Antichrist

A lot is being said about the Antichrist.  Sermons, books, Bible based films and documentaries are plentiful, and even the secular media seems to be obsessed with end-time scenarios.  All sorts of movies tell stories about people trying to survive in a “dystopian” future following some kind of apocalyptic event.  As an introduction to the subject of the Antichrist, let’s look at a few things the Bible has to say about it. 

The Holy Spirit inspired Jesus’ disciple, John, to write: 

Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour.  They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be evident that they all are not of us.  But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.  I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.  Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son.  Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.  As for you, see that what you heard from the beginning remains in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. (1John 2:18-24 NASB) 

https://biblehub.com/nasb_/1_john/2.htm 

Applied broadly, an antichrist is someone who is opposed to Jesus Christ, who denies His deity, and as a result denies God the Father.  Antichrist is also a name given to a coming leader who, with the help of a False Prophet, will establish a worldwide economic, political, and religious system that will exercise tyrannical authority over humankind for seven years after Jesus Christ removes His followers out of the world (the Rapture). 

The Apostle Paul, writing in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, described the Antichrist as a man of lawlessness, who comes into power after a great religious apostacy - falling away from the true faith -  and after Jesus Christ removes those who believe in Him from Earth to be with Him in the heavenly realms: 

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, regarding the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him,  that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit, or a message, or a letter as if from us to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 

No one is to deceive you in any way! For it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,  who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God.  Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  And you know what restrains him now, so that he will be revealed in his time.  For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is removed.  Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming;  that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders,  and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved.  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.(2Thessalonians 2:1-12 NASB)

https://biblehub.com/nasb_/2_thessalonians/2.htm 

John’s vision, received from Christ and described in the Book of Revelation, depicts the Antichrist and the False Prophet: 

And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore. 

The Antichrist 

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten crowns, and on his heads were blasphemous names.  And the beast that I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. And the dragon gave him his power and his throne, and great authority.  I saw one of his heads as if it had been fatally wounded, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;  they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”  A mouth was given to him speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. 

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation.  All who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slaughtered.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear. (Revelation 13:1-9 NASB) (headings added for clarity) 

The False Prophet 

Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon.  He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. And he makes the earth and those who live on it worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.  He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the presence of people.  And he deceives those who live on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life.  And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.  And he causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slaves,  to be given a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads,  and he decrees that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man; and his number is six hundred and sixty-six. (Revelation13:11-18 NASB) 

https://biblehub.com/nasb_/revelation/13.htm

Please see Daniel, Chapters 8 and 9, for additional information.  The Antichrist will come into power by negotiating a Middle East peace agreement, and will restore temple worship in Israel.  After he has been in power for three and a half years (42 months), he will betray Israel and the peace agreement.  Then, as per Revelation 13, everyone will be required to worship him and his image, or be killed.  (Please refer to 2Thessalonians 2:3-4) 

For another description of the Antichrist, please refer to Chapter 9 of Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth. 

The dragon is Satan. (Revelation 12:9)  The Antichrist and the False Prophet will be the servants of Satan, and the entire world will follow them;  except those who are saved by faith in Christ during the Tribulation. (Revelation Chapter 7)  The False Prophet will help the Antichrist and serve as the leader of the apostate religion.

The Second Coming of Christ will take place after the Antichrist has been in power for seven years.  The Antichrist and the False Prophet will rebel against Jesus when He returns, but they will be defeated and thrown into a lake of burning sulfur. (Revelation 19:11-20) 

Bible believing Christians trust that these things will happen, but we are not given the exact date or time of their occurrence.  John believed that he was writing his epistle in “the last hour.”  The church has always believed that the Lord’s return was imminent, and true believers still do.  Many bible scholars define the last hour or last days as the church age (the time from Pentecost until the Rapture). (The NIV Study Bible, 1984/1985) 

Believers will be able to recognize the conditions that indicate His coming is near.  We are directed to live in the expectation that He could return at any moment.  Paul called the Antichrist a man of lawlessness.  Today’s Zeitgeist seems to be a spirit of lawlessness.  Personally, I believe that this a spirit of antichrist.  That time might be in an hour or two.  Are you Ready? 

