The Triumph Of Early Christianity

The Triumph Of Early Christianity

I recently finished reading a book by Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity, How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement became the Dominant Religious Force in a Few Centuries. There are important sections with useful information for us all.

I first became acquainted with Rodney Stark in 1968 when I was taking the Sociology of Religion at Wheaton. His book was Religion and Society in Tension, by himself and Charles Glock. There were many surveys of the people in the denominations. The book was one of the first that showed that churches with classical confessions of faith and high commitment levels do better. This has continued to be shown in every study of religious organizations since. (Eg. Dean Kelly, What Conservative Churches are Growing) Rodney Stark is now 86 years old. He lived his life as one of our most brilliant sociologists but was exceptional in his appreciation of Christianity. Most sociologists to not have this appreciation. Though an agnostic for most of his life, in 2007 he professed Christianity.

There were three important conclusions from his writing. First, in the first 4 centuries and perhaps even continuing, Christianity was very Jewish in rooting and orientation. Secondly, that Christianity was the greatest force for the liberation and elevation of women that that world had ever seen. Lastly, that Christianity overtook paganism not only due to the conditions of pagan society leaving a vacuum of meaning, but that Christianity provided a far superior world view or superior ideas.

The rapid growth of Christianity was in part due to the presence of the synagogues and Jewish populations in the Diaspora. The Judaism of the Diaspora was more open to Hellenistic ideas than in Israel. This enabled Jews in the Diaspora to be more a part of the larger society. This more flexible Judaism attracted many Gentile God Fearers. Both would be able to entertain the new faith in Yeshua. Yes, there was rejection but enough of a response by both that there was real progress. It was not ordinary pagans that were first attracted to Christianity but those who were influenced by the Jewish people. I would say that the synagogue was the pre-evangelism center for the Yeshua movement.

Secondly Christianity elevated women more than any other religion, far more than paganism and even more than Judaism. Of course, this is very contrary to the received narrative of today’s feminists that see Christianity as oppressive and patriarchal. Yes, later Christianity was more restrictive, but not early Christianity. Let us contrast other cultures. Mao famously said, “Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” In other words, physical force determines rulership. In almost all cultures worldwide men have ruled and suppressed women. Sometimes it was very harsh. Men can do so because they are physically stronger and have historically exercised that physical strength as giving them the right to dominate. I have read on cultures form India, China, Japan, Europe and Africa, and it is mostly the same. In the Roman Empire this was also the case. Women were treated as the property of the men, who could marry a 12 year old and have sexual relations, could divorce at will, and could live by a double standard for his own sexual promiscuity. In addition, women were forced to have abortions. It was a common practice. Many women died from this. Girl babies were often not desired and were given up in infanticide exposure. Christianity or we could say the Bible required men to treat women as equally created in the image of God, to give up domination and replace it by love and mutual service. The image in Ephesians 5 of the husband loving and caring for the wife and the other texts exhorting such love are unique for that time. By requiring marital fidelity and in valuing children as created in the image of God, the Church forbade abortions and infanticide. This also elevated women. Finally, women were frequently given important leadership roles in the churches as ordained deacons. Wealthy women were attracted to the faith and were a key to supporting and leading in humanitarian endeavors. Never in world history were women so valued and elevated. The elevation of the worth of children produced Christian population growth while the population for the large Empire was in decline.

Finally, Christianity taught the most attractive doctrine. In a world with capricious gods who wanted sacrifices but did not really care about humans, and gods who did evil to one another and to people from time to time, Christianity taught a unique monotheism where the creator God “so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son.” This was astonishing. Pagan religion did not teach that the gods cared about human beings. Christianity taught that we are to love one another and even to love our enemies. During the great Roman plagues, where some estimate that 1/3 of the Roman population perished (160-260), Christians reached beyond caring for their own to caring for the larger population in nursing and aid. The response of the pagans was to flee the sick while the Christians served the sick. And indeed, Christians survived in larger numbers due to this care but also some Romans thought due to supernatural power. The depth of commitment was a real influence too. Stark shows that high commitment movements thrive and do not allow for free riders. This is shown in the amazing witness of martyrdom by the leaders. Christians in that era knew the teaching of their faith and lived it. They were disciples.

