The Scourge Of Racism
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Today, the Lord would have me build an important bridge from the January 13, 2019 post, The Courage Of Conviction, under the category, Instruction, to a social issue and His preachers. The social issue is the wicked practice and tragedy of abortion solemnly held up, prayed about and protested by still not enough professed Christians and churches on this very day set apart each year as Sanctity Of Life Sunday. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a preacher who with God imbued courage, led many to stand up to nonviolently protest America’s oppressive and unjust treatment of its black citizens a generation ago before being assassinated. We celebrate his holiday tomorrow.
Surveying internet articles on abortion as a social justice issue, I was amazed not by the divergence of opinion, but by how the phrase “social justice” was defined, claimed and used by basically two different sides. And since social justice as a contemporary concept draws its most important personification by way of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., each side also claimed him as a likely endorser. In this post, it matters not where Dr. King may or may not have stood on abortion since he made no quoted direct and specific declaration one way or the other. What matters to the God of the Bible is where all of the truly called preachers of His Word should courageously stand!
Because definitions are an integral part of the intensifying spiritual warfare of these latter days, I cannot in good conscience go any further in this post until I first give proper definition to the terms “social” and “justice.” In its first layer of definition for social, Microsoft Encarta relates it “to human society and how it is organized.” Encarta goes on to associate social with how “people in groups behave and interact” as well as how they live or prefer to live as part of a community. Justice is defined first as “fairness or reasonableness, especially in the way people are treated or decisions are made.” It also refers to the legal system and how laws are applied according to this dictionary.
So, then, it would seem that by combining the words social and justice one would come away generally understanding the phrase to mean the ways in which a human society has established standards of fairness and behavior that are upheld and enforced within it. However, the world governed by Satan cannot endure such simplicity and must complicate things with this definition of the phrase: “the way in which human rights are manifested in the everyday lives of people at every level of society.”1 And there it is, “human rights.” Differing views of legitimate human rights and the source of morality is the reason our society is divided on the social justice issue of abortion.
Faithful Christians--every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ--start with God and His Word rather than fallen, sinful human assertion no matter how scholarly or brilliant in understanding anything about societal function and concepts such as justice that originate with Him!2 Indeed, God as our Creator has made us in the divine image and likeness to function in community as God from eternity (Genesis 1:1-3, 26-28, 2:7, 18-24; Luke 3:21-22; John 15:17, 17:11, 20-26). Referring to God, Scripture proclaims: “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne,” (Psalm 89:14, NKJV). God is the source of righteousness and justice!
God introduced His righteous and just nature into the human experience when He gave a command and the consequence of disobedience to the first man (Genesis 2:15-17). The man sinned and God brought His just consequence (Genesis 3:1-6, 17-19).3 For generations thereafter, Adam’s progeny were without righteous and just laws and nearly all destroyed as lawless in the global flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 4:1-24, 6:5-13). God, not man; God later gave to Israel and the world His righteous and just laws introduced through Moses (Deuteronomy 4:5-8; Romans 5:12-14). In His Law, Israel and any other human societies had a perfect standard of justice (Psalm 19:7-8; Romans 7:12).
Our nation’s Declaration Of Independence declares we derive certain rights from God. While individual rights were recognized in God’s laws, they never overstepped the eternal morality issuing forth from the righteousness and justice those laws embodied (Psalm 111:7-8, 119:142; Proverbs 14:12)! Thus, no human individual or society on earth apart from government punitively has the right to take another human life which begins by God’s design at the moment of conception (Genesis 9:5-7; Exodus 20:13; Psalm 139:13-16; Luke 18:18-20; Romans 13:1-4).4 It is here that every God called preacher is to take his stand to uphold the righteousness and justice of God’s Word and speak up to call out societies engaged in the unjust, wanton murder of its weakest citizens (Jeremiah 7:28-31).
Truly, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. courageously stood up when called upon by the Lord to cry out for and demand social justice for oppressed, segregated, disenfranchised, poorly educated and impoverished black Americans from a nation claiming “In God We Trust” a generation ago (Psalm 103:6). But now, a folk more helpless and voiceless than my slave forefathers cries out to God for social justice; even the unborn whose right to live by divine sanction is taken away in their mother’s wombs. Why are the many preachers who know God’s Word silent? Why do they not courageously stand up like Dr. King for black Americans and cry out with one voice on behalf of the unborn? Is it not because they do not all know the Lord or have His heart (Matthew 7:21-23; Mark 10:13-16)?
Is it not also because the racial group in this society with the highest number of abortions today are black Americans whose post-Civil Rights era leadership that includes many preachers sold them out long ago like Esau for some stew (Genesis 25:29-34)?5 Therefore, unless they seek it now, they will not find a place of repentance in the judgment (Isaiah 1:10-20; Hebrews 12:12-17)! And to the nation that has made law the unjust right of women to murder their unborn as Israel once sacrificed its children to demons (Psalm 106:37-38): the Lord will stand for the unborn and vindicate their blood as their Avenger in His holy wrath (Psalm 9; Jeremiah 7:32-34; Nahum 1:2-6; Zephaniah 1:14-18)! The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 Goggle “define social justice” and see the definition offered by Wikipedia.
