Trained to stand against ungodliness and worldly passions

  

Titus 2:11-15

 

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.  Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Have you been trained to stand against ungodliness and worldly passions?  I ask myself that question on a regular basis.  I have never observed more ungodliness than in the last three years in my nation.  The New York Times, CNN, MBC, ABC, and CBS have put forth a lie about the Steele Dossier, in fact, they had the truth and kept doing so.  And we ask why it fits their agenda.  Congressman Adam Schiff represents California's 28th Congressional District, he has been caught in more lies, than anyone and cost us the Taxpayers millions of dollars to do what brings down a President that was elected by the people of this Nation.  The FBI leadership and the CIA leadership both working with the Clinton’s have to lie and brought false prosecution against a man who served his country for 33 years.  That is just the tip of the evil that is taking place in our nation, yet we as Christ-followers are told by our church leaders, we should not concern ourselves with these things.  

 

If the Church will not stand against those who are for killing babies, lying about anyone that opposes them, in their evil acts, who hate our freedom to assemble, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom to bear arms, against a government that is trying to remove these rights from every Citizen.  Is that the real Church?  Let me be very clear, the main message of the Church is God so loved you that He bought you out of sin by the redeeming blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ.  Romans 10:9-10, “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” That gives us all the information needed to receive this gift, but it will not happen until you agree with Romans 3:11-16, and those verses are summarized in Romans 2:23, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”

 

If you have a problem with that as the central message of the church, then I would challenge you to go back to 2 Corinthians 13:5, and take the test.  But that does not remove the church from renouncing and taking a stand against evil in our Nation, and opposing a system that would encourage people to lie, to get more money and power, to encourage fake news, or to make statements from that news without knowing it to be of the truth.  I have a big problem with anyone that goes by the name Christian and would vote for a party that not only encourages to use my tax money to support the taking the life of an unborn child.  I’m against anyone that would honor a no-good evil man, who was high on drugs because it fits their political desires.  A black Senator who gave much of his life to fighting for his people, will not get dragged around the nation for weeks to be honored as was a criminal like George Floyd, something is very wrong with that!

 

Are you waiting for Jesus' soon return?  If not let me share this insight from Dr. J.I. Packer, who passed away July 17, 2020.  “Dr. Packer told interviewer Ivan Mesa that “in the days when it was physically possible for me to do these things I was concerned, even anxious, to get ahead with doing them.  Now that it’s no longer possible I acknowledge the sovereignty of God.”

 

Describing what he called Christian realism, Dr. Packer continued, “God knows what he’s up to.  And I’ve had enough experiences of his goodness in all sorts of ways not to have any doubt about the present circumstances. Some good, something for his glory, is going to come out of it.”

 

As one who is a follower of Christ, I know and have experienced that goodness and am looking forward to this world having one last awaking before Christ returns.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice