals and actions, aren't there?

And surely, those espousing such resistance and rebellion would be most willing to point us to the loftiest standards, say, those of the Christ they would have us emulate, right?  And the example set by Patriots of old that also believed the words of Jesus and were willing to follow them, even in the face of further tyranny and even death? Please, let the prophet for American Patriotism speak from authority. May he disdain empty words and rhetoric not espoused by God in the flesh!

The Genesis of Modern Politics II

 To understand modern politics as fully as possible, we have returned to the original establishment of politics found in the Bible. The foundational answers we seek are found in the book of Genesis.

Back to the Beginning

As previously stated, the fall of mankind because of sin led to a new relationship with God. The need for reconciliation and its recognition demands that all men approach God according to His standard, which He makes known to them. The blood sacrifice of an unblemished innocent animal of God’s choosing is required to temporarily atone for an individual’s sin and maintain fellowship with a holy God.

God's requirement for Fellowship and Atonement for sin are established

Cain rejected this standard and desired to replace it with his own. When approached by God, Cain is offered the authority of ruling over sinners and their sinful acts. Scripture doesn’t reveal that Cain officially accepted God’s offer at this time, however, his actions toward his brother Abel set the tone for what is to transpire into business as usual within the political realm of sin management.

Traditionally, it has been promoted that Cain’s action toward Abel was nothing more than murder in a jealous rage. 

Cain Kills Abel - Was it just plain murder?

Fortunately, the Scriptures reveal quite a bit more than just an emotionally driven jealousy. In fact, we find an ample amount of detail not usually considered. These details help us to understand the character of politics as ordained by God Himself from the beginning.

First it is revealed that what God mentions first is the fact of “the voice” of Abel’s blood “crying out from the ground.” Since other Scripture reveals that “the life of the flesh is in the blood,” it is important that what God is recognizing is physical life being synonymous with the blood. Therefore, the shedding of man’s blood by mankind is a serious offense, not taken lightly by God.

The most startling detail comes from the book of Hebrews. It’s a comparison between one aspect of Jesus and Cain; blood. Chapter 12, verse 24 says, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the sprinkling of blood, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”

The context of this verse within Hebrews and it’s teaching on blood is the sacrificial shedding of blood, specifically, the sprinkling of shed blood on a sacrificial altar. The Law details the requirements of God for sin’s atonement through blood sacrifice. The sacrificial blood of bulls and goats typifies the future ultimate blood sacrifice of The Lamb of God which would be enough to cover the sin of the entire world. It is within this context that we find this reference to Abel’s blood. The only way this comparison works is if Abel’s blood was shed by Cain in sacrifice upon an altar.

Is this rather startling? It should be. But this is nothing more than the beginning of revelation from Scripture regarding the founding of this World system, with its rulers ordained by God. In fact, Paul’s words to Timothy prior to his execution reveal the same mindset as Cain. In II Timothy 4:6, Paul says, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.”

Jesus Offered Himself by the hands of the Romans - He ordained them

What a strange statement! Notice that Paul does not say that he is ready to offer himself. He said that he is ready to be offered. The significance in this lies in the fact that a sacrifice is always offered by another. The sacrifice does not shed his own blood, even though that person may make his blood available for such an activity. The blood of sacrifice is always shed by another. In the case of Paul, that would be the Caesar and his Roman government, for Caesar was the official executioner of Paul as well as Jesus, the Lamb of God, just as Cain was the official executioner of Abel. This unique relationship speaks volumes about the political structure of this World system and the relationship of God’s People to that Government.

More details to Come………………………………..