The Shepherd Press Blog

Fairness and Jesus Christ

…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.  Matthew 20:28

Fairness is an unchallenged Goliath in the army of humanism. The modern days soldiers of humanism see the “fair” treatment of humans as an inalienable right of individuals, to the exclusion of the old notion that there is a God to whom man is accountable. The Humanist Manifesto mockingly scorns such notions. (See the Humanist Manifesto.) John Dewey and other important educational thinkers and psychologists had no use for the idea of obedience to a God who is no longer needed by an enlightened culture. These humanist thinkers have dominated educational philosophy for the last 100 years. In support of humanism, school textbooks have become increasingly politically correct. The educational texts of the early days of the American republic, such as McGuffy’s Readers or Noah Webster’s An American Dictionary of the English Language spoke of a God to whom man is accountable and a Bible that was worth studying. Humanism and its advocates, such as Dewey and Piaget, openly scorn the Scriptures and God’s authority. They have exchanged the eternal truths of God for pragmatic lessons learned by observing children playing marbles. This is but one reason why the U.S. Supreme Court has gone from quoting Scripture in its decisions to blatantly rendering decisions that defy the Bible.

 

The Day After

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Modern culture has developed a curious practice for giving appreciation to others. It is a mixture of style and substance, with the emphasis on style. This practice is called Day. Day is an extremely flexible and adaptable concept. While Day has no particular religious significance, it is nonetheless observed with ritual and sacrifice. All one has to do to make Day fit almost any relational circumstance is to add an appropriate adjective. For example, there is Valentine’s Day, Secretary’s—oops, make that Administrative Professional’s—Day, Birth Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day. Day is able to adapt to almost any desire to show appreciation. Father’s Day and the just-celebrated Mother’s Day make Day a personal event. There is even a Day for gratitude. The retail industry is more than happy to help with the appreciation celebrations. Right now, Mother’s Day promotions are being replaced rapidly with themes for grads and dads.

 

Response to Kyle

Praise be to the LORD God, the God of Israel
       who alone does marvelous deeds. Psalm 72:18

No offense intended to the author of this blog entry, or for the one who asked the initial question, but, if Christians are so dead set against bullying, harassment, etc., then why do you constantly promote it towards GLBT kids? If you are so dead set against bullying, harassment, etc., against people per se, then why don't you come out against those who are doing the bullying, etc..., instead of joining in? The National Day of Silence is helping to promote peace between people who otherwise couldn't or wouldn't agree on anything. If Christians want respect, then they need to show it first. Thank you, Kyle - 19, Pennsylania

We received an interesting response to the post regarding the National Day of Silence. His comment and question appear above.

Thank you, Kyle, for commenting. First of all, I want to re-emphasize what was said in my post regarding violence and unkind treatment of others.  It is wrong to be hateful, to mock and hurt others, regardless of their sexual persuasions. Such behavior is simply not an option for Christians who represent Christ.

 

Do Hard Things

22 When you walk, they will guide you;
       when you sleep, they will watch over you;
       when you awake, they will speak to you.

23 For these commands are a lamp,
       this teaching is a light,
       and the corrections of discipline
       are the way to life… Proverbs 6:22&23

These verses envision a dynamic relationship between the word of God and young people. God’s truth should resonate in the lives of teenagers. The word is living and active. One example of what this could look like in today’s youth is displayed in the lives of Alex and Brett Harris. They are the authors of the website and blog The Rebelution. It is encouraging to see teenagers motivated to do hard things for the glory of God. What Alex and Brett have done shows that teenagers can make a difference. Why not take a look at what they have accomplished?

Young Children, Teenagers & the National Day of Silence.

20 My son, keep your father's commands
       and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

21 Bind them upon your heart forever;
       fasten them around your neck.

22 When you walk, they will guide you;
       when you sleep, they will watch over you;
       when you awake, they will speak to you.

23 For these commands are a lamp,
       this teaching is a light,
       and the corrections of discipline
       are the way to life,

24 keeping you from the immoral woman,
       from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife.

In the last post we talked about the upcoming National Day of Silence. This event is sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Educational Network (GLSEN). You can check out the last post for details. In short this group is targeting middle and high schools across the United States in an effort to increase tolerance for those who have unbiblical sexual practices and  desires. These topics are difficult to talk to adults about, let alone middle school age children. Yet this is exactly what parents, church leaders and teachers must do if we are to prepare our children for the world they will enter.

 

 

A Question re: The National Day of Silence

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? II Corinthians 6:14

Caleb Land posted this comment with regard to a question that he had that had not been directly addressed in the blog. Thank you, Caleb, for posting this question! I also encourage others of you to comment about issues that have not been directly addressed in the blog, but that you would like to see addressed.

 

Adultery: 81 % / Premarital Sex: 45%

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” Hebrew 13:4

In the last post we looked at a USA Today article regarding the way that Americans view sin. The article contained a survey listing various activities and the percentage of Americans who thought these activities were sin. Eighty-one percent of those surveyed thought that adultery was a sin. However, only 45% of this same group thought that having sex before marriage was a sin. This difference says much about how our culture uses the Bible to determine what is sin. The actual title of the article in USA Today is “Has the notion of sin been lost?” Sin is a notion? Translation – the Bible is not connected to the cultural concept of sin.

 

Almost Always…

The fear of the LORD leads to life:
   Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.  —Proverbs 19:23

The fool says in his heart,
       "There is no God."  —Psalm 14:1

Note: a number of blogs and web sites have commented on this study.  It is important for parents to understand the movement of our culture towards a relativistic view of sin.

USA Today, on March 19^th, reported on the state of sin in  America. In an article titled “Has the notion of sin been lost?” the Nations’ Newspaper explores what people think about sin. The article highlights a study done by Ellison Research about sin. For purposes of the study, sin is defined as “something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective." We will examine this definition in a moment. First, here are some acts that Americans classify as sin. Next to each “sin” is the percentage of those surveyed who agreed that the action really is sin.

Shaping Influences & Parental Legacy

2008 is a leap year. The Summer Olympic Games will be held. Who knows what memorable events from 2008 will go down in history? In America  there will be a presidential election.  That election also marks the end of a president’s term in office. As that term draws to a close much is made of the legacy of that president. Political observers ponder how history will view the legacy of a president. Some presidents become obsessed with their legacy—their place in history. Decisions are made with an eye towards protecting and enhancing the elusive prize of a favorable legacy. In the end, a president’s legacy is determined by what was done, not by how he wanted others to think of him.

I

The Super Bowl and Your Heart’s Orientation

Whether you watch the Super Bowl or not the game is important to you as a Christian parent. This annual spectacle tells you a great deal about the world your children inhabit. Proverbs 7 shows a parent looking out his window at the world around him. This father used the view from his window to instruct his son about the dangers of life. The window of your television affords you the same opportunity and obligation. In addition to the game you can learn much about the world around you from the commercials. These commercials cost approximately 3 million dollars for a 30 second spot, and that does not include the production costs. The companies who sponsor these commercials believe that they will appeal to what motivates Americans. It is safe to assume that these sponsors don’t see an America that has a Godward  orientation. Chapter 3 of Shepherding a Child’s Heart speaks powerfully to this issue. The principles of this chapter have implications for your children:  Their hearts are not neutral. Who will they worship? What are their treasures? — to name a few.