This Can't be Biblical

        I subscribe to Daily Manna From The Net, and more often than not the daily Bible verse gives me pause to deliberate on some word or principle from God's word. Today, the Bible passage is from Leviticus chapter nineteen, and the verse that caught my eye is You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly. (Lev 19:15 NASB)
        My usual reaction to a teaching from the Old Testament is, "Oh no, this is gonna be drier than cardboard." Most Bible-believers, whether or not they want to admit it openly, respond more-or-less with that attitude. Of course, simply because lots of folks agree with my prejudice does not mean we're right in our assessment.
        Leviticus 19:15 is a case in point, with its command, "... you shall not be partial to the poor ...." With my eyebrows suitably raised with indignation, I proceeded to milk more information from the words, and those around them. Know what? This passage is right on the money.
        God tells us through these words that we must disregard others' money and possessions―or lack thereof―when discerning their veracity. At first glance, this verse seems to fly in the face of Jesus' teaching, from his beatitudes to his treatment of the rich, religious establishment. But that shows what we mortals know. Jesus condemned preferential treatment based on wealth or lifestyle. He urged "sinners" to repent of their wickedness, but he also pronounced woes upon the hyper-religious who would walk a mile to avoid passing by one of the "unclean."
        The Leviticus passage teaches the same balance that Jesus preached. Apparently, even in ancient Israel, do-gooders practiced their preference for the poor and downtrodden. This bias, however, is every bit as unjust as shining up to the rich and powerful. Jesus called the privileged few, "blind leaders of the blind." He pointed out that each class of people perpetuated their own specialized kind of blindness. The poor were dazzled by the lifestyles flaunted by the affluent, and unable to recognize the rich for what they were, spoiled, and spiritually destitute consumers of wealth. The rich, of course, embraced their blindness to the inate human value of each person, dismissing the poor as an inevitable annoiance, and kowtowing to other rich people hoping to curry their favor. That is not to say the poor had no purpose; God provided "those" people as vehicles for charitable giving. If there were no poor, how would one feel good about giving his or her pittance?
        The lesson we must take from this passage is neither poverty nor affluence has value in God's eyes, but our righteous response to others' needs reveals God's grace within us.

Golden Chains

Psa 139:1 ESV To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. O LORD, you have searched me and known me!

          Psalm 139 begins with a statement only a God-lover could make, and not resent it. What solace it is to know that I am known, and there is one Person from whom I cannot hide, one with whom I can communicate honestly, without reproach.
          That's right, without reproach! When Adam sinned, did God suddenly blast him with a thunder bolt? NO! God walked through the garden in the cool of the day. When Adam failed to run to Him as was his custom, God called out to him.
          If only Adam had run to his Father/Creator, fallen on his face and confessed his sin in brokenness. But only when he realized he couldn't hide, his first words were an excuse. I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.(Genesis 3:10) Even then, God refrained from condemning Adam. In vs. 11, God said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? Just a question, still leaving Adam the opportunity of confessing his sin.
          But how did Adam respond to God's grace? The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. What a lame excuse! Adam, who was intelligent enough to name all the animals of the garden, gave a small child's excuse, as if he was caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
          Then, as a last resort, so history could not say He failed to give them a chance to confess, God addressed Eve on the issue. Her answer? The serpent deceived me, and I ate. Confession, yes. But with blame, demonstrating she had learned nothing and her heart was hardened to her own guilt.
          Only then, did God pronounce the judgment we know so well.
          So, back to King David, a man who could have his every whim, but found it necessary to praise God for the limits, or confinements, of his life. The man whose circumstances knew no limits saw the value of control from without; he knew so well that his self-control was not enough. In Psalm 139:5, he wrote:

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.

          No wonder God named him The man after God's own heart.
Father, I too praise you for reigning over me by reining me in before and behind. Your grace is without limit. Your love is beyond knowing. Your peace is a river of life. Your works are marvelous. Yeshua's blood washes me throughout. Thank you, Father.

