True Identity

In Ephesians 4, we find the charge to live at peace with each other as members of the body of Christ. We see in verse 3 that the apostle Paul desires for God's people to be...
3 endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

That comes with the recognition that:
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Oneness does not mean "sameness:" we are each uniquely created and called by God to love and serve Him and to serve one another.  Oneness doesn't mean we will agree with one another about every single thing.  But, we have to guard against polarization within the body of Christ; the Bible warns against us in Galatians 5: "But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!"  Unity comes as we recognize our identity in Him first and foremost, rather than to stake out positions that supersede our identities as children of God.

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We are given insight in 1st Peter chapter 2 about our individual and collective identity as the people
of God - one body, united in His Spirit. We can read:
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

I am a Christian.  My identity is in Christ.

I am a Christian, who is also a man.  But, my most important identity is found as a child of God.

I am a Christian who believes God created male and female and that marriage is one man for one woman.  Ultimately, I belong to Him and Christ is my sufficiency.

I am a Christian, whose skin color is white.  My ultimate identity is found not in the color of my skin, but through Christ in me.

A Gospel Herald article quotes Tony Evans:

He said it is technically incorrect for someone to call themself [sic] a "black Christian," or a "white Christian," or a "Hispanic Christian."

"Then you make your color or culture an adjective. It's the job of the adjective to modify the noun. If you put Christianity in the noun position, and your color or culture in the adjective position, you have to keep shaping the noun so it looks like the adjective that describes it. So if your color stays in the adjectival position, you got to keep shaping Christianity to look black or to look white or to look red," he said.

Evans adds: "You must be Christian first. If we could get enough Christians to be Christian before white, Christian before black, Christian before Spanish, it doesn't take 240 years to fix this. It takes about two minutes and 40 seconds..."

We live in an age of identity politics, which separates people into gender, race, and class, and through the insidious structure of intersectionality, actually ranks people based on what perceived oppressed group they belong to.  In other words, a gay, black female is far more significant than a straight white male.  In fact, writing for Sovereign Nations, Thomas Bradstreet quotes from a piece at the Gospel Coalition website by someone named Rebecca McLaughlin.  She says:

Likewise, when it comes to other areas of cultural engagement, we need to let our most credible voices speak. In a world where Christians are seen as homophobic bigots, we need to get behind the biblically faithful, same-sex-attracted Christians God has raised up to speak for and to his church. In a world where Christianity is dismissed as a white man’s religion, we need to get behind biblically faithful men and women of color. And in a world where Christianity is thought to denigrate women, we need to get behind biblically faithful, rhetorically gifted women—particularly on issues like abortion, where being pro-life is often (falsely) equated with being anti-women.

McLaughlin refers to an "A-Team" in the public square; and it seems to be consistent with identity politics.  Bradstreet writes:

Only certain voices are “credible” and can “be heard.” Absent from the A-team in the public square is the straight white man—the identity that represents homophobia, racism, and misogyny. McLaughlin is not seeking to elevate marginalized voices so that all can equally speak truth in Christ to the world. Rather she is calling for a sort of reverse marginalization. McLaughlin’s strategy involves nothing less than the marginalization of the straight white man.

So, your worthiness to speak or to be heard is determined by your skin color or gender?  I thought that we all had specific, God-determined gifts and callings.

But, this Christianized version of identity politics is becoming more and more prevalent.  Bradstreet shared more examples:

Russell Moore, for example, declaring a “white church no more,” cast the “Mayberry of white Christian America” as a place of “murder.” And Tim Keller said that while he sees a role for “ethnic” churches in the future of American Christianity, he sees no role for “purely white” churches. Or, again, a vocal professor at King’s College has claimed that “white evangelicals have never had the gospel.”

But, these divisive mindsets, I believe, are being challenged and exposed.  Recently, there was a conference called the Sparrow Conference held in Dallas.  Some 1,500 people attended, and one of the speakers certainly got out of hand.  Her name is Ekemini Uwan.  A Religion News article stated:

“Because we have to understand something — whiteness is wicked,” Uwan said. “It is wicked. It’s rooted in violence, it’s rooted in theft, it’s rooted in plunder, it’s rooted in power, in privilege.”

She told the audience they should give up whiteness and “recover” the ethnic identities “your ancestors deliberately discarded.” Rather than thinking of themselves as white, they should try to rediscover their immigrant cultural ancestry: “Are you Italian, are you Irish, are you Polish, are you Turkish?”

“Celebrate that,” she said.

Some attendees chose to demonstrate their displeasure with these comments by walking out.  Initially, it appeared that the conference organizers had scrubbed evidence of Uwan's speech, later to apologize for their handling of the overall situation. The story quotes Sarah Humphries:

In a phone interview, Humphries said audience members near her seemed upset by Uwan’s remarks — especially when she said the word “whiteness.”

“I was really surprised at how angry the people in front of me and the people from my left were during Ekemini’s conversation,” Humphries said.

In an essay at The Witness, freelance writer Deedee Roe said that most conference attendees were white and that they were “angry and uncomfortable” during Uwan’s interview. She said that after Uwan told audience members to “divest from whiteness,” people began to leave.

Social media has erupted over the past few days over the incendiary comments, including some African-American commenters.  Samuel Sey, a black author and blogger, tweeted out: "If you respond to anti-Black racism with anti-White racism, it isn’t because you share different skin colours, it’s because you share the same sinful heart." He admitted the tweet was "largely prompted by many racist words against White people I've come across this week, including Ekemini Uwan's words from the Sparrow Conference and her recent tweets." He then, in another tweet, railed against this example of identity politics: "Judging a group of people because of their skin colour as she so unashamedly does is racist and ungodly."

Darrell Harrison with the ministry of Grace to You, who is also an insightful black man, tweeted:

The evangelical social justice movement has reduced the gospel to a message of aesthetics. Words like "melanin" are used more often than "Messiah" and "whiteness" more than "witness." This "gospel" does not foster the kind of unity Christ desires for His people (Jn. 17:21).

The Bible talks about pursuing peace; the Bible is clear in showing us that we are to be one in Christ.  If we are looking at each other through the lens of identity politics, dividing people into oppressors and oppressed, victimizers and victims, we are seemingly looking in the wrong direction.  But, if we're looking to the cross, we can see the love of Christ that unites us and can experience the forgiveness that can flow in order that we may step toward the concept of being part of one body - with one Lord, one faith, one baptism.   Taking potshots at each other behind racial bulwarks does not contribute to a healthy body.

We can also be encouraged to remember where your identity comes from and what identity is most important.  Now, we cannot ignore the history of race relations in our nation - the scourge of slavery negatively impacted our nation for hundreds of years, and only within the last fifty or so have we seen advances in the area of civil rights; we have seen positive change.  But, the Church does not lead the way in seeing greater progress in race relations when we are pointing fingers and talking at each other rather than with each other,

Perhaps God is exposing the wisdom of the world that has infiltrated the Church.  The truth about abortion, the fallacy of identity politics, the LGBT agenda's advance.  Perhaps it's time to say, "enough."  For instance, recently, there has been the exposure of a so-called ministry that caters to the "same-sex attracted" or "gay" Christian, who identifies more with his or her sin than with the Savior who died to bring power to overcome that sin.  We are seeing intense wrestling with racial issues that have apparently been bubbling beneath the surface and are now coming into full view. But, collectively, we have to make sure that we deal with these issues related to identity Biblically. And, individually, we can look at our own hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to expose areas where we have missed the mark, repent, and depend on the Spirit to get things right.  

In the Air

There is a realm beyond what we can see or hear; but the Bible brings to light the reality of the forces that occupy that realm - there is spiritual tension occurring, and the battle for our souls is raging.
Ephesians 2 says:
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.

Christ is on the throne, and He has defeated the enemy, who is working to try to render us ineffective in our walk with Christ and our work with the Kingdom.  He desires to deceive and distract, and we have to be spiritually sharp - in the Word and using God's Word as a weapon.  When Satan accuses us or tempts us to sin, we can stand on the power and truth of the Word of God.  We can rely on the power of prayer and call upon Jesus, who is our mighty friend.

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Ephesians 6 presents some insight into the realm of the unseen. We can read:
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We are not alone.  There are plans in the works to deliver broadband via satellite to underserved areas, and it's all being orchestrated by Amazon, who already has quite a pervasive presence in our everyday lives.

According to the website, ZDNet:

Amazon has plans to establish a constellation of 3,236 satellites in low Earth orbit to patch up areas with poor or no internet connectivity.

Amazon's planned push into satellite-delivered broadband is taking shape under Project Kuiper, details of which appear in three documents filed with the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) last month. The documents were filed by Kuiper Systems LLC.

First spotted by Geekwire, the documents reveal Amazon plans to put 3,236 satellites at three different altitudes.

The article also says that, "The company is also planning to partner with other companies to bring the project to reality." It adds:

That could make companies in the space-broadband race, like SpaceX and OneWeb, potential rivals or partners. The FCC in November authorized SpaceX to deploy and operate 7,000 satellites in very low Earth orbit to deliver broadband.

And, as the story notes, "Meanwhile, Facebook, Boeing and LeoSat have revealed plans to beam internet from space."

So, there could be potentially over 10,000 more airborne "friends" circling the globe to bring technology to our doorsteps and devices.

Now, as broadcasters, Faith Radio understands the importance of using the airwaves to communicate a message. And, we want to use the technology that God has provided in order to serve our listeners. We want to be responsible stewards of what He has provided and to be aware of changes and challenges in this seemingly ever-changing realm.

As we think about airborne entities, I want to shift to the spiritual component of the heavenly realm.  The Bible speaks of spiritual forces that are present all around us - angels and demons, supernatural forces, each pursuing a different agenda.   Hebrews 1 refers to the angels of God who are "ministering spirits" on behalf of His people.  Ephesians 6 discusses the spiritual forces that are aligned against us and gives insight into the spiritual war we face. Ephesians 2 describes Satan as "the prince of the power of the air."

But, we have powerful weapons in order to counter the power of the enemy.  We have the Word of God, described in Ephesians 6 as the "sword of the spirit."  Revelation 12 tells us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.  2nd Corinthians 10 tells us that our weapons are not "carnal, but mighty."  We have the Word of God, the blood of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit that are available to us so that we might walk in the victory that Jesus won for us through His death and resurrection.

Debt Paid

God has made available what the Bible calls "the riches of His grace" toward those who call on the
names of Jesus. Ephesians chapter 1 states:
7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace
8 which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
9 having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself,
10 that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.

We have been redeemed through the death and resurrection of Christ, and He calls us to walk in that resurrected life, which includes the way we use our resources to honor God.  He is our provider, and by His Spirit, He can help us to identity how we should appropriate what He has given, so that Christ may be glorified and that others may hear and see the gospel.  As we surrender, we can have a more intimate walk with God and experience the power of His Spirit working through us.

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We are called to follow Christ, and that includes the use of our finances toward others.  Jesus gave
His life to pay our sin debt, and we are called to exhibit His spirit of compassion. 1st Peter 2 states:
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:
22 "Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth";
23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.

We can be challenged to consider how the Lord would have us use the resources that He has provided for us.  That applies to our individual lives...and there are instances of churches that have taken special steps to relieve financial suffering.

Take, for instance, the example of Revolution Church in Annapolis, MD.  A nice article on the ChristianHeadlines.com website spotlights a recent effort by the church to pay medical expenses.  The article says:

The church collected $15,000, which they donated to a nonprofit called RIP Medical Debt. The organization purchases debt for pennies on the dollar and pays it off. To date, RIP Medical Debt has forgiven nearly $650 million in crippling debt.

The story goes on to say, "The donation impacted over 900 individuals and families. The debts forgiven were as large as $100,000 and small as $200, according to the Christian Post."

The article quotes Lead Pastor Kenny Comancho, who told The Christian Post: “The cities that have churches in them should be different because Christians are in those cities,” adding, “So, we want Annapolis and Maryland to look different because we are here. We think this is one of the ways that we can do that.”

The church is working with other local churches to help provide debt relief.  The story says that Revolution was inspired by a church in Texas, as well as an episode of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. It states:

Covenant Church in Carrollton, Texas, paid off more than $10 million in medical debt for veterans and families in their area, according to Christian Post. All veterans and 4,000 families within a 20-mile radius of each of their five campuses no longer have debt.

The church has spent $100,000 in the past on Easter promotion, but last year, decided to take that money and use it to help people in the area.

The website Mashable has more on the John Oliver involvement.  In a 2017 article, it reported:

In June, comedian and Last Week Tonight host John Oliver purchased $14.9 million dollars worth of medical debt for just $60,000.

It seemed almost too good to be a true — a simple, hilarious sketch designed to produce great ratings. But on reddit Tuesday, user EricHill submitted a letter he claimed he received from the comedy show, explaining that his debt had been resolved.

I regard these as two examples where churches and their members decided to use the resources that God had given to them in order to provide financial relief for others.  We can recognize God's hand in our finances, not in prosperity formulas, but in practical stewardship.  He has a purpose for His provision for us.

We can also remember to develop a giving heart.  Because God has been so generous to us, giving of Himself so that we might come to Him, we can extend that generosity and compassion to others.

