What’s the Good in the Midst of the Bad?

So what good in the midst of the bad talk will discuss today right here on the Christian worldview radio program were the mission is to sharpen the biblical worldview of Christians and to proclaim the good news the gospel that all people can be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, David Wheaton, the host in our website the Christian worldview.org thanks for joining us for our live program here on the Christian Realty. As we discussed, what's the good in the midst of all the bad that is taken place this year in the year 2020. Now one of the most well-known and frankly, misused passages in Scripture is Romans 828 and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Now it in a nutshell, the apostle is saying, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God uses everything in life the hard things the good things and everything in between. All things for good purposes in the life of the believer.

Now it's been very well documented, and we all know that 20/20 has been a very unusual and very hard year is been a global pandemic and the government response to it has impacted almost everyone the shutdowns and illness in all their new normal were living in at this point and in history. There's been civil unrest based on accusations of quote social injustice that that is occurring on streets all over America, people have died.

Businesses have been lost all kinds of bad things have happened. School has been shut down and then disrupted and come back this year and different areas of the country have very different formats for schooling jobs have been lost.

People have lost their businesses economic downturn churches of course have been shut down and are still shut down or highly reg regulated from people coming together to worship political viewpoints have become extremely polarized and is going to become more so now. Even if you thought the election was going to be intense now that Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a Supreme Court justice, died yesterday on those open seen a Supreme Court you can imagine how extremely more intense.

This election cycle is going to become news reporting, it is blatantly biased it sit there since no one's trying to report the facts are there is always a worldview given try to persuade people to to vote a certain way, and overall I think people are just anxious people are no just wondering what's going to happen here this this is so unusual this year were minimal election. Now what happens if the election doesn't go well and there is a deceptive dispute about who wanders fraud and were just leave our country were to leave a country with one side winning over the other.

What what's what's gonna happen here so in the midst of all this that's going on. A lot of people say it's bad is really good and all of it, and if there is good what is it that's were going to discuss today on the Christian Realty because there are some things that are good things that God is doing for his people, and for his glory in the midst of all this, and that he will get the glory. In the end before we get to that this one, or remind everyone today listening if your regular listener supporter of the Christian worldview that we have our golf event on this coming Monday.

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Okay now just want to get those announcement out of the way and let's get into the good that God is doing in the midst of the bad. I think you need to define good first and what what is good whiles good is something that brings glory to God or something that conforms us to the image of his son is not just you know you know something that happens to us materially week we get a new car or something that happens that that we like or makes us happy, and so forth, but ultimately good is how God defines it in God defines it as anything that brings direct glory to him or directs the believer, or causes the believer to be transformed to becoming more like his son. That's good mafic this verse that we started out with today in Romans chapter 8 we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those Europe who are called according to his purpose. Next verse is were described for those whom God for new he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son so that he his son Christ would be the firstborn among many brethren so that that is the point of the Christian life.

That is the ultimate good to bring glory to God and for believers to become more like his son.

So other good things out.

Beyond that, are acts of or words of righteousness and forgiveness speaking the truth in love, hatred of evil is is a good thing. The Scripture says or in Galatians chapter 5 the fruit of the spirit is a good thing, love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. That's all good now. Conversely, what is bad bad is not necessarily what we often think of as bad. We will not think of your persecution as bad, or loss of civil freedoms as bad or economic hardship is bad or health problems is bad or relational conflicts or trials in life that is bad but that's not necessarily so those are hard things, but not necessarily bad things, bad things I would define as our sinful things and then the passage in Galatians 6 that describes what those bad things are. So if these are marked in your life. This is bad. The deeds of the flesh are evident, which are immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry. These are all bad things, sorcery, enmities and strife, jealousy, outburst of anger is his bad disputes, dissensions, factions envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you not even tell you how bad these things are that those who practice these things these bad things will not inherit the kingdom of God and those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires all those that long list. There of passions and desires.

