As Christians, we may have different opinions of the role of civil government. DFO sides with the proponents of larger, progressive civil government. I disagree with him but this difference is hardly worth any commentary. What is condemnable is he will repeat lies to accomplish his goals or win arguments.

Noteable are lies about Phil Hart – our legislative representative, who publicly defends the Bible and the Constitution – that he stole trees to build his home and is a tax cheat. While, on the other hand, you will find nothing in DFO’s columns condemning the formerly known as “Reagan Republicans” – his source for the inside scoop of the battles within the local Republican Central Committee – who three times brought ethics charges against Phil Hart which were dismissed for lack of evidence; or the fact that the formerly Reagan Republicans represented themselves as a non-profit group but were not registered and were a front for a for-profit campaign organization which works to get RINOs elected – and are currently under investigation by several agencies. DFO does not report both sides of an issue – just his.

Okay, even in the fact we are at opposite ends of the poles in this matter, one may agree with me in that he is openly biased but still question a public rebuke of this public figure. However, a true Christian knows he must please God rather than man (Psa 118:8, et al). This is taught all throughout Scripture. When we as a nation establish sin as our standard, we are in direct opposition to our Creator and Lawgiver. When we establish or promote idols – whether as gods or under cover of art, we are in direct oppostion to our Creator and Lord – we spit in the face of Almighty God. We do these things at our own peril, be it nationally, locally or personally. And here is where DFO shows his true colors: When the statue of Ganesha, the Hindu god, was placed on a corner of Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, DFO ridiculed those who opposed this. When Christians stood on the opposite corner from the statue with signs of protest and warning, DFO was standing among the Ganesha supporters, laughing it up and mocking his Christian brothers. I guess he has never read Psalm 1:1.

If you sit under David Oliveria to be instructed by him, beware and know he opposes the God of the Bible. I do not impute the entire church with this blame, although I wonder why he retains his authority there. This caution is directed only at the man DFO and not made against Hayden Bible Church. David Oliveria needs our prayers that God would wake him up and draw him back to standing for the Word of God.

Here is the ancient article:

Our elected officials and bureaucrats are dealing away our rights and freedoms like they are in some kind of a global crap game. In 1994, we said we were going to turn things around with the “Republican Revolution” but the game goes on as before. The players change and the leadership–if that’s what you call it–take on new faces. Where have the Republicans even begun to roll back unbridled bureaucracies? overweening government? and the rise of globalism? They have not. Instead they have sent new mandates to the States restricting our first and second amendments, expanding the role of government in education and now giving us ID cards.

Senator Orrin Hatch chairs the powerful judiciary committee of the Senate. It is this committee’s responsibility to evaluate the judicial nominations of the President. On one occasion when Mr. Hatch was speaking before the Heritage Foundation, he warned the audience of the activist judges that Clinton had appointed–that is, he told the conservative audience what they wanted to hear. When one of the listeners pointed out that Mr. Hatch voted for the last eighty-three out of eighty-five appointees, he left in disgust.

He is not alone. Many of our most sacred of candidates will speak the conservative line while voting for legislation that expands the size of civil government, increases spending and brings us into the New World Order. Linda Smith voted for the Careers Bill, the Terrorist Bill and the like. Now she is telling general audiences that she is working to make government better. What happened to smaller?

Do you remember her dramatic win by write-in vote in 1994? That was the campaign that pitted an extremely conservative Smith versus an extremely liberal Unsoeld. After such an unprecedented success, why did she win by such a slim margin and only after a recount in 1996? She will tell you that she was targeted by the unions. I believe, however, she ostracized too many conservatives with her globalistic voting record. I predict she will lose this next election.

I think that Randy Tate lost his 1996 election for the same reasons and for targeting his campaign toward the liberals. Remember his ads reminding the voters how he had increased entitlement spending? Now the Christian Coalition wants him to chair their club. They deserve him, he voted for the New World Order and larger civil government every chance he could. At least now, he will get a pension.

Why are the congressional Republicans telling us that the new budget is so great when it increases spending, continues to promote obscenity, dis-education and death? The sorry fact is that our children are saddled with this debt by the same people who are destroying their opportunities to produce wealth and pay the debt. What we have are Republicans who are trying to convince us that they need to vote for bad bills in order to get re-elected to protect us from the bad people who will vote for bad bills.

I have been fighting within the Republican Party for many years to protect the vision and direction. It is becoming painfully obvious why the leadership, many elected officials and their wanna-be groupies have worked so hard to eliminate any and every principle and standard within the Republican platform. They claim to want to reach out, be inclusive–be kinder and gentler. But the underlying motivation is to eliminate the benchmark–remove the standards by which their actions can be evaluated.

A party platform is the voice of the people, the grassroots. If a “conservative” platform can be orchestrated to emulate the state, the people will have no idea that they are being herded into a socialist, police state. The battle for the mind galvanizes my resolve. It is clear to me that we must fight even harder within the Party for Godly principles and standards. Then again, it may be time for a third party.

Last year, after the primary election, I had anticipated that Buchanan would accept the Taxpayer Party nomination–I believed he was winnable. When that failed to materialize, I believed that there was no viable opposition to Bill Clinton, except through the election of Bob Dole and Jack Kemp. I resolved in my heart that my vote was going to be a vote against Clinton (this is the first time that I had ever considered voting “against” rather than “for” anyone). What I really wanted, was for the election to be over and Clinton to be gone.

God used the influence of two good friends to turn me from my rationalization. Their efforts alone would have failed if God had not already put me under severe conviction. For every argument I put forward, my friend in Bothell would counter by reading excerpts from my own writings to refute me. Soon, I could no longer justify my pragmatism.

