Taking the Edge Off

Zechariah 8 lays out a template for speech and behavior that are pleasing to God:
16 These are the things you shall do: Speak each man the truth to his neighbor; Give judgment in your gates for truth, justice, and peace; 17 Let none of you think evil in your heart against your neighbor; And do not love a false oath. For all these are things that I hate,' Says the Lord."

There is much to be learned and applied, just from these 2 verses.   We are called to "speak truth" - I believe that means that we should not lie, but that we are also to communicate God's Word and His principles, living our lives according to truth, justice, and peace.    And, the kicker is found in verse 17, which can be tough for us, especially as we come out of a season where there has been much polarization - we are not to think evil in our hearts against our neighbors.   This is the high standard to which believers are held...I believe we are to pursue a path of peace, "taking the edge off" in relationships with people with whom we disagree - holding unwaveringly to our deeply held beliefs, but finding ways to communicate in a manner that draws people to the presence of Christ within us and that doesn't repel people as we miscommunicate the principles of Christ.

Ephesians 4 talks about communicating with civility, without compromise, but with compassion - I call it "taking the edge off":
(14) we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.  
I came across a rather interesting story from the world of corporate marketing and advertising which really gave me a chance to think about how we regard people with whom we disagree.   You see, in a very real sense, Christians are "competing" in the marketplace of ideas, and we have the ability to denigrate, sometimes in a very off-putting way, the people that hold to different opinions than our own.

So, here's the deal - in Cincinnati, there are two companies that have engaged in a rather unique way to sell  pumpkin pies - according to the Wall Street Journal, the pie wars began in the fall of 2010 when Frisch's, a chain of restaurants that uses the famous Big Boy as its mascot, launched a new billboard campaign for its pumpkin pies. One sign, with the slogan, "Hello, Pumpkin," was inadvertently located directly over the flagship store of Busken Bakery, a smaller, local chain.  Busken bought an adjacent billboard that read, "That's 'Mr. Pumpkin' to you, Big Boy."   And, so it began...

The playful jabs continued throughout 2011.  The initial sign was a simple picture of a pumpkin pie with the words: "You had me at hello."  The Busken brothers, shot back: "Sorry Big Boy, this pumpkin's taken."

The dialogue continued on Facebook.
"Oh, sorry for being so fresh," came the response from the restaurant chain.
Busken: "Let's just be friends."
Frisch's: "Sure, nothing hurts my fillings."

The back-and-forth has continued, and the latest involves the Busken brothers donning ski masks with fake mustaches attached and cloaking a Big Boy in a Busken apron.  They encased the statue's trademark burger in a Busken pie box. They then posted the maneuver on YouTube and Facebook in a video complete with fake explosions and flashes of lightning.  And, guess what - Frisch's has posted coverage in its Facebook page. 

Both companies have clearly benefited from the spat. Frisch's, which typically sells 90,000 pumpkin pies during its 16-week selling window, saw a 5% uptick the first year. The bakery, with an average of 2,500 pumpkin pies during the Thanksgiving season, saw a 20% jump in sales.

So, what do we take away?  I think, Dan Haseltine, of the band Jars of Clay, says it well, according to The Christian Post, "How does it happen, that we should be in such unfulfilling work as that of perceiving neighbors as enemies?"  Sure, the pie places are competitors, but they have apparently found a way to take the edge off, it's a delight to see, frankly, and customers are responding.

But, when we as Christians, in our fervor to uphold the truth, denigrate and even demonize the people that we are trying to win over, we are counterproductive in our mission of communicating what we regard as a compelling and superior set of ideas, rooted in Biblical truth, given by the Ruler and Creator of the Universe.   As Greg Koukl says, we must pursue, "diplomacy, not D-Day".   So, we hold fast to our worldview, without compromise, but we depend on God to show us ways to take the edge off, disagreeing agreeably, and affirming the worth of every individual, no matter how much we may dispute their views.

As Dan says, relative to politics but applicable to engagement on many fronts, I think:

"There is an art to civilized engagement about politics. It is the kind of art that is born out of severe disciplined love. Only love can remove the defensive posture of apposing opinions. Only love can settle a person in their own skin deeply enough to allow them to lift their heels and be teachable all the while standing in the trenches of a significant political discussion."