And, as the pastor of one of the churches that were featured had pointed out, Easter is about relieving our debt.  The ChristianHeadlines.com story stated:

Covenant Church’s Senior Pastor Stephen Hayes used the medical debt forgiveness as a reminder to his congregation that while not everyone has monetary debt, we all have spiritual debt that has been forgiven by the blood of Christ.

We had no way to pay the penalty for sin that we owed.  But, God sent His Son as a worthy sacrifice for the sin debt we had accrued.  Through His debt and reconciliation, Jesus redeemed fallen humanity to God; He paid the price for our sin by paying the ultimate price through His life.  But, because death couldn't hold Him, He won victory for us over the power of sin.

Heartbeat

The give-and-take of culture today can produce discouragement in our hearts, if we're not careful.
But, we can maintain our sense of reliance on Almighty God. 2nd Corinthians 4 exhorts us:
1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
2 But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.

If we are devoted to Christ, we can be confident that His truth will be manifested through us, and that really should be our desire.  His truth provides a template for a life of significance and satisfaction; and provides solid answers for a shaky culture.  We can strive to allow His Word to be reflected in our words and for His nature to be reflected in us.  We can be advocates for what is right and allow Him to direct our actions.

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We have a responsibility to reflect the character of Christ and to live out His Word.  The heart of God
for His people is found in Zechariah chapter 8:
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 has been talk of God that has entered the debate about the proposed new bill in Georgia that is awaiting Governor Kemp's signature, a new law that would ban abortion once a heartbeat is detected in an unborn child, with some exceptions.

Now, you may remember a few years ago, legislators in the state had debated and passed a religious freedom bill that would have provided protections to individuals and businesses who chose not to endorse same-sex marriage.  Large corporations based in Georgia, including the massive film industry headquartered there, spoke out and threatened the state; then-Governor Deal acquiesced and vetoed the bill.

Now, some of the more activist members of the Hollywood film industry, who seem intent on determining what values Americans should hold by their on-screen and off-screen antics, are threatening the state of Georgia - again.  This time, it's over the heartbeat bill.

And, front and center is an actress who I am sure has done something significant since her stint on the sitcom Who's the Boss?  Alyssa Milano seems to show up whenever there is a controversy, and she decided to take a religious position on the heartbeat bill.  According to ChristianHeadlines.com:

This week, Milano appealed to her faith and to Scripture to justify her support of unfettered access to abortion. On April 1st, she tweeted “I love God. I believe in God. But I don’t believe my personal beliefs of which we can’t confirm should override scientific facts and what we can confirm.” Then she included a quote from the fourth Gospel. “’ If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?’ John 3:12.”

The article points out that, "Last week Milano posted a letter signed by 50 actors threatening to boycott Georgia if the bill passed. This came on the heels of a similar letter signed by the Writers Guild of America."

Lila Rose of Live Action countered with this tweet: "You don’t have to love God to acknowledge the irrefutable science that a unique individual human life begins at the moment of conception. But if you love God, then you also will love his children. He’s a father, and every single one of us are created in his image.”

The Christian Headlines article also reports that:

Milano traveled to the Georgia capitol Tuesday with 30 film industry workers to protest the law and to call on Governor Kemp to veto it. She vowed to “do everything in our power to move our industry to a safer state for women if HB 481 becomes law.”

Governor Kemp did not seem phased by the threats. He said, “I can’t govern because I’m worried about what someone in Hollywood thinks about me.”

One of the signers of the Milano petition is none other than Alec Baldwin.  Now, his brother Stephen, a Christian who was hesitant to criticize his brother in an interview with him at last year's NRB convention, regards his support of abortion is a bridge too far, according to FoxNews.com, which reports:

“Avoided tweets like this, long as I could now, to [sic] overwhelming," Baldwin, 52, wrote. "Love will ultimately wins, Jesus [heart emoji symbol], but for so long I’ve sat back & trusted God as my own, family members have perpetrated the spirit of hate ... through abortion, Mockery & blindness #sad #Alec #hates #pray.”

And, Milano has reinforced her penchant for left-wing politics in a tweeted response to Fox commentator Lisa Boothe, who contended that Alyssa would be basically insignificant if not for her progressive activism.  She tweeted:

It IS for attention. You’re right. I use my platform to bring attention to the issues plaguing HUMANITY. There’s no reason to be famous if I can’t use my voice to impact positive, meaningful, change. It’s what I choose to do with my privilege.

