Category: Ethics

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Where Do We Go From the Roe v. Wade Overturn?

The Church of our Lord does not take naps. When God rested on the seventh day, he still kept creation under his mighty control (Psalm 121:4). The Church imitates her Lord in that sabbath mood. Her sabbaths are celebrations filled with hearty shouts of praise ascending to the Mountain of the Lord (Micah 4:2). When the people of God win victories, she sings for joy, dances with praise, and eats and drinks with gusto. She celebrates with one hand and is strategic with the other. The Church is the productive arm of the kingdom seeking to strengthen and reform society after the theocracy of King Jesus.

The overturn of Roe v. Wade is reason for much rejoicing! We should! Tomorrow when the Church gathers, she better sing for joy. Tomorrow when the Church gathers, we need to be sober and alert because the devil will be looking to devour the sophisticated footnotes of boys and girls who have consumed the spirit of the age (I Peter 5:8). Those who mumble their way through the liturgy will be most prone to apathy and their celebrations will be mild and timid and other terms associated with the gay-ification of our churches.

So, those who mumble may make it to the kingdom of heaven, but they will make it as by fire (Jude 1:23) and stinking like rotten fish (Jonah 2). But let those who rejoice, lose their voices for a day or two. Let the stranger and pagan look at you as if you came from another world because, in fact, you were formed in another kingdom altogether.

But in our celebration, we must already be thinking of the next step. I want to rejoice, but tomorrow is already here, and the pagans are already contemplating their next step (Psalm 2:2). So, we need to keep the champagne bottle in one hand and the other strategizing hand on the keyboard. Yes, of course, Christians have been working hard for almost 50 years on this issue. We have been at the forefront of every conceivable effort. To quote Samuel Parkison in an essay for Kuyperian Commentary:

“On every meaningful metric, it is the religious and pro-life demographics that are the most generous with their time and resources to non-profit organizations that do the work of caring for the orphan and widow without compulsion from their neighbors or government.”

This is true in every sense.

But we cannot grow weary in well-doing (Gal. 6:9). While the enemy strategizes on how best to keep us passive and rejoicing in the good ol’ days of June 24th, 2022, living off of the nostalgia, Christians need to out-strategize paganism. We need to worship more faithfully using the Scriptures as our guide, we need to be more covenantal in the way we look at the world, considering the next 40 years to be just down the road, we need to argue more consistently for a Christian ethic rooted in the Law of God, and we need to inculcate to our churches the need to see all of life in and through the Trinitarian God.

So, tomorrow, when we come into worship, we are doing a little bit of both: rejoicing and strategizing. Be present. Be aware of the role you play in redemptive history as a witness to the kindness of God.

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Roe v. Wade is Overturned!

Thanks be to God for the labors of so many since 1973, but especially the Church of our Lord, who rose in prayer and protest against such tyrannical laws; to Rousas John Rushdoony, whose writings stirred a generation of thinkers to engage the public sphere, President Ronald Reagan, whose elegance in speech gave conservatism a voice, Jerry Falwell and the Moral Majority, who offered a way forward to pursue righteousness as a nation, Ben Shapiro and the Daily Wire crew, who made conservatism cool memes and cogent arguments in an age of leftist despair, to Conservatives everywhere who fought the good fight, the Republic Party, whose ways of thinking failed in many cases, but still kept certain priorities, to the indefatigable Clarence Thomas whose cogency and opinions brought common sense to the table on the Supreme Court, and Donald J. Trump, who turned things upside down and gave us men who spoke wisdom into an issue and overturned a decision considered by many untouchable.

These men, shaped by various policies, theological positions, and in some cases, flawed moral compass, were used by God to accomplish this great goal. Now, the real work of caring for young mothers, encouraging adoption/foster care, and stirring the church to even greater generosity begins!

Christ is Lord is a political statement and today we have seen blessings flow from the Ascended Christ!

