The U.S. military is confirming that it has destroyed some Bibles belonging to an American soldier serving in Afghanistan.

Reuters News says the Bibles were confiscated and destroyed after Qatar-based Al Jazeer television showed soldiers at a Bible class on a base with a stack of Bibles translated into the local Pashto and Dari languages. The U.S. military forbids its members on active duty -- including those based in places like Afghanistan -- from trying to convert people to another religion.

Reuters quotes Maj. Jennifer Willis at the Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, who said "I can now confirm that the Bibles shown on Al Jazeera's clip were, in fact, collected by the chaplains and later destroyed. They were never distributed."

According to the military officials, the Bibles were sent through private mail to an evangelical Christian soldier by his church back home. Reuters says the soldier brought them to the Bible study class where they were filmed.

The Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, told a Pentagon briefing Monday that the military's position is that it will never "push any specific religion."

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I thought this was an interesting article. The question of leaving a church and having a biblical justification is something I have thought about before. I think he gives good reasons and I think there might be some more, but I also think people try to justify to themselves their own reasoning. Anyway, here is the article and as always I look forward to hearing the responses.

When To Leave Your Church
By: Bob Carpenter

Last year our church focused on the Bible's instruction to love harmony and unity. As the Bible says in Philippians 2:2, "Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose." We tried to teach our church members that the laissez-faire commitment to church membership which characterizes our times is not God's way of thinking.

In response, I occasionally heard a question like this, "OK, I get it that we shouldn't just up and leave our church, but is there ever a time to leave?" The answer is "yes, there are times one should leave a church."

Let me suggest some cases in which a person should change churches:

–- False teaching. In Jude 3b, the Bible says "... I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." God's people must "contend" for the faith clearly revealed in the Bible. When God's church ceases to teach/preach faithfully the Bible, it loses the anointing of God and all spiritual authority. It's expected that well-meaning believers may have minor points of difference in interpreting God's Word. That's not the point. When the pastor and Sunday School teachers distort the obvious meaning of the Word for some preferred idea, they must be confronted. If they will not repent and return to God's Word, get out (2 John 9-11).

-– Unaddressed sin. If there is open sin, especially among the pastors, the church is in danger. If the pastors are the offenders, then deacons or other mature leaders in the church must confront them and call them to repentance (1 Timothy 5:19-20). When others are the offenders, those same leaders must join the pastors in confronting offenders (Matthew 18:15-17). God's blessing will not last for long on the church that will not confront open, unrepentant sin. If the church leaders will not confront the sin, you should shake the dust off your shoes as you go out the door.

-– Dysfunctional church life. As with families, churches can become dysfunctional. Sadly, the landscape of American church life is littered with people meeting in church-type buildings that long ago ceased to be church. When the vision dies, the agenda degrades to how we pay the bills, what we need to do to keep people happy, or arguing over who's in charge of the operation. In this state, God's church usually divides into little "fiefdoms" with people fighting over control and power. It's ugly. A church almost never recovers from this point. One must be cautious in calling a church "dysfunctional," as only God ultimately knows when He's done with a church. But when a believer finds himself/herself in that kind of church, he/she should move on to a church in which God is working. One cannot expect a perfect church but one can expect a church with evidence of God's presence (1 Corinthians 1:10-11).

In addition to these negative reasons a believer might need to leave his/her church, there are other circumstances that may lead a believer to do so that are not negative. For instance:

-– Moving. If the will of God leads one to move too far away to have meaningful involvement in one's church, he/she must move on to another church (Hebrews 11:25). Believers need to think twice about how leaving a good church might affect their walks with God when considering a move. Some should choose not to move so as to remain in the fellowship of one's church. At other times, God's leading is clear and the commute would be unwise or impossible.

There's a related application to this point: When a church member marries a believer from another church, one of them must leave his/her church and move to the spouse's church. Though the Bible doesn't specifically address this scenario, my experience points toward holding the wedding service with the woman's church. She then leaves her church to join his since he is responsible as the spiritual leader of the home. On occasion, God will direct the new family to stay in the woman's church.

–- Mission. Sometimes God calls a believer to a mission that will mean he/she must leave the church (Acts 17:2). Our church is working to plant a church, and we expect God will call believers from our church to join in that mission. We shall give our blessing to those going to serve in the planting of a new church.