More Than a Voting Bloc

In Matthew 16, Jesus describes the church and foundation upon which it is built:
15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."   Do you ever get the feeling that the perception of the church has been diminished - some of that is self-inflicted, but I do think that there is a lessened regard for Christians in our culture today, and we have to really regain a sense of the church the way that Jesus saw it - following the living God, transmitting the knowledge of Christ, walking in victory over the very "gates of Hell", and aligning our lives with the purposes of the Kingdom of God.  As we do this, we experience and radiate the power and presence of God - a powerful force in our world today.


Colossians 1 describes the church and the head of the church, the body of Christ:
18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

When I do election analysis and have guests on the program, one of the areas I like to cover is the significance of the so-called "evangelical" vote - you know, you and me.   And, not surprisingly, the exit polls and survey data are showing that about 1 in 4 voters were evangelicals.    Romney won about 3/4 of the vote, maybe a little more in that so-called voting "bloc".  It wasn't enough to offset some significant blocs of voters, especially among young people and minorities, who went for Obama.

Warren Smith of WORLD Magazine had some excellent analysis on my radio show on Wednesday about the evangelical vote and how there are people who are hired, yes "hired", to deliver that vote.    In the world of the political consultant, that is a palatable proposition, but I came away feeling like a statistic.   It's a harsh reality in the world of politics, but I began to think - in our culture, has the church of the living God been reduced to a voting bloc?

Dr. Thomas Kidd from Baylor University reminded us that our ultimate hope is not in politics - that doesn't mean we withdraw from participation, but it does mean that we can have an impact on culture in a way that transcends politics.  I believe that involves the power of prayer, the power of love, and the power of influence.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ can work in numerous realms to testify to the truth of Christ and the glory of God.  Consider what God's Word says about the Church:

1st Timothy chapter 3 says:
(15)...I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: Godwas manifested in the flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen by angels, Preached among the Gentiles, Believed on in the world, Received up in glory.   I mentioned Colossians 1 earlier - Jesus has been given the word of reconciliation.   He is the head of the church and He is working through us to fulfill His purpose - to reconcile all things to Himself.   So we have that message, calling on people everywhere to turn to God, and bringing an awareness of His power and presence. 

Pragmatism in a Post-Christian Age

1st Timothy 2 reminds us of our responsibility to pray for those in authority:

1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.   The election is over - rejoice!   And, in light of all the prayer and fasting that has been taking place over the past few weeks, especially that last 40 days, we have to ask ourselves: where do we go from here?   God calls us to be faithful, and no matter who is in the White House or the Congress, we can be confident that God is still on the throne.   We recognize the culture in which we live is changing, and He is calling us to be faithful to live the gospel and share the gospel - and while the message, the truth of God's Word, is strong, we have to be sensitive the the leadership of the Holy Spirit regarding our methods of sharing it.   We have fewer people that declare a religious affiliation and seemingly more people that hold to a different worldview or moral code than we do.   So, we keep praying, become more passionate about our walk with Christ, and continue to allow His light to shine through us, recognizing our hope is in the Lord.
Proverbs 21 reminds us of the sovereignty of God, especially as it concerns political leaders
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. 2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the hearts.

While not all the votes are in, we can still know that Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States for a second term.   And, on this day after the election, I really thought the implications of the results relative to Christians and specifically to myself as a Christian

1 - Essentially, the American people voted for the status quo.   And, there was a hard-fought battle with plenty of spending and effort to essentially keep things the same.  The President remains in office, Republicans retain control of the House, and all in all, the Senate looks the same way.  This result comes even in light of polling data that shows that 6-in-10 Americans believe the country is on the wrong track.

2 - Economically, we are on an unsustainable path.  Congress and the President must come together within the next 2 months to avert the fiscal cliff that we face, with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and the deal that Congress made to enact cuts, which will deeply affect the military and other areas.    And, with the growth in entitlement spending and the proliferation of an entitlement culture, there is a tremendous need for wisdom to address these issues.

3 - There is little silver lining today on Americans' views on the so-called social issues.   For the first time, a state has apparently rejected an amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman.  Three other states passed gay marriage ballot initiatives.   Even though homosexuals comprise 4% of the population, they and their supporters have gained a tremendous amount of influence in our culture.   It is certainly a reflection of a significant element of our society that does not embrace the Biblical definition of marriage, and it is seen in a variety of other areas, as well.