2 Learn more about the aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ from my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and com-
panion instructional resource, The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study. They are available in the Strong Man Store.
3 Death as a consequence of the first man’s sin included separation from fellowship and harmonious community with God (Isaiah 59:1-2) followed by the same among
humanity at every level beginning in the family; working its ruinous end among brothers and spouses (Genesis 4:8; Malachi 2:13-16; Matthew 19:1-8). The Lord Jesus
Christ alone through His death, burial and resurrection has made restoration of life, fellowship and harmonious community with God and among all humanity possible
(John 3:16-17, 11:23-27, 14:6; Romans 5:6-11; Ephesians 2:1-7; 1 Peter 3:8-12).
4 See the August 19, 2018 post, Valuing Human Life, under the category, Biblical Worldview.
5 Read the four-part post beginning February 26, 2017, God Of Restoration And Judgment (and especially part three for which this footnote is specifically made), under
the category, Black History.
As the Lord led, I offered this related, edited post-script in this Ministry’s newsletter that immediately followed the February 2013 main Commentary I posted on February 3, 2019 entitled, “Christianity In Black And White,” under the category, Black History. The intent then was not to bash President Barack Obama (as it is not now) with some worldly, partisan political agenda in writing the brief post-script. But as even those who fully disagree with things the Lord leads me to write certainly know by now, my intent was to faithfully represent the God of the Bible’s view from His Word in this case of a social vision for our nation that does not line up with it in any form except by corruption!
Every American President is rightly expected to lay out his vision for America when he takes office. If--as will eventually be the case--our Presidents offered an entirely secular vision for the nation devoid of any even implied reference to a Judeo-Christian moral underpinning, it would be one thing. But nearly all have attempted to curry divine and Christian favor by incorporating a social component in their national vision that includes a show of sensitivity for the less fortunate and those challenged in some way. President Johnson had his “Great Society” to address poverty and racial injustice and H.W. Bush “A Thousand Points Of Light” for community service as notable examples.
No longer in office, Mr. Obama and those sharing his social vision of equality are still pushing black Americans to adopt it even though it involves accepting sinful behavior practiced within a coalition of allies falsely claiming God approves.1 No, folks; be students of biblical and world history to see how such a move in rebellion against God ends in disaster every time (2 Kings 17:1-12; Isaiah 30:1-5, 31:1-3; Jeremiah 17:5-6). You cannot be an ally with evil and expect righteousness to result; you are being deceived (Galatians 6:7-8)! Labor for what has been morally right in the Lord’s eyes forever (Malachi 3:6) while waiting on His return to reign (Isaiah 11:1-5; 2 Thessalonians 1:3-12).2
Originally Published February 2013
How appealing is the second term social vision for America laid out by our nation’s first African-American President, Barack Obama. For the descendants of slaves,3 such a vision of inclusion, fairness and equality speaks directly to the heart of everything our forefathers endured their plight to realize except for one thing. Those that were truly born again, faithful Christians would not embrace Mr. Obama’s inclusion of rebels against the divine order in their own vision (John 14:15).
The hope of freedom, racial equality and justice faithful black Christians from slavery through the Civil Rights Movement suffered for was completely in line with God’s moral order as presented in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. However, to implement Mr. Obama’s vision of social justice and equality, one must trample upon God’s Word to accept immoral feticide and same sex marriage.4
Black Christians faithful to God know “we have come this far by faith leaning on” not slapping away the succoring arms of the Lord in rebellion. Therefore, in faithfulness, our President’s social vision must be rejected as an affront to God and mockery of our forefathers’ suffering (Psalm 40:1-4). Racial and all other loyalties of this present age end where divergence from God’s Word begins! Already the Lord challenges this abominable vision with increasing severity to come (Revelation 8-9).
1 Read the May 14, 2017 post, Mother’s Day Joy And Sadness, under the category, Holidays.
2 This is the heart of every aspiring strong man and great woman of God in the image of Jesus Christ I write about in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics.
It is available at all major internet booksellers, by order at your favorite brick and mortar bookstore or in the Strong Man Store.
3 This Black History Month, make it a point to visit https://fromslaverytovictory.org the official Web Site of the From Slavery To Victory Education Project presenting a bib-
lical worldview of the black American experience.
4 See the January 20, 2019 post, The Unborn Cries For Social Justice, under the category, Biblical Worldview and Developing Men: The Equality Trap, posted December
10, 2017 under the category, The Cause.
Two days after celebrating the one hundred and fifty-fifth year since the end of slavery here in America on Juneteenth and now, for Father’s Day, I write as the Lord leads to speak to the globally seen first degree murder of black American male, George Floyd, by a white male Minneapolis police officer as three other officers watched back on May 25, 2020. All of the men have since been fired and brought up on charges in the case which is righteous. In the meantime, violent rioting, looting and protest marches broke out in cities across America. While the rioting and looting have calmed down, protest marches demanding the end to national systemic racism and police reform persist.1
I have said little publically as is typical when these all too frequent events occur since I am not my own, but the Lord’s watchman/prophet speaking what He puts in my mouth and at the time He wants it spoken (Ezekiel 33:1-9).2 What I have written in social media posts as the Lord led has been directed to black and other angry protesters calling for peaceful protest and thoughtful consideration of the fact the problems of racism and police misconduct are larger and more difficult to overcome systemically than a few changes in laws, policies, procedures and in the extreme, defunding the police which no society built on the rule of law as ordained by God can afford to do (Romans 13:1-7).