Those are bad things of bad things are sinful things that there is one of the worst bad thing though. I even beyond that list is the worst bad thing is to die without being reconciled to God without being made right with God without repenting and believing in and who Christ is and what he did for you and then being sentenced to hell and having to pay the penalty for your own sins. That is the worst bad thing in the world. So if you think bad things are happening to you, or have happened to you and I'm I'm not discounting or downplaying it. But it's not the worst bad. The worst bad is to die without being reconciled to God because everything else God can take that, the difficult, the hard, the challenging the testing is Romans 828 says he can turn those things into good. So even the sinful things that we've done in our life. God can turn into good if we repent and turn intern and surrender and turn toward God. Even the bad things like adultery and divorce and conflicts and all those other things. Even the things that list I read from Galatians 5. God can cause those bad things will sinful things to turn into something good. If we repent and believe the gospel so there was that there is the definition of good being things that glorify God or or transform us into becoming like a son versus the bad which is sinful things which, in the worst bad being rejecting God's offer of reconciliation through his son now just one little caveat here. You probably noticed it in Romans 828 that this passage that God causes all things to work together for good. Notice who it applies to this applies to just believers, not nonbelievers. We know that God causes all things to work together for good Hutu who to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose and that it goes on to this incredible chain of how God for the four walrus reader for those whom he foreknew this is God before time even started. He'd already determined who he would foreknew the same is actually better way of thing is for love to. He had decided to love and advance.

He also predestined those he for loved to become conformed to the image of his son so he might be the firstborn among many brethren, in whom he predestined he had predestined them to be saved. He also called them. So there's a calling and those that he called he actually justify the means declared righteous in these whom he justified. He's also going to glorify someday.

I mean to think for anyone to think that God is not sovereign in the salvation of souls is just blatant and willful rejection of what Scripture clearly teaches all yes there is responsibility for man, you must repent and believe the gospel, that's for sure but it starts with God for loving and then predestined thing and then calling and then and then justifying in and of eventually glorifying it's a very very powerful passage, but these good things these things that God causes for good.

That's for unbelievers, so when bad things are sinful things happen to unbelievers and they don't respond to those things in the way that God wants us to repentance and faith.

There is not a good outcome and without that repentance of sin and faith in Christ.

It ultimately's to again that worst bad, which is eternity in hell. Now I know that sounds very harsh, but this is what the Bible teaches and really for believers. This should be an encouragement that no matter what happens in your life God causes good things good from difficult things God uses those things to to create good in us to transform us into the likeness of his son and also bring glory to himself.

That's a pretty incredible truth of God's word that he can take hard things bad things difficult things from this year and turn them into good in the life of the believer. So let's go over a few of the things that that God has caused for good in the midst of a difficult year. We've had the coronavirus global pandemic. We've had unrest in the in the in the streets of our country we have a very divided country. We have a divisive and contentious election going on right now, but I think there is at least three things that are taking place right now that we can firmly say based on Scripture that they are good going on, that God is using this difficult hard time to bring good. Now of course I can't see whole of God's purposes, so I'm just going to give a few examples that seem that seem clearly where God is working for good in the first one is a misguided outline and get into the second segment that the gospel is being declared and proclaimed boldly seen this in many places I've never seen it before.

Number two were getting clarity on people and policies that wouldn't have happened if this hadn't happened in number three.

People are reprioritizing the important things in their life will come back and discuss those rare for this first break that in the Christian Bible says that children should be raised in the discipline and instruction of the Lord is nothing more important than sitting, walking, talking and teaching your son or daughter to love and fear God, the church is swimming in children's resources, but it's also important to select ones that accurately represent God's word, the gospel and I store the Christian worldview.or we are intentional about offering resources to build a sound and strong faith in children, you will find several models for children and raccoons look serious and good news for little heart series. We also have video and audio resources like video and sugar creaking, browse the mom the Christian worldview.org and then use them daily with the child.

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I arrived.

I've seen some ads that Franklin Graham's ministry think the Samaritan's purse is taken out or the Billy Graham evangelistic Association. Not sure which one but take out 62nd ads on on Fox for Franklin Graham just to directly speak the gospel.

