Resources For Understanding Mormonism

As with all things if you ask a handful of people about a topic then a handful of answers is what you would get.  An appropriate question then would be, “So how do we know what is true and what is merely opinion?”

Former pastor of Eagle Heights and current Pastor at The Village Baptist Church in OKC, Jimmy Kinnaird, graciously pointed me to several resources that will help Christians understand the fundamental differences between historical, biblical Christianity and Mormonism. Here are several sights with different content and perspectives.

• Mormonism Research Ministry Mormonism Research Ministry is a missionary/apologetics organization that was organized in 1979 to propagate the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to critically evaluate the differences between Mormonism and biblical Christianity.
• Utah Lighthouse Ministry Jerald and Sandra Tanner were raised in the LDS faith, both with a strong Mormon family history. The Tanners are authors of over forty books on the subject of Mormonism. They are well known for their extensive research into Mormon history and doctrine.
  
• Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry CARM is a Christian ministry dedicated to the promotion and defense of the Christian gospel.  CARM analyzes religions such asIslam, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism,  Universalism, Wicca, etc., and compares them to the Bible.
• The Institute of Religious Research One of the titles from this website is, “Do You Have a Friend or Loved One Wooed by Mormons?

Jimmy recommended others but I culled the list to get a variation of reference resources. I think what you will find from all of these is that there is a consensus that Christianity and Mormonism are fundamentally different and the difference is of primary and salvific importance. Doctrinally speaking, Mormonism and Christianity are incompatible, though they may superficially look and sound the same. I hope this helps because that is my intent.

Monday Morning Pastor; Auditing Yourself, Mormonism and Joel Osteen

Audit Yourself and Then Others

Is it better to be audited or to audit yourself? Neither sounds like much fun, and the word can even be quite scary. Christianity is not for the cowardly. To follow Jesus means that we are guaranteed to have to be people of courage. After all, the scriptures are clear that we will give an account to God for every single word and deed that flows from our lives (Matthew 12:33-37; Romans 2:3; 2 Cor. 5:10). An audit of our lives is inevitable because God will and so will others; will you audit your own life? The wise and brave person will audit and examine their own life now so that when they are audited and evaluated by others, the process will be far less painful.

God through Jesus has called us to live in community with others and to evaluate our brothers and sisters in Christ. I said yesterday that “judge” in the context of Matthew 7:1-6 means to: “criticize and find fault based on the evaluation of evidence in order to seek to influence the lives and actions of others. ” Jesus is not prohibiting this judgment completely or otherwise the whole Bible would be a contradiction since it repetitively calls us to judge people and their doctrine. If we are to be obedient to the scriptures, we who are Christians have no choice but judge and correct doctrinal and moral failures (1 Corinthians 5:9-13). The key is what Jesus says after verse one. If we are biblically wise we will not judge others in a way that we in turn are judged for the thing we condemn (v. 2). Jesus says if we are to  avoid human and divine judicial retribution we are to examine our own lives (Matt. 7:3-5) and look to see if we are helping or harming our brother or sister in Christ (Matt. 7:5).

The beauty of Jesus’ teaching is that when we rightly judge others, when we audit the lives of others, we have to first judge or audit our own life and our motivations toward that person. If we don’t look to our own lives first then we have already blown it and we will be judged. But many people do themselves a disservice by  reasoning that they have no right to judge others because they have their own baggage and shortcomings, but the reality is that they are not only letting their brother and sister continue in a life of disobedience but they are also nurturing their own sin by not dealing with it so they can love and help others. If you judge biblically you will help both yourself and your brother or sister, if you ignore the biblical way to judge then you will hurt yourself and others. Judge correctly because it is good for everyone.

Three Questions Before We Judge Others

1. Did we pray about whether we should judge someone and how should we do it?
2. Did we look and evaluate and judge our own life first?
3. Did we ask, “Will my judgment or criticism hurt or help?” One qualifying remark; Of course it is going to hurt but there is such a thing as a healthy pain.

Is A Mormon A Christian?