There may be other reasons to leave one's church. If so, I think they would fall into one of these broader categories. The point is, many American believers who change churches do so for the wrong reasons.

When people leave churches often it is over relationship issues -- too often it's with the pastor. We need to work through any brokenness in relationships so they may be healed. We cannot forsake truth or morality just to "keep the peace" but we surely can lay aside grudges, bitterness or lack of forgiveness.

As Paul admonished Euodia and Syntyche in Philippians 4:2, "Live in harmony in the Lord." May it be so in your church!

LINK

Bob Carpenter is pastor of Cedar Street Church in Holt, Mich., and a member of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee.

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I was just made aware of a recent poll done by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life and the USA Today published a story on it about a month ago. The results will be shocking to any Bible believing Christian. The question was not some deep, theological question. The question was as simply asking how many ways are there to heaven? The result "an overall majority (54%) of people who identified with a religion and who said they attend church weekly also said many religions can lead to eternal life. This majority included 37% of white evangelicals, 75% of mainline Protestants and 85% of non-Hispanic white Catholics."

In addition, "Pew's new survey also found that many Christians (29%) say they are saved by their good actions; 30% say salvation is through belief in Jesus, God or a higher power alone, which is the core teaching of evangelical Protestantism; and 10% say salvation is found through a combination of behavior and belief, a view closer to Catholic teachings."

Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, calls the findings "a theological crisis for American evangelicals. They represent at best a misunderstanding of the Gospel and at worst a repudiation of the Gospel." Mohler sees behind the statistics the impact of pluralism and secularism in U.S. society and the challenge of facing family and friends with "an uncomfortable truth... We are in an age when we want to tell everyone they are doing just fine. It's extremely uncomfortable to turn to someone and say, 'You will go to hell unless you come to a saving knowledge of Jesus,' "

In my opinion this is clear repudiation. How can someone misunderstand John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." I think Mohler is spot on. It is a combination of pluralism, secularism, postmodernism and political correctness that is distorting the gospel.

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The photo here is from the cover of Time Magazine. While I have not read the article, the picture was fitting for this post even though I think the picture along with the article is Anti-Semitic. The picture says "Why Israel Can't Win" and I would change it to "When Israel Will Win."

There has been much debate about what is going on with in Gaza. I have been avoiding the subject because Layne at Prominent Thought has done a good job at keeping posts current in regards to the matter. One of the major questions being asked is whether or not Israel has the right to retake Gaza. I find the answer to that question in Genesis 15:18-21, where God promised the land to Abraham. In Deuteronomy 1:6-8 when God promised Moses and lastly in Joshua 1:2-4 where God continued to tell Joshua. We know that we cannot question God's right because Psalms 24:1 tells us He owns the whole earth.

Now the question turns to when will Israel be fully restored. The prophet's answer is when Christ returns for His millennial reign.

Jeremiah 16:14-18 "Therefore behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that it shall no more be said, ‘The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘The LORD lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had driven them.’ For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers. “Behold, I will send for many fishermen,” says the LORD, “and they shall fish them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks. For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their iniquity hidden from My eyes. And first I will repay double for their iniquity and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable and abominable idols.”

In addition to restoring Israel, God is going to make a new covenant with them. It will not be like the Mosaic Covenant because His people broke it and received a series of punishments. God's new covenant will give Israel the ability to obey.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 "Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

Ezekial 36:24-32 indicates that this change will happen from bestowal of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the new covenant also mentions God forgiving their sin. God is not overlooking their sin, but rather God provided a substitute in Christ, Isaiah 53:4-5.

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I have recently seen discussions and have been asked questions about baptism. All of this has led me to look at scripture and try to answer questions regarding baptism. Questions concerning infant baptism, sprinkling verses immersion, and its correlation with salvation.

First I think it is important to distinguish the two types of baptism. There is water baptism and spiritual baptism. If water baptism is mistaken for spiritual baptism it is easily interpreted that baptism is necessary for salvation. A verse that depicts spiritual baptism is 1 Corinthians 12:13

"For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free -- and have all made to drink into one Spirit."

Paul was not referring to water baptism here. He was referring to spiritual baptism which is experienced by all who believe at the moment of salvation.

Romans 8:9 "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His."