To be sure, as with the Law of God, so, the laws of man are made not for those that are righteous, but those that are “lawless,” (1 Timothy 1:8-11, NKJV)! To keep order, the police are hired among other reasons as agents of society to enforce its laws amid those that for whatever reasons break them. Depending on the law, an encounter with police can occur for those that are otherwise law abiding.3 For credibility, the police are expected by God if not the governments that hire them or the people they serve to be law abiding--the same as us preachers who supposedly discipline ourselves so, after preaching to others, we are not “disqualified,” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27, NKJV).
Without a doubt though, in only the news clips I have viewed the white police officer that kept his knee on the neck of George Floyd cold-heartedly murdered him.4 It was shocking, sickening and infuriating to watch as it surely has been for blacks since our forefathers as slaves began to make their inhumane voyages from West Africa to this land. For as in those days among heartless slavers and on May 25th, the evil eyes of that white police officer displayed utter contempt and disregard for George Floyd as a human being; the same contempt and disregard for human life that is in the thoroughly evil heart of Satan who hates all (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-11, 17-19; John 8:44, 13:21-30).
It is therefore, understandable that most black Americans are outraged. What has been new and amazing to see is the unprecedented numbers of white, other Americans of color and those around the world that have risen up in protest too. Watching a man being murdered as he pleads that he cannot breathe while the police officer responsible and those with him ignore this, should be more than any normal human being can take without some kind of moral offense and need to act! For this reason, I appreciate the largely peaceful uprising that has occurred in the stand many are making against systemic racism and for police reform in our society.
I am also glad my children and grand-children old enough get to see this brief moment when all but a relative few willful white Americans that refuse, finally understand our righteous cry to end the bigoted, contempt driven mistreatment of black Americans and especially our men who have been strategically targeted since slavery.5 Nevertheless, I urge that all move away from the street protests for your health since God’s Coronavirus judgment remains and because you have the attention of the nation and world--changes man can make are taking place! Keep vigilant through every legal means to hold government authorities accountable. Lastly, check yourself too, as I have urged in social media posts--racism is an issue and evil of the human heart (Mark 7:20-23)!
As such, not only our police officers that are guilty, but you also need what only God has the power to do and that is transform hearts. He has made His power available to all through repentance and faith in His Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day; sending His power through the Holy Spirit into the hearts of those that believe to make loving our neighbor possible--or if you are white, do you only intend to march for, but refuse to love your black neighbors (Matthew 18:1-5; John 3:1-8; Titus 3:1-7)? This is a clarion call for authentic Christian white Americans to redeem the failure of your forefathers to be true ambassadors of reconciliation and represent biblical Christianity as God intended to all (2 Corinthians 5:17-6:2).
Still, I must caution particularly my fellow Christian black Americans that will please God and do His will biblically not to walk again into the snare of believing we have arrived at what we have waited for so long: a widespread permanent change of heart among and acceptance by our white neighbors.6 Indeed, we have seen this movie before and already the call to defeat is being sounded by those who lead the Civil Rights Movement today; who make our righteous quest for racial, morally equivalent to gender and sexual justice.7 The dream of racial harmony well articulated by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963, yet awaits the Second Coming of Jesus Christ because as He foretold, even natural human love that could get us close is diminishing as lawlessness increases (Matthew 24:12).
1 Before I could begin to reflect good before the Lord about this post, another black male, Rayshard Brooks, was shot in the back in Atlanta, GA by another white officer
while fleeing arrest on Friday, June 12th. That officer was fired immediately and has since been charged with murder.
2 See the July 29, 2018 two-part repost addressing the Trayvon Martin tragedy, The Racial Double Standard, under the category, Call To Repent.
3 I have had a few traffic violations over the course of my more than fifty years of driving, for example, and a couple of incidents that brought me into direct encounter
with the police. Most officers were professional and courteous. But as a black male, I have also had the humiliating experience of being disrespected by a few arro-
gant white police officers that were overbearing in wielding their authority.
4 Those that have watched the entire video time out the episode at eight minutes and forty-six seconds.
5 Read especially part two of my 2015 Father’s Day post, Mama’s Boys, under the category, Black History that began on June 21st. While it is an ancient tactic of war-
fare to target men for death when subduing peoples because of their natural will and ability to protect their families if given the opportunity, the prolonged and cruel
acts of guilty white males from slavery to thoroughly oppress, humiliate, dominate and demoralize black males with religious sanction surely ranks high among all of
the evil acts of mankind. I urge all men to read my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics to understand how to handle our business in the image of Jesus
Christ as God wills. Get a print copy or digital download of the book at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple
(digital only). You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store.
6 Does anybody remember the 1978 Allan Bakke Affirmative Action Reverse Discrimination case and the Supreme Court decision? Also, see the November 29, 2015
post, When The Glory Comes, under the category, Glory To God! The counsel the Lord gave me in this post stands and will be fulfilled sooner than anyone reading
this can imagine! However, ‘“the just shall live by faith,’” (Hebrews 10:35-39, NKJV). We do not wait for sinful man, but the living God!