Gatekeepers (Dreamhouse Kings #3) by Robert Liparulo

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Gatekeepers
(Dreamhouse Kings #3)
Thomas Nelson (January 6, 2009)

by
Robert Liparulo


BUT FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR BLOGGER:

If Robert Liparulo's series of youth novels, Dreamhouse Kings, with his grasp of drama, use of vivid detail, intimate characterizations, clever story-crafting and subtle use of metaphor is reserved for kids, then call me the Tricks® silly rabbit. Nancy and I can't wait for these crunchy, sweet, richly colored nuggets of fiction to pop forth from Liparulo's fruitful imagination. And woe to the kid who tries to spoil our fun.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robert is an award-winning author of over a thousand published articles and short stories. He is currently a contributing editor for New Man magazine. His work has appeared in Reader's Digest, Travel & Leisure, Modern Bride, Consumers Digest, Chief Executive, and The Arizona Daily Star, among other publications. In addition, he previously worked as a celebrity journalist, interviewing Stephen King, Tom Clancy, Charlton Heston, and others for magazines such as Rocky Road, Preview, and L.A. Weekly.

Robert is an avid scuba diver, swimmer, reader, traveler, and a law enforcement and military enthusiast. He lives in Colorado with his wife and four children.

Robert's first novel painted a scenario so frighteningly real that six Hollywood producers were bidding on movie rights before the novel was completed. His acclaimed debut novel, Comes A Horseman, is being made into a major motion picture by producer Mace Neufeld and his short story "Kill Zone" was featured in the anthology Thriller, edited by James Patterson.

Bob has sold the film rights to his second book, GERM. And he is writing the screenplay for a yet-to-be-written political thriller, which sold to Phoenix Pictures, for Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, The Guardian) to direct!

And his third book Deadfall. debuted to rave reviews!


ABOUT THE BOOK

Bob Liparulo wants to give away a signed 3 book set of the DreamHouse Kings books! Send an email to Bob [at] Liparulo [dot] com and put "CFBA" in the subject line. He will pick a winner next week!!!!

In the third novel of this young adult series, the mystery deepens in a house that is more than meets the eye.

The Kings have been in the creepy old place, their new home, for only a few days, but they've experienced enough terror to last a lifetime. And the mystery is growing even more baffling. Shadowy and shifting, the big house conceals doors into other worlds that blur the line between memories and dreams-and the slightest misstep can change history forever.

At least, that's if they believe the trembling old man who shows up claiming to know them. "There's a reason you're in the house," he tells them. "As gatekeepers, we must make sure only those events that are supposed to happen get through to the future."

The problem is that horrors beyond description wait on the other side of those gates. As if that weren't enough, the Kings are also menaced by sinister forces on this side-like the dark, ancient stranger Taksidian, who wants them out now.

It's hard to believe that things could have gotten worse for the King family-but they have. Dad's in handcuffs, the school bully has just found the secret portal that leads from the high school to the house, and Xander is sure he's found Mom, but they can't get back to her. Then Jesse arrives, and he seems to be a virtual Obi Wan of knowledge about the place. But is he the key they need to unlock the secrets, or just a crazy old man?

Dangers are increasing from within and without when Xander makes a startling discovery that explains why they haven't found any rooms that lead to the future. Alongside the threats, though, they're also starting to find some surprising allies.
All they have to do is get organized, get psyched, and get Mom. But that isn't nearly as easy as it sounds.

Xander, David, and Toria must venture beyond the gates to save their missing mother-and discover how truly high the stakes have become.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Gatekeepers
(Dreamhouse Kings #3), go HERE

What they're saying:

Review
"If you like creepy and mysterious, this is the house for you! Every room opens a door to magic, true horror, and amazing surprises. I loved wandering around in these books. With a house of so many great, haunting stories, why would you ever want to go outside?" --R.L. Stine (Goosebumps)

Review
"A powerhouse storyteller delivers his most fantastic ride yet!"
-Ted Dekker, bestselling author of Kiss, Chosen and Infidel