I had a young man come to me after the worship gathering on Sunday Morning and let me know that he wasn’t pleased with the way that I and other baptist preachers judge Mormons as not being Christians. If any person affirms the teaching or theology of the LDS  church then they are not Christians in the biblical sense of the word. By the way, I was harder on Joel Osteen than I was on the Mormons. Osteen ought to know better. Biblically and historically the Mormons do not believe Jesus is the same Jesus that Christians have historically and biblically believed in. The Mormon Jesus is not the same Jesus when it comes to what the Bible comprehensively teaches about Him in eternity past. Here is a comparison chart showing the difference if you are interested.  Here is another article worth looking at: Are Mormons Christians? (Additionally, if you click on the link you can look to the left and see numerous articles on Mormonism. These articles have been written by various authors under the umbrella of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention.) I want to make one distinction between Mormonism and historical, biblical Christianity.

Christians have historically and biblically believed that Jesus was and is co-eternal creator with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus was always there as a part of the Trinity. (John 1:1-18; Philippians 2:5-11, Colossians 1:13-22) Mormons believe that Jesus was a preexisting soul just like you and me.

A quick summary: According to Mormon theology we were all up in heaven without a body and then our souls got beamed down to earth. God the father, who was once a human man like you and I, came down from heaven and physically impregnated Mary. Because Jesus was the only person who was ever conceived on earth by god the father with a fully human woman, Mormon Jesus is therefore the only-begotten son of god. He is the only begotten because he is the only person who was begotten directly by the father. An implication of this teaching is that we as humans are fully brothers and sisters of the Mormon Jesus. In other words, there is some sort of intrinsic equality that we share with him. The Bible teaches that Jesus is completely God in essence though different in person and that He is in His essence all-together different than us. Jesus was and is and always will be God. We never were and never will be God. He did humble himself by becoming like us in taking on flesh to sympathize with us and die for us and the Mormons would be with us there, but it is eternity past where we believe something essentially different. And it is an essential and primary difference. Anything that has to do with the person of Jesus, is of fundamental and salvific importance to our faith. (2 John 8-11) We would agree with Mormons on some Bible truths, but who Jesus was in eternity past for Mormons is something completely different then what we believe as Christians. It may sound confusing, but real Christianity is something completely different than Mormon Christianity. If you have talked to many Mormons then you know that some know these things and some don’t. Some will refute what I have said, but it ultimately comes down to the fact that we believe different things and mean different things when we talk about the person of Jesus. It is also important to realize that some Mormons might disagree or not know about their own beliefs, just as some Baptists don’t, but they are still culpable because they are committed or devoted to a church and its doctrine that is fundamentally flawed and is a false gospel (Galatians 1:8-9). This may be especially hard to swallow when we have friends and family who are Mormons, but our love for someone and their sincerity about who they think Jesus is, will not help us when we stand before God who has made a way for us to heaven through Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). If any person picks and chooses what they want Jesus to be they will have only made their own religion, their own gospel. I am afraid that is what Mormons have done. Jesus is not who we want Him to be, He simply is “I Am” (John 8:58). The Christian “I Am” is different than the Mormon “i am”. A very helpful summary blog from Gospel Coalition.  Kevin DeYoung on Mormonism. 

The Sermon on the Mount; The Big Picture

There are some potential pitfalls when preaching and listening verse by verse and section by section through a book of the Bible. If you get too close to the text, the big picture and key components of the greater context might be forgotten. If that happens it could potentially limit the understanding and application of what the author means for his audience to receive.

Last night in our Core Group, we backed up a little and tried to see Jesus’ sermon from a broader perspective. I simply asked the question, “What are some of the big ideas that have been sticking out to you after 13 sermons, two chapters and 82 verses?”

Here are some of my own thoughts about the big picture of the Sermon on the Mount:

