honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship
of me is made up only of rules taught by men.” {Isaiah 29:13 NIV}
No, it is not that they are being disingenuous. For in most cases: they are being quite sincere in their convictions.
Nonetheless: be assured that all who support the illegalization of abortions based upon their belief in sanctity of physical human life have been woefully deceived{1}. For it truly is as it is written: But someone will say, "How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?" You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one {flesh} of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the {glory} of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable {body,} it is raised an imperishable {body;} it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual {body.} So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam {became} a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.{2}
In other words: it is spiritual life that our Heavenly Father holds sacred—not physical life{3}. For physical life is meant to end{4}. Whereas: spiritual life in His only begotten Son{5}, who truly is the Lord Jesus Christ{6}, will last forever and ever{7}. AMEN!!!
No, physical death has nothing to do with spiritual life. For it truly is as it is written: “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.”{8}
Oh yes, this opens a can of theological worms that many would rather be left on a shelf deep down in an abandoned root-cellar with a thick coat of dust covering its label. For they have been led to believe that one must be at least baptized into the church before being able to enter into the very presence of our Heavenly Father in His Kingdom of Heaven; and that is not a belief that is shared by others in their coalition.
Surely it would do us all well not to share in such a belief. For the soul of every aborted baby goes straight unto the bosom of their Creator{9}—be assured{10}.
Yes, there is still plenty of common-ground for them to stand upon; and part of that has to do with lost potential. For it is preached from pulpits on both sides of the Catholic/Protestant divide that the next aborted baby may hold the key unto the cure for cancer or world peace; but who in their “right-mind”{11} would want to believe any of that{12}??? After all: is there anything good about any of us apart from our Creator{13}???
Besides: is not preaching such the height of hypocrisy??? For who is to say that the next executed convict does not hold the key unto the very same things by that sort of reasoning; and is it not true that many who ferverently oppose abortions also see nothing wrong with capital punishment???
Oh yes, there is a big difference between an innocent aborted baby and a duly convicted felon; but we are talking about hidden potential here. Besides: who from amongst us can guarantee that the next aborted baby would not make Adolph Hitler or Josef Stalin look rather harmless by comparison if allowed to live???
No, none of this is meant to deny that abortion is murder. For what is generally considered as being life in the eyes of this world does indeed begin at conception{14}; and the taking of an innocent life is indeed murder.
Subsequently: it is those who see nothing wrong with the practice that are much more in need of saving than the aborted babies; and this cannot be accomplished through the enactment of any laws{15}. For everything really is in the hands of our Heavenly Father{16}; and if it is accordance unto His will that there will come a day when no one will want to have an abortion: whether or not it is legal to have one will not matter{17}.
Is this to say that we should be in favor of abortion??? MAY IT NEVER BE!!! For to do so would be to support premeditated murder; but in regards unto political action: it would be in the best interest of all concerned for the Christian community to stay neutral.
The same cannot be said of capital punishment, however. For to lock someone in a cage for the rest of their natural life truly is cruel and unusual punishment{18}!!!
No, this is not to say that stoning should be reintroduced; but even if it was: would that not be more merciful than keeping someone incarcerated for life—even if in one of our modern facilities??? For the sufferings of this world would be over for them at the instant of their physical death.
Alas, does this not speak unto the crux of the issue??? For in far too many cases: being in favor of life sentences is more about punishment than keeping society safe; and that warrants an eternal death sentence{19}.
Yes, it can be argued that life sentences stand as a strong deterrent; but do they really??? For that would only work in the case of someone in their right-mind; and no one in their right-mind would want to do anything that would warrant such a harsh sentence in the first-place.
No, this is not ignore the suffering of the victims and their families; but vengeance is our Heavenly Father’s to repay{20}. Besides: prolonging the physical lives of those who face eternal damnation just prolongs when the real punishment will begin (naturally-speaking, of course){21}; but woe be it unto all who want to think in such as way as this{22}.
Yes, much of that sounds like grounds to be in favor of the legalization of suicides and assisted-suicides; and this is jar of some really disgusting stuff that I would rather be left on a back-shelf myself. For I have been there. That is: at least in regards unto suicide.
In fact: I am still there. For my life in this world is one of intense pain and anguish—both physically{23} and spiritually{24}; and if it was not for knowing that anyone in their right-mind who kills (even themselves) when it is not in accordance unto our Heavenly Father’s direct will commits murder: I would kill myself.
A terrible thing to say: I know. For it would cause my wife an enormous amount of grief; but that would pass soon enough. Whereas: the suffering that she endures because of my infirmities keeps going on; and that is something that I can honestly say that I do not want to be a part of{25}.
Please, do not misunderstand. For I know that everything that I have had endure is for the glory of our Heavenly Father{26}; but that does not make it any less painful{27}.
Oh yes, I am naturally a gutless wonder; but that does not mean that I do not know what I am talking about. For what I have been given to say is of our Heavenly Father{28}; and if you don’t want to believe it: I beseech thee to seek His face for yourself{29}.