SELECTIVE MEMORY

My wife Nancy believes my memory picks out what it will keep handy and what it will throw away. To her, that choice is based on what is in her interest versus what is in my own interest.         Pleas of innocence, unfortunately, fall on deaf ears, as I must grudgingly admit to some—purely unintentional—consistency in my forgetfulness. On other occasions, however, my memory drops things I desperately want to remember, to my ultimate frustration.         Wouldn't a purposeful, selective memory come in handy? We could remember everything that is important to recall, and forget the thoughts that drag us down or limit our potential. Those we love would benefit from our forgetting their accidental gaffes and offenses. A clean slate can be a beautiful thing.         Memory preserves events from everyone's past, events we would rather forget. Past unthoughtful words, lapses of character and corrupt thoughts that prick our consciences, become lashes that stripe the backs of our minds long after we've begged forgiveness and made reparation.         We recall the guilty feeling we get when a state trooper hangs in our car's rear-view mirror; "How fast am I going? Did I violate some obscure statute and attract his attention to my driving?" What a relief, when his patrol car finally roars past, leaving us to continue down the road without having seen flashing lights in the mirror.         That trooper's vision can't penetrate our minds and consciences, leaving our skelletons safely in their closet. Imagine, however, standing before the all-seeing Judge, weighed down by memories of our past offenses, some of which we have tried to correct, and some we have burried deep in the closets and basements of our minds. His memory has no involuntary dropouts, and you feel naked under his penetrating gaze.         If only we could make some excuse that would matter. If only our goodness could compare in the slightest way to his perfect holiness. The prophet Isaiah gives us the Judge's perspective, But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isa 64:6 KJV)         Since we have no basis on which to cop a plea, what hope do we have for an eternity of peace with God? Jesus' apostle Paul voiced his own despair when considering his personal uncleanness, For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. (Rom 7:14-25 NASB)         If this renowned man of God could make no claim of personal righteousness, what of the rest of us?         Contrary to popular Christian lore, Jesus did not come two centuries ago to show us the way to his Father God. Rather, hear his own words, the kernel of his good news to humankind:         Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." (Joh 14:5-7 NASB)         Some feel that such a view is not inclusive enough. They throw out a smoke screen of questions like, "What about all those who have never heard of Jesus?" Or such pseudo-wisdom as, "There are many ways to every destination." Through the crystal-clear eyes of faith, however, we see the absurdity of such questions and philosophies. Jesus' eternal truth contradicts and rides above all human wisdom.         How, then, must we be saved from sin's shackles? God's simple truth is, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Rom 10:9 NASB)         Jesus said, "And I say to you, everyone who confesses Me before men, the Son of Man will confess him also before the angels of God." (Luk 12:8 NASB)         And what of all our clever excuses? For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Php 2:9-11 NASB)

The Blood of the New Covenant

Matthew 26 ²⁷Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. ²⁸This is my blood of the[new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom."New International Version)         Yeshua, after declaring the cup to hold "my blood of the new covenant," said in vs. 29, "I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on ...." Obviously, He would not contradict His words of only seconds before. He simply referred to the cup as the actual contents it held, rather than the "blood of the new covenant as He had just stated." So, in what sense did He mean, "This is my blood ..."?         He said "this" twice, once referring to it as His blood, and once as "fruit of the vine." Simplistic logic would suggest that He believed His blood was, in fact, wine. His thinking, however, only seems simplistic to those who cannot grasp His eternal perspective through His Holy Spirit's influence.         More likely, Yeshua referred to the cup's contents as His blood because he was about to pass it around to His apostles, indicating that each would share in the New Covenant of His blood. Seems obvious when explained that way.         The Catholic church has long taught that the Communion Cup contains the actual, transubstantiated blood of Yeshua, a teaching that I accepted whole-heartedly as a child. His word, however, does not substantiate(excuse the play on words) this belief.        Without harping on some Catholic conspiracy theory, I must clearly state that the Council of Trent, begun in 1545, officially adopted the doctrine of Transubstantiation as Church dogma. That doctrine, taught informally for about 500 years, was the elaborate rationale of Latin theologians attempting to harmonize the "three Eucharistic controversies," and its name was first coined by Hildebert of Tours around 1079*.        While a "leap of faith" must precede repentance and rebirth in the life of every believer, we must not blindly accept all such abandonment of natural reason, which is the stuff of heresy. Unquestioned acceptance of orthodoxy, on the other hand, can lead to the opposite error of formalism. All believers in Yeshua must weigh every teaching, regardless is source, with a diligent study of His word. * http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm#section3