These are important lessons for us as Messianic Jews and Christians if we are to thrive again.

The Biblical Pattern for Social Transformation

My Facebook Friends are divided between supporters of Donald Trump and those who did not support him. Generally, the numbers seem to track with the Evangelical world since most Messianic Jews and Evangelicals supported him, but a significant minority did not. Some were ribald always Trumpers, and some were ribald anti-Trumpers, but some like me supported him with serious concerns about him. Now that the election is over, some of my friends are depressed. The justice issues that were in process of investigation will probably not see the light of day and the issues that so motivated us from abortion, the LGBTQ agenda, religious and educational freedom, Israel and Iran can easily be reversed. I thought in this context that having some historical perspective might be of value.

I did not take a position on the prophecies that President Trump would serve a second term. I did come to realize in 2016 that there were credible prophecies that he would be elected in 2016. Some of them preceded his even being a candidate or any thought that he would be a candidate. One of the more credible words said that his election was only a temporary respite of mercy for the Church to get in order for the battles that would ensue afterwards. It seems that this was little heeded, and only recently have we seen the massive prayer that will be needed to bring revival and push back against the forces of darkness. Even now the darkness descends quickly. The House is discussing new rules to preclude gender language. One should not speak of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles and girls and boys. All language should be neutral! This is a foundational rebellion to God’s creation order. The attempt is to enforce a new secular orthodoxy in relation in the LBGTQ agenda and to cancel anyone who does not go along. The larger question is, will those who claim to be followers of Yeshua stand up tall at this time and proclaim the Gospel. The Gospel is based on knowing that by the Law of God all stand condemned and in need of the atonement. And that sin includes the behaviors affirmed by the LGBTQ agenda. That is what gets us into trouble with the culture.

Those who were pro-Trump should not think all is lost and those who were anti-Trump should not rejoice. Rather we have together bigger fish to fry. I am speaking here to those who have a conservative view of how to fulfil demands of a social justice biblically defined. The best of the pro-Trump people voted for Trump because they believed hi policies were best for lifting people into more opportunity for success. The best of those who were anti-Trump saw the coarsening effect of his presidency as more setting back the conservative social agenda than advancing it. So, let’s try to agree on a few keys.

First, positive social transformation has come to the world due to a growing and strong Body of Believers. It has never come in the time of a weak declining Church electing a leader who will drive social policies consistent with the Law of God. This is why the word that the Trump presidency was a respite was, in my view, a true word. It may look like the nation as we knew it is now lost, but this is not so either. Rather, we have to take the long view. We may be entering the Tribulation now (as one friend argued) or in for a long battle. So how does the long battle look? Or even being prepared to triumph in tribulation. Amazingly the answer is the same in both scenarios. A thriving and growing Body of Believers eventually will lead to social reformation in the larger culture or will lead to the ultimate battle of the end. A healthy Body of Believers is defined by revival. evangelism and discipleship. Picture it as a triangle. When the Body of Believers is healthy there is continuous and significant gain in people coming to faith. Secondly, that gain is secure because there is solid discipleship in the Word of God and the training of people to walk out a godly life. These two, depend on the power of the Holy Spirit, or revival. In Church history when these three come together rightly the culture is eventually transformed. In Rodney Stark’s great book The Rise of Christianity, he outlines the quality of life, discipleship and growth of the early Church for the first 300 years. Eventually they gained such force and power that Constantine converted to Christianity. Whether one considers this good or bad (and it was certainly a mixed bag) it is interesting that later the Emperor Justinian brought the law code of the Empire into conformity to Biblical Law. Yes, Christianity transformed the culture. Abortion and infanticide ended and women were elevated. And, by the way, in Starks view, up to that time, it was a very Jewish Christianity.