[{1}Ephesians 6:10-12; {2}1 Corinthians 15:35-50 NAS; {3}John 6:63; {4}Hebrews 9:27; {5}John 3:16; {6}Matthew 3:16-17; {7}2 Corinthians 4:17-18; {8}Luke 12:4 NAS; {9}2 Samuel 12:23; {10}Matthew 19:14; {11}1 Corinthians 2:6-16; {12}Psalms 111:8; {13}Psalms 16:2; {14}Psalms 139:13-16; {15}Romans 8:3; {16}John 16:8-11; {17}2 Corinthians 5:17; {18}Leviticus 24:10-23; {19}James 2:12-13; {20}Deuteronomy 32:35; {21}Revelation 20:10-15; {22}1 John 4:20-21; {23}Job 10:18-22; {24}Jeremiah 20: 7-9; {25}John 21:18-19; {26}1 Corinthians 10:12-13; {27}2 Corinthians 12:7-10 {28}Galatians 1:11-12; {29}James 1:5]
Wow Fish, you took on 3 500lb Gorillas and did an awesome job.
ReplyDelete*claps hands*
ReplyDeleteWow...you DID a wonderful job on this post!
Fishawk, this life is a temporal, physical life and ALL things are in his Hands. He has promised to give us a new earth with Christ Jesus as OUR king.
This is why I simply do not understand why so many "Christians" get caught up in "modern issues" that will NEVER be remedied on this God-forsaken earth, where the devil has been labeled by... Christ Himself... "Prince of this world" (John 12:31 KJV)
Are we (professed Christians) really trying to resolve issues while the devil reigns, or do we look to the heavens as our home, where the earth we dwell upon, we live as strangers and foreigners?
Or do we love our physical lives too much that we have "Hope in Christ for this life only"???
1 Corinthians 15:19
If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
It is clear as day, the "the signs of His coming" are here and visible. The "beginning of sorrows" has begun. Matthew 24
We should be be diligent as Believers at heart to "render unto Caesar" what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's.
And "hold fast unto the profession of our Faith" (Hebrews 10:23) and the Hope of the Gospel where we have been ministers of! (Col. 1:23)
Good Job Fishawk! May the Spirit of the LORD continue to rest upon you and speak His truth!!
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude. Tears are doing that for me: both in regards unto our Heavenly Father giving me the courage to write what He wanted me to and for allowing me to see that at least 2 people want to understand. Thank you so very much for answering His merciful call, Chris and Hannah.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. Only through the eyes of God can you see the truth. God has reveled to you much. I identify with much of what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteFishhawk- What you posted really struck me with the spirit of conviction. I find myself knowing that I have been too judgemental. Once I was saved, which was not until I was in my forties, I just assumed that the "abortion is murder" interpretation of the Bible was the only way to look at this issue. I do think that some of the rabid "Right-to-Life"-er's are just that--rabid. There is no place for a Christian to have the kind of hatred that antiabortionists tend to show toward people who oppose them. Don't get me wrong--I still think that abortion is wrong (something I did not think in my pre-salvation days), but your post makes me realize that I have been very narrow-minded in my assessment. Thank you. This next passage from Romans 14 says this as well as anything else:
ReplyDeleteRomans 14
The Law of Liberty
"1 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
5 One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. 9 For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10 But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 11 For it is written:
' As I live, says the LORD,
Every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall confess to God.'
"12 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
The Law of Love
14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. 15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. 16 Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense. 21 It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak. 22 Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. 23 But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. (from Romans 14, NKJV)
Thank you so very much, my dear Cindy. For I am quite sure that you and your husband are all too painfully acquainted with how terrifying it can be to be asked to say something that you know will cause a great deal of rage in some and anguish in others.
ReplyDeleteMy dear SS: you stand as a clear witness of what out Heavenly Father wants to accomplish in us all. For you were once blind; and now you can see!!! Was it because of someone sticking a sign in your face and screaming at you at the top of their lungs to stop supporting the murder of innocent babies that got you to see the Light??? No, I do not believe it was; and if you are anything like I naturally am: such an occasion would've just steeled your resolve to stand your ground. There is, however, a time and place for gentle counsel in love: all in accordance unto His will, of course; and this is what is needed in order to be helpful with the changing of hearts and minds about all three of the issues being addressed in this post.
ReplyDeleteFishHawk:
ReplyDeleteThanks for participating in this week's edition of The Seventh Day, the blog carnival hosted each Sunday On the Horizon!
What an intriguing post! I have to think about it more before leaving a substantive comment. You certainly have succeeded in making me ponder the points you raised and I thank you for that.
The Seventh Day: Eighth Edition is now live, so I hope you will stop by & pay a visit to some of the other participants' sites. There were a number of fabulous posts contributed this week!
Blessings to you,
Hopeful Spirit
On the Horizon
Thank you so very much, my dear Hopeful Spirit. For "intriguing" would not be a word that far too many would use to describe this post; and I would not have blamed you a bit for wanting to pass on including it this edition of "The Seventh Day".
ReplyDeleteJerry,
ReplyDeleteI wanted you to know that I read your post. I can't say that I agree with everything but I truly admire your conviction and your bravery in expressing your views.
Kudos to you for that, my friend.
Lisa
Thank you, my dear Lisa. For I was sincerely worried about upsetting you; and genuinely afraid of losing you as a friend.
ReplyDelete