The Reformed Advisor

Tag: moral

The Only Thing Christians Can Do Is Disobey

Posted on September 19, 2014 in Public Policy, Religious Freedom by

Christians have a responsibility to be obedient to civil government. Verses such as Mark 12:17 and Romans chapter 13 make it clear that Christians have a duty to be obedient to civil government because God has ordained government “for your good.”

Knowing that Christians have a responsibility to civil government makes it hard for some to understand why we resist and fight some laws. If, they suppose, Christians are to obey government, why fight the HHS mandate or the redefinition of marriage?

For those leading the charge in these particular areas of culture change it makes no sense for Christians to expend all their energy fighting the government when they should, as the Bible teaches, submit to and obey the government. Rather than risk the loss of livelihood or be fined for resisting and opposing laws mandated by the government, Christians ought to submit and obey.

While that is, technically true, it is not entirely true and stands outside the context of Christian responsibility.

Will Legalizing Gay “Marriage” End the Culture Wars? Don’t Be Silly

Posted on September 4, 2014 in Marriage, Public Policy by

No, no, no, no, no. Hoping the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex “marriage” in all fifty states is not a good idea. Yes, the issue is undoubtedly headed back to the high court and, yes, the court will be forced to rule whether or not individual states have the right to define marriage for themselves. But, to want the Supreme Court to decide for us all what the definition of marriage should be is an absurd proposition.

I get it, the writer of this article saying that such a decision by the high court would be a great thing for the Republican Party is thinking along secular political lines. His end game is a strengthened GOP that doesn’t have to deal with an unpopular cultural issue. Nonetheless, not only do I think it is a political strategy nightmare, I think it’s a moral disaster of epic proportions.

The writer starts off his support for a Supreme Court decision by saying: “Like it or not, opponents of gay marriage are losing the battle…A substantial majority of voters now support it, 59 percent in the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll.”

Understanding the Progressive Sexual Ideology: Sex for Everyone – Even Kids!

Posted on July 18, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality by

At one time sexuality was held within the moral confines of one man one woman marriage. This doesn’t mean that every person adhered to this confine, but it was nonetheless an established, accepted norm for sexual activity. Furthermore, those who abandoned these boundaries were viewed as guilty of…immorality. So the moral boundary of sexual activity carried with it a price for anyone that chose to treat across the boundary.

But a major goal of the LGBT movement and progressive ideology is to eliminate all such boundaries. If sexual boundaries can be eliminated then the sky is the limit in determining what behavior is acceptable. To this end the “hook-up” culture was created and normalized among American youth. The effectiveness is obvious.

Yes! Pastors Should Preach “Political” Messages

Posted on July 1, 2014 in Marriage, Sexuality, Theology by

I’m a major advocate of pastors talking about “politics” from the pulpit. It has nothing to do with the fact that I’m a pastor, or that I’m a political junky. It has to do with my belief that at the core of every Christian is a theology that orders his or her worldview. That worldview dictates daily actions and interactions. For this reason it is critical that pastors address “political issues” from the pulpit.

Now, I want to make sure we are on the same page. When I say “political issues” I don’t mean that pastors should talk about the IRS, or the FCC, or whether our current foreign policy is working, or the state of our military. Those are not the “political” issues I have in mind.

When I say pastors should discuss political issues from the pulpit I am referring to issues that are, in fact, biblical moral issues that have been hijacked by our highly politicized culture.

Issues such as abortion, marriage, sexuality, and gender roles are not political issues; these issues are biblical moral issues that demand attention, clear communication, and biblical grounding.

Is It Fair That a Man Gets Prison for Having Sex With a Toddler? Maybe Not!

Posted on June 3, 2014 in Sexuality by

Pedophilia is one of the most heinous crimes a person can commit. It is the intentional robbing of childhood innocence for the sexual pleasure of an adult. It is selfish. It is dangerous. It is helping to create victims of sexual abuse that often engage in damaging behavior such as drug and alcohol abuse (and some say homosexual behavior).

The question being asked is whether or not it is fair for a person guilty of pedophilia to be sentenced to jail?