7 A man I have deep admiration and respect for as one of the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement, Congressman John Lewis, expressed the politically and socially
liberal heart of today’s leaders and participants in an interview on June 7th while visiting the DC street painted “Black Lives Matter” with its Mayor and reported by
BET.com. Search the Bible from Genesis to Revelation to see if God ever sanctions racial injustice (Deuteronomy 1:17, 10:17-19), calls mortal man other than male
or female (Matthew 19:1-4) or sexual perversion righteous in His sight (Romans 1:18-32). You automatically kick the God of the Bible to the curb and assure certain
eventual defeat when you advocate for and make coalitions with those in active rebellion against Him (Psalms 2, 33:12-22; Isaiah 31:1-3; 1 John 5:4-5).
Liberal professed Christians (many calling themselves progressives) at war with God and the absolute authority of Scripture He has inspired for men to know Him, His will, way, eternal truth and salvation are going to lose and if the current state of our crumbling society is any indicator, already losing (Psalms 2:1-6, 119:1-16, 89; John 14:4-6, 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:14-17)! All who have abandoned the literal, plain, objective reading, interpretation and application of God’s Word as it is written are not only seeing some of the resulting darkness, lawlessness, chaos and calamities now, but are in for even greater disturbing days ahead that will cause men to perish where they stand (Luke 21:25-26).
For over the past two hundred years liberal professed Christians have been more influenced by a sinful man centered worldview than one that since Moses has been God centered rooted in Holy Scripture. Beginning with liberal minded whites some of whom were former abolitionists, human reason that called itself “Higher Criticism,” the advances of science and an excessive concern for the secular political-social welfare of mankind to the near exclusion of God’s priority of salvation from sin caused them to challenge the Bible where the absolutes of divine will are articulated.1 They were more inclined to accept racial diversity and see racism with other human sins as social justice issues.
Because of the warmer acceptance of white liberal professed Christians and their view of the nation’s bigotry, discriminatory acts and oppressions flowing out of systemic racism as a social justice issue demanding a fight, it is easy to see why many blacks largely ignored by white conservative evangelicals were attracted to them and their emerging form of Christianity. Indeed, it was liberal white professed Christians in largest numbers that stood with blacks during the heady days of the Civil Rights Movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955-1968. Tragically, their support for black civil rights came at a price as it also later extended to rebel movements against the Bible’s God.
Make no mistake about it, the fight for an end to the unrighteousness and injustice of racism in our nation could and should have been carried out within the framework of biblical conservatism.2 It was not because it failed to express God’s concern for the oppressed, but white conservative evangelicals abdicated their biblical responsibility in it as I write in my first posts of this year.3 This left the historically morally conservative blacks who did so after King’s death feeling as if they had no option but to abandon biblically conservative Christianity and align with liberal allies; degrading themselves in asserting their just racial cause had equal merit with those in rebellion against God.4
Today, having been deceived, liberal black professed Christians are updating a God, Bible and Christian religion out of step with the ostensibly superior modern times of sinful human invention;5 deluded as all others in the liberal Christian camp that somehow what is being done will endure. Not! You err as did the first century Sadducees religious party that came against the Lord Jesus on the biblically conservative issue of the resurrection they rejected. He told these men to their faces: ‘“You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God…,’” (Matthew 22:23-33, NKJV). So, you are not regarding the hundreds of Bible prophecies pertaining to the first coming of Christ.
Every one of those prophecies was fulfilled to the letter. In deadly unbelief, you are also disregarding the many Bible prophecies foretelling the literal return and Kingdom of Christ (Hebrews 10:37-39)! Truly, at His return Christ will crush every form of rebellion against Him (Psalms 2:7-12, 110; Isaiah 63:1-6; Revelation 6:12-17, 19:11-20:3). Repent therefore, for even before the awesome Day of Christ’s return, God has foretold He will not leave the world without warnings and a witness of His great power in judgments to commence sooner than any might expect (Revelation 8:1-9:21)!6 Look at the world of darkness, lawlessness and chaos you have helped create in your rebellion against God and His Word with the attending calamities. Does it really seem to you God is pleased?
Do you not realize when you break from Scripture as it is literally, plainly, objectively read, interpreted and applied listening to demons, you are rejecting divine instruction and truth as well as putting yourself in the way of the apostate (Psalms 117:2, 119:151-152, 160; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; Titus 1:10-16)? The eternal truth of God’s Word cannot be abandoned without consequence! Those who do not repent now will join with the apostate ranks of your liberal allies deluded by lies and “the lie” to help persecute God’s faithful to the death (Mark 13:9-13; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-17, NKJV). But as foretold too, the faithful will be preserved and vindicated by having loved the truth through faith embedded in the Gospel and the whole of God’s Word (2 Thessalonians 1:3-12; Revelation 20:4-6).