Bob Dole and Jack Kemp professed to be Christians, but their actions have proved that the Bible is not their foundation. In fact, more often than not they are hostile to Biblical principle. They are strangers to our Constitution, as well.

When I remember how Dole worked so hard to divide the Christians and separate them from the Republican Party; when I consider that he voted for the FACE bill, restricting our First Amendment rights to free speech in the protection of the unborn (two sections of the Constitution violated in this measure alone); when I consider his votes funding Planned Parenthood; when I consider how both men have worked diligently for bigger government–creating a new, improved, more efficient Tower of Babel; when I consider . . . I could not with a clear conscience say that I could defend my vote for these men before God–especially when two God-fearing men were running for that office.

Both Howard Phillips and Herb Titus–two men that I highly respect–are God-fearing. They understand the Biblical foundation of law and they both understand the Constitution of the United States of America. Howard Phillips’ credentials go back a long way in the fight for Godly leadership of our nation. Herb Titus was the founding dean of Liberty University’s School of Law. He has written extensively on our Biblical and Constitutional foundation. These men were the natural choice for anyone who wanted to return to the founding principles of this nation and set forth a Biblical standard for governing.

Last week a few political hacks got together to chew the fat. Once again, when I began to put forward conservative principles and how these may be impacting our pattern of governing, several of the others turned the conversation to pragmatism and winning. They posited the argument that it takes fifty-percent-plus-one vote to win. I countered that we have almost pragmatized and strategized ourselves into the New World Order. We can no longer continue to compromise just for the sake of winning. The majority of the establishment candidates have demonstrated that they are easily swayed by global forces, pensions and campaign financing. Within this context, we cannot continue to fight to win elections, we must start fighting for the truth of God’s Word and the souls of the people.

Whenever we get into these conversations about principles versus winning, someone always brings up the argument that Jesus told us to be shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves. Mat 10:16. In this sub-clause Christ was not speaking to winning elections, nor was He in anyway suggesting that we compromise His Word to accomplish our goals or agenda. If you read the verse in full and the following verse and on through verse twenty-two, you will understand that Christ was warning the disciples to discern well who their friends and true brothers in the Lord were. For many would infiltrate the church to hand the believers over to the authorities. He ends His instruction with this admonition: “All men will hate you because of Me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” If anything, Christ was warning against pragmatism.

This nation was not founded upon compromise and rationalism. It was founded upon the belief that we are accountable to God for the principles that we stand for and the people that we elevate to high office. And this foundation was paid for in blood. Our nation is no longer willing to pay for freedom with blood–most certainly not with social exile. We have seduced ourselves with the belief that we can pay for liberty with credit.

We will all stand before God; and the Bible warns us to fear God, not man. It is God who raises kings and deposes them, regardless of our form of civil government and regardless of our vote. I cannot run phalanx for God, nor can I help Him out-strategize the devil. If it is His will to send judgment upon us He will do just that. How do we know that the lack of electable candidates with any integrity may be a test upon the people of God to see where they will stand? If it is God’s will to break up the political parties, He will do that regardless of our compromise and coalitions. God Almighty reigns and it is our duty to give glory to Him.

My vote injects a bit of my character into the political arena. However possible, I want to inject Godly principles, not pragmatism nor compromise. I want to be able to stand before God and defend my vote. He will not reprimand me for lack of pragmatism–He won’t tell me that if I would have just compromised a little, He could have accomplished His will. On the other hand, He will reprimand me for lack of faith and failing to stand. We must hold up a standard and trust God with the results.

George Washington said, “If to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how can we afterward defend our work? Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest can repair. The rest is in the hands of God.” Jesus Christ told us that the kingdom of heaven is forcefully advancing and forceful men lay hold of it. Mat 11:12.

Many Christians want to talk about the love of God but few fear Him and keep His commands. According to John 15, if we don’t keep His commands, we are not abiding in Christ and will be like a branch thrown into the fire – these are the haters of Christ.

At first look, this may appear to claim salvation is a matter of works – obeying Christ’s commands. But nothing could be further from the truth. In John chapter fifteen, Jesus made clear “apart from Me, you can do nothing.” [v 5] And in the verse before this, He said, the branch cannot bear fruit by itself – it must abide in the vine to bear fruit. Therefore, this fruit bearing is a result of abiding in Christ. As Paul said in Ephesians chapter two, we are saved by grace, not of works – so that no man can boast in what he has done (v 8-9).

Some professing Christians like to claim Ephesians 2:8-9 for an easy salvation – “I don’t have to do anything because I am saved.” And they go back to their old life, or a cleaned up version of their old self indulgence. They neglect verse ten where Paul wrote, “we are His workmanship.” That is, our fruit is a result of God working through us – AND the rest of the verse explains how God predestined us to do good works and how we are called to walk in this lifestyle of good works. What Paul is saying in the three verses is we are saved by grace – there is nothing we can do to save our selves – no obedience to God will earn our salvation. However, if we are truly saved, we will walk in Christ’s commands and He will produce works, or fruit, in us.

Back to John fifteen: In verse ten, Jesus said, “If you keep My commands, you will abide in My love.” In chapter fourteen, verse fifteen, He said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands.” We must keep His commands to abide in His love – but not to worry – if we abide in His love, we will keep His commands. Therefore, keeping God’s commands and producing good fruit is a matter of abiding in Christ and Christ working through us.