This has been a short introduction to Bible prophesy about the Antichrist.  It is far from complete, but it is better than some of the “spook stories” on the subject that the secular media shows you on TV.  It took me years to get a working understanding of Bible prophesy about the end times.  To help those who wish to pursue the subject further, please let me refer you to two DVD teaching series from Dr. Jack Van Impe and his wife Rexella.  They are, Revelation Revealed and Daniel – Final Endtime Mysteries Unsealed.  They are available from Jack Van Impe Ministries,  https://www.jvim.com/  The ministry also offers, The Jack Van Impe Prophesy Bible, which contains both of the  teaching series in written form.  These resources are the real thing. 

 

Limiting Violent Crime

Our country continues to be plagued by mass shootings.  People are being deprived of peace, safety, and even their very lives. 

As if that were not tragedy enough, we always quarrel about who and what is to blame.  There is no agreement about the cause of the problem.  Therefore, agreement about the cure eludes us. 

Primarily, each of us is responsible for our actions.  People are subject to all sorts of influences, and due consideration must be paid.  Nevertheless, the responsibility for a mass shooting falls squarely upon the shoulders of the shooter.  It is not society’s fault, the fault of the shooter’s parents, the school system, the fault of the weapon, or anything else other than the shooter.  There may be things that can be done to mitigate influences that make people more prone to violence, and these should be examined carefully.  We must not, however, excuse individuals from the responsibility for their own actions. 

The problem of violent crimes perpetrated against persons in the United States is larger than mass shootings.  Far more people are killed, injured, disfigured, or disabled by other kinds of violent crime.  All types of violent crime must be included in any discussion about the carnage that is taking place and how to limit it. 

No system of laws and security measures is able to completely eliminate the risk that violent crime exposes all of us to.  We are an open-handed and good-hearted people.  It is only natural that we all want to “do something” to stop the horror that is tearing at the fabric of our society. As long as there are individuals and groups who think resorting to violence to solve problems is justifiable, however, some of us will continue to be killed, maimed, and get hurt. 

As a society, we are obsessed with violence.  Many of our movies and television shows pander to our fascination with it.  Violent entertainment is popular with American audiences, so the entertainment industry gives the public what it wants.  Conversely, violent entertainment creates an appetite for more violence.  A lot of the video games we play, and allow our children to play, are based on “killing the bad guys.”  They desensitize people to the taking of human life.  In much of what we watch and play at, violence is the recourse that our “heroes” go to first, rather than the alternative of last resort that it should be. 

Our sports have become increasingly violent as well.  The fans cheer when an American football player puts a devastating “hit” on an opponent.  They cheer again when a fight breaks out between hockey players.  Boxing has taken a back seat to kick fighting, mixed martial arts, and toughman contests. 

Many other examples could be listed, but your time is limited and so is mine. I am not advocating pacifism.  I am saying that all of the above makes people less likely to resist the urge to become violent with someone who annoys them.  A society that reverences violence breeds people who do violent things.  The cohesiveness of the social order is delicate.  Once disrupted, it is difficult to restore. 

Guns are just one of many weapons with which people assault each other.  They also use knives, bombs, bows and arrows, or bludgeons.  In 2019, for example, a man killed eight school children in China with a knife.  It was one of many such attacks that have happened there in recent years.  Most people can’t have guns in the People’s Republic of China, therefore, the perpetrators use edged weapons or bludgeons instead. 

Weapons are inert objects until people use them.  They are tools.  In some cases they increase the lethality of the force that people use and the distance at which force can be applied.  Some weapons are more efficient than others.  Guns are able to cause death or serious bodily injury at a greater distance than knives.  Guns can fire projectiles faster and more accurately than bows.  Regardless, they just lay there and do nothing until a human being picks them up and uses them. 

The problem is who we are.  The tools we use are incidental to the character of the user.  A baseball bat has no brain to think with or heart to feel with.  It is designed for sport and commonly available.  Then again, it makes an effective club. 

What are we to do?  Recently, President Biden alleged that the government has ability to regulate our constitutional right to keep and bear arms.  That statement sent the conservative radio and TV talkers up the wall.  As usual, he could have been more precise in his language, and he was only half right. 

The Second Amendment says (in part) that “… the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”  That language might be interpreted as a prohibition against government regulation of that right.  If so, President Biden was wrong. 

All sorts of constitutional rights, however, are limited by law to keep people from violating the rights of others.  The First Amendment guarantees us the “free exercise” of our religion.  However, we do not have the right to kill “unbelievers;” even if our religion allows it or commands it.  It also protects our freedom to peacefully assemble, but we do not have the right to block others’ essential movement by  assembling on a freeway or in front of a hospital emergency room.  We have freedom of speech, but we do not have the right to incite others to riot or do violence.  Legalese aside, the truth is that when freedoms that are abused they might get taken away, and we must be vigilant to keep that from happening. 

It seems that we have the same fight every time there is a mass shooting - or Chicago has a bad weekend.  We will continue to have it, over and over, until anti-gun people quit trying to do an “end run” around the Second Amendment.  The only solution that will end the argument in favor of those opposed to the private ownership or possession of firearms is to cause the repeal of the Second Amendment.  Oh - but they do not have the political support they need to get that done.  The bulldog on the front porch is that most Americans want to keep their guns. 

In an effort to “do something,” the great minds we send to Washington, D.C. are working on new gun control laws; more stringent than the ones already on the books.  Exploiting the opportunity provided by the recent mass killing incidents, the Democratic majority in the House of Representatives passed a Bill that is a Liberal wish list of restrictions on buying and possessing guns.  It has been sent to the Senate.  At this writing, the Senate just reduced to writing its own Bill, which is purported to be a “bipartisan compromise.”  The Senate’s version is supposed to be a milder version of the magnum opus created by the House.[1] 

President Biden will sign into law just about any gun control legislation that comes across his desk.  He has always been an opponent of the private ownership of firearms. 

Alternatives to Unconstitutional Gun Control Laws 

Rather than target (no pun intended) guns as a source of violent crime, it may be better to focus on the criminals who commit the crimes.  In this way, we put the burden on the lawless, instead of on law abiding citizens.  Additionally, it is reasonable to take a look at those in the entertainment industry who often profit from stoking the public’s appetite for violence. 

All crimes must be prosecuted if there is sufficient evidence to do so.  Judicial review boards should be created and empowered to initiate recall proceedings to remove judges who consistently fail to impose sentences, up to the limit of the law, that are commensurate to the harm caused to the victim of the offence.  The court system should be sufficiently funded to manage the increased number of cases that would result. 

Harsh penalties should be imposed on those who possess, use, or threaten the use of any weapon capable of causing death, disfigurement, or serious bodily injury, during the commission of a crime.  Upon conviction for a second offence, offenders should receive more severe sentences including the possibility of life with parole after 25 years’ incarceration.  The death penalty should be imposed if a victim dies as a result of the use of a weapon in the commission of a crime, whether the death is intended or accidental. 

The appeal process needs to be streamlined.  Convicted persons must have the right to appeal to a higher court.  However, our current appeal process is ridiculous; especially in death penalty cases. 

The police must be fully funded, trained, and equipped.  Those who abuse their authority should be punished as individuals.  Most cops are good people who serve at considerable risk to protect us.  They deserve our support. 