But we should note that this entire process will bring out the revolutionary spirit among leftists who have departed from the truth and whose god is their belly. We need to be prepared in every way to defend the unborn and to protect our tribes in such a time. Violence is the response of tyrants, and this day of gladness for us is their apocalypse.

To God all praise and glory!

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On the Gaming Addiction and the Porn Consequence

What I wish to do is at least start a conversation by combining several questions from concerned moms. I have a list of questions that needs some dose of response. To give you an example, one mom expressed that she is at odds with her husband concerning her son’s gaming habits. She does not want her son to play most evenings and certainly not all weekends. But dad is pretty laid back and views it as a happy past-time for his kid. Of course, this is a marital issue that needs more development.

Another mom expressed her anger towards her young son’s porn problem. She believes her teenager is no longer watching porn but caught him recently on his dad’s iPad looking at porn. She followed up and asked if the porn problem is attached to her son’s excessive time gaming.

So, this is a brief attempt to connect those two questions in a way that bears out in research and basic biblical logic.

~~~

There is a tremendous amount of research on the impact of pornography on the mind. “Wired for Intimacy” by Struthers is shocking in the right kind of way. In some ways, young men (primary consumers of porn) need to shock their way out of these destructive habits. But more importantly, they need to find a vision for redeeming the body.

One of the negative theological features of evangelical men is that they lack an understanding of the role of the body. In some ways, they function like Gnostics assuming that their viewing is disconnected from their bodies. In other words, the body serves as a means to fulfill quick episodes of pleasure, but it remains disassociated from the spiritual reality of the body. The Christian tricks himself into believing that his piety is left intact since, after all, only the body was involved. But we are more self-aware today, or at least, pulpits should make a mockery of this self-deception. The things of the Spirit are never divorced from the things of the body since the body belongs to the Spirit (I Cor. 6:19).

But in the sea of information out there about porn, I only wish to add one element to the conversation that stems from that wretched curse of Gnosticism. Parents and accountability partners and those who wish to see a culture of integrity among our men need to see that our young men are self-imposed prisoners when it comes to their daily intake of entertainment. They are seduced into thinking that they can keep their bodies uncontaminated while bathing themselves in hours and hours of endless amusement.

The ubiquitous YouTube millionaires are all out there recording themselves LIVE playing the game, mastering the game, and adding to their income through sponsors and eager proselytes who would watch them learn the new secret knowledge.

Now, I am not on a crusade against gaming nor am I making a case against enjoying these things as rewards for hard work. There is a time for these things. But that is where the problem lies, isn’t it? Research makes it clear that the majority of gamers indulge, rather than moderately enjoy this entertainment ritual. And further, there is even more data to suggest that the majority of these same young men are rarely if ever outside enjoying the sunshine or the manual labor that has created our society.

“Yes, but Pastor, this is a techy generation.”

Well, that does not change the necessity of hard work; of running, walking, mowing, or just being outside. If such excessive gamers would also show me their profound tendencies to energetic Bible reading and solid liturgical life, then perhaps I would be tempted to moderate my position, but my time in the pastorate and as a student of human actions prove the opposite with profound consistency.

When I was growing up, my parents would tell us to go play and come back when dinner was ready. I don’t remember offering them much grief in this respect. I learned about rocks, trees, and mangoes from playing outside in the northeastern Brazilian heat. There was time for some games, and we treasured that first Nintendo as if we had leaped into the future for an hour. Today, of course, all of these things are mundane; almost a right of passage to fit into our cultural milieu. “Go play” is now synonymous with “Stay in your room, which you have all day, and play that thing until your heart is content.”

It’s my contention that if our children and young adults were to go to bed tired, and at times exhausted, their minds would go through some form of re-wiring that wouldn’t end in a steady diet of pornography. If our young men understood that to labor is to train our bodies for warfare, then that common temptation between 9pm-2am (the most common times for porn consumption) would be diminished significantly.