There is something about John 15:1-6 that concerns me: Jesus said, in verse two, every branch that does not bear fruit, the Father takes away. In verse six, He said these branches are thrown into the fire – they are going to Hell. But these are branches – they are part of the vine – and in John 10:27-28 Jesus said His sheep will follow Him and none of them will perish and not one will be snatched out of the Father’s hand. So, when the saved are sheep, they are secure in their salvation but when they are branches, they do not appear to be secure anymore. Is this what Jesus meant? Is there a contradiction between these two illustrations?

To understand this dilemma better, let us look at the parable of the Sower (Mat 13:3-23). In this story, Christ gave the illustration of seed sown in different soils and there are three bad soils: the path, where the seed is plucked by the birds; among weeds where the seed is choked and cannot bear fruit; and the rocky soil, where the seed gathers enough nourishment to sprout but not enough to get rooted and continue. There are a lot of professing Christians in this third soil. They “get saved” and appear to produce fruit but the fruit is short lived, though it may be a couple weeks, a couple years or even a couple decades. When trials or persecutions come – or are prolonged, they fall away – even if they appear to hold on for a while. The problem is they did not abide in Christ. So, here they are – branches on the vine, but they are not part of the vine, so they are removed.

The sheep follow Christ – they abide in Him and are secure in their salvation. Some of the branches, however, do not abide, and as the Apostle John described them in 1John chapter two, they were among us but they were never part of us. They were branches on the vine according to their profession of faith but in fact they were antichrists – or haters of Christ.

So, let’s talk about haters: Many professing Christians “love God so much” but are not saved – they are really God haters. Jesus said, in Matthew 7:21-23, many will call Him “Lord, Lord” but are going to Hell. They will say to Him, “Lord, didn’t I do this for you and didn’t I do that for you – and didn’t I just love you so much?” He will say, “depart from Me – I never knew you.”

How can someone love God “so much” and still go to Hell? The answer is simple: they did not abide in Christ. The reason for this is also simple: they hated Christ. “What?” you say. The Bible makes clear our salvation is NOT a matter of feelings. Jeremiah 17:9 tells us our hearts are deceitful and thoroughly wicked. We may feel we love Jesus; we may go to church and every Christian event and function we can avail to ourselves; we may listen to Christian music and in every way define our lives as Christian – but if we do not abide in Christ, it can only be because we hate Him – and we are not saved.

John told of an event (John 2:23-25) where many believed in Christ but Christ did not entrust Himself to them. Or, as Matthew put it, “I never knew you.” Christ knows the heart of man – and we just discussed how the heart is deceitful and wicked. This salvation we hold dearly is not just a matter of believing as we are often taught. In fact, James tells us, the demons believe and tremble (James 2:19). John tells how Christ warned a group of “believers” (John 8:31-32): He said, “If you abide in My Word – get into it, study it and memorize it, that is, make it part of your life – then you are really My disciples and then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Understand this, Christ tells us believing is nothing without abiding. Abiding is everything – a true believer will abide.

Further on in John chapter fifteen, Jesus warns us the world will hate us (v 18f). Many professing Christians seek the friendship and acceptance of the world. In fact, many seek to frame Christianity to be pleasing to the world in the hope that many will “get saved.” But James warns us friendship with world is hostility, or hatred, toward God (James 4:4). Jesus said the world will hate Him. And to bend the Gospel to make it palatable to the world is to proclaim a different gospel and it does not represent the true Christ of the Bible. Jesus warned us in Matthew chapter ten, not to fear man but proclaim the Gospel, standing firm without denying Him (v 26-33). Then He said He did not come to bring peace – that is, Christ will not conform the Gospel to please the world. In fact, He said He brings a sword and the world – and even families – will divide between those who are willing to lose their lives for Him and those who cling to the world. In other words, the Gospel will divide between those who abide in Christ and seek to please God and those who hate Christ and seek to please man. We cannot love Christ while seeking to please man. We cannot love Christ while building our own empires. If we love Christ, we must expect the world to hate us – and we should desire nothing from it.

So, my friend, are you a true believer? Do not trust your heart – do not trust your feelings. Many God haters feel a love for God – some to overflowing. Examine your life in the light of the Word of God. Are you abiding in Christ or abiding in the world? John wrote if we do not continue in Christ’s teaching – abide in Christ and grow in the Word – we do not have God (2Joh 8). To know we are saved – to know the truth, we must abide in Christ.

I am seeking election to the court so the citizens of this state can have an experienced jurist who values the rights of private citizens. This is not just another political position to be filled with attack ads and sound bites. We need men and women who will stand on principle to protect the rights of every person, not just the political powerful or the popular.

During his time on the court Justice Sanders heard over 2,000 cases and wrote opinions in over 600. No other candidate has any appellate judicial experience.

Besides serving on the court he was an adjunct professor at the University of Washington School of Law and wrote scholarly articles. A chapter authored by Sanders in a criminal justice text is taught at Harvard Law School. His opinions were recognized nationwide and were the subject of scholarly debate and recognition.

Sanders’ favorite line in the state constitution provides it is the role of government “to protect and maintain individual rights.” “That’s what I tried to do in every case from the rights of the accused to property rights, from open government to the right to keep and bear arms,” he adds.

He has defended the rights of medical marijuana users and dissented in a case to support the rights of a black man brutally beaten by police. “No one is above the law”especially not the government. One of the most important duties of a justice is to protect private citizens when the government tries to violate their rights,” says Sanders.

On the Court, he gained a reputation for his open government cases and for protecting the people’s right to referendum and initiative. Sanders pointed to the recent 5-4 Supreme Court decision striking down an initiative against red light cameras. “Had I been on the court it would have been 5-4 the other way,” Sanders said.