• This sermon is about Jesus and His authority as the fulfillment of the OT. Over and over again Jesus says, “I say..” In the ancient world Gentiles would have recognized these words as something an emperor would say and Jews would have recognized it as a divine decree of God. In 5:1, Jesus sits down taking to place of a teacher and one who has authority. Jesus says He is the point of the OT, the fulfillment of all it said (5:17). Jesus is the King and Messiah and over and over again He literally commands His disciples to live for Him.
• This sermon is a sermon of commands. According to Matthew, Jesus issued many commands in this sermon. This sermon is emphatic over and over again.
• This is a negative sermon. Hell is mentioned often (5:30). Jesus is constantly correcting misinterpretation and the abuse of scripture (5:21). Prohibitions are frequent (“do not” 6:2, 5, 7, 16, 19, 25). Hypocrisy is mentioned frequently (6:2).
• This is a promising and positive sermon. Jesus promises current (already) and future (not yet) blessings on disciples (5:3-11). Jesus says that God will reward disciples (6:4, 6, 18). Jesus says there will be lasting treasure for those who live for the kingdom (6:19-21). Jesus promises that God cares and knows our needs and that the kingdom of God is the solution to our worry. (6:25-34)
• This is a sermon about discipleship. Jesus is addressing His disciples and teaching them what discipleship looks like. (5:1-2) The variation of singular and plural pronouns gives the impression that at times Jesus is pointing His finger right in the chest of the disciples.
• This sermon is personal and relational. See the previous bullet point. Jesus has already been living life with these men and is now sitting on a hill, watching birds and pointing to flowers and telling his followers not to worry (6:25-34) because God provides for His creation, especially those created in His image.
• This sermon is contextual to the culture. Jesus is hammering recognizable abuses and attitudes that are not coherent with God’s Kingdom and the way a true disciple should strive to live.
• This is a demanding sermon from a perfect God. See Matthew 5:48 – The standard that the disciple pursues is the standard that Christ is – perfection. But the disciple does not pursue the standard to earn salvation, Jesus did that on the cross when He finished the work of living to die for sins.
• This sermon is God-centered. Pray, then, in this way: Our Father who is in Heaven, may Your Name be made Holy. May Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven (6:9-13; 6:33).
• This sermon is other-oriented. Jesus scrutinizes those who make much of themselves at the expense of others (6:2-4).
• This sermon is divinely radical. Jesus tells His disciples not to worry, but to seek (make central) the Kingdom of God. Yet it is this very pursuit that will result in their persecution and eventual death. (5:10-12)
• This sermon is very practical and applicable. Jesus addresses worry, money, the mechanics of discipleship (giving, prayer, fasting), forgiveness, treatment of enemies, retaliation, oaths/vows, divorce/marriage, lust/purity, anger/reconciliation, witnessing, and our attitudes.
• This sermon is about greater righteousness. Practically speaking our righteous acts say something about our trust in God and salvation. Those whose righteous acts are not God-centered and keeping with his word will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven (5:20).

These are truths I can’t get away from in the Sermon on the Mount. It is amazing how much more you can see when you go through a text and look at it closely and then back out and look at the big picture.

A Playful Tribute to Wayne Grudem

My friend and sister in Christ, Jennifer Duckworth, turned me on to this Grease-like tribute to Wayne Grudem. Grudem, as some of you will know, has written a book titled Systematic Theology; An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, which is why I included and recommend it in “Essential Library for Every Christian.”

This video was shown at New Word Alive 2010 where Wayne Grudem was one of the speakers. It was originally filmed at a UCCF Relay Conference in January 2008. Enjoy and go buy the book.

The Provision for the Commission

God will not give a mission for which He will not make a provision. (Matthew 6:25-34)

God has called every one of us to be disciples. We are not to worry, stress or fret about our needs to be disciples and make disciples because God will provide. Just as God had provided for the rest of His creation which includes birds and flowers, so God will also provide for us all that we need. And because we can depend on the promises of God, we should stop seeking what we need and start seeking the Kingdom because the Kingdom is what we really need.

Not that the Kingdom was lost or that God hid it like an Easter Egg, but we are to make it the center of all our efforts. As disciples of King Jesus, the Kingdom is to be our priority. Jesus explains that when we seek the Kingdom and seek to live righteously, the Kingdom becomes the cure for our worry and the provision for the mission will be met.

Just a thought here, but one of the ideas that Jesus may be advancing is that when we make the Kingdom our priority as it ought to be by seeking to see the reign of Jesus on earth as it is in heaven, then our needs will really be what is needed for the mission and not what we wanted. In other words, the right orientation toward the preeminence of the kingdom will trickle down into the most fundamental parts of our lives. Even to the things we eat, drink and wear.

Matthew is written in the context of discipleship so that the Kingdom might come. It has become crystal clear to me that the Sermon on the Mount, as much as anything, is about the way a disciple, a Christian, a follower, a kingdom citizen ought to think and live in every circumstance of life.

No passage illustrates this truth quite like Matthew 28:18-20, known thoroughly as the Great C omission. Evangelicals and Baptists in particular love to champion these verses as a divine command to evangelize the world. Recorded by Matthew as Jesus’ last words to His disciples, these red-letter words as a command are crucial to understanding the goal of every Christian-disciple. The command from Jesus to every disciple-Christian is that we are to make disciples. The way we are to make disciples is by going, and as we are going we are to baptize or show the gospel people. As we are going to the nations we are to show the gospel and we are to teach people to obey all that Jesus commanded.