Unfortunately, she is using her voice to advocate for the wrong kind of change, that threatens the lives of unborn children.  And, of course, it's done under the banner of women's rights.  But, keep in mind that defense of life should never be confused with compassion for women.  You can be compassionate for women in crisis pregnancies and those who are abortion-minded, but one should always keep in mind that there is a separate, but dependent life inside the mother.  As a graphic on Lila Rose's Twitter feed says, "Love Them Both."

And, each of us is called to be a voice for the truth; and God will fill our mouths with that truth, consistent with His Word, as we rely on the Holy Spirit to speak and live through us.  There are a lot of so-called "activists" these days, and activism has become fashionable.  Recognizing the so-called "progressive," aggressive brand of social change that is sweeping the nation and really the world, we can consider how God would have us get involved in advocating for His principles.

Unequal

In Galatians 2, we can read about our spiritual position and supernatural power that enables us to live
a life that reflects the power of Christ. We see these verses:
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain."

Christ lives in us, and because we have accepted Him as our Lord and Savior, we can experience His cleansing power in our lives.  We are no longer called to tolerate sin or accommodate it, but to allow the power of God to work in our hearts and minds, to empower us to put to death the deeds of our sinful flesh.  His mighty power is available to every believer so that we can walk in victory from the sin that would weigh us down and render us less productive in our Christian life.

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We are called to align ourselves with God's principles, to embrace the power of the crucifixion, and to crucify the power of the flesh.  While we cannot force others to deal with the sin in their own lives, we can certainly set an example and speak truth. Romans 8 says:
13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.

Talk about overly broad.  Less than a month ago, the Public Religion Research Institute, or PRRI, released a survey that coincided with the introduction of the so-called Equality Act, that is being considered by Congress.  This Act, according to Family Research Council, would...

...give special privileges to people based on homosexual behavior or based on gender identity dysphoria by adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” into a number of federal laws. These changes affect “any” provider of goods, services, and programs. This is sweeping legislation.

It goes on to say, "the Act would force people to affirm homosexuality, same-sex marriage, and transgenderism, despite their religious objections in various situations, including the provision of public accommodations."

So, when one considers so-called "non-discrimination" for LGBT individuals, you have to consider the baggage that comes along with it in the area of religious freedom.  Take with a grain of salt these PRRI findings, reported by The Christian Post:

But even though white evangelicals are largely seen as theologically opposed to homosexuality and transgender identity, 54 percent of white evangelical Protestants surveyed said they support LGBT nondiscrimination protections.

71 percent of white mainline Protestants, 65 percent of black Protestants, and around 60 percent of several other Christian groups were also supportive, according to the article.

And, PRRI's website also points out: "White evangelical Protestants (55%) and Mormons (54%) stand out as the only religious groups where a majority supports allowing small business owners to refuse to serve gay and lesbian customers if doing so violates their religious beliefs." 54% of white mainline Protestants and 66% of Black Protestants "oppose religiously based service refusals."

In the Christian Post article, Greg Baylor of the Alliance Defending Freedom is quoted. He said: "All Americans should be treated with dignity and respect and our laws should protect the freedoms of speech, religion and conscience of every citizen, no matter who they are." But, he rightly points out: "Unfortunately, the polling presented by PRRI fails to accurately portray the views of conservative evangelicals and fails to reveal the implications of so-called ‘nondiscrimination’ laws.”  So-called, indeed, because the LGBT agenda proponents are not just advocating for a level playing field, but for special considerations and essentially for the punishment of those who do not buy into their point of view.  It seems the endgame is to silence Christians who stand on Biblical truth regarding sexuality.

The Post also points out:

...in 2017, LifeWay Research found through a survey of over 1,000 Americans that when issues of sexual freedom rights and religious freedom come under conflict, about 90 percent of white evangelicals believe religious freedom is more important. In total, 68 percent of Protestants and 48 percent of Americans said the same.

And, Baylor referenced a recent Heritage Foundation poll that found that “a majority of Americans do not support forcing transgender ideology on others, including parents, doctors, nurses, business owners, charities, and women.” 

It seems sensible that all Americans should have equal opportunities under the law, but that's generally not what we're talking about; the discussion is centered around special considerations for gay people and not considering that there are religious objections to homosexuality.  That's not equality and certainly not mutual respect.  And, it's not "Fairness for All," to reference a concept that some evangelicals have embraced, trying to balance acceptance of homosexuality with religious objections.