4 - We have a tremendous clash of worldviews in our culture.   While many Christians affirm our belief in such principles as life, marriage, and religious freedom, we have to recognize that there is a growing population that does not affirm these basic principles that are based on Scripture.   And, we have to define our approach and strategize in order to reach people who do not hold to the same beliefs as we do.   Ultimately, our solutions do not come by who is in the White House, but how we function as God's house.   Winning hearts and minds with God's truth, and winning souls to Jesus ultimately is our Lord's Great Commission and should be our aim and consuming passion.

5 - Passion can be misplaced.   I have to think, if the time that I spend digesting political analysis through a variety of sources were to be channeled into strengthening my spiritual walk, I would have a deeper relationship with Christ and He would use me more powerfully.   We have to really evaluate our passions - if we were stronger in the Lord and more grounded in Him, we would unleash an exponentially more powerful force on this earth than politics.

6 - We need to pray for our President.  I am thrilled that there were so many prayer efforts leading up to the election.  Now that the results are known, I don't think we should let up in our fervency for prayer.   There are positions that Mr. Obama holds that are contradictory to those of many evangelical Christians, but that doesn't mean that God cannot or will not use him in His divine plan for America.  

7 - There is so much for which to give God praise - so rejoice today.  He loves you, and has brought you into a relationship with Himself through Christ.   We can hope in Him.   Praise Him for your family and the people around you.   Give Him glory for His protection and His provision.   Blessing the Lord for His blessings can help to change our perspective amidst discouragement.

8 - God is still on the throne.  Ultimately, He is the One who is in control.   There is abundant Scriptural evidence that He places kings in power and deposes them.   The Bible says the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord - and even when kings, or presidents do not govern the way we think they should or the way that God has prescribed, that doesn't mean that somehow God's ultimate purposes are thwarted.  Ultimately, all people, including those in governmental authority, will stand before the King of Kings, the ultimate Judge, who rules and reigns.

Are We On His Side?

There is a rather interesting encounter found in the 5th chapter of Joshua:
13 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted his eyes and looked, andbehold, a Man stood opposite him with His sword drawn in His hand. And Joshua went to Him and said to Him, "Are You for us or for our adversaries?" 14 So He said, "No, but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?" 15 Then the Commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, "Take your sandal off your foot, for the place where you stand is holy." And Joshua did so.   The point here is that the supernatural soldier did not align himself with the people - but that he essentially was calling Joshua and the people to align with the Lord.   We cannot expect God's blessings on our land or on our individual lives if we are collectively or individually walking in disobedience.   That is why I have underscored the importance of aligning our beliefs, our values, with Scripture, and then to make choices based on those principles.   If we walk out of the purview of God's protection, then we make ourselves vulnerable to the consequences of our errant choices.   So, we consciously evaluate whether or not we are on the Lord's side!

After Moses came down from his face-to-face meeting with God on the mountain, he saw that Aaron had led the people into crafting a golden calf, an icon to a false god.   He made this bold declaration, which we find in Exodus 32:
25 Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, "Whoever is on the Lord's side--come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

The National Religious Broadcasters met in Washington, DC in 1984, and one of the main speakers that year spoke these words:  "God's most blessed gift to His family is the gift of life. He sent us the Prince of Peace as a babe in a manger. I've said that we must be cautious in claiming God is on our side. I think the real question we must answer is, are we on His side?"

I've talked a bit about alignment during this election season - the importance of our beliefs, our values being lined up with Biblical principles, and then casting our ballot for candidates, or ballot initiatives that most closely resemble those concepts.

The speaker at that NRB in 1984 was not a pastor or a religious broadcaster - it was President Reagan, and that speech really was a template for a Biblical view of political leadership, reflected in statesmanship.

By and large, statesmanship has departed from our land.   But, it doesn't have to be that way.   If Christians show up and elect leaders that reflect Biblical principles, then it can be a step in turning things around in our country.   But, when half of evangelicals aren't registered to vote, as was the case in 2008, and when half of those who are registered don't bother to cast a ballot, then we receive the leadership we deserve by virtue of our non-participation in the process.   

As I stood in line this morning to vote - 20 minutes before the polls opened, with a couple of hundred people gathered before 7:00 - and then after waiting 20 additional minutes, I couldn't help but think of an event over 3 months ago, when I stood in line for about the same period of time to get a chicken sandwich.   But, that day, it was more than just going to eat - I, and my family, were making a statement - that Biblical values, that the Biblical definition of marriage, counts.   It was pointed out on Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day that perhaps those who flooded restaurants across America would return on November 6th to vote their values - I hope they're right.    Perhaps God's people are making a statement today that we want to reverse course in our nation.