An additional verse in Matthew where John the Baptist describes the difference:

Matthew 3:11 "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

Therefore when Romans 6:3-4 says "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." This surely describes the symbolism that takes place during water baptism (death, burial and resurrection).

Baptism is not necessary for salvation. A clear indication of this is the thief on the cross. Luke 23"42-43 "Then he said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.' And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'" The thief was never baptized.

The main verse I have seen those who believe baptism is necessary for salvation use Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned." Take note that the latter part of this verse list unbelief as condemnation not the lack of baptism. The belief that baptism in necessary for salvation conflicts with the rest of the Bible (Romans 3:21-28; Ephesians 2:8-10).

As I previously stated, believers are spiritually baptized upon salvation, so who participates in water baptism? The Bible indicates that believers are baptized.

Acts 2:41 "Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them."

Acts 8:36-37 "Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, 'See here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?' Then Philip said, 'If you believe with all your heart, you may.' And he answered and said, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.'"

As you may have notice, water baptism is something that takes place soon after conversion.

Acts 16:31-33 "So they said, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.' Then they spoke the word of the lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized."

So this leads to why we should be baptized. Is it because of tradition or church policy? Absolutely NOT! Baptism is a divine command from Jesus.

Matthew 28:19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"

Something that is also discussed is how we are suppose to be baptized. There are many different methods that are practiced today: pouring, sprinkling and others. The word baptism comes from baptizo which means to plunge, submerge, or immerse. Going back to Philip and the eunuch scripture says "Philip and the eunuch went down into the water" Acts 8:38. In John 3:23 John was baptizing "because there was much water there." This goes back to the symbolism that takes place: Lowered = falling as in death, Immersed = as in burial, and Standing = as in the resurrection.

Conclusion:
Christians are to be baptized because it is the command of Christ; only those who have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior and have experienced the new birth are to be baptized. Baptism is the first public step commanded that the believer is to accomplish soon after their salvation. Baptism is thus a an act of obedience to Christ and also an outward demonstration of identifying with Jesus Christ and His death at the cross, His burial, and His resurrection.

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Luke 2:1-20

"And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger.

Now when they had seen Him, they made widely[d] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them."

MERRY CHRISTMAS,

Craig

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RBC Ministries, who is known for publishing Our Daily Bread is offering free online biblical courses. I have not taken any of these courses. I actually just stumbled upon it. I don't know how credible they are since the aren't worth any academic credit, but they are at no cost and go towards a certificate they provide.

Obviously this is not for those seriously looking at going into ministry, however if your looking at learning more this may be worth looking into. If anyone has taken one of these courses or has heard anything please let me know.

LINK

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Newsweek has a cover story (or should I say hit piece) using the Bible to defend homosexuality. Instead of summarizing the entire article I have some excerpts from it followed by a link to the article and a link to a rebuttal.

"Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel—all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments—especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust."

"If the bible doesn't give abundant examples of traditional marriage, then what are the gay-marriage opponents really exercised about? Well, homosexuality, of course—specifically sex between men. Sex between women has never, even in biblical times, raised as much ire."

"The Bible does condemn gay male sex in a handful of passages. Twice Leviticus refers to sex between men as "an abomination" (King James version), but these are throwaway lines in a peculiar text given over to codes for living in the ancient Jewish world, a text that devotes verse after verse to treatments for leprosy, cleanliness rituals for menstruating women and the correct way to sacrifice a goat—or a lamb or a turtle dove. Most of us no longer heed Leviticus on haircuts or blood sacrifices; our modern understanding of the world has surpassed its prescriptions. Why would we regard its condemnation of homosexuality with more seriousness than we regard its advice, which is far lengthier, on the best price to pay for a slave?"

"The Bible endorses slavery, a practice that Americans now universally consider shameful and barbaric. It recommends the death penalty for adulterers (and in Leviticus, for men who have sex with men, for that matter). It provides conceptual shelter for anti-Semites. A mature view of scriptural authority requires us, as we have in the past, to move beyond literalism. The Bible was written for a world so unlike our own, it's impossible to apply its rules, at face value, to ours."

"Gay men like to point to the story of passionate King David and his friend Jonathan, with whom he was "one spirit" and whom he "loved as he loved himself." Conservatives say this is a story about a platonic friendship, but it is also a story about two men who stand up for each other in turbulent times, through violent war and the disapproval of a powerful parent."