Of course, there is no sure-proof exercise, but there are sure-proof strategies to reduce the temptations of men. It is common sense that if you live by the screen you will die by the screen. It is also common sense that if you are tired from a day of hard work, your reward is to sleep, not to indulge the flesh.

The Spirit changes hearts and minds; the Spirit leads to repentance; the Spirit re-wires the mind and if we wish to see how much more attuned we would be to work of the Spirit, we would do well to forsake the deeds of the flesh and work hard for our labors are not in vain.

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Four Principles of Modesty for Our Daughters

A seminary professor once said that one year in the full-time ministry equals seven in ordinary time. If that is the case, I am in my 91st year. That coupled with my old-soul tendencies make me a prime candidate for the disease of out-of-touchedness with modern trends in society. Since I assume such posture boldly, I thought I’d start this mid-week by delving into a topic that most Christians would not dare touch for fear of sounding puritanical or an archaic ogre.

I touch on it because I have a daughter and have the kinds of concerns that daddies have when they see their beautiful girls growing up. So, while I expect these principles to fail the perfection test and pragmatic test at times, they are principles for my daughter which may be of interest to other parents out there trying to figure out this modesty business.

For what it’s worth, I am of the Latin variety, which means that any pre-conceived notion that these principles come from some westernized attempt to impose Elizabethan, blah, blah, blah. But I digress. I suppose I am going against the presuppositions of my own cultural upbringing.

You see, I grew up in a tropical country where views on modesty went out the window before any conversation ever started. Anything was allowed because after all the sun will drain us of life unless we wear fewer things or reveal more things. And the people trying to think through modesty when I was growing up were exceedingly rigid and failed to convey their principles winsomely. They lost that battle. I firmly believe these are conversations that dads need to have with their daughters and one reason they are not happening is that we have allowed the entertainment industry to set the agenda for our girls.

Many years ago I came across the principles an Eastern Orthodox financial/business expert by the name of Michael Hyatt–certainly no hyper-patriarchal figure– gave to his daughters growing up. They were concise and to the point. I don’t think I need a letter explaining human biology nor the biblical ethic of female modesty, so I am assuming a fairly knowledgeable readership. So, here are Hyatt’s four principles:

a) If you have trouble getting into it or out of it, it is probably not modest.

b) If you have to be careful when you sit down or bend over, it is probably not modest.

c) If people look at any part of your body before looking at your face, it is probably not modest.

d) If you can see your most private body parts or an outline of your undergarments through the fabric, it is probably not modest.

Again, these are not perfect principles and there is room for further conversation; however, I do think they are principles for the beginning of a good conversation that few want to tackle.

I know, I know. Why did I have to go there? Honestly, my answer is that our daughters belong to God and God does care about what we convey with our bodies and clothes and my old age allows me to act curmudgeonly at least once a day.

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Sweating and the Sonic Worker

So there we were enjoying an afternoon of 96 degrees at a soccer field with my boys. Afterward, we decided to compensate our efforts with a Sonic slushie, which is a combination of refreshing sugar mixed with ice. When we arrived, the booths were half full, and so we calmly paused our sweaty bodies to order. But no one answered. We tried three, nay four other booths, but to no avail.

We decided to get out of the car and get close to the action to ensure we enjoyed our predestined goodie. As we arrived, two young folks were vaping their way through life as one does on a 96-degree afternoon. The young lady and I began a conversation and she kindly decided to abandon her smoke break and personally get our drinks. I began to question the young man about their understaffed workroom. As we talked, several drivers decided to express their ingratitude with choice words and a symbolic thumbs down. The poor fella began to opine about the lack of workers, and his frustration with his full-time work that barely pays the bills, while some of his friends decided to pull some line about being incapable of work to receive government goods, even doubling the amount of money he makes working.