As Christian-disciples we are not just out to make converts, to get decisions, but we are to show and teach people the gospel of Jesus Christ and in turn they are to make disciples by doing the same. (How Do I Become a Christian/A Disciple?) This is a massive privilege and perhaps even a daunting one.

But here is the beauty of the mission. Don’t miss this because I think we miss this a lot when we come to this passage.

God will not give a mission for which He will not make a provision for the completion of the mission.

Jesus assured the disciples, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Jesus is in control of planet earth, the place the mission is being carried out for the glory of God through Jesus.  Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus gives the commission in Matthew 28:19-20.

Finally, King Jesus who is the resurrected Messiah, reiterates a promise that extends to the end of the mission on planet earth. He says, “Immanuel, I am with you!” (Matthew 28:20; Matthew 1:23) Discipleship (for every Christian) and the Kingdom Come is sandwiched in, held together and sustained by the promises and provision of Jesus that He has authority and will be with us all the way to the end.

What God has started, God will also faithfully finish and we have the certainty of Jesus’ promise to that end.

The mission to make disciples will not fail and the Kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven. It is inevitable. Are you seeking the Kingdom or are you worrying about what you need and in doing so ignoring the promise of the provision?

As you are going, you make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey every word of Jesus in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus is King and He is with us. What more do we need?

10 Questions to Diagnose Your Treasure

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Where is your heart? What is your treasure? According to Jesus the answer is one and the same. If your treasure is God then your heart will be with the Heavenly Father. If your treasure is stuff then your heart is with your stuff and your life will give evidence of that fact. But how do we know? How can we discern what we value? After all, we as humans in our flesh are very deceitful. So deceitful that we might even deceive ourselves.

Here are ten questions that we can and probably should ask regularly, to make sure our hearts are not far from God, though our lips would suggest otherwise.

1. What is my treasure?
2. What am I fixated on? What do I look at all the time? (Matthew 6:22-23)
3. What am I a slave to? What do I serve?  Who am I devoted to? (Matthew 6:24)
4. Are my thoughts consumed by stuff or God?
5. Who is this for? The Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Me?
6. Does God have me and my stuff or does my stuff have me?
7. Does my (really God’s) stuff benefit others?
8. Do I need this or want this? How much stuff do I need?
9. Do I live to give  – to other for God’s glory?
10. Am I a disciple of Christ or a disciple of the world and the stuff it offers?

Ask yourself these questions and ask others to answer these questions about you. You won’t know if you don’t ask.

Come Quickly Lord Jesus; What Am I Doing?

“And behold I am coming quickly.” (Revelation 22:7) “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:12-13) “The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.” (Revelation 22: 17-18) “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:20)

I Woke up this morning (May 12th) to these headlines from Yahoo News  and the Baptist Press on Twitter:

• China’s state news agency says 7 children hacked to death, 20 hurt in latest attack at a Chinese kindergarten. (updated at 10 p.m.)
• (AP)UPDATE: 7 children killed, 20 injured in kindergarten attack in China, murderer killed himself. (11 p.m.)
• 107 killed in Darfur clashes since March, UNAMID reports (AFP) (2 a.m.)
• Thai government cuts water, food and electricity to protesters (AP) (2 a.m.)
• BREAKING: Passenger plane reportedly crashes while landing in Libya (Reuters) (3 a.m.)
• UPDATE: Death toll in Russian mine blast climbs to 60; dozens missing (AP) (4 a.m.)
• Official: Somali pirates seize Greek-owned ship in Gulf of Aden (Reuters) (4 a.m.)
• UPDATE: Plane crashes in Libya, killing 100 people; 8-year-old child survives, official says (AP) (5 a.m.)
• Star athlete at Texas high school is really 22, police say (AP) (5 a.m.)
• Trade deficit climbs to 15-month high of $40.4 billion in March, reflecting higher oil imports. –AP (8 a.m.)
• Per Baptist Press: Baby aborted for cleft lip survives 2 days

So what are you thinking?

I’m thinking this world is broken and the people that live in it are broken and sick and sinful. This reality that can’t be ignored makes me long for something that is right and perfect. (Revelation 22:10-11)

Question: What am I doing about it?