Dark Pursuit by Brandilyn Collins

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dark Pursuit
Zondervan (December 1, 2008)
by
Brandilyn Collins


BUT FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR BLOGGER:
        This is the third Collins roller coaster I've ridden, and it's as unique as each of her other works.
        Just what does it take to justify murder? Is the compulsion by itself enough? All Craig knows is the horrible job of judgment has fallen upon him. And woe to any mortal who threatens his righteous appointment—even if it is the woman he loves.
        The label, Psychological Thriller, suits this novel more aptly than most of that genre. Not only do we witness the inner struggles of a warped mind, but in Dark Pursuit, the Murderer's twisted rationale comes full-circle, imprisoning him within his own cocoon of self-deceit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Brandilyn Collins is known for her trademark Seatbelt Suspense®. She is currently working on her 20th book. For chances to win free copies of her work, join her Fan Club on Facebook. Here’s what Brandilyn has to say about why she wrote Dark Pursuit:

In John Milton’s Paradise Lost Satan’s followers, kicked out of heaven, boast about storming the gates and reclaiming their territory. Beelzebub scoffs at their boasting as merely “hatching vain empires” and suggests a different revengeful scheme: seduce mankind away from God. So Satan visits the Garden of Eden to teach humans the very thing he and his cohorts have learned to be futile—the dark pursuit of hatching their own vain empires instead of following God. He presented man with this “gift” of death, disguised as life. And man fell for it.

Upon this theme of man’s fall and spiritual blindness, I created the characters and events in Dark Pursuit. The story clips along at a fast pace, with much symbolism running underneath.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Dark Pursuit—A twisting story of murder, betrayal, and eternal choices

Novelist Darell Brooke lived for his title as King of Suspense—until an auto accident left him unable to concentrate. Two years later, reclusive and bitter, he wants one thing: to plot a new novel and regain his reputation.

Kaitlan Sering, his twenty-two-year-old granddaughter, once lived for drugs. After she stole from Darell, he cut her off. Now she’s rebuilding her life. But in Kaitlan’s town two women have been murdered, and she’s about to discover a third. She’s even more shocked to realize the culprit—her boyfriend, Craig, the police chief’s son.

Desperate, Kaitlan flees to her estranged grandfather. For over forty years, Darell Brooke has lived suspense. Surely he’ll devise a plan to trap the cunning Craig.

But can Darell’s muddled mind do it? And—if he tries—with what motivation? For Kaitlan’s plight may be the stunning answer to the elusive plot he seeks...

Read the first chapter of Dark Pursuit, HERE.

The Death and Life of Gabriel Philips by Stephen Baldwin and Mark Tabb

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips
FaithWords (November 5, 2008)
by
Stephen Baldwin
&
Mark Tabb

