Monthly Archives: April 2021

Considering the Extremity of our Sinful Potential

One of the themes of my life and writing, as well as Christian life and writing in general, is the prevailing concept that mankind is both capable of and naturally inclined to doing the most horrendous, despicable, and absolutely self-seeking deeds. All of us. And there is no exception! (Romans 3:10-12)

In the context of a world created by a perfect Creator, that leaves us in a hopelessly irredeemable place. At least on our own, that is. The reason being that, in contrast to what I previously stated, God is both entirely holy and entirely loving (which we, obviously, are not). He is therefore completely incapable of and naturally opposed to doing anything even remotely resembling evil. This is true, whether we like it or not! And it’s a consistent, logical, and reality reflecting worldview, so don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, whether you agree with it or not.

The fact that, in the context of a perfect Creator, none of us have the ability to save ourselves is what required the redemptive work of Christ. Jesus came to free us from chasing after the unattainable goal of making ourselves right with God. We can’t do it, so He did it for us! The Son of God sacrificed Himself in order for us to have an actual, everlasting relationship with the Lord! Praise the Heavenly Father for His unending love and unmatched grace!

But that’s not what I’m writing about today, at least not directly. Believe me, I would love to be writing directly about that because of the great joy it brings me! If I’m going to write on the good stuff though, I must be willing to write on the ugly stuff as well. So what follows is to be read in the fashion of the words of Jude, one of Jesus’ half brothers, when he wrote, “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”, in Jude‬ ‭1:3‬ ‭(NKJV‬‬). He goes on to address the dangerous teachings of dangerous men who relegate the Kingdom of God down to cheap grace serving as a license to sin (of which, there are multiple ways to do so). How deplorable! How sad!

I mean to contend for the faith in a manner similar to Jude today. I apply the same train of thought and purpose as he in doing so. Please read carefully, I believe these are interpretations of truth you do not want to miss. I remind you, as usual, this is as much, if not more, for me as it is for you.

Consider one more thing before I continue in the nature of the book of Jude. It’s a principle found in two of Jesus’ teachings that He gives almost simultaneously in the Gospel of Matthew (NKJV): He says, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment…”, in Chapter 5, verses 21-22. Later, in verse 28 of the same chapter, Christ says, “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Do you get it? Jesus is telling us that if we’ve ever acted on our anger, sinfully, towards another person, we may as well have committed murder! And He’s also letting us know that if we’ve ever sensually desired another person outside of a covenant relationship, it is as though we have committed adultery!

That tells me, as it ought to tell you as well, this: The presence of even the most minuscule root of sin symptoms leaves us guilty of the potential for the most heinous of sins. Therefore, guilty above all else, and above all others!

In fact, so guilty are we, I’m willing to bet that everyone reading this post has committed one of the two things we just discussed, either inappropriate anger or wandering eyes, in just the last week! Let’s be real, if you’re more like me, it was likely today!

Now back to the book of Jude, where he begins writing about specific attitudes attributable to an abandoning of God’s true Kingdom economy.

“Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.” Jude‬ ‭1:11‬ (‭NKJV‬‬)

Earlier I made mention that there are several ways for men to falsely cheapen the grace of God. Verse 11 is a clear example of this. As I dig into these three false teacher attitudes you’ll recognize that they are all rooted in the pursuit of setting oneself up as your own God. Which, if you know the story of the Tower of Babel, is an extremely bad idea! By the way, I find it necessary to add that the Pharisees of old were largely guilty of all the following subtleties.

First, The Way of Cain:
You can read of this in Genesis 4:1-10. The problem with what Cain did is that in his offering to the Lord he relied on his own efforts rather than the blood of the lamb provided by God. This was a functional attempt at saving himself through personal righteousness.
This is an abusive adulteration of God’s grace, which instead teaches Christ alone can save us! It is an example of setting yourself up as God because it assumes that you have the power of salvation.
Interestingly (and dangerously) enough, each of the three deceptions we are covering are hard to recognize in ourselves as they are disguised beneath an aspect of truth. In Cain’s case it hides within the truth that faith without works is dead (James 2:17-26). The behavior he exhibited twists that truth so that it caters to the pride of life (1 John 2:16) because he desired to be rewarded, ultimately, for his accomplishments.
Yes, the Lord has called us to works of righteousness, a fruit or proof of our salvation, but as soon as you take pride in accomplishing those things you are dancing with false teachings. Beware the man who perceives he has achieved a higher moral status than another, for when you meet him, you have met the spirit of Cain.