Me, I don't ever, ever remember something like that happening where in a commercial break on a major news network. You have a man explaining what the gospel is again it's in the direction they actually sense were in such a time that people are looking for hope and looking for what was going on here what's there with the why my here and you know what was going to happen in the future and they're taking out ads to do that. I saw it last night the Martha McCallum show on Fox go former football parent named Jack Brewer was basically giving the gospel again just in one of his answers as they were arguing over policy with that he's a black guy. News there is another guy who is liberal nor black. I was liberal. There are going over policy in the inner-city and Jack Brewer. All of a sudden just launched right and they said this is a spiritual problem.

This is going to change until hearts change.

People turn to Jesus Christ and him he was going on out there's here we are in just a regular news network. The gospel is being proclaimed, and in the midst of all this unrest here. This comes out just very clearly, but the third example I want to give give of the gospel being proclaimed boldly is that John MacArthur, the pastor from California was on Fox news again this week. He's been on now I believe is been on several of the programs there and he was on the Laura Ingram show this week and she is church.

If you have been following this in California. Grace Community Church has been, there's a good is a statewide mandate that churches basically have to be shut down or very very restrictive meeting parameters. All the while big-box stores and liquor stores and all other kinds of things are deemed essential were the church is not deemed essential and so MacArthur and his church have decided well you we have a higher call here were told by Scripture to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together assembly means to come together in person. That doesn't mean watching Internet service on on TV mean they did it for a little while until they saw, you know how bad the virus was, but then in time they said while working to start doing church again because we must obey God rather than men so throughout this so-called bad of the threats and the persecution that this the County of Los Angeles, the city is making on Grace Community Church. Well lo and behold John MacArthur is getting interviewed all over the place, and during those interviews. Lo and behold, outcomes the gospel. So here's what happened.

Laura Ingram show earlier this week I was watching the interview and just was pretty amazed at what a good thing that's come out of something that we would deem negative. The other stricture of his church in California pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church joins me. Now that's MacArthur some important for you to stand up to these onerous edicts. Well, we believe that the governor, the county, the city and the health department are going against the Constitution and just to remove one obvious question the rate of Covidien California is 1/100 of 1%, so 1/100 of 1% of 40 million people have coded and that eliminates freedom to worship from the entire state that is the onerous reality the Constitution supports us and by the way, I am so thankful that Pres. Trump has told me personally that he supports the church as essential.

The churches need to stay open so with the Constitution on our side on the president's backing, where open okay so the first answer to the question is what eating with his government overreach as it is overreached.

Look at the this virus is is not impacting as many people as we were told it is, it was split supposed of course, for those it is it it has impacted people. Of course, but to go to this overreach based on his way beyond what government should be doing. The evidence is in there. The Constitution supports us a very interesting present chop has contacted John MacArthur personally and is on his side in opening his church.

That's very significant going to the second question past MacArthur, Harris thanks wherein essentially World War II. This is not about punishment it's it's not about big brother is simply about saying what a leader or leader status in times of crisis, and this is the look at World War II. Look at the Great Depression where leaders said we have to sacrifice for the sake of the nation and the collective. And this is now half a million Americans die during World War II try to free Europe from the grip of Nazi Germany. Is that similar past MacArthur to what's happening now to somehow justify depriving people of their inalienable rights to assemble to petition the government.

And of course to worship as a community okay you watch the opportunity taken here to launch directly to the gospel. Well of course not. But it's more than that. Laura the church preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ that Jesus died and rose again and is the only source of eternal salvation with the church doesn't exist to make sure it navigates around politicians whims the church exists in the world to preach the saving gospel of Christ were not concerned about the flu were concerned about eternity, eternal life salvation and the more dire circumstances become in the world around us. The more critical the more essential the church becomes and the more important the gospel becomes tell you something.