The entire thing is a pity of epic distortions. The reality, as POLITICO informs, is that the workforce since June of 2020 has not changed much. The four million Americans who dropped out of the workforce during Tropical Storm Covid continue on the sidelines.

Just in the last two weeks, I have heard multiple stories about owners frustrated with the lack of stability among employees. They come and quickly discover that work is not a thing they would like to invest in. Solomon says a lot about this topic, and among his sayings, he observes that those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense. “Chasing fantasies” is a good way to express many who have abandoned the workforce. They continue to indulge in a world that is a complete set of “fake news!”

The motivating factor, which was already low, has gotten even lower, and the vast array of teenage mutant non-ninja turtles are walking their way through life with a beer gut that belongs to men my age. But they fantasize about their porn while enjoying the nutrition of giants as they greet their own friends at the fast-food lines using the money Uncle Joe sent them with an attached emoji.

Most certainly what we are experiencing are the psychological consequences of a poor work ethic among millions, and reflecting clearly in a Biden administration who despises prosperity. This group of charlatans in the White House make a mockery out of sweat. In fact, there is no greater bliss than the bliss of sweat among thorns and thistles, and the White House economic team knows it and does not want it.

~~I know there are exceptions to such things, but the word on the street is that exceptions doth not a rule make.~~

We have reached a point in society where a young working man at a Sonic vaping in 96-degree weather is now the symbol of perseverance. The Puritan work ethic is now rolling in its grave and John Owen would wish to write his 20th volume on Hebrews just to address this ethical famine in our land.

My exhortation to you on this glorious Monday is to add a word of encouragement to the waiter, the mechanic, and the handyman whom you meet. Praise the man who works and let him know that he is doing a good deed, even when his three roommates are sleeping in ’til midday. The righteous Sonic worker shall inherit the earth.

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Labor Day Meditation

Labor Day has been a federal holiday in this country since 1894, but long ago Solomon already opined on the importance of work: “A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied (Prov. 13:4).”

The Christian looks at Labor Day through the lens of the Apostle Paul’s view of work when he concluded his great tome on the resurrection in I Corinthians 15:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Paul believed that the fruit of the resurrection bears fruit in our labors. We labor in resurrection style, not as those without hope. We labor because our work has continuing worth long after we are done.

Lester Dekoster defines work as that “which gives meaning to life because it is the form in which we make ourselves useful to others.” In our labors we bring extended satisfaction to others and ourselves. If we did not work, we could never give back what rightly belongs to God in tithes and offerings. If we did not work we could never support the vast missionary enterprise throughout the world. If we did not labor we could never enjoy the fruits of our labors in hospitality and charity.

Our work is a form of eternal stewardship. We labor on earth because it is a glimpse of how we will labor for all eternity. We labor on earth because we are stewards of the earth and we will labor in heaven because all of creation will be ours. We will never stop working! On this Labor Day, consider the meaning of your work. What you do is not in vain in this world or in the world to come.

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Three Things I would Stress to a Young Man

Dear friend,

You asked about priorities to stress to your teenage son as he begins to think about marriage one day. I know these are not exhaustive, but it should help you form an outline. I would stress three things:

First, I would stress “savings.” Eating out with friends is a luxury, not a habit. As for clothes, I would encourage him to have a couple of nice suits for special occasions. Look for quality, but don’t allow them to be drawn by the idiotic commercialism of the day. Also, if he doesn’t have a bank account, he needs to open one up now. If a man comes to me one day and says, “I would like to date/court your daughter,” but has nothing in his savings account, I would like to kindly encourage him to come back later when that scenario has changed. How much savings should he have? Enough to show his competence. Situations will vary, but that’s a good starting place.