We see the same pattern in Protestant history. The first great revival in the 18^th century under Jonathan Edwards brought great moral and social reformation. So did the revivals in the 19^th century, known mostly though Charles Finny (but there were many others). They brought great social reform, the ending of slavery, child abuse in labor and women’s rights. The revivals elevated large numbers of people and then the whole culture. People were discipled and knew the word of God. It is astonishing to read the writing of ordinary people from that time, before public school systems, and their knowledge of the Word and much else.

So, the issue of issues is not who is in political power but the condition of the Body in any nation. We have massive studies by George Barna’s group and by Ligonier Center to show us that most Evangelicals have no coherent world view, about 40% do not even understand basic doctrine, are unclear on the deity of Yeshua and on salvation by faith. Some of us hoped that that believers would progress during the last four years. It seems only near the end was there massive prayer at the level that will be needed to be sustained so that we might press into revival. God’s priority is the condition of the Church. What kind of government do we need for us to get things in right order? The Chinese pray that God will give them the kind of government they need for their growth into what they are called to be like in Yeshua. God knows that the Church needs to be rightly changed. Yes, we are concerned for the nation. God will judge a nation corporately and we wanted to push back the darkness over the nation. It is our responsibility to do so to the extent that we can. But far more important is the issue of the condition of His people. Will the next years be a time to look seriously at the condition of the Church and press into God? I hope so. I hope it is not a time of compromise with the false ideas of the culture that will now dominate in the new political season. I sadly see some doing that.

I should note that we are going to elections in Israel. There we face a very different situation. Conservatives are not social conservatives in Israel, except for the Orthodox Jews. All support gay marriage and are open to the LGBTQ agenda but the Orthodox Jews keep that from being enforced in a kind of thought control. Conservative here means economics, strong defense and the right to settle the West Bank. We need the same prayers here for revival, evangelism and discipleship and hopefully cultural influence to follow.

Michael Polyani the Great Scientist Philosopher

I am at a state in life where I am motivated to read books that have been in my bookcases for years but have not yet been read. One of those books is by Michael Polanyi, one of the greatest scientists in the last generation (physical chemistry) who branched off into philosophy and art. His book, Personal Knowledge, is based on the Gifford Lectures given in Scotland. The Gifford lectures are lectures on natural theology and have produced some amazing classics. My professor of Epistemology, Dr. Arthur Holmes of Wheaton College, did present some of his thoughts in that class. Recently I read, in the truly great book by Fr. Thomas Dubai, The Evidential Power of Beauty, mentioned that Polanyi argued for the beauty of a scientific theory as evidence for his truth. So after more than 50 years on my shelf, the book was opened and read carefully. Here are a few thoughts on this amazing book.

First the book is a what is called in philosophy a descriptive phenomenology of science. It does a masterful job of describing how science works. It draws on the history of science and on more contemporary advances. It also gives a description of the nature of mathematics, pure science and applied science. The book is brilliant, convincing and very difficult. I can never get Alzheimer’s desease after exercising my brain at this level. Here are few choice conclusions form this great thinker.

Science itself cannot be understood in properly in mechanistic materialistic terms. The very nature of science shows a background of intuitive grasp, heuristic backgrounds, and a tacit (assumed pre-theoretical knowledge) that can not be proved by the scientific method. The personal dimension and commitments that are personal pervade science.
Though Polanyi is an evolutionist, he shows again and again that evolution itself cannot be explained by mere chance exercised on a material physical base. Every advance in life cannot be anticipated by the scientific description of that existed at the earlier stage. The advances are unspecifiable in earlier stages. The attempt to reduce life to physics and chemistry makes biology impossible.
The mind is real and cannot be reduced or explained in terms of brain states.
The scientific establishment usually resists the creative innovations that lead to advancement unless it is forced and could no longer resist the new innovations.
Great advances in science are akin to creative art and not just a product of engaging the scientist in mechanical processes of experiment leading to conclusions. The great scientist provides insights that are hard to predict leading to whole new paradigms of seeing.
Polanyi’s description of learning in animals shows a higher level of consciousness than we usually embrace. This was a fascinating aspect of his book.