On to The Error of Balaam:
The record of his sin can be found in the book of Numbers, chapters 22-24. The issue with the dealings of Balaam was that he postured himself as God’s ordained mouthpiece to extend the curses and blessings of the Lord, and did so to earn dishonest pay. In reality, Balaam intended to bestow a curse on Israel because he was promised an income for doing so, but God intervened and thwarted him by controlling him to speak forth blessings instead. Crazy, right?! He pretentiously connived in order to take advantage of God’s people!
He functionally believed that, for his “skill”, he was worthy of the praise due only to the Father. Sounds familiar doesn’t it, almost like men who promise a bounty of health and wealth if you pay them their respects, because, after all, that’s exactly what Jesus came for, right?…
God’s grace abused and adulterated, taking glory away from the appropriate recipient. Assuming yourself to be an imminent source of blessing and wisdom is to set yourself up as a god.
The truth this lie is hidden in is found in the Gospels and the book of Acts where Jesus, in His almighty power, gives His followers the power to heal. In reality, when there is healing in Christian ministry, it is not the Christian who performs the miracle, but God working through them. His contrarian behavioral truth twisting catered to the lust of the flesh (1 John 2:16) because he pursued being able to get and do whatever he desired.
Be wary of the individual who uses ministry to gain fame, influence, and fortune, for when you see him, you have seen the face of Balaam.

The Rebellion of Korah:
See Numbers 16:1-35. His sin was questioning the leadership of Moses that had been completely guided by God, when he really had nothing substantial to complain about. At one point in verse 3, Korah says this against Moses and Aaron, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” As far as I can tell, he meant well, but he spoke way out of line and thought far more highly of himself than he ought to (Romans 12:3)! It was not his place to publicly criticize the one in command. In function, he was convinced that, because God is no respecter of persons (a phrase meaning impartial), he had no reason to show respect toward any person.
It is an abusive adulteration of the Father’s grace for it ignores the fact that the sacrifice of Christ has freed us from all competition. To assume that your discernment of others’ motives, behaviors, and position is infallible is to set yourself up as God.
He was catering to the lust of the eyes (1 John 2:16) by twisting the truth of equality of all believers before the eyes of the Almighty, despite our differing gifts and roles (1 Corinthians 12) because he saw the opportunity to gain a foothold of power.
Nowhere do we read that it’s appropriate to undermine another follower of Christ when we dislike or disagree with them. Instead we are to work towards unity at all costs and to separate, only, as the very last resort. Beware the man who seeks to usurp his positional superiors in order to remove or replace them, for when you hear him, you have heard the voice of Korah.

Now that you understand the nature of the misdeeds of these men, and their manifestations, let me add another spin on them. In 1 Timothy 4:1, Paul speaks about doctrines of demons that will become pervasive in the latter days. The teaching that most key into when it comes to that phrase, is that of: “God has saved us, His grace is more than sufficient, because of that it’s OK if you keep on sinning. He has already forgiven you, we are totally free from accountability. We are all in a process, eventually your behavior will naturally line up with your faith all on its own.” That lie is exposed in Romans 5:20-6:14. And that lie is actually a manipulation of the truth of sanctification found in a number of Paul’s writings. Don’t get me wrong, that false teaching is absolutely a demonic doctrine. But it’s the one that’s easiest to recognize, it doesn’t take much to see how that is inconsistent with biblical scripture. Anyone can take notice of just how illogical and incomplete that conclusion is. It simply is not reconcilable with the God-ordained laws of justice. When the price is paid, the redeemed act redeemed.

Rarely do we view the deceptions of Cain, Balaam, and Korah in the same light though. That has left us even more prone to these subtler demon doctrines. We must be just as careful with these mindsets as we are with the others. And we need to call out and challenge those mentalities in our churches. The lascivious and the self-righteous are both a step away from falling away.

