There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
We must pray that our consciences may be always tender and that we may live a life of repentance.
Lord, put upon me that love which binds everything together in perfect harmony, Colossians 3:14(ESV) that I may maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, Ephesians 4:3(ESV) and may live in love of peace, that the God of love and peace may be with me. 2 Corinthians 13:11(ESV)
Lord, give me to love my neighbor as myself with that love which is the fulfilling of the law; Romans 13:9-10(ESV) to love others earnestly from a pure heart, 1 Peter 1:22(ESV) that by this all men may know that I am Christ’s disciple. John 13:35(ESV)
And as your people are taught by God to love one another, give me to abound therein more and more; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10(ESV) and as I have opportunity, let me do good to everyone; Galatians 6:10(ESV) and so far as it depends on me, let me live peaceably with all men, Romans 12:18(ESV) always pursuing what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:19(ESV)
Lord, make me able to love my enemies, to bless those who curse me, to pray for those who despitefully use me, and to do good to those who hate me; Matthew 5:44(KJV) bearing with others and forgiving others in love, as Christ has forgiven me. Colossians 3:13(ESV)
The video of the debate was posted by ReasonableFaith.org – Dr. Craig’s organization. This debate occurred in March 2017 at the University of Dublin, in Ireland.
The video: (91 minutes)
My non-snarky summary is below.
Dr. Craig’s opening speech
Two claims:
1. There are good reasons to think that theism is true. 2. There are not comparably good reasons to think that atheism is true.
Five reasons for God’s existence:
1. The beginning of the universe – actual infinite past is mathematically impossible – BGV theorem: any universe that is on balance expanding in its history (like ours) cannot be past eternal
2. Fine-tuning of cosmic quantities and constants – slight changes to quantities and constants prevent a universe from supporting complex embodied life – the multiverse response of atheists conflicts with observations, e.g. the Boltzmann Brains problem
3. Objective moral values – God’s existence is required to ground objective moral values and duties
4. Minimal facts case for the resurrection of Jesus – there are good reasons to accept the most widely accepted facts about the historical Jesus (empty tomb, appearances, early widespread belief in the resurrection) – the best explanation of these minimal facts is that God raised Jesus from the dead
5. Experience God directly – in the absence of any defeaters to belief in God, a person can experience God directly
Dr. Daniel Came’s opening speech
1. The hiddenness of God – if God wants a personal relationship with us, and a relationship with God would be the greatest good for us – God ought to reveal himself to us, but he does not reveal himself to many people, the “non-resistant non-believers”
2. The inductive problem of evil – many evil events occur that are pointless – there is no morally sufficient reason why God would allow them to occur – examples: animal suffering, children born with disease, tsunamis – the theistic response to this is that humans are not in a position to know whether there are morally sufficient reasons, due to our limitations of knowing the consequences – but this ripple effect defense has 4 possible outcomes, 3 of which don’t do the job of justifying
Dr. Craig’s first rebuttal
1. The hiddenness of God – God’s goal is not to make his existence known, but to draw them into a love relationship – it’s speculative that overt displays of God’s existence would draw people to him in a love relationship, they might resent his bullying – atheist would have to prove that God could draw more people into a love relationship with him by revealing himself more overtly
2. The inductive problem of evil – as humans, we are not in a position to know for certain that any apparently pointless evil really is pointless – William Alston article: 6 limitations of human knowing make it impossible to judge that an evil is actually “pointless” – Dr. Came says that there are 4 possibilities for the ripple effects, and since 3 are bad, it’s likely that there are not morally sufficient reasons for a apparently pointless evil – it is logically fallacious to assert probability conclusions without knowing the probabilities of those 4 options – there is actually an argument from evil: since the problem of evil requires an objective standard of good and evil by which to measure, and God is the only possible ground of objective morality, then pressing the problem of evil actually requires the atheist to assume God, in order to ground this objective moral standard
Dr. Came’s first rebuttal
3. Objective moral values – there are naturalistic theories of moral realism where objective moral duties and objective moral values exist in a naturalistic universe – I’m not saying that any of them are correct, but there are many theories about object morality in a naturalistic universe
There are naturalistic theories for all of the 5 arguments that Dr. Craig presented. It is Dr. Craig’s responsibility to present those naturalistic theories and prove that they are not as good as his explanations. I’m not going to defend (or even name!) a single naturalistic theory for any of these 5 arguments by Dr. Craig.
Dr. Craig’s explanations for the 5 evidences he gave can’t be admitted, because we have to know how God did something in naturalistic terms before we can know that God did it supernaturally. Explanations are only valid if they are naturalistic.
1. The beginning of the universe – naturalism explains how the universe expands after it came into being, so that explains how it came into being – the God explanation, that God created the universe out of nothing, is not admissible, because it is not naturalistic – how does God, as an unembodied mind interact with the physical world? – the only agency that we know about is human agents, and we have bodies, so how could God perform actions without having a body?
The theistic hypothesis does not make any predictions, but naturalism makes lots of testable predictions. God could do anything, so he is not constrained and is therefore untestable. We can’t infer God as an explanation in principle because we can’t predict what is more probable if God exists than if he does not.
2. Fine-tuning of cosmic quantities and constants – the university was not set up to make embodied intelligence plausible, because the vast majority of the universe is hostile to life – there are models of the multiverse that escape the Boltzmann Brains problem that Dr. Craig raised
Dr. Craig’s second rebuttal
Some of Dr. Craig’s arguments are deductive (e.g. – the beginning of the universe, objective moral values), so that the conclusion follows from the premises if the premises are true. The resurrection passes the standard tests for historical explanations.
1. The beginning of the universe – the whole point of the argument is that there is no naturalistic explanation for an ultimate beginning of the universe
2. Fine-tuning of cosmic quantities and constants – the whole point of the argument is that there is no naturalistic explanation for a design of the universe to support life – he has to prove that intelligences has to be attached to bodies – human beings are non-physical minds united to physical bodies – naturalistic attempts to explain mental operations fail – the arguments prove that unembodied minds exist – the vast expanse of the universe is required in order to form the galaxies, stars and heavy elements needed for complex life – why expect that the entire universe should be small, or that life would be everywhere? – a non-fine-tuned world is more likely in the multiverse, and in a multiverse, we are more likely to have a Boltzmann brain world than a world with complex, embodied life – Dr. Came has not advanced any naturalistic explanation for the fine-tuning
3. Objective moral values – non-theistic ethical theories cannot account for the ontological foundations of objective moral values and duties – atheistic theories of moral realism simply assume objective moral values out of thin air – it is especially hard to find any basis for objective moral duties in the absence of God
Dr. Came’s second rebuttal
5. Religious experience – Dr. Craig should not bring up religious experience in a debate where arguments and evidence are central – people who have dreams, hallucinations and psychotic delusions could appeal to religious experience – religious experience is by no means universal, and it is possible to doubt it
3. Objective moral values – there are lots of atheists who hold to objective moral values – Dr. Craig has to explain how God grounds objective moral values and duties – Dr. Craig has to explain why atheist moral realist theories don’t work to ground objective moral values and duties
1. The beginning of the universe – Dr. Craig claims that something can’t come from nothing, that’s not an argument – there are numerous models that don’t require an absolute beginning of the universe – Dr. Craig cites the BGV theorem, but Guth (one of the authors) says that only the inflation has a beginning, not the whole universe
Dr. Craig’s conclusion
1. The beginning of the universe – on theism, there is an efficient cause, but no material cause, for the origin of the universe – on atheism, there is neither an efficient cause nor a material cause, for the origin of the universe: that’s worse! – if he thinks that there are models of the universe that don’t require a beginning, then let him name a viable eternal model of the universe – he never refuted the mathematical argues against an infinite past
2. Fine-tuning of cosmic quantities and constants – nothing to refute
3. Objective moral values – God is a better ground for morality than humans, because he is ultimate, and not contingent and arbitrary – God is a being who is worthy of worship, and therefore command his creatures with moral duties
4. Minimal facts case for the resurrection of Jesus – nothing to refute
5. Religious experience – only justified because there are no defeaters to it
1. The hiddenness of God – atheist has to show that if God’s existence were more obvious, that it would result in more people being drawn to him
2. The inductive problem of evil – Dr. Came’s argument was logically fallacious, and makes errors in probability theory
Dr. Came’s conclusion
Sometimes, people can’t prove something, but lack of evidence is a justification for doubting it, e.g. – werewolves.
