Is our society abandoning the idea of being created in God’s image for the newer approach of re-making God in our image instead? Are we ready to throw away the concept of being in God’s image, thus changing how we see Him and each other? Like the rest of the United States, Charlotte is vulnerable to a “shift” in the nation’s atmosphere.
If we change the “image” of God into something more user friendly, then we can remove any stigmas surrounding right and wrong. By changing the image of God, we give ourselves permission to reinterpret the Ten Commandments, the message of the Gospel, the entire Bible for that matter.
The best way to change the rules of a game is to simply change the players.
Let that one sink in for a moment…
If we reshape God’s image and redefine Him to fit our image of ourselves, then we can erase any trace of His true character from our society.
Let’s start with His Word, which He places above Himself and His own Name (Isa. 45:23, Isa. 66:2, Jer. 44:26). If society can change how His Word is interpreted, they can dictate how God appears in the eyes of future generations.
Thou shalt not kill– okay, unless…
With the number of recent “incidents” in American society, including everything from the acquittal of Casey Anthony to the Supreme Court’s decision that manufacturers of violent video games are not responsible for the violent actions of the children who play them, we must prepare for the anarchic fallout that will soon loom over us.
These two landmark decisions – one by a jury of peers, the other by court justices – tell us several things about the future of our justice system:
- Jurists are no longer (if they were ever) able to distinguish right from wrong.
- As criminals become celebrities (or vice versa), jurors become fans, thus eliminating real opportunity for a “fair trial”. For example – O.J. Simpson, R. Kelly, Robert Blake, Michael Jackson, etc.
- The true value of Caylee Anthony’s life was not factored into the jury’s decision. The Supreme Court’s decision reflects the idea that those who incite violence (in this case, video game manufacturers) do not have to assume the blame for the impressionable and vulnerable minds (in this case, our children) that regurgitate the violence back onto our society (Columbine, for example). Thus the value of a human life has diminished. It has been said that the worth of a society can be measured by how well it treats its oldest and youngest citizens.
“…the moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; those who are in the shadows of life; the sick, the needy and the handicapped.“
Last Speech of Hubert H. Humphrey
November 1, 1977
Washington, D.C.
Was it Maleand Female or was it Male or Female?
Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.
The use of legislation to “reshape” God’s image
Passage of legislation for gay marriage in California (though it may be repealed) and New York is just another clear cut sign that change will eventually come to North Carolina at some point, whether the Queen City is ready for it or not.
Now, California’s governor has recently passed legislation that allows public schools to teach about the contributions of gays and lesbians in social studies classes.
The lines regarding who can marry have indeed been blurred and there is not a chance of those lines ever becoming clear again (in this world at least).
We as Christians are no longer able to make our voices count to prevent the total abolition of Biblically based family values.
In fact, many so called Christians are adamantly determined to see to it that society abolishes any religious mandates regarding the Bible based illegitimacy of same sex matrimony.
Here again, society seeks to change the Almighty’s image by making Him a “kinder, gentler, esoteric” deity that loves us all far too much to pass any type of judgment upon us.
With same sex couples already having children or simply adopting them, not only has the distinction between male and female been breached, but now the true roles of a father and a mother have been greatly compromised as well.
Thus, we enter the age of what I will call the “uni-gendered” couples and parents.
Along with this issue confronting true Bible believing Christians, is the threat of schools cultivating a genderless society(the trend in Swedenwill someday reach America)in the near future.)
That’s right friends; some parents in other countries (as close as Canada) are choosing to defy any gender classification for their children.
Changing the image of God into our own twisted image (since the fall of Adam and Eve) is bad enough in itself, but now society wants to change the very genetic order that God established in the creation of mankind and womankind.
This leaves our children with no clear identity and even more devastatingly, no common connection with God Himself. By removing the unique qualities that The Lord created within our mainframe, society breaks all bonds with the Creator.
Both the “uni-gendered” and now the “anti-gendered” society that lies at our doorsteps proves conclusively that Paul’s man of perdition (the anti-Christ) is close at hand.
2 Thess. 2:3 Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day [Christ’s 2ndcoming]shall not comeunless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin [lawlessness]shall be revealed, the son of perdition [destruction],
2 Thess. 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God.
What I am referring to is the reshaping of American society before our very eyes as our culture is either influencing other societies or is being influenced by other societies. Though this is far from anything new, what is new is the aggressive manner by which these changes are being forced on us all.
According to the website of the National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), as of July 14th, 2011, the following states grant marriage licenses to same sex couples: Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and the District of Columbia.
The NCSL reports that the following states allow civil (or same sex) unions: Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island (Note: In Connecticut, Vermont and New Hampshire, same-sex marriage has replaced civil unions.)
And along with these sweeping changes in our culture, comes the growing dissent among Christian church leaders regarding what is acceptable.
How does this all relate to the changing of God’s image into our own? Simple – by enforcing legislation that strengthens society’s acceptance of lifestyles which the Bible clearly opposes, the proponents of those lifestyles send a distinct message to that society. That message is you will accept these changes whether you like it or not!
And if we all must accept these changes, then your God must as well because if you don’t present a kinder, more empathetic, and “gay/lesbian friendly” Deity, then we (legislators and society) will ostracize and shame you (Christians) into compliance.
We, who are true Christians, must see the bigger picture here – these recent actions and legislations are not really about gay/lesbian rights. That is not an issue for us. Whether GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) or straight, as human beings, we all have certain inalienable rights and as Americans, our Bill of Rights insists that we are entitled to “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.
The significant issue here is that we are slowly, but surely being forced to accept or at least, keep silent about, this movement towards a one world agenda in which everyone must be considered as not only equal (which is true – we are all equal), but also as being exactly the same, no matter who you are or what God or gods you worship.