BUT FIRST, A WORD FROM OUR BLOGGER:
I read everything aloud to my wife Nancy. First, my dyslexia slows my reading rate to not much over oral reading speed, so I may as well share great books with her. Second, her impared vision makes reading difficult and laborious for her, so reading aloud is a win-win for us. When I first opened The Death and Life of Gabriel Philips, I stuttered quite a bit, unable to vocalize the coarse language Baldwin included in the dialog. How could I, a born-again, Bible toting, church-going "man-of-God" pronounce the "S" word and the "D" word? I wondered what constituted "Christian" fiction about this book. Eventually I saw the CFBA administration's apologetic, strong language warnings. Yes it was a bit over the top for a bunch of Sunday school oriented, CBA writers and readers, but something entirely unexpected happened. I loved the book!
        Ultimately, it occurred to me that most of us weren't hatched as virgin-mouthed Christians. Some of the protagonist's language hearkened back to my B. C. and "babe-in-Christ" days. Saved as an adult who never believed in denying myself any of life's fleshly pleasures, this Blogger brought a rash of bad habits, verbal and otherwise, into his new life in Christ. Problem is, Yeshua only guaranteed His precious blood to cover the penalty of sin, not its habit. "Bummer!" I said on many blue-aired occasions, but usually not with that word. Bummer, yes, but not completely. The last outcome I expected was that this life-long struggle would be the best thing that could have happened to me.
        Enough with the language, already. Gabriel Philips haunted the whole book, and I wanted to know the boy as badly as Officer Meyers had wanted to know him. But come to think of it, I've already met him, under a variety different names. And I've loved his every incarnation.
        I used the word haunted. Even now, days after completing Baldwin's novel, John Philips' spirituality still haunts me; an authentic, but rare, spirituality, while early in the story, I had lined up with his accusers. A thought interrupted my self-righteousness: Would I have the strength to remain silent under such assailments? To pray for those persecuting me? To maintain a sweet spirit, though the target of unrelenting slander?
        The language was unregenerate, but so was Officer Meyers. Who would expect him to communicate like a Baptist on Sunday morning? The Death and Life of Gabriel Philips is not a book that welcomes pop judgments. And learning to defeat that habit is a great part of what the Way is all about.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

STEPHEN BALDWIN - actor, family man, born-again Christian - makes his home in upstate New York with his wife and two young daughters.

Equally adept at drama and comedy, Baldwin has appeared in over 60 films and been featured on such top-rated television shows as Fear Factor and Celebrity Mole. He has his own production company that is developing projects for television and the big screen. These days, however, his role as director, co-producer and host of Livin' It - a cutting-edge skate video is bringing out his white hot passion for evangelism.

Writer and communicator Mark Tabb calls himself an “internationally unknown author.” Although his books have been published around the world, he is best known for his collaborative works. His 2008 release, “Mistaken Identity”, written with the Van Ryn and Cerak families, hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list for two weeks, and remained on the list for over two months. He and actor Stephen Baldwin teamed up on their 2005 New York Times bestseller, “The Unusual Suspect,” and with their first work of fiction, “The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips,”


ABOUT THE BOOK

Even years of experience haven't prepared Officer Andy Myers for this case---

When Officer Andy Myers met Loraine Phillips, he had no interest in her son. And he certainly never dreamed he'd respond to a call, finding that same boy in a pool of blood. Even more alarming was the father standing watch over his son's body. Myers had never seen a man respond to death-particularly the death of a child-in such a way. When the father is charged with murder and sentenced to death, he chooses not to fight but embrace it as God's will. Myers becomes consumed with curiosity for these strange beliefs. What follows is the story of the bond these two men share as they come to terms with the tragedy and the difficult choices each one must make.


If you would like to read the first chapter of The Death and Life of Gabriel Phillips, go HERE

The Original Communism

³² Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. ³³ And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴ There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold ³⁵ and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Communism says, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need." What a wonderfully altruistic ideal, but in practice, human beings aren't wonderfully altruistic. Administering the "from-each-to-each" program has always required a powerful bureaucracy headed by powerful men who have no problem forcing others to cooperate with the program … and taking their own ten, twenty and sixty percent for their trouble.
        Human beings, exactly like domestic—or wild—animals, learn quickly to spoil themselves. Like grizzly bears at the dumpster, humans tear through any obstacle to get what they want. And once they become habituated to the easy gain, they loose their taste for gainful work. This is true both for bureaucrats and for those who receive the benefits of the welfare-state.
        It is curious how a government that teaches natural selection as the mechanism for evolution of biological organisms can't understand how disabled or impaired humans who receive a free ride complements of the welfare system, can become addicted to it. Tragically, there is little welfare, and the system doles out the goodies haphazardly and with little accountability—on the part of itself or its clients.
        So, what is the solution for this self-perpetuating "social disease?" We can't cut off a whole class of people who have become dependent on the government dole over the generations. And we can't miraculously transform bureaucrats into automatons who will not succumb to temptation's power.
        That leaves but two options: We might try to reform the system to wean the welfare class from the government dole, gradually, so as not to truly deprive the recipients. That option, however, still depends on a human bureaucracy that tends toward opportunism. And the second option involves spiritual rebirth.
        Odd, isn't it, how so many people who deal regularly with corruption cannot seem to admit the fundamentally flawed, human nature. We're very like small children who violently fight against the doctor's syringe when we're so sick we can't see straight. "No, thanks. I'm fine the way I am. I don't need that "God stuff."