After all, throughout history, we have seen leaders who have made bold proclamations about our dependence on God.   Take, for instance, our 2nd President, John Adams...he said:

"Suppose a nation in some distant Region should take the Bible for their only law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited! Every member would be obliged in conscience, to temperance, frugality, and industry; to justice, kindness, and charity towards his fellow men; and to piety, love, and reverence toward Almighty God ... What a Eutopia, what a Paradise would this region be." 

That was a quote from the Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, Vol. III*.   


Thomas Jefferson, our 3rd President, said this:

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are of the Gift of God?”

That is taken from "Notes on the State of Virginia, Query XVIII".  And, who can forget this moving declaration from Abraham Lincoln, as he called for a day of prayer and fasting in 1863:

“...we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.”   

With a rich fabric of faith that has been woven into our nation's history, we have to recognize that God has blessed our country.  But, as we have seen a departure from those time-honored principles - life, marriage, and religious freedom - we find ourselves on a precipice.   We cannot expect God to bless America if we do not bless Him.   In our act of worship today, by casting a ballot, exercising our right and making our voice heard, we can make a powerful statement about the direction of our country.

Razor-Thin Margins and the Relevance of Voting

Psalm 33:12 says this:
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.  To me, this says that if we place ourselves as a people in alighnment with God, then He will bless our nation.  If we do not, I believe that we can expect a removal of blessings from the Lord.   I believe we have been blessed as a people because we have upheld His principles.   But we depart from those Biblical values, we cannot expect Him to deal with us in the same way - I see that throughout the Old Testament; God deals with nations - and I think that general premise holds true today.   We cannot expect the blessings of God if we do not exalt Him or abide by His principles.   And, that applies to our selection of leaders - it's important that we choose candidates that reflect our Christian values.  Deuteronomy 30 reminds us that we have choices to make and criteria by which we make them.   As we face Election Day, the principles are found in this passage. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.


The polls are all over the map regarding the outcome of tomorrow's Presidential election.   The predictions of pundits vary, sometimes based on party or political philosophy, but not necessarily.   I think that the close polling data reminds us that each vote is to be taken seriously and regarded as significant.   And, even though in Alabama the outcome of the Presidential race might be decided, there are other races and amendments on the ballot, and I think that taking that step to vote is an act of obedience, and worship, and is a positive practice that we all can take.   Prayer is so important, too.

Close elections are nothing new in America.  Consider the 1800 election.   According to The Week,
Federalist incumbent John Adams was beaten by two Republican candidates, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. But those two tied for the number of Electoral College votes, so it fell to Congress to decide whether the president should be Jefferson or Burr. With each of the 16 state delegations getting a single vote, Jefferson could not win a majority of states in 35 ballots cast over the course of an entire week. Finally, in the 36th round, a lone Federalist from Delaware, James Bayard, changed his vote, assuring Jefferson's victory.

In 1824, Andrew Jackson won a plurality of popular and Electoral College votes, but was denied the presidency for failing to win a majority in the college. Under the 12th Amendment, the decision then fell to the House of Representatives, which elected runner-up John Quincy Adams at the direction of Henry Clay, the speaker of the House.

There was the election of 1876, when Samuel J. Tilden, a Democrat from New York, easily won the popular vote over Republican candidate Rutherford B. Hayes.  But charges of ballot-stuffing and bribery in three Southern states — Louisiana, Florida, and South Carolina — made it impossible to arrive at a definitive Electoral College result.  Congress established an electoral commission in January 1877, which eventually ruled Hayes the winner of Florida, putting him over the top.

And, speaking of Florida, who can forget the election of 2000, when that state was the center of attention due to a very close vote count - the U.S. Supreme Court eventually stepped in and George W. Bush became the 43rd President of the United States.

Will it be this close this time?   Who knows - but each vote has significance, I know that.   We have been gifted by God with a duty and responsibility to be salt and light and to make our voices heard - we are appointed, I believe, to be people of influence, and by casting a vote, we exercise a powerful activity.

What Will You Stand For?

Ephesians 6 reminds us that we are called to stand strong in the courage of our convictions, based on the teachings of God's Word:
13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.