From there, Jude lists a number of behaviors that can be used as fruit evidence to identify individuals that have been influenced by the three above mentioned deceptions. The appearance of the following habits will reveal whether someone’s way of thinking has been tainted by doctrines of demons or not.

The Lord is coming again “to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly deeds they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh and cruel things ungodly sinners have spoken against Him. These people are [habitual] murmurers, griping and complaining, following after their own desires [controlled by passion]; they speak arrogantly, [pretending admiration and] flattering people to gain an advantage.” – Jude‬ ‭1:15-16‬ ‭(AMP‬‬) Feel free to cross-reference these verses with other properly translated Bible versions in order to solidify its meaning in your personal understanding.

The sin behaviors that Jude mentions will be judged by God at the end of days make up a very surprising list. One that ought to convict us all! It reveals to me that, at a certain point in time, and often even to this day, we have all behaved and continue to behave in a manner similar to apostates. To be an apostate simply means to purposely rebel against God‘s perfect standard even after hearing and understanding the Truth of His Word. Have we not all at least unintentionally rebelled against God’s standard? Do we not all still do this? If we are honest, the answer is yes to both questions. We are all sinners. And we have all, at some point, willfully walked in sin, albeit unintentional at times, even after knowing the truth. Therefore, we are all near apostates. The only people God saves are men with the nasty potential for apostasy! The man who does not recognize or admit his potential for apostasy is in danger of becoming an apostate.

Now back to the list in these verses, so that I can make more sense of what I’m saying if you’re struggling with it. Have you ever constantly complained about the behavior of others or specific personal circumstances? Have you ever been so controlled by your personal opinions and impulsive conclusions that you are unable to keep your mouth shut? Have you ever, knowingly or unknowingly, spoken arrogantly, harshly hardening your speech? Have you ever spoken in a manipulative way in order to get a certain response or reward from another person?

Jude goes on furthermore, “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Jude‬ ‭1:17-19‬ (‭NKJV‬‬)

Have you ever, while assuming all your personal perceptions and interpretations are only ever correct, belligerently mocked another man, be he godly or ungodly? Which, by the way, is considered to be a mocking of God (James 3:8-10). In doing so have you caused at least an inkling (likely more) of unnecessary division between a group of people, dare I say, even among brothers and sisters of Christ? To do so caters to all the natural tendencies of the flesh!

I for one, know that I have done all the deeds I have mentioned in this article in some form or another. Therefore, I must admit to the fact that I have walked in a behavior pattern similar to that of an apostate. Are there any others brave enough to humble themselves before God and join me in admitting to this? The verses are clear, do you believe them?

I close by repeating a pertinent earlier statement: The man who does not recognize or admit his potential for apostasy is in danger of becoming an apostate.

Thankfully, in the severe extremity of our sinful potential, we have not been left there. God sent His only Son in the humble form of a baby boy, Emmanuel, God with us. That boy grew up to be the perfect God-man, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed His sinless self on a cross to be the propitiation for mankind’s sin. He is the Messiah, the Savior, for all who receive Him! He redeemed us, covered us in His righteousness, and made it possible for us to be relationally intimate with the Father! And, sealed with the Holy Spirit, it will be that way for all of eternity! God is good. God is gracious to us. Walk in His ways.

A Divided and Confused Nation

Prepare yourself for your preconceived notions to be trampled!

Two things before I get started:

1. Recognize who is writing what you’re about to read. I’ve been through some stuff. Some junk. Some livin’. Trust me, I think I have a pretty good idea of what I’m talking about. Being in the position I’m in, having Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that is, I’ve seen quite a few things. I know what it’s like to be a marginalized and needy one. I also know what it’s like to, in my neediness, not have my needs sufficiently met by those around me. I also know what it’s like for, in my insufficiently met needs, those around me to be completely oblivious that I have unmet needs, and yet worse, even believe that all of my needs have been met. That it’s all good. Do you follow? Now keep tracking with me, beyond that, my experiences of great difficulty have taught me to value what’s truly valuable, use wisdom in approaching problems, and ignore & avoid pettiness (not always successful at that third one, but you get the point).

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. – James 1:2-4

2. If you’re entering into this as a champion and incessant mouthpiece for a single side you’re going to entirely miss my point. I see a lot of different opinions on this, and, at risk of sounding slightly arrogant (which is not my point), pretty much all of them are either wrong or horribly misguided. And I’m talking about both “sides” here, there are extreme problems found in both respective camps and all along the spectrum. Truth holds no bars, and humbles all who are wrong (as it has even done so with me)! So here, and anywhere else I write, I aim to do the same. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I only side with that which is true. And if that leaves proverbial casualties on all sides, as you should expect it to, so be it!

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. – 2 Peter 3:17

Now that we’ve gotten those out of the way, let me lay out some more much needed groundwork. Really, more? Yes. And it’s super necessary!

It regards something I’ve already briefly hinted at if you’ve been paying attention. To keep your mind turning, let me quote Thor in The Avengers during an intense argument between Earth’s mightiest heroes, in a humorously disapproving voice, “You people are so petty.. and tiny!” Which is what we are. We’re petty. P-E-to the T-T-Y! We’re petty! We’re petty all the time! We just are, it’s an unfortunate basic part of being human. And much like Thor, but in a way more genuinely compassionate and grieved manner, the real God of our universe looks over His created loved ones shaking his head, saying nearly the same thing. “My people, why are you behaving so petty?!” Of course we know, it’s because of humanity’s sin, but there is still grieving.

And it’s not just a few people who are guilty of this, it’s all of us! Everybody involved in every issue, on every side, has a deep struggle with pettiness. We humans are all so easily offended. It really doesn’t take much at all! Many people are getting offended at the fact that other people are offended at something they disagree on. Then some are getting offended that others are offended that they were offended in the first place. It would be ridiculous for me to continue listing the sequence, but not far-fetched at all! As my friend Brant Hansen shares in his book, Unoffendable, so goes the vicious cycle of perpetual offense.

A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. – Proverbs 19:11

I don’t intend to over-simplify or make light of the social issue at hand, but at the core of it all, our problems of division are clearly rooted in our improperly handled, sometimes ill-placed offense! Again, don’t forget, this goes for both “sides”! And also again, I’m not immune to this either. By no means! Actually, while I’ve been spending my time writing this I’ve unintentionally snapped at those around me multiple times for interrupting me in my stream of thought. That’s super petty! And this pettiness was an accident. Now when it comes to opinions on this protest, people are actively acting on their offense, purposely attacking those who dare to disagree! That’s the real problem here. Listen up Americans! We are not very good at convincing each other of our causes. Like, we’re the worst! Half of us refuse to listen and half of us could care less if our approach could be offensive!

Okay, I think I can finally address the details. Yeah for real, I’m just getting started.

So let me actually start with this: There is a real problem with racial interaction going on today.. mostly because it’s been a human issue for ALL of history.. and that problem today is undoubtedly the systematic oppression of African Americans when it comes to law enforcement. No one can deny this! The data is clear. Now, we’re free to debate its current severity and just how pervasive it is, but we must admit the truth! Plenty of us need to repent of our insensitivity and dismissiveness. Humble ourselves and show our brothers that we are aware of their plight! And if we’re not aware, seek to understand.

(If you don’t believe me, then you need to watch the Netflix documentary The 13th!)

On the other hand, we’ve got to get better at choosing our forms of protest. I recognize the philosophy and necessity of protest here, but when developing a protest should not one make it as convincing as possible? The mere appearance of intending to offend, even if it may not be true, always needs to be taken into account! (Note that some offense is necessary in protest when there is a lie to be offended, but it’s a careful line to walk.) Can we at least admit that perceiving disrespect toward the flag and country whose ideals aim for liberty for all is an understandable offense to take? Yes, the nation has not been perfect by any standard, the scars of racism are innumerable, but great progress has been made and that’s something to be proud of! The American flag is a symbol of this progression, not man’s failure at providing freedom. It is one of the few things that unites us all! The flag, country, and founding ideas are not at fault here. It is foolish, fallible, hypocritical man who is to blame! The issue needs to be dealt with, but it needs to be dealt with well. Some shaking has to happen, but it is unwise to unnecessarily offend. Don’t be insensitive or dismissive of veterans, innocent cops, and every day patriots who have never intentionally been prejudiced. Let’s save the reprimands for actual, purposeful racists!