When I was a student, I took the course Concepts of Biology under the noted biologist Dr. Russell Mixter. I found that it was impossible to describe biological systems and processes without recourse to personalistic language. The attempt to reduce biological law to the laws of physics and chemistry was impossible and led to absurdity. For me, this was an argument for Theism, the mark of God’s personal creation was manifest in everything.

Polanyi opens our minds to the mystery of existence and shatters the illusion that a materialistic explanation for biological and human life is possible. The book Mind and Cosmos by Thomas Nagel, one of the leading American philosophers does the same.

There was much more that I could bring out form reading this book, but it would be beyond the scope of this book.

The Most Important Questions

Sometimes we try to convince people of the way of the Gospel by showing them that those who live according to the Bible live the most fulfilling lives. I think this is true. I believe that sociological studies that would follow people over a long period of time would find this to be definitely true. However, the standard for such a study would be solidly committed believers with clear markers of commitment. This would not work if nominal believers were part of the study. Some years ago, Redbook Magazine did a study of sexual fulfillment and found to their astonishment that those in committed traditional marriages had by far more fulfillment than others. However, it is quite amazing that the Bible does not much appeal to this argument for faith. Yes, there are verses that say a better life ensues when we are submitted to God and follow Yeshua. “I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

The biblical arguments are stark. First, it argues that we did not create ourselves. We find ourselves in a world where we are taught standards of right and wrong and know that we have violated those standards. The idea of being in danger from the judgment of the creator is a foundational biblical theme. If there is life after death, how can we assure a positive after life destiny. It would seem that the possibility of everlasting life is so serous a matter that resolving whether or not we believe in life after death and where we will end up in that state would be the most important question that we can ask. The New Covenant Scriptures promise the most positive destiny for those who find love and forgiveness of sins through Yeshua’s sacrifice. The promise of the Bible is resurrection life in the Age to Come on a renewed earth. It is quite contrasting to the nebulous hope of Hinduism (and more popular Buddhism) and its escape from karma. It is closer to the hope in primitive religions that present a more concrete hope. The famous mathematician Blaise Pascal was famous for his argument for faith called, “The Wager.” Pascal argued that one should wager on the biblical faith being true and commit one’s life to it. If one is wrong and there is nothing after, one has lost nothing, but if the Gospel is true, then the loss is total and terrible. There is merit to this wager. Indeed, there is no more concrete hope and evidence than for Biblical faith so wagering for it is a better bet than for other religions. Settling the question of our eternal destiny is the very most important issue. There was some level of the fear of God in the culture which made this argument more persuasive.

The second most important issue is how we should live this life in this world. After devotion to God and his people, the most important matter is to pursue justice motivated by love for others. This is the continued theme of the prophets. The pursuit of justice is the pursuit of the order in society of the greatest destiny fulfillment for the greatest number. However, the first justice issue, that often not recognized, is the presentation of the Gospel with power. The Gospel itself is the “power of unto salvation,” and has the power to lift people out of their bondage and the systems of injustice. Salvation includes that wonderful after death existence but is also includes a purposeful life in this present life Hence Luke 4 and Yeshua’s announcement of the Good News as providing liberty for the captives, the great reversal. Economic issues and other social disparities in our society are important but of much lesser importance than providing the Gospel. Pursuing justice therefore is first of all to bring people to the knowledge of the truth and the unlimited power of God to lift people out of their negative circumstances.

The other matters of justice are also important; economic opportunity, educational opportunity, equal treatment under the law, religious feedom, and overcoming all racism. A follower of Yeshua pursues all of these matters but pursues the spread of Gospel above all.

Should We Indoctrinate our Children?

The way this question is phrased is already assuming that we should not because indoctrination is a negative word today. One young adult objected to teaching our children biblical perspectives as indoctrination. Rather we should ask, should we disciple our children? And of course, my answer is certainly, for Deuteronomy 6:4 ff. commands us to teach the words of God diligently to our children. We are to talk of them when we walk by the way and when we lie down and rise up.