1 Use your favorite search engine for articles on the origin of Liberal Christianity. In addition to books I was compelled to read during past college religious studies courses discussing the topic such as Dillenberger, John and Welch, Claude, Protestant Christianity, Copyright 1954, Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, an article I read as a re- cent historical overview was featured on the National Humanities Center Web Site. Bateman, Bradley W. “The Social Gospel and the Progressive Era.” Divining America, TeacherServe©. National Humanities Center, February 19, 2024.
2 The Scourge Of Racism, Copyright 2023, ODCM Publishing Division, Portland, OR, p. 15-18. The printed book is available in the Strong Man Store, all major internet booksellers and brick and mortar bookstores. The E-Book is available at major E-Book sellers. Watch the book trailer.
3 Read the January 7, 2024 post, God A Party To Racism? Also, see the January 14, 2024 post, Racism’s Oppressions A Divine Priority and the one on January 21, 2024, Not Heeding God’s Word On Racism Consequential, all under the category, Call To Repent.
4 See the June 28, 2020 post, Last Chance For Conservative White Christians?, under the category, Call To Repent. Nowhere in the Bible does a literal, plain, objective reading, interpretation and application of it present for examples, God’s acceptance of rebellion by feminists against His design and order of the family embodying patri- archy or any practice of sexual immorality that includes same sex relations (Genesis 2:7-25; Romans 1:18-32). There was another option available to those blacks that would engage in the fight for Civil Rights after the death of Dr. King: remain faithful to God as the only absolutely needed Ally and biblically conservative Christianity. ‘“For the battle’” was never ‘“yours, but God’s,’” (2 Chronicles 20:1-30; Psalms 103:6, 146:1-7, NKJV)! Having abandoned Him for wicked arms of flesh as allies, you for- feited the opportunity to experience His righteous and just victory over the many evils of America’s systemic racism this side of Christ’s return (Isaiah 30:1-5, 31:1-3; Jere- miah 5:20-25, 17:5-6; Luke 19:41-44)!
5 Read the two-part post that begins February 21, 2021, Willful Ignorance Destroys, under the category, Black History.
6 If your heart has not yet fully hardened into apostasy, assuming you were a real Christian in the first place the Lord bids you return from rebellion against Him before it is everlasting too late (Hebrews 3:7-19)! Watch this Ministry’s Strong Man Of God Online Rally, Return To The Lord, the Lord has led us to prepare for you on YouTube.
I will soon wrap up the series of posts the Lord Jesus Christ has led me to make since November 27, 2022 examining His foreknowledge then, literal experience of persecution to the death in God’s will as an instructional example to us Christians. Before this though, I want to revisit an event and a person in those posts that impact critical issues in our times. Today, on this Sanctity Of Life Sunday dedicated to urging every citizen in our nation to treat human life beginning at conception as from God and sacred (Psalm 139:13-16; Isaiah 44:24; Luke 1:30-35), I bring the Lord’s Word and a warning to those who continue to wickedly clamor for the right to murder the unborn.
The event that inspires this post is Herod’s massacre of the male children two years old and under in Bethlehem and its surrounding districts in his attempt to destroy the Lord Jesus Christ as a young Child he feared as a rival to his throne.1 Make no mistake about it; the dark and evil heart that could murder babies and toddlers out of the motives of fear and narcissism is the same one in those that would take out the unborn in their mother’s wombs. I know this from the forgiven guilt and shame of having been a teen father that gave consent as well as relieved endorsement to the abortion of my children before and during the days of Roe v. Wade as I wrote in previous posts and my book.2
The apostle Matthew is led by the Holy Spirit in his Gospel to comment on Herod’s massacre of the children that it “fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah; lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more,’” (Matthew 2:17-18, NKJV). At first glance, it seems that the Lord simply foretells this event over 600 years in advance rightly acknowledging the grief of the Bethlehem mothers figuratively represented by a woman named Rachel, but quite unfeelingly offering no explanation of why or comfort. However, deeper Bible study bears great fruit showing otherwise!3
Led by the Holy Spirit, a deeper Bible study involves examining the background of Rachel and God’s prophecy as it originally appears in context. Indeed, Rachel is the second of two wives of Jewish patriarch, Jacob, that were sisters when he was sent to get one by his father, Isaac, from his mother’s people (Genesis 28:1-5). He meets and falls in love with Rachel and works seven years per agreement with her father, Laban, to marry her. But Laban deceitfully sent in his older daughter, Leah, when it was time to consummate the marriage and gave Rachel to Jacob only if he served him another seven years--he did (Genesis 29:1-30). The women competed to bear him children.
Leah and her maid gave Jacob eight sons and one daughter, while the maid of barren Rachel bore him two sons. By God’s grace Rachel was finally able to conceive and bore Joseph to Jacob (Genesis 29:31-30:24). She also bore him the last of his twelve sons, Benjamin; dying in the process with great sorrow and was buried as the family made their way from Bethel to “Ephrath” “(that is, Bethlehem),” (Genesis 35:16-20, NKJV). Though she had borne him fewer children than Leah, Rachel is considered the mother of all Israel because Jacob loved her. Her burial location would prove significant in what are actually two future events involving Rachel’s children.
