The New Person

Herbert Armstrong once wrote a booklet titled Just What Do You Mean - Born Again? In the booklet, he criticized those Christians who characterized themselves as having been "born again." Indeed, Armstrong was always eager to discredit the religion of more traditional Christians in order to establish his own bona fides. To accomplish this, he set about the task of drawing a distinction between being begotten and being born. Of course, in doing so, he completely missed the point of what Christ and his apostles were talking about!

Let's begin by reading from an important passage in the third chapter of the Gospel of John:

3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, 'Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.' 3 Jesus answered him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.' 4 Nicodemus said to him, 'How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?' 5 Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.[c] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[e] blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'

a. John 3:2 Greek him

b. John 3:3 Or from above; the Greek is purposely ambiguous and can mean both again and from above; also verse 7

c. John 3:6 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit

d. John 3:7 The Greek for you is plural here

e. John 3:8 The same Greek word means both wind and spirit

-- The English Standard Version of the Bible

To those notes, I would also add this note from Blue Letter Bible's Strong's definition: 

γεννάω gennáō, ghen-nah'-o; from a variation of G1085; to procreate (properly, of the father, but by extension of the mother); figuratively, to regenerate:—bear, beget, be born, bring forth, conceive, be delivered of, gender, make, spring.

In other words, the Greek word translated in this passage as "born" in English is also purposely ambiguous and can mean both to beget and be born. One follows the other. You cannot be born without first having been begotten! Hence, it is implicit in what Christ was saying to Nicodemus that he was talking about a process.

Nicodemus, however, still didn't get what Christ was telling him (John 3:9-15). As a consequence, Jesus continued:

3:16 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.' (English Standard Version)

So, we see that Christ made clear to Nicodemus that belief in him and following his light was an essential first step in that process of being begotten and born again!

Peter alluded to all of this in his sermon on the day of Pentecost to the Jews in Jerusalem. He said: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38, ESV) Paul referred to this as the "earnest/pledge/down payment" of the Spirit (II Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, Ephesians 1:13-14) - the beginning of being reborn!

Paul also wrote that this Spirit would produce fruit (or evidence) in the life of the person in whom it was dwelling: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). In speaking to the Christians at Rome, Paul reminded them that they were operating under grace because of what Christ had done for them. He wrote:

Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:1-14, ESV)

Later, in the same letter, he wrote: "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2, ESV) Thus, we see that for Paul it wasn't a matter of either/or - it was both begettal and birth, now and in the future!

Likewise, to the saints at Ephesus, he wrote:

2:1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10, ESV)

And again, for emphasis, later on in the same epistle, he wrote:

4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24, ESV)

Likewise, in his letter to the saints at Colosse, he wrote:

2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:11-14, ESV)

3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:5-15, ESV)

Hence, according to Jesus of Nazareth and Paul, whether you call yourself "begotten" or "born" again (they would say both - having a present and future connotation), if you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you, you are (present tense) a new person in Christ! Remember, Paul wrote to the saints at Rome: "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:8-11, ESV)

Even Artificial Intelligence Can Define the Gospel: Why Can't the Armstrong Churches of God?

"The gospel message is the good news of Jesus Christ, which encapsulates His life, death, resurrection, and the offer of salvation and redemption to all who believe. The central truth of the gospel is that God has provided a way of salvation for men through the gift of His son to the world. Jesus suffered as a sacrifice for sin, overcame death, and now offers a share in His triumph to all who will accept it. The gospel is a message of hope and restoration." -- Artificial Intelligence

Indeed, the writings which we now refer to as the New Testament are very clear that this was the message which his disciples preached to the world:

"Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it...Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

--From Peter's Pentecost Sermon (Acts 2:22-24 and 36-38, ESV)

The Apostles before the Jewish Council: "when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus."

--Acts 5:40-42, ESV

"Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ."

--Acts 8:4-5, ESV

After reading a passage from the book of Isaiah the prophet: "And the eunuch said to Philip, 'About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?' Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus."

--Acts 8:34-35, ESV

Paul in a synagogue in Thessalonica: "and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, 'This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.'"

--Acts 17:2-3, ESV

Paul at Corinth: "When Silas and Timothy arrived from Macedonia, Paul was occupied with the word, testifying to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus."

Apollos at Achaia: "When he arrived, he greatly helped those who through grace had believed, for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, showing by the Scriptures that the Christ was Jesus."

--Acts 18:5, 27-28, ESV

Paul to the elders of the Church at Ephesus: " I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ."

--Acts 20:20-21, ESV

Paul in Rome: "When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in greater numbers. From morning till evening he expounded to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."

"He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance."

--Acts 28:23, 30-31, ESV

Paul to Christians at Rome: "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ."