Be very cautious: just because something sounds right, tolerant, and fair, doesn't mean that it is.  While "anti-discrimination" laws have sprung up all over the country, one has to wonder where true, legitimate discrimination is taking place regarding sexual orientation or gender identity.  Where are gay people suffering economic harm because of their homosexuality?  They have marital rights as the result of Obergefell.  The endgame is apparently special rights and a suppression of opposition to their lifestyle, which is still morally abhorrent to many people, including Bible-believing Christians.  They want their abnormal behavior to be normalized.  As people of faith, we cannot be for the normalization of sin in our culture - nor in our individual lives.  And, that's important for our spiritual growth; we cannot be content with sinful thoughts and behavior as people who are crucified with Christ. 

Unexpected

We have each been given a wonderful gift - the gift of life; created and ordained by God.  We should
be people who take that very seriously, with rejoicing for God's goodness. Psalm 139 states:
13 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

The awareness of truth about unborn children and a greater level of devotion to protecting them are trends that we are seeing in our culture today.  And, it's a good thing.  There has been a consistent cultural debate that has been heightened over the past few months over the issue of abortion.  The facts are becoming clearer, I believe, and the truth is prevailing.  We as the Church can devote ourselves to speaking out for the defenseless.

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In a dialogue with the prophet Jeremiah, found in Jeremiah chapter 1, the Lord says to him:
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations."
6 Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth."
7 But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Developments surrounding the new movie depicting the life transformation of former Planned Parenthood director Abby Johnson have garnered quite a bit of attention.  The movie, Unplanned,  has exceeded the $7 million mark at the box office in just its sixth day of release.  It closed out the weekend as the number 4 movie in America.

And, on social media, the movie's Twitter feed stated:

Today we passed #PlannedParenthood in followers.

The tide has shifted as the world is exposed to the reality of what happens behind the curtain in #unplannedmovie #whatabbysaw is changing hearts and minds #godisgood

But, the social media presence of the movie has certainly faced its challenges.  The Wall Street Journal reports:

Film critics who didn’t ignore the new movie “Unplanned” generally rejected it. Executives across various media platforms have intentionally or accidentally limited its marketing. But audience members are giving the film rave reviews according to a survey firm called CinemaScore. And “Unplanned” was a box-office overachiever in its weekend release. The movie also sparked a new conversation about whether social media companies are discriminating against people with whom they disagree.

The article pointed out the antics of Twitter, which suspended the movie's account on Saturday night and then reinstated it, although there were reports of people not being able to follow the account as recently as Monday.  The Daily Wire reported on certain instances.  The number of followers, which seems to have been corrected, slowly propagated as the account got back up to speed.  The Journal quoted from a Hollywood Reporter piece, quoting Cary Solomon, a co-writer and co-director of the movie: "It is a sad time we live in when corporations can remove individuals freedom of speech at will. When did we empower these corporations to have such authority? More importantly, why do we empower them to do so?”

The Journal piece, by James Freeman, goes on to say:

Some Twitter users may have particular trouble answering such questions because the premise of the service is that users select on their own which people or media outlets they wish to follow. The timing of the Saturday blackout—during the weekend of the movie’s theatrical debut—was a remarkable coincidence given that the film’s Twitter account has been active since August.

The “Unplanned” account debuted on the service shortly after Twitter tried to put to rest previous accusations that it was discriminating against certain viewpoints. “Setting the record straight on shadow banning,” is the title of a Twitter blog post dated July 26, 2018.

Twitter claims to have suspended the movie's account because it was linked to another account that had posted content that Twitter had found objectionable. So, things may be back to normal, but questions remain.

And, then of course, you have the ratings controversy - because of its graphic content, Unplanned received an R rating.  It has been pointed out that the rating does underscore the graphic nature of abortion itself.  Another opinion is that it could be a factor in limiting the audience.

Content concerns have been cited for the refusal of television networks, outside of Fox, to air commercials for the movie.  Newsbusters reports that:

Several mainstream channels like HGTV, Lifetime, and Hallmark have straight up rejected advertising for Pureflix’s new movie, so if you’ve been wondering why you’ve only seen ads for the film on Fox News Channel, the promotional fix is in. Oddly enough, this is coming from channels that we regularly consider as providing wholesome, family friendly material.

Citing The Hollywood Reporter, the article goes on to say:

THR reported that, besides FNC, “every other mainstream television outlet has declined to air the ad.” Among these, the Travel Channel, Cooking Channel, HGTV and Food Network, — all owned by Discovery — “refused to sell ad time for Unplanned due to the ‘sensitive nature’ of the movie,” Unplanned’s promoters claimed. Unplanned producer John Sullivan claimed, “We were looking to spend money, but they didn't want to get involved.”