In Jeremiah’s day hundreds of years later, Babylon’s invasions of Judah as God’s judgment yielded captives that were marched in chains on the well traveled road northward from Bethlehem and other cities to various staging locations that included Ramah (Jeremiah 40:1-6). The Lord used Rachel as the mother of Israel to figuratively represent all the affected mothers weeping at their children being taken away. But this Word was given in the larger context of Jeremiah 30-33 as God spoke of a future day when He brings a remnant back to the land complete with Messiah their King and “a new covenant,” (Jeremiah 31:31-34, NKJV). So, He tells Rachel to ‘“Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears for your work will be rewarded…,’” (Jeremiah 31:16-17, NKJV).
There was hope for the future because God would bring Rachel’s children that were taken back as a remnant to Israel’s border (Isaiah 49:8-26)! But they are not all of them. As this prophecy is true in the natural, so too, in the spiritual and applies to the male children Herod killed instead of Christ. They live as does every unborn child ever aborted (Ecclesiastes 12:7)! The innocents killed by Herod died in Christ’s place so He could live and die for them and all mankind on the cross!4 As a result, the innocents will be raised at Christ’s command among all who have ever lived and with the saints, enjoy immortal glory (Psalm 90:3-4; Isaiah 26:19; Luke 20:37-38; John 5:24-30, 11:23-27). Woe to all the unrepentant murderers of the unborn (Genesis 9:5-6; Revelation 20:11-15)!5
1 Read the December 18, 2022 post, Christ Persecuted As A Child, under the category, Instruction.
2 Concerning previous posts see for example, the one on January 21, 2018, Protecting Our Children, under the category, Biblical Worldview. You can pick up a Soft or Hard Cover copy of my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics at your favorite internet bookseller or brick and mortar bookstore and the Strong Man Store.
3 If you want to learn how to get the most out of your Bible study, I invite you to take the layman’s Fruitful Bible Study Self-Paced Video Course the Lord led me to develop to help. Get an overview of the course in the introductory first session at https://youtu.be/uufAkc3aYSc on our Strong Man Virtual Institute YouTube Channel.
4 The unborn and young children are not without the nature and taint of sin from Adam (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). So, it must be atoned for as Christ accomplished on Cal- vary. They are however, innocent of willful sin because of not having yet reached the age of accountability before God which is generally when they have the ability to un- derstand biblical right from wrong (Proverbs 20:11; James 4:17).
5 While I and to be sure, every other born again, biblically conservative Christian advocate for the unborn in America continue to rejoice in the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, the spirit of murder behind legalized abortion remains intact and influential throughout the land (John 8:44). This is evident in the protest marches and persecution of Christians to include attacks on associated properties such as churches, businesses and pregnancy resource centers that have erupted. It is also seen in the efforts State by State to retain legal sanction for murdering the unborn and once again grant it nationally, this time through congressional legislation. Let all deceived and led by the spirit of murder to kill the unborn recognize if you will that the Lord is being gracious to allow you the opportunity to give heed to His warning and repent now, since no such opportunity will be offered on judgment day (2 Corinthians 5:9-11)!
It is staggering to me now, looking back, how it is many so close after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. did not among the many moral issues related to Civil Rights galvanize against abortion as it made its way to the 1973 Supreme Court decision. Who could be more disenfranchised than an unborn child targeted for murder? Important figures in the Civil Rights Movement actually endorsed and advocated for abortion to make it as it is to this day for them a matter of women’s rights. Like ancient Israel forced to turn back from entering the Promised Land and wander in the wilderness because of unbelief, so, the Civil Rights Movement turned left away from biblical morality on abortion and other issues into the spiritual wilderness of sin seeking allies of mortal flesh rather than God (Numbers 14:11-25; Proverbs 14:34).
Even the most casual reading of the Bible will yield the straightforward understanding that human life is precious to God, humanity’s Creator (Genesis 4:8-15; Exodus 20:13; Mark 10:17-19). So, in this edited 2010 Commentary I have combined with a similar 2012 blog, I declare that men in the lead and women are to protect their children whose existence actually begins in the mind of God long before conception which He is also intimately involved with (Isaiah 45:1-7)! Therefore, in a biblical worldview, not only is abortion murder for the guilty parents, but also all who advocate for and perform it as accomplices. They will be held accountable by God in this life and on Judgment Day unless they embrace their only recourse I write about in this post.
Originally Published January 2010
Here in Portland, Oregon, Planned Parenthood the birth control and abortion provider is soon to finish construction on a new facility in an area that has been traditionally populated by black Americans. This is strategic on their part since black females have more abortions than any other racial group.1 Yet, the silence of most black clergy and open advocacy of others has been shocking. In the peaceful protests I have attended it has been primarily our white brethren that have represented the very clear scriptural mandate to revere human life (Genesis 9:5-7); life that begins at conception in the handiwork of God our Creator (Psalm 139:13-16; Zechariah 12:1).
Abortion as a concept at its root is not a black or white racial issue nor is it about women's rights. Men and women from all hues should be vitally concerned about what is very thoroughly a spiritual and moral matter. Men--especially those that aspire to be strong men of God in Christ's image--ought to be deeply affected by the slaughter of defenseless human lives. God has wired us with a heart like His and holds us responsible to defend the defenseless (Psalms 68:5-6, 82:1-4). But with steely precision abortionists around this nation routinely kill the unborn men have fathered for the sake of parental convenience. I know all about the convenience thing.
As a teenage father before I came to Christ, I either pushed for or passively offered no objection to the killing of my children on a number of occasions with different females.2 Years later I still wonder at times how I could have been so selfish and deceived. Then I remember the deceitful craftiness of the god of this world and my own fallen nature as a sinner and come to my senses. Spiritually speaking, we kill our unborn because we are dead in our sins to God and purposely deceived. It is not rocket science to understand the matter-of-fact reason we do so either: if there is no baby, then there is no responsibility or possible change in life plans.
Satan’s deceptive spin last century that morphed abortion from an issue of biblical morality into one that has to do with a woman’s rights over her body is of the success he enjoyed with Eve in Eden (Genesis 3:1-6a; 1 Timothy 2:14). And if they are not the instigators, just as Adam did not intervene while Satan deceived his wife and passively followed her lead in disobedience (Genesis 3:6b), so, many men today are doing the same thing in the decision to kill their unborn children. But now, made alive by God to God through faith in Christ, I have received forgiveness and instruction from His Word to fulfill all of my responsibilities as a father to my children (Ephesians 2:1-10).
In a truth I fully explain in my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics, none other than God the Father Himself has shown us men what a father is and does.3 Besides initiating Adam's existence, the Father also led, taught, provided for and protected him. In protecting Adam, God put him in the Garden of Eden as a shelter among other reasons and watched over him (Genesis 2:7-18). Even when Satan came to the garden please note he was not allowed to touch Adam or his wife, but only to deceive them if he could (Genesis 3:1-6). If it had been left up to the devil he would have killed the two humans where they stood (John 8:44). But God protected them!
God has given all men the responsibility to protect the lives we initiate through our seed released in the sexual intimacy of marriage or otherwise as well as those that are adopted. Our responsibility begins the moment of conception and continues until the new or adopted life attains the age of majority and departs from under our protective care (Matthew 1:18-25 2:13-15, 19-23; Luke 2:41-52). When men demand or passively allow the death of their children through abortion, it is a purposeful rejection of the responsibility that God has assigned to and holds us accountable for. We may only drop them off at the clinic, but we are just as guilty as the women for the murder that takes place.
So now, in these latter days Satan has gotten us to do legally what he was forbidden to do thousands of years ago in the garden: murder human life! For the record, only the bodies of the unborn are destroyed. God takes their spirits and souls back to Himself in Heaven to await the resurrection (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7). However, the parent's lives are eternally destroyed without repentance. Therefore, let every man and woman reading this who is guilty turn to God in all confession and repentance from your sins. By faith receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ believing that He died on the cross for our sins, was buried and rose again on the third day. All who sincerely do this will receive God’s forgiveness, healing, instruction, a restored mind and heart with eternal life!
Unlike in our former godless and selfish mindset, God expects His sons and aspiring strong men in the image of Christ to welcome the pregnancy of our wives with joy and thanksgiving to Him! His sons are never to father children out of wedlock. However, if this should happen, in repentance He wills that you embrace your child and the mother in marriage if possible. In all instances, we are to fulfill our responsibilities to our children to include protecting them with the wisdom, help and strength God supplies. Also, brothers, stand up like men indwelt by the living God and speak out against the slaughter of the defenseless unborn in the protecting responsibility He has given us. The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 "Abortion Number For African-Americans Rising," Life In Oregon, April-June 2008 Issue, p. 7. Also, see black Abortion Facts on theurbanprophet.org Web Site. The
facility referenced was completed and remains a hub of activity.
2 That God may always be glorified in His amazing work to save and transform sinners through my life; I share my shame at having been an unsaved, unmarried and ire-
sponsible teenage father of two children that lived, but others that were murdered in their mother’s wombs. I am not just some moralizing preacher who knows nothing
at all about the real fear and selfishness that goes into the decision to abort or after birth, abandon a child God has charged men in the lead with the responsibility to pro-
tect.
3 The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics is available through all major internet booksellers, by order from your favorite brick and mortar bookstore and in the
Strong Man Store.
Having just spent time giving serious thanks to God for all of His blessings this Thanksgiving, the Lord again directs my attention to the persecution being suffered by my Christian brethren among many nations. Though I do not write a lot about the ongoing persecution of Christians, I stay regularly informed and prayerful for all. The aforementioned “all” includes not just the suffering faces of those in faraway lands such as North Korea and Nigeria, but increasingly, those enduring persecution in this Western hemisphere and our own nation. Truly, growing hostility toward and persecution of Bible believing Christians in America is a reality that can no longer be dismissed as only isolated.
As a supporter of similarly named, but organizationally unrelated Open Doors USA, our Ministry regularly receives their reports on what is happening among our persecuted Christian brethren around the world.1 Not only are our brethren suffering from family and community exclusion within the nations they live, but government harassment, arrests, unfair trials, incarceration, legally sanctioned mob violence and martyrdom. When the Christian men are targeted for incarceration or murder, it leaves their families to suffer. While Communist and Islamic run nations fill the list of persecutors, nations such as Christian Eritrea, Hindu India and Buddhist Bhutan are also prominent.2
It is about to get really real for those of us that profess to be Christians in America too. Intensifying opposition to the biblical faith once on the fringe of American society is going mainstream. Moral tenets of the faith once taken for granted as absolute and bedrock to American society are not only being challenged, but cast down as no longer acceptable. These are not just tenets governing marriage and family for example, but definitions of objective truth, right and wrong, good and evil as well as justice and injustice. In the wake of this swiftly moving river of moral upheaval, Christians that would dare stand firm for the moral tenets of our faith are suffering varying degrees of persecution.