If none of Craig’s arguments work, then it follows that it is not rational to believe that God exists, and it is rational to believe that God does not exist.
Atheists shouldn’t have a burden of proof for what they know, only theists have a burden of proof for what they know.
My thoughts
One quick point. If life were common everywhere then atheists would infer that God wasn’t involved in it. Period. “Life is everywhere, so it’s common, why do we need a designer?” they’d say. I agree with Dr. Came about denouncing religious experience in a formal debate. I don’t like when Dr. Craig brings this up, but I see why he does it – he’s an evangelist, and that’s a good thing, too. I just worry about how it looks to atheists, although it’s good for sincere seekers. I’m not the one on the stage, though, Dr. Craig is.
I think the point about more overt revealing by God would annoy people and make them turn away. Think of how gay people respond to the suggestion that there is anything wrong with them, with rage, vandalism, threats, coercion, attempts to get you to lose your job and business, and using government as a weapon to fine and imprison you. It’s really obvious to me that more God does not mean more love of God. For those who don’t want God, the hiddenness is respect for their choice to put pleasure above the search for truth. (I mean the gay activists – I have great sympathy for people who struggle with same-sex unwanted attractions because they were impacted by a failed bond with their parent of the same sex as they are).
Whenever I meet people like Dr. Came, I always urge them to keep investigating and pursuing truth, because they will find it if they are sincerely seeking after God. Some atheists do sincerely seek God, but I don’t know any who haven’t found him. I’m not sure if that’s because those atheists who claim to be non-resistant and rational are in fact resistant and non-rational, or what the real reason is. If you believe the Bible, all unbelief is non-rational and resistant (see Romans 1). Regarding the werewolves, we don’t have any good arguments for werewolves, we do have good arguments for God. Dr. Came didn’t refute the arguments that Craig raised, nor did his own arguments for atheism work. And there are many, many more arguments (origin of life, Cambrian explosion, habitability-discoverability, molecular machines) that Craig did not raise, too.
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)
Lighthouse Trails has always made great efforts to speak the truth in love. We attempt to never be vitriolic or judge one’s motives, not even the “worst” of them. We leave that part up to God. We also attempt to make sure any discernment-type article we link to by a fellow researcher is of the same caliber.
So how does a believer rightfully and in a godly manner (following the example of Jesus, Paul, and the disciples) deal with those who are bringing false teachings into the church.
In thinking about following the example of Jesus, the disciples, and Paul, below are some Scripture verses that might help us outline some thoughts; we will show verses that talk about showing love and respect to others but also show verses that talk about how to deal properly with those bringing heretical doctrines into the church.
While we don’t believe the New Testament condones cruel or hateful behavior to anyone, we do see a consistent pattern in Scripture that does not look lightly upon those who are teaching heretical doctrines or practices. Let us heed the whole counsel of God, which we believe tells us to remain humble and in an attitude of grace (knowing that we are no better than anyone else in that it is only by the grace of God that we can see these spiritual things), but also tells us to speak courageously, with confidence, honesty, and strength.
We are in a battle for the continuance of the Gospel message—souls are perishing—and words must be said. While we do care for the souls of those men and women who are bringing in dangerous false doctrine and practices, we cannot, in good conscience, take it lightly or have congenial “conversations” and futile private discussions.
The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. (Romans 13:12)
The Bible says that the message of the Cross is the power of God unto salvation (i.e., the doctrine of Christ—2 John 1:9-11). That is because it is the only way of salvation. When false teachings threaten to diminish the “doctrine of Christ,” it creates a very serious situation that cannot be handled “sitting down.”
What Does Scripture Say About How the Christian Contender of the Faith Should Speak and Behave?
[B]e thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12)
. . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ. (Ephesians 4:14-15)
Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor. (Ephesians 4:25)
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)
I . . . beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love. (Ephesians 4:1-2)
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15)
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 1:17-23)
A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself. (Titus 3:10-11)
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:1-2)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. (2 John 1: 9-11)
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not . . . (Jude 1:3-5)
I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:6-10)
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. (Revelation 2: 2-3)
. . . and that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (Galatians 2: 4-5)
[Instructions to the disciples from Jesus before his death and resurrection]: Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. (Luke 10:3-12)
(This is an extract of our booklet by Harry Ironside, Paul Proctor, and Lighthouse Trails editors titled Three Ways to Navigate Discernment. Photo from bigstockphoto.com; used with permission.)
“They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” – Psalm 126:5
Weeping times are suitable for sowing: we do not want the ground to be too dry. Seed steeped in the tears of earnest anxiety will come up all the sooner. The salt of prayerful tears will give the good seed a flavor which will preserve it from the worm: truth spoken in awful earnestness has a double life about it. Instead of stopping our sowing because of our weeping, let us redouble our efforts because the season is so propitious. Our heavenly seed could not fitly be sown laughing. Deep sorrow and concern for the souls of others are a far more fit accompaniment of godly teaching than anything like levity. We have heard of men who went to war with a light heart, but they were beaten; and it is mostly so with those who sow in the same style. Come, then, my heart, sow on in thy weeping, for thou has the promise of a joyful harvest. Thou shalt reap. Thou, thyself, shalt see some results of thy labor. This shall come to thee in so large a measure as to give thee joy, which a poor, withered, and scanty harvest would not do. When thine eyes are dim with silver tears, think of the golden corn. Bear cheerfully the present toil and disappointment; for the harvest day will fully recompense thee.
Every generation faces the temptation to trade the true God for idols—whether money, power, success, or even false gospels. But God’s Word is clear: idolatry leads only to bondage.
The good news is that God’s commands are not given to weigh us down but to set us free. When we worship Him alone, we find the joy, freedom, and flourishing we were created for.
