SJW

What is a Social Justice Warrior(SJW)? As a Christian, do I even need to be concerned with that? How do I decide what social justice causes to support?

When I think of that term, I think of someone who wants social equality. Someone who has a list of grievances or agrees with other people who have a list of grievances they want remedied.

I'm not writing to say we should or shouldn't participate in SJW causes. What I am writing for is to discuss how should I, as a Christian, decide what SJW causes to support?

I ask myself, does it bring glory and honor to God? Does it point people to Him? What is the spirit and environment of the cause? Is it hostile to God? What is the fruit of the cause? Is it good fruit or bad fruit? Will the fulfillment of that cause bring people to God or will it turn people away from Him?  Are they angry? Do they operate out of hate or do they operate out of love and compassion?

I don't ask if it's hostile to religion because religion can be hostile to God. The Pharisees and Sadducees were very pious and religious but they were openly hostile to Jesus.

Jesus was an SJW. He challenged the established social order of His day but He did it to point people to God. To free people from the religious chains they were in. But He was more than that. He was a Spiritual Justice Warrior. He was more interested in the spiritual and your relationship with God. Because when you take care of the spiritual, the social justice causes will take care of themselves.

Does that mean I should be so spiritual that I'm of no earthly good and don't participate in earthly causes? No. I just know that when I take care of my relationship with God, everything else takes care of itself. He knows what I have need of. He knows if I'm getting the short end of the stick socially, economically or otherwise.

Be a Spiritual Justice Warrior.

Behind the Times

One of the arguments I've heard to justify the sin of homosexuality is that the Church is behind the times. When I look at that statement, I realize they're really not saying the Church is behind the times. They are saying God is behind the times.

Most Church denominations base their stance on homosexuality on what the Bible says about it. The Bible, which is God's word to man, clearly labels homosexuality a sin. So, saying the Church is behind the times is really saying God is behind the times.

But God can't be behind the times. He exists outside of time. He created time. It means nothing to Him. He exists on a completely different level and scale than us. He's very well aware of what transpires on Earth. He's aware of what passes for "Modern Society".  He isn't caught by surprise at the things we do.

It may be flattering to think that our society is 'Modern' and on to new things but it's not. Sure, we have technology and all kinds of new gadgets but human interactions and mores and sins are the same as they've always been. There is nothing new under the sun. Homosexuality was a sin thousands of years ago when  God called it a sin in the Bible and it's still a sin today.

What has changed is the punishment for that sin. In the Old Testament, homosexuals were put to death but in the New Testament, they aren't. Just like with the women caught in adultery, Jesus says to go and sin no more. He doesn't condemn us but He does tell us to sin no more. I don't write this to condemn anyone. I write this to show that God is very much in tune with the times and nothing escapes His notice.

Jesus took all the punishment and condemnation for sin upon Himself so that we wouldn't have to bear it ourselves. But that doesn't mean we continue in sin because He doesn't condemn us. I'm not saying it's easy to stop sinning or quit a certain sin that has become a stronghold in our lives. But God is the same today as He was yesterday. In the Bible, He calls Himself the I AM. He is in an ever present state. He's not in the past or the future. He's in the right now. Nothing you're going through is too tough or hard for Him deliver you from. He isn't behind the times but He is behind your deliverance.

Seven Types of Christians

I've been reading through my Bible and came to the Book of Revelation. I thought about skipping it and going to another book in the New Testament. I've read some books that go in depth about Revelation and explain it but, even after reading those, I still struggle when reading Revelation to make any sense out of it or get any new revelation from it.

I decided I would go ahead and read it and asked God to help me learn new things this time around. In the second chapter, John talks about writing letters to the seven churches in Asia. Each of the churches is described as being in a certain condition. That got me to thinking those same conditions could be applied to individual Christians. Individual Christians could experience one or more of these conditions throughout their walk with God.

The first one is the Loveless Church or Christian. I thought of Christians who get so busy serving in their church and being busy with life that they neglect their first love. Their relationship with God is the first love. They need to make sure they take time to get alone with God and stay focused on the most important thing which is their relationship with Him. Serving in their church and helping is great and needed but you have to maintain a balance and not get out of touch with God.