Our church is literally flooded with people we have them in every nook and cranny jam together inside, outside, on several floors in our children's education building in the gym in a tent outside their flooding the place to hear the message of forgiveness and salvation in a time when fear is being propagated on every street okay again, this is Fox News prime time three or 4 million viewers listening to John MacArthur basically just give the gospel there and tell you what it's about. That is an opportunity that I never saw him were other pastors who faithfully preach the gospel have very often, at least if it hadn't been for this time of this government trying to shut down his church, you would never have been on Fox News and there we go, God taking a hard thing and turning into something good. Let's go on more with the interview past MacArthur. I listen to so many of your sermons over the years there unbelievable air incredible as a and not only of course your message about the gospel but your your courage and your strength at this time is is inspiring to say I'm a Roman Catholic, but I'm very disappointed with a lot of ways that the Catholic Church is, rolled over for the Sabino prohibitions and you turn around he said what is in jail working to preach the gospel people are coming when we try to be responsible, but look what is in jail. Did Gavin Newsom threatened to do anything to you personally for defying. Essentially, his order no. Not personally but that we received a letter with the threat that we could be fined or I could go to jail for a maximum of six months casino my my biblical hero apart from the Lord Jesus Christ is the apostle Paul and when he went into a town he didn't ask what the hotel was like yes with the jail was like, because he knew that's where it is going to spend his time so I don't mind being a little apostolic if they want us talking to Jayla.

I'm open for a jail ministry. I've done a lot of other ministries and haven't had the opportunity to do that one, so bring it on past MacArthur. I hope everyone across the country takes what you just said to heart because they work for us, not the other way around, and you just we can't rollover it to these ridiculous ongoing edicts that never involve the legislature. You notice that is no legislature involved just in executive fiat and that everyone supposed to go into a defensive crouch, but you are not in a day that I been so wanting to talk to. Thank you so much for coming out and come back soon okay what what the world and the government means for ill God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God.

Now that this kind of interview.

What you could even see the respect that Laura Ingram has for John MacArthur and Laura Ingram's Roman Catholic she she would not probably believe doctrinally, theologically what John MacArthur does mean the Roman Catholic Church. Their official teaching is faith plus works now that is a mean that Roman Catholics who attend Roman Catholic Church is necessary. Always believe that it always comes down to what you are trusting and are you trusting in Christ alone, by faith alone for salvation.

Are you trusting in in Christ. The work of Christ. Plus your own works as well, but the respect that you could see that Laura Ingram had for John MacArthur and his boldness not only had an impact on her, but also has an and bolding impact on those who are listening like to see this pastor who is like the sky strong this guys going to stand up and he's gonna stand for what the Bible says he's not gonna try to come and nibble around the edges and walk a tight rope and so forth. He's knocking to do things to just you know just purposely try to, you know create be provocative, but it's always based on what the Scripture says, and that that is the bottom line.

The authority of Scripture over and above governmental authority when governmental authority is trying to get a church to contradict what the Bible actually says so what a powerful moment to see on Fox News, MacArthur, unafraid, open to jail ministry. So on the surface. It's bad California is threatening MacArthur church lawsuit jail covert outbreak. The good is MacArthur speaking the gospel to a national audience. God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. We have two more coming up state Junior listing the Christian worldview.

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That's what changes of an individual. A sphere of influence of family, community, and by the way, just before I move on to point number two on the clarity that is is a good thing is come from result of this.

Everyone listening today. If you're a believer you should know and learn how to communicate the gospel simply in shortly and clearly and just as just to give a brief outline you can think of in your mind. Think of it in for four parts and they really all have to do with God, but the first one is God who God is. Start with that God is the creator. He's holy he's righteous were accountable to him, and he created us to be in relationship with him.

He created us to worship him.that's the purpose of everyone's life. That's why God created each and every one of us to be en route to know him and to worship him. That's .1 that gives someone the purpose for why were here. Oh that's the purpose of life is not just to make money and buy a big home and to do fun things. None of this, a higher purpose that God created you to know him and worship. And that's number one. Number two is the problem is that we are sinners and separated from God. Our sin separates us from God, and that sin brings for judgment. The wages of sin.