So, what do we make of all this?  Well, for one thing, the message is clear: abortion kills.  Planned Parenthood is concerned less about the lives of women and children and more about the bottom line. This is obvious.  And, the movie takes you inside the four walls of an abortion clinic and exposes the culture of death inside.

I believe that we are in a moment of national debate about the sanctity of life.  We have been given an opportunity to share truth, rooted in the Scriptures, about life.  The talking points of the abortion movement are fading in the light of that truth.  And, lawmakers are more intent on making sure that this brutal practice is severely restricted.  Georgia legislators stood in the face of screaming Hollywood actors and passed bold pro-life legislation.  Alabama lawmakers will have the chance to restrict the practice even further if a new bill passes.

The success of Unplanned also illustrates how the power of story and the presence of the Holy Spirit can touch and change hearts.  Jesus used stories - parables - to highlight His truth and to reach the hearts of people.  These filmmakers have taken Abby Johnson's story and used it - and God has used it - to drive home powerful truths about life and death.

Chicken?

In Titus 2, the apostle Paul is addressing characteristics of different groups of people; I would dare say in most of these cases, these qualities can be exhibited by all believers.  I think that the
exhortation to the young men is particularly instructive:
6 Likewise exhort the young men to be sober-minded,
7 in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.

Here, special emphasis is given to the next generation that is critical even in the times in which we live.  We should all aspire to be sober-minded, which can be difficult when the enemy is pressing our buttons and attempting to get us to respond in a manner that is not representative of Christ.  We should seek to have "sound speech" that essentially confounds those who oppose us.  It sounds as if we are being encouraged to learn to disagree in an agreeable manner, firm in conviction, but following Christ's compassion.

+++++

Even when we encounter opposition in this world, we can know that God is with us, and He will empower us to speak and act in a manner that is consistent with the character of Christ. Luke 21 says:
12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake.
13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.
14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer;
15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.

When you travel by air, one of the intriguing features of the experience is the sometimes mind-boggling array of restaurants that you will find in the airport; with choices ranging from chain stores to local establishments, from sit-down to, well, stand-up and walk to a terminal seat.

Those flying in and out of San Antonio will, at least for a while, not be treated to the fast-growing fast-food chain known as Chick-fil-A.  According to FoxNews.com...

...six members of the San Antonio City Council rejected the inclusion of Chick-fil-A from the new Food, Beverage and Retail Prime Concession Agreement for the airport, KTSA reports. The seven-year contract for concession management at the terminal is expected to create $2.1 million in revenue for the Texas city; the motion that passed gave the green light to food shops including Smoke Shack and Local Coffee.

Now, why in the world would an airport governing board want to reject a favorite restaurant?  Well, you know the answer.  While political leanings of some dining establishments, like, say, Starbucks, are tolerated, the family- and faith-friendly philosophy upon which Chick-fil-A has been founded is out of favor with the San Antonio bourgeoisie.   The article quotes a San Antonio civic "leader:"

“With this decision, the City Council reaffirmed the work our city has done to become a champion of equality and inclusion," Councilman Roberto Treviño said of the vote, as per News 4 San Antonio. "San Antonio is a city full of compassion, and we do not have room in our public facilities for a business with a legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior."

Notice the narrative; pay attention to the language: a belief in traditional values consistent with Biblical truth, a support for traditional marriage, is considered to be "anti-LGBTQ."  This was, of course, referring to CEO Dan Cathy's personal statement of support for marriage, oh, several years ago.  And, the chicken chain seems to have not learned.  Fox says that the liberal think-tank Think Progress had, "published tax documents revealing that in 2017, the Chick-fil-A Foundation gave over $1.8 million in charitable donations to some organizations that have come under scrutiny regarding their stance on LGBTQ issues."

For instance, according to the article:

Over $1.65 million of that contribution was given to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which writes in an online “Statement of Faith” that it believes “marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman,” and believes “sexual intimacy” should only be expressed “within [that] context,” CBS News reports.