I am the product of a Jewish and Norwegian marriage. My mother and father agreed to not teach us either in the religion of Judaism or Christianity but to allow us to choose our own path when we got older. This seemed very enlightened but was mistaken. Nevertheless, God called me to Himself when I was 12 ½. When we do not disciple our children, we leave a vacuum. They will then be indoctrinated by the larger culture around them, the schools, the internet, and social media. We desire that parents would be in control of those sources of indoctrination.

However, it is not like we desire to produce young adults who cannot think for themselves in dependence on the Spirit. As children are young, they learn basic biblical truths, the memorization of Scripture, Bible stories, and great stories of those in missions. As they enter young adulthood we need to deal with difficult questions, the problem of evil and suffering, other religions, the secular world, the nature of justice, and even economics. If parents are not capable of such a dialogue, they need their young people to be connected to those who can deal with such issues. In addition, they need to be able to understand both sides of an issue, even the arguments of those who are against biblical faith. The young adult learns then to engage in such a way that they are able both to see the other side and not be taken in by it. They can weigh arguments and are not merely indoctrinated. However, walking in the Holy Spirit will be a key to not going too fast beyond the capability of the young person to absorb and deal with the issues. Seeing mature, discipled and educated young adults should be our goal.

Christian Social Justice Movements

I have had dialogue with many due to the election controversy on the larger issue of how much a priority we should make of seeking justice in the society. I wanted to make a few comments on this. First of all, we should note that the historic position of Protestant Christianity was that we should seek justice and righteousness in society. Before the Dispensational Movement that only wanted to save souls and then escape before the tribulation, this was a general consensus. The great revivalists were very committed to seeking social justice as the outworking of revival and as part of their revival emphasis. Certainly, this was true of Jonathan Edwards, Charles Finny, and Jonathan Blanchard, the founding President of Wheaton, who said that his vision was to see Wheaton College used so that the Law of God would become the law of the land. They meant this with the qualification of applying it judiciously in our age and in the New Covenant period. The great social movements against slavery and against child labor and the oppression of the poor came from the revivals. The great thinker/Prime Minister of Holland, Abraham Kuyper (120 years ago) almost said the same words as Blanchard. The Pilgrims and the Puritans, of course, settled New England with this very vision in mind. This produced a unique accommodation to Christianity in America. For example, there are two aspects that I would point to. First, Church properties and income is tax-free. Why? Not only because the view was that Christian institutions benefit society and are a key foundation, but there was another reason. That is true. However, it is also that the Church is its own government sphere apart from the government sphere of the state and the state has no claim on money that belongs to God’s sphere. So it is not a special grant from the state, but rather a matter of a foundational principle of understanding Church and state. This was a key to the United States being a society that was the most favorable to world missions that had ever been seen. So when Christians are pushing back against the darkness they see coming from the left, it is that they do not want to see the death of this special situation unlike any other where religious freedom was so fostered. Cancel culture really sees Christianity and its teaching on sin and salvation as hate speech. So the mass mobilization of prayer for the present situation is a right thing and as we have connected to the many streams of prayer: the cry for mercy, repentance, and revival has been very strong. We have not before seen such a mobilization for national and world prayer for the Church and the country.

However, one friend who has written us has pushed back against this saying that the emphasis on the U. S. and righteousness is not balanced. He believes that in the present state of the Church, the focus on righteousness in the nation is not right. The Church is in decline in discipleship and is not growing and going forward. Certainly, he is right about the analysis of the churches today. Indeed, without a revival and turn around in the churches, the efforts for biblical social justice will fail. So this has to be the top focus for prayer and effort, revival, and reformation in the churches. Having said that, we do not know that God can not bring both together. Only our discernment in the Spirit can answer this question.

Another friend thinks that the quest for national righteousness is wrong for he discerns that we are entering the tribulation and that the time for this effort is passed. Now is the time to prepare for the persecution and the Anti-Christ. What can I say? So often it has seemed so to past generations. We can not know that there will not be revival and delay in the return of the Lord and more Gospel progress first. Again, we have to be led by prayer and discernment. I have constantly taught that we both need to be ready for his near return and to act for the possible delay, which would lead to seeking revival and social justice.