I could turn off twitter, quit watching the news, quit reading the paper and pretend that things are fine since none of that horrible stuff is happening in Stillwater, Oklahoma – at least as far as I know and for now. That’s one way to cope; pretend like it isn’t there and I am safe. I could also complain to God, about God or even ask God: “Where are You and why are you letting this junk happen? Where is God?” These are options.

The Biblical Reality: God is not silent and has acted decisively.

God has sent Jesus as His eternal plan to atone for sin. Jesus finished this task with His perfect life and subsitutionary death on a slaves tree. (John 19:30) Jesus sent us His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to comfort us and empower us to do the work of God by faith through Jesus. God has given us His very great and precious promises and everything we need to live a life of Godliness (2 Peter 1:3-4) Jesus has given us clear instructions on what we are to do as kingdom citizens/disciples. (Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8) Jesus has given us so many promises for encouragement so that we might persevere through the trouble he also promised would come our way. (John 16:33) We know everything we need to know and have every promise and provision we would ever need.

Solution: Pray and live for the Kingdom to come.

But do we pray for the kingdom to come? Do we pray for heaven to come to earth? “May your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10) Or do we simply complain about the troubles all around us while we sit on the couch with our smartphones in hand and our questions in head.

A truly prayerful people will be an active people. Read and study the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) and you will find Jesus not only calling His followers to pray for the kingdom to come but to be and act like kingdom people that usher in that which they pray and hope for. Jesus calls His disciples to live differently and make a difference in the world in which they live. Disciples are to be witnesses by telling about Jesus, loving others, shunning hypocrisy, and living for the kingdom with their treasures (possessions) instead of worrying about life. And when you know and trust the promises of the One who paid for sin and beat it by rising from the dead, it will propel you to live for the advancement and realization of the kingdom.

Do we live with urgency to see the kingdom come? Do we live for the transformation of the world because we ourselves have been transformed to be like Jesus? Because when Jesus comes back a second time, He will destroy death, wipe away every tear, and there will be no more mourning, or crying or pain. In that day there will be no more kindergartners hacked to death, there will be no more plane crashes, there will be no more earthquakes, no more tornadoes, no more abortion because of superficial imperfections, no more national debt, no more pirates, no more cheating to be a high school sports star, no more government oppression and no more of everything that makes us indignant, scared and anxious.

But there are things that must take place.  (Revelation 22:6) We are living the story of the Bible and we are either a part of the kingdom solution through obedience to King Jesus or we are, from our finite perspective, prolonging the inevitable renewal of the creation for God’s glory. We should anguish over what we see but let us not just sit around and complain about the brokenness of this world and as a result be a part of the problem.

May we pray and live that Jesus might come quickly as He promised He would do.

I Love These Words

Some words just have more meaning than others, especially when they communicate a magnificent and life-changing truth. The word “cross” can mean a lot of different things, but for me it primarily represents the culmination of all that I hold dear as a Christian. When I hear the word “cross” many images and truths flood my mind and they all center around the once for all work of Christ on the cross to atone for sin. The lyrics to the song “The Power of the Cross” beautifully capture why I cherish Christ and the cross. I love these words because Christ loved me with His life and death. (Trusting Christ for the forgiveness of sins.) Mark 10:45; Romans 5:8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; Galatians 6:14; 1 Timothy 1:15-17; 1 Peter 2:24

Verse 1
Oh to see the dawn of the darkest day
Christ on the road to calvary
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then
Nailed to a cross of wood

Chorus 1
This the pow’r of the cross
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame, bore the wrath
We stand forgiven at the cross

Verse 2
Oh to see the pain written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin
Ev’ry bitter thought, ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow

Verse 3
Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath
Quakes as its maker bows his head
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life
‘Finished!’ the vict’ry cry.

You can view the rest of the lyrics at Worship Together.

FAQ; How Can I Be Active at Eagle Heights?

One of the most prominent FAQs I get as a pastor is, “How can I be involved at Eagle Heights?” That is a great question. Here are few suggestions for every committed person at Eagle Heights.

1) Attend a Core Group regularly. Your consistent presence and interaction is an encouragement to your Core Group facilitator and your fellow Christians. Your presence is a ministry.