just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, (3:15b–17)
With the phrase just as also, Peter referenced similar warnings that the apostle Paul had given about false teaching. Peter graciously spoke of his fellow apostle as our beloved brother Paul, underscoring their common life and mission. As the two foremost leaders of the early church, Peter and Paul were certainly well-aware of each other’s ministry. In fact, both had been present at the pivotal Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:6–21), and both had ministered with Silas (cf. Acts 15:40 with 1 Peter 5:12). More than twenty years earlier, Peter had even been confronted by Paul when he wrongly refused to eat with Gentile Christians (Gal. 2:11–21; cf. vv. 8–9; 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:22). As a primary spokesman for the early church, Peter was undoubtedly embarrassed by Paul’s public admonition. Nevertheless, he graciously accepted the rebuke and responded with repentance. His respect for Paul was undiminished. Here he appeals to Paul’s inspired letters for support—reminding his readers to reject the false teachers and remember what Paul wrote to them, according to the wisdom given him. Interestingly, Peter does not specify a particular Pauline letter or letters. Instead, he gives a general endorsement for Paul’s inspired writings, demonstrating the divine origin of the revelation given to Paul. It is safe to assume that Peter sent this letter to the same regions of Asia Minor as his first epistle (cf. 1 Peter 1:1; 2 Peter 3:1). If so, his readers were most likely familiar with several of Paul’s letters—since Paul wrote many of his letters to that same area (e.g., Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians). So Peter’s reference to all of Paul’s letters suggests Peter’s audience was familiar with much of Paul’s correspondence. Because Paul was speaking in his letters of these same things (namely, eschatological events), it makes sense that Peter would cite Paul’s works here. However, in Paul’s writings about the day of the Lord, the return of Christ, and the glories of eternity, Peter acknowledged there are some things hard to understand, such as the rapture of the church (1 Thess. 4:15–17), the coming man of sin (2 Thess. 2:1–4), the return of Christ in judgment (1 Thess. 5:1–11; 2 Thess. 1:3–10), and the glories of heaven (2 Cor. 5:1; 12:2–4). The word rendered hard to understand (dusnoētos) carries the additional connotation of “difficult to interpret.” In using this term, Peter was not implying that Paul’s teachings are impossible to understand. He is simply recognizing that some are more complex than others, especially prophetic revelation (cf. 1 Peter 1:1–12). Those complexities opened the door for the untaught and unstable—namely, the false teachers—to distort what Paul taught about the future. Untaught denotes a lack of information, and unstable a vacillating spiritual character. Distort speaks of wrenching someone’s body on a torture rack. The term vividly pictures how the false teachers manipulated certain prophetic issues, twisting them to confuse and deceive the undiscerning. Such distortion often continues today regarding prophetic revelation. Not surprisingly, the false teachers did not stop with prophecy, but also distorted the rest of the Scriptures, including the biblical teaching on God’s law, repentance, justification by faith, and sanctification. The fact that Peter placed Paul’s writings on a par with the rest of the Scriptures clearly affirms that Paul wrote divinely inspired truth (cf. 1:20–21; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16–17). The New Testament writers were aware that they were writing the Word of God, as surely as the Old Testament prophets were. The word translated Scriptures is graphas, from the verb graphō (“to write”) that occurs about one hundred eighty times in the New Testament, of which half refer to the Bible, “the written word.” The noun graphē is used about fifty times, exclusively of Scripture and inclusive of the Old Testament (e.g., Mark 12:10) and the New Testament, as this reference makes clear (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3). By distorting the Scriptures, the false teachers were simultaneously securing their own destruction (cf. 2:1, 3–12; 3:7; Jude 10, 13; Rev. 22:18–19), as well as the spiritual demise of their followers. That’s why Peter warns his beloved readers beforehand, so that they might be on their guard against the error of such unprincipled men (Phil. 3:2; 1 Tim. 4:1–7; 6:20–21; 2 Tim. 2:15–19; Titus 1:10–16; 3:10). Unprincipled (athesmōn) is literally “without law or custom,” and came to mean “morally corrupt”—the essential character trait of spiritual deceivers. In keeping with Peter’s warning, believers must not allow themselves to be carried away by the unscriptural lies of false teachers (cf. 1 Tim. 1:18–19). Rather, they must be alert and discerning lest they fall from their own steadfastness. Steadfastness (stērigmos) indicates firmness, or firm footing; it is the very opposite of being unstable. Peter’s concern was not that his readers would fall from salvation, but that they might slip from doctrinal stability and lose their confidence in the truth (cf. 1 Cor. 16:13; Eph. 4:14; 1 Thess. 5:21). For this reason, the apostle urged them to be spiritually perceptive, or discerning, so that their eternal reward would not be diminished (2 John 8).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2005). 2 Peter and Jude (pp. 134–136). Moody Publishers.
Reject Error
3:17
Peter is nearly at the end of his epistle. With a dual exhortation he encourages the believers, first, to be on guard against lawless men, and second, to grow spiritually in Jesus Christ. The first exhortation relates to external influences and the second to internal development.
Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. The adverb therefore forcefully contrasts the distorters of Scripture with the readers of Peter’s epistle. The believers Peter addresses are different from the false teachers and their followers. These believers need encouragement and guidance. Note that once again Peter tenderly addresses them with the greeting dear friends, that is, “beloved” (see vv. 1, 8, 14). a. “Since you already know this, be on your guard.” Peter points to the experience that believers have had with false teachers who entered the Christian community with the purpose of twisting the meaning of Scripture. Peter tells the readers that because of the trying experiences they have had in their relations with these heretics, they should shun the company of such people. The command in the Greek indicates that the believers are indeed guarding themselves. Nevertheless, Peter deems it necessary to reinforce them by describing the consequences of failing to heed his command. b. “So that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men.” The believers should always be on guard against error and deceit. By keeping close company with the errorists, they run the risk of being swept away by devious teachings. But teachings are always linked to conduct. In this case, they are able to observe the conduct of men whom Peter calls “lawless.” In fact, Peter uses the same expression when he describes the “lawless men” of Sodom and Gomorrah (2:7). These men do everything in their power to “entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error” (2:18). Therefore, “watch out that no one deceives you” (Mark 13:5). c. “And fall from your secure position.” Let no one say that only recent converts fall into the clutches of lawless men. Peter knew from bitter personal experience that Satan attacks those who think they are secure. As spokesman for the disciples Peter told Jesus, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will” (Matt. 26:33). Yet within hours of saying these words, he denied his Master three times. Jesus discloses that Satan had asked to sift all the disciples as wheat (Luke 22:31; the Greek uses the plural you), but he had prayed for Peter that his faith might not fail (v. 32). What a comfort to know that Jesus prays for his people! We receive additional comfort from Jesus’ eschatological discourse, where he says that false Christs and prophets will come “to deceive even the elect—if that were possible” (Matt. 24:24). Possessing that comfort, the believer must put on his spiritual armor (Eph. 6:11) and strengthen fellow believers to stand firm against Satan’s attacks.
Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Epistles of Peter and the Epistle of Jude (Vol. 16, pp. 347–348). Baker Book House.
But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.Malachi 4.2
Fulfilled once in the first advent of our glorious Lord, and yet to have a fuller accomplishment in His second advent, this gracious word is also for daily use. Is it dark with the reader? Does the night deepen into a denser blackness? Still let us not despair: the sun will yet rise. When the night is darkest, dawn is nearest.
The sun which will arise is of no common sort. It is the Sun—the Sun of Righteousness, whose every ray is holiness. He who comes to cheer us, comes in the way of justice as well as of mercy, comes to violate no law even to save us. Jesus as much displays the holiness of God as His love. Our deliverance, when it comes, will be safe because righteous.
Our one point of inquiry should be—”Do we fear the name of the Lord? Do we reverence the living God and walk in His ways?” Then for us the night must be short; and when the morning cometh, all the sickness and sorrow of our soul will be over forever. Light, warmth, joy, and clearness of vision will come, and healing of every disease and distress will follow after.
Has Jesus risen upon us? Let us sit in the sun. Has He hidden His face? Let us wait for His rising. He will shine forth as surely as the sun.
Facing the gallows for converting to Protestantism, Lady Jane Grey wrote to her sister, “Rejoice in Christ.” In this message, Stephen Nichols tells the story of the 17-year-old martyr who held tightly to the principle of “sola fide.”
So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (10:7–10)
Here Jesus changed the metaphor slightly. In the first figure of speech, He was the Shepherd; here He is the Door to the sheepfold. This is the third of seven statements in John’s gospel where “I AM” is followed by a predicate nominative (v. 11; 6:35; 8:12; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5). Since the religious leaders had failed to understand His first figure of speech, Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.” Sometimes the shepherd slept in the opening of the sheepfold to guard the sheep. No one could enter or leave except through him. In Jesus’ metaphor He is the door through which the sheep enter the safety of God’s fold and go out to the rich pasture of His blessing. It is through Him that lost sinners can approach the Father and appropriate the salvation He provides; Jesus alone is “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through [Him]” (14:6; cf. Acts 4:12; 1 Cor. 1:30; 3:11; 1 Tim. 2:5). Only Jesus is the true source of the knowledge of God and salvation, and the basis for spiritual security. The Lord’s assertion, “All who came before Me are thieves and robbers,” does not, of course, include Israel’s true spiritual leaders (such as Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon, Ezra, Nehemiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, among many others). Jesus was referring to Israel’s false shepherds—her wicked kings, corrupt priests, false prophets, and pseudo-messiahs. However, the true sheep did not hear them; they did not heed them and were not led astray by them (see the discussion of vv. 4 and 5 above). Then Jesus reiterated the vital truth of verse 7: “I am the door;” and He added the promise, “If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved” from sin and hell. Christ’s sheep will experience God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation; they will go in and out freely, always having access to God’s blessing and protection, and never fearing any harm or danger. They will find satisfying pasture as the Lord feeds them (cf. Ps. 23:1–3; Ezek. 34:15) on His Word (cf. Acts 20:32). In utter contrast to the thieving false shepherds who, like their father the devil (8:44) came only to steal and kill and destroy the sheep, Jesus came that they may have spiritual and eternal life (cf. John 5:21; 6:33, 51–53, 57; Rom. 6:4; Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:1, 5; Col. 2:13), and have it abundantly. Perissos (abundantly) describes something that goes far beyond what is necessary. The matchless gift of eternal life exceeds all expectation (cf. John 4:10 with 7:38; see also Rom. 8:32; 2 Cor. 9:15).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 430–431). Moody Press.