Perhaps a number of our cultural ills could be solved if people would believe and behave consistent with those principles!   Well, Chick-fil-A responded with a statement that included Scripture:

“The press release issued by Councilmember Treviño was the first we heard of his motion and its approval by the San Antonio City Council. We agree with him that everyone is and should feel welcome at Chick-fil-A,” the rep said. “We have a fundamental code of conduct at Chick-fil-A: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

“The 140,000 people who serve customers in our restaurants on a daily basis represent and embrace all people, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity,” they continued. “Our intent is to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

The restaurant has asked for "meaningful dialogue" with city officials in the wake of this rejection.

Attorney and columnist David French says the city is acting illegally, expressing "unconstitutional fake outrage."  He writes on the National Review website:

Simply put, the government may not condition the ability to operate a business on the government’s distaste for the religious or political donations of its owners. That’s pure viewpoint discrimination, and if Chick-fil-A chooses to sue, it will not only win, but the city council’s intolerance will likely cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of dollars.

He doesn't mince words when he says:

San Antonio is defying the law, it’s further polarizing our country, and it’s telling the Christian citizens and Christian ministries in its own city limits that their beliefs are so repugnant that the government should punish even private organizations who support their work.

Until the decision is reversed, San Antonio isn’t a “champion of equality and inclusion.” It’s an instrument of censorship and bigotry.

Now, Ken Paxton, Attorney General of Texas, has announced he will be investigating the actions of the San Antonio council, which could have violated state law; the Washington Examiner also reports:

Besides his letter to the council warning them of a state-level investigation, Paxton also sent a three-page letter to Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao, asking that “the Department of Transportation open an investigation into San Antonio’s potential breach of federal law and your agency’s regulations prohibiting religious discrimination by federal grant recipients.”

USA Today reports:

On Thursday, the First Liberty Institute sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao alleging that "religious discrimination" may have been made by members of the City Council of San Antonio during discussions to block the restaurant chain from the revamped Texas airport.

And, the airport in Buffalo has also announced its exclusion of the restaurant chain from its airport, according to USA Today.

This has occurred just months after Chick-fil-A was excluded from consideration by a university from being included in a list of options for campus dining.  This was at Rider University, where a dean, Cynthia Newman resigned due to the action of her employer.  She is quoted at the Baptist Press website:

"I am not willing to compromise my faith and Christian values and I will not be viewed as being in any way complicit when an affront is made to those values," Newman said. "I endeavor every day to do exactly what Chick-fil-A puts forward as its overarching corporate value: to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to me and to have a positive influence on all who come into contact with me."

The university said, "Chick-fil-A was removed as one of the options based on the company's record widely perceived to be in opposition to the LGBTQ+ community."

Dr. Everett Piper, president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University, wrote for the Washington Times:

Christians are now considered verboten. Show any evidence of believing in a biblical God and biblical morality and you will be shut down. You will be forbidden to sell your product. Your “intolerance” will not be tolerated. To paraphrase Mr. Trevino, “Oh, you Christians may have your precious ‘freedom of religion.’ Yes, the Constitution may protect your right to believe in your silly God and spew your old-fashioned ideas about sin and salvation. But if you dare say anything about any of this in the public square, or if you have the actual temerity to try to practice the tenets of your faith in your business or your public life, we will sue you, we will silence you, we will fine you, we will malign you, we will blackball you, we will de-platform you, we will not buy from you or sell to you. We will crush you. Submit or be destroyed.”

So many takeaways from these developments.  And, the first surrounds the concept of a misrepresentation of Christian teaching.  Because Christians support a view of marriage that is consistent with the Bible, they are characterized as being people of hate and intolerance.  A believer can call out the sin of homosexuality without "hating" the person.  As it's been said, the most loving thing a Christian can do is to point out areas of sin.  And, despite efforts allowing the LGBT agenda to infiltrate the Church, we must continue to hold to the timeless truths of the Scriptures and not compromise our beliefs.

The pressure is enormous, and some evangelical leaders have begun to accommodate those who identify as gay or same-sex attracted; allowing people to identify in that way, superseding their identity in Christ.   There is talk of SSA people being allowed to "flourish" in the Church, rather than to repent and crucify the flesh - no talk of freedom or change; rather, the direction is toward acceptance of these desires, as long as they are not acted upon in a physical act.

We also see in our culture a distinct lack of engagement.  Instead of engaging in dialogue with Chick-fil-A, the powers that be in San Antonio are, to use another meaning of the term, being "chicken," not courageous.  It is very easy to hide behind a corporate or government banner and hurl false narratives.  Discussion can be productive and lead to understanding; lack of it can result in polarization and lead to further contempt.  But, when we engage, we have to make sure that we are grounded in the principles of Scripture.