ON FAIRY STORIES: A Little Piece for Chanukah and Christmas

During graduate school, I was fascinated by a presentation by the famous apologist, Dr. John Warwick Montgomery, on J. R. R. Tolkien’s essay On Fairy Stories. Tolkien argued that all great fairy stories, and often great literary classics presented a general pattern that fit the Biblical narrative. Things start well, but then something happens whereby things go terribly wrong with great trials and suffering, but then there is redemption and victory for the good people, and they live happily every after. This, is, of course referring to the Biblical account where the human beginning is in the paradise of the Garden of Eden, but then things went terribly wrong through the temptation of the Serpent. Human life often became a trial of suffering. However, there are harbingers of the ultimate redemption and the great turn around in Israel’s escape from Egypt and entering into the promised land. Then there is the promise of the coming of the Messiah who will bring final deliverance for Israel and the healing of the nations. All will live in peace and joy under the rule of the Messiah. It is the great reversal. The coming of Yeshua began the process that will lead to the completion of redemption and to the “happily ever after.” So many sense that they are made for the happy ever after end.

Tolkien’s masterpiece, The Lord of the Rings, is one of the greatest fairy stories. Tolkien was firm on his exhortation that we should not see the novel as an allegory of the Gospel. However, that does not mean that it does not generally participate in a Biblical orientation because all great fairy stories do so. Only recently was I able to obtain a copy of this essay which I had read over 50 years ago.

My favorite Christmas Story is It’s a Wonderful Life. In this great classic we find that every good life touches many people, but we don’t often see it. When one life influences for good, that person touches others who touch others. The great thing about this story is that the lead character does find out that his life has been a wonderful one. Of course, he lives happily ever after. Now one does not really ever live happy for forever in this present life. Rather, he lives happy forever only in after the consummation and the return of Yeshua.

Chanukah is a preparatory story, a fairy tale in real life, real history. It tells us how Israel was delivered and re-attained their independence as a nation after terrible oppression under the Syrian Greeks. Without Chanukah there is no coming of Yeshua to a Jewish living nation in the first century. Chanukah tells a proximate fairy tale for the happy forever does not last. Alas, the descendants of the Maccabees become corrupt. Then the nation was then conquered by Rome. Eventually the Romans destroy the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary. The Christmas story brings the most amazing tale of the incarnation of Yeshua that leads to the amazing victory of the death and resurrection of Yeshua. But this is not the end of the story. That ending, the final happy ever after ending, comes about only in his Second Coming. We are in the middle of this greatest of all fairy stories, spreading the Gospel of the Kingdom, suffering, rejoicing, and onward until the final victory. That is the ultimate happy ending forever.

Where Am I on the Presidential Election Controversy

Some of my Facebook friends have made it clear that they believe that there was massive voter fraud in the last election and but for that fraud, President Trump would have won. Others of my friends, even who voted for Trump, think that the whole voter fraud claim is foolish and will get nowhere. It is not that there is not fraud in their view, but not enough to come close to swinging the election in favor of Trump.

Those who have followed my personal page as well as my official page have some idea of my views. I have been consistent on three points. The first is that our primary orientation to politicians should be to support the one who will most support the policies which are more in accord to the Bible. I noted that I disagreed with President Trump on some issues, but his policies overall were by far more in accord with biblical norms. Secondly, I noted that I had great concern from time to time with the President’s behavior and did not think that he should be given a pass on this. I thought this behavior did hurt the country. Thirdly, I noted that there was amazing prophecy predicting Trump’s election from even before he was evening running for President and continuing when it seemed his election was not probable. Some of these prophecies came from what I call “internet prophetic stars” most of whom I had not heard of until recently. But some were good, accountable and humble people. These words were of some comfort to me in my struggles over the Presidents behavior. These prophecies did not mean that we should discount the transgressions against biblical behavior norms.

