This was sent to me. Here is the perma-link for the article.
http://www.frc.org/washingtonupdate/with-liberty-and-prophylactics-for-all
A tiny town on Cape Cod has taken one thing off its back-to-school list: parental involvement. To the astonishment of most every media outlet in America, the Provincetown school board voted unanimously to pass out condoms to all students--starting with first graders. Under Massachusetts law, individual school districts are allowed to make their own policies about sex education. But in the first grade?
Six-year-olds are usually worried about catching cooties--not Chlamydia! As if that weren't outrageous enough, school leaders won't allow parents to opt-out. The rule specifically states that Provincetown will not honor requests from moms and dads who want to keep their kids out of the distribution program. In fact, some board members argued that the new policy didn't go far enough. Committee member Shannon Patrick actually complained that students can't have private access to the stash of condoms. "I don't like that students can't be discreet about this," she told reporters. "They have to go and ask for it. I'd rather them not have the conversation." I suppose she would prefer baskets of free birth control at the elementary school doors?
Regardless of how liberal the community may be, it boggles my mind that these activists are getting away with openly defying a family's authority. In district after district, schools are creeping in and substituting their judgment for that of parents'. It's all part of the Left's broader strategy to sexualize children and break down inhibitions so that they become the next generation of Planned Parenthood clients. Beth Singer, the Provincetown superintendent tried to argue, "They are children. They often act without information--on assumption, things they've heard... I think information is always important for kids."
She's right. Information is important--from parents. In most schools, kids can't even take a Tylenol without their mom's or dad's permission, but now it's okay to encourage six-year-olds to have sex without ever calling home? On matters that directly affect a child's health, it is imperative that families are central in the decision-making process. Even parents who are supportive of condoms for older children should be warned that research shows they aren't effective. Greater access to contraception doesn't reduce teen pregnancies or abortion. David Paton, who has authored four major studies in this area, went so far as to say that "It is clear that providing more family planning... has actually led to an increase [in contraception rates]... It appears that if people have access to family planning advice, they think they automatically have a lower risk of pregnancy."
Unfortunately, this is exactly the kind of "health care" that this administration envisioned for every school in America when it passed ObamaCare. School-based clinics, free birth control pills, millions of dollars for Planned Parenthood--it's all in there. And when those fail, as even liberals expect them to, taxpayers will give free abortions to every woman who wants one. What a difference an administration makes. Under President Bush, kids learned about the real ABCs: abstinence, be faithful, and (as a last resort) contraception.
THE BOOK OF LIFE AND BOOKS AND BOOKS OF REMEMBRANCE: ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOVEREIGNTY AND HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY COMING TOGETHER
Revelation 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
God’s Sovereignty and human responsibility meet together in Revelations 20:12 in a most amazing way reminding me once again that salvation is of the Lord but nothing absolves any man of their responsibility to obey the gospel.
Let me show you what I mean. Revelation 20:12 describes and event not yet to have happened. It is the final judgment before those who have rejected the grace of God are sent to eternal separation from God in a place called hell.
There is a book called the book of life and then there are other books. And in the book of life there are names and according to Revelation 17:8 the names were written in the book before the foundation of the world.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Yet because God holds man responsible for his failure to observe that he must have been made by a creator God and serve the one true God who created him there has been a record being made of everything that has been done by every person every created for their entire life—these are the books.
And according to Revelation 20:12, “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
The fact that their name in not written in the book of life is not relevant at the final judgment God will judge them from their actions, decisions and choices—that is human responsibility.
So I see the intersecting of divine sovereignty (the book of life) and human responsibility (the books) intersecting in a most amazing and mysterious way at the throne of Grace. Like two eternal rays of light coming out of the darkness on a course toward the same point yet coming from such opposite locations that one wonders will they ever intersect? Yet there is a point of intersection and that point of intersection is at the throne that our King of the Universe rules from—the throne of Grace.
At that throne and with those books we will see that all who have been saved have had their names written in a most amazing book called the book of life. And we will see the record of how God orchestrated the salvation of a multitude of people from Adam to the very last human being who puts their faith in the truth that God forgives sins through the Person and work of the Messiah—our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
And there will be books upon books with a record of the actions of human beings ensuring that no one can charge God with unrighteousness and to the glory of God these books are mentioned throughout holy Scripture reminding us that God sovereignty never absolves us of the human responsibility to do right.
In the third chapter of the book of Malachi, there is an amazing parallel to Revelation 17. In verse 16, there is a specific mention of “a book of remembrance” being written before God of the words and actions of those who fear the Lord.