Life, More Life
John 10:10
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
I am pausing in our study of the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel to give particular attention to verse 10; for it contains an idea that has become popular in some Christian circles, and it is important that we understand it. The idea is that of the abundant life. Verse 10 suggests it: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” What is the full or abundant life? It is not necessarily a long life, although there are verses that promise a long life to some, such as to those who honor their father and mother (Exod. 20:12; cf. Eph. 6:2–3). It is not necessarily a life free from sorrow or sickness either, although God certainly does spare us many sorrows that we might otherwise have and often preserves us from sickness. It is not a life of sickly piety, where everything is “beautiful” or “precious” or “just wonderful.” The abundant life, as Scripture speaks of it, is, above all, the contented life, in which contentment comes from the confidence that God is equal to every emergency and does indeed supply all our genuine needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. The contented life is the life of the sheep who finds himself in the hands of a good shepherd. There may be dangers; in fact, there will be dangers. There may be storms at times, even drought and famine. Still, in the hands of a good shepherd the sheep is content and life is bountiful.
Abundance
Contentment means satisfaction, and satisfaction means to have enough. This understanding is reinforced by the meaning of “abundance” in English and in most ancient languages. Our English word “abundance” comes from the two Latin words ab and undare which mean “to rise in waves” or “to overflow.” The first translation gives a picture of the unceasing rise of the waves upon a seashore. There the waves rise again and again. One wave surges forward and exhausts its force on the sand, but another follows and another and another. Thus it will continue as long as time lasts. The other picture is of a flood. This makes us think of a river fed by heavy rains, rising irresistibly until it overflows its banks. The abundant life is, therefore, one in which we are content in the knowledge that God’s grace is more than sufficient for our needs, that nothing can suppress it, and that God’s favor toward us is unending. The Greek word for “abundance,” perissos, has a mathematical meaning and generally denotes a surplus. In this sense it is used of the twelve baskets of food that remained after Christ’s feeding of the five thousand, as related in Matthew’s Gospel (14:20). It is translated “remains.” The comparative is used to say that John the Baptist excelled the Old Testament prophets in dignity and importance (Matt. 11:9) and that love is more important than all sacrifices (Mark 12:33).
Made Alive
Before one can know the abundant life, he must first know life. That is, he must first be made alive through faith in Christ. Christ is speaking of this when he says, “I have come that they may have life.” It is only after this that he adds, “and have it to the full.” Are you aware that you have been made alive spiritually? You should be just as certain of this as you are that you have been made alive physically. In fact, one whole book of the Bible has been written so that Christians (who have been made alive through the new birth) might be certain of it and might grow in Christ on the basis of that assurance. The book is 1 John, and John tells us that this is his purpose in writing. He says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). A few verses earlier he tells us that God has given life to all who believe on Jesus as God’s Son and that they can be assured of this because God himself tells them that this is what he has done.
The Twenty-third Psalm
This brings us to the abundant life itself, and in order to discuss it in its fullest biblical framework I want to take you to the Twenty-third Psalm. This psalm is, above all, the psalm of the contented life. When it begins by saying “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want” this is precisely what it is talking about. Not to be in want is to be content, and this state can exist only when the sheep is in the care of a good shepherd. In the psalm David tells us that he is content in the Lord in reference to five things. First, he does not lack rest. He indicates this by saying, “He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” In the small but very rewarding book, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23, author Phillip Keller, who was himself a shepherd, tells of the difficulty there is in getting a sheep to lie down. Sheep do not easily lie down, he says. In fact, “It is almost impossible for them to be made to lie down unless four requirements are met. Owing to their timidity they refuse to lie down unless they are free of all fear. Because of the social behavior within a flock sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others of their kind. If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down.… Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel in need of finding food. They must be free from hunger.” Freedom from fear, tension, aggravation, and hunger! These are the four necessities. And the important thing, as Keller points out, is that it is only the shepherd himself who can provide them. This is an interesting picture. For when the psalm begins with the sheep at rest it begins with a picture of sheep who have found their shepherd to be a good shepherd, that is, one who is able to meet their physical needs and to provide them with release from anxiety. Moreover, it is interesting that it begins at this point. For the other advantages of the contented life—guidance, comfort, safety, provision, and a destiny—come only to one who has found the Lord adequate to his every need.
Guidance
Second, the psalmist tells us that he does not lack guidance. For “he leads me beside quiet waters” and “he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Sheep are stupid creatures. In fact, they are probably the most stupid animals on earth. One aspect of their stupidity is seen in the fact that they so easily wander away. They can have a good shepherd who has brought them to the best grazing lands, near an abundant supply of water—still they will wander away over a hill to where the fields are barren and the water undrinkable. Or again, they are creatures of habit. They can have found good grazing land due to the diligence of the shepherd; but then having found it, they will continue to graze upon it until every blade of grass and even every root is eaten, the fields ruined, and themselves impoverished. This has actually happened to sheep and the land they graze on in many parts of the world—Spain, Greece, Mesopotamia, North Africa, parts of the western United States, and New Zealand. No other class of livestock requires more careful handling and more detailed directions than do sheep. Therefore, a shepherd who is able to give good guidance is essential for their welfare. He will move the sheep from field to field (before deterioration sets in) and will always stay near water. He will chase strays. He will plan the grazing to fit the seasons of the year. In the same way, we too need the Good Shepherd. We do not lack guidance if we will but have it.
Safety
Third, David tells us that he does not lack safety, even in the presence of great danger. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” This verse often has been taken as providing words of comfort for those who are dying; and it is not wrongly used in that way. God certainly is a source of comfort in death. Primarily, however, the verse speaks of the shepherd’s ability to protect the sheep in moments of danger. The picture in this verse is of the passage from the lowlands, where sheep spend the winter, through the valleys to the high pastures where they go in summer. The valleys are the places of richest pasture and of abundant water. But they also are places of danger. Wild animals lurk in the broken canyon walls to either side. Sudden storms may sweep down the valleys. There may be floods. The sun does not shine so well into the valleys. So there really is shadow, which at any moment might become death’s shadow. It is through such experiences that our Lord leads us in safety. In the book that I referred to earlier, Keller notes how often Christians speak of their desire “to move on to higher ground with God,” wanting to move above the lowlands of life and yet not realizing that mountaintop experiences are entered into only by passing through the valleys. Strong faith comes from having faith tested. Patience comes from having lived through tribulations. This means that life will not necessarily be smooth under the direction of our Shepherd. He will sometimes lead us through rough places. Nevertheless, as we go through them we can know of his ability to keep us from falling and to present us before the presence of his Father with great joy. Keller writes: “The basic question is not whether we have many or few valleys. It is not whether those valleys are dark or merely dim with shadows. The question is how do I react to them? How do I go through them? How do I cope with the calamities that come my way? With Christ I face them calmly. With His gracious Spirit to guide me I face them fearlessly. I know of a surety that only through them can I possibly travel on to higher ground with God.”