I believe that the Lord desires for us to live a life of conviction.    That involves having a well-developed belief system based on the principles of Scripture, making sure that our personal beliefs are under the authority of God's Word.   And, it involves being willing to stand strong, even when our convictions are being challenged.   The Bible tells us to stand our ground, to be bold and strong, willing to show that we belong to God.

2nd Thessalonians chapter 2 teachers us that because we are in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we are called to stand firm:
14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope...  Stand firm - that's a great phrase for us these days - we are called to stand in the courage of our convictions.   If we place ourselves in alignment with God and His kingdom, then He empowers us to speak and act in accordance with His ways.  This Sunday, many are standing together with our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, who are resisting the heavy hand of governmental authorities around the world and standing for Him, when it would perhaps be the path of least resistance to acquiesce and to not stand for their faith.   This weekend, it is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.  And, hundreds lined U.S. 31 in front of Marbury High School today to stand with the cheerleaders who have traditionally made banners with Scripture on them for the football players to run through prior to a game.   An out-of-state organization that has made a name for harassing students and government officials for exercising their freedom of religion wrote a letter trying to make them stop.   The local school board has said they will not respond to the letter.   Tonight, the cheerleaders will continue the tradition and post a banner that has Romans 1:16 on it - it says,"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."  Sometimes you just have to stand - you stand for what is right, what you know to be true, allowing the Bible to shape your convictions and letting the Spirit empower you to be strong.

The Living Dead

Romans 6 speaks of the freedom we have through a relationship with Jesus Christ:
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This is a wonderful truth - we were born in spiritual death, and destined to spend eternity apart from God.   As humans, we carried a sin debt, a penalty we could never pay.   But, Jesus died in our place, become our perfect substitute and the perfect sacrifice for our sins.   When God said there was nothing we could do to erase that death sentence, Jesus said that His blood shed and His life given are enough.   He is enough - to pay that debt, and to be our abundant source of life and godliness, enabling us to leave behind dead works inconsistent with our new identity in Him and living daily in the power of His Spirit - bless His holy name!

Ephesians 2 reminds us that a merciful God has made us alive in Christ, transferring us from death to life, darkness to light:
1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

One further reflection on this whole celebration of Halloween, which has unfortunately become a month-long party season, rather than a one-night costume and candy event.   In the expression of the macabre that has long been associated with this commemoration, you have seen such dark characters as vampires and zombies become rather popular.   The zombie craze has continued to proliferate, with TV shows such as "The Walking Dead", zombie parades, and other expressions.

Russell Moore of Southern Seminary has an interesting commentary on BaptistPress.com, in which he says:

Zombies are horrifying not simply because they're mean and aggressive. They are horrifying because they represent what ought to repulse us: the rotting decay of death. But they still walk. And, beyond that, they still crave. In their search for human brains, they are driven along by their appetites, though always under the sway of a slavemaster's will.

That's our story.

The biblical story of the Fall of humanity is one of a humanity that comes under the sway of death by obeying the appetite. God places a fiery sword around the Garden of Eden, Genesis 3 tells us, so that the primeval humans wouldn't eat of the Tree of Life and live forever. Why? It's because God didn't want to consign humanity to a never-ending existence of this kind of walking death. He sentences us to the curse of death so that, ultimately, we can be redeemed.

I think the zombie craze can be thought-provoking as we evaluate our own spiritual life.   One aspect, as Moore writes, is that zombies are a representation of our story - before Christ.   The Bible tells us that we were once dead in sins, but we have been made alive by Jesus.   Before we were saved, our hearts were turned away from God, we were dead on the inside, and our dead souls were placed in decaying bodies - we were on a trajectory of death and decay, no doubt, but our life-giving God made a way out.   But, so often, we remain satisfied to pursue dead works that are inconsistent with our new nature - that's where we have to allow the life of Christ to become preeminent.

And, another thing about zombies - there is a tendency in pop culture, on TV, and in movies to mix life on earth with the afterlife...you see depictions of the afterlife interjected into life.   The immensely popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" films have this notion of the "undead".    The Bible is clear - it is appointed once to die, and after that to face judgment - after judgment, if you have not accepted Christ's free gift of salvation, you experience the second death - eternal punishment.    There is no blurring of the lines between life and the afterlife - the Bible is clear on that, and clear on how you can be transferred from death to life, through a relationship with Jesus Christ.