HELPER

When my daughters were small, one word indicated their attitude toward life. After they got over their infatuation with the words "No!" and "Mine!" they discovered that helping their mother pleased her and made her happy. And as everyone knows, "When Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy."
        Since their mother and I always praised them when they showed a little initiative toward "helping" us, regardless how inconvenient it may have been, they came to know that being a "helper" was a very good thing. So, often one of them ran over to us when we began a chore, chanting the word "Helper." Their mother and I then invented some small job that wouldn't set us back too much when they messed it up. But even when they did, we always tried to find something about their work to praise.
        Jesus particularly valued each child's willing spirit, telling his disciples, “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” (Luke 18: 16-18)
        Sure they were in his way, interfering with the "grownup" work of healing, preaching and teaching. Yet, he found time to nurture them with conversation and affection.
        The Bible says Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, so we must infer that he relates to that childlike spirit of helpfulness as he did when, during his earthly life, he called the children to himself despite his disciples' well-intentioned interference. Their desire to buffer the teacher against distractions perfectly illustrates the contrast between child-likeness and the "grown up" attitude of practicality.
        An old religious truism says, "Ten percent of the folks do ninety percent of the work." Sounds a bit conservative, as that ten percent actually does more like one hundred percent of the work. The working ten percent, the ones who step forward like a child and, in effect, say "Helper," are citizens of God's kingdom. So, what about the rest? Jesus' words are specific: "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

More Civilized Sins

2 Timothy 3:1-7 NIV But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, wicked, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.

        What a litany of character faults to which we may look forward in the last days. Considering how contemporary the list seems, we may well be in the last days even now.
        These aren't the tribulations some expect after the church's rapture. I see nothing in this list of bowls of God's fury, a darkened sun, plagues or horsemen. What I see is a list of "faults" one might find in many of Christendom's congregations today … faults routinely tolerated even among the saints in leadership.
        "Can't love others if you don't love yourself." Pop psychology and group "sensitivity" didn't die in the '80s. Many congregations and seminaries actively espouse such principles as positive confession, assertiveness training, and seed-faith promotions.
        That leads into the sin of loving money. Seed-faith asserts platitudes such as "you can't out give God," which is quite true when not followed with "our address for contributions is …." High-living "televangelists" and alleged healers have become cliché, and provide anti-religious zealots with plenty of ammunition for their attacks.
        Boastfulness and pride tend to be somewhat understated in the church, but very much alive among many testosterone-enriched youths. Of course, pride is no respecter of "gender," with young women's keen-edged tongues surgically dissecting other girls. And this category naturally leads into the next series of tolerated sins with no age-related expiration dates: abusiveness, disobedience, ingratitude, fowl temper, lovelessness, unforgiveness, slander, instability, rashness, hedonism, conceit and arrogance. This infernal list leads into "having a form of godliness but denying its power," the culmination of societal sin that is reserved for only the most subtle, committed masters of hypocrisy. If we are desperate enough for controversy to attend interdenominational debates(Please note that a minor transposition of letters in "denomination" produces demonination. Curious coincidence.), we will witness the "having a form of godliness but denying its power" argument in all its trite glory. Religious debaters love it because it is so wonderfully generic, but the Apostle Paul had one specific offense in mind: promoters of the Gnostic heresy who prided themselves in their esoteric knowledge, through which they believed they would ascend to Enlightenment. But even that specialized sin reflects the broader sin of pride.
        Humanity has always taken perverse pride in its genius for creative sin, so any list of sins is guaranteed to omit several equally egregious moral gaffes. It is enough to recognize the "Human Condition" in all of them, and to realize that no one is immune from their deadly snare.