It may be argued that these measures will have an unequal impact on some minorities who are already overrepresented in prison populations.  The disparate impact on minorities could be mitigated if the poor were given an adequate defense in court.  Forced economically to rely on public defenders, they are often “persuaded” to accept plea bargains, even though they may be innocent, by being told that they risk a much more severe sentence if they increase the court’s workload by taking their case to trial. 

The law must mandate that all persons who are convicted of a crime involving a weapon must serve their entire sentence in a higher security prison that has armed perimeter patrols, double fences topped by razor wire, armed officers in guard towers, and exterior walls that do not allow egress.  They should not be housed in lower security facilities, honor camps, or community corrections settings. 

Gang violence is out of control in America.  More stringent organized crime laws are needed that mandate the deportation of gang members who are not U.S. citizens, and provide sentence enhancement for gang members convicted of using weapons to commit crimes. 

There is a clear correlation between criminal drug trafficking and violent crime.  Any person convicted of importing or selling controlled substances, who is not a U.S. citizen, should receive the death penalty.  Citizens should receive sentence enhancers if convicted of importing or selling drugs while in possession of a weapon. 

The film makers who produce violent movies, TV shows, and video games should be required to precede them with an in-depth explanation of the fact that they are entertainment and not reality.  The explanation should include examples of the harm that results from violent behavior and the possible legal consequences to the perpetrator.  It should be impossible to view the entertainment without first watching the explanation.  It would be no different than requiring cigarette companies to put health warnings on cigarette packages.  As was the case with cigarettes, the government should air “infomercials” explaining the harmful outcomes of violent behavior. 

Violent sports are a mega million-dollar industry.  That industry should be required to provide modified rules, safety equipment, and training designed to prevent injury or death to school and community programs in which the players are 17 years of age or younger.  Adult participants in sports that are documented to have caused death or serious bodily injury should be provided with lifetime insurance or sports medicine treatment.  Rules should be stringently modified to severely limit the risk of injury to adult competitors. Assaultive players should be barred from play without pay for periods of time that are consistent with the severity of the offence, but not less than two seasons.  Professional sports leagues should be required to air infomercials before each game informing the public of the risks to players that devolve from hard-hitting play, and advising them that violence is not acceptable in sports or in everyday life. 

Thanks for listening.  Write or call your Senators and Congressmen.

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[1] https://www.npr.org/2022/06/12/1104433332/gun-control-senate-deal

 

 

Travel Light but Travel Right

We just got home from visiting family in a neighboring (contiguous) state.  Round trip, we traveled by car about 1,700 miles, and you can add another 100 miles for driving around after we arrived at our destination. It was a blessing to see our children and grandchildren again.  Due to the distance involved, we do not have the opportunity to visit that often. 

We travel by car in most cases.  Why?  We would need to travel for about 265 miles to be able to board a passenger train.  The train would not depart until about 1:30 am (01:30 hours).  Then, the nearest place we could debark would still be about 130 miles from our destination.  So, we would have to rent a car to get there, rather than impose on family to pick us up. 

Today's price to fly would be about $1,330.00 round trip.  We would drive about 40 miles to the nearest airport, and we would need to travel another 40 miles by car to our destination after landing.  If you factor in baggage fees, a rental car, and other miscellaneous expenses, flying would cost several hundred dollars more than driving and staying in a couple of motels.  Of course, flying provides more time at the destination, and less time traveling – if you are on that kind of schedule.  These days, we are not.

We drive a full-size sedan with a small 4.6 L (281 cu. in.) V-8 engine.  It gets about 20 mpg (actual) locally, and about 23 to 24 mpg (estimated) on the highway.  These days, you can’t buy a car like that unless it is used.  It is getting older, but it is paid for.  The expense to fix it when it breaks is less than making payments on a new car.  With inflation running wild, lower- and middle-income people have to be careful about how they spend money … unlike certain elected officials in Washington, D.C. 

So – what’s the point?  The point is that this is reality - for Americans West of the Atlantic Seaboard, and even more so for people who live in areas like the Desert Southwest, the Great Basin, and the Mountain West.  Further, it is a reality that people like Bernie Sanders, Chuckie Schumer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Al Gore, and Jennifer Granholm do not understand - and do not even care about.  To them, we are fly-over America … an area populated by ignorant rubes who do not know what is in their own best interest. 

I beg to differ.  I will go to see my grandkids as often as I can.  I will drive.  When gasoline gets more expensive, I will do without other things to be able to afford it. 

It looks like a lot of other people are doing the same thing.  I do not have a scientific count, but it looked like traffic was just as heavy as it used to be everywhere we went.  Someone once said that “America is a nation on wheels.”  It is clear that the Green New Deal crowd knows little about America, does not like what they do know, and wants to force all of us to become what they want us to be.  All I can say is NO. 

It is clear that the Biden Administration and the other Green New Dealers in Washington are trying to force the American driving public to convert to electric cars.[1]   In my opinion, electric vehicles (EV’s) should, at best, be an interim, transition technology.  There are better alternatives, like hydrogen-fueled vehicles, when we develop the ability to produce and distribute the fuel economically. 

How I am supposed to make the monthly payment on a new car that I do not want, since I am retired and on a fixed income?  Further, estimates vary on the cost to replace the battery in one of those things.  One manufacturer’s EV has a MSRP of $31,500.00 to $37,495.00, and they offer an 8 year/100,000-mile warranty on their EV’s batteries.  For many Americans, that means the owner will be responsible to pay if their EV needs a new battery after about 5 years. One source lists the price of that same company’s EV battery at $15,734.29.[2] That is about half of the original sticker price.  Is that what you want?  I have other spending priorities in an inflationary economy where milk costs $3+ per gallon. 

Our fearless leaders just don’t get it.  “Middle Class Joe” Biden is a wealthy man.[3] Do you think he, or his cronies worry about what things cost when they try to make gasoline so expensive that people must buy electric cars to get around?  Hardly! 

I’m looking forward to our next road trip in our big, heavy, safe, and comfortable gasoline-powered car.  President Biden’s high gasoline prices can’t stop me.  

Remember how things were before Biden.  Vote to return our country to sanity in November.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/05/biden-pushes-for-evs-to-make-up-40percent-or-more-of-us-auto-sales-by-2030.html

 

[2] https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1110881_how-much-is-a-replacement-chevy-bolt-ev-electric-car-battery

 

[3] https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/18/joe-biden-2020-money-wealth-1221934

 

 

Haters?

The day before yesterday, I saw a car in a parking lot with writing in the back window.  I guess it was written in the kind of paint people use to cheer on their favorite team, wish this year’s graduating class success, or announce their marriage.  Instead, what was written in the window was angry, hateful, and profane.  Mainly, it said that religious people should keep their religion out of public policy. 

Tough subject. 

The writing in the window said that America is not “the land of the free,” because the religious values of some of the people are being forced on all of the people.  It was pretty clear that the unspoken issue was freedom of choice regarding abortion. 

I would argue that America is not “the land of the free” unless all Americans are free to advocate for what they believe to be “the right thing to do” - whether the values they support are based on the tenants of their religion, politics, or “freedom from religion.”  Some religious Americans think that God is the ultimate moral authority.  Others recognize no moral authority greater than the self. 

In “the land of the free,” all of us have the right to advocate for our values in the “marketplace of ideas” - peacefully and without hatred and vitriol.  Respecting the rights of others, we should be allowed to try to persuade others to agree with our way of thinking - without being threatened or disrespected.  All Americans must be permitted to help create a just and humane society. 

In a country that is truly the “land of the free,” there is no excuse for attempts to threaten or intimidate.  We can have spirited debate, but we all must realize that nothing will get fixed until we are all willing to move toward each other; rather than away from or against each other. 

