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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Opus 2020-312: Path to Restoration: Part 3 of 3, Regeneration

In the context of history the fate of the United States is not the fulcrum of existence.  America is not God’s chosen nation.  He has blessed us.  He has used us.  He is probably willing to continue that way, but not unless we change.  I am not worried about the outcome of elections as much as the removal of the hand of God.

So here is where many will stop reading, if they got this far.  This is where I get down to the only answer that will work.  It involves acknowledgment, repentance, confession and regeneration.

First, each of us must acknowledge that we are broken.  The problem is not a political party.  The problem is that we have turned our back on God.  This is not a new problem.  Isaiah wrote thousands of years ago,

(Isa 53:6 KJV) All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The second part is what I am referring to.  We have set ourselves up as our own personal gods with phrases like “self-fulfillment” and phrases plastered on school walls like, “You can be anything you dream.”  We will never find a cure for what ails society unless we deal with the self-centered nature of people.  You are welcome to try.  I assure you it won’t work.  We must admit to ourselves and to God that we are sinners.

The order of these things can vary but somewhere you must be willing to change.  That is what repentance is.  Repenting means wanting to change direction.  You can call on God all you want but if you expect things to go on as-business-as usual then get ready to blame God for failing you.

Confession means admitting that you are the problem.  I know you didn’t start the Jewish Holocaust.  I know you didn’t knock that little old lady in front of the bus.  But you did put yourself first in many cases.  You did lie.  You did steal.  Admit it and move on.

When you accept that you are a sinner in need of a cure that means you know you need a savior.  That is where Jesus comes in.  God’s sense of justice and righteousness demands that sin be punished.  Jesus died on a cross to pay the price for your sin.  If you believe that and that He rose from the dead as proof that you can have eternal life then you need to trust Him and ask Him to change your heart.  It is called regeneration.

The church has failed.  It has gotten away from its mission of preaching salvation and helping those who respond to become more like Jesus.  They have been content to be politically correct and nice.  They are part of the problem.  That is because people attending church need regeneration as much as your garden variety pagan.  

So there it is.  Reform is possible.  It has happened before.  Read about the Wesley Revival in England.  Do a little research on the Great Awakening.  It can happen again.  Will it?

homo unius libri

1 comment:

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.