Second, I would stress “skills.” If your son’s skills are limited to a box in his room, you need to have a conversation. Let’s assume he has no idea what he wants to do. There are aptitude/career tests he can take. And I would certainly encourage him to talk to a pastor or teacher who may know a bit more about his abilities. If he does have something specific in mind he wishes to pursue, like engineering or business, he still needs to have an additional skill to fall back in the interim. There are always gifted people in your local church from whom he may learn or even do an internship.

Finally, I would stress “service.” If your son is not engaged in helping the local church or if he is merely a consumer at home, that needs to change. If he is to love his future wife, sacrifice for her, serve her in sickness and in health, and yet, has no interest in serving right now, that is problematic. A service-oriented husband is not created in one day.

Much more could be said, but I hope this helps you direct your son in the right direction.

Yours truly,
Pastor Brito

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What is Holy Saturday?

The Passion Week provides diverse theological emotions for the people of God. Palm Sunday commences with the entrance of a divine King riding on a donkey. He comes in ancient royal transportation. The royal procession illicit shouts of benediction, but concludes only a few days later with shouts of crucifixion as the king is hung on a tree.

The Church also celebrates Maundy Thursday as our Messiah provides a new commandment to love one another just as He loved us. The newness of the commandments is not an indication that love was not revealed prior (Lev. 19), but that love is now incarnate in the person of love, Jesus Christ. We then proceed to sing of the anguish of that Good Friday as our blessed Lord is humiliated by soldiers and scolded by the offensive words of the religious leaders of the day. As he walks to the Mount, his pain testifies to Paul’s words that he suffered even to the point of death (Phil. 2). But hidden in this glaringly distasteful mixture of blood, vinegar, and bruised flesh is the calmness of the day after our Lord’s crucifixion.

After fulfilling the great Davidic promise in Psalm 22, our Lord rests from his labors in the tomb. Whatever may have happened in those days before his resurrection, we know that Christ’s work as the unblemished offering of love was finished.

The Church calls this day Blessed Sabbath or more commonly, Holy Saturday. On this day, our Lord reposed (rested) from his accomplishments. Many throughout history also believe that Holy Saturday is a fulfillment of Moses’ words:

God blessed the seventh day. This is the blessed Sabbath. This is the day of rest, on which the only-begotten Son of God rested from all His works . . .(Gen. 2:2)

The Church links this day with the creation account. On day seven Yahweh rested and enjoyed the fruit of his creation. Jesus Christ also rested in the rest given to him by the Father and enjoyed the fruits of the New Creation he began to establish and would be brought to light on the next day.

As Alexander Schmemann observed:

Now Christ, the Son of God through whom all things were created, has come to restore man to communion with God. He thereby completes creation. All things are again as they should be. His mission is consummated. On the Blessed Sabbath He rests from all His works.

Holy Saturday is a day of rest for God’s people; a foretaste of the true Rest that comes in the Risen Christ. The calmness of Holy Saturday makes room for the explosion of Easter Sunday. On this day, we remember that the darkness of the grave and the resting of the Son were only temporary for when a New Creation bursts into the scene the risen Lord of glory cannot contain his joy, and so he gives it to us.

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A Review of “Unstoppable” with Kirk Cameron

The thought of spending $12.50 on a movie frightens me. I am perfectly content watching my favorite latest series on Netflix. The thought of going to a movie theater no longer appeals to me as it did ten years ago. So what would compel me to visit the theater this time? I confess, I was intrigued. I have been following Kirk Cameron for some time now. Kirk’s rise to stardom occurred in the late 80’s with Growing Pains. Since then, Cameron has come to Jesus and turned his career toward the Christian movie industry. His official entrance into the evangelical scene came in the 2000 movie, Left Behind. In those days, Cameron had drunk deeply of Tim Lahaye’s best sellers. The Left Behind series became a sensation. The 16-part novels emphasized the rapture, a popular evangelical doctrine of the end-times. The “Rapture” occurs when Jesus calls His Church home. The vision of falling airplanes, tightly folded clothes, and millions of people disappearing has become more than fiction; to many, it is Christianity in its purest form. And Cameron’s movies became the face of it.

Fast forward several years. Cameron’s involvement in broad apologetic and evangelistic work with Ray Comfort has given him some notoriety. He has spoken courageously on a host of moral issues and has received the type of media persecution expected from those who are antagonistic to the exclusivity of Jesus.