Before his term on the bench, he was a practicing trial attorney in Bellevue. He lives on Vashon Island.

I listened to Billy Graham on Larry King’s radio show. Larry asked the minister what he thought of the President. I remember Mr. Graham praising Bill Clinton for the amazing work he had accomplished with the economy and foreign relations among other things. Then he compared the President’s lying and cheating ways with the average person’s daily sins. Larry King broke in with a question: maybe the minister was ready to forgive the President. Mr. Graham replied that he already had forgiven him.

While I was pounding on the dashboard, Billy Graham and Larry King discussed their worry that the people of this nation do not appear to be concerned with the blatant immorality and dishonesty in the White House. I hollered back to the radio, “Why should they? The highest minister in the land has forgiven him; we have all forgiven him!”

A friend told me he watched the President on some televangelist’s show. Bill Clinton expressed that he was just a “struggling Christian.” My friend confessed the show was so moving that he felt convicted for judging Mr. Clinton.

Last month, Dick Armey came to town. I went to a luncheon to hear him speak. I joined in the standing ovation as he came to the podium, because I believed he had earned it. He talked of many light and superficial things. Then he told us, as long as the polls showed the people favored the President’s cheating ways, he was not going to stand against him. Then he went on to admonish us that if we want to see leadership in Washington DC we had better show it from the grassroots. When we are ready to lead from the bottom, he will be there to provide leadership from the top. I could not bring myself to stand and applaud his speech.

Most our “leaders” are administrators and clerks. Few are willing to take the tough stands. They don’t mind organizing consensus but they don’t have the fortitude to lead! We wonder why the polls favor Clinton; but I would bet the polls would be different if the highest ministers and the highest legislators of the land would be willing to stand and say that sin is wrong!

They cannot do that. It would ruin the whole unity thing. One of my ex-pastors, or rather church administrator, used to harp on me to be in unity. To stand against sin was divisive, though he would never put it that way. What he would say was that our attitude was more important than the message though he could not prove that premise through Scriptures. Correcting the messenger’s attitude was more important than confronting the sin. And somehow, no matter how one presented their case, a stand against sin was always done in the “wrong attitude.”

He was uncomfortable with any disagreement. If we ever disagreed on the smallest point, the conversation would not continue until we could agree. I had to agree with him, not the reverse. I told him that I would consider his points as I examine the Scriptures; but that was divisive and he complained that I was destroying unity. I could never convince him we could be united despite our minor disagreements.

One day we were chatting and I expressed a concern that maybe half the church body was not Christian (it was a large church). I expected him to be upset with my assertion, instead he countered that thirty percent or less were probably Christian.

Another day, the pastor, a few elders and I were having a discussion (actually, it was an interrogation and I was to defend myself for bringing a message with the “wrong attitude.” The message was that the head elder had, among other things, been instrumental, while head of the school board, in incorporating homosexual education in the sex-Ed program and had convinced other Christians that it was abstinence based). During this conversation, I brought up our “statistics” of the less than half or less than thirty percent Christian.

Then I posited the question: If unity is the most important element, and we all need to agree to be united, doesn’t it follow that unity will be found at the mid-point, or fifty percent? The agreement was unanimous. So I proceeded: If unity is at the mid-point of our ideas and theology and we take the whole collective body of this church and we assume that less than half are Christian, then doesn’t it follow that the point of unity will be in non-Christian territory? This time, they all agreed I was divisive.

Friend, you can talk about all the black helicopters you want. You can list the conspiracies of the Illuminati. You can list the laws that our unelected bureaucrats are writing that are eroding our Constitution. For that matter, list the laws our elected officials are writing, as well including Republicans. You can talk about IMF, Federal Reserve and large multinational corporations. You can list our moral sins, including the promotion of abortion and homosexuality and the role they play in world population control. You can talk about environmental activists, religionists and “Christian” socialists like Tony Campolo. You can talk about the mega-church pastors, or facilitators, with their congregations of itching ears. To some degree, each is bringing us closer to the one-world government. But there is one element that is largely ignored and it is the most fundamental and the most insidious it is the common thread of all: Consensus and its message of Unity.

Right now, it is infecting our churches, schools, civil government and our social structure. This was the foundation for the Tower of Babel and it will be the foundation for the New World Order. Let us unite and not be scattered – we are brainwashed to be “nice,” to be “kinder, gentler,” to agree and not judge. God forbid that anyone should be like John the Baptist and hold our leaders accountable for their public sins!

Consensus rides at the edge of truth. Remember Satan’s words to Eve; “Did God really say” Consensus challenges us to re-examine the truth, to see if maybe we have misunderstood it. Christians have accepted the world’s definition of a “kinder, gentler, encouraging” person, so that we have forgotten our Biblical mandate to stand against sin and to teach all nations to obey God’s laws. Don’t the Scriptures tell us that the whole duty of man is to fear God and to keep His commandments? But the modern Christian message seems to be “God loves us.” So we add Christian faith to our collection of self-improvement tools.

The message of the Bible, however, is that our hearts are sinful, we cannot improve ourselves and we are bound for an eternity without God if not for His mercy and His love but His love demands obedience. That obedience is going to separate us from the world. We will not be casually different. Christ told the disciples that He came to bring a sword. Joel tells us, “Mighty are those who obey His command.” Christ affirmed this when He said, “The kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.”

