Category Archives: Social Justice

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Social Justice, Teaching

CULTURE WAR SERIES PART 14: Wisely Defending Your Values Part IV

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.— Luke 12:12
In our previous article, we began to look at the steps you should take if you must respond to a leftist/progressive argument. As we learned from the Book of Proverbs, there are times when wisdom decrees no response, while others times we should. Unless you are a politician or debater, much of the time silence is golden. Yet, there could come a time where you have no choice; in that case, your response should be straight and strong, clear, calm, and robust. Remember the other side is not your real enemy so don’t treat them as such. Yet, don’t let them walk over you, either.
1.       Don’t allow them to interrupt you: You gave them a fair hearing, demand to be given the same. Do not allow brow-beating or interruptions to keep you from giving your perspective.
2.       Avoid being defensive: If a smattering or barrage of insults are hurled your way – for example, ‘bigot,’ ‘hater,’ ‘sexist,’ ‘racist,’ ‘homophobe,’ ‘islamophobe’ are some of the current terms on offer – do not go on the defensive. This will be interpreted as going on the back foot and even weakness. No need to say things like ‘No, I’m no homophobe. I have gay friends’ – such statements will get you no where. You would be better off going on the offensive. In football, failure to do so means no points and losing the game. If, and only if wisdom decrees you respond, then ‘go for it.’ Your sensible words, calm demeanour, and steely determination – along with God-given authority – will take you far and you will prevail. Don’t worry about vindication or being proven right – just fight the good fight of faith. God will do the rest.
3.       Issues: Do you best to stay focused on the issues, not your (screeching) opponent. Frame the topic on something highly valued and worth defending, like faith, freedom, and/or family. If someone argue that you are against the valued notion of ‘social justice,’ your response could be: ‘For me, social justice means supporting struggling families, caring for our courageous veterans, seeking justice for people being persecuted for their religious beliefs and conscience. Justice means protecting the unborn so they can have a right to life and liberty like everyone else.’ Such words are hard to refute, though there are no guarantees that your opponent won’t degenerate into a triggered tantrum. No matter what, keep calm and solder on.
4.       Be prepared: Above all, be prepared factually, mentally and spiritually. You want to be truthful and accurate, because anything less will undermine your argument and discredit your Christian witness. You will have immediate access to wise answers and, in some cases, the words will deposited into your mouth at that moment (Luke 12:12 above).
5.       Stay on track: Don’t allow the opponent to get off track or side. Stick to the issue – make them answer your questions.
6.       Word wise: Watch your words and body language. Both are potent tools of communication.
7.       Inconsistencies: It won’t take long to identify inconsistencies in your opponents arguments (e.g. antifa using forcible fascist means to silence ‘fascist’ opponents). When discovered, hammer the point.
8.       Firm but Fair: No need to be Mr. or Miss ‘Nicey-nice.’ It will be misinterpreted as weakness. Yes, you can be collegial and confident, controlled and strong, firm and fair, not faint-hearted and flustered.
9.       Honesty is the best policy: Be willing, when necessary to admit if your side has made mistakes or if you don’t something. Do not try to bluff your way through. Truth and honesty are powerful weapons.
10.   Personal experience: If you have a personal experience involving an issue, don’t hesitate to share it. It can be a powerful counterpoint, especially in an age of relativism, since most people are reticent to challenge other people’s experience. Even if they disagree with your position, they normally won’t gainsay what you have lived through. A good, true, well told story can do wonders.
11.   Audience: If there are others watching, keep them in mind. You are more likely to persuade them than your debating opponent.
Now if some of these principles appear to be ‘un-Christian,’ remember this: is it un-Christian for a Christian to be a soldier and fight to defend his or her nation? If not, then remember: this is a culture war and what you are doing is defending the values you hold dear. This is a God-honouring thing to do. What’s more, you are not killing anyone in this war; in fact, you might just help deliver them from the error of their ways.
As emphasised from the beginning, remember that ultimately the culture war is a ‘spiritual war’ and your spiritual weaponry is of the utmost importance (II Corinthians 10:4-5; Ephesians 6:10-18; I Thessalonians 5:17). When you are in spiritual ‘tip-top’ shape, you are optimally prepared to face a culture war dialogue, debate, or outright confrontation, with wisdom, grace, anointing … and success.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Faith, Prophecy, Social Justice, Teaching