2) Be relationally biblical and Christ-centered. For example, invite someone from church to a meal and ask what God is teaching them. Think of ministry in terms of relationships, not just positions.

3) Be an unofficial greeter. Every person at Eagle Heights should be a friendly face and greeter. If you see someone you don’t know, introduce yourself. Church should be the friendliest place on earth.

4) Connect people with other people. As you meet people, ask them if they are in a Core Group and if they are not then connect them with someone who is a Core Group that fits their stage of life.

5) Invite people to have a meal at your home. Maybe invite someone who isn’t in your inner circle.

6) Invite people to a worship gathering at church. Personal invitations based on relationships are very hard to resist.

7) Write a note of encouragement to someone. Maybe you know of someone who is going through a difficult season. Maybe you know someone who is serving faithfully. Write a note.

8 ) Pray. Prayer is often a last resort when it should be the first and best idea. Everyone can pray for the church.

9) Be specific and intentional with words. Often we speak in generalizations for the sake of brevity or maybe for the purpose of avoiding people or topics. Think of specific encouraging words you can say to people. It is great to say to someone, “You did a great job.” It is even more helpful to say, “When I saw you greet that guest, it encouraged me to try to do the same.”

10) Take the initiative to think and then act. Sometimes I think the church enables people to do nothing by providing everything. Some people feel as though they can’t do anything to serve without a program or event. Look around (In the church, in your work place, in your neighborhood) and ask the question, “What can I be and do for others with the abilities and passion God has given me?” If it is from God the idea and call will last and when it does, act.

11) As you go, live and tell the gospel of Jesus. Every believer, every disciple is to be an evangelist as they are going and where ever it is they go. Live like Jesus where you are and when people ask why you do what you do, tell them. You don’t need an evangelism program to share the gospel. Live like Jesus and tell others about Jesus.

12) Serve a little with a few. Surely there are needs in your church and in your neighborhood. Can you help someone mow their lawn? Can you pick up trash in your neighborhood? What can you do with one or two other people to serve others? The other day my two sons (4 and 6 years-old) helped mow our neighbors lawn without being asked. Our neighbor was encouraged and my sons learned about taking initiative. It doesn’t take a lot of planning and you don’t need a lot of people, just serve others with others.

Notice that all 12 suggestions are relational suggestions. Notice also that they don’t all take place at the church building. You don’t need an official job or position to serve; you just need a willing heart and some initiative. These are acts that may go unnoticed, but God sees from heaven and rewards.

Earthquakes, Abortion and Secondary Damage

Earthquakes can cause massive initial and primary damage, as we have seen recently in Haiti and Chile. We also know from recent history that earthquakes can cause massive secondary damage miles away from the epicenter of the original event. Whether primary or secondary, the damage can be lethally destructive. The disturbing truth about secondary damage is that sometimes we don’t see it coming. Such is potentially the case for abortion in the U.S.

I recognize these things to be true: Abortion ignores that there is a creator God who has creator rights. Abortion kills little human beings. Abortion is emotionally and spiritually harmful to mothers. Abortion withholds the privileged right of life that was given to every person who makes the decision to end the life of the unborn.  These are primary. These are ultimate.

But then there are secondary issues of harm and damage that result from abortion. The Guttmacher Institute estimates that there have been 52.3 million abortions since Roe v. Wade in 1973, which equals the total population of the largest 65 cities in the U.S. What are the financial implications for 52 million missing people? What does abortion mean for a country that is going to struggle to pay for its aging population through programs like social security and medicare? It is estimated that aborting 52 million people is costing the U.S. $35 trillion dollars in gross domestic product. Abortion Stats per state and financial implications.

Read me clearly. There are primary reasons for lovingly and tactfully opposing abortion, but as with so many things in life there are secondary consequences and implications for immoral behavior. It would be immoral to call for an end to abortion simply to make anyone’s life monetarily easier. That would be some sort of selfishness that itself would demean life.

But I can’t help but recognize the irony that the wealthiest country in the history of the world may soon be brought to its knees by the murder of its own. Abortion is wrong because it is defies the creator by terminating the creation to the harm of others. But as with all sin the damage it secondarily causes can be cataclysmic, even if at first it seems insignificant.

In 1973 Roe V. Wade was at the epicenter that has made legal so much death and destruction, but it is possible that the Tsunami it consequently spawned is just now reaching us in ways we would have never dreamed? God knows. We’ll have to wait and see.