The Bible says is his death, so that God created us to be right with him to worship him, but were separated him number two because of our sin, that sin is going to bring God's judgment upon us so .31. Here's the good news the gospel is that God sent his son Jesus Christ to into our world and lived a perfectly sinless life so he could be the perfect sacrifice and pay the penalty that we deserve to pay for our sin and and that's the third point and then the fortress will what we do with this information. This this revelation this message that God is holy he created us to worship him, but were sinners and separate them under his judgment but he sent his son to reconcile us to himself what we do with this message, while the fourth one is repent and believe the gospel repent is turn from your sin and then turned to Christ and input your trust, your faith or hope your belief in him alone, who is the perfect son of God and what he did for you and the cross he paid the penalty that we deserve to pay for our sin so that God's wrath and justice could be satisfied. I was what one or two minutes everyone should be able to explain their faith story and give the gospel in a minute or so and be ready with that does nothing more important than the knowing how to articulate that because you're in a get into a situation you have to be John MacArthur and Fox news you make it into a conversation like this was someone on your street.

A neighbor at work who knows where it's going to happen.

Pray for those opportunities so you're ready to proclaim the gospel in the midst of a difficult time you're ready to bring it to to be a part of God causing all things to work together for good.

Okay, let's get the point number two. The good thing that's come out of this whole situation is if you receive a lot more clarity on the policies of the political parties. The policies of people policies of Christian leaders where they stand on the issue of clarity is always a good thing. Confusion is not Satan is that the master of confusion in the lie. So clarity is a good thing to get, we've learned you learn a lot about people. When there is pressure applied. Where do Christian leaders stand.

Who do they side with do they close down there churches indefinitely. Are they open them up. Do they stand for God's word over any threats from government press soundbite now from another cable network CNN.

They interviewed Andy Stanley mega-church pastor down in Atlanta.

He's a son of Charles Stanley, who by the way just retired from being the senior pastor of his church as we can. Every time for ministry be retiring from being the senior pastor of the church in lab. This is his son, who is a pastor of many churches is one big church many campuses down in Atlanta is a very very influential evangelical Christian in this country, and he has chosen to shut down all of his churches. I think through for the rest of the year. I'm not sure indefinitely, but for sure. Through the end of the year done exactly the opposite of what John MacArthur has chosen to do with Grace Community Church and here's how he explained it on CNN again this is a good thing that we have clarity, I wear a Christian leader like Andy Stanley stance.

One of the largest mega-churches in the country. Northpoint ministries has just said that it is suspending all in person worship for the rest of the year. This is a church with seven locations and around Atlanta, ministering to more than 30,000 people every Sunday. It does not go unnoticed when it pastor of with your reach. Says that he can't keep his congregation safe.

What are you saying that led you to this decision well-versed Kate, thanks for having me on this really was the context of our decision was we want to love our neighbors.

We want to be a good neighbor, and we will live our neighborhoods and work for our communities and we don't want to accidentally do something to our communities and I just want to interject here whenever you hear this love your neighbor phrase being used. There is usually something coming after that's going to be a compromise. Judges notice and you could really do anything well you know what we don't want to have.

We don't want to sing to aloud in church because someone might be offended by that outside who driving by. You might hear it.

I would want to preach the gospel to strongly I we don't want talk about sin and hell because at my defense.

We want to love our neighbors and not offend them, beware when someone especially Christian leader says we want to love our neighbors usually some sort of compromise is to follow. You understand that your viewers understand this, we have to go to the grocery store we have to the drugstore. We have work. We don't have to go to church so we have chosen to bring church the people in our community. Actually, people all over the world and this is a temporary shutdown, but the church is shut down is just our Sunday morning services, so this really was about the health of our congregation. But not just our congregation.

This is about the health of our entire community. I have heard other faith leaders early on in the pandemic, especially saying that churches are essential services, they must. You must have Sunday Sunday were the doors near doors must stay open what you say what you thinkleaders will should I church is an essential service but a one hour worship service with hundreds of people are in our case, thousands people out into a room is not an essential service and is one of the things people need understand our church and our staff are actually busy.