The second one is the Persecuted Church or Christian. This made me think of Christians who it seems are always suffering one crises after another. Who seem to always be having something go wrong and they start to feel discouraged and like God has abandoned them. They stay committed but feel like they're on their own.

The third one is the Compromising Church or Christian. They do a lot of good things and hold to the faith but they permit some things in their life that are sinful. They rationalize some minor things and then they turn into major things. They start to tolerate things that God says are wrong.

The fourth one is the Corrupt Church or Christian. This is when they don't even feel bad about the sin they're committing. They don't even think it's sin. They've let their conscience be dulled. God confronts them with their sin but they don't repent.

The fifth one is the Dead Church or Christian. They look good on the outside but inside they are full of dead men's bones. They put on a good show but that's about it. You get around them and listen to them talk about God and the faith but there doesn't seem to be a spark about them or any life in their words.

The sixth one is the Faithful Church or Christian. They stay true to God in everything and He has nothing against them and He opens doors for them that no one can shut and closes doors that no one can open.

The seventh one is the Lukewarm Church or Christian. I think about someone who is just going through the motions. Their heart isn't in it but they don't want to completely distance themselves from God. They just live from one Sunday to the next or just show up on Easter and Christmas.

I also noticed how the Son of Man is described differently for each church. For the Loveless Church,  He's described as He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lamp stands. At the end of chapter one it says the seven stars are the seven angels for each church and the seven lamp stands are the churches. I think that means He walks among His children and He's speaking to us and guiding us. He's showing us how to get back to our first love.

For the Persecuted Church, He's described as the First and the Last, who was dead, and came back to life. I think He's letting the persecuted know He has everything under control. Everything begins and ends with Him. He knows what you're going through and He's with you every step of the way.

For the Compromising Church, He's described as He who has the sharp two-edged sword, I think He's letting the compromisers know that they need to cut some things out of their life. They need to have some things exposed and dealt with and the sword of His word will do that.

For the Corrupt Church, He's described as the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass. I think He's letting the corrupt know that He sees their corruption and they will eventually be exposed and repent or be consumed.

For the Dead Church, He's described as He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars. I think He's letting them know they need His Spirit back in their lives. They're completely dead and only His Spirit can bring them back to life.

For the Faithful Church, He's described as He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. I think He's letting the faithful know that He puts them where He wants them and takes care of their needs.

For the Lukewarm Church, He's described as the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. I think He's saying to the lukewarm that they can put all their trust in Him and stop being apathetic. He's letting them know they can fully commit to Him because He's fully committed to them.

I think there are times in your walk with God that you may find yourself in one of these conditions. Know that God is relentless in His pursuit of you and He won't leave you in a bad condition.

Missing Parents

This holiday season has been my first without both of my parents. Last year my mom wasn't around for it and this year my dad isn't. Celebrating the holidays without them makes it feel a little empty. It got me to thinking about how the foster children we had in our home during the holidays felt.

Some of them weren't old enough to know any different but some of them were. I've tried to put myself in their place. Even though they had bad parents, I'm sure they still missed them and felt empty. As foster parents you try to take away some of that emptiness without replacing their parents. The main thing is you give them a stable place to be while their parents try to get their act together.

I also think about the ones who are adopted and know their birth parents are out there somewhere. I'm sure some of them may feel a certain emptiness, like a part of them is missing. The daughter my wife and I adopted hasn't asked us yet about her birth parents. Hopefully, when she does, we've helped her to not feel like she's missing something and that God more than takes the place of any missing parents.

My wife and I can only do so much but God can take care of it all. I feel that way this holiday season. I miss my parents but my Heavenly Father is more than enough. So if you're missing someone this holiday season, parents, children, siblings, or just a friend, God is more than enough to fill the void. Enjoy the memories of those people and find your peace in our Heavenly Father.

Foster Children

When my wife and I were foster parents our perspective was always from that of parents. At the time we were foster parens, our oldest daughter was ten and her perspective was of a sibling. I never thought much about what it was like to be a foster sibling until one day I tried to put my self in her shoes and think about what it's like to be a foster sibling.