(Side note: I do not endorse worship of one’s country, a legitimate problem that a large portion of our population is guilty of. If it goes beyond a simple, healthy respect, you better check yourself!)

I hope I’ve made it clear that kneeling during the national anthem as a form of protest is easily not the best idea! I say this on the grounds of including the most amount of people and alienating the least. I agree there is a point to make, but if in making the point you alienate those who are circumstantially innocent, are you really serving everyone? This is my opinion, and you’re welcome to disagree, but I believe conventional wisdom agrees. I think there are better ways to get the point across. And I’ll get to that soon.

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. – Proverbs 15:1

A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel. – Proverbs 15:18

I’m also not convinced that the motives of the NFL brass and owners when responding was to defend free speech. I trust that that was the players’ motive, but not the high ups. Here’s part of Commissioner Roger Goodell’s statement: “Divisive comments like these demonstrate an unfortunate lack of respect for the NFL, our great game and all of our players, and a failure to understand the overwhelming force for good our clubs and players represent in our communities.” I may be wrong, but the beginning of that sounds more like, “How dare you disrespect the NFL as an organization!”, to me. I don’t know about you, but I don’t really care if the NFL’s feelings get hurt! No one is beholden to show respect to corporations, and I can’t help but feel like there’s some entitlement here.

But, enough of that, let’s talk about improving the protests. To me, kneeling during the anthem seems like it was literally the first thing that popped into Colin Kaepernick’s head. It doesn’t appear that all things were considered when putting this into action originally. It can rightfully be argued that this was a poor attempt at self-righteous virtue signaling. Why pick a protest that turns something that unites into something that divides? Couldn’t we have just started with everyone locking arms during the national anthem like the Cowboys and Cardinals ultimately did on Monday night? Now that’s a display of unity! And everyone would have gotten the point without all of the fighting that has occurred throughout the whole ordeal from day one until now.

To cap this all off, let me assure you that I personally don’t mind the protests, nor am I concerned just how players and others choose to protest. I also don’t think that it should bother you either! We can each make the decision to be patient with those we disagree with and do our best to truly work together. Actually, we must!

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. – 1 Corinthians 13:7

Black LIVES Matter

The events that have happened in America regarding race relations since Charlottesville have added some nuance to my understanding of the situation. There’s a lot to say and a lot of different angles to take, most of which only add fuel to the flame. This is because the issue at hand is so emotionally centered that most people’s initial response is one purely of emotion; though at first hand this seems admirable, because the human heart is so unreliable it is actually just counterintuitive. The people who act out of hate are simply acting on a dangerous emotion of the human heart. Don’t get me wrong, there is great pain when it comes to the topic, but for one to respond with the feelings associated with the natural gut reaction to the horror we see puts one in a very precarious position. Your only logical progression will be for you to end up reacting with the same dangerous emotion. To let your feelings dictate your response leaves you prone to hatred. If you are perpetually emotional towards these scenarios, you WILL hate! And by now the majority of us surely realize just how illogical that is. But as I get started, it sadly appears to me that far too many still just don’t get this.

Now before you question me on how I could so easily separate emotion from this issue, let me stop you, because that’s not what I’m saying at all. In the last paragraph notice how I said, “If you are perpetually emotional towards these scenarios, you WILL hate!” The problem I’m pointing out is not that we get emotional about racism, but that we remain emotional about racism. Out of some self described righteous indignation we feel entitled to rage against the moral failures and despicable acts of others. Yeah, it makes sense, it does. At least in the most juvenile sense possible, it makes sense. But that’s the thing, it’s childish! And it’s foolish! We are going to get upset about bigotry, we will, but we cannot act on that emotion. This is because, as James 1:20 (AMP) says, “The [resentful, deep-seated] anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God [that standard of behavior which He requires from us].” Instead, we can only act on what we know is true. Truth transcends emotion. It’s much more natural for a human to be emotional than truthful. It is so difficult to look at this objectively, but we must view it this way if we want there to be any improvement. In Psalm 11, verse 3 we find these words, “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The answer to that question is at the beginning of the verse, the righteous must restore the foundations where men have destroyed them. To restore and continue in that which is right we must return to the truth of the matter! So let me share with you a few things that are true.

You are angry! I am angry! Believe me I am angry. We are all angry! Well, anyone with their eyes opened at least a quarter of the way is angry. Here, though wrong (because we are incapable of righteousness on our own), anger seems to be the only reasonable reaction. We find it absolutely ridiculous and unnecessary to rid ourselves of our “admissible” malice, because after all we’re right. The guilty party is wrong. And anyone who doesn’t express how right the people with the right view are and how wrong the guilty are, are wrong too. And anyone who doesn’t express how right the people with the right view are and how wrong the guilty are, in the correct amount or manner that we believe they should, are wrong too. Whoa, that jump was a little extreme, wasn’t it?! And yet, that is exactly what everyone and his brother, mother, and significant other is doing! Somehow we forget, and even a good number don’t believe, that we ourselves are personally capable of committing the same evil acts that literally every single other human has committed. We are all so much more alike than we are different, and the same goes for this idea of what we’re capable of. Given the correct circumstances, anyone of us could commit crimes like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. Perhaps you find that comparison a bit severe, but I had to take it to the maximum intensity in order for you to get where I’m coming from. Let me start by being honest about myself, and I hope you’ll follow suit. I am completely capable of racism. I am completely capable of bigotry. I am completely capable of favoritism. I am completely capable of divisiveness. I am completely capable of hate. In fact I know I’m guilty of a number of these. In a word, because I’m capable of evil, I am evil. Forgive me if you disagree, but all of this is true for each and every one of us, not just me. We’d like to think that we’re all inherently good, and that doing wrong is the exception, but that’s simply not consistent with reality.

“As it is written and forever remains written, “There is none righteous (none that meets God’s standard), not even one.” Romans 3:10

Okay, let’s get back to my title, Black LIVES Matter. I remind you, curb your emotions, because I can see several different groups getting upset about a few of the things I’m about to say. Let me first make it clear, actually, ALL lives matter! This is true; it’s not up for debate. Nor is it shameful to make this statement, as some are making it out to be. It’s true, and it’s okay for you to say, but it does happen to be beside the point. I’ll explain… We need to approach every aspect of existence with the assumption that life is valuable. Whether it’s in relation to ethnicity, disability, or unborn children. I may have just smacked a hornet’s nest, but I’m still speaking the truth and if you’re peering through the lens of reality, not sentiment, there’s no legitimate rhyme or reason for you to disagree.

With that being said, to act like the term “black lives matter” is unnecessary and offensive is completely ridiculous. “All lives matter” and “black lives matter” are virtually interchangeable phrases. As well are the phrases “brown lives matter”, “yellow lives matter”, “red lives matter”, “white lives matter”, and simply “lives matter”. So yes, “All Lives Matter” as well as “Black Lives Matter” are both true and acceptable to say. To get up in arms at anyone for either one, though you have your reasons, is just well, emotional. It’s a symptom of childish offense. Being upset about not being categorically included is petty and pointless. Being upset about people being upset for the previous reason is petty and pointless as well. On top of that, the reason that the term, idea, and even organization BLACK Lives Matter even originated is that systematically, historically a specific group of people, African Americans, has been mistreated and dehumanized throughout our country’s entire existence. That’s undeniably true. A large majority of this group does still feel marginalized and they’re simply attempting to make people aware. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Many supporters of this idea are promoting it without violence or emotion. But it cannot be left unsaid that there are certainly organized elements of the movement that are acting on their unreliable emotions, resulting in their commitment of acts of violence. That is uncalled for, unwise, and unacceptable! I, at least at a surface level, get it, but that is not the answer. Because I am not personally experienced here, I’m going to leave that at that. I cannot speak beyond the logic. Have one more look back at my title, Black LIVES Matter, the reason I have “lives” in all caps is that life is what is at stake, which is the important thing! The reason I use the word “black” instead of “all” is because, though all lives matter, it is this people group that have the unfortunate necessity to question whether or not those around them think their specific lives matter!

