David Bowie: "Fashion"

This song speaks of the changing political scene in general. For awhile,leftists governments are popular. Then right wing parties come into office to try and undo the damage from the previous administration.

Listen to David Bowie's song here:

Israel had its times of loyalty to the lord and then apostasy set in. Joshua 24:15 and 16 (Bible in Basic English) is one example of how the people claimed to be faithful. "'And if it seems evil to you to be the servants of the Lord, make the decision this day whose servants you will be: of the gods whose servants your fathers were across the River, or of the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living: but I and my house will be the servants of the Lord.' Then the people in answer said, 'Never will we give up the Lord to be the servants of other gods;'"

How sad it was that when Joshua died, so did the faith of the Israelites. Judges 2:10 (BBE) shows how the new generation abandoned God. "And in time death overtook all that generation; and another generation came after them, having no knowledge of the Lord or of the things which he had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord and became servants to the Baals; And they gave up the Lord, the God of their fathers, who had taken them out of the land of Egypt, and went after other gods, the gods of the peoples round about them, worshipping them and moving the Lord to wrath."

This pattern of sinning and repenting went on for generations, as the Book of Judges shows. People never seemed to learn from past disasters. We see that same tendency in our history today.

Neither did having a king help to keep the Israelites faithful. We see in 1 Kings 11:4 (BBE) how the religious "fashion" changed. "For it came about that when Solomon was old, his heart was turned away to other gods by his wives; and his heart was no longer true to the Lord his God as the heart of his father David had been."

No matter which political party is in power, God's kingdom continues on. Every generation had faithful people who bucked the trend and worshipped him. How nice that we can have his help even when tyrants rule over us.

If Christ doesn't return by Monday, I hope to post about Jesus freaks.

Jesus: The Cure for Hatred

Christianity is unique. Every other religion is based on works. Every other belief system has a large set of rules to obey. Many religions also treat apostate members with contempt.

Only in Christianity can a person be saved by God's grace and not by any meritorious works they've done. Ephesians 2:8 and 9 (BBE) explains, "Because by grace you have salvation through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is given by God: Not by works, so that no man may take glory to himself."

Though Israel was given many commandments, they had one thing in common. A certain scribe asked Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Matthew 22:37-40 (BBE) shows his answer. "And he said to him, 'Have love for the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest rule. And a second like it is this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself. On these two rules all the law and the prophets are based."

Many religions are hostile to other belief systems, Islam being the most obvious example. But Jesus said in Matthew 5:43-45 (BBE), "You have knowledge that it was said, Have love for your neighbour, and hate for him who is against you: But I say to you, Have love for those who are against you, and make prayer for those who are cruel to you; So that you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for his sun gives light to the evil and to the good, and he sends rain on the upright man and on the sinner."

Another aspect of Christianity's uniqueness is that we are adopted into Christ's family. Paul explained this mystery when contending with those who wanted to go back to observing the law which Moses gave Israel. Galatians 4:4-6 (BBE) explains, "But when the time had come, God sent out his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, That he might make them free who were under the law, and that we might be given the place of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent out the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, saying, 'Abba, Father'".

And as for apostasy, we don't kill those who leave the faith like the Qu'ran orders its adherents to do. As the Apostle John noted in 1 John 2:19 (BBE), "They went out from us but they were not of us; if they had been of us they would still be with us: but they went out from us so that it might be made clear that they were not of us." Therefore, we need not punish them but admonish them to return and repent.

I could write much more on this subject but I'll save it for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? We need to realize how precious God's gift of salvation is and take what Christ said with all seriousness.

On Saturday, I'll post about the ultimate interstellar alien and his future invasion of planet Earth.