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| Volume 17 Number 8 August 2015 | Page 5 |
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| Volume 17 Number 8 August 2015 | Page 5 |
Royce Pendergrass
Bullying is defined as “intimidation of a weaker person or the process of intimidating or mistreating somebody weaker or in a more vulnerable situation.” For some time now, there has been a national effort to reduce bullying. Bullying may be a cyber-attack, a racial attack or it might even be a schoolyard prank.
However, there is another way that people are “bullying” others, and it may be the most common and widespread means of intimidating others. Bullying has become a means by which some attack those who believe that sin is wrong. These “bullies” oppose those who speak out against the homosexual, alcohol and drug agendas. These “bullies” don’t agree with the right to “freedom of religion.”
It’s beyond my comprehension as to why people stand up and speak out so quickly to eliminate bullying in the schoolyard and then do an about-face while they themselves bully those who as a matter of conscience and morality speak out against sin. (Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe in schoolyard bullying either.) Yet, these who oppose righteousness speak up loudly and clearly because they think they now have the majority position of strength. They think that “situation ethics” will be their crutch in gaining moral support from those around them regardless of their sins and transgression against God and their bullying of Christians.
For centuries, mankind has accepted the concept that homosexuality is an abomination and goes against all righteousness. This is quite evident in God’s Holy Word as we read in Leviticus 18:22, “You shall not lie with mankind as with woman: it is an abomination.” Now, homosexuals have decided they can bully their way into a respected, or at least legally protected, status in this country. No matter, God still says homosexuality is a sin. No, let’s call it like it is; God says it is an abomination. Sin is defined as “contrary to God’s laws,” and abomination is defined as “detestable.” Not only is sin a transgression of God’s law, but it is something He hates! All major nations that have prospered and seemed to “rule the world” have been brought down by God as a result of homosexuality. No matter how hard he tries, mankind cannot change God’s view of this subject.
For centuries, we have recognized the hazards of chemical abuse of the body, but now certain groups seek to have some drugs legalized. Chemical abuse remains an abuse of the human body and should be discouraged by any rational society and not encouraged by reasonable people. Just as with alcohol abuse, chemical abuse causes folks to do things they would never do if they were in their right minds and thinking clearly. God’s Word is clear on this matter as we read in Galatians 5:21, “The works of the flesh are manifest which are these… drunkenness, revellings and such like… they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” Drugs are mind-altering substances, and Christians must do all they can to stop the legalization of marijuana. The legalization of this substance will cause our nation to see much more pain and sorrow, and it will bring us another step closer to God deciding to destroy our nation as we know it. In the upcoming election, Christian people must vote “no” to the legalization of this substance.
For 60 years, the public sale of alcohol has been banned by the residents of Independence County, Arkansas. Now, those who support the open sale of alcohol are circulating a petition to force a wet/dry vote in the county. The residents of the county wanted to end the sale of alcoholic beverages in the county all those years ago, and that standing has not been challenged with a vote because the supporters of the sale of alcoholic beverages did not think they could successfully get the issue passed until now.
Homosexuality, mind-altering drugs and alcohol are all in defiance of God’s laws. Those who are promoting these agendas may well use bullying tactics to intimidate and accomplish their desired results. Christians must be prepared to resist the evil that would tear down our way of life. We read in Proverbs 11:1, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord.” We cannot say one thing and do another – the scale will tilt! Christians must not allow others to intimidate or bully them into agreeing with things that are against God’s laws, but we must stand fast “in the defense and confirmation of the gospel” (Philippians 1:7).
Thomas Baxley
After the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that legalized gay marriage, my Facebook news feed exploded, and very little of it was positive. There were two things that primarily disappointed me (other than the decision itself), one more so than the other. The first thing that disappointed me was the number of “Christians” who were in favor of the court’s decision. The Bible is very clear on the subject: those who practice unrighteousness will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). What disappointed me more than that, however, was the response by “Christians.”
Saying that God does not approve of homosexuality does not make you a bigot or homophobic. However, the manner in which you reveal your disgust and abhorrence does. I was embarrassed seeing the posts of many who claim to follow Jesus because they were full of anger and hatred. These “Christians” jumped all over the hating the sin, but they completely forgot to love the sinner. How many who struggle with homosexuality looked at Facebook, or any other social media site, and became disgusted with Jesus because of His followers? How many bridges did we burn in our “righteous anger”? How many opportunities did we lose because we did not apply passages like Proverbs 15:1 or 1 Corinthians 13?
We absolutely need to call sin, sin, but we also need to consider the manner in which we do it. Though we have been guided into all truth, if we don’t have love, we are nothing. Please consider the souls that are around you, and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).