After I thought about it for a few minutes, I realized I'm already a foster sibling. Every time I go to church I'm around my foster brothers and sisters. God has adopted all of us and we are foster children. What does that mean? It means that just like the foster children we had in our home we dirty and their clothes reeked of cigarette smoke when we first got them, the guy sitting next to me in church might stink spiritually and have some bad habits. As soon as the kids got in our home we always gave them a bath and clean clothes. So stinky dude in church needs to be washed in the blood of Jesus and clothed in His righteousness. He will still have some bad habits but we all do.

So just like the foster children we had were dirty, had been abused and mistreated, or just neglected, we loved them and helped them to get better and that's what we do with our spiritual brothers and sisters. We bear with one another and have patience with each other.

My oldest daughter was a very good foster sibling. She had a heart to serve and help the kids we had in our home. We must have the same approach with our brothers and sisters in God. No matter how wretched and smelly they are. We are all foster children.

Spirit of Adoption

When Adam sinned, he was the door through which sin entered the world. Sin brought corruption to the flesh and cut us off from God. We became orphans and were as lost sheep. We were slaves to the spirit of bondage and corruption.

When Jesus died on the cross, He was the door through which the Holy Spirit entered the world. The Holy Spirit freed us from the bondage and corruption of sin. The Holy Spirit is the complete opposite of sin. The Holy Spirit made it possible for us to be brought into God's family and be joint heirs with Jesus.

Romans 8:14-17 NKJV says, 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

I was reading those verses the other day and, of course, they caught my attention since my wife and I have been foster parents and adopted a child. I've read them many times and never noticed that phrase 'the Spirit of adoption'. It made me think about how God has taken us in and washed us in His blood and clothed us in His righteousness. He's given us His name and His authority.

When my wife and I had a child placed in our home, the first thing we did was give them a bath and clean clothes. They always came to us in dirty clothes and needing a bath. When we come to Jesus we are in the same condition spiritually. The child we adopted was given our name.

The Spirit of adoption brought her to us. The Spirit of adoption moved us to make ourselves available. The Spirit of adoption always takes me to the Cross and reminds me of what it took for me to be adopted into the family of God.

When Angels Mourn

When my wife and I had our miscarriage eight years ago, we mourned the loss of our child. I was thinking of this the other day and it prompted me to think about when a child is aborted, do I mourn for it the same way I did when my child was miscarried?

I have a friend who has a daughter in her early twenties who's a drug addict. She had a child that was born drug exposed and she couldn't keep the child. He and his wife adopted her when she was an infant. A few years ago when the little girl was seven he told me his daughter was pregnant again and they knew if she gave birth she wouldn't be able to keep the child and they wouldn't be able to adopt it. He asked me if they should just pay to get an abortion. Their daughter wasn't able to afford one. I told him it would be better to give birth to the baby and put it up for adoption.

About a month later, he told me they had paid for her to have the abortion. I did feel a sadness and mourn for that child. I was also sad because this man and his wife go to church. It just seemed to me a church going person wouldn't do that but a lot of church goers do things they shouldn't do. I did mourn more for that child than other aborted children because it hit closer to home.

How can you mourn in more than an abstract, general way when so many have been aborted? It seems to numb you when you think about the sheer volume of butchery that has gone on since abortion was legalized. It's over fifty-five million. It's like the National Debt Clock that shows how much debt America is in and how quickly it is accumulating. It's hard to fathom and wrap your mind around how high it is.

So do we mourn? Yes we do but not in a break down and sob everyday way. We mourn for the overall tragedy that is abortion. That our country allows such brutality on such a massive scale. We let our mourning compel us to action to bring an end to this war on unborn children. It's estimated that in WWII there were close to sixty million people killed. We are fast approaching that number, or have already past it, with abortion.

We pray, we educate, we show people there's a better way. We also try to minister to those who have aborted their child and let them know God's grace is more than sufficient to save them and forgive them. Luke 15:10 says that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels when one sinner repents and is born again. Demons probably mourn when that happens. Conversely, when a baby is aborted and never born, I imagine demons rejoice and angels mourn.