Picture the battle, Satan and his armies are running to and fro, flailing their swords and deceiving the hearts of the people and the nations it is all-out war. Now, find the Christians, or those who claim to be: The leading ministers are preaching a message of forgiveness – to the point of condoning mans’ sins, because “God is love.” The local ministers preach “unity” and getting along in the community and on the job. The political leaders who claim to stand for Christian principles (or some derivation thereof, such as “Family Values”) refuse to stand because it would be divisive and they could lose elections. Instead, they focus on strategies and “majorities.” The swords of demonic armies are swinging and the blood is flowing, while the Christians are in meetings.

We all have an excuse to retreat not to stand out. If we are different from the world, we are casually different. From all appearances, our differences are only metaphysical we’ve got our act together. How absurd! If our focus is to be kind and gentle, why does the Bible talk so much about war?

Friends, our strategies have not won elections nor lost them. God has called us to stand. He is the One who raises kings and deposes them. It is by His pleasure alone that our elected officials are who they are. We have been willing to vote for the lesser of evils to satisfy short-term strategies and we are surprised at the evil in our land! Every minor defeat, we modify our strategy and we compromise with the enemy, hoping for a greater victory. But the angel of darkness keeps swinging his sword! The New World Order may soon come, but why should we help to usher it in?

God has called us to stand. Paul told us that after we have done everything to stand, to stand and stand firm! We have not done everything to stand. We are not standing firm and we have not raised a banner.

Where there is no vision the people perish, Solomon wrote. Hosea affirmed that the people perish for lack of knowledge. If we were to stand and stand firm, from the grassroots to the highest Christian leaders of the land, though we may suffer defeats at the beginning, eventually the people would understand there is a difference. In the long run we will prevail – Tandem Vincitur!

God save our nation.

What was interesting about the pro-abortion group, when discussing a bill requiring a woman to watch an ultrasound before choosing abortion, a spokesman for the group claimed we need to have less government, not more government intrusion between a woman and her physician. However, when the issue of animal abuse came up, he and other group members wanted more government regulation to “strike fear” into the people. And finally, cell phone use while driving was brought up. These same people argued intensely for more government restrictions on the use of cell phones.

These people are blinded by the death they embrace, they cannot see the hypocrisy in their arguments – or maybe they do not care, as long as they can make their points. They tried to sound Republican, however, one of the members arguing, referred to GOP members as “they” and that gave it away.

When arguing for more cell phone regulations, one of their outspoken members claimed while working in Washington State, he was nearly run off the road by four different drivers who were texting. Two things need to be pointed out about this: first, this happened in Washington State where there are already laws against texting and driving; second, he demonstrated clearly the law does not work and is not enforceable. Nonetheless, he was resolute – we need another law, even if the law cannot be practically applied.

What death can’t kill immediately, it will choke. People on the side of death tend to seek refuge in regulations. While people on the side of life understand we must leave some things to personal responsibility. The divide comes down to this: will we serve God or man – the state? Will we choose life or choose death? Choosing to serve God instills liberty and responsibility into our social fabric. Choosing the state, increases regulations and tyranny. This is why conversations of death and the law of liberty cannot mix.

Steve Vick, Phil Hart and Vito Barbieri are solid pro-life, conservative Christians. I am proud of them for sticking to their guns. They were polite to their dissenters, yet they did not budge from their positions – they did not try to win their votes, so to speak. Around the ultrasound question, Steve pointed out this is not about intruding upon the relationship of a woman and her physician; it is about saving the life of an unborn child. Phil Hart backed this up as constitutional, in that, the Declaration of Independence makes clear it is the responsibility of the state to protect our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

When discussing animal rights and making it a felony for torture or neglect of an animal, Vito pointed out it is a slippery slope without some kind of firewall to separate intentional torture and neglect that results from hardship. But the group was not deterred, they wanted the government to “strike fear” in the hearts of the people so that no animal is ever abused. When it became clear, during the conversation, most this “torture” was youthful pranks, Steve asked these people if they were willing that high school boys should spend a year in prison for assaulting an animal. Most of the group thought it was a reasonable idea.

The revealing note was the size of the pro-abortion, save-the-animals group. Our society is more and more turning their backs upon God’s laws and the founding principles of our nation to embrace the conversation of death. God save our nation.

In chapter 22 of Psalms, the description of the suffering Christ, we are told God is holy and sits enthroned on the praises of men. We know when Christ was crucified, He was rejected by Israel – they preferred the state over God. Where do our praises go? to our achievements – or the goals of man – or to God. Will we give Him enough praise and glory to sit upon?

What say you, friend: are we going to be friends of the world? or friends of God? Does friendship with God belong to you?

THE MEANING OF LIFE
by TJ Kastning

I was disaffected, disenfranchised, and disgusted
So few people I trusted, totally maladjusted

My religion failed me, a listing boat on a dead sea
To a blatant degree I did not foresee

I blamed all but myself and put Christ on the shelf
Foolishly enticed to misprice a diced Christ

Self-reliance and pseudoscience described my noncompliance
I yelled “defiance” in a war of grand alliance

I thought my logic and intellect would save the day
Though selfish illogic and human introspect led me astray

I thought I rebelled against a wrong church
It was a self-confident search from a hypocritical perch

Casting blame on the Christian name
Failing to claim the shell game of my shame

I was a pinball without aim
A guessing game all the same

I felt banned to no man’s land
I could not understand

Then there was a miracle
While I waned satirical, God’s mercy waxed empirical

In a predestined play God declared armistice day
I felt brokenly compelled to pray, mayday mayday

Even still, my heart was still hard and scarred and on-guard
I did not fully regard this love greeting card

He still poured down grace out of place
But I held my poker face, just in case

Undeserving of love I was
Reserving my soul He, because that is what he does

I cannot and will not resist anymore
It is a chore to ignore my role in this vital war