--Romans 1:1-6, ESV

Paul to the saints at Corinth: "I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

--I Corinthians 1:4-9, ESV

"Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

--I Corinthians 1:22-24, ESV

"Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— and all the brothers who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ."

--Galatians 1:1-7, ESV

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."

--Ephesians 1:3-10, ESV

Please note that the message was ALWAYS focused on Jesus Christ, what he did for all of us, and his teachings. There is NO warning to Israel. There is no focus on calling out sin within the larger society. Take another look at that AI statement about the Gospel.

Choices and Change: 2024 in Review

Humans have been making choices and living with the consequences of them since the Garden of Eden. The year which is about to conclude was no different. 2024 was a year of personal, familial, national (political and social), technological, spiritual, and economic choices which will significantly change the dynamics in all of those areas in 2025 and the years that will follow it. Indeed, sometimes our choices profoundly change/alter our very nature, and I believe that 2024 will go down in history as one of those years for me and a lot of other folks around the world.

In 2024, I let go of a great deal of my former self. I let go of the civic religion which I had participated in for all of my life. I finally and fully removed the rose-colored glasses which I had been wearing when examining the history, political institutions, and people of the world around me. For me, 2024 offered a moment of clarity and an opportunity for growth, repentance, and change. I realized that the United States had been for me an object of idolatry for most of my life, instead of the very human and flawed nation that it had always been. In other words, it finally dawned on me that I was an alien and a stranger on the earth - one of those who are seeking the Kingdom of God. At long last, I let go of my overweening pride in my own patriotism toward, and service to, the land of my nativity. Going forward, there would be no more time wasted in meaningless and unproductive rituals which diverted my attention from my primary responsibilities in this life: God, family, community, and myself.

In 2024, I also came to terms with my own limitations - with the aging and deterioration of my physical body - with the fact that I am simply no longer able to do certain things which I had previously taken for granted. Looking back, I cannot say that this has been a pleasant experience. Indeed, it has been a process marked by anxiety, depression, and both physical and emotional pain. Moreover, in hindsight, I can now see that it is a phenomenon which has been ongoing for several years now - at first slow and almost indiscernible, and then like suddenly hitting a brick wall. I had always relied on contact with the natural world to both ground me and provide relief for the stresses of my everyday life. In 2024, however, the reality that my asthma and arthritis have precluded my beloved hiking through the rocks, fields, and woods of the surrounding countryside has hit home in a big way. It has been replaced by professional counseling and enjoying time watching television with my grandchildren. I have also learned to enjoy the simple pleasure of allowing the wind to sweep some of the cobwebs away while I take a brief stroll around my own backyard.

My physical limitations have also forced me to quit working, apply for my Social Security Disability, and struggle to live without a regular income. It has also compelled me to make some painful choices about letting go of past dreams and ambitions. My financial situation has forced me to sell my beloved Blackberry Knoll in Alabama. I can no longer afford the luxury of a monthly mortgage payment, and the sale of that little paradise will satisfy what I still owe on my dwelling (and also make a few necessary repairs). There also won't be any little dream cabin for Darlene and me to escape to someday. Instead, we will focus on the reality of our circumstances. The need for new transportation - a walk-in shower and making our home more comfortable for us in the present. Difficult choices that will, nevertheless, improve our lives and better provide for our current needs.

In surveying these philosophical, spiritual, and physical changes of the last year, I am reminded of something that the Apostle Paul wrote many years ago to the saints at Philippi: "And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty." (Philippians 4:8-14, NLT)

May the year ahead be a blessing to us all!

Discerning TRUTH in Messaging: Have You Tested the Spirits?

I John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. 4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

- The English Standard Version of The Bible 

Bill Watson’s Manifesto: I Am NOT Wrong – I Will NOT Repent!

In response to the criticism that his messaging has been too political, Bill Watson is doubling down! On his “News Alert” blog, Bill asserted that the mission of the Church “is probably one of the most debated and controversial subjects among Christians today.” Really? I thought that Jesus was pretty clear in the commission he gave to his disciples. He said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV) Did Jesus stutter? Did he say one word about discoursing on politics or current events? Just to be clear, the answer to both questions is NO!

How does Bill get around the Great Commission? Bill reasons that “when you begin to recognize the ‘social culture’ is changing and going in opposition to what ‘Christ’s teachings and observances are;’ why wouldn’t you determine His Church should sound the alarm and point out that the direction the culture is going in, is wrong?” He also points out that Jesus told his disciples that the good news about God’s Kingdom would be proclaimed around the world as a witness to the nations before Christ’s return (Matthew 24:14, KJV) Watson went on to proclaim: “Crying aloud and showing my people their sins by speaking to the issues is not abandoning the preaching of the gospel–-that is the gospel (Isa. 58:1)!!” Bill’s logic: It just makes sense to include all of this witnessing and warning into the Gospel message!