But ah, there is the rub, for if we say that everyone worships the same God, then how can Christians and Jews continue to claim that our God is different from the gods of Hindus, Pagans, gays, etc…?
If both the Torah and New Testament clearly state that our God is not like any other god, then how can we join forces with other groups who say that “it’s all the same” or “what does it matter”?
Here is what (our) God says about Himself –
Exo 20:2 “I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. [For Christians, “out of the bondage of sin”]
Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.
Isa 43:10 Ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, and My servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He: before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me.
Isa 43:11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside Me there is no savior.
Isa 43:12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are My witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.”
Rev 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints.“
This Holy and Righteous LORD has no place in this new society where things that the Almighty called an abomination, men call “equality and brotherhood”.
For this new society’s image to live, the Old image of a Righteous and sanctified God must die. If they can’t kill the image of God, then it becomes necessary to reshape that image so that He becomes more suitable for those of sinful hearts to endure.
In essence, they must create their god in their own image.
So what will become of us if we refuse to convert to this new image?
Potential problems for Bible based Churches
In the near future, there are several potential concerns (and I reiterate, these are only potential problems) that could arise for churches that oppose gay marriage within those states that grant same sex marriage licenses:
- Churches could be (potentially) forced to accept same sex couples as members. This could potentially influence those churches towards becoming gay affirming or all inclusive. Currently in North Carolina, there are approximately 142 GLBT affirming churches. There are already at least 15 gay/lesbian affirming churches right here in Charlotte.
- In the future, churches could be forced to accept gay/lesbian ministers, pastors, worship leaders, etc…, that are in same sex unions or marriages or be sued for violating their civil rights.
- In the future, pastors / churches that reject and refuse to perform same sex marriages could be fined or possibly lose their tax exempt / non-profit status
- Churches/pastors could be censored for speaking out against the GLBT lifestyle. In Canada, a pastor has already been fined as much as $5000 for preaching against homosexuality. He was ordered to “renounce his faith” which states that homosexuality is an abomination according to the Bible (Lev. 18:22, Lev. 20:13). Though we still have freedom of speech, we must be cognizant of the possibility that laws such as the Hate Crimes Bill (HR 1913) could be used to “restrict” free speech.
Is the Church reshaping its own image?
We are barely removed from the Catholic Church’s scandals involving the blatant disregard of sexual molestation victims at the hands of priests, and now Protestant church leaders are bickering over gay rights.
Arguments concerning whether to allow openly gay and lesbian clergy to hold the office of pastor and bishop have circulated throughout the Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Lutheran church communities. The battle has forged its way to the Methodists as well.
Can Baptists be far behind?
After all, gays and lesbians have been a part of the “Church” almost since its conception right? They were not able to make their presence known in past generations but now they are ceasing the opportunity.
The Church is now being bombarded not only with gay/lesbian clergy, but compounding the issue is whether or not heterosexual clergy will be forced to perform marriage ceremonies for gay/lesbian couples.
I would not presume to be so naïve as to think that the installing of gay and lesbian bishops and pastors was merely a “coincidental prelude” to the acceptance of same sex marriages.
Who would be in a better position to officiate (or have the authority to make others to officiate) over the same sex nuptials?
Mark 12:16 “…And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” And they said to Him, “Caesar's.”
Of course, I'm purposely taking this famous quote of Jesus out of its true context in order to make a point.
The so called “Church’s” acceptance of same sex marriage (and other agendas) is indeed a prelude of things to come in which we are being silently and forcibly thrown towards. By this I mean that many religious leaders will have no objection to the ushering in of a 21stcentury “Church Reformation”.
This new reformation will abandon the principles and Biblical doctrines that were instituted by God and the Apostles to keep the Body of Christ from falling into the wrong hands (Satan).
"But in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery and walk in lies; they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns from his evil; all of them have become like Sodom to me, and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.” (Jer. 23:14)
The great prophet's words ring true for this generation of so called "church leaders" who not only condone what God has forbidden, they teach and encourage others to do so as well. And this is done in the name of "brotherhood and humanity".
But this new "Reformation" depends upon our rejection of the Biblical principles that verify that we are indeed "saved from sin".
In order for this Reformation to be carried out, church leaders must first abandon certain key Biblical doctrines. They must abandon the belief that:
- God is Holy and must judge sin (John 8:16,Rom. 2:16, 2 Tim. 4:8, Heb. 13:4,Rev. 15:4, Rev. 16:27).
- There is validity in the holy Scriptures (OT and NT - 2 Tim. 3:16, Gal. 3:22), therefore these sinful lifestyles are unacceptable to God (Lev. 18:22, 1 Cor. 6:9-11, 18-20, Coll. 3:5, Eph. 3:3-6, Heb. 13:4, Jude 1:7)
Christ’s true Church or “Bride” was created by Him to reflect His divine image in this world to be a light in the midst of darkness. By mingling with darkness, we dampen the power of our testimony so that our “light” which was intended to shine brightly, is dimmed down to merely a sporadic flicker.
Mat 5:14 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying,” I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
2 Cor. 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
We are supposed to be the Body of Christ (the only ordained representation of Jesus until He returns) and yet, so many among us have turned away from any resembling of His image, that much of the so called Church more closely resembles the image of Caesar (the world).
This new version of Christianity will resemble a unisex or an amorally sexed Church that has no visible essence of a Christ-like basis.
It will in fact be a Christ-less Christianity :
2 Tim. 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power of it;
2 Tim. 3:7 ever learning and never able to come to the full knowledge of the truth.
To be continued…
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