CULTURE WAR SERIES PART 13: Wisely Defending Your Values Part III

Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say Luke 12:11-12(NKJV)
In our timely culture war series, we have been exploring how to respond in a wise manner while simultaneously standing up for what we believe. So far, we have learned the importance of being spiritually strong, treat the opposition as friends rather than adversaries, project confidence and strength, and to keep calm at all times. We now continue to learn some other traits that can help us respond more effectively.
Avoid being defensive: If a smattering or barrage of insults are hurled your way – for example, ‘bigot,’ ‘hater,’ ‘sexist,’ ‘racist,’ ‘homophobe,’ ‘islamophobe’ are some of the current terms on offer – do not go on the defensive. This will be interpreted as going on the back foot and even weakness. No need to say things like ‘No, I’m no homophobe. I have gay friends’ – such statements will get you no where.
You would be better off going on the offensive. In football, failure to do so means no points and losing the game. If, and only if wisdom decrees you respond, then ‘go for it.’ Your sensible words, calm demeanour, and steely determination, will take you far and you will prevail. Don’t worry about vindication or being proven right – just fight the good fight of faith. God will do the rest.
Issues: Do your best to stay focused on the issues, not on your (screeching) opponent. Frame the topic on something highly valued and worth defending, like faith, freedom, and/or family.
If some argues that you are against the valued notion of ‘social justice,’ your response could be:
For me, social justice means supporting struggling families, caring for our courageous veterans, seeking justice for people being persecuted for their religious beliefs and conscience. Justice means protecting the unborn so they can have a right to life and liberty like everyone else.’
Such words are hard to refute, though there are no guarantees that your opponent won’t degenerate into a triggered tantrum. No matter what, keep calm and solder on.
Be prepared: Above all, be prepared factually, mentally and spiritually. You want to be truthful and accurate, because anything less will undermine your argument and discredit your Christian witness. You will have immediate access to wise answers and, in some cases, the words will deposited into your mouth at that moment (see verses above).
Stay on track: Don’t allow the opponent to get off track or sidle. Stick to the issue – make them answer your questions.
Word wise: Watch your words and body language. Both are potent tools of communication.
Inconsistencies: It won’t take long to identify inconsistencies in your opponent’s arguments. When discovered, hammer the point. For example, a high-profile politician spoke about his deep and sincere concern for taking up the cause of protecting the ‘poor and marginalised.’ Yet this same individual, in the same breathe, advocates liberal and late-term abortion. How about being a champion of the unborn, not just the post-natal? To harm one segment of society is to harm all.
Remember, we are not looking for a fight but if we are challenged on our views, be prepared to defend them. That’s what this, and other articles, are about.
TO BE CONTINUED.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Social Justice, Teaching

Recognising & Responding to Progressivism in the Church Part 03 (Culture War Series Part 10)


REINTERPRETATION OF EVERYTHING
We have been exploring the effects of left-leaning progressivism on Christian churches, particularly in the West. Though progressivism is normally and fiercely ‘secular,’ it has made big inroads into some churches. While the change is incremental, the results are large. It starts with a desire to reach the world, often by worldly methods and mindsets. Relevance is a chief goal.
After that, the move towards progressive Christianity has a fresh look at Scripture, often resulting in a ‘low-view.’ One progressive Christian leader said that the Bible condones war, slavery in both testaments and relegates women to a second class status. When Scripture is despised and demoted, the ‘little boy’s finger in the Dutch dike’ is removed, and the sea water begins to pour in.
In this article, we will explore how progressivism seeks to redefine and interpret everything. In lock-step with postmodernism and progressivism, key phrases and key doctrines of the Christian faith come under the scalpel. ‘The virgin birth,’ the resurrection of Jesus,’ ‘heaven and hell,’ the ‘inspiration of Scripture,’ even ‘love,’ as well as hot-button issues like ‘abortion and homosexuality’ are looked at and, where necessary, reconfigured to fit the progressivist mindset. Doctrine will be spiritualised or explained away. Hell is dismissed because ‘God is love’ and the ‘resurrection’ is seen as a concept rather than a reality. Sin is almost never mentioned because we want people to ‘feel good about themselves.’
For example, for the first 1,800 years of church history, the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture was upheld by Christendom as a whole, including the Catholic Church. Yet, thanks to The Enlightenment and the elevation of human reason to a place higher than Scripture itself, doubts began to creep up about Biblical inerrancy. Now, historic churches and a few evangelicals no longer believe in inerrancy. As Harold Lindsell in his seminal book The Battle for the Bible, described as ‘The book that rocked the evangelical world,’ says:
I will contend that embracing a doctrine of an errant Scripture will lead to disaster down the road. It will result in the loss of missionary outreach; it will quench missionary passion; it will lull congregations to sleep and undermine their belief in the full-orbed truth of the Bible; it will produce spiritual sloth and decay; and it will finally lead to apostasy (Page 28 The Battle for the Bible: Defending the Inerrancy of Scripture by Harold Lindsell; Santa Ana: Calvary Chapel, 2008).
Lindsell predicts that if the church would fully, consciously, and proactively return to inerrancy of the Scripture and orthodox doctrine, revival will break out. Evangelism and mission would spread, and there would be manifestations of holy power before the world (Ibid., page 157).
Social Justice
This has been the war-cry of progressivism and has particularly taken hold of the younger generation. From their mind, ‘social justice’ means ‘income equality’ or even ‘income redistribution.’ It becomes a Robin Hood mindset – take from the rich and give to the poor.
Justice is very much a Biblical concept but not in this regard. True justice decries covetousness and stealing; instead, it is seen as rewarding the righteous and punishing the (impenitent) wicked. It is also laced with humility, faith, mercy and peace. These things are what matter to God. It is more important to please Him and be ‘spiritually correct’ than to be politically correct.
Micah 6:8: He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
Sound advice.
What Next?
If you think your church is going down the ‘progressivist road,’ and this is of concern to you, what should you do? First, talk with someone who has authority to deal with the situation – often the pastor, elder, or board member. Explain what is the problem and why. Make sure you have a good attitude and humble spirit – you are not a rebel.
If you don’t get anywhere, then go to another higher authority. If that doesn’t work, then you will need to pray and fast about whether to stay in the church. This is a drastic step, one that this author rarely recommends, but at the end of the day, we need to be faithful to God above all. Above all, pray without ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17).
(Culture War series will be continued)