Here’s the story, a 39 year old man is busted for sexual activity with his 3 year old daughter. After a lengthy trial in which the man claimed the child initiated the sexual contact with him causing him to be aroused, he is sentenced to twelve years in jail. Is this case fair for all parties involved?

Before you answer there’s a couple more facts to be aware of. The man in this case admits to having mental disabilities of a minor kind that do not prevent him from knowing the difference between right and wrong. He was judged to be more than competent to stand trial. The accused also repeatedly blamed the child’s mother for the incident (presumably his ex-wife). The accused also said it was the child that initiated the contact by undressing herself and then unzipping his pants; which led the man to become aroused and engage in the sexual contact.

This Info-Graphic Says It All Regarding Moral Issues

Posted on May 21, 2014 in Life, Sexuality by

The info-graphic posted here is from a recent study by the Pew Research Center called: Pew Research Center’s 2013 Global Attitudes. It shows the response of citizens in 40 countries when asked about moral issues facing our culture. The results speak for themselves. For a further breakdown of the results you can read the Pew study results at the link posted above or click here.

Rand Paul and Moral Leadership on Abortion

Posted on May 3, 2014 in Life by

When William Wilberforce began his quest to end slavery, public opinion and the political forces were against him. In his greatest legal victory, years before they outlawed slavery, he achieved it knowing it was contrary to the majority of people in England and expected the law to bankrupt the nation.

Moral stands are some of the most difficult stands to take when you are facing headwinds. It is easy to think that moral issues are less important than economic or scientific, but as Christians we know they are not only as important, they are more important.

So, when Rand Paul (or any politician) says he believes life begins at conception, but pushes off any legislation until “we can get consensus”, he shows cowardliness not leadership. (Video below)

A Man’s Response When He Was Refused Service for Being Conservative Should Be a Lesson to All

Posted on March 6, 2014 in Religious Freedom by

We’ve all heard of a Christian being sued for effusing to take part in a same-sex ceremony. Sure you have. There’s a baker in Colorado, a photographer in New Mexico, a florist in Washington, these are just a few of the many people being attacked by LGBT activists and the government for refusing to violate their religious convictions. (If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, click here.)

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a straight person was ‘discriminated” against by a homosexual simply for being straight, conservative, or Christian?

Wonder no more.

Not long ago Alan Sears, the president of Arizona based legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, was turned down by a photographer when asked to take a family photo for a Christmas card.

The Troubles Caused by Marriage Redefinition

Posted on February 19, 2014 in Marriage by

Marriage was intended to be the union of one man and one woman for the purpose of bearing and raising kids in order to propagate humanity and society. From a biblical position, marriage was also intended to be a visible image of the relationship between Jesus Christ and His bride, the church. On an individual level marriage was intended to make us holy, others-centered people. Anything outside this understanding of marriage is inadequate and presents a false view of God’s intended purpose for marriage.

In the effort to redefine marriage, proponents often say that marriage is just a legal contract intended to convey governmental benefits. Ok, I’ll accept that as a secondary, far less significant, man-made construct for modern marriage. That does not in any way alter the true purpose and definition of marriage. Nor should it somehow assuage the conscience and allow support for marriage redefinition.

When we as a society stray from the established purpose and definition of marriage we bring upon ourselves a whole new set of moral, societal, and legal troubles.

Would You Want Your 13-Year-Old Daughter Answering This Question?

Posted on January 20, 2014 in Sexuality by

As a parent I have the responsibility to teach my kids certain things about life. Among those things which I am to be the primary teacher for my kids are morality, theology, and manners. I don’t believe it is anyone else’s responsibility to impart this vital information to my kids and will not allow anyone else to obstruct or interfere with my responsibility.

Another very critical issue for which I believe I am primarily responsible for teaching my kids is sexuality. Some might be tempted to believe it is a school’s job or the government’s job (same thing) to teach children about sexuality when the truth is that it is a parent’s responsibility. Now, it is true that some parents have abdicated this role in their children’s lives to others: school, government, church. But this does not negate their responsibility, and creating alternative streams for education only further allows parents to be negligent rather than encouraging them to step up.

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