Iron Butterfly: "Slower Than Guns"

This song decries the pollution we end up breathing. Back in 1970, when it was recorded, pollutants were a real concern. These days, emission standards are much higher in North America and Europe.

Listen to this environmentally-conscious song here:

 What we who follow Christ need to be aware of is spiritual pollution. One form of that is a complaining attitude when we serve him. As Malachi 1:7 (Bible in Basic English) explains, "You put unclean bread on my altar. And you say, 'How have we made it unclean?' By your saying, 'The table of the Lord is of no value.'"

Furthermore, defecting from the faith is a form of pollution. As we read in 2 Chronicles 36:14 (BBE), Zedekiah's bad example infected all of Israel. "And more than this, all the great men of Judah and the priests and the people made their sin great, turning to all the disgusting ways of the nations; and they made unclean the house of the Lord which he had made holy in Jerusalem."

Disobedience is likewise a form of spiritual vileness. As Psalms 106:34 (BBE) witnesses against Israel, "They did not put an end to the peoples, as the Lord had said; But they were joined to the nations, learning their works."

Sexual sin is likewise a pollution which is worse than any toxin we might ingest. As Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 19 (BBE), "Keep away from the desires of the flesh. Every sin which a man does is outside of the body; but he who goes after the desires of the flesh does evil to his body. Or are you not conscious that your body is a house for the Holy Spirit which is in you, and which has been given to you by God? and you are not the owners of yourselves;:

One stern warning to fake Christians in Hebrews 6:4-6 (BBE) should make all of us nervous. "As for those who at one time saw the light, tasting the good things from heaven, and having their part in the Holy Spirit, With knowledge of the good word of God, and of the powers of the coming time, And then let themselves be turned away, it is not possible for their hearts to be made new a second time; because they themselves put the Son of God on the cross again, openly shaming him."

So if Christ hasn't come for us, his true disciples, by Thursday, I hope to post about a funny song regarding a battle.

Saturday Song: Iron Butterfly, "You Can't Win"

1968 certainly was a year of unrest in America. From assassinations to student and race riots, America experienced them all.

This particular song by Iron Butterfly shows the futility of fighting the police. Sadly, many anti-war protesters didn't heed the warning and got busted in more ways than one.

Listen to this psychedelic band's song here.

We Christians are instructed not to fight the powers that be. Paul gives the reason why in Romans 13:1 and 2 (BBE). "Let everyone put himself under the authority of the higher powers, because there is no power which is not of God, and all powers are ordered by God. For which reason everyone who puts himself against the authority puts himself against the order of God: and those who are against it will get punishment for themselves."

Likewise, we read in Hebrews 13:17 (BBE) about the benefits of heeding those in authority. "Give ear to those who are rulers over you, and do as they say: for they keep watch over your souls, ready to give an account of them; let them be able to do this with joy and not with grief, because that would be of no profit to you." By the way, this applies to those in leadership of our churches as well.

We're also admonished in 1 Peter 2:13 and 14 (BBE), "Keep all the laws of men because of the Lord; those of the king, who is over all, And those of the rulers who are sent by him for the punishment of evil-doers and for the praise of those who do well."

And as we're reminded in 1 Timothy 2:1 and 2 (BBE), we ought to pray for our rulers. "My desire is, first of all, that you will make requests and prayers and give praise for all men; For kings and all those in authority; so that we may have a calm and quiet life in all fear of God and serious behaviour."

But what if we're commanded to do what God forbids or not to do what God commands? When the temple rulars forbad Peter and John from teaching , they said to them in Acts 4:19 and 20 (BBE), "But Peter and John in answer said to them, 'It is for you to say if it is right in the eyes of God to give attention to you more than to God: For it is not possible for us to keep from saying what we have seen and have knowledge of.'"
On Monday, I hope to publish about why God tests us.

Saturday Song: Iron Butterfly, "Filled With Fear"

This song points out the danger of messing around with occultic invocations. The person in the song called up a power too big for him to handle. That's why he asked in the song why did he invite it here.

Listen to this psychedelic rock band's song here:

One trick Satan uses to enslave people is to make the occult seem harmless. My sister's friend had a game called Kabala which let children communicate with the dead. When one of us asked a poorly-phrased question, the spirit using the board asked, "Who?" That convinced all of us that this was no mere game but something potentially dangerous.

We didn't know then but it's a sin to use occult arts. In Deuteronomy 19:31 (BBE), God warned the descendents of Israel, "Do not go after those who make use of spirits, or wonder-workers; do not go in their ways or become unclean through them: I am the Lord your God."

Neither should we, who trust in Christ, attempt to communicate with the dead. Isaiah 8:19 (BBE) warns, "And when they say to you, Make request for us to those who have control of spirits, and to those wise in secret arts, who make hollow bird-like sounds; is it not right for a people to make request to their gods, to make request for the living to the dead?"

Like the person in the song, people who play with demons are in for a rude shock. Acts 19:14-16 (BBE) tells the consequence of not being protected by Christ. "And there were seven sons of a man named Sceva, a Jew and a chief priest, who did this. And the evil spirit, answering, said to them, 'I have knowledge of Jesus, and of Paul, but who are you?' And the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them, was stronger than the two of them, and overcame them, so that they went running from that house, wounded and without their clothing."

Jesus and his disciples were able to cast out demons from people because of God's power. As Matthew 12:27 (BBE) shows, "And if I by Beelzebub send evil spirits out of men, by whom do your sons send them out? So let them be your judges."

On Monday, I'll post about faith and if it can exist apart from works.