Recently, there have been pro-choice demonstrations near the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington D.C. and near the Justices’ residences.  People have the right to lawfully demonstrate, but attempting to pressure or intimidate the court while they are deliberating on a case is illegal.  The demonstrators should have the self-discipline to voluntarily locate their protests where the peace and dignity of the Supreme Court is not violated. 

There have also been demonstrations near Christian churches.  Roman Catholic churches appear to have been singled out because of the strong anti-abortion stance the Roman Catholics have taken.  The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives Roman Catholics and other Christians the right to “free exercise” of their religious beliefs.  They must be allowed to do so without crowds of protestors interfering with access to their churches. 

I was saddened by what was written on the back window of that car.  My desire for America is that we can rise above that kind if hatred and treat each other with dignity and kindness. 

Christ spoke to us about the world’s intolerance, however, so I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise: 

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.  But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  Whoever hates me hates my Father also.  If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.  (John 15:18-27 ESV) * 

* https://biblehub.com/esv/john/15.htm 

Christians, let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen us, so that we can be faithful witnesses for Jesus.  In the power of the Spirit, we can have the courage to lovingly declare God’s Word in the face of opposition from angry people.

 

 

God is Sovereign

Psalm 11

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

 

 

I trust in the LORD for protection.

So why do you say to me,

 

“Fly like a bird to the mountains for safety!

The wicked are stringing their bows

and fitting their arrows on the bowstrings.

They shoot from the shadows

at those whose hearts are right.

The foundations of law and order have collapsed.

What can the righteous do?”

 

But the LORD is in his holy Temple;

the LORD still rules from heaven.

He watches everyone closely,

examining every person on earth.

The LORD examines both the righteous and the wicked.

He hates those who love violence.

He will rain down blazing coals and burning sulfur on the wicked,

punishing them with scorching winds.

For the righteous LORD loves justice.

The virtuous will see his face. (NLT) *

 

 

*  https://biblehub.com/nlt/psalms/11.htm

 

 

 

Memorial Day 2022

Memorial Day is here again.  Many of us will enjoy a three-day weekend.  Vacations will begin or end.  Ceremonies will commemorate graduation from high schools and colleges.  There will be stockcar races, and everything from pajamas to boats will go on sale.  Have a barbeque.  We all could use a break.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Our war dead gave their lives to secure our way of life, and they would want us to enjoy it. 

Please remember to take a little time, however, to reflect on our war dead; those who died to make us a free people.  Honor their memory by zealously guarding the freedoms they died for.

 

Crossing the Bar

by 

Alfred Lord Tennyson

 

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea,

 

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,

Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

Turns again home.

 

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark;

 

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crost the bar. *

 

* https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/45321/crossing-the-bar

Water Into Wine

The Biblical account of the miracle Jesus performed at the Marriage in Cana has been the subject of diverse interpretations among Christians; especially in the United States where many denominations advocate for, or require, that Christians totally abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages.  It is clear that many Biblical references to alcoholic beverages discourage the abuse of alcohol in excess. (Proverbs 20:1, 21:17, 23:19-21, and 23:29-35; Isaiah 5:11-12 and 22; Habakkuk 2:5; 1 Timothy 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9; 1Peter 4:1-6; and many more) 

Yet, it is also apparent that Jesus drank wine, during His earthly ministry: 

For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.” (Luke 7:33-35 ESV) * (See also Matthew 11:18-19) 

I am not a trained linguist or translator.  All I know is what I read in the English language translations of the Bible that are available to me.  Some well-meaning preachers have tried to make a case for abstinence by pointing out that in Biblical times people often drank wine, rather than water, because the water was not potable.  They have rightly said that the wine in those days varied in alcohol content, and that the common, everyday wine contained very little alcohol.  They maintain, therefore, the wine Jesus drank, and that resulted from His miracle at Cana, was not intoxicating. 