I am his fervent bond servant
Observant to be conversant with truth

On the stage floor of world war
I ask what is the score as you grope and implore after more

Every man feels eternity’s weight
Ecclesiastes 3:11 preaches this trait

No man finds God alone
Our bones groan to this fatal tone

Christ must save you, on this you MUST rely
No deed of petty moralism does salvation imply

For all have sinned and come short of glory
Embrace his forgiveness not just the good story

It is ironic to us that while we are all weak
God’s strength is sufficient, it is God we must seek

The limitless store of mercy will stay your trap door
The key to restore to prewar is to abandon your quest for yours

No one is good
You misunderstood

God’s precious gift is that we inherit eternal merit
Through the blood of Christ, twenty four karat

Do not be allured by the shiny deceit all around
No long-lasting crowns are found in shallow town

While some eat, drink, and be merry unwary
The Bride waits patiently, knowing He tarries

The point I am desperately making
There is more to life than waking, making, and taking

Seek for eternity!
It is not in fraternity

This world is passing away
You are merely clay in decay

We live in an arena
A coliseum, not a concertina

We can live in comfort and die infernal
Or fight for God’s glory and live eternal

Reflect Christ, instead of flesh
Make me like wheat for when you perfectly thresh

You say give thanks, but my flesh chases after wealth
Your great love cares little for comfort or bills of health

You say diligently walk in light to fight the blight
Not as religious rite, keep a Godly line of sight

The deeds of darkness are shamefully disguised
As pleasurable expressions of selfishness immortalized

The lust of the flesh and the pride of life
Is dangled by the one who swings the scythe

Walkers in light will see with spiritual eyes
Appraisers by grace, careful of the lies

Sin holds no lure, no bondage, no attraction
His sheep hear His voice and cling to prayerful action

The battle seems long and resistance comes dear
The price sometimes steep, but what have we to fear

Keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter the cost
Persevere through trial, nothing will be lost

Perfect He will present us, atonement fully made
Names in the Book of Life, penalty staid

Gleaming we will be, not of merit our own
No price we paid for our sin sadly sown

The victory is certain, it has been proclaimed
I will not be ashamed to be defamed, maimed, or unnamed

The Kingdom is forthcoming
The World is succumbing

Choose this day whom you will serve
Make no mistake, there is no grading on a curve

Though this young man may have had good intentions, he did not square what he wrote and performed with Scripture. He did not consider the definition of religion and lumped true religion in with false religions. Worse yet, he took the criticisms of the world against the church and validated them ad hoc.

He makes no allowances for mans’ fallen condition and makes no allowance that even true believers will wrestle with sin. Denying his own hypocrisy, he exposes it and gives the impression he believes himself to be wiser than those who have gone to church before him. There is little to commend in the lyrics and part of it is evil – good intentions cannot overcome bad doctrine.

What this young man did is catchy and this caters to those who “feel” about their faith – rather than abide in Christ. Rather than defend the truth – and encouraging others to do the same – he has missed it severely. To follow Jesus Christ with all our heart, soul and mind is religion – pure and simple.

Lines are unmarked. They are by the author, unchanged and uncorrected. Comments are in brackets [ ]:

What if I told you, Jesus came to abolish religion?

[Jesus did not come to abolish religion. He said not one dot of the "i" or cross of the "t" will be done away with (Mat 5:18). The Bible tells us Christ came to save sinners; to seek and save the lost; to do the Father's will and speak the words of the Father. Never once do the Scriptures even imply, let alone state, Christ came to abolish religion. So, if you told me Jesus came to abolish religion, you would be lying.]

What if I told you getting you to vote republican, really wasn’t his mission?

[Why would you tell me this? Which Christian ever claimed this? And why is political affiliation the first subject about religion, in this context? It is interesting he targets Republican, which appears to be his purpose. The majority of the Democratic Party also claim to be Christian and the Christian left forcefully urges the government to be the savior of the oppressed. By discrediting the right, did the writer imply the left was accomplishing Christ's mission? - that the state is the fulfillment of Christ's mission?]

Because republican doesn’t automatically mean Christian,
And just because you call some people blind, doesn’t automatically give you vision.

[First line: True, but again, who even makes the claim? As for the second line, is the writer claiming those who stand for Biblical principles and call for a return to God in the political arena are calling others blind, or being judgmental? Granted, some people come across judgmental but do we lump all who hold to this message as being in error, or hypocritical, for the sake of the few with poor attitudes? And, on the other hand, is the intolerant right more hypocritical than the intolerant left? And why does this have anything to do with religion, in this context? Implicitly, this young man is calling those who stand for truth to be blind and he tells them, as the lyrics progress, he has the vision. He is what he has judged.]

If religion is so great, why has it started so many wars?

[Total inaccurate view of history: the implication is majority and the charge is initiation. That many wars were joined by those who viewed their mission as an obligation toward God - whether misguided or not, the fact is, these wars were not a majority and often they were begun by opposing nations. Furthermore, there is good Biblical basis that all wars come from God. And as long as there is evil in the world, there will be wars. So, are we now justified to discredit God for originating and directing all these wars? If the religious are guilty, is God more guilty?]

Why does it build huge churches, but fails to feed the poor?

[So what does it matter if a church is large or elaborate? Who are you to judge whether these buildings are erected for the glory of God or not? This is God's business. Did Christ condemn Herod's Temple? Doesn't the Bible praise Solomon's Temple? Nonetheless, most these same churches that have beautiful buildings are also feeding the poor. To make his point, the young man judges and defames those who are doing good works for the sake of the few that don't.]