Since the election, some of the prophets are still convinced that the President will prevail. Some gave prophecies that he would be elected to a second term. I have not sensed that I was to either endorse or despise those prophecies. I rather have sensed that I was to join with the many prayer streams that are intensively praying in a godly fashion. They project a spirit of repentance, are crying out for revival, are asking God to expose fraud and injustice, to have mercy on the United States and to not bring us into his full judgement. It is my evaluation that most of the intercessory streams, some international, with whom I am related, do believe there was serious fraud; that is their prayerful discernment. One person who I know well has predicted that though it was God’s original plan to see Trump elected for two terms, that too many Christians have fallen into an adulation of Trump and have themselves become coarsened and derailed. Thus, God has decided that Trump will not be the President. I still am very concerned for the justice issues and the terrible darkness I see on the left gaining power. We pray, pray and pray. Trying to decide between these prophecies is beyond my capability or calling at the present time, though I do try to confirm or not confirm prophecies when I sense I am called to do so.

I do believe that from all I have read that there has been serious fraud, but I do not know that the evidence is sufficient for a court of law to overturn results. I also sense this fraud and evil to the best of my discernment ability. So, I pray for repentance, righteousness, justice, against the darkness and for an outpouring of the Spirit in revival.

I have not been led to take a position on the prophetic words, predict the outcome of the investigations, or to render a judgment on the condition of the Body of Believers in America, though I have deep concerns about the lack of discipleship as my primary concern. I have been amazed at how much I track with Dr. Mike Brown on all of this. We have corresponded many times about it. This is a time for intense intercession. I believe the mobilization of intercession, greater than I have ever seen in my lifetime, will bear fruit whether or not Donald Trump is elected. I don’t want to do anything to undercut that.

I do not think it would add anything to the debate for me to summarize my rational reasons beyond my discernment sense for thinking that there has been serious fraud. Instead, I affix two links, one to very fine article by Mike Brown that pretty much summarizes where I am at. It contains links to those who summarize the case for fraud. The other link is to an American Spectator article that was a very good summary. This is a very respected conservative journal that has been around for decades. So, let’s humble ourselves and pray. Let us keep at it until the present court and legislative appeals are done and then let us continue to pray for revival more and more whatever the outcome.

https://spectator.us/reasons-why-the-2020-presidential-election-is-deeply-puzzling/

https://stream.org/my-official-position-on-election-fraud/

A Call for a Dialogue Between Black Evangelical Democrats and Evangelical Republicans, White, Black and Hispanic in light of the Georgia Senate Races

The leader of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is seeking to mobilize the members of his churches to vote for the Democrat candidates for the Senate in Georgia. Meanwhile, the other Evangelicals in Georgia are mobilizing to support the Republicans. Two seats are up for grabs and will determine whether the Senate is Republican or Democrat, whether it is a firewall against the more radical Democrat policies or whether there will be Democrat control of the Presidency (if Trump cannot prevail), the Senate and the House. The present battle is super intense with money pouring in from around the country. There are also real issues on whether or not Georgia will again use the controversial Dominion voting systems or whether or not the same weaknesses in voter identification are repeated as in the November election.

Though the unitary support for Democrats among blacks declined in the last election, Black Evangelicals still vote Democrat. It is hard for the Black Evangelical Democrats to understand how their brothers and sisters in the faith can vote for the party they see as not supporting the government help that they need, both in welfare, housing, and public education. For them, this is the overriding issue. Abortion for example is a choice that others make even if wrong, but this is less the problem than allowing the poor to continue to be in want. No one forces a person to have an abortion, but poverty leads to real destruction as well. They also are not seeing challenges to their religious freedom or the LGBT agenda since this is not the world of their concern or interaction. Abortion is common in the black community.

The other Evangelicals cannot see how the Black Evangelical Democrats do not see how legalized abortion brings the judgment of God. How can they not see how it has undercut their own population? They do not understand how their brothers and sisters cannot see that the very policies they think are crucial are the very ones that keep their poor in the cycle of poverty. They point to vouchers in education as a game-changer for the poor. So also enterprise zones and economic development are crucial. The moral issues of support for the traditional family are also central to them. They know their brothers and sisters are morally conservative but do not see how they cannot see that the culture is now going in directions that destroy the morals of the community. Can’t they see the dangers to religious freedom and the cancel culture?