Or maybe that we've ever been. Because we reallocate assets personnel to serving in the community. In fact, the only church doing this lots of our churches have are very outward facing.

So were not close, but one hour worship service take. We can do that at home. It is by listening understands we can worship where we choose to worship so this is that that's not what the Bible says the Bible is not does never says that there is remote worship, church churches about the tea preaching of the word fellowship and fellowship is in person it's not over a television set breaking of bread, communion and prayer. That's what church is about. That's why the Bible says that the church is Clay see that's actually the word for assembly assembly means getting together.

It's a completely different and I believe wrong view of Scripture interpretation of Scripture by Andy Stanley in the worship service is one facet of a healthy church and we just decided to suspend that one facet of our local churches. An interesting thing Kate when we made this decision, about 85% response from our churches was positive about 15% was negative as you might imagine that we even into a political agenda or were basing this decision out of fear which is not the case, but the group that was the most outspoken in favor of this decision was the medical unit. She mentioned were a very large church with all kinds of people from all around the city of which is a very diversity the medical community immediately came out and applauded. This decision is that a.m. Andy people call me pastor an existing site and we know this is a difficult decision but for the protection of not just the church but the communities around the church. This was the right decision so that's the leader of the leading indicator so I don't know a date. I couldn't give the specifics, but when we feel like it is safe to bring people back in our auditoriums. We will open, but in the meantime we will continue to serve our community. So basically he's basing enough people people support this so therefore it's right in and doctors now have the doctors and the medical community been really right in this whole coronavirus pandemic everything so politicized in this listening to doctors in the majority of people in the church as your basis for you to decide here. It brings clarity, that's for sure brings clarity on where certain influential Christian leaders stand on the issues of our day will take a break and back more after this.

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That's one AAA 646-2233 or visit the Christian worldview.org final segment of the day here in the Christian worldview radio program were talking today about what's the good in the midst of all the bad that is taking place in the year 2020. Here in the states of America within the church and lots of people's individual lives in. We we we see from Romans 828 this well-known powerful verse in the true verse that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose of God does work all things together for good. Even the hard things, even sinful things and repent. But this is for believers, and God is causing good things to happen. The minutes of this, the gospel is being proclaimed boldly that that is God using the saving Gospel to reach those in the midst of this difficult situation wouldn't have these platforms to go and places into really speak the gospel boldly read music gave some examples of that of Franklin Graham and his ads on Fox and John MacArthur in his recent interview on Laura Ingram's program is that the leasing just wouldn't have happened if all that is taking place wasn't taking place.

Number two. We talked about that. Another good that's coming from this for believers is that we should be getting clarity on where Christian leaders stand in and what policies are being presented by the political part we should be. We ship understanding of of where people are.

That's a good thing because when you have that clarity you know what, that's not someone I want to be have a B is a primary teacher in my life is her from Andy Stanley takes a very low view of what Scripture says about meeting together as a church is not essential when you listen to.

We people in our church support so therefore must be right. The doctors say that it's safer not to meet us or not, churches, and essential to meet in person okay were were clear. Andy Stanley on on what you believe now and that's not someone personally get you knocking to tell you what to do. But that's not someone personally, I'd want to be taking Bible teaching from who's going to capitulate at a time, one he really should be standing up. This is the most essential time right now.

When people are were are struggling that there should be good churches proclaiming the gospel in sound doctrine. At this particular moment, history now is to get into another example of clarity, another Christian leader Tim Keller. He wrote a Facebook post believe it was this past week just about this upcoming election who Christians should consider voting for basically that the point of his short Facebook post is that Christians it's really a pure conscience. Christians can vote either way you can vote for Democrats. You can vote for Republicans is really according to your conscience.