“Do we not all have one Father? Has not one God created us?…” Malachi 2:10

White supremacist groups exist in our country even to this day. Obviously. And their ideas are still much more alive than many of us realized. This is what we witnessed in Charlottesville several years ago. Neo-Nazis, the KKK, and their acolytes all gathered together for a protest. What exactly were they protesting? There’s really no answer to that question. This extremely troubled group of people feel like they have been left unheard, and they are angry about it. They have allowed their emotions, fueled by baseless prejudices, to take control of them. Hate has consumed them! Their corrupt notions of racial superiority mingled with their feelings have resulted in a horrifyingly obscene display! What transpired was nothing short of a riot. It got so disgustingly out-of-control that Heather Heyer, an extremely admirable and innocent woman, lost her life at the hands of a rampaging terrorist! The man is deeply troubled, he is so detestably wrong, he deserves justice, but he also needs help.

Everyone must do his part to denounce the evil that exists, but as I’ve spoken of before, we must do it with the recognition that it easily could’ve been us! If we’re truly honest with ourselves, we cannot claim to be better. Besides, look what is happening when we respond out of self-righteous rage… Certain people are retaliating with the same type of violence! The people of Antifa, etc. have shown themselves to be no better in the midst of their belief that they are. Violence and hatred toward the violent and hateful is violent and hateful. It feels justified, but it quite frankly isn’t! So yeah, one side is to blame for initializing the incitement and the tragic loss. No one’s arguing against that! But there were certainly several groups that negatively contributed. It’s just true. Yes, motives were different and only one side clearly has race relations right, but angry violence is unacceptable from whoever exhibits it! According to James 4:12 (AMP), God’s word says, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy [the one God who has the absolute power of life and death]; but who are you to [hypocritically or self-righteously] pass judgment on your neighbor?” You may not like it, but when it comes to this, that’s the end of the matter. In case I haven’t made it clear enough yet, once again: White supremacy is completely unacceptable! It has no place anywhere! It is inconsistent with and completely void of morality! It is awful, nasty, and vile! But there is only one effective response, one of reason and peace. Each one of us is only responsible for our own reaction and subsequent action.

“What leads to quarrels and conflicts among you? Do they not come from your (hedonistic) desires that wage war in your members (fighting for control over you)? You are jealous and covet (what others have) and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain (the object of your envy); so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask (it of God).” James 4:1-2 (AMP)

Love is rooted in truth. There is only one source of truth. God is the source of truth. God is the very essence of truth. God is the truth. God is also love. So love is the truth. Throughout the Bible, once you are reconciled to God through his grace, we are shown that to exemplify, extend, and multiply love is what it takes to fulfill the will of the Father. Through a relationship with Christ, God intends and does equip and enable every true follower of His with everything they need in order to walk in love! With that in mind I say the following things: I love white supremacists! I detest what they stand for and do. I love the violent opposers! I detest what they do. I love the violent members of the Black Lives Matter movement! I detest what they do. I love corrupt cops that abuse and misuse their power! I detest what they do. I love those who stand up for what is right! I love those who do this and politically disagree with me! I love the misled with good intentions! I love everyone! I don’t always feel like doing this, nor do I always succeed, but love is the truth so I pursue it. And, though I have the facilities to love, because of the fallibility of man I am unable to accomplish loving anyone and loving them well on my own. As Matthew 19:26 says, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Only through the transforming, restoring, and redemptive power of The Messiah is anyone ever able to truly love and accomplish the change needed to eradicate the world of hate and all other wicked forms of evil! I choose to love because I choose to be consistent with truth! I will love by listening to all points of view when it comes to whatever issue, correcting where correction is needed, assisting where assistance is needed, and comforting where comfort is needed! So should you if you want to walk in what is right and what is real. Let dealing with the truth in love be what dictates your motives, decisions, and responses.

“Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore (unselfish) love is the fulfillment of the Law.” Romans 13:10

“For the whole Law (concerning human relationships) is fulfilled in one precept, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (that is, you shall have an unselfish concern for others and do things for their benefit).” Galatians 5:14 (AMP)

There really is only one answer to the issue at hand. His name is Jesus! Even the most optimistic individual is prone to anger, hatred, cynicism, and sharpness. The only thing that will truly satisfy our souls and heal our great divide is a relationship with the God of Love! The one and only Creator of all things. You and I belong to Him and He loves us all equally! May He draw you near and extend His many blessings to you today!