How would you answer Newsweek? If you aren't sure take a look at this REBUTTAL

NEWSWEEK ARTICLE

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An American film producer is publishing a gay version of the Bible. It will be called the Princess Dianna Bible and is set to release in the spring of 2009. In this version God creates Aida and Eve not Adam and Eve. There is also talk of a two-part mini-series after it is completed.

Max Mitchell the film producer says "There are many different versions of the Bible; I don't see why we can't have one." He then asks "There are 116 versions of the Bible, why is any of them better than ours?" Is this guy for real? You cannot just change something (especially the Bible) to make it fit your agenda.

When asked about how he came up with the idea he said "I got the idea for the Princess Diana Bible from Horror In The Wind," he added. "After the world becomes gay, religious people create The Princess Diana Bible, which says that gay is right and straight is a sin. Then they burn all the King James Bibles."

FULL ARTICLE

PRINCESS DIANNA BIBLE WEBSITE

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A self-described homosexual member of the House of Commons, Svend Robinson, is expected to reintroduce bill C-415, which would add sexual orientation as a protected category in Canada's genocide and hate crimes legislation. However, this is not new to Canada.

A Saskatchewan man recently was fined $5,000 for buying a newspaper ad that quoted verses from the Bible condemning homosexual behavior.

Two years ago, the Ontario Human Rights Commission penalized printer Scott Brockie $5,000 for refusing to print letterhead for a homosexual advocacy group. Brockie argued that his Christian beliefs compelled him to reject the group's request.

In 1997, the council ruled that the airing of a James Dobson "Focus on the Family" program, called "Homosexuality: Fact and Fiction," violated the requirement that opinion, comment, and editorializing be presented in a way that is "full, fair, and proper."

In an "action alert" distributed last week, Rushfeldt wrote that if C-415 becomes law in Canada, "the following consequences will result, especially once hate crime charges are brought before the courts":

- The Bible, at least certain portions of the Bible, may be declared "hate literature."

- Churches will not be able to mention certain Scriptures.

- Clergy may be subjected to criminal charges if they refuse to marry homosexuals.

- Parents may be subjected to criminal charges if they refuse to allow their children to attend classes that teach about and promote homosexual behavior.

- Expressing disagreement with homosexual behavior or the homosexual agenda, either verbally or in writing, would be considered hate propaganda.

- Educators, including those at private religious schools, will not be able to refuse to teach homosexual curriculum.

- Religious institutions will not be allowed to teach anything non-supportive of homosexual sex.

- Canadian Blood Services will not be allowed to screen risk-behavior donors.

- Governments (including local municipalities) will be prevented from passing (even debating) sex standards laws.

"I think the U.S. is not far behind Canada," said John Paulk, gender and homosexuality specialist for Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs.

FULL ARTICLE

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First published in Sweden last year, "Bible Illuminated: The Book" is a glossy fashion magazine-style publication. Parent company Illuminated World has released the Bible in the United States. The New Testament version will be released this month, and the Old Testament possibly in March 2009. In the U.S., the New Testament is being sold on Amazon.com Inc.'s Web site, as well as at bookstores such as Barnes & Noble Inc and Gift and Bible.

While I have been referred to as "too traditional", this is not your normal Bible. It contains pictures of Martin Luther King Jr. and Angelina Jolie. When will people recognize the sovereignty of God and stop trying to market the Bible? Here are some quotes from an article.

A photo of a man on fire opens the Book of Revelation. And laid across a two-page image of gasoline spilling from a pump is the quote that begins: "The whole earth was amazed and followed the beast."

"In general, Bible publishers have always been creative but now they are scrambling to meet a culture where people are moving away from print reading," said Paul Gutjahr, an English associate professor and religious studies adjunct associate professor at Indiana University.

"In a visually literate, advertising-skeptical age - how do you grab people's attention? Mixing the biblical text with Angelina Jolie doesn't surprise me."

Larry Norton, a former publishing executive and president of Illuminated World, said sales of "Bible Illuminated" in Sweden, where an estimated 60,000 Bibles are sold each year, reached 30,000 in its first year. The company is hoping for similar success in the U.S. The book even found a strong secondary market in secular sales.