The scripture says that His enemies accused Jesus of being a drunkard, and of keeping bad company.  We can infer from this that the wine He was drinking was fermented.  It also says that the wine the wedding guests drank in Cana had the well-known effect of making the drinker’s taste less discriminating, due to intoxication.  The master of ceremonies praised the wine Jesus made for being better than the wine that had been served previously.  It seems logical, then, to conclude that the wine Jesus made contained alcohol – all 120 gallons of it: 

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.  Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples.  When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”  And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.”  His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 

Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons.  Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.  And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it.  When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.”  This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 

After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. (John 2:1-12 ESV) * 

I have heard some well-meaning members of alcohol-free denominations bemoan the miracle at Cana, and wonder why Jesus did it, because it makes it more difficult to make their case for abstinence.  Respectfully, I say: 

First, we must not try to bend scripture to prove a point, no matter how important we think it is. We must, also, be careful that we do not put roadblocks in the way of people who are trying to find their way to Jesus. (Luke 11:46; Matthew 23:4 and 13-15).  Last but not least, Jesus is sinless, and it is blasphemy to call anything He does a sin. 

While Jesus’ enemies falsely accused Him of being a “winebibber,” there is no record of His ever drinking to excess.  He certainly never consumed distilled spirits like whiskey, vodka, or gin. 

By performing this miracle, Jesus revealed His glory, and as a result His disciples believed in Him. It also seems to me that the wine Jesus created at the wedding in Cana illustrates the superiority of the New Covenant to the Old Covenant. The Old Covenant was based on earning God’s favor by obedience to God’s law as given through Moses.  The New Covenant promises eternal life in the very presence of God through faith in Jesus Christ.  Clearly, the New Covenant is better than the Old Covenant. 

Again, the whole wisdom of God, as given to us in the Bible, is that we must not drink to excess or give our lives over to the control of alcohol.  It is not a matter of whether we are in control of our lives, or alcohol is.  That misses the truth, which is that it is a matter of whether we give Jesus control our lives, rather than alcohol. 

To be clear, addiction operates like a disease.  Some people can expose themselves to the contagion without succumbing to the disease.  For addicts, however, their addiction to psychoactive substances is chronic, progressive, and fatal.  For the addicted, controlled drinking is not an option.  Rather, it is a death sentence. 

Within the family of believers, we need to be tolerant of each other.  Remember Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, Chapter 14.  One person may believe that their liberty in Christ allows them a beer or two with dinner at their favorite restaurant.  Another believer’s conscience may convict them for having a glass of wine at a friend’s house.  For the believers whose conscience condemns them, using alcohol is a sin – because they believe it is a sin and do it anyway.  The believer who thinks it is permissible must not try to pressure the one whose conscience forbids drinking into “relaxing a little” or “loosening up a bit.”  On the other hand, the one who thinks Christians shouldn’t drink must not condemn the person who thinks it is okay.  Above all, the Christian who drinks must never do it in circumstances where, by doing so they may cause the brother or sister whose faith is weaker to fall away from the Lord.  Jesus died for that person, and we must not destroy their faith by disillusioning them. 

In modern times, we have a new kind of addiction to deal with … illegal drugs.  I worked in addiction treatment programs and the criminal justice system for over 21 years.  I worked in human services for another seven years.  I have seen firsthand the devastation that drug abuse causes in the lives of individuals, communities, and nations.  I have detailed knowledge of the extreme cruelty, barbarity, and lawlessness of the criminal gangs and cartels that, to our shame, U.S. drug abuse is funding in Mexico and Central and South America.  Further, these criminal elements are heavily involved in the current illegal migration across our Southern border, and they have expanded their activities to the United States.  Believers and nonbelievers alike, please do not be a part of this evil. 

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit … making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

(Ephesians 5:15-21 ESV) * 

As we are led by the Holy Spirit, each of us must choose what we do and allow in our lives.  Our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.  Let’s not do anything to it that Jesus wouldn’t do. 

Remember that the Lord said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”    (John 13:34-35 ESV) * Brethren, please be at peace with one another. 

 

* https://biblehub.com/