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
This book will show that those whose names are written in the book of life fear the Lord. These books of remembrance being written upon every moment of every day by holy angelic-servants of God will ensure that the fruit of the lives of those who have been radically transformed into believers is remembered.
The moment of conversion when sins are repented of and faith is put in the Lord Jesus Christ and all subsequent decisions and actions which give evidence of conversion and will be rewarded by God from the book of remembrance—glory to God.
Aren’t you glad there is a book of life which contains a list of all whom God has, is and will save from hell? And aren’t you glad that even as you read this blog and recognize that you have not put your faith in Christ as your only hope for forgiveness and eternal life that you can ensure your name is written in that book by putting your faith (trust and dependency) upon what Christ did for you 2000 years ago on a bloody cross on a hill in Jerusalem. Do it right now! With every ounce of dependency you have within your very being depend upon what Christ did for you right now. See yourself as the sinner that God sees you as and seek to have your sins forgiven through your faith in Christ.
And if you are a believer live everyday in light of the reality that books of remembrance are being written this very moment. Do something today that is worthy of being recorded in the book of remembrance.
God’s Sovereignty and human responsibility meet together in Revelations 20:12 in a most amazing way reminding me once again that salvation is of the Lord but nothing absolves any man of their responsibility to obey the gospel.
Let me show you what I mean. Revelation 20:12 describes and event not yet to have happened. It is the final judgment before those who have rejected the grace of God are sent to eternal separation from God in a place called hell.
There is a book called the book of life and then there are other books. And in the book of life there are names and according to Revelation 17:8 the names were written in the book before the foundation of the world.
Revelation 17:8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
Yet because God holds man responsible for his failure to observe that he must have been made by a creator God and serve the one true God who created him there has been a record being made of everything that has been done by every person every created for their entire life—these are the books.
And according to Revelation 20:12, “the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.”
The fact that their name in not written in the book of life is not relevant at the final judgment God will judge them from their actions, decisions and choices—that is human responsibility.
So I see the intersecting of divine sovereignty (the book of life) and human responsibility (the books) intersecting in a most amazing and mysterious way at the throne of Grace. Like two eternal rays of light coming out of the darkness on a course toward the same point yet coming from such opposite locations that one wonders will they ever intersect? Yet there is a point of intersection and that point of intersection is at the throne that our King of the Universe rules from—the throne of Grace.
At that throne and with those books we will see that all who have been saved have had their names written in a most amazing book called the book of life. And we will see the record of how God orchestrated the salvation of a multitude of people from Adam to the very last human being who puts their faith in the truth that God forgives sins through the Person and work of the Messiah—our God and Savior Jesus Christ.
And there will be books upon books with a record of the actions of human beings ensuring that no one can charge God with unrighteousness and to the glory of God these books are mentioned throughout holy Scripture reminding us that God sovereignty never absolves us of the human responsibility to do right.
In the third chapter of the book of Malachi, there is an amazing parallel to Revelation 17. In verse 16, there is a specific mention of “a book of remembrance” being written before God of the words and actions of those who fear the Lord.
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
This book will show that those whose names are written in the book of life fear the Lord. These books of remembrance being written upon every moment of every day by holy angelic-servants of God will ensure that the fruit of the lives of those who have been radically transformed into believers is remembered.
The moment of conversion when sins are repented of and faith is put in the Lord Jesus Christ and all subsequent decisions and actions which give evidence of conversion and will be rewarded by God from the book of remembrance—glory to God.
Aren’t you glad there is a book of life which contains a list of all whom God has, is and will save from hell? And aren’t you glad that even as you read this blog and recognize that you have not put your faith in Christ as your only hope for forgiveness and eternal life that you can ensure your name is written in that book by putting your faith (trust and dependency) upon what Christ did for you 2000 years ago on a bloody cross on a hill in Jerusalem. Do it right now! With every ounce of dependency you have within your very being depend upon what Christ did for you right now. See yourself as the sinner that God sees you as and seek to have your sins forgiven through your faith in Christ.
And if you are a believer live everyday in light of the reality that books of remembrance are being written this very moment. Do something today that is worthy of being recorded in the book of remembrance.
Mary the "Mother of God" A Confusing Title
References to virgin Mary, the earthly mother of Jesus, as the “Mother of God” are really quite unfortunate and unbiblical. On one hand, perhaps the intent is to reinforce the deity of Jesus as God the Son but unfortunately this has backfired and resulted in millions of people praying to Mary as a godlike figure.
The actual phrase “mother of God” is not found in any of the 20 English Bibles I can search through digitally.