Tells single moms God doesn’t love them if they’ve ever been divorced

[That some who are religious are legalistic is no cause to discredit all who are religious and especially not those who are truly religious. Furthermore, finding those guilty of this line are fewer in our day than in days gone by. This is more of a straw man than a popular practice.]

Yet God in the Old Testament actually calls the religious people whores

[False. That some of the people accused may be religious does not imply God accused all who were religious. The accusation of whores was not due to being religious but was due to the accused's efforts to please man rather than God, or glorify themselves rather than God. You could say this is the same sin this young man is guilty of because little in these lyrics lines up with Scripture and, thus, cannot please or glorify God. It can only glorify himself and increase his own fame.]

Religion preaches grace, but another thing they practice,

[What religion preaches grace besides the Christian religion? Thus the writer lumps Christianity into the religion pool. And once again, that some are legalistic, he discredits all. That most of the religious are not Christian is ignored because it does not help him make his case.]

Tend to ridicule Gods people, they did it to John the Baptist,

[False religions will ridicule God's people but so does this young man in the lines of this poem, or rap.]

Cant fix their problems, so they try to mask it,
Not realizing that’s just like sprayin perfume on a casket

[This is true for all human nature - not just the religious are guilty of this. However, those who practice true religion are free from this because they understand though they wrestle with their human nature, as Paul describes in Romans chapter seven, there is no condemnation because of the work of Christ Jesus, as described in Romans chapter eight.]

Because the problem with religion is that it never gets to the core,
It’s just behavior modification, like a long list of chores.
Let’s dress up the outside, make things look nice and neat,
Its funny that’s what they do to mummies, while the corpse rots underneath,

[This is true for false religions. True religion abides in the core - Jesus Christ.]

Now I ain’t judging I’m just saying be careful of putting on a fake look,
Because there’s a problem if people only know that you’re a Christian by that little section on your facebook

[This is a good admonition for true believers. Jesus said if you are ashamed of Him, He will be ashamed of you. But this is a mute issue to anyone else, regardless of religion. And, once again, he lumps Christians in with the religious. So, I am wondering, when later in the lyrics he claims to love Jesus, is he NOT a Christian? Has this young man risen above Christianity?]

In every other aspect of life you know that logics unworthy
Its like saying you play for the lakers just because you bought a jersey

[The first line does not make sense. To say using logic is like mixing apples and oranges (Lakers and jerseys) does not make sense. However, this young man has mixed apples and oranges in confusing all religion with true religion and lumping Christianity in with bad religion.]

But see I played this game too; no one seemed to be on to me,
I was acting like church kid, while addicted to pornography.
I’d go to church on Sunday, but on saturday getting faded,
Acting as if I was simply created to have sex and get wasted.
Spend my whole life putting on this façade of neatness,
But now that I know Jesus, I boast in my weakness.

[Good confession and it is true that many, even those who practice true religion wrestle with sin. Paul describes this in Romans chapter seven and in the next chapter he tells us how we overcome it.]

If grace is water, then the church should be an ocean,

[Bad mantra. The church is not the source of grace. God is and Paul describes this in Romans chapter eight, among other Scriptures.]

Cuz its not a museum for good people, it’s a hospital for the broken

[This is another popular mantra and it helps promote victimhood mentality as opposed to accountability to abide in Christ. The Bible never describes the church this way. The church is described as a fellowship of believers who worship God and encourage each other. And in the bigger picture, the church is the bride of Christ. does Christ come to the hospital to marry His bride?]

I no longer have to hide my failures I don’t have to hide my sin,
Because my salvation doesn’t depend on me, it depends on him.

[The second line is true, however the first line is vague. Many profess to be Christian and live openly in sin. This line seems to allow this but Jesus said, "Go and sin no more."]

because when I was Gods enemy and certainly not a fan,
God looked down on me and said, “I want that man!”

[This is true. Jesus said no man comes to Him unless the Father draws Him. He also said, "You did not chose Me but I chose you" (Joh 6:44; 15:16).]

Which is so different from religious people, and why Jesus called em fools

[This is confusing. Is he saying religious people were not enemies of God, and if so, why would Jesus call them 'fools'? Or, is he saying God did not look down on the religious and draw them to Him? If the second is true, and we are using this young man's definition of religious here, what about the Apostle Paul and other Jewish leaders who truly received Jesus Christ? This young man does not understand what the Bible tells us about religion, nor does he understand the plain definition of the word - and the mess gets worse as the song rolls on.]

Don’t you see hes so much better than just following some rules?

[This is true according to his definition of religion. Nonetheless, the Bible is clear, you cannot follow Christ without adhering to a basic set of rules: believe He was sent by the Father to die for your sins and give eternal life; abide in Christ and sin no more; love God with all your heart, soul and mind; love your neighbor as yourself; love one another and do not forsake the assembly; take up your cross and follow Me, etc. Remember, Jesus said, "My yoke is easy" but it is a yoke, nonetheless.]

Now let me clarify, I love the church, I love the bible, and I believe in sin

[He has spent many lines denigrating what he claims to love, namely, the church. He has demonstrated his willingness to ignore the Bible to make his case against religion. Thus, it is not far-fetched he believes in sin.]

But my question, is if Jesus were here today, would your church let Him in?

[Good question. Given that most professing Christians are not and thus most, or at least many, churches are in the control of worldly men. It is no wonder the popularity of churches and church leaders who denigrate the Word. There is an easy way to determine which churches would listen to Christ and which would not: Those who receive the Word of God in toto will; those who deny the authority and power of the Scriptures will not.]