Provision
Fourth, Psalm 23 speaks of the shepherd’s provision for each physical need of the flock. “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies, you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” Keller thinks that the reference to preparing the table refers to the shepherd’s advance preparation of the high tablelands or mesas where the sheep graze in summer. If so, it refers to the elimination of hazards, the destruction of poisonous plants, and the driving away of predators—all before the sheep arrive. If it does not refer to this, it must be taken merely of God’s provision of peace and feeding even when enemies lurk nearby. In such a time, says David, God anoints him with oil and fills his cup of wine to overflowing. In biblical imagery oil and wine speak of joy and prosperity; for the growing of olives and grapes and their transformation into oil and wine take time and gentle care. In times of domestic turmoil or war these tasks were forgotten. Moreover, oil and wine well suited the inhabitants of a dry and barren land and were therefore highly valued. In Palestine, where the sun shines fiercely most of the year and the temperature continually soars up into the hundreds, the skin quickly becomes cracked and broken, and throats become dusty and parched. Oil soothes the skin, particularly the face. Wine clears the throat. Therefore, when a guest arrived at the home of a friend in Palestine in Christ’s or David’s day, hospitality demanded the provision of oil and wine so that the ravages of travel might be overcome and friends might make merry in each other’s company. David spoke of this elsewhere when he prayed, “O LORD … let your face shine on your servant” (Ps. 31:14, 16). A shining face was the face of a friend. In another passage he thanks God for “wine that gladdens the heart of man, [and] oil to make his face shine” (Ps. 104:15). David knew of God’s great love and provision; his face shone, and his heart was made merry because of it. Oh for the shining face and the merry heart today! Far too many have scowling faces and gloomy hearts, but that is not what God intends for his children. Instead, if we will allow him to lead us to the high pastures of the Christian life we will find our table prepared, our heads anointed with purest oil, and our cups overflowing with the wine of joy.
A Heavenly Home
Finally, having spoken of all these provisions, David adds no less gladly that he does not lack for a heavenly home. He is blessed in this life, but it is not in this life only that he knows God’s goodness. He will know it forever. Thus he declares, “Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:6). To have a sure home is one of the great desires of the nomadic people who have generally occupied that area of the Near East bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the great Arabian desert. T. E. Lawrence, who gained fame as Lawrence of Arabia during World War I, has written of this eloquently in his classic Seven Pillars of Wisdom. He tells in the opening pages of that book how, because of the geography of this area, one tribe after another came out of the desert to fight for the lush Judean highlands, which contained the best trees, crops, and pastures. The Israelites in their conquest of Palestine under Joshua were just one of these peoples. When one group (like the Israelites) succeeded, the conquered people generally moved just a bit south into the Negev (which was also good land but not quite as good as that to the north) and displaced others. Those who were displaced in turn displaced others, and those displaced still others, with the result that there was always a constant movement around the entire area. The last of the peoples would be forced back into the desert with nothing before them but Damascus. At some point all the peoples of the Near East had this background. So, for most of them, Damascus with its ample rivers and fields became the symbol of true abundance at the end of life’s pilgrimage. It symbolized home. For us who know the Good Shepherd there is also a similar longing; but the longing is not for Damascus or any other earthly home. Our longing is for that great and final home that the Lord Jesus Christ has himself gone to prepare for us. He has said, “I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:2–3). With such a promise we know that we will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Of our state in that home John the evangelist later wrote in the Book of Revelation: “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Rev. 7:16–17). The blessings of this life and heaven too! Nor can we forget that this was achieved for us by One who himself became a lamb in order to die for us so that we might be able to enter into the fullness of such a great salvation.
Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: an expositional commentary (pp. 747–752). Baker Books.
Democrats’ Reaction to Hostage Release Is a Mess Nate Jackson Some praised President Trump, while others perpetuated lies about Gazan “genocide,” were silent altogether, or tried to take credit for creating the deal Trump used.
Trump to China: FAFO Douglas Andrews The lying, thieving, cheating Chinese flexed their rare earth trade muscles late last week, but the American president wasn’t having any of it.
About Those Young Republican Adolescents Mark Alexander No Demos have called for Jay “Two Bullets” Jones to resign. Consequently, Republicans clearly own the high ground against promoting political violence.
The FBI’s Gun Data Fail Thomas Gallatin A new report exposes that the Bureau’s data on instances of armed civilians stopping or preventing mass shootings is inaccurate and vastly undercounted.
Candace Owens’s Goal of Dividing the Right Samantha Koch Most of Owens’s recent, questionable claims have already been publicly debunked. Yet she is doubling down, backed by a loyal audience as an incentive to keep going.
The Real Cost of Lawfare Jack DeVine The Democrats’ efforts to destroy Donald Trump’s 2020 election prospects failed — and left to the nation a very ugly price tag of rancor and division.
Wikipedia Gets Some Competition Michael Swartz None other than Elon Musk has floated an alternative to the internet’s encyclopedia giant because it has been overtaken by left-wing propaganda disguised as information.
Irony Alert: Iran, the Trans Capital Sophie Starkova In a case of strange bedfellows coming from a strict Muslim nation, apparently, Iran is seeking to become a destination for “transgender” surgeries.
The Demos’ Deviant Transnormalcy Agenda Mark Alexander Gender devolution results in absurd manifestations of human behavior, and the effort to normalize gender-disorientation pathology is not benign.
Who Is María Corina Machado? Emmy Griffin Meet the Venezuelan activist who won the Nobel Peace Prize for standing up to the dictatorial Nicolás Maduro regime.
Dems Still Want Segregation Via Gerrymandering Nate Jackson A Supreme Court case highlights the fact that Democrats still effectively demand “separate but equal” policies in the form of majority-minority congressional districts.
Dem ‘Fact-Checkers’ Fail on ObamaCare Lie Douglas Andrews Just as they’ve done from the very beginning, the Democrats are hanging their sombreros on a lie about illegal immigrants and “free” healthcare.
Hegseth’s Journo Stomp Thomas Gallatin Secretary of War Pete Hegseth sets new media access rules for the Pentagon, prompting the mainstream media to cry foul and refuse to play along.
Coerced Collectivism Michael Smith When attempts at coerced collectivism inevitably collapse, it’s only a matter of time before the next generation rediscovers the ruins and declares, “We’ll get it right this time.”
Profiles of Valor: COL Joe Marm (USA) Mark Alexander “The leader of the stranded platoon was killed, and his whole chain of command were killed or wounded.”