One may wonder what the big deal is. If we believe Mary was in fact the instrument God used to bring Jesus into the world biologically and Jesus is God why can’t we logically deduce that she is the mother of God. The Bible is our sole authority for doctrine and the Bible doesn’t teach that Mary should be thought of as the “mother of God.”
And God is also the Father and God is also the Eternal Holy Spirit and God is the Son of God—Jesus all of which do not have a beginning; therefore, giving all of them (or one of them) a mother is very confusing.
A small child may very well wonder, if God has always existed then why does God need a mother. We need to explain that God chose Mary has a special person to be the earthly mother of Jesus while He was a child on this earth.
More over giving God a mother encourages or creates another person to petition for needs desires etc. (You remember how this worked as a kid—if dad said no or appeared to be in a “bad” mood you would go to mom; well that pattern has carried over into adult life for some people.)
I witnessed this first hand most recently and it pained me to see and hear a group of people so confused on a matter which is not hard to understand.
Praying to Mary is like praying to any other human who has ever died. We have no biblical ground to believe that God has given those who die in Christ the ability to hear our prayers. Encouraging someone to pray to Mary or any other saint is encouraging idolatry plain and simple. And idolatry is a sin. The Bible is very clear about this matter; we are to have no other gods before God. This idolatrous god can be any number of things—it could be Mary—that is I spend time devoted to Mary that should be exclusively devoted to God. (Or it could be my boat that is keeping me out of church.)
If someone desires to refer to Mary’s relationship with the Godhead, they could be exceptionally careful to stress that Mary was the earthly mother of the Son of God and nothing more. Mary had to be saved by faith in the Messianic work of Christ as the Savior of the world like every other person that has ever been born-again.
There isn’t a shred of biblical evidence that Mary has been given any divine attributes or qualities. Those who pray to her are deceived by the god of the world who desires to have the glory that is meant for the Son of God and Him alone. Satan our enemy continually seeks to steal from God glory; he was thrown out of heaven for this sin and still seeks to blind and confuse people concerning Jesus the Son of God.
The Bible is very clear we have one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Focus on Jesus and you can’t go wrong. It is the Father’s desire to see His Son exalted and He has not revealed a plan to share that glory with the earthly mother of the Son of Man (or anyone else).
The actual phrase “mother of God” is not found in any of the 20 English Bibles I can search through digitally.
One may wonder what the big deal is. If we believe Mary was in fact the instrument God used to bring Jesus into the world biologically and Jesus is God why can’t we logically deduce that she is the mother of God. The Bible is our sole authority for doctrine and the Bible doesn’t teach that Mary should be thought of as the “mother of God.”
And God is also the Father and God is also the Eternal Holy Spirit and God is the Son of God—Jesus all of which do not have a beginning; therefore, giving all of them (or one of them) a mother is very confusing.
A small child may very well wonder, if God has always existed then why does God need a mother. We need to explain that God chose Mary has a special person to be the earthly mother of Jesus while He was a child on this earth.
More over giving God a mother encourages or creates another person to petition for needs desires etc. (You remember how this worked as a kid—if dad said no or appeared to be in a “bad” mood you would go to mom; well that pattern has carried over into adult life for some people.)
I witnessed this first hand most recently and it pained me to see and hear a group of people so confused on a matter which is not hard to understand.
Praying to Mary is like praying to any other human who has ever died. We have no biblical ground to believe that God has given those who die in Christ the ability to hear our prayers. Encouraging someone to pray to Mary or any other saint is encouraging idolatry plain and simple. And idolatry is a sin. The Bible is very clear about this matter; we are to have no other gods before God. This idolatrous god can be any number of things—it could be Mary—that is I spend time devoted to Mary that should be exclusively devoted to God. (Or it could be my boat that is keeping me out of church.)
If someone desires to refer to Mary’s relationship with the Godhead, they could be exceptionally careful to stress that Mary was the earthly mother of the Son of God and nothing more. Mary had to be saved by faith in the Messianic work of Christ as the Savior of the world like every other person that has ever been born-again.
There isn’t a shred of biblical evidence that Mary has been given any divine attributes or qualities. Those who pray to her are deceived by the god of the world who desires to have the glory that is meant for the Son of God and Him alone. Satan our enemy continually seeks to steal from God glory; he was thrown out of heaven for this sin and still seeks to blind and confuse people concerning Jesus the Son of God.
The Bible is very clear we have one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 2:5). Focus on Jesus and you can’t go wrong. It is the Father’s desire to see His Son exalted and He has not revealed a plan to share that glory with the earthly mother of the Son of Man (or anyone else).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)