Category: Christians & Culture

Commentary, from a Biblical perspective, on current events that are primarily cultural. There may be some overlap with politics and government, but the emphasis is on broader societal developments apart from politics, which also includes analysis of specific individuals.

Principle: Self-Government

  

In an age when we look to Washington, DC, for everything we need, we have forgotten one basic Biblical principle that was part of the foundation of this country. It is a principle simply called self-government. It’s not hard to explain. God has created each of us with the ability to make decisions. That is part of His image that He placed within us. Government, by definition, is “control and direction.” Whenever anything is governed, that means it is controlled… Read more »

I Didn't Really Want to Mention This, But . . .

  

The devotion to Obama seems to have few boundaries. Perhaps you have seen some of the videos making the rounds on YouTube: children singing his praises; teens marching and spouting off on how Obama has given them new hope and has inspired them to succeed in life. Some would say, “What’s wrong with that? Isn’t that a positive thing?” What’s wrong can be summarized in one word: idolatry. Many have mentioned the cult that has arisen around this presumed political… Read more »

Principle: Made in God's Image

  

In early America, there was little debate about who man was. Nearly everyone agreed man was a being made in the image of God. What did that mean? First, it meant that God had transferred many of His attributes to his creation: man was given intellect, emotions, and the power to choose good and evil. He also had a spirit. Just as God is a spirit, so man was more than a material being. He also would live forever, the… Read more »

Are Voters Foolish? (Part II)

  

Mankind is sinful. That’s the Biblical message. Consequently, we should not be surprised that voters will make foolish choices at times. Yet what do we mean when we say that mankind is sinful, and how does that connect with voting? Let me try to explain how I see sin. First, all sin is foolish. What could be more foolish than to stiffarm the God who created you and who wants to free you from a life (both now and in… Read more »

Principle: God the Creator

  

Continuing with a review of Biblical principles, I want to focus now on the truth that God is the creator of all things. If God “is,” then it is not a great logical leap to conclude that He also “does.” We don’t really grasp the concept of how astonishingly creative He is. All that we see around us began with an image in His own mind. He then transformed that image into something tangible. The universe sprang from His creativity;… Read more »

Principle: I Am Who I Am

  

As noted in the previous post, a foundational principle is that God actually exists. At one point, in Hebrew history, a man named Moses, a shepherd without any real status in society, saw a most unusual sight: a bush that burned but wasn’t consumed. Out of the midst of the bush, he heard the voice of God telling him to embark on a mission to free his people from Egypt. When Moses asks the name of the voice, he is… Read more »

Principle: The God Who Is There

  

A few postings ago, I started writing about principles and how they should be the basis for everything we do. Principles are general truths, and they come from God. And that should be the first principle we consider: the fact of God’s very being. One of the most influential writers in the Christian world, who speaks to us even after his death, was Francis Schaeffer. I’m reminded of the title of one of his books–The God Who Is There. Schaeffer… Read more »