Besides the “in-your-face” government policies and litigations to remove crosses and nativity scenes as public displays of Christianity to implement falsely believed constitutionally mandated church and state separation, some Christians have suffered being demoted or fired from employment because they had Bibles at their work stations or read them on breaks. And because many secular entities have a “corporate culture” now, that does not tolerate religious expression (though, they publicly trumpet “inclusion” and “diversity” as values), being hired a Christian with a social media presence may be very difficult and once hired, witnessing Christ to co-workers is out.3
American secular colleges and universities that have historically celebrated tolerating various viewpoints as a means in the process of vigorous, but polite debate to sharpen the thinking of young minds have in too many instances today, hung out the “not welcome” sign to a biblical worldview. Biblically conservative Christian students are routinely singled out and held up to ridicule for their faith. Christian professors do not escape either.4 The secular media regularly ignores and mocks Christians that hold to a biblical worldview being quick only to report on high profile “Televangelists” and “Megachurch Pastors” whose sins come to light, while social media giants resist them.5
As I have also commented in other posts, a number of American Christians have been purposely targeted and martyred in mass shootings such as the one at Columbine High School in 1999 along with churches as occurred in Charleston, SC in 2015 and Sutherland Springs, TX in 2017.6 In agreement with all other observers here, none of what American Christians have suffered to date compares with the daily egregious and violent persecution our overseas brethren endure--yet! Praying for “the persecuted church” like it is some disconnected entity that exists only in non-exceptional, often impoverished nations of the world is about to change as persecutors intensify their efforts in America.7 And why? It is their “hour and the power of darkness,” (Luke 22:52-53, NKJV).
For this reason, beyond seeking to sensitize us to the ongoing suffering of our brethren wherever they are as a primary reason for this post, exhorting faithful American Christians to spiritually, mentally and emotionally prepare for the kind of hatred fed persecution our overseas brethren experience is an important secondary reason since our Lord has warned it is to occur in “all nations,” (Matthew 10:16-39, 24:9, NKJV).8 Now, is the time to awake from arrogance and apathy to get ready for what our Lord foretells and assures will take place. Among the equipping resources available is my book, The Strong Man Of God: Back To Basics and related group studies.9 The risen, living Christ continues His cry among American churches, "Who is on the Lord's side?"
1 The organizational parent of Strong Man Ministries is Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. I was led by the Lord to found August 12, 1985. Read some of the
stories of persecuted Christians among the many countries on the 2020 World Watch List of Open Doors USA.
2 What many of our brethren overseas “normally” suffer from their persecutors has been intensified during the Lord’s Coronavirus judgment. As we are banding together
with other Christians to help and encourage one another here at home, the Lord would have us remember our suffering persecuted brethren in those faraway lands
with tangible support as well (1 John 3:16-18).
3 Sadly, our military as a work place is no exception. Read about the case of Chaplain Curt Cizek.
4 To learn more about the experience of Christians on American campuses read the following ACLJ, Beliefnet and IsChristianityTrue articles.
5 I can attest to the heavy-handed resistance of Facebook to biblically conservative ministries such as this one among the social media giants. “Likes” to our pages by
Christians mysteriously dwindle after I write blogs or make posts on their platform that are not politically correct, tolerant etc. which the Lord has had me call them on.
They want me to believe that just making better posts and spending more money to “boost” them will remedy the situation though, such has not been the case since
they also limit the reach of the same. For the record, I do understand a to be expected number of professed Christians that formerly liked our Facebook pages are sub-
ject to “unlike” them at any time as a show of disagreement with me. I get that, but not what Facebook is doing which lately has even taken away page likes whenever
someone has liked a post! I urge Christians that have liked our pages and those of other ministries to check back periodically especially if you have not received a post
in your newsfeeds for a time and re-like the pages if necessary. Also, enlist other Christians on Facebook to like our pages after you have done so.
6 Read for example, the June 8, 2014 post, And Then There Is The War, under the category, instruction. Revisit the cited respective church shootings at the following
links Charleston, SC and Sutherland Springs, TX.
7 See the November 12, 2017 post, God’s Throwaways?, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
8 Read the two-part post beginning May 17, 2020, Persecution, Hatred And Betrayal, under the category, Bible Prophecy.
9 A print copy or digital download of the book published by the Publishing Division of Open Door Communication Ministries, Inc. with fresh editing in 2019 for greater clari-
ty and updated web addresses in the footnotes is available at major internet booksellers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, ChristianBooks.com and Apple (digital only).
You can also purchase a print copy in the Strong Man Store. Too, leaders can teach, disciple and equip through The Strong Man Of God Men’s Group Study and The
Great Woman Of God Women’s Group Study also in the Strong Man Store.
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