And these folks have the gall to accuse me of reasoning my way around Scripture! First, understand that the people of the United States are NOT God’s people – On the whole, they are NOT Israelites! Second, more modern translations of the New Testament render his Matthew 24:14 prooftext as: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (ESV) and “And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come.” (NLT) As for “crying aloud and showing my people their sins” (Isaiah 58:1), please note that this was God’s commission to the prophet Isaiah, NOT to the New Testament Church! Third, the gospel or good news is about Jesus making it possible for us to emerge from the bad news of today by freeing us from sin and death (Luke 4:18, Galatians 1:3-10, Ephesians 1:13, Hebrews 10:10-14, etc.). Fourth, we must not forget “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” (Proverbs 14:12, ESV)

Watson went on to write: “For the Church to assiduously recoil and draw–back from this calling and avoid forewarning the people, to keep them aware of the subtle and insidious demonic agenda working on their conscience, is a ‘cowardice withdrawal’ that God does not favor!” Wait, haven’t we already established that Christ didn’t instruct his disciples to be newscasters and watchmen?

Bill quoted from the tenth chapter of Hebrews as if it were a call for the Church to be courageous about offering its analysis of, and warnings about, current events and policies. Let’s read the passage in context for ourselves! After reminding his/her readers about the good things that God has in store for them, we read: “Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. For, ‘Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.” (Hebrews 10:35-39, ESV) Sorry, Mr. Watson, the author of Hebrews was talking about our faith in Christ and what he accomplished for us – NOT about the Church having the courage to talk politics!

Bill believes that Christian preachers should be aware of the political concerns and circumstances of the society they are addressing, and “if that requires us to address certain cultural policies of a political nature, well then; so be it!” So, ministers are supposed to enter the political fray, because that’s what’s on folks’ minds? Something about that reasoning just doesn’t seem right to me. Aren’t we supposed to be pulling them out of the affairs of this world and reorienting them in the direction of God’s Kingdom?

 Watson clearly believes that the Church’s message should include partisan commentary on the political issues and policies of the day. He wants ministers to be warning folks about losing their rights as citizens of a nation, and voting to support those who would outlaw abortion, homosexuality, and those nasty illegal immigrants pouring over the southern border of the United States! For Bill, it’s not about praying for God’s Kingdom to come to this earth and for his will to be performed here to the same degree that it currently is in heaven. NO, Bill wants his listeners to use their political power to make America great again – to restore the United States to its former righteousness! It is my hope that everyone who reads this will see the problem with that line of reasoning – even if Bill can’t or won’t see it!

The Reason for the Season

Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us,

    a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

    And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

7 His government and its peace

    will never end.

He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David

    for all eternity.

The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies

    will make this happen!

Luke 2:1 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,

    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Matthew 1:18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

    She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,

    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Matthew 2:1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, 2 “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

3 King Herod was deeply disturbed when he heard this, as was everyone in Jerusalem. 4 He called a meeting of the leading priests and teachers of religious law and asked, “Where is the Messiah supposed to be born?”

5 “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they said, “for this is what the prophet wrote:

6 ‘And you, O Bethlehem in the land of Judah,

    are not least among the ruling cities of Judah,

for a ruler will come from you

    who will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’”

7 Then Herod called for a private meeting with the wise men, and he learned from them the time when the star first appeared. 8 Then he told them, “Go to Bethlehem and search carefully for the child. And when you find him, come back and tell me so that I can go and worship him, too!”

9 After this interview the wise men went their way. And the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! 11 They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 When it was time to leave, they returned to their own country by another route, for God had warned them in a dream not to return to Herod.

-from The New International Version of the Bible

O Holy Night!

The spiritual meaning of Christmas is beautifully expressed in the lyrics of this beautiful song:

 [Verse 1]

O Holy night! The stars are brightly shining

It is the night of our dear Savior's birth

Long lay the world in sin and error pining

'Til He appeared and the soul felt its worth

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees; O hear the Angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born

O night, O Holy night, O night divine!

[Verse 2]

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand

So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming

Here come the Wise Men from Orient land

The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger

In all our trials born to be our friend

He knows our need, to our weakness is no stranger

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

Behold your King; before Him lowly bend

[Verse 3]

Truly He taught us to love one another;

His law is love and His Gospel is Peace

Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother

And in His name, all oppression shall cease

Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we

Let all within us Praise His Holy name

Christ is the Lord; O praise His name forever!

His power and glory evermore proclaim

His power and glory evermore proclaim

O Holy Night Lyrics

Listen:

O Holy Night by John Berry