"We are living in the age of increased secularization and distance from traditional religion," said Robert Hodgson, dean emeritus at the Nida Institute for Biblical Scholarship, which is responsible for the translation and quality control for the American Bible Society.

The society licensed the rights to the Good News version of the Bible to Illuminated World.

"It's about new points of entry in a modern world that is not ready to open its doors and windows to the traditional word," Hodgson said.

Bible Illuminated is not affiliated with any religion or church. Why would Gift and Bible sell this?...money? As for me, I will no longer shop at Gift and Bible.

FULL ARTICLE

Bible Illuminated Website

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I just ordered some items from christianbook.com and Amazon. As for those who know me know my disappointment for so called Christian bookstores (Family Christian Bookstore).

I ordered the Ryrie Study Bible and the Scofield Study Bible. I also ordered 'The Bible Knowledge Commentary' which is a two volume commentary that covers the O.T. and N.T. This commentary is put together by staff members of the Dallas Seminary.

I have a MacArthur Study Bible and a KJV Study Bible. I use to have a NIV Study Bible, but gave it away to someone that liked it. I liked it also, but they needed a Bible so... Plus I prefer the NKJV translation. I use the free software esword and I received computer software as gift that has different Bible translations, commentaries, Bible dictionary, Concordance, Devotionals among other things.

I am old fashion, I prefer books. I have tried computer software, but I don't know why I prefer books. Maybe it is looking at a computer screen.

Questions
What Bible translation do you prefer?

What commentaries or helpful tools do you recommend?

How do you decide which theologian to trust before you study them? Recommendation, organizational ties, denominations affiliation or random?

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Article from One News Now:

Pro-family advocates say Christians should get used to legal harassment such as the lawsuit a homosexual activist recently filed against two Bible publishers.

Bradley LaShawn Fowler of Canton, Michigan, does not like the fact that the Bibles produced by Zondervan and Thomas Nelson Publishers both accurately convey God's prohibition against homosexual behavior. So he is suing in federal court, seeking $10 million from Thomas Nelson and $60 million from Zondervan.

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, says Bible-believing Christians had better get ready for more of this type of sniping. "Obviously, this is a frivolous publicity stunt, but this is a portent of things to come," he warns.

"We know that the homosexual activists are now targeting, essentially, born-again Christians and committed Catholics and Mormons who oppose their agenda. They're out to re-write the Bible, to say that the Bible really does not condemn homosexual practice, which it obviously does," says LaBarbera. "Ultimately, we believe they'll be doing more and more of these lawsuits against Christians and Christian companies."

LaBarbera says the suit reminds him of British actor and homosexual activist Sir Ian McKellen, who has admitted to ripping pages that contain scriptures condemning homosexuality out of Gideon Bibles in hotel rooms. "The fact is whether you rip the pages out or not, or whether you sue, or whether you pass a law against it, the Word of God still stands," he emphasizes. "And God's authority on that issue still stands, no matter what man does."

The judge in the case has denied Fowler's request for a court-appointed attorney, saying the court had "very genuine concerns" about the legitimacy of the claims in the lawsuit.

Are you concerned about the future perception of homosexuality?
Is it already a problem since some Christian denominations accept homosexuality?
Do you foresee it being a crime to preach God's condemnation of homosexuality?

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Romans 8: 28

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

I am sure most people are familiar with this verse. I refer to it often and use it often, usually in times of trial, struggle or confusion. As I was reading a book on Romans it pointed out something that I never noticed. “To those” is used twice in this verse and they are different expressions.

One is from God to man and the other is from man to God. This is a two way street. It is also something that I have trouble explaining, which is the balance of election and freewill. The amazing part is that it is in the same verse.

Examples

(1) God’s promise to Abram (Abraham) in Genesis 12:
God’s side was to tell Abram to go and Abram’s side was going.

(2) God tells Moses to go to Egypt in Exodus 3:11-12:
God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh and says He will be there with him and Moses goes.

(3) Saul’s conversion Acts 9:15:
God selects Paul to stand before gentiles and kings and Saul (Paul) excepts.


There are many more examples. This is not a topic to start debating predestination. I believe in sovereign election, but there are responsibilities also with man, for example, repentance and trusting Christ as Lord and Savior. These three examples showed trust in God.

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