He says the Bible binds my conscience to care for the poor, but it does not tell me the best practical way to care for the poor. Any particular strategy like high taxes and government services. That's that the Democrat value versus low taxes and private shared. It's a Republican or conservative value may be good and wise and maybe even somewhat inferred from other things. The Bible teaches, but they are not directly command and therefore we cannot insist that all Christians as a matter of conscience follow one or the other and back again to explain that, but basically saying you you either way, there's there's good ways to help the poor weather is through government taxing people then redistributing it redistributing in a completely unspiritual way how well that worked out for the poor in this country those on welfare is worked out terribly for them to look at inner-city communities around the country, but he saying that you know you can really is a Christian follow your conscience and vote either way you can vote for the party of Romans one, the Democrat party you support all the things in Romans one or we can support the Republican Party. I who is not the, the, that the Christian party so to speak, unless the least are not the anti-Crittenton struck the anti-Christian party.

He goes on to say the creek.

The Bible binds my conscience to love the immigrant but doesn't tell me how many legal immigrants to admit to the US every year doesn't. Not exactly prescribed immigration policy but yes it does. It says used good government should be a nation with law and order, not just let people come over the border and have unending amnesty for people who will you legally break our law. He goes on to say, the Bible tells me that abortion is a sin and a great evil, but it doesn't tell me a listen to this. It doesn't tell me the best way to decrease or end abortion in this country, nor which policies are more effective. This is Tim Keller.

One of the most popular and well-known influential evangelicals in the country, the cofounder of the Gospel coalition saying that doesn't tell me the best way to decrease your end abortion in this country there which policies are most effective use of the current political parties offer a potpourri of different positions on these and many other topics, most of which, as noted, the Bible does not speak to directly. This means when it comes to taking political positions and voting in determining alliances and political involvement.

The Christian has a liberty of conscience. Christians cannot say to other Christians. No Christian can vote for this and every Christian must vote for that. Unless you find a biblical command to that effect.

Admit that is just stunning.

Have to say just stunning. I mean I'm not stunned because I'm very familiar with what Tim Keller believes but it's just stunning that someone like this when something is so clear of what that what the Democrat party stands for.

We went over this a couple weeks ago and their right and their written there. There their platform stand for things is antithetical diametrically opposed word of God and again set the Republican Party's the Christian party but just just compare them and it just it's it's it's it's it's not it's not difficult and commentators to to this column while we were just whirling some more in support of course a mime cherry picking a couple, but a couple people wrote some good things.

What about up support a party of supports BLM black lives matter is for the destruction of the nuclear family homosexuality roster redefine the family and the father is ahead of it has a problem with men as leaders. What a party but a party supports abortion. So long Tim Keller. Another one right, the more I read this post, the more troubling I find it to be. It's almost sounds like he is saying don't worry, you can vote for either party are present because you've liberty of conscious affront entering that the Bible binds his conscience to care for the poor to love the immigrant, but does not bind is content to protect the unborn.

If it did, you could not vote for a party that is not only okay but promoting abortion. This person references John MacArthur again set recent no true Christian could vote Democrat because the parties adopted Romans one has their party product platform and I agree. So clarity is one thing. Another good thing that we are getting unaware certain people influential Christian leaders stand in the midst of these difficult trying things happening in the country and finally all this say this, the last good is I think people Christians are now prioritizing the important things that's another good that's taking place. You know when things go well, it is our natural human tendency to become complacent to not file such a strong need to draw near to God and we tend to go astray, and this is happened in the life of David member when he should have been off the battle.

He was kinda home in the spring when things got the battle he got complacent he was lazy not doing what he should have been doing. He sees Bathsheba. He gets involved in adultery will event eventually leads to the murder of her husband, and it's the same thing our lives as well to testing is a good thing.

This is why weightlifters lift weights. The resistance makes you stronger. Life without challenges in testing and trials. We just don't grow very much just the way we are and so with these trials. I believe many Christians I'm talking to are waking up and prioritizing the important things in life. Their faith, their family, their fellowship within the church. And that's a very very good thing that God is causing all things, even the hard things to work together for good. Thank you for listing the program today. Again, go to our website.

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