Remember He was called a drunkard and a glutton by “religious men”

[He was called a drunkard and glutton by Jewish leaders, who were religious. But their religion was practiced to please man, not God. This young man has set up the straw man whereby he can condemn all religious men even though not all religious men agreed with the assessment of the Jewish leaders.]

The Son of God not supported self-righteousness, not now, not then.

[True. Christ condemned self-righteousness and pride.]

Now back to the topic, one thing I think is vital to mention,
How Jesus and religion are on opposite spectrums,

[Over and over, Christ admonishes us to abide in Him (John 15, et al). This is true religion - God, as revealed in Scripture, is our object of worship and we live to please Him and glorify Him with all our heart and soul and mind. When Christ pointed the way to true religion, how can He be on the opposite side of it?]

One is the work of God one is a man made invention,
One is the cure and one is the infection.

[It is true false religions were created by man and sometimes by demons. However, true religion is the work of God. God has declared He is a jealous God and we are to worship no one else but Him (Exo 20:5, et al). To claim this is an invention of man is blasphemous.]

Because Religion says do, Jesus says done.

[Most false religions are built upon mans' work and requirements for his salvation. When Jesus said, "It is finished," He was talking about the payment for our sin. While we are saved by grace, Jesus still commands us to do: abide in Me, follow My commands and while the New Testament makes clear the true believer is Christ's slave, Jesus assures him His yoke is easy and burden is light. James tells us to be doers of the Word. Certainly, we know we are not saved by anything we do (Eph 2:8-9) but the Bible makes clear we must still do (Eph 2:10) - this is our religion: abiding in Christ and glorifying God in every area of our lives.]

Religion says slave, Jesus says son,
Religion puts you in shackles but Jesus sets you free.

[Jesus said all who sin are a slave to sin (Joh 8:34). Paul affirms this in Romans chapter seven, et all, and tells us we are slaves to sin or we are slaves to God's law. - yes, the Bible still affirms our obligation to God's law. The New Testament has many references to our status as slaves of Christ and, as mentioned above, Christ tells us His yoke is easy and burden is light (Mat 11:30). If we truly believe, Christ sets us free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2; Heb 9:15) and for us He fulfilled the requirements of the law (Gal 5:1). Now we are free to live a life of obedience in reverent worship of our Lord and Savior (Rom 12:1-2).]

Religion makes you blind, but Jesus lets you see.

[If our religion is in Christ, then we will see (Joh 9:35-39). Without true religion, we cannot see.]

This is what makes religion and Jesus two different clans,
Religion is man searching for God, but Christianity is God searching for man.

[First, we already established the Bible teaches true religion. Christ cannot be opposite of this. Second, the Bible tells us no one seeks after God (Isa 64:6; Rom 3:11). Therefore, false religion is man rejecting God - not seeking Him - by substituting His worship. It is true, as mentioned above, God draws man and not the other way around,]

Which is why salvation is freely mine, forgiveness is my own,
Not based on my efforts, but Christ’s obedience alone.
Because he took the crown of thorns, and blood that dripped down his face
He took what we all deserved, that’s why we call it grace.
While being murdered he yelled “father forgive them, they know not what they do”,
Because when he was dangling on that cross, he was thinking of you
He paid for all your sin, and then buried it in the tomb,
Which is why im kneeling at the cross now saying come on there’s room

[Aside from a few journalistic liberties, these lines are true and mostly sound.]

So know I hate religion, in fact I literally resent it,

[Religion is the object of our worship (Act 17:22). Our religion is manifest in whom or what we honor and obey - who we glorify with our lives. If we abide in Christ, we are practicing true religion - anything else is false.]

Because when Jesus cried It is finished, I believe He meant it.

[When Christ cried, "It is finished," Hw was stating the payment for sin was complete. Our obligation to live in obedience to Him had just begun.]

FINAL COMMENTS:

So this young man hates religion – he has spent the entire poem on it. He has lumped in true religion, condemning it and has even denigrated Christianity. The second line from the end, he reveals his resentment. This is probably the key to this video going viral: there is a generation of bitter young Christians who resent the hypocrisy they watched growing up.

This generation does not realize hypocrisy is a human condition. And, like the legalists whom they condemn, they have no grace to see their brother through the eyes of Christ. The problem stems from the way we have raised a generation of Christians to assess the world around them by how they feel – not by critical comparison to the Word of God.

They do not understand we are in a war – much like the generation before them, they want their life to be comfortable. Because their faith is based upon feeling, they validate the deceptive complaints of the enemy. And, while claiming to love the General, they gun down all His soldiers.

This is the fruit of teaching a generation of Christians to love Jesus but failing to teach them how to abide in Him.

I hope this has been helpful.

Jesus did not come to abolish religion, as this young man claims. In fact, Jesus Christ said the dot will not be removed from the “i” nor the cross from the “t.” The Bible tells us to put our religion into practice; warns us not to allow our religion to be in vain; and explains what is the religion God accepts. This young man in the video judges those he perceives to be judgmental; he acknowledges what Christ has done for us and that is the end, or reason, of his abandonment of religion.

Jesus Christ commands us to abide in Him – not just to accept His work (as a substitute for religion). We must abide – this is 24/7 – this is religion. This young man falls short of the truth. Jesus said if we abide in Him and His words abide in us – this means we spend time in prayer and Bible study and that our minds are continually rehashing what we have studied and we are in constant communion with God – to glorify Him in all things and to glorify ourselves in nothing – THEN we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

What this young man did is catchy but he has severely missed the truth. To follow Jesus Christ with all our heart, soul and mind is religion – pure and simple.