These two communities are like ships passing in the night. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the key leaders of these two groupings could meet for an extended dialogue with heart sharing, some scholarly papers (with understandable language), and interaction? I think this would be great. Could there be some empathetic listening? This happens all too rarely. Maybe some positions would change, but at least there will be deeper understanding.

Bible Based Concerns for a Biden Administration or Any Other

I was recently reflecting on the issues that need much prayer if Joe Biden is finally confirmed as president, issues for which we need to pray much and in which we need a righteous stand. Here are a few. I call them Bible-based concerns or Torah based concerns.

The abortion issue is #1. While the greater saving of lives may be more by promotion and witness than by law, a law giving abortion rights to the end of the 9th month can and will bring terrible judgments on the nation. A Biden administration will return to the policy of full funding for abortion re: Planned Parenthood. Biden has said he will try to repeal the Hyde amendment which prevents taxes from direct use for abortion, thus giving a conscience respect to pro-life people. Also, they would want to return to the policies of the Obama era seeking to strong-arm other nations to have abortion rights.
The LGBTQ agenda which seeks to cancel all who morally opposes this agenda as haters and their views as hate speech. This agenda includes forcing private creative art businesses to give their services to support gay marriages and other celebrations making the believer violate conscience. It also requires biological men to be given access to women’s dressing rooms, or in schools to the shower rooms of the girls. It may destroy women’s sports by allowing biological men to compete with girls. It will require the military to accommodate transgenders as well. There could be pressure for other nations to embrace the full scope of the LGBT agenda.
Religious freedom. On this, there may be opposition to the non-profit status of organizations that do not do gay weddings and support the gay lifestyle. Also, there may be a return to the Johnson amendment which restricts the free speech of churches. Trump removed this restriction. On other religious freedom, issues see #3 above. We also need to be aware of the freedom of the team at the public school to pray publicly or the coach to pray without it being official. Also, people have been fired for their public profession of their views on marriage, etc. There is boycott and cancel culture pressure.
Defending persecuted Christians in other countries though American policy pressure may be weakened.
Censorship by social media and big tech of Christian/Messianic Jewish and conservative views may increase. Paypal, banks, and other services can block accounts for organizations that support traditional values. Tremendous pressure could be brought to bear on those who hold to traditional values.
The continued oppression of the black community by removing vouchers for private schools is possible. In my view of biblical justice, every person has a right to educate their children in a world view context in which they believe and where they can succeed. One of the keys to elevating the black poor is private vouchers to escape the cycle of failure and poverty.
Enterprise zones and opportunities for blacks by business incentives are important. This includes apprenticing and training. We need to pray these efforts developed by President Trump, Senator Tim Scott, and HUD Secretary Ben Carson continue.
The issue of prosecuting those who violated the law in bringing FISA spying applications against Trump officials and taking us through almost 4 years of investigations that were political and unjust may become moot. We as Bible people do want justice.
Dealing with Antifa and the violent left and their destruction of businesses and cities may be very weak. Will a Biden administration deal with the criminal acts of such people? Biden will not be radical enough for these groups.
Support for Israel. Will a Biden administration roll back the progress made on recognizing Jewish rights in Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and their rights to the Golan and to settlements in Judea and Samaria? Or will they go so pro-Palestinian that the progress will be lost?
The Iran situation is a major issue for Bible believers. It is our desire that Israel is protected, and that Iran never gets a nuclear bomb. They even profess that they would drop it on Tel Aviv. Leaving the Iran deal and pushing hard on Iran in sanctions has been a key to the new alliances between Israel and Sunni Arab nations. This is another crucial Israel issue.

Let us pray much on these biblical issues, but first of all that we can share the Gospel with full freedom. That Gospel includes content that some will now say is hate speech since the Gospel is good news in the light of our violation of the Law. The Law includes standards that are rejected by our society and warn people about sin and hell including sexual sin. Without the Law, people do not see that they are in danger of Hell before a holy God. See the book by Ray Comfort, Hell’s best Secret. Do note that the Gospel preached as classically presented will be called hate speech. We cannot stop that, but in the cancel culture, will the government seek to prevent such preaching and presentation?