Cameron’s personal journey led him to some interesting theological figures. His youthful appeal can be deceiving. Kirk has actually become a fine thinker. And the greatest proof of his ability to engage the world of the Bible intelligently is his latest movie entitled “Unstoppable.” Originally presented to an audience of 10,000 people at Liberty University, Cameron explores the traditional question of theodicy: “If God is sovereign, why does He allow bad things to happen to good people?” a

A Case for Christian Activism

The theme song summarizes the basic thrust of the movie. There is a time to speak and that time is now. Cameron’s investigation provides an apologetic for Christian activism. The former Growing Pains star is now calling Christians everywhere to grow up. Speak for Christ. Defend Christ. The whole world has become a platform for the Christian vision.

This journey seeks to offer some answers to the broad questions of good and evil. Instead of entering into the philosophical arena, Kirk enters into the narrative of redemptive history. The drama of life is being enacted in this great stage. Unstoppable presents a narrative theology that is often unheard of in the evangelical pulpit. This narrative is both compelling and rich. It is a story that starts in the beginning.

Narratival Theology

Through very rich imagery, Cameron takes us through the formation of man. Man is created with authority and that is most clearly seen in his ability to name animals. In doing so, Adam mimics His Creator. God gives man a mission to heavenize earth.  The heavenification project began in the Garden. Adam then is put to sleep and, from his side, God forms woman, who is flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone. This beautiful, poetic, creative act, now puts man and woman at the center of God’s great plans for history.

Man was to have dominion over all things. And the first great test they faced came in the form of a beast. Adam should have smelt it a mile away. He should have crushed it. But the compelling drama goes from the safety of the garden into the danger of the forbidden fruit. Adam’s sin plunges humanity into chaos. But in the middle of this cosmic betrayal, God does not betray His creation. He makes a promise (Gen. 3:15). Even after Adam and Eve leave the garden He continues to provide for them.

But the narrative continues in bloody fashion. Humanity experiences its first death: the death of a son, the death of a brother. God then places on Cain the first true mark of the beast.

At this point, Kirk Cameron explores the persuasiveness of this narrative. This is a narrative, he argues, that would not sell. In Genesis, the Creator of the world destroys His own creation when He sent a great deluge to drown humanity in their sin. Why would the Protagonist do this? It is here when Cameron shines in his narration. He argues that God packs the whole world in a wooden box and then re-opens the box (the ark) to a new and better world. The new world is born through tragedy. The story is persuasive because it does not hide the consequences of sin.

The Theology of Unstoppable

Unstoppable is a short commentary on Genesis, which is consequently a commentary on the whole Bible. The great rainbow (bow) serves as an instrument of war. God took that instrument and directed it to His only begotten Son at the cross. At the cross, Christ was brutally murdered by His own creation. But it is precisely at the cross, argues Cameron, that “Jesus flips death on its head by dying for His enemies.” After death came life. Life burst from the grave. In fact, every graveyard is a garden. And one day, “each seed will burst into a new world.”

It is in this resurrection theme that Cameron transforms the question of evil into a case for the God who redeems humanity and will bring humanity from the dust of the earth into a new creation. Cameron takes the death of his young friend and uses it as an example for how grieving is not the end of the story. God’s purposes are unstoppable.

This is not your typical Bible story telling. Cameron weaved into his narrative a robust view of creation. Creation is not something to be despised or rejected. Creation was not left behind by its God. Creation is being redeemed by its Maker. Redeemed humanity united to the Final Adam, Jesus Christ, is now commissioned to disciple the nations and make the glory of God known.

Evangelicals will be deeply shocked by its overwhelming optimism. Cameron does not end in lament, but in triumph. The Christian vision is not an escapist one. It is a mission grounded in resurrection joy. And because of this, evil does not have the final word. God cannot be stopped. His purposes will be accomplished in history. His glory will be known from sea to sea.

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JANUARY 28, 2014

CHURCH SHOWINGS BEGIN NOVEMBER 15!

  1. Inherent in the question, is “How can He allow bad things to happen to Christians?  (back)
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