QUOTES Theater of the Absurd “We’ve had truly an amazing summer.” —Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker regarding Chicago’s 123 homicides Rewriting History “Those [European] explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations, perpetrating violence, stealing land, and spreading disease. We must not shy away from this shameful past.” —Kamala Harris Delusions of Grandeur “Some people have actually said I was the most qualified candidate ever to run for president.” —Kamala Harris “It’s good that President Trump adopted and built on the plan the Biden Administration developed after months of discussion with Arab partners, Israel and the Palestinian Authority.” —former Secretary of State Antony Blinken Gaslighting “President Trump was an obstacle to peace previously.” —Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Trump’s historic Gaza ceasefire deal Useful Idiots “Hamas Takes a Big Risk in Deal to Release Hostages.” —New York Times headline “To achieve a lasting peace, Israel must abandon its current extremist course and move toward a genuine two-state solution. … Israel did not have the right to go to war against the entire Palestinian people, killing or wounding almost 237,000 Palestinians.” —Sen. Bernie Sanders “Tragically, the United States provided most of the weapons used for this horrendous destruction. … This must never happen again.” —Sen. Bernie Sanders “They’re probably being treated better than the average Gazan, because they are the pawns and the chips that Hamas had.” —CNN’s Christiane Amanpour regarding Israeli hostages “Palestinian officials will tell you that they believe Israel has been … arresting as many as they can … to amass as many bargaining chips as possible for these negotiations.” —NBC News’s Daniele Hamamdjian Lack of Self-Awareness Awards “We don’t want, you know, kangaroo courts and trumped-up charges. … We want, like, our court system and our Justice Department and our prosecutors … and our FBI to be, just, playing things straight and looking at the facts and not meddling in politics the way we’ve seen lately.” —Barack Obama “I’ve become increasingly concerned about the rising wave of authoritarianism sweeping the globe. We’re seeing politicians target civil society, undermine freedom of the press, weaponize the justice system. And no one is being spared.” —Barack Obama “Republicans want to steal enough seats in Congress to rig the next election.” —Barack Obama Fearmongering “The broader goal, I believe, is the militarization of major American cities before the 2026 elections. … Next year, I fear that what they’re going to do is deploy these folks eventually to polling places and say they’re protecting the vote. … If [Trump] loses, he’s going to immediately, in the aftermath of the election, do what he said he might do in 2020, which is use the military to confiscate the ballot boxes and count the votes, claiming that there’s fraud.” —Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Blowhard “I know what it feels like to be attacked for just doing your job. But I also know what it feels like to overcome adversity. And so, I stand on solid rock. And I will not bow. I will not break. I will not bend. I will not capitulate. I will not give in. I will not give up.” —New York Attorney General Letitia James Don’t Believe Your Lying Eyes “Republican leaders are still trying to blame Democrats for the shutdown even though they control the House, the Senate, and the White House. It would be like Trump blaming January 6th on Joe Biden.” —Jimmy Kimmel The BIG Lies “The only reason that [House Speaker Mike Johnson] has shut down Congress is because he does not want a vote on the Epstein files.” —Rep. Ro Khanna “[Republicans] decided to shut the government down. … Republicans have voted for a partisan spending bill.” —House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries “There’s no antifa. This is an entirely imaginary organization. There is not an antifa.” —Jimmy Kimmel “There’s no chaos in Portland. None. There is no chaos in Chicago. There was no chaos in Los Angeles. They’re pretending there’s chaos as a pretense for a military takeover.” —Jimmy Kimmel “There was no violence at all [in Portland]. There was no destruction at all.” —retired U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin Race Bait “The Republican Party in the past 10 years has moved down the road of racism. So it’s not surprising that you see their open embrace of Nazism, of anti-Semitism… The Republican Party under Donald Trump has doubled down on its racism.” —CNN panelist Keith Boykin “I’m a white woman that has lived in a red state my entire life, and I can tell you when I’m around white people, they test the racist water. They test it on people … all the time.” —podcast host Jennifer Welch “[JD Vance] is married to a woman of Indian descent. He has mixed-race children. So to all of the MAGA voters out there, if this man will not defend his wife and will not defend his kids, do you think he gives a crap about you?” —Jennifer Welch Dumb & Dumber “I don’t really have opinions about the future of Hamas.” —New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani “One of the key reasons why we have to make buses free is because it reduces the assaults on bus drivers. It creates a safer work environment.” —Zohran Mamdani Missing the Forest for the Trees “Why is the United States, the richest country in the history in the world, the only major nation not to guarantee healthcare to all people as a human right?” —Sen. Bernie Sanders (Maybe we’re rich because we’re not socialist.) Defending the Indefensible “The Jay Jones texts were abhorrent and they are indefensible, but I also have known Jay Jones for 25 years.” —Sen. Tim Kaine Non Compos Mentis “I agree with the concerns expressed by parents and players that we have to take into account biological factors such as muscle mass and unfair student athletic advantage when we determine who plays on which teams, especially in contact sports. … There was no way I was going to go against my very nature and turn on transgender people.” —Kamala Harris “Letting the very small number of transgender students in Minnesota play on their school sports teams doesn’t harm anyone, but segregating them does.” —Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison “I think transgender female athletes are women athletes and they should be able to compete.” —California gubernatorial candidate Betty Yee Belly Laugh of the Week “I think that [Trump] is afraid of smart, informed, strong women. … I think that strong women scare him and infuriate him. And I’m one of them.” —Rosie O’Donnell
Here’s your glimpse at news headlines from this past week, with more details to be had when you review the audio of this Crosstalk broadcast.
–President Trump issued a blunt threat to Hamas saying in a Truth Social post that, “…if Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them.”
–Hamas has called on mediators to push for the next steps under the cease-fire.
–Due to what was described as the mediators’ leniency regarding Hamas’ refusal to disarm, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have issued warnings that the effort to end the war is at risk of collapsing.
–The FBI has arrested a suspect in Louisiana who allegedly participated in Hamas in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
–Demonstrators will be taking to the streets across America Saturday against the Trump administration as they participate in “No Kings” protests.
–Federal officials are warning that Saturday’s nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations could attract extremist elements linked to the Antifa movement, seeking to insight violence and disrupt public order.
–A New Mexico County judge and his wife were indicted last week after they were caught housing illegal immigrants, including a suspected Tren De Aragua gang member.
–Virginia’s Republican Attorney General, Jason Miyares, kicked off a debate on Thursday with text messages in which his Democratic opponent, Jay Jones, wished death on a political rival.
–Border “Czar” Tom Homan said his family has been in hiding due to death threats while reporters try to find out where his family is located.
–The Department of Homeland Security put out a blistering release that chronicled a sickening plot south of the border that was targeting ICE officials and border protection agents all the way in Chicago.
–Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee said that the state and federal crime fighting mission in Memphis will continue indefinitely after a joint operation has notched more than 850 arrests in its first two weeks.
–California will lose millions in federal money because it won’t comply with the federal Department of Transportation English language proficiency standards, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
–A Virginia father will be in prison for 30 years after attacking and killing his two month old daughter in December of 2020 due to gaming rage.
–Former National Security Adviser John Bolton turned himself in at a federal court in Maryland to answer an indictment that charges him with mishandling classified information.
Noteworthy Hamas appears to have released the last 20 living hostages from the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. It seems like this ceasefire that Trump at least had a hand in is … doing something good. That can’t be right … can it?
Consistent The county of Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency due to ongoing ICE raids. A “sanctuary county,” Los Angeles (city and county) flout federal immigration laws. Given their illegal stance and their proximity to the U.S./Mexico border, they have the largest population of illegal immigrants in the country, so obviously federal law enforcement operations are causing troubles in their population. Now the county will be providing tax dollars to aid families in their time of need who have chosen to ignore federal immigration laws. Consistent with their “sanctuary county” status.
Treasonous Journalists have abandoned the Pentagon after refusing to abide by new rules on the release of information. They wanted the right to release any information they found, classified or not, and the Secretary of Defense required that the release had to be approved. You know … like any common sense military would. Nope! Journalists won’t do it. So they’re out. Which doesn’t seem like a bad thing, given their intent to commit treason.
By Any Other Name Another violent pro-Palestinian protest, this time in Barcelona, Spain. Eight were arrested and 20 police injured as the ceasefire is going on. Clearly “peace in Palestine” is not in view. What is? “Eliminate Israel” seems to be the growing consensus. But we won’t call it “antisemitism” … which it clearly is.
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing Extremist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani is trying to sound more right-leaning in his Fox News interview, apologizing to the NYPD for bad things he said about them and telling us that he’s willing to work with Trump. He already positioned himself on the extreme left, but understands that he can’t win over there, so he’s walking back attacks on the police … which he clearly intended but knows will harm his election bid. A politician, you see.
Your Best Source for Fake News After the horrible success of the peace process in Gaza, Democrats are demanding that Trump stop fanning the flames of peace, deeply concerned that we’re moving further away from World War 3. They’d much prefer our “mostly peaceful” protests like Spain and Berlin and the stuff from antifa, burning and looting neighborhoods near you. Leftists are taking to the streets protesting the end of genocide in Gaza … you know, the actual genocide of trying to eliminate Israel. They’re calling for “another October 7th” (no joke).
Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters and Sean Hannity bring Fox News viewers their fresh takes on the top news of the day. #foxnews #media #us #usa #new #news #jessewattersprimetime #jessewatters #watters #trump #donaldtrump #democrats #democraticparty #democrat #governmentshutdown #shutdown #foreignpolicy #domesticpolicy #leadership #congress #washington #dc #washingtondc #economy #lawandorder #politics
Fox News’ Madeleine Rivera provides details ahead of the expected 2,500 ‘No Kings’ protests across the country, as several prominent Democratic lawmakers are expected to participate. #foxnews #politics #nokings #protest
Graphic promoting the “No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance” event on October 18th.
Earlier this week, I opened my press email expecting the usual updates, but instead found an invitation to attend a “No Kings” protest in New York City.
The rally, advertised as a grassroots demonstration, was in fact tied to organizations funded by George Soros’s Open Society Foundations (OSF).
Out of curiosity, I reached out for an interview with the event’s organizer. Unsurprisingly, I never received a reply.
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That silence only confirmed what the financial record already shows: Soros’s network thrives on operating in the shadows.
Since 2016, Soros’s OSF—now led by his son Alexander—has funneled more than $80 million into groups linked to extremist activity, according to the Capital Research Center.
While mainstream media paints OSF as a benevolent philanthropic engine, the truth is far darker.
These grants are not limited to think tanks or voter engagement. They extend to organizations that train activists in sabotage, property destruction, and even violent confrontation.
Consider the Center for Third World Organizing and its militant partner, the Ruckus Society.
Both groups, funded by OSF, were active during the 2020 riots that shut down major cities. Their “direct action” training included sabotage and urban disruption tactics that meet the FBI’s definition of domestic terrorism.
Another OSF grantee, the Sunrise Movement, endorsed the Antifa-linked “Stop Cop City” campaign in Atlanta. That effort has already left more than 40 activists facing domestic terrorism charges and 60 others indicted under Georgia’s racketeering laws.
OSF’s reach extends further. The foundation poured $18 million into the Movement for Black Lives, which later published a radical guide glorifying Hamas’s October 7 massacre in Israel.
The guide went as far as teaching “activists” how to create false identification, blockade infrastructure, and engineer economic sabotage.
Funding such material is not supporting free speech; rather, it is underwriting political violence.
Between 2016 and 2023, OSF granted more than $2.3 million to Al-Haq, a West Bank NGO accused of direct ties to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a designated terrorist group.
In September 2025, the U.S. State Department formally sanctioned Al-Haq, declaring its work part of the “illegitimate targeting of Israel” at the International Criminal Court.
That means Soros’s dollars went directly to a group now blacklisted by the U.S. government.
Soros’s foundation has empowered movements whose agenda is destabilization, not reform. The invitation I received to a so-called protest was a reminder that the money behind these movements is foreign, coordinated, and destructive.
President Donald Trump is forcing the Democrats to face something they’re not used to: accountability.
We’re seeing this play out with his indictment of Letitia James, the attorney general for the state of New York, who made being a Trump adversary a core part of her political brand. Now, she faces charges related to her Maryland property declarations, including discrepancies on federal forms and taxes. On today’s episode of Victor Davis Hanson: In a Few Words, Hanson contrasts this case with previous legal actions taken against Trump, highlighting the double standard that Democrats have gotten used to when it comes to evading justice — until now.
“We saw, with Alvin Bragg and Letitia James and Fani Willis and Jack Smith, a miscarriage of justice. We all knew that those charges that these four prosecutors filed, A) would’ve never been filed had Donald Trump said he was not going to run again. B) they will never be filed against any other politician, no doubt. And C) if Donald Trump just said that he was going to run, but he decided he was a RINO or he was left-wing and he agreed with Letitia James’ political views, he probably would’ve got off. He would never have been indicted. And you can diddle the same attitude from Judge Engoron. So, do you just let that all slide or do you look at what Letitia James has allegedly done? It’s just simply a question.”
New York City organizers embedded in the global intifada to destroy the state of Israel moved Friday to join the controversial “No Kings” protests planned for today, despite the peace deal reached between Israel and Hamas.
“UAW Labor for Palestine” and “NYC Labor for Palestine” quietly posted a call-to-action for the “Palestine Labor Solidarity Contingent” to meet Saturday at 11 a.m. at Duarte Square at the corner of Grand Street and Canal Street in midtown Manhattan and then flow into the #NoKings protests planned to protest President Donald Trump.
They’re not alone. Around the country, anti-Israel blocs are slotting themselves into the “No Kings” protests as a “Palestine Contingent” and “Socialist Contingent,” positioning their messages “front and center,” as Seattle activists put it, “from Providence to Palestine.”
The alignment underscores a strategic pivot in the global intifada’s next phase, experts say, carrying the anti-Israel message into any high-energy civic protest, even after Hamas agreed to a ceasefire by linking “Free Palestine” to domestic fights like ICE, police and “fascism.”
Billionaire donor George Soros is reportedly funding many of the organizations leading the “No Kings” protests, like Indivisible, whose co-founders, Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, received a $3 million two-year grant last year from Soros’s Open Society Foundations for “social welfare activities.” Details about the “Palestine Contingent” weaving into the “No Kings” protests raises new questions about the way big Democratic donors like Soros are funneling nonprofit dollars into a professional protest industry that is fractious, divisive and partisan, potentially in violation of tax and nonprofit laws.
Behind the emotion and patriotic imagery of the protests, a Fox News Digital investigation revealed that the movement’s polished “pro-democracy” branding masks a coordinated network of Democratic tax-exempt nonprofits and labor unions, political action committees, coalitions and for-profit protest consultants that include some of the most virulent activists against Israel, including self-declared socialist groups like the Party for Socialism and Liberation, Democratic Socialists of America and Students for a Democratic Society.
According to a public database of the protest’s organizers, compiled by the Pearl Project, a journalism initiative, the protest’s “partners” include 265 mostly nonprofit organizations, including some anti-Israel groups, like Jewish Voice for Peace, exploiting their nonprofit benefits to wage a political war against the sitting president. Their nonprofit status shields them from paying taxes on most of their total annual revenues of $2.9 billion, even while they engage in partisan work they aren’t supposed to be doing. Critics say they are allegedly skirting, if not violating, tax and nonprofit laws. Event organizers didn’t return requests for comment.
“They call it ‘No Kings,’ but what they’ve built is an empire of tax-exempt organizations doing the Democratic Party’s work on the taxpayer’s dime,” said Jennica Pounds, a computer scientist who runs a platform, DataRepublican.com, following the money on these organizations. “They are using every excuse in the book, from immigration to Israel, to rage-bait America. There is nothing ‘charitable’ about their professional protest enterprise, and they should be investigated for fomenting so much hate in America behind the shield of ‘charity work.’”
Already, Trump has said that he has directed the Justice Department to investigate possible violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has opened an investigation that follows the money to anti-Israel groups, including some of the groups who will be bringing their protest signs to the “No Kings” demonstrations.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told Fox News Digital, “The Trump administration and the Republican Congress are committed to countering this network of left-wing violence.”
Last week, House Speaker Mike Johnson called the protests a “hate America rally.” Indeed, on June 14, at the “No Kings” protest in Philadelphia, activists from the “Palestinian Contingent,” including activists from the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Democratic Socialists of America, hissed as a woman sang the national anthem.
“Booooo! Boooooo!” they yelled, covering their faces in keffiyehs, carrying Palestinian flags and heckling bystanders, “Zionist!”
While organizers insist the movement transcends party lines, its structure tells a different story.
The motto of Field Team 6, another political action committee, is “Register Democrats. Save the World.” However, those PACs are just one layer of a much larger partisan infrastructure.
About one-third, or 79 groups, behind the “No Kings” protests hold 501(c)(3) status, meaning their donors receive tax deductions while the groups face strict restrictions to do “charitable” work, not political work. They are supposed to be nonpartisan. Yet most have clearly stated political agendas.
On its donation page, one of the protest partners, “Build the Resistance,” states a partisan mission to “fight against autocracy, fascism, and donald [sic].” Donations go to Oil and Gas Action Network, a 501(c)(3) that reported $1.9 million in revenues in its last tax filing.
Another 100 are 501(c)(4) political nonprofits that may do limited lobbying but still cannot devote themselves primarily to political work. Meanwhile, 24 are 501(c)(5) labor union nonprofits, like the labor unions marching against Israel in New York and the San Francisco Bay Area, that also have limits on the amount of political work they can do.
It’s clear that the protests are all about politics. The protest’s own internal online “toolkit” mentions Trump 12 times and describes the mobilization explicitly as a direct stand against “the Trump administration,” “Trump and his enablers,” “President Trump’s authoritarian takeover” in a partisan-centered campaign.
In Rhode Island, the “Free Palestine Contingent” activists will march “FROM PROVIDENCE TO PALESTINE” to “FIGHT FASCISM! FIGHT GENOCIDE.” It connects the battles against ICE law enforcement officers and the battles of Palestinians, noting, “Military occupations and ICE violence are wreaking havoc in Black and brown communities in D.C., L.A., Chicago — and here in Providence. On the streets of U.S. cities, the same weapons and surveillance technologies the Israeli military has used to devastate Gaza are being used in escalated ways against us. What we allow fascists to do in Palestine, they will do to the entire world — and it is our duty to resist them and fight for a free Palestine.
In northern California, activists at “Bay Area Labor 4 Palestine” and Service Employees International Union Local 1021 announcedyesterday, “The fight for a liberated Palestine is not over and cannot be ignored,” over a graphic for the “No Kings” protest. They instructed followers to “Bring flags, signs, keffiyehs and art” to the “No Kings” march in Oakland, Calif., at Wilma Chan Park off Jackson Street.
In New York City, the “Palestine Labor Solidarity Contingent” said its message would be very specific: “STOP ARMING ISRAEL! FUND OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT GENOCIDE & OCCUPATION! END ICE, MILITARY & POLICE TERROR…HANDS OF VENEZUELA!”
Across the country, in Washington state, activists from “Seattle Against War” yesterday celebrated local organizers adding an anti-Israel activist, Tariq Ra’ouf, to the official #NoKings speaker lineup, noting it will be a “great opportunity for us to support the demands of Palestinians from the belly of the beast!”
The Party for Socialism and Liberation’s local chapter in Syracuse, N.Y., posteda similar poster with the local chapter of Democratic Socialists of America, which has Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani as its political candidate in New York City.
In Charlotte, N.C., the local chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation put out a call to members to assemble at 10 a.m. tomorrow for the local #NoKings protest at First Ward Park: “JOIN THE PALESTINE CONTINGENT @ THE ‘NO KINGS’ RALLY…MEET AT THE PLAYGROUND.”
With local partners, including the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Jewish Voice for Peace, activists at the Party for Socialism and Liberation noted that, post-ceasefire, they will “continue to fight for a free Palestine.” Some of the groups in the Palestine Contingent are part of the wider network of publicly acknowledged partners of the protests, like 50501.
In Eugene, Ore., activists with the Party for Socialism and Liberation are rallying members to meet the “Socialist Contingent” at the corner of Mill Road and Eighth Avenue to “march for a free Palestine” and get ICE officers “OUT of our communities.”
In Portland, a local Palestinian American activist announced, “The Nakba Is Still Not Over!” in a reference to the “humiliation” over the creation of the state of Israel in 1948. She summoned activists to the “No Kings” protests: “‼️SHOW UP FOR PALESTINE‼️”
Anti-Israel activists tied to the global intifada movement are pushing their way into today’s nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations, even as a fragile ceasefire holds in Gaza after months of conflict. These groups, fresh off campus occupations and street blockades, now aim to fuse their demands with broader attacks on the Trump administration, turning what organizers bill as pro-democracy rallies into platforms for anti-Israel rhetoric.
In New York City, the “Palestine Labor Solidarity Contingent” from UAW Labor for Palestine and NYC Labor for Palestine plans to gather at Duarte Square before merging with the main protest. “STOP ARMING ISRAEL! FUND OUR COMMUNITIES, NOT GENOCIDE & OCCUPATION! END ICE, MILITARY & POLICE TERROR…HANDS OF VENEZUELA!” their call to action reads.
Similar contingents are forming coast to coast, from Providence’s “Free Palestine Contingent” marching “FROM PROVIDENCE TO PALESTINE” to “FIGHT FASCISM! FIGHT GENOCIDE” to Seattle’s “Seattle Against War,” which sees the event as a “great opportunity for us to support the demands of Palestinians from the belly of the beast!”
This infiltration comes just days after President Trump announced a peace agreement between Israel and Gaza militants, a deal that included hostage releases and aid commitments but left many wondering about its staying power amid ongoing accusations of body withholding by Hamas. Yet the radicals show no sign of easing up.
“The fight for a liberated Palestine is not over and cannot be ignored,” declare Bay Area Labor 4 Palestine and Service Employees International Union Local 1021, urging participants to bring Palestinian flags, signs, and keffiyehs to Oakland’s march.
Behind the scenes, a web of tax-exempt nonprofits and unions fuels these efforts, with annual revenues topping $2.9 billion. Many trace back to billionaire George Soros, whose Open Society Foundations have pumped millions into groups like Indivisible, a key “No Kings” organizer. Indivisible’s co-founders, Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin, received a $3 million grant for “social welfare activities,” but critics see it as a smokescreen for partisan agitation. Other Soros-backed entities, including those under scrutiny for funneling cash to anti-Israel causes, help orchestrate the chaos, raising alarms about foreign influences meddling in American streets to stoke division and weaken alliances like the U.S.-Israel bond.
These aren’t isolated incidents. At a June “No Kings” event in Philadelphia, a “Palestinian Contingent” from the Council on American-Islamic Relations and Democratic Socialists of America booed the national anthem with cries of “Booooo! Boooooo!” while branding bystanders “Zionist!”
In Portland, a Palestinian American activist insists, “The Nakba Is Still Not Over!” and calls to “SHOW UP FOR PALESTINE.” Such tactics echo the global intifada’s playbook, where protests serve as cover for deeper agendas, possibly orchestrated by elite donors aiming to erode national sovereignty and push socialist overhauls.
Republican leaders aren’t buying the charitable facade. House Speaker Mike Johnson dubs the rallies a “hate America rally,” while Sen. Ted Cruz vows the administration will counter this “network of left-wing violence.” Sen. Chuck Grassley has launched a probe into the funding streams, and President Trump has ordered the Justice Department to explore RICO violations against these operations. As one analyst puts it, “They are using every excuse in the book, from immigration to Israel, to rage-bait America. There is nothing ‘charitable’ about their professional protest enterprise.”
With antifa elements reportedly slipping in and Democratic PACs like Hollywood Democrats and College Democrats of America listed as partners, the “No Kings” machine looks more like a coordinated assault on law and order. Even with Gaza’s guns quiet for now, these billionaire-backed forces seem determined to import unrest home, betting on turmoil to advance their vision of a remade world.
‘Saturday in America’ host Kayleigh McEnany discusses President Donald Trump’s claim that Democrats made ‘one mistake’ going into the government shutdown and NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani’s flip-flop on Hamas. #foxnews #politics #trump #democrats #governmentshutdown
Hoover Institution senior fellow Victor Davis Hanson assesses President Donald Trump’s legacy nine months into his second term on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’ #fox #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #foxnews #lifelibertyandlevin #victordavishanson #donaldtrump #trump #president #presidency #americanpolitics #government #conservative #republican #progressives #history #legacy #america #
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