Child of God

(Warning: Highly sensitive material & morbid discussion)

“So then he told them plainly ‘Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” (John 11:14-15)

Jesus went with Mary and Martha to the tomb of Lazarus. Jesus asked that the stone covering the tomb be removed. Martha explained that it had been four days since Lazarus passed; certainly there will be an odor. It’s interesting how typical this would be of modern day pragmatist.

“Then Jesus said, ‘did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?’ So they took away the stone. The Jesus looked up and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.’ When he said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.’” (John 11: 39-44)

And I say Amen.

Why did I choose this biblical reference as a starting point for my article on “Sanctity of Life?” First I am a Christian, my values and morals are derived from God’s word. God being the first authority in my life, it is he whom I must acquire wisdom from, thus I pull from his example an overlooked demonstration of his respect for life. Secondly and I mean this literally, I am of the flesh thus equally susceptible as any person to provoke deep, controversial thoughts in the context of society corrupting moral boundaries. Because I am a man of flesh, I am not free from sin. When I critique our modern day practice of abortion, I am gloves off; loaded to the hilt with facts, emotions, scripture and pain…and I’m bringing this to your door step.

Before the blood letting begins, I respect you readers who are agnostic and atheist who follow these words to the last sentence. I welcome your challenges but I am not really interested in your non-theological centered arguments, they mean nothing to believers, as I am focusing on those who have lost sight of God and his required law. For the record, I am not dismissing your anti-Judeo Christian view points, as yours are weighted on scientific and pragmatic doctrine. I absolutely value science, and in another dozen articles would happily argue the scientific proof of God. But I must digress to my focal point and the audience in which is deserving of rebuke.

I sin therefore I am the embodiment of sin, okay Christians; get ready to be clobbered by stones inscribed with “Truth,” I wan to set your mind free. God so loved the world, he sent his only begotten son to raise a dead man. There is irrefutable truth to the promise of life for those who believe in him. Certainly Lazarus was a man after our Lord’s heart, skeptics who cannot take the bible literally, what is the point of this story to you? Scientifically we know how much damage occurs after just five minutes of a brain deprived of oxygen, but to Martha’s point, were talking about decaying flesh. A body in Jewish custom would not be fully wrapped if a man were near death, no, they had to remove the stone covering Lazarus’s tomb. To disregard this passage of John is to disregard the power and lesson of the Lord. Furthermore dismissing the resurrection of Lazarus means you dismiss the resurrection of Christ himself. There is no splitting of hairs here, these miracles of are the faith walks of Christ and our salvation.

Christ knows how hard it is to believe, that’s the premise of the path being long and narrow. We must separate ourselves from this world; we live in it, but not of it. Can you see the hate growing in America? Can you see the nightly news mocking Christianity? Was this not prophesied? Why do you side with haters of Christ? Why do you cast ballots for the wicked, bent on removing God and forcing you to give up your Christian duty?

The world hates the disciples; “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to this world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15: 18-19)

12 disciples of Christ, following and obeying the Lord. 12 disciples of Christ hated by the world to become 12 martyrs. The world did not celebrate these men because their ways were not the world’s ways. Lifting up and celebrating leaders who corrupt God’s people is the earth’s ways. Supporting leaders and politicians who advocate for abortion is the earth’s way’s not God’s. Remove the scales from your eyes before it’s too late.

“Indeed the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:7)

You are worthy to be saved. It is never too late to look and see how far from the path you have wondered. It is never too late to turn back to God’s ways and leave this world to itself until Christ comes to judge. However, it will be too late if you wait until after your last breath. It is really going to be tough to convince God that you believe in him when you rebuke his ways.

“I know your deeds that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15 -16)

Cast your lot Christians and measure well. We have been a house divided for far too long. We have division in the church, division of the gospel, division of sanctity and division among family. This house will not stand! Why do you defile your marriages, why do you defile your children and why do you defile the most innocent…the unborn? A life form without sin, imagine if the unborn could through stones, they would be the righteous worthy to cast us out. We’re back to a house divided; is it life in the first trimester, second, third or at the breech? Why do you who wish not to judge and condemn murderers are so apt to choose when a fetus becomes a child? Shield the wicked and slay the pure? Crush the defenseless, kill it before it can recognize you, shatter its heart, throw it away, give it to science, and freeze it for another day! Oh but the murderer, God will forgive them, they had a hard life, “show mercy upon thee for I know not what I do”…right, but you chose free will, you chose sin. Where are the lawyers at for the womb, how does the innocent get fair representation? Do you feel uncomfortable yet? Good. Let’s see what the CDC has to say.

Below are 2007 statistics of death rates relating to disease in the U.S. per the Center of Disease Control.

• Number of deaths: 2,423,712
• Death rate: 803.6 deaths per 100,000 population
• Life expectancy: 77.9 years
• Infant Mortality rate: 6.75 deaths per 1,000 live births

Number of deaths for leading causes of death:

• Heart disease: 616,067
• Cancer: 562,875
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 135,952
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 127,924
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 123,706
• Alzheimer's disease: 74,632
• Diabetes: 71,382
• Influenza and Pneumonia: 52,717
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 46,448
• Septicemia: 34,828

Now, the numbers for abortion;

• Year to date reporting limited to 2006. Since the inception of Roe V. Wade in 1973 there have been 49,551,703 abortions in the U.S. – add four more years to this…
• 1990 hit peak at 1,606,000 abortions executed for one year.
• Alan Guttmacher Institute and the CDC put 2007 projections at 1,206,000 babies aborted per year.
• In 1998 the CDC stop reporting estimates for California.
• When National totals started to look like they were plummeting, Abortion rights groups like “Planned Parent Hood” touted these numbers as if it was do to effective social planning. What’s sick is they disregard California’s estimate, thus subtracting the largest contributor to the nation. In 2007 AGI estimated California hit its highest level of abortion procedures with 307,000+.
• Planned Parenthood performed 289,650 abortions in 2006; Revenues for same year reported $112 million in profit, $336 million from public funding.

Put another way, with the exception of Iraq and Afghanistan, all American soldiers killed in all wars starting with the revolutionary equal 2,757,000 dead. Or just three years at current abortion rates would far out number 225 years of American military deaths

There are many free passes we Christians have bestowed upon ourselves to circumvent the scriptures of God. Some of our favorite ‘get of jail free’ cards come from leaving “all” judgments up to God. We refuse to call out what is false “judge not lest ye be judged.” More and more Christians are excepting the ways of the world and we are lying to ourselves about the damage of worldly living. We love to play the “I believe in Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior” so I get to gallivant and do whatever I like until my death. The “lukewarm” warning continues to surface in light of these practices. Self responsibility and accountability are ugly ideas today. It actually requires holding your own feet to the fire and taking action for lost direction. But many do not want to hear this; they rather cast their lot with the feel good crowd and support earthly desire. Many do not want to go to church and be preached at for twisting God’s word, some church’s are so tired of pointing out sinful nature, they have even decided to join the rank and file. I often hear of people describing they are “spiritual” but not religious. I have news for you spiritual followers, without Christ in your life, walking the walk; your spirituality doesn’t mean a hill of beans.

“He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.” (Corinthians 3:10)

In closing I leave this last scripture as one I read, re-read and attempt to practice with what sense of conviction I claw at. I do not put myself above the non-believer, I just know I cannot run with you or mimic your ways for they are not Christ’s way. Men are instruments for good and evil, we must align ourselves with those who know the word for the others only wish to tear us down. Can you not see?

“If you love me you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father and he will give you another counselor to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live. On that day you will realize I am the Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has the commands and obeys them